by Kenna Bardot
"Who could have told her something like that? She's been here for quite some time. It isn't like she was in Godsvail with you."
"Were there any new Sylfes after you?" Char asked, and I pursed my lips as I thought.
"Not until after that, but it doesn't matter. I'll find out, I'm just glad to know that it wasn't true. It was eating me up inside, thinking you might have betrayed me like that. I thought I'd end up Sired to Lathyn, and while he's a better option than Ashric-" I shuddered.
"You'll be Sired to no one but us. He may be older and have the ear of the Core Gods, but there are five of us," Hollis reassured me.
"And you, Little Northerner," Ryle inserted, tapping my nose affectionately. "Have more power than you think."
The knock at the door came far too soon, and I had no choice but to use my last few moments to exchange brief kisses. My ire at Jessica only grew for making me waste my first time alone with them in over five years.
I intended to see her punished for it.
With one final glance towards the guys, I pulled the door open and met Colm at the door. He looked at me with a blank stare. "Why so mad? Didn’t you enjoy yourself then, Mireyah?"
"Yes, I did." I pushed past him without bothering to expound on what I meant. "No time right now. I have something I need to do."
"Fine. I guess I can just interrogate your men then," he called out from behind me.
I waved a hand behind me. "Fine, fine. You do that then." I didn't even spin around to check if he did just that because I was a woman on a mission.
I stomped towards the public Visitation area, knowing my target was most likely going to be there. I stopped just by the entrance and looked around, trying to see where my prey was. I sneered when I realized I couldn't really see her.
My smile sharpened when I saw her on the lap of a Springen God whose hands were on her waist. The perfect thing about it was the absolute boredom on the Springen's face. I had a feeling like it would be easy to extricate her from her current companion.
I stopped a few steps before them and the other Gods and Goddesses around looked towards me with interest. But the one Sylfe I wanted to notice me was too busy giggling into an ear. "Moved on already, Jessica? Or is this part of your new harem?"
Jessica turned towards me, her eyes widening in shock before her mouth pursed in disgust. "Fuck off, Mireyah."
The Springen chuckled, but he didn't even chide me for the intrusion. In fact, the way his eyes lit up showed me that my barging in during their moment was probably more interesting for him than having a teeny voice giggling in his ears. "No. Not fucking off. Either you talk to me or I say all the shit I want to say here."
She pointedly ignored me and I gave the Springen a wide smile that had him nodding in approval. "You know how you bragged about my five guys and how they all took turns with you?" I waved a hand towards my left ear. "The five guys represented by the five gems out of the seven on my ear cuff?"
"Oh, you mean that? What, did they complain that you weren't as good as I was?” She swiveled around on the Springen's laugh and smirked at me, her hand caressing his thigh as she did so. "Darling, their five dicks were so boring I didn't and never would want seconds."
I laughed. "You know, I believed you when you first told me you fucked them but now I don't because no fucking way those dicks were in you and you were bored." I looked at the Springen she was sitting on and threw him a sheepish smile. "No offense."
He shrugged and pushed Jessica off of him. "None taken. You can take her. I'm not very interested anymore."
Jessica stumbled off with a gasp and turned towards the Springen. "But you promised we would have a good time!"
"I'm more interested in the Sylfe who's wanting to tear your hair out than in putting my dick inside you, darling. Run off." The Springen stood and grabbed another one of the many female Sylfes loitering in the garden. Before long they were groping and whispering to one another.
"You fucking whore!" Jessica lunged for me, but I easily sidestepped her when she did so and looked down at her when she tripped over her feet. Sylfedom had probably softened her too much since Sylfeshire's main purpose was to soften its residents until they were so pliable that they would do anything the Gods told them to.
I reached down and pulled her up by the hair. I copied the way the Springen had called her mockingly, "Darling, you don't want to do this." I puled her closer to my face and whispered on a hiss, "I can have them come here and declare in front of all the Gods and other Sylfes that you're a lying whore who has never touched their hands let alone had their dicks in their pussy so unless you want me to do that, you're going to fucking tell me why the fuck you lied about them."
She pushed my hands away and stood up, dusting off the dirt on her dress as she did so. Around us, the Gods and the Sylfes were looking at us curiously. I cast a gaze around the crowd before giving her a pointed look. "Well?"
She crossed her arms over her chest and put her nose up in the air. "You're not nearly as scary as you think, you bitch."
I laughed, and it was a sound that was dry and cold. "Oh, I know I'm not. But are you willing to risk your reputation like that?" Her eyes clouded over and for a moment, I saw the fear before they hardened and she took a step back. I took a step forward and grabbed her arm. "Tell me what's scaring you so much."
"He'll hurt me," her voice trembled before she pulled away and glared daggers at me. "You bitch. I don't know why you're so fucking important but it was that or he'll hurt me again."
My blood froze because of all the things I'd expected, that had been the last thing. "Ashric Tovenaar had you do this?"
"Yes."
And so I understood the fear. The same fear I'd seen in Annalee's face on that day by the lake. "Stay away from him if you know what’s good for you."
"I wish you luck that you don't end up Sired to him but since you may have pulled out several of my hairs out of the root, I won't be actively cheering you on." With a rub of the head, she whipped around and walked away.
And that meant that my anger was directed towards someone else.
Chapter 15
Mireyah
"So, did you sock her nice and good?" Lysandra swirled the whipped cream on top of the drink she’d stolen from lunch before popping the straw into her mouth to lick it off.
"I did not. Where the hell did you get the impression that I did?" I felt horrified at the thought of socking someone. Although I was capable of that violence especially towards lying bitches. "I didn't want to sock her. She's a weakling. I stepped aside, and she got herself to the floor all on her own, okay? I wasn't even particularly violent." Lysandra laughed. "Oh fine, you didn't sock her. What did you do then?"
I shrugged and eyed Lysandra before breaking down into fits. "I may have hauled her to her feet by the hair. It seemed appropriate, at the time."
Lysandra clapped with the straw in her hand. "That's beautiful!”
"Oh shut it, Lysandra. It's fine. I didn't actually break skin or anything. She insists I tore out a few of her hairs, but I don't think I did, really. I wasn't as violent as you would have been had you been in my shoes." I gave her a push that had her squealing when I nearly spilled the drink she guzzled. "Sorry, sorry."
"Anyway, what the rumours didn't state is why you attacked her so tell Lys everything because I am curious, and I need to know." She sucked on her straw and by the disgusting sound, she’d reached the end of her drink.
I looked towards the door with worry in my eyes before meeting Lysandra's. "Shouldn't we wait for Aes first? Seeing as she's all, you know, not here. I know what she's going through and so are you, so my story might make her happy."
"Well, you can just tell the story again." She grabbed my arms and squeezed hard. "You can't leave me hanging long, Mireyah. Don't be a tease. I will go loco if I don't learn soon. Tell me!" She shrieked the last two words, and I couldn't help but laugh. She really had such a flare for melodrama sometimes.
But figured it was i
n my best interest to just tell her, seeing as how she was more inclined to violence than I was. To keep myself from being her personal punching bag, I held my hands up. "Fine, fine. I'll tell you. First off, I finally asked the guys if they slept with the whore. They denied it, which I trust is the truth. Anyway, after having Jessica's face right up next to mine, I don't know how I believed that they'd go for that."
"But you're not bitter or angry at all," Lysandra pointed out with a dry look.
I rolled my eyes at her sarcasm. "I didn't say I wasn’t angry. But I understand now why she did what she did. Ashric made her."
"Ashric?" she asked, pointing at my ear cuff. "The same Ashric whose black shard is spearing up off your fucking ear cuff?"
"Same asshole Tovenaar. Not that I discriminate towards all Tovenaars but this one is horrible, Lysandra. I have no fucking clue why he's so obsessed with me, but he is. He always has been. I know the guys will do everything to make sure I end up with them, but Colm seems pretty determined to match me up with Lathyn. Well, they're friends, so I'm not surprised. But it's absolutely not what I want." I shook my head hard and made myself dizzy.
"Well, you can do worse than Lathyn Majele. Not to say that any God is good enough to be attached to for the rest of your life, but you can do worse." She held up a hand at me when I shot her an angry glare. "Just theoretically, mind you. Lathyn Majele is well-known, well-respected and well-loved. If you want to accomplish your goal of being revolutionary, Goddess Mireyah. I still want you to be with your sexy group of five because they make you happy. All I'm saying is that if you didn't have them, as your friend, I'd be well-satisfied that you'd have a good future ahead because you have a God like that who wants you."
"Fine. Fine. You're speaking in theories. Well, it will never happen. And you know what else will never happen? I am never going to be Sired by Ashric. I would rather end my life stabbing into myself with a blunt object than subject myself to that torture. But I will not let it slide. Since I haven't really talked to him yet, he has it coming to him." I rubbed my hands together in anticipation.
"Okay good. This time, maybe split a lip, yeah? Or maybe bruise a cheekbone or something. That'd be good. Give himself something that would remind him not to mess with you." She gave me a dark smile that proved just how violent she was.
"I'm not going to physically harm the bastard. He might think it's fucking foreplay and no fucking way will I make him think that." I curled my lips in disgust.
"Well, you have a point there, Mireyah. Tovenaars and their penchant for the entire violence and pain. Bloody weirdos. Can you imagine Astraea ever being part of that house?" She turned her gaze towards the door again, which proved just how much she too was worried about our friend.
"Well, no, she's the sweetest thing. But it makes sense, really, why she opted to leave that place, yeah?"
"I guess, yes. Zeevar, I hope she comes soon." She sighed out, taking one last slurp of the drink that was already gone.
"Zeevar, Lysandra. Give it up, you’re drinking the glass at this point.”
She groaned and laid it on the nightstand. We both looked towards the door and watched for a few minutes. “So, how are you going to actually make him suffer if you can't knee him in the balls?" Lysandra asked, breaking the silence.
"Maybe I can ask Astraea."
"Ask me what?" the voice piped up just as the doors popped open.
"Aes!" we spoke up in unison as she stomped into the room and slammed the door shut behind her. The normally calm Sylfe had such a mad look in her eyes that for a second, I could see her Tovenaar roots. In fact, I was sure that at precisely that moment, she could probably be more violent than Lysandra.
"What's wrong?" Lysandra sprang up and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. Astraea pushed her away and plopped down onto the bed. She turned her eyes towards us, the dark pink sparkling in anger. "What the fuck were you going to ask me?"
"Well, Mireyah wanted to know how one would go about punishing a Tovenaar and thought you would be the best resource." I gave her a swift kick on the ankles. "What the fuck, Mireyah? You wanted to ask her."
"Well, timing, you idiot. She's obviously not in the best state of mind." I gestured to Astraea, who had closed her eyes and put an arm to cover her eyes.
"She's fine. You're just avoiding the topic because you're dreading going up against the bastard," Lysandra pointed out.
"Nope. Absolutely not. I can handle that bastard on any day." But I didn't sound too confident because I was sure it would be very hard going up against a God, especially one who reveled in pain, death and discomfort.
"Withhold," Astraea said finally, blowing out a long, slow breath.
"Sorry, what?" I turned my attention back towards my friend on the bed. She had removed the arm she'd had covering her eyes. They were open but the way she looked out into space made it obvious that she wasn't really with us, per se.
"Withhold. Tovenaars have power over death - necromancy. It gives them this idea that they can master everything, thus giving them a very strong sense of entitlement. Thus, when they don't get what they want, it's painful. It's their biggest weakness and mine." She sat up, rubbing a hand over her face.
"What do you mean?" Lysandra asked, coming over to wrap her arm around Astraea's shoulder. This time, our friend laid her head on Lys' shoulder. I walked over and sat down right next to them.
"Tell us, please."
"She didn’t wait around, the bloody bitch. I’m Declarable and since I’m sure that Oryn has given his informal intent, I already have a fucking ear cuff." She slapped her face against her hands and shook her head in frustration before parting her hair to show us.
“Oh, thank fuck! Finally happened! I’ve been waiting for decades for Caprice to finally say Oryn can have you.”
I thought of my friend, Oryn, and smiled because he was one step closer to getting his Astraea back. “Well, congratulations!”
"Oh shut up, you two." Astraea pushed her off the bed but Lysandra jumped up and bent over laughing. " I never thought she would. All I ever tell her is no, no. no. Apparently, she feels like something changed in me today and she just ignored my wishes."
"Ah!" I pointed at her and laughed. "That's why you said it was your weakness." I slapped a hand over my mouth. "Oops, sorry, don't mean to laugh at you too."
"Oh, stop lying to yourself. You meant to laugh at me. You're just as bad as she is."
I shrugged and hugged her, trying to bring her as much comfort as I can. Figured it was the least I could do given I was happy at what Caprice had done. If there was one thing I wanted just as much as my guys, it was to see Oryn finally be with Astraea.
Even if she didn't know yet that it was what she wanted.
✽✽✽
The day finally came to talk to Ashric Tovenaar, and I was so excited, I was ready for it very early. I didn't think I'd ever thought I could be excited to spend time with Ashric Tovenaar. While the coming confrontation felt terrifying, I also felt safe in the protection that Sylfeshire afforded me. I knew my unique bond with Colm would ensure I was protected, even outside the terms of the bylaws, and if Ashric dared to violate those terms, he and Lathyn would obliterate him in a world of consequences and pain.
If my men didn't get to him first.
So I walked forward, going to the meeting place for my one-to-one time with him. Colm's face was serious on mine as he escorted me, not voicing a word about the dark energy I felt swirling around me. It was the opposite of what a Sylfe was meant to be, but walking in to face Ashric and the coming confrontation, there was nothing else I could have possibly been.
Even the midnight blue dress they'd chosen for me for the day seemed appropriate. I was just glad it wasn't black. The arrogant fuck would have viewed that as a sign of interest, I had no doubt.
Walking to the lounge at the corner of the room where Ashric had arranged for us to meet, I couldn't help but be surprised he hadn't chosen a private room. I stepped up the few stairs at the
base, nodding to the guard posted just out of earshot and watching the interaction intently. Ashric would not touch me without my consent. I would never again feel what it was to have a man take from me.
"Mireyah," Ashric said, leaning forward in the lounge to hold out a hand for me like he was some kind of gentleman.
"Tovenaar," I snarled, ignoring the hand and stepping up the few steps until I perched on the edge of the lounge.
He chuckled, adjusting himself until he lingered just behind me. He didn't move to close that final gap, just let his presence there hover - using that non-touch as a way of trying to intimidate me. I glanced over my shoulder at him, willing my face to be everything they had accused me of in Godsvail.
Cold. Frigid. Unfeeling.
I channeled Char, arranging my face into an indifferent mask that I knew would drive Ashric mad. What he wanted more than anything was to get a reaction from me, to frighten me.
To make me scream.
I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
"Why did you have Jessica tell me she fucked them?" I asked him, turning my head to the front and ignoring that presence behind me. It felt like I waited for a knife to the back, like turning your back on a wild animal and expecting not to be mauled.
I did it anyway.
He growled low in his throat, too arrogant to ever allow himself to be ignored. Shifting forward to sit next to me, I felt him study my face, felt him try to find that weak point that he could use to break me.
But he'd already broken me, and I'd let him by being foolish and naïve. The only problem for his goals was that I'd taken those jagged pieces and glued them back together. They hadn't fit together the way they'd been before, leaving me with jagged edges that would cut anyone who dared to touch me.
"Who?" he asked, a smirk to his voice.
His eyes widened when I turned mine to face him, staring into those dangerous eyes with no semblance of interest in mine. "Shall we really continue to play such childish games? I know you did it. You know you did it. Might we just have an honest conversation and come to understand why you would bother with such a thing?"