by Sarah Hawke
“He already has.” Lucian took a few steps forward. “So have many others in my court—enough that I’m genuinely curious what makes this particular cunt so special.”
Kristoff smiled thinly and held out my leash. “Then I gladly loan her to you so you can decide for yourself. The Sword of the Covenant deserves nothing less.”
I kept my eyes lowered even as I inhaled sharply. Had Master Kristoff been planning for this reaction all along? I knew he was a skilled actor and manipulator, but his frustration had seemed so perfectly authentic…
“Such a generous offer,” Lucian said, stopping just a few inches in front of me. “But I’m afraid I must decline.”
Kristoff hesitated for a moment before he lowered his hand. “Your Majesty?”
“I have no interest in borrowing a used slave from anyone. This is my Empire—and she, like all her heretical kin, are already mine by divine right.”
Lucian lifted his chin, and a second later one of his Praetorians stomped over and wrenched my leash from Kristoff’s grip. He scowled as if he wanted to protest, but the Emperor lifted his hand and demanded silence.
“Remember my offer, Gabriel,” Lucian said. “Succeed, and perhaps I’ll return your slaves as well as your land.”
I glanced up for a fraction of a second just to see Master Kristoff’s face. His jaw was clenched in impotent rage, but when he met my eyes I saw the faintest glimmer of recognition. Despite the public embarrassment, he had gotten exactly what he’d wanted. I was in the Emperor’s hands, and just as importantly Lucian believed he had won. This was truly a master stroke, whether Kristoff had planned it or not.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Kristoff said. With a final half-bow, he turned and stormed off.
“The feast will begin soon,” Lucian announced into the silence. “Everyone should move to the ballroom.”
The nobles, already eager to leave, quickly turned and followed in Kristoff’s wake. Thirty seconds later, only the Emperor and his guardsmen remained.
“I must commend you, sire,” the Praetorian holding my leash smirked. “I’ve never seen Kristoff so humiliated.”
“Humiliated men are often the most dangerous,” Lucian replied soberly. “I want eyes on his mansion at all times. If anyone leaves or enters, I wish to know about it.”
“It shall be done, sire.” The Praetorian jerked my leash hard enough I yelped. “What about this one? Shall I deliver her to your quarters?”
“I have no interest in avenari. Not even this one.”
“But you said—”
“She’s here because Kristoff values here,” Lucian explained. “He needs to remember his place.”
The Praetorian chuckled softly. “Shall I take her to the barracks then? My men will gladly find out what makes her so special.”
“No, not yet. Strip her down, put her in the stocks, and stick her in one of the viewing suites. I’ll decide what to do with her later.”
“As you wish, sire.”
With a contemptuous snort, the Praetorian half-pulled, half-dragged me through the double doors and into the private section of the palace. He choked up on my leash so high it wrenched my neck to the side, but he seemed more amused than concerned. My vision was so spotty by the time we crossed the corridor that I couldn’t have retracted our steps even if I’d wanted to.
The guard left me in the hands of two elderly faeyn slaves. They were almost certainly old enough to remember the fall of Sorthaal and the subjugation of our people…
I never had the chance to ask. On the Praetorian’s orders, they stripped me naked and stuck my head and hands into a pillory facing the bizarre wall-sized window on the far side of the room. The other side of the glass was dark enough that I couldn’t make anything out, and before I could ask one of them fed a long, phallic gag down my throat. They departed in silence a few moments later.
Once the door closed behind them, I closed my eyes and tried to focus on breathing through my nose. This wasn’t how I’d envisioned my first meeting with Lucian, but it sounded like he did plan on speaking with me at some point. That meant I’d get at least one opportunity to find out if Karethys had been right about him. If he really was a secret ally of the Faedari, he wouldn’t mistreat me or send me away. If he wasn’t…
Well, if he wasn’t then I needed to be prepared to do whatever was necessary to seduce him. This wasn’t like Korvale or the Infintium or Duke Arland’s estate. Imperial law wouldn’t protect me here. Master Kristoff and Larric couldn’t save me here. I was completely and utterly alone.
Distantly, I wondered if that was why I’d insisted on coming here in the first place. Perhaps all I really wanted was an opportunity to prove myself. Or perhaps I was just a fool.
Either way, I would find out soon enough.
Chapter Eight: The Emperor’s New Slave
Hours passed in darkness. The suite was so well insulated I couldn’t hear a peep from the party just a few hundred feet away, and eventually I stretched out through the Aether to see if I could sense anything. I didn’t want to reach too far, given the presence of so many Inquisitors, but I could feel the general shifts in mood from the partygoers. At first, most were anxious and a bit weary, but as the night progressed their collective mood started to improve. I allowed myself to practice focusing on specific individuals as an alternative to focusing upon my stiffening muscles and general discomfort.
The gala had mostly wound down by the time someone reactivated the glowstones, but the light, strangely enough, didn’t emanate from behind me—it came from the other side of the window. After I blinked away the sudden afterimage, I realized I was looking down upon an enormous, elaborate bedchamber. It was a least three times the size of Master Kristoff’s, and the bed at the center was probably large enough to accommodate a half dozen people. Seven other windows were festooned around the room in a circle, though I couldn’t actually see into any of them particularly well. This must have been what Lucian meant when he called this a “viewing room.” I had never seen anything quite like it.
I was still boggling at the design when the bedchamber door opened and Emperor Lucian strode inside. Behind him were three human women—all young and dressed for the gala. I remembered what Master Kristoff had told me about Lucian’s alleged penchant for young noblewomen, and it didn’t take long for him to prove that everything I’d heard was true.
The women fawned over him with a zeal that would have made most avenari jealous. As a group, they slowly and seductively stripped him of his breastplate and cloak. He tore open one woman’s dress and began suckling at her breasts while another sank to the carpet and worked his cock free. They descended upon the bed mere moments later, and the orgy that followed was every bit as raw and bestial as anything I’d witnessed in Korvale.
Lucian took each of the women at least once over the next several hours, and he always made it a point to spill as deeply inside them as possible. During his downtime, the women entertained each other while he watched, and I found myself wondering if they’d even known each other beforehand. By the time his almost superhuman recovery finally floundered, I swore I could actually smell the sex through the glass. They all passed out in an intermingled heap, and the glowstones dimmed not long after.
At some point I managed to fall asleep despite my restraints, though the rest was fitful and confused. When morning finally came, I started to wonder how long Lucian might keep me in here to watch him. Once it was bright enough to see again, however, I realized that while the noblewomen were still sprawled across the bed, the Emperor himself was gone. The door to my suite opened not long after, and loud, booted footfalls echoed through the room.
“Well, well,” a familiar voice said. “I wondered what Lucian had done with you.”
I closed my eyes and bit down on the gag as General Torelius walked up behind me. It never occurred to me that he might actually stay in the palace. I reached out to the Aether and channeled its power through me just in case he decided to touch me agai
n. I didn’t even care about the risks at this point—there was no way in the void I was going to put up with him again, not even in the seat of Imperial power…
“I saw your master flee the gala with his tail tucked between his legs,” Torelius said, slapping my ass hard enough I actually yelped. “What a waste. All that fuss to get you back only to lose you a few days later.”
He chortled giddily. The pillory prevented me from turning around, but I could see the outline of his reflection in the glass as he sauntered over to the armoire a few yards away. I couldn’t tell what was inside from this angle, but he perused the shelves with obvious glee.
“I sold all three of my girls last night,” he went on. “Two of them went for almost double what I paid last year. The breeders are desperate for ripe stock this season. It’s a shame Lucian didn’t put you right back on the market—can you imagine Gabriel’s face when some slack-jawed, inbred shit from the Wreath ended up buying you? I’d pay a thousand coins to see that.”
He finally retrieved something from the shelf. I only realized it was a scourge when he uncoiled the short leather strands with a sharp crack.
“Lucian promised me a new girl by morning, but frankly this is so much better,” Torelius sneered. “I wasn’t finished with you, not by a long shot. Perhaps this will finally give me the opportunity to learn why Gabriel thinks you’re so bloody special….”
He lashed my left thigh. I closed my eyes and bit down again, but it still felt like he’d poured liquid fire on my skin. He directed a second lash at my other hip and a third at the small of my back.
“I assume Gabriel took you at least once after your return,” the general taunted. When I didn’t respond, he lashed the whip across my ass. “That was a question, cunt! Answer me.”
I garbled something unintelligible into the gag, which only made him laugh harder. After a few more strokes, he shuffled forward close enough that he could unfasten the straps holding the phallus in place.
“I’m surprised you haven’t learned to speak with a cock in your mouth yet,” Torelius chided. “Then again, I doubt Kristoff’s wilted little stem gave you much practice…”
I gasped for air as he pulled the phallus from my mouth and tossed it upon the floor. My throat was so parched I couldn’t even swallow.
“Relax, I’ll give you something to wet those lips soon enough,” he snickered. “Now answer my question: did Gabriel fuck you after I dropped you off?”
“Yes, my lord,” I managed through clenched teeth. I called upon the Aether to dull the pain, but it was still distracting enough I wasn’t sure if I could pierce his mind unless he actually touched me. My only other option was to try and destroy the pillory and break myself free, but I’d never attempted anything like that before…
“How many times?”
“My lord?”
The whip cracked across my lower back. “It’s a simple question,” he growled. “How many times did he fuck you?”
I pressed my eyes shut. The real answer was zero, of course, but I knew that’s not what he wanted to hear. So instead I thought of Astanya. “Over a dozen times, my lord.”
“Really? How pathetic. He probably couldn’t even afford a replacement while you were gone, and Triad knows he could seduce a real woman to save his life.” Torelius slowly dragged the leather tails across my upper back. “You can learn a great deal about a man by the way he treats his whores. Tell me: where does he leave his seed when he’s finished with you?”
“Inside me, my lord.”
“Never upon those perky tits of yours?”
“Sometimes.”
Torelius grunted as he dragged the tails across my bare quim. “What about your pretty little lips and cheeks?”
“Rarely, my lord.”
“Well, then I think it’s time you were properly marked by a real man,” he said. “But first I want you to describe everything Gabriel did to you in perfect detail.”
“What?”
He cracked the whip across my back. “You really are dull, aren’t you? It’s not complicated. Tell me the first thing he did to you. Did he shove his cock down your throat? Did he bend you over his desk and take your ass?”
My eyes fluttered open as I channeled the Aether to my fingertips. “He took me upon his bed, my lord.”
“That’s a lie—even Gabriel isn’t that boring.” Torelius grunted contemptuously, I heard him fiddle with the buckle on his belt. “I want details. I want to know exactly how you debased yourself like the worthless whore you are!”
He raised the scourge to strike me again, and I prepared to unleash a blast of energy to shatter my restraints—
“General Torelius,” a harsh female voice called from the hallway.
“I’m occupied,” he growled back. “If you have a message, give it to me—”
“That slave is the Emperor’s property,” the woman interrupted. Her reflection was difficult to make out, but I could tell she was wearing the black-red armor of a Praetorian. “You were never given permission to touch her.”
“You dare?” Torelius hissed. “I am the High General of the Imperial Legion!”
“His Majesty’s servants have already arranged entertainment for you at breakfast,” the Praetorian told him calmly. “Two fresh girls are already waiting for you downstairs.”
The general grumbled something under his breath and tossed the scourge aside. “I demand an audience with your master as soon as possible.”
“I will pass your message along, sir.”
After slapping my ass a final time, Torelius stormed out of the room like a petulant child. I let out a deep breath and released my hold on the Aether. I couldn’t believe I was actually grateful for the intervention of a Praetorian…
“His Majesty apologizes for your treatment last night,” the woman said as she stepped up behind me and unlocked my restraints. “But the deception was necessary to quell the concerns of the nobility. He cannot be seen treating one of your people without scorn, especially not during a public event.”
She helped me stand up and offered me a robe. I gently slipped it on, wondering what in the void was going on. The fact that the woman’s face was completely concealed by her helmet didn’t make reading her any easier.
“Please,” she implored, “follow me.”
She escorted me back into the hall and led me back through the long, pristine corridors. They were even emptier than last night—I didn’t spot anyone aside from a few other Praetorian. Eventually she nudged me towards a silver-plated door, and when she pushed it open my mouth nearly fell to the floor.
The room was twice times the size of Master Kristoff’s bedchamber and probably five times as ostentatious. On my left was an enormous marble tub filled with steaming hot water. Straight ahead of me was an antique table and sitting area with baskets full of fresh fruit. On my right was an open wardrobe with enough clothing to outfit half the noblewomen in Glorinfel. The outfits ranged from practical to elegant to seductive, and a cursory glance revealed that almost all the fabric had been imported from wealthy Torsian nations. Even more impressively, I could feel a faint Aetheric aura emanating from nearly every dress—they were probably enchanted to contract or expand to perfectly fit the wearer.
“His Supreme Majesty was certain you’d appreciate a hot bath,” the Praetorian said. “When you’re finished, feel free to wear anything you like. I’ll be outside when you’re ready.”
She started to leave, but I managed to pull my eyes away from the wardrobe and turn before she closed the door. “I don’t understand,” I whispered. “What does he want from me?”
“Only your attention,” she told me. “He has wanted to meet you for some time, and he hopes his hospitality will convince you that he is not your enemy. Now please, indulge yourself.”
Before I could think of another question, she closed the door behind her. I stood in place for long moment, wondering if all of this was just a particularly vivid dream. But once my brain started functioning a
gain, I pivoted back around and forced myself to evaluate the situation. This might have been some kind of test—the Emperor could have easily been watching me from behind one of the many mirrors. But if he was, I had no idea what he hoped to gain. The more likely explanation was that Karethys had been telling the truth about the Lucian’s loyalties. Perhaps he really was sympathetic to the Faedari. If so, this could have been his first attempt to prove it to me.
Either way, I decided not to waste this opportunity worrying about it. Tossing my robe aside, I stepped over to the bath and held my hand above the tub. The heat felt so good I immediately flung my legs over the edge and melted into the water. Within seconds I was completely renewed. My entire body tingled from toe to chin, and my mind felt more at ease than when I practiced one Master Kristoff’s meditation techniques. I could have stayed here for hours without batting an eyelash.
The secret was the enchanted gemstones embedded in the marble. Without them, the water couldn’t stay this warm for long. They were in high demand among the nobility, but they were so ludicrously decadent and expensive that only the Grand Dukes and a handful of others could possibly afford them. Master Kristoff had owned a few, but he’d been forced to leave them behind when we had abandoned Stormcrest. I had forgotten just how much I missed this.
Eventually I convinced myself I should probably move, in no small part due to the increasingly insistent rumbles in my stomach. I wrapped myself in a towel and picked some fruit off the table as I perused all the dresses and gowns in the wardrobe. Sharela probably would have passed-out just looking at them, and I had a feeling that most of the noblewomen in Sanctum would have paid a fortune just to swap places with me for an hour. Some would have gone so far as to deem a slave’s presence around such finery as sacrilege. The thought actually made me smile.
My skin was completely dry by the time I settled on an outfit. Rather than picking something purely elegant or purely seductive, I chose one of the turquoise saris woven from a mix of Numenese and Talishite silk. It was clearly designed for a taller human woman, but the instant I clasped the belt the enchantment within triggered. I watched in the mirror as the cloth molded around my slender figure. The skirt dangled just below my knees, while the top left my arms and navel bare.