On Tuesday at work, I made an effort to avoid seeing Linda. I was still leery from our last encounter. I needed some time to think. Lately, my wife had been acting more assertive. I initially thought she had just missed me since I had been living with Annie, but no, there was something else. I thought about our "lunch date" and our "meeting" the other day. She had always had a thing for foot massages. But now, she was having me kiss and lick her feet, and was acting more dominant, having me call her "your highness." I wondered if the merger she had been orchestrating had her on some weird power trip. I felt conflicted about all this. On the one hand, I was enjoying spending time with my wife during our trysts. There was always the naughty appeal of doing it at work. I also enjoyed pleasing my wife's feet. I knew that was her soft spot, and it felt kinky. But her dominating attitude made me a little uncomfortable. It seemed like even in our most intimate moments, she couldn't let me forget she was my boss.

  Fortunately, she was busy that day, and I didn't see her much. On my way home, I bumped into Cory. I asked him how he liked working here, and he told me it was going well. He said he really liked working for my wife. Just as I was on my way out, I overheard Linda asking him into her office to "talk about something."

  "Yes, Linda," he replied, as he followed her into her office. His face looked calm and determined, but his eyes betrayed a strange nervousness. Linda closed her office door behind them.

***

  When I pulled up in front of the condo, I noticed a green VW beetle parked next to me, which I recognized as Liz's. When I walked into the condo, I saw Liz and Annie sitting on the couch, discussing Intergalactic Princess Hero Team. They called it "Hero Team" for short. They were evidently big fans of the show, and had an encyclopedic knowledge of the show's many episodes. Although I was an anime fan, I was never much into Hero Team as it was relatively new, and seemed marketed towards girls. But after watching an episode with Annie, I found it to be a well-written show, with a good balance of drama, action, comedy and romance.

  Pretty soon, the girls ended their discussion, and turned their attention to the TV, as Hero Team began. Annie told me that this was a new episode, never before aired in the United States. I figured I would join them, and I took a seat on the couch, next to Annie. During commercials, I asked questions, hoping to get brought up to speed. The girls answered my questions, often giving me plenty more information than I needed. Pretty soon the episode ended, and Liz spoke.

  "Hey Annie, I have an idea, why don't we play Hero Team with Will?"
Upon hearing the suggestion, Annie started to laugh, before cutting it off with a gasp of excitement.
  "Oh my God! That would be perfect! Now we have someone to be Prince Solar!"

  The girls explained to me that they often played games, pretending to be the characters and recreating some of the show's most famous scenes.

  "Come on, Will, it will be fun!" Annie said.

  We walked into Annie's room. I was a little dumbfounded. It seemed strange for two high school girls to still be playing make-believe games.

  "Which one should we do?" Annie mused.
  "Episode 423!" replied Liz.
  "Of course! My favorite!"

  The girls explained to me that this episode was the climax of the Nebula Orb story arc. The team of space princesses faced off against the evil Queen Neutrina to stop one of her many plots to seize control of the Galactic Kingdom. Despite their best efforts, Queen Neutrina and her henchmen had captured the sacred Nebula Orb, which granted its possessor incredible power. In the episode we would be recreating, Princess Rita, leader of the Team, called upon her betrothed, and the rightful heir to the throne, Prince Solar, to help her stop Queen Neutrina, who had used the Orb's power to grow to a colossal height. Now I knew where the girls were going with this.

  "I want to be Queen Neutrina this time!" Annie said with a grin.

  Liz would be Rita, and I, of course, would be Prince Solar. Liz told me not to worry. She would tell me what to do when the time came. Annie asked us if we were ready, and before long, Liz and I found ourselves standing before Annie's bare feet. Annie did her best to get in character as the evil Queen, looking down at us, and letting out a menacing laugh. She was quite convincing.

  Liz looked at me and said, "Come, my love! We've got to stop her! The fate of the entire galaxy rests with us! Quick! Use your energy beam!"

  Liz extended her arms and held her palms out towards "Queen Neutrina," and I mimicked her. Annie nonchalantly held out her hand, deflecting the "beam" with ease.

  "Ha ha ha! You pathetic little bugs are no match for me. With the Nebula Orb in my grasp, nobody can stop me now! Soon the galaxy will tremble before their Queen!"

  Suddenly, Annie raised her bare foot high above us.
  "Rita, say goodbye to your precious Prince!"
  Suddenly, Annie's foot began to descend on me, and I let out a scream.
  "No! Wait!!"

  Annie froze. I had not expected our game to involve Annie stomping her foot on me. I looked up at Annie, acting the part of Queen Neutrina. Though I knew she was just playing, this was a side of her I hadn't seen before. I realized that, like the Queen, Annie was a powerful girl, who, if she wasn't careful, could pose a real danger to me. I was trembling; I think I went into shock a little.

  "Will..." said Liz. "It's okay, Will. It's only a game. She's not going to hurt you."

  After a few moments, I had regained my composure. I looked up at Annie, still holding her foot in mid-air, and nodded to her. I braced myself. She slowly lowered her soft sole, and as it drew closer, I laid down on my stomach. I felt her foot gently touch down on my back. The pressure increased slightly as she pinned me to the carpeted floor, but I could tell that she was taking care not to hurt me.

  "No! You monster!" I heard Liz cry out.
  Annie let out her best sinister laugh.
  "If you beg me, I might make his death quick and painless."

  I could see a sliver of light peeking under Annie's sole. The billowy, soft flesh above me was quite warm, and I started to relax a bit. It was only a game. I heard a few minutes of dialogue exchanged between Liz and Annie. I patiently waited to see what would happen. Surely, this wasn't the end of Prince Solar? Suddenly, I felt the weight lift off my back. Somehow, Princess Rita had tricked the Queen and reclaimed the Nebula Orb.

  "Your reign of terror is over!"
  "NO!!!"

  Suddenly, Annie began to shrink, and Liz grew. Princess Rita had saved the day. She picked both of us up in each of her hands.

  "Oh my dear Solar, I was worried I had lost you."
  She turned to Annie.
  "And as for you, wicked Queen. I'll have you banished to the edges of the galaxy!"
  "You haven't heard the last of me!"

***

  After Liz had gone home, Annie was talking to me about the game we had played. She told me she saw the frightened look I gave her before she "stomped" on me. I told her that she did frighten me a little bit. She seemed to get a little teary-eyed, which surprised me.

  "Oh, Will, please don't tell me that."
  She hugged me.
  "Will, I would never, ever do anything to hurt you. Do you understand?"

  I told her I understood. Afterwards, as I lay in bed, I was still thinking about it. I still remembered how helpless and small I felt under her hovering foot, with that menacing smile on her face. Suddenly I thought of Linda, and I knew it wasn't a coincidence. If there was anything I knew for certain, it was that Annie would never hurt me, physically or otherwise. She had the power, no doubt, but her reassurances convinced me that she had no desire to use that power to lord over me. I suddenly pictured Linda in Annie's place, holding her foot above me, with that same sly grin, the one that was distinctly hers. I shuddered. I wondered whether Linda's recent behavior towards me was "only a game"... or not.