by Tyler Wild
“You’ll forgive me, this is quite a lot to process,” I said.
“I understand. I must apologize to you first and foremost. I would never have abandoned you, but it would have meant my death and yours if Xerius ever found out. I didn’t intend to conceive, but as they say, life happens. I stayed with your father until your birth. Then I returned to Valinsmor. I assume he never told you.”
I shook my head. “No. Though, I think he intended to before he died.”
“Xerius must never know of your existence. You are dangerous to him. Given the right circumstances, you could wield the power to destroy him. Is that why you came to the palace and kidnapped Jayna?”
“No.” I explained to her the danger my kingdom was in, and who murdered my father.
Her cheeks flushed with rage upon hearing the story. “I cannot intervene. But I may be able to help you in subtle ways from time to time.”
“I’ll take all the help I can get.”
She waved her hand, and a shield appeared on the ground. It was silver with gold accents, ornately engraved.
“This belonged to Tyvius. The metal was forged in Valinsmor, and is stronger than anything known to man. It will protect you from the heat of the dragon, and will withstand any strike of sword or arrow.”
I picked up the shield and gripped it against my forearm. Despite its size and thickness, it was light. It cut through the air without resistance.
“Thank you,” I said.
Epheria put her hand on my shoulder and smiled, lovingly. “You are my son. And when you pass into the next life, I will reserve a place in Valinsmor for you. I don’t care what Xerius says.”
I thanked her again.
She gave me an embrace, and I hugged her back.
It was awkward to say the least.
It still had yet to sink in that she was actually my mother. That I was a demigod.
She stepped away and took one last look at me. “You’ve grown into a fine man. I am proud of you, as was your father, I’m sure.”
“Is he not in Valinsmor?”
She shook her head. “I have not seen him there. Like all those who have been murdered, I’m sure he walks in the Neverworld. Only when his death is avenged will he enter the afterlife. You must bring him justice.”
It was all the more reason to reclaim my kingdom and kill my brother.
Epheria turned her gaze to Jayna. “I can take you back to Valinsmor. Or you can stay here with the mortals. The choice is up to you.”
Jayna’s conflicted eyes glanced between Epheria and me, trying to decide.
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“This is your only chance, unless Xerius comes for you,” Epheria said. “But that may not happen for quite some time.”
“Why is that?” Jayna asked.
“The Ring of Ulnör has incapacitated him. Even a god as mighty as Xerius lacks the capacity to remove the ring himself. And I see no pressing need to assist him.” A devious grin curled on Epheria’s lips.
“You’ve taken control of Valinsmor?” Jayna asked.
“For the time being.”
“And how long do you intend to rule?”
Epheria shrugged. “Until I grow bored with it.”
Jayna’s face twisted with inner conflict. She finally blurted out an answer. “I choose to stay here.”
I lifted a brow, surprised.
“As you wish,” Epheria said. She gazed at me and smiled. “Be well, my son.”
She dispersed into glowing particles and vanished on the wind.
I had a lot to process.
I never considered myself anything more than the average person. Now I was going to have to come to grips with the fact that I was half man, half god. Though I’m not really sure what benefits that bestowed upon me except a slight degree of favoritism from my mother, and potential wrath from Xerius.
I had no magical abilities. No superhuman strength. No supernatural senses. But I wondered if there was some way to tap into the god part of me?
Surely we were demigods in more than name only?
We strolled back to the others.
“Why did you decide to stay?” I asked.
Jayna shrugged. “Your mother and I haven’t always seen eye to eye. With Valinsmor under her control, I imagine it would only be worse.” She paused. “But don’t get any funny ideas. I’m still mad at you.” She smacked my arm, playfully.
The others had been hiding in the shadows behind the trees, watching everything.
Grombly knelt before me and presented the Dagger of Onyx as he bowed his head. “I swear my allegiance to you, my Lord. I will be your faithful knight and servant.”
I frowned and hesitated accepting his allegiance. “Grombly, you are free. How long did you spend enslaved by the witch?”
“Too long, my Lord.”
I rolled my eyes at his salutation. “Then why would you swear your allegiance to me?”
“Because you are a noble man. A man of your word. A man who cares for his subjects.”
“I don’t have any subjects, yet.”
“You will, my Lord. You are the son of Epheria. And it would be my honor to serve you.”
I took the dagger and knighted the little goblin. “I dub thee, Sir Grombly.”
A wide smile curled on his crooked lips as he took the dagger and stood tall. As tall as a little goblin could stand.
“And you are sworn to secrecy about my true identity.”
“Your secret will die with me, my Lord.”
“Let us pray that none of us die anytime soon,” I said.
I exchanged a glance with Sophia and Cassandra. They seemed amused by the little goblin.
“Come,” Grombly said. “We can stay in the castle tonight and head out at daybreak.” He spun around and started into the forest.
We followed him.
Cassandra whispered in my ear in a sardonic tone, “Don’t get too big for your britches, my Lord.”
77
Kron
The moon hung high in the night sky. Flies still buzzed around Gort’s slain carcass not far from the witch’s castle. Predators had ripped most of the flesh from the bones. What was left of the tattered remains was a feast for maggots and other small varmints. His putrid stench still fouled the air.
We carefully walked across the narrow land bridge to the castle. It was more perilous in the dark. Cassandra used a glow stone to illuminate the path. The inky blackness obscured the canyon below, which somehow made it seem less daunting. You couldn’t see how far you had to fall.
I helped Grombly with the heavy door and let the girls into the castle before me. I followed them inside and pulled the door shut. It echoed throughout the cavernous space.
“Welcome to my humble abode,” the goblin said. “Make yourself at home.” His eyes flicked to mine. “You know where the witch’s chamber is. Feel free to take that for the evening. If you’re hungry, I can whip us up a snack. There is food and drink. Ale, wine, distilled spirits. I have a stash of the finest Happy Leaf in the forest. And if you’re brave, you can try some of Phaedra’s mind expanding potions.”
“Mind expanding potions?” I asked.
“They will take you to other worlds,” the goblin said.
“I think I’ve had enough of Phaedra’s potions,” I muttered.
“Then I would advise you to stay away from the mushroom infused whiskey. It can lead to an… interesting experience.”
“I’m starving,” Jayna said.
We all agreed with her sentiment.
“I’ll whip us up a snack,” Grombly said.
He led us into a comfortable parlor filled with plush furniture—fluffy chairs, a chaise lounge, a large sofa. The furniture was made from the black wood of the forest, carved with intricate detail. There were numerous skulls, legs made of bone, demon wings, grotesque faces, and dragon scales carved into the wood.
It was a little macabre for my taste, but it was stylish, and well-crafted. I thought it might
get depressing day-in and day-out, but if you were a creature of the underworld, you would feel right at home.
Oil paintings on the wall depicted spiritual events. The fall of Setia from Valinsmor, the expulsion of Nogorth from the underworld, the birth of the demon Guv’aal, a black mass, and the witches’ Sabbath.
Grombly lit several candles in the room, then slipped into the kitchen. The warm amber glow flickered on our faces. Despite the gothic decorations, the space was cozy, almost inviting.
I ambled to the bar and poured a glass of whiskey. “Anybody else want a drink?”
“I do,” Sophia said. She was always up for a party. It didn’t matter that it was the wee hours of the morning.
After everything we’d been through, I felt like we deserved a little fun. We had an arduous journey ahead of us, and once we reached Pernberry, we’d find ourselves in battle again. And the odds weren’t looking good.
I figured these might be my last few days in this earthly realm. Might as well make them enjoyable.
The whiskey burned as I slugged it down. It pooled in my belly, and a wave of warmth passed through my body. I instantly poured another glass for Sophia and me, finishing off the bottle.
Cassandra curled up on the couch and took a nap. Jayna admired the paintings, lost in the depictions.
Sophia grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the parlor. “This place is freaky. Let’s check it out.”
I grabbed a candle from the bar on the way out, along with another bottle of whiskey. We strolled though the castle, exploring various passageways and chambers. There were several guest bedrooms, a library, a few sitting rooms, and tons of art, sculptures, and gothic furniture.
There were runes and artifacts from all over the globe. Spiritual talismans from different cultures. The witch had an impressive collection of crystals. She had an immense wardrobe—mostly black gowns.
Occasionally a door would open or close by itself as we moved through the chambers. I didn’t think much of it. A gust of wind, perhaps?
Some areas of the castle were colder than others, and now and then a chill would run down my spine as we entered a room. It wouldn’t have taken much to convince me the castle was haunted. Maybe with the spirits of those the witch had killed?
I felt less and less comfortable about spending the night in such a place, but daylight wasn’t far away.
“I bet this bitch has a dungeon,” Sophia said with an excited grin.
She grabbed my hand and pulled me to the staircase. We spiraled our way down to the bowels of the castle. Sure enough, we found a chamber filled with restraints and implements of torture.
The dungeon was dank and cold. The wet air penetrated the skin and chilled the bones. Since the castle was perched on a pillar of rock overlooking the canyon, the dungeon wasn’t underground. It had narrow slats in the stone walls, allowing shafts of pale moonlight to enter.
In the corner was a Judas Cradle. It was a stool with a pyramid for a seat. The victim was usually hung above the sharp point and either lowered onto it slowly, or dropped repeatedly.
Needless to say, it could wreak havoc on your nether region.
Sometimes people were lowered slowly over the course of days. It was usually a bloody affair, and though the act itself was not often lethal, the infection that resulted almost always was.
The device made me cringe just looking at it.
In the opposite corner was a rack. There were a slew of arm and leg bones of previous victims whose limbs had been separated from their bodies and left to rot on the dungeon floor.
Wrist irons hung from the walls.
The centerpiece of the room was an Iron Maiden with sharp prongs on the inside. The large black sarcophagus was exquisitely carved in the shape of a demon. On the inside, the prongs were just long enough to poke into the skin and cause a slow painful death. There was a crank on the outside that would squeeze the occupant, plunging the spikes farther into the occupant. Rust colored blood caked the grizzly sarcophagus.
None of these implements had ever been cleaned between uses.
“This is totally hot,” Sophia said.
I looked at her like she was crazy.
She strutted to the wall, her ass jiggling from side to side. She bent over and leaned against the stone, spreading her legs. She looked back at me with a naughty glint in her eyes, her tail hiked in the air. “I’ve been a really bad girl,” she said in a breathy, baby-doll voice. “Want to chain me up and torture me?”
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She didn’t have to ask me twice.
I took a swig of whiskey and set the bottle and the candle on top of a stockade, then strolled behind her.
She purred as I hiked her skirt over her hips and pulled her panties down. The frilly fabric glided over her sweet ass cheeks. They fell down her smooth thighs and pooled around her ankles. She lifted a foot out, leaving the dainty garment dangling around her other ankle while I plied my craft.
I dropped my trousers, grabbed her tail, and spread her ass cheeks. The warm glow of the candlelight illuminated her supple curves.
I was at full power before I even got to her, and her slick center glistened in the flickering light.
She didn’t want tender. She didn’t want me to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. She wanted to be punished. And I was more than happy to be her dungeon master.
I grabbed her tail and jammed myself inside. She screamed with pleasure. I grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled her head back as I pummeled the little feline vixen. Her breathy moans echoed off the damp walls.
“Lock me up,” she demanded.
She lifted her arms to the rusty cuffs that dangled from the wall.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said, without breaking stride.
“You want to please me, don’t you? The key is hanging from the door handle,” she moaned.
Her ass cheeks jiggled with each thrust.
I glanced over my shoulder at the entrance to the dungeon. A solitary key hung from a large keyring that dangled from the door handle.
What the hell? If she wanted me to chain her up and pound her like a dirty heathen, who was I to say no?
I slipped the iron cuffs around her wrists and ratcheted them tight. The minute they clicked into place it was like someone had turned the volume up on her screams. Her body writhed and undulated as I laid waste to her delicate flesh. My firm hand smacked her ass until it was rosy red and her sweet juices dripped down her thighs.
She clamped down around me, trying to strangle my monster. The whole castle must have heard our escapade.
Each wave of orgasmic pleasure seemed more heightened than the last. Our bodies were covered in sweat. Our chests heaved for breath, and our heartbeats raced. Sophia pretended to beg for mercy, and I demanded she confess and repent. Sophia quivered and twitched, and I couldn’t hold back any longer. The precocious little vixen coaxed out every last bit of pleasure from my serpent.
I collapsed against the wall, putting my hands out to support me as I lay on top of her. I’d say we were certainly going to hell, but we had already been there.
The dungeon door burst open, and Jayna stood in the archway with a scowl on her face. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look I’m doing?” I said.
“Excuse me. I thought you were with me?”
Sophia smiled. “He’s with all of us, sugar. Get used to it.”
I shrugged, innocently, in agreement.
Jayna growled and huffed. “But you are the father of my unborn child!”
Sophia arched a surprised eyebrow at me. She flatly said, “This could get interesting.”
Flustered, Jayna growled again and stormed away. Her footsteps clattered as she marched up the stone steps.
“She’s a little high maintenance,” Sophia observed.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed.”
“Great tits, though!”
I nodded. “I know, right?”
“What do
you say there, sweet dick? Want to get me out of these things?” she said, making jazz hands in the wrist irons.
I pulled up my pants and strolled to the door and grabbed the rusty key. I moved back to the irons and attempted to slide the key into the slot. But it wouldn’t fit.
My face went long, and Sophia’s eyes rounded.
79
Kron
“Where’s Grombly?” I asked as I entered the parlor, having already checked the kitchen.
Jayna glared at me, then snapped, “I don’t know. Why don’t you ask your little cat friend?”
Ugh. I rolled my eyes and stormed out of the room, looking for the little goblin.
Jayna’s voice carried down the hallway as she spoke to Cassandra who drifted in and out of sleep on the couch. “I suppose you’re fucking him too?”
Cassandra peeled her sleepy eyes open. It took her a moment to respond. “It’s complicated.”
“So, you’re okay with him plowing everything that walks?”
“I wasn’t at first. But… I don’t know… I didn’t think I could handle it. I’m not the sharing type.”
“I can’t imagine sharing! I’m so mad. I chose to stay here for him and not go back to Valinsmor.”
“To be honest, I regret pulling away,” Cassandra said. “We’ve been through a lot together. And we’ve all gotten so close. And some of us didn’t make it.” Cassandra sat for a moment, reflecting on the journey. “Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Why not choose to be happy in the current moment?”
“I’d be happier if he belonged to me, and me alone.”
“People aren’t possessions, you know.”
Jayna scoffed. “I am the daughter of Xerius. I always get what I want.”
Cassandra looked at her, confused. “Didn’t you fuck Kron just to piss off your father?”
“That’s beside the point.”
“So Kron is just another plaything for you, and this is all about control?”
Jayna hemmed and hawed, not wanting to admit that so bluntly.