Page 62 of A Fable of Riddles and Redemption

“Not you, too!” he playfully cried, grabbing her by the waist and drawing her in. He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers for a brief moment. “Don’t make me punish you.” He pulled back, his eyes flicking to her lips.

One corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk. “I will gladly take that ‘punishment,’” she whispered.

“And I will relish giving it,” he murmured before capturing her lips with his.

Between Anala’s happy chirps in the background, a song began to play, drifting on the night breeze.

Zorina stiffened in his arms and whispered, “No.”

Herrick pulled back just enough to meet her gaze in the dim light. “Zorina? What is it?”

She sucked in a shaky breath. “It’s him. I know it, it’s him!”

He clenched his jaw. “Caliban?”

Clinging tightly to him, Zorina only nodded in response.

Herrick wrapped one arm tightly around her, his other hand on the hilt of his sword. “I’ll protect you—whatever it takes.”

Panic shook her frame, breaking hysteric words loose. “He’ll take me, and I’ll never see you again. He will kill you in a jealous rage before his music enthralls me until I know nothing but him and his scarred face—”

“Zorina—”

But before either of them could say anything else, calming music enveloped them. All of his fears and worries seemed to melt away—along with everything else.

Caliban

A thrill rang through his soul at the sight of both Zorina and her guard dog caught in his spell. And this time, the obnoxious red panda seemed trapped in it, too. Good. She wouldn’t be in the way of leading them exactly where he wanted them.

Caliban skillfully played his flute, the power he’d stolen from Zorina aiding him in her recapture. Seemed rather fitting, really, to use her own magic to bring her back to him, and to ensnare her annoyingly faithful guardians.

Her power sped up the process as his song directed them back to the entrance to his lair. Before long, he had all three of his victims inside his home.

Casting a quick freezing spell on the guard and the red panda, Caliban temporarily put his flute aside and picked up his future bride in his arms. He carried her back to the guest room, carefully laid her on the bed, and kissed her delectably soft cheek.

He lifted his voice in song as he stroked her hair.

“I’ll be back soon, my love.

You will fly to me like a dove.

When you awake, we will wed—

And that guard will be dead.”

Caliban laughed at his last line as he left the room and locked the door behind him.

Then, sneering at the man who dared try to steal his fiancée, he opened the door to his labyrinth and began playing again, leading the addled fool—along with the red panda—to his doom within the maze.

Somehow, Zorina had escaped through it. But it was dormant then, not acting at its full enchanted capacity. She had left it unscathed, though perhaps a bit traumatized.

Herrick, however…well…survival was highly unlikely. Which of the labyrinth’s terrors would he unleash first?

The thought made Caliban grin between notes as he continued to play, drawing his enemy deeper into the maze.

Once he reached a good midway point, Caliban unceremoniously dropped the guard onto the floor with a few strategic notes. The red panda, too, collapsed in time with his song. It was so satisfying to see.

With a laugh that sounded unhinged even to himself, Caliban glanced around the room, enjoying the sight.