Mason stepped back to the prime into what felt like a jungle. He blinked and stared in confusion at the luscious green life drooping all around him. The air was so moist and hot it was like being in a sauna.

“Um. Didn’t you say we were going north? To the winter tree?”

He glanced back at Demi’s teasing eyes, then took a few steps through the foliage. One With Nature started feeding him information to confirm where he was, but he knew he’d come out correctly in the great tree. It had a voice, a personality, a living essence that existed with or without its physical, humanoid persona.

As they walked further, the trees within the tree opened up into a small clearing with the sound of running water. They found Eve completely naked, bathing under a waterfall.

She was humming and running her hands through her long, brown hair, hourglass figure on full display from behind. Little birds were flitting around her chirping for attention. A literal doe was standing beside her as if waiting for a pet.

Mason’s lust-vulnerable brain was going nuts. One look at Eve reminded him why he hadn’t wanted to leave in the first place. Whatever piece of him was haunted by Cerebus wanted to walk up, bend the nymph progenitor right over Bambi, and turn this Disney movie into a porn.

He cleared his throat, actively avoiding Demi’s eyes, wondering how much of his thoughts were leaking out and detectable by both women.

Eve visibly inhaled, like she detected something on the air. So that was a bad sign. She stopped humming, turning to face them with a wide smile. He did his level best to keep his attention on her beautiful face.

“Champion!”

She came running. This did not help.

All the things he was trying not to look at arrived jiggling and dripping with water. In a state of helpless paralysis that had nothing to do with magic, he just stood there until Eve rammed into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.

She pulled back and full on kissed him on the lips like they were lovers. Like Demi didn’t exist. He kept his lips together as much as possible. Eve didn’t seem to notice or care about his awkwardness.

“Oh I’m so glad you’ve come. I thought you might. I’ve been waiting.”

Eve stared into his eyes like they were the only two people in the world. After a much too long moment, and Mason’s brain being useless, she sighed and looked at Demi. Her entire demeanor transformed into something like…acceptance.

“Avatar. You are welcome here. But please don’t invoke any of your blight magic in this place without my approval.”

So. It was going to be like that, apparently. Mason knew there was a chance the powerful tree creature wouldn’t be a fan of his wife’s magic. To be honest he still hardly understood the difference, other than Demi’s power might have been equally ‘fall and winter’ inspired and not just ’spring and summer’.

Demi stepped close to Mason, gripping her hand on his back. She gave Eve the most ‘frienemy’ sort of fake smile in the history of female fake smiles. Her spores were already leaking out with an unpleasant cloud of emotional aroma.

“I’m here for my husband. To make sure you pay what you owe, without any of your…nymph tricks.”

Eve stared. Demi stared right back.

The air between the two women was literally blinking with magic to Mason’s eyes, and he took a deep breath and let it out. Apparently Demi wasn’t being entirely transparent with him about the situation with Eve. He had a feeling she had some kind of Gaia-inspired objective or two.

But he trusted her intentions, and wasn’t worried. Also, being fought over by the two beautiful women did not make him feel terrible.

“Try and play nice, please,” he said, giving Demi’s ass a pat. “Why don’t we all sit and have a drink? You can tell me how your frozen tree became a jungle. How the gnolls are doing. We can talk about the end of the world. Maybe put on some clothes. You know, catch up.”

Eve broke her staring contest and smiled at him, waving a hand before her body swirled with magic and covered with a green, leafy fabric like the nymphs. He tried not to be disappointed.

“You’re wise, and right as usual, druid. Please. Come and sit. We’ll talk of how I’ve grown…since you seeded me so vigorously those months ago.”

She gave Demi one last , digging look at the ‘seeded’ comment, then started growing them plant furniture.

**

Drinking glacier water tea and eating magic fruit with Eve and Demi should have been more pleasant. Instead it had a kind of…Jerry Springer feel, where some dummy sat with his current wife while his ex talked about their babies. The dummy in this case being him.

Apparently Mason’s magic was all around them. Since her revival—and with Mason’s help—Eve had begun rejuvenating the forest all around her tree, spreading heat through the previously permanently frozen land.

The gnoll tribes that had guarded Eve so loyally were moving out and helping manage the dangerous woods. Their warriors helped destroy the corrupted beasts, their shamans helped cleanse the Maker magic, now that it was weakened.

“We’re preparing for what’s coming,” Eve explained, meeting Mason’s eyes. “Gaia has shown me visions of the destroyer.”

“Good.” He smiled, trying to ignore but also placate Demi practically shoving his hand possessively against her inner thigh. “I expect every great tree is a target. I can move back and forth, but the stronger each is on its own, the easier it’ll make my job. I expect to be…busy.”

“I have complete faith in you.” Eve continued to not seem jealous or bothered by Demi at all, which only annoyed her more. “I know Gaia would want me to help you in any way I could. However you need me. I would like that also.”

Mason was glad his skin was too tough for Demi’s nails to dig into his hand. He smiled politely and started giving up any hope of a wild, fantasy-like threesome with both women, maybe under that waterfall.

As the conversation went on, he was getting more worried about finishing his magic training without Demi and Eve getting in some epic, immortal caster chick fight. Maybe it was smart to just send her home after a few days…

“I can teach you, of course.” Eve came forward to refill his drink, shoving her cleavage in his face. “But even with your incredible power and capacity, we will still need weeks, druid. And I’ll need your full and undivided attention.”

He squeezed Demi’s hand.

“I’ll do what I can. I don’t expect interruptions. Can we go to the fey to buy ourselves more time?”

“Unfortunately not for long.” Eve swayed her way back to her chair, stretching like a cat as she grew herself a kind of lounging chair instead. “I can manifest my form in the fey, but only for short bursts. Most of our work must be done here in the prime.”

Demi glared with a ‘I don’t believe you but I can’t prove it’ sort of expression. But she didn’t say anything. Mason also didn’t see much reason for Eve to lie. She had as much reason to help him as anyone. She might lie to get some other advantage to herself, but she wouldn’t risk his training.

“Well.” He shrugged and put down his drink. “We have more time than usual, but we may need it. I’d like to get started right away. I have more runes than the last time I was here, including a unique one from an elven druid named Dariya. The solar rune, I think it’s called. I haven’t actually tried to use it.”

Eve smiled at him as if she wasn’t surprised, and maybe a little sad.

“I knew Dariya for centuries. I look forward to seeing what you can do with her gift. Though you have so many gifts already.”

He kept on smiling politely through the innuendo. Eve sighed and stood, brushing her hands down her dress like she was preparing for some difficult task.

“The first thing is to get you out of those clothes. Please remove them so I can begin.”

Demi leaned forward like an angry hunting cat.

“We don’t need your magic, so you don’t need whatever fuel you might take from Mason. We just need your knowledge.”

“Well aren’t we greedy.” Eve looked at Mason like ‘isn’t she just ridiculous?’. “But that isn’t what I meant. The druid wears my vestments. Except I made them when I was much weaker. I can give them a considerable upgrade that will help his magic. But they need to be removed first.”

“Oh.”

Mason stood and helped Demi up. They exchanged a look without needing words. He acknowledged that he knew Demi was annoyed and uncomfortable with Eve for some competitive reason. Demi acknowledged that this was one of his many lovers, and that he wasn’t some idiot who could just be manipulated.

She looked down as if feeling a bit guilty, like she knew she was taking the bait and making this harder. That she’d asked to come and he could have left her at home in Nassau.

“She started it,” she muttered. “And she’s being super annoying.” She smoothed her hands on his chest. “I was ready to play nice, and make you very happy. But she’s just…so…”

Beautiful? Filled with magic power? Everything a man could dream of?

“I know.” He kissed one of her hands and banished his vestments with a thought, giving her a wink. “It’ll get easier. And I’m here for the magic. Trust me?”

She met his eyes and smiled, and he softly kissed her lips, always feeling like they’d been doing it for a lifetime. She stepped away, and Eve’s big, brown eyes raked over his naked body as a smile stretched across her lips.

She made a sound like ‘mmm’ as she stared, and Demi turned and tossed a hand like ‘oh come on’ as she gave him a look.

“It would be easier if we went into my pool, druid,” Eve said, literally staring at his crotch.

“No,” he and Demi said at the same time. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

“I’m sure you’ll manage like this.” He took a step forward and stared until the nymph queen met his eyes. “The three of us have a lot of time together. And Demi is my wife. I suggest you start playing nicer, too, or you’re going to make this a lot more unpleasant than it has to be.”

Eve looked at least a little guilty. She looked him over one more time, then gave Demi a slightly more authentic nod and smile.

“How can I deny you anything, champion? Much can be done before my magic needs to be…replenished. Witness the true power of Gaia.”

OK that still sort of felt like a dig at Demi. But Mason didn’t have time to give her shit. Eve raised her hand, forming tendrils of green mist around his body.

The vestments in his profile started to flash and transform, the image there of his already impressive armor version of the vestments transforming. It shaped and condensed, shrinking as if made to grow out of his skin. It didn’t look like armor anymore, exactly. More like hide. Carapace.

[Item being modified: Eabha's Vestments. Adaptable. Adds a percentage of highest physical statistic to all nature powers and spells. Minor defensive bonuses. All bonuses added to new, improved item.]

[Gained item: Spring’s Embrace. Divine Artifact. A gift from the restored tree spirit, Eabha, first daughter of Gaia. Adaptable. Adds a large percentage of highest statistic to all nature powers and spells. Moderate defensive bonuses.]

He held up his hands as he watched the armor grow out of his body, leaving only his Sleeves, and his feet and shins where his Boots of Nature were. Eve looked him up and down with a complicated but overall lustful look.

“My mistress might mistake you for Cerebus himself in that armor.” She smiled, like looking at him now was somehow more sensual than when he was naked. “Apologies, druid. I’d almost forgotten why you were here. With that out of the way, we should begin your training. My waters will help regain your mana, but I’m afraid you’ll need to drink and rest constantly to restore it.”

He smiled and looked at the rough texture of the armor, then ran a hand along his Rose belt. He had a feeling Eve’s tree would help him regenerate both in body and mind, and make his ability to regain mana through his own suffering would be supercharged.

“You let me worry about that,” he said, flicking through the images of his druidic runes. “I’m ready. Just tell me where to start.”

Eve smiled, the look more predatory somehow, more revealing of the ancient and powerful creature behind the seductive mask.

“As all things must start, my young druid. From the beginning. You ask to fit what was years of suffering and hardship for the ancients of your kind into a few months. For you? Perhaps it’s possible. But it will not be easy.”

Mason snorted at the thought. He’d known his life with the Nimitz’s had been objectively easy. But he’d never adapted to it. In his bones he knew it was an extended vacation. A little break from the reality of existence.

Abandonment and bullies was the norm. A snarling group that hated you. A world that would kill you and pick your bones clean. A synthetic god with a microscope, treating you like an ant. He’d been preparing for it all his life.

“I don’t need easy, Eve. I never did. Now show me.”