Page 63 of Of Sockets Of Stitches
My focus shifted to her husband. “You will be my new champion.”
How to switch monsters about and still save the world?
I floated an idea to ancients, and watched the dark gray in the duchess’s mind fade to a lighter hue. I pushed another idea forward. Lighter. Another idea. Nearly right.
With a reluctant sigh, I floated through another offer.
The duchess’s being returned to normal.
“Here is the way that a princess will become a duchess,” I said. “Thank you.”
Ancients did not respond, but they never had so directly.
There was a price for me too. That of power. I trickled power into the duchess so as not to fry her up. I trickled power until dawn came, and then until dawn returned.
Duke Raise was a simpler matter. His soul had cried out for less regality since his first days of monsterdom. There was a relief in him when I placed the funnel of Princess Raise within him. His mind eased. His body relaxed. The deepest parts of King Raise had yearned for this.
Indeed, there would be some shoving and pushing in hismagic until it adjusted to flowing through the narrower space, but all in all, he had the easier role to play.
The sweat trickling over my brow had dried long ago.
I released the Raises, and the duke promptly caught his duchess, who was deep in slumber.
“’Tis done,” I said wearily.
A large hand grasped my elbow to support me.
I stiffened at See’s touch, but truly was not equipped to stand well in that moment. I would allow the touch for now.
“What have you done to her?” The duke’s face morphed to outrage. “What have you done to me? My skin feels too tight!”
He also had a face. Which had escaped his notice for now. Another price of messing with monsterdom.
Fear was alive in his gaze.
“She slumbers, sir,” I told the duke. “That is all. She shall wake tomorrow at dusk.”
He blinked. “That’s all?”
“No, that is not all. She will waken each dusk, but fall into slumber by midnight. Every night.”
“Every night for how long?” the duke demanded.
I answered, “A century.”
Duke Raise paled. His mouth bobbed. His features were angular—at once seeming sharp and slippery, like the peak of an icy slope. “I will only have her for a handful of hours each night.”
“Rather less than that, sir. She will be engaged in purpose when awake. In matters of her duchy, and in matters of my queendom.”
He turned a shade of green. “You punish us?—”
“I do no such thing,” I said on the wind. “Ancients were very clear. The duchess is needed now, but the influx of power would have rendered her insane without slumber. This was the only alternative, if you wished to be left with an intact wife. Or would you prefer the alternative?”
Not that I was capable of that tonight.
The duke frantically shook his head. “No. No, I wish her intact and well.”
“Then be grateful for what time you may get. Anticipate the first full night she graces monsterdom again. A century might pass in a blink, as you are aware.”
