*Caution*
There will be smut in this chapter. It's not explicit, but it's spicy. If you're uncomfortable with bed scenes, you might not read it.

Chapter 6

The way back seemed longer to Riven than the way there. His thoughts kept returning to Darcy and her tear-filled eyes. From the looks of it, she was currently a prisoner of her own intrigues. Or Valtor's intrigues... maybe Icy's too.

He had wanted to ask her so many questions. For example, the thing with his memories. Why she thought he had left her and not the other way around. There was so much that didn't make sense.

Then there were the tarot cards. No matter which perspective you looked at it from, his or hers, nothing good came of it.

"Riven," said Flora, who was now walking next to him untransformed, "please stop sighing, or tell me what's wrong. The mission was somewhat successful after all."

Riven said nothing and Flora walked silently next to him. The next time he sighed, she stood in front of him and spread her arms.

"Don't go any further until you tell me what's going on."

Riven suppressed another sigh and told Flora about the cards. The fairy of nature listened quietly and didn't interrupt him until he had finished.

"Well, if that's the case, I don't think you need to worry," she said happily.

"Didn't you listen to me properly, Flora?" Riven's voice became angrier than he wanted, "the whole thing points to a catastrophe." Then he added more conciliatorily. "I don't want to be used again."

"Sorry, I understand that of course. But, you know, the cards don't look that bad."

Riven looked confused at Flora, who continued: "There are also many tarot followers in Lynphea. My mother is very well versed in this art and that's why I can tell you with certainty: The Hanged Man doesn't have to represent treason. That's how he used to be understood, but you see," she passed her hand through the air and the Hanged Man card appeared before them. "You see," she repeated, "his face. He doesn't look tormented. The Hanged Man wasn't hung by some villains, he's hanging there voluntarily. He's changing his perspective, exploring a new path. A different way of looking at things. For us, the Hanged Man represents a possible new beginning. The cards couldn't speak more clearly. You are Darcy's key to this new path. You can accompany her on this new path."

"And you're not just making that up?"

"Fairies don't lie," Flora winked. He wanted to believe it all too much.

She danced with Riven. The lights around them blurred into a golden glow. They seemed to be in a large ballroom. A purple dress wrapped around Darcy and rustled behind her with every step. Riven wore some sort of prince's uniform and although she knew he wasn't a prince, she wasn't surprised. It wasn't important. Nothing was important. The only thing that mattered was that he spun her around with every turn, making her dress billow out. It was important that their fingers were intertwined. It was important that in his eyes there was only her. The golden light enveloped her and Darcy gave herself completely to this strange waltz.

Suddenly it went dark. The glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows shattered and a cold wind blew out all the candles. Darcy and Riven stopped dancing. Darcy looked around, frightened. No sign of Riven. There were thousands of pairs of eyes staring at her in the darkness, but none of them belonged to her lover.

She ran to the high double doors, but before Darcy could reach them, they slammed shut with a loud bang. She whirled around frantically. There was another door at the other end of the hall, but she couldn't possibly reach it. The eyes were now coming out of the shadows, whispering. It sounded like the buzzing of an insect and became louder and louder.

Darcy sank to her knees, the voices weighing her down. With her eyes narrowed, she pressed her palms against her ears, but it was no use. The voices got louder and louder and suddenly she understood what they were saying. "She killed him." "See, she killed him." "Witches only bring ruin."

"What's that supposed to mean," Darcy said, "who killed who?" But she already knew the answer. When she opened her eyes, she saw Riven in front of her. A pool of blood around his head.

"No, Riven, this can't be true," she screamed and wanted to lift his head, to hold him close. But when she reached out her hands to him, she noticed that they were covered in blood.

"She killed him. She killed him." The voices echoed in her head.

"No," Darcy sobbed.

"She broke his heart, look how it's bleeding."

Blood gushed from a wound in Riven's chest. Darcy desperately pressed her hands to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but the harder she tried, the more it bled.

"No..."

"She killed him."

The eyes came at her, tugged at her hair, grabbed her arms and tried to drag her away from Riven. "She killed him!"

Darcy woke up with a scream. She sat up, breathing heavily, and stared into the darkness. The eyes were still there, looking at her. Damn, was she still dreaming? The voices would soon start again.

"Apparently my dreamless sleep spell couldn't keep Liliss away." The eyes came closer and Darcy realized that it was Icy leaning over her.

"It's been happening more often lately," Darcy finally admitted. She shivered and pushed a strand of hair from her forehead.

"I know. But it won't be long now. Soon we'll have all the power we want and can keep Liliss out of your thoughts." Icy smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.But until then, I hope the dreams continue to torment you and you don't come up with any stupid ideas,Icy thought as she helped Darcy up.

Darcy and Stormy were currently uncooperative and did not support Valtor. But as soon as Valtor triumphed over the magical dimension, Icy's sisters would also be convinced. And until then, she would keep the two as small as possible. So that they did not oppose anything Valtor was planning. And they did not run the risk of being eliminated by Valtor.

"Get dressed," Icy said harshly. When she noticed how rough her voice was, she corrected herself and continued in a more friendly manner. "I have good news, come with Stormy to the great hall."

Darcy promised to hurry and Icy left the room. But the cold remained.

Annoyed, Valtor looked at the three young witches who entered the large hall together, where his improvised throne stood.

The three of them couldn't have been more different. Icy was almost glowing with enthusiasm. As contradictory as that was, there seemed to be a fire burning inside her. The fire for him. He suppressed a satisfied smile. The ice queen melted at the sight of him. Her eyes were always filled with a certain glow when she looked at him, he had made sure of that. But now it looked as if she was almost bursting with joy. His current situation was more than precarious. With the water stars, the Winx had suddenly become serious opponents, damn it. Why was she so happy?

Darcy, on the other hand, was pale and seemed more than unsteady on her feet. It was obvious that she had been crying again. He didn't know the exact reason and that made him nervous. They were all in a bad way, that was obvious, but it didn't explain that the Witch of Darkness and Illusions cried so often that her eyes looked puffy. Valtor would have to find out what was upsetting the middle Trix and eliminate it. He needed Darcy to be sharp, menacing and dangerous. And completely on top of things. Otherwise, she was not only useless, but a threat to his plans.

Stormy was pale too, but it was the kind of paleness you got when you had drunk too much the night before. The Witch of Storms looked as grumpy as ever. She increasingly reminded Valtor of a baby whose rattle had been taken away. An angry baby whose temper could bring the walls down. He should send Stormy on some mission where she could break something and really let off steam. It would be safer if she had all her wits together for the final battle and wasn't acting even more recklessly than usual.

"Well," he snapped as the three of them lined up in front of him. "What is so incredibly important that I have to postpone my plans?"

"I'd like to know too," Stormy spat at her sister. "If I've dragged myself out of bed for nothing, I'll puke at your feet. Although," she held a hand to her stomach, "I might do that too even if there's great news."

Icy grinned and stepped forward. With a wave of her hand, her vacuum crystal appeared in her hand. "I have a little present for you, Valtor," she purred, and then the others saw it: All six water stars sparkled in the ice-blue light of the vacuum crystal.

"Are those - "Darcy caught her breath, suddenly torn out of her lethargy.

"The water stars," Icy confirmed proudly.

"I think I'm about to puke from happiness," Stormy sounded awestruck and looked at her sister in astonishment. "When did you get them?"

Icy's eyes narrowed. "Last night, when you had nothing better to do than go drinking and Darcy was blubbering again. Unlike you, I don't lose sight of our goals." She looked for Valtor's gaze, who stood up and walked towards her.

Enthusiasm spread within him, but on the outside he remained calm. He put both hands on her shoulders. "I knew I could rely on you, Icy. If not on you, then on no one."

He heard her heart beat faster. Exactly the reaction he wanted to evoke. She belonged entirely to him. Her little heart was consumed by him and she craved his praise like a drowning man craves air. She was the perfect tool.

"Now you can destroy Bloom once and for all." A slight blush had crept onto Icy's snow-white skin as she looked into his stormy gray eyes.

"Nowwecan destroy Bloom once and for all," he corrected her.

Icy's eyes lit up. It was really too easy. To encourage her even further, he would have to turn to her a little more. In private, of course.

Darcy and Stormy stood to the side and watched the scene.

"Say, are we air to them?" Stormy whispered to Darcy.

"We have been for months," she replied.

Stormy moaned softly, "now he's going to fuck her again and she'll think she's the greatest of all."

"Let them fuck. Then at least they'll be distracted and I can tell you something in secret."

Stormy looked at her with interest. But before she could reply, her face turned green and she started to vomit.

Icy lay on her back, breathing heavily. The silk sheets caressed her bare skin. Her body was still trembling with desire and it filled her with euphoria to see the same desire in Valtor's eyes.

Satisfied, she gave herself over to the triumph she had felt since she had presented the water stars to Valtor. For a brief moment, she closed her eyes and wiped a few drops of sweat from her forehead.

Her plan had worked. On the one hand, she had dealt the Winx a fatal blow by stealing the water stars from them. Poor little Bloom. It had all been in vain. On the other hand, she had proven her worth once again. And she was still Valtor's undisputed number one.

She enjoyed the tension that crackled between them.

"Exhausted?" he asked and she heard the self-satisfied smile in his voice. With an elegant movement, Icy sat up, straightened her back and looked down at the warlock lying next to her.

"Not half as exhausted as you, old man."

"I think I'm still in pretty good shape for my age."

Icy grinned and her gaze slid along his body. "I never denied that."

Valtor looked at her body benevolently and stopped at her breasts. The Witch of Eternal Ice literally basked in his gaze. Then she ran a lascivious movement over her lips and turned with a meaningful look to a slightly raised spot under the blanket.

He had chosen a capable playmate. Icy might seem cold as ice at first glance, but she managed to awaken a fire in him that few could. There were two types of women in Valtor's life. One type was the only one he had loved. Briefly. But even that short time had been long enough for her to betray him. His lover had betrayed him to his worst enemies, who had once been enemies for both of them. After that, Valtor had locked his heart, which was hardly softened anyway, deep inside himself. This made room for the second category of women. His playmates. Both in power and on a physical level.

Icy belonged to the second category, of course. She was an interesting game that he had won hands down. At the beginning she had been aloof and withdrawn. A fortress that was well equipped to attack with battle cannons, catapults and cauldrons full of seething pitch to protect what was dear to her heart: her two younger sisters. Slowly and carefully, he had felt his way forward and awakened in her what she longed for. A kindred spirit that understood her. It was lonely at the top. But he had made her believe that he felt the same way she did, that he was by her side. He was the rock she could lean on when it was all too much. He had become a person she could trust, someone she could love. Undoubtedly on her side. It hadn't been far from infatuation to lust, and he had stoked a fire in her that had irrevocably drawn her to his side. He was the only person in this universe who really understood her. He knew what it was like to bear all the responsibility alone. At least that's what he told her. He made it clear that Darcy and Stormy didn't understand, but he did. He had made himself indispensable. And he would be lying if he said that he didn't enjoy this game. Both the underhanded part that had made her his perfect subordinate, and the sexual part. Because Icy was very skilled in this art. And at the end of the day, he was still a man. He promised her the world and she assured herself of his affection with her whole body.

"You know, Icy," he whispered as he pushed her snow-blue, shiny hair back from her neck and brushed his lips over her heated skin, "I haven't been very nice to you lately. I was tense and I'm sorry for being so... cold to you."

"The cold never bothered me anyway," Icy ran her long fingers over his chest. "Besides, you're under stress, so it's perfectly normal to be distracted from theimportant things."

"And you're the important thing?"

"Of course, what else?"

World domination, you little fool, but he just pressed his lips to her neck and immortalized himself there.

Icy let out a sigh. But she didn't let herself go. It was important to her that he got his money's worth too.

So with a fluid movement she ran her hands down his body to the spot that needed her full attention.

Now it was Valtor's turn to moan.

Icy smiled. "I think I've found the right spot." She slowed down the movement of her hand.

"Do you really want to torture me so much?" he said.

With her other hand she ran her hand over his chest and whispered confidently. "That's what I'm best at." Then she sped up the movement of her hand and her soft lips looked for his.

After a short while she sat up on him and they gave themselves completely to the play of their bodies.

Icy lost herself in his touches and whispered vows of love without realizing that she was the prey in a spider's web of intrigues.

She didn't notice it, didn't want to, couldn't.

Because the sweeter the lies, the stronger the poison.