Dungeon Bound 2

by Bastian Knight

  Gabriel started to reply, then fell silent when the bloody tapestry fell away from the hunks of shredded meat mixed among the piled arms and armor. He watched as four bejeweled fingers rolled off onto the green carpet.

  What did she do to them?

  Sthuza grimaced and rubbed her temples.

  “Master, perhaps you should check for the most potent magical auras, and we only grab those?”

  “Yeah.” He nodded and tried not to be sick as he inspected the horrific mess Cindra had brought down.

  While he’d expected Cindra and Reyna to be comfortable wading into the bloody slop, he was a little surprised that Sthuza didn’t protest in the slightest either.

  Is it because none of them are human? Or did I just grow up too sheltered?

  He kicked the thought around as he searched for exotic enchantments among the collection, but didn’t come to a conclusion.

  They spent a few minutes sorting through the gory loot before Gabriel decided they’d gotten everything worth keeping.

  Once they had finished, Sthuza tore down another tapestry and helped Cindra pile the worthwhile treasure on it. Two mail hauberks, the baron’s rings, several wands, another enchanted blade, and a handful of spell tokens looted from the two mages. They also grabbed the least damaged gambesons to give to Meri’s monsters.

  Hopefully the kobolds can alter them to fit their tiny bodies.

  Only the rings carried unfamiliar enchantments. The sword and armor carried similar but weaker versions of the enchantments on the gear Sthuza passed out in her lair.

  All the items would shift and adjust to fit the bearer—within reason. The leather suit she’d given to Cindra was made for a giant shapeshifter, but its enchantment was powerful enough that it could shrink too small for Sthuza.

  Though that raises the question, who wore the armor last to make it adjust to that size?

  When Reyna pulled out a dark crystal and reluctantly offered it to Sthuza, the gorgon shook her head.

  “I trust you to keep it safe, Miss Reyna. And once we finish with our quest, I will help you set the pocket dimension up for your use.”

  The lycan stepped close and whispered something in response.

  After the werebadger shifted back to human and slipped on a stolen shirt, it took Gabriel a couple of minutes to make the bloody pair presentable. Cindra grabbed up the cleaner bundle of loot, and they were all ready to leave.

  Reyna insisted on kicking open each door on the first floor as they headed out, but nothing caught her eye.

  Gabriel was content to let her search. He found himself eager to get away from the castle and the death that filled it. It was a feeling his bonded must have sensed, as they also ignored the grumbling lycan’s casual vandalism.

  The front doors were still open, and to his surprise, Gabriel spotted the baroness seated near the outer stone wall. Over two dozen liveried men-at-arms from the city watch stood off to the side.

  Several of them stared in horror as the flames continued to eat away at the devastated barracks. Others searched through the charred debris.

  The acrid stench of burned hair and charred flesh was strong enough to overpower the ash and smoke that filled the courtyard. A few of the guards wore wet clothes wrapped around their faces.

  The portcullis had been raised, and eight more city watchmen in heavy armor blocked the gate. Just past them, Gabriel could see a growing crowd of onlookers.

  Great. We really don’t need that kind of attention.

  Elaine looked up when Gabriel approached and glared at him with wet, bloodshot eyes. “Is it done?”

  He nodded but kept his face straight and held his tongue.

  She has to live with Kelith’s death for the rest of her life. There’s no need for me to rub it in her face.

  “Yeah, bastard’s soul is right where it belongs,” Reyna said gruffly, then paused before continuing in a softer tone. “You, ah, might want to stay out of the throne room till you get someone to clean it.”

  Elaine swallowed, her face deathly pale, but she met the petite lycan’s gaze. They stared at each other for several seconds before the noblewoman spoke again. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry about your sister,” she whispered.

  Reyna continued to glare, but her amber eyes glistened.

  “Yeah,” she muttered before stomping toward the main gate. She marched right up to the armored watchmen. Gabriel held his breath as several of them shifted, but the sole officer looked over to the baroness who shook her head.

  Reyna finally noticed the crowd. “Shitstick-sniffing looky-loos. You’d think these city ass-hoppers would know to stay out of the way when some big-dicked monster lover goes and blows up a fucking building and sacks the castle,” she grumbled. The short lycan glared at the crowd before turning to stomp back to Gabriel and his bonded.

  Most of the guards stared at the group. Several of them gaped at Cindra in her sleek, clean armor.

  ‘Relax, Master. They are no doubt trying to assess how we could do so much damage and yet walk out almost untouched. These men are not professional soldiers. They are ill-prepared to handle this situation.’

  Still, I don’t think going out the front gate is going to work.

  “Is it true about what you did to my son?” the baroness whispered.

  Gabriel turned back to Elaine and nodded.

  “You’re sure Kelith’s… gone?”

  Gabriel nodded again, and the pale-faced baroness let out an anguished sob.

  No one spoke for several moments. The stench of charred meat and ash hung heavy in the air as a woman let out a piteous moan. Men-at-arms shifted through the rubble, and nosy onlookers called out. The surviving castle guards stepped closer to hide the noblewoman’s grief from the spectators.

  “Was that explosion your doing?” she asked after recovering. The guards didn’t even pretend that they weren’t listening.

  Gabriel met and held her bloodshot gaze. “Yes.”

  “You could do it again, couldn’t you? I’ve never met a mage that wouldn’t be exhausted from casting a spell like that. What rank are you?”

  “Copper.”

  The fearful gazes focusing on Gabriel widened into shock and disbelief. Men began muttering, but Sthuza spoke up and cut them off.

  “It is time for us to take our leave now, Master.”

  Reyna let out a sniffle then started toward the rear of the keep. She led the way to a narrow wooden staircase up to the battlements of the outer wall.

  Gabriel was the second one to the top. When Sthuza joined him, he looked around for Cindra.

  ‘She is climbing the wall, Master. These boards are too thin to support her weight.’

  He nodded.

  Not going to mention it to her then. Cindra hates it when I acknowledge her imposing size. Silly hellhound.

  Once they all stood upon the thick curtain wall, Sthuza reached into a belt pouch and withdrew a slender, spider-silk rope.

  “How will we recover it after climbing down?” he asked. The exotic rope was strong enough to support Cindra and worth far too much to abandon.

  “Once you and Miss Reyna climb down, Cindra and I will join you, Master.”

  Gabriel stared at his Prime. The casual confidence on both her face and Cindra’s made him reconsider his words. He shrugged and set about anchoring the line, then turned to Reyna.

  Still in human form, she glared at him with wet eyes—then jumped off the wall.

  ‘What the hells?” he shouted.

  Reyna hit the ground hard and rolled, cursing the entire time. Seeing the amused look on Sthuza’s face, he shook his head and started down the rope.

  The moment his feet touched the ground, one of his bonded released the rope, letting it fall around him. Reyna rose to her feet and started hobbling away.

  Seconds later, both monster girls landed next to him.

  Sthuza produced a soft whisper, while Cindra sank two inches into the packed dirt.

  “Shall we return to the
inn now, Master?” Sthuza asked while making a show of dusting off her pants.

  He stared for a moment, then nodded. Finished with the whole mess, he led his bonded after the limping lycan.

  Hope this brought Reyna some closure.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  They walked in a heavy silence as they made their way through the city.

  Gabriel was more than a little surprised that the surly werebadger marched straight to their inn. He’d half expected her to wander off on her own, or even make a run for it, and he was grateful that she hadn’t.

  I can’t imagine what’s going on in her head right now, but she’s obviously hurting. Given how reckless her plan was, I bet she’s been alone ever since they kidnapped her sister.

  ‘Quite likely, Master. I suppose you believe she would feel more comfortable as a true member of our little group?’

  He turned to the disguised gorgon and smiled. Maybe? I don’t know. I just hate seeing her in so much pain. It makes me wonder what she’s really like, you know?

  Sthuza chuckled. ‘I am not convinced that buried deep beneath her gruff outer shell is anything more than spite, rage, and excrement.’

  Gabriel’s smile broadened at her words, and he shook his head, turning back to the woman stomping her way into the inn.

  You might be right, Sthuza. Still, I kind of want to find out.

  ‘Of course, Master.’

  Reyna was across the crowded room, loudly claiming a table by the time they entered.

  The four men already sitting at the table tried to protest. But when she started into a profanity-laced tirade, the flabby merchants wisely decided to yield and moved to join another group of laughing patrons.

  Ignoring everyone staring at her, the petite lycan scratched at the short dark hair on the side of her head and flopped onto one of the benches against the wall. She turned toward Gabriel and his bonded near the entrance.

  “Stop yer staring and sit down, you weak-stomached fur-muncher,” she snapped at Gabriel as they watched her switch to scratching her belly.

  Sthuza stared at Reyna across the room. “Oh yes, Master, I am sure there are many, many layers beneath the surface with this one.”

  He grinned but flagged down Mrs. Spaulding as they headed over to join their charming companion.

  ◆◆◆

  After an absolutely massive dinner, with Cindra and Reyna downing four bowls of stew apiece, their talk finally turned to hunting Estrial.

  “I said I can track the knife-eared bitch for ya, and I will,” Reyna grumbled while wiping her mouth. Then she licked the mess from her small hand.

  “Yes, but we are on something of a deadline here. We would greatly appreciate starting sooner rather than later,” Sthuza reiterated as the pair of them continued to argue in circles.

  “Why are you guys in such a rush for this slutty elf anyway? Is she like your ex or something? You wanna rub it in her face that you got someone hotter?”

  Gabriel blushed, and Sthuza glared at Reyna, which caused the lycan to cackle madly. “Oh my gods, I was right? Damn, I was just shitting with you.”

  “Packmaster mated with the one that hurt him?” Cindra asked sadly, flashing those enormous blue eyes at the others.

  He shook his head firmly. “No, I didn’t, Cindra. And no, she’s not my ex, at least not that kind. I joined her party to delve the dungeon, but they betrayed me and…” Gabriel trailed off when he realized there was no way to explain the rest without revealing what he was now.

  Reyna’s amber eyes practically bulged out of her head, and she slammed her ale on the table, sloshing it all over her arm. “You’re a fucking Dunge—” she said before Sthuza slapped a hand tight across her mouth and hissed.

  “Sssilence, you fool!”

  Whatever Reyna tried to say came out as mumbled nonsense, but then she bit the gorgon’s hand. “Hey, don’t try to fucking restrain me, you…” she glanced at Gabriel, whose eyes had begun to flare, and snapped her mouth shut.

  “My apologies Miss Reyna, but you were about to say something that could cause a great deal of trouble,” Sthuza replied politely.

  That got the scowling woman to calm down. “Oh, right. Yeah, that’s probably better as a secret.” She leaned in closer before whispering, “But it’s true, isn’t it!”

  Sthuza sighed but nodded. “Yes, though, what precisely do you know about such things?”

  Now it was Reyna’s turn to blush, and she glanced down to the dregs of her ale.

  She’s cute when she’s not scowling or swearing.

  Or covered in blood.

  Still staring at the empty glass in her hands, Reyna mumbled something unintelligible.

  “What was that, dear? It is rude to mutter,” Sthuza said.

  Reyna jerked up and glared at his Prime.

  And now she looks ready to eat someone again.

  “I said my grandmother was a dungeon monster, way back when,” she snarled defiantly.

  Gabriel froze at her claim, the rest of the conversation continuing on without him listening as he considered that.

  Dungeon monsters can get pregnant? I know Sthuza made some jokes about the goblins, but it’s possible? Wait… didn’t Cindra mention her mother and sisters?

  ‘Of course, Master, did you think we are not living creatures?’ Sthuza asked, her quiet thoughts sounding a little hurt.

  I didn’t mean it that way, my love. I just hadn’t thought it through.

  ‘It is fine, I understand. But yes, monsters conjured by a Dungeon Core or Master can breed as easily as any other of the same race.’

  That caused Gabriel to consider his bonded, and he wondered if they would want to claim mates to breed with one day. He quickly realized he didn’t like that idea.

  At all.

  Apparently, Sthuza didn’t either.

  ‘Absolutely not, Master!’ she practically shouted in his head.

  ‘First off, there is no such thing as a male gorgon. While Mistress Iylara conjured me, I am well versed in how my kind reproduce. Gorgons are a female-only species and capable of breeding with a wide range of males including humans… or Dungeon Masters.’

  Gabriel forgot how to breathe when her embarrassed thoughts reached him.

  ‘Not to suggest that I expect you to do anything of the sort! I am just trying to thoroughly explain the situation!’

  You didn’t say anything about Cindra.

  ‘She is a hellhound, Master. They are fiercely loyal to their Pack, and each Pack has only one adult male. In her case, that is you.’

  But unlike gorgons, there are male hellhounds. Wouldn’t Cindra be unable to breed without another of her kind?

  ‘If you were only human, then that might be true. As a DM, you are capable of many interesting things. If Cindra wishes for… children, you will be the only one that she would ever willingly accept them from.’

  Sthuza continued, and her thoughts carried a harsher undertone. ’Though, if you disregard her feelings, I imagine you could order her to mate with a male hellhound.’

  I would never force either of you to do anything you don’t want to! I—

  His thoughts were interrupted when a hand grabbed his shoulder and jerked him back roughly.

  “I asked you a question, you arrogant prick!” a man growled from behind him.

  Gabriel twisted around to look up at the broad-shouldered, heavyset drunk glaring down at him.

  “Keep your hands off him!” Reyna snarled, momentarily surprising everyone.

  “Shut your mouth, slut,” the man countered.

  Reyna glared at the drunk, but her mouth fell open. She seemed almost hurt.

  “That’s right, I saw you in here last night wearing that sexy getup, whore.”

  Gabriel’s fists clenched tight at the pained look in Reyna’s amber eyes. He bit his lip as he battled against the firestorm of white-hot rage that washed over him and drowned out all reason.

  He wanted to eviscerate the asshole for insulting his pac
kmates. For daring to leer at them. For reminding Reyna of her dead sister.

  Tamping down the urge to kill and devour the upstart human, Gabriel pushed his seat back and shook the man’s hand off as he stood.

  Now that they were face to face, he realized the large man wasn’t quite so large. Sure he was powerfully built for a human, an adventurer by the look of his Iron tag, but Gabriel was taller and broader now.

  Who does this asshole think he is?

  “You need to apologize to her right now,” Gabriel said slowly, gritting his teeth to restrain his rage.

  “I’m not apologizing for calling a whore a whore, you stupid git. ‘Sides, I’m only interested in the meaty one next to you. Don’t know where you found a beastkin bitch that fine, but I wanna know how much you’re charging for her,” the man said. His lust-filled eyes focused on Cindra.

  Gabriel turned to look at the growling hellhound and belatedly noticed Sthuza was physically restraining her.

  Barely.

  “Cindra, sit,” he ordered. The large monster girl froze in place. He nodded at her when their eyes met, then turned back to the adventurer.

  “Are you suggesting two of my companions are prostitutes?” he asked, his voice unnaturally calm.

  The adventurer didn’t notice the underlying tone. “What else would they be? Bitches that fine ain’t doing no real delving. Nah, they’re—”

  The man’s tirade cut off when Gabriel’s fist connected with the bottom of his chin. His teeth slammed together as he was lifted bodily by the powerful blow.

  Gabriel moved to follow the loud-mouthed asshole down to the ground and pound some civility into him. However, the man’s friends rushed forward, and Gabriel had to twist away from a wild right hook.

  “Come on, you limp-dicked shitheads. Ya wanna fight? I’ll fuck you all up!” Reyna roared—right before she headbutted the shortest of the adventurers.

  “Do be careful of where we are Ma—Gabriel,” Sthuza said. “I will see about more drinks.”

  “Don’t worry about your friend. You can get drinks for us soon as we teach this prick a lesson,” the fourth adventurer said.