𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞 -- One of the Girls
𝟎𝟎𝟎 : 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐞
   (𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙚, Novacane)

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐊𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋.

Anyone who knew her would say as much. But her loyalty wasn't to one person, no matter what rumors might suggest. It wasn't to Silco, to some girl, or to the fleeting pleasures of a city in chaos. Sevika's loyalty was carved from something harder—Zaun itself. The fight. The future.

That's why she was here.

That's what she told herself, anyway.

The brothel smelled of cheap perfume and desperation, the kind of place that flaunted its class while keeping its price just low enough to stay busy. Sevika stood near the doorway, her broad frame cutting a shadow through the smoky air, looking as out of place as a wolf in a flower shop.

A well-dressed madam approached her, smoke curling lazily from the cigar balanced between her teeth. She swept her hand toward three women standing in a line, their faces obscured by delicate masks and their bodies wrapped in shimmering silk.

"Which of these lovely ladies would you prefer?" the madam purred, her tone as smooth as the fabric they wore. "Rouge? Crescent? Starlight, perhaps?"

Sevika's gaze swept over them with an unimpressed flick, her lips twisting into a faint grimace. "I want Enchantress."

The madam's practiced smile faltered, just a crack, as she exhaled a slow plume of smoke. "Enchantress isn't available."

Sevika's jaw tightened, her expression hardening. "Make her available."

The madam chuckled softly, a sound like velvet sliding over steel. "Even you don't have the pull to demand that, love. Pick someone else—or don't. I don't care, as long as you're paying."

Sevika let the words hang in the air, her fists flexing at her sides. Her loyalty was to Zaun, not distractions. Not games.

But still, Sevika's voice came out firm. "I don't want any of these ones. I want her. Is the issue a waitlist? Because I can wait all day."

The madam rolled her eyes, tapping ash off her cigar with practiced nonchalance. The deep red stain of her lipstick left a smear on the edge as she exhaled another plume of smoke, letting it curl between them. "Look, I get it," she drawled, her tone dripping with mock sympathy. "She's got the body of a goddess and fucks like she's never even heard of the word father, but Enchantress is by appointment only."

Sevika arched a brow, unimpressed but not deterred.

The madam gestured for her to follow, turning on her heel toward the polished oak stand at the far side of the room. "Now, you can book her if you'd like," she continued, a sharp edge to her otherwise smooth tone. "But for that, you're looking at a waitlist that's backed up by four months."

Sevika leaned against the counter as they reached it, her knuckles drumming once on the wood. "Four months?" she repeated, her voice carrying just enough of a growl to make the madam glance up.

"That's right, love," the madam said, her smile returning with a smug curve. "Enchantress isn't just any girl. She's an experience. And experiences like her?" She leaned in, her gaze level with Sevika's. "They don't come cheap—or fast."

"How much to skip the line?" Sevika interrupted, her tone sharp, cutting through the haze of cigar smoke.

The madam paused, arching a perfectly sculpted brow. "Oh, you're one of those types," she said, her voice dripping with amusement. "For an appointment, it's already a hefty fee. But to cut the line..." She leaned forward, a smirk playing on her crimson lips. "That's the kind of money that makes people forget their morals, darling. You sure you've got that kind of weight in your pocket?"

Sevika crossed her arms, her patience wearing thin. "Try me."

The madam chuckled softly, puffing another cloud of smoke into the already stifling air. "Very well," she said, dragging out the words as though savoring her power in the moment. "For Enchantress? Skipping four months of desperate clientele? That'll run you more than I think you can pay dear."

Sevika's jaw tightened, her eyes narrowing. "Name your price."

SEVIKA OFTEN GOT WHAT SHE WANTED.

Whether through intimidation, sheer persistence, or the considerable wealth Silco funneled into her pocket, she made things happen. It wasn't magic, just force of will. And while she didn't exactly want Enchantress in the way most patrons at this establishment did, she couldn't deny the intrigue—or the utility—of someone like her.

It was just business. That's what Sevika told herself as she pushed open the heavy door to Enchantress's suite.

The room was decadent, a haze of perfume and faint candlelight draping everything in soft shadows. Plush rugs muffled Sevika's heavy boots as her gaze swept over the space. It smelled like lilacs and something darker—amber, maybe. At the center of it all, reclining on an extravagant chaise lounge with the kind of poise that didn't belong in Zaun, sat the woman herself.

Enchantress.

Her mask sparkled faintly in the low light, a glittering confection of gold filigree that covered the upper half of her face, leaving only her full lips and sharp jawline visible. Her bubblegum-pink hair cascaded in waves, falling over her shoulders like spun sugar. She wore a flowing, nearly sheer gown that seemed more like smoke than fabric, teasing at her form beneath. And her eyes—what Sevika could see of them beneath the mask—gleamed with mischief.

"Oh," Enchantress said, sitting up with a gasp, one delicate hand fluttering to her chest like Sevika had startled her out of a dream. "Well, this is a surprise! I wasn't expecting anyone until... oh, five hours from now. Unless time works differently in your world?"

"I paid to be here," Sevika said bluntly, her voice cutting through the sugary lilt of Enchantress's.

Enchantress tilted her head, her pink curls swaying, and gave a soft laugh, light and airy. "Oh, you paid, did you? How interesting. Not like that's how brothels work or anything."

Sevika frowned, crossing her arms. "I'm not here for that."

Enchantress blinked, visibly surprised, though her smile didn't falter. "You're not? Well, now I am intrigued. No one pays my kind of fee for a heart-to-heart, love. So why are you here?"

Sevika took a step closer, towering over the lounging woman. "Silco sent me."

At that, Enchantress's expression shifted ever so slightly—curiosity sharpening into something cooler, more calculating. Still, her tone remained light. "Silco, hmm? What could the great man himself possibly want from little old me?"

"He wants you to work for him," Sevika said plainly. "Not here. Out there. Gathering intel, feeding him what you hear, the secrets people spill when they think no one's listening."

Enchantress leaned back again, resting her chin on one hand as if contemplating a lover's confession. "And here I thought he sent you to tempt me with riches and power," she said, her voice lilting with amusement. "But spying? Now that's just scandalous."

"You already do it," Sevika said. "I'm just here to make it official. You'll report to Silco instead of keeping it to yourself—or selling it to someone else."

Enchantress's smile widened, but her voice turned silkier, more dangerous. "And what makes you think I'd say yes?"

"Because," Sevika replied, her tone firm, "you like to survive. And you like playing games. Silco's giving you a way to do both."

There was a long pause, the air between them thick with unspoken tension. Then, Enchantress let out a delighted laugh, her head tipping back as if she'd just been told the punchline to the world's greatest joke.

"You," she said, gesturing at Sevika, "are very persuasive. Fine. I'll bite. But only because you're just so much fun." She stood, her gown flowing around her like water as she crossed the room, stopping just short of Sevika.

"And because," she added, tilting her head with a coy smile, "I can't resist a little danger." Enchantress purred, her voice like a warm caress. Her eyes, gleaming with mischief behind the mask, traveled over Sevika's broad shoulders and down her frame, lingering for just a second too long.

Sevika's frown deepened as Enchantress moved closer, her bare feet soundless against the plush rug. There was a languid grace to her, the way her hips swayed beneath the thin, gossamer fabric, the way her pink hair shimmered like it had been spun from starlight. She stopped just short of Sevika, close enough for the scent of lilacs and amber to seep into the enforcer's senses.

Sevika scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to fortify herself. "You're playing a dangerous game, kid."

Enchantress's smile didn't falter. If anything, it grew sharper, a teasing glint flashing in her eyes. "Oh, please," she said, her tone dripping with mockery. "Kid? That's rich, coming from someone who was staring right at my tits."

Sevika's jaw tightened, her stoic facade cracking for just a moment. She cursed internally—she hadn't meant to look, but it was hard to ignore the way the almost-transparent gown clung to Enchantress's curves, revealing just enough to be maddening.

"Not the same thing," Sevika grunted, turning her head slightly to avoid those taunting eyes. "And anyway, I'm almost old enough to be your mother."

Enchantress tilted her head, pretending to consider the statement. Then, her lips curved into a wicked grin. "I don't know about that, darling. I think you've still got plenty of... youthful energy." Her voice dropped lower, playful and suggestive. "Besides, isn't age just a number? I think you'd agree... experience matters so much more."

Sevika rolled her eyes, though the faintest smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "You think I haven't heard this routine before?" she said, her voice gruff but tinged with amusement.

"Oh, I don't doubt it," Enchantress replied, her fingers trailing casually along Sevika's armored arm. "But tell me—how many of them actually caught your attention?"

Sevika glanced down at her, her gray eyes narrowing. "Enough."

Enchantress laughed softly, leaning in just enough for Sevika to feel her warmth. "But not quite enough to make you stay," she murmured.

The words were light, but there was something sharper beneath them, a calculated jab meant to test Sevika's defenses. The woman stared at her for a long moment, her gaze steady, unreadable—except for the brief flicker of her eyes downward.

Enchantress noticed, of course. Her lips twitched as she stepped back, twirling once for effect, her gown billowing around her like a cloud of smoke. "See? You are intrigued."

Sevika snorted, shoving her hands into her pockets. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

Enchantress stopped mid-twirl, her smile softening into something almost genuine. "So they tell me," she said lightly, though her voice carried a faint edge of weariness.

Sevika caught the shift, though she didn't comment on it. Instead, she straightened, her commanding presence filling the room once more. "Look," she said, her voice firm but not unkind. "You don't have to flirt your way through this. You're already in."

Enchantress raised an eyebrow, her teasing smirk returning. "Oh, but where's the fun in that?"

"Fun doesn't pay the bills," Sevika shot back. "Or keep you alive in Zaun."

Enchantress's expression flickered again, but this time, it settled into something more calculating. She stepped closer once more, her teasing demeanor tempered by something sharper, more serious. "You think I don't know that?" she asked, her voice quieter now, almost too soft for someone like Sevika. "You think I've made it this far without understanding what survival takes?"

Sevika held her gaze, her jaw tightening. There was something in those words—an edge of bitterness, of truth—that made her pause.

After a moment, she nodded. "Then you know Silco's the best shot you've got," she said gruffly. "You play nice with him, and you'll have more protection than you've ever had. You'll keep your freedom. And you'll stay alive. He doesn't like to be refused."

Enchantress studied her for a long moment, her head tilting slightly, her pink curls cascading over one shoulder. "You're very convincing," she said at last, her voice light again but with a hint of sincerity beneath it.

"It's not about convincing," Sevika replied. "It's about the truth."

Enchantress sighed dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest. "Fine," she said, her voice teasing again. "You've won me over. I'll work for your terrifying boss. But only because you're so charming."

Sevika rolled her eyes, her smirk returning despite herself. "Charming's not exactly what I was going for, but sure. Let's go with that."

Enchantress grinned, stepping back toward her chaise lounge and sinking onto it with practiced grace. "Just promise me one thing," she said, her voice playful but with an edge of steel.

"What?" Sevika asked, her tone flat.

"Don't let him ruin me," Enchantress said softly, her eyes gleaming with something Sevika couldn't quite place.

Sevika hesitated for just a moment before nodding. "I'll see what I can do."

And with that, she turned on her heel, heading for the door. She didn't look back, but she could feel Enchantress's eyes on her, sharp and unrelenting, until the door clicked shut behind her.

𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒!

Act one will be all the events prior to Headlock chapter 6 (my Jinx book where these two originate from) Act 2 will be headlock chapter 6 and beyond. Everytime I picture Enchantress I picture Glinda's dress she wears during popular in the movie. Which is why it's on the title page.

Also. Like I mentioned before the age gap is 17 years. For at least the first two chapters Celeste is 19 so you can do that math. She's 24 by Headlock but still.