Indeed. But despite their claims of eternal grandeur, in truth everything they are springs from the imagination of mortal minds. They have no power of invention, beyond the narrow roles conjured up by their worshipers. They can only find things to imitate, and before men arose there was nothing to copy but animals.
“What about the elves?”
Alanna chuckled. They like to put on airs as well, but their claims to antiquity are a lie. The faerie sprang from the dreams of men, and they had hardly ventured out of the Dreaming when I first learned to walk the world. It was another thousand years before they separated Faerie from the rest of the Dreamlands, and ages yet before the fair folk who lingered too long from their land began to change into elves.
“So humans are the elder race, huh? I have to say, Alanna, it’s really refreshing to be able to get straight answers about this kind of thing. Usually the people who know just talk in riddles, or look down their noses at you and refuse to explain anything. Only, it makes me wonder why I’m the one in charge here.”
Because my ancient wisdom has led me to know my limits, and understand the shape of my desires? Of the two of us, you are the bold revolutionary wielding the power of invention, while I am merely an excellent hunter with a sharp memory. Besides, am I not a passionate and attractive lover? Don’t I deserve to bask in the leadership and protection of a worthy mate? Surely it would be cruel to make me chart my own path instead.
I chuckled. “Far be it from me to argue, Alanna. Just remember that I’m always willing to listen, and don’t hesitate to speak up when you know something that I don’t. Which is pretty much all the time, I guess.”
Perhaps. But a henpecked man is a grumpy man, and makes a poor bedmate. Besides, if I step in to offer the answers of the past at every turn, who knows what wonders you will fail to invent? So I try to strike a balance, and only speak up when my words are needed. But know that I have no patience for riddles, and I care nothing for the pacts of secrecy created by bickering tyrants. You have but to ask, and I shall answer any question you care to pose as ably as I may.
“Thank you, Alanna. That means a lot to me. I suppose I’d better give you plenty of new and interesting things to experience, to keep things even.”
Oh, I shall be quite satisfied when I have walked upon Luna’s face, and all the seven planets besides, she replied airily.
“You’re not going to let me forget about the space travel thing, then?”
Indeed not! In truth, I am vexed that these foolish gods are going to delay the project with their needless wars. But I know these things take a great deal of time and effort, and we must see to our survival before we can seek greater wonders. So I shall school myself to patience, and await the proper moment.
In some ways it was refreshing to deal with someone so mature. In others it was a little intimidating. I didn’t even want to think about what kind of campaign of persuasion Alanna would put together if she decided I wasn’t going to follow through. A normal girl who wants something from you might just give you a blowjob before asking, and do a lot of pouting and nagging if you say no. Alanna was perfectly capable of organizing a hundred-year campaign of persuasion just to make sure she got her way, and God help me if it didn’t work.
Not that I was complaining. But I decided then and there that I’d better not ever mention the idea of other solar systems to Alanna. She’d expect me to invent a magical FTL drive just so she could explore the galaxy. Or worse, she might just decide that the travel time for sublight journeys was no big deal. After all, I was guesstimating her age at something like twenty thousand years. A century or two in transit was nothing compared to that.
But those were all thoughts for later. I turned my attention back to the obsidian orbs, and considered the situation. This was a risk, but there were no safe ways out of my current predicament.
Mara’s mission would cause a big distraction, and I might be able to use the chaos to escape if I set things up properly in advance. But I couldn’t help feeling like it was a suicide mission. Odin wasn’t stupid, and he knew about Mara’s powers by now. There was an awfully big risk that there was a trap waiting to catch her, and if they questioned Mara they’d find out all sorts of unfortunate secrets.
No, I needed another angle. Another distraction. An outside source of help, to give me the extra edge I needed to escape the trap I was in. And who better to provide it, than someone who was caught in an even worse trap?
The first of the larger orbs I tried held some being who had long since retreated into catatonia, and didn’t respond to anything I tried. The second held a mindless ball of rage, that threw itself at me with an incoherent roar the moment I established contact. I dropped the link in a hurry.
That was unpleasant, Alanna complained.
“Are you alright? That was some kind of psychic attack, wasn’t it?”
It was a bit bruising, but I am well enough. The prison restricts their power enough that such things won’t do me any real harm, so long as you close the connection quickly.
“Alright. Well, maybe the third time will be the charm.”
It wasn’t. But on the fourth try I found a presence that radiated an inhuman serenity. Was it meditating?
“Hello?” I said. “Can you hear me?”
The presence stirred. Have the hallucinations returned? Or is there truly someone there, after so long?
“Yes, I’m really here. I’m not an Atlantean, either. They lost the war, and the Sunspire has been abandoned ever since.”
I suspected as much. Is there any hope that I might persuade you to free me? I will gladly make any vow, submit to any binding, for a chance to escape this fate.
“I wasn’t planning to ask for anything extravagant. I’m Daniel the Black, by the way. A mortal wizard, or at least I started out mortal. Who are you?”
Me? I am only a ghost of a fool long forgotten. I thought myself so wise. I remember making wonders to awe the humans, and handing out advice cloaked in riddles. But the arts of beauty and cleverness availed me nothing in the end. The sword is mightier than any song.
Alanna stirred, and added her own voice to the conversation. If your old self is lost to obscurity, then pick a new self to embrace. I have seen divinities accomplish this before, and it seems a sovereign remedy to the ills of being forgotten. Simply see what you value most in the memories that remain to you, and be that. My wizard is a just man, and he will not leave an ally to languish in the dark.
Am I to be an ally, then? Not a slave? But your own troubles must be dire indeed, if you are reduced to seeking allies among the damned. The I shall take your advice, tree spirit. Call me Weaver.
Of tapestries, or plots? Alanna asked cautiously.
Why would I limit myself, when there are so many things that can be woven? Weaver replied innocently.
“Threads of cloth, threads of magic, threads of intrigue,” I commented. "Whatever kind of artful arrangement you’re talking about it’s all weaving, right?”
Magic? Oh! Oh, yes, I like that part. You’ve captured the soul of my meaning, and flown farther than my own thoughts can reach in this muddled state. But I like the lay of the land that your insight reveals. Such a clever, twisty way of seeing things. Think of me like that, Daniel, and I shall embrace the vision in whole. Or is this dusky beauty of magic and spiders some goddess of your people, who might take offense at an intrusion on her domain?
Oh, shit. Alanna wasn’t kidding about gods taking their forms from human imagination, was she? But why did this forgotten god have to pick that as an idea to copy?
“Ah, no, that’s just an idea some of our story tellers came up with. Only, characters like that are usually crazy villains that obsess over stupid, overly complicated schemes.”
I could hardly claim to be sane after so many ages of torment, Weaver pointed out calmly. Indeed, I hardly remember what sanity was, or how it might differ from madness. But if you free me from my prison I will swear to hold you as my closest ally, and what
ever schemes I weave will bring no harm to you. Is that not good enough?
“Sure. I’m not foolish enough to try to tell deities what to do,” I said. “I’m just looking for prisoners who are interested in planning a jailbreak. It’s going to be a little complicated, because the spire is in the middle of a city full of gods right now, and I don’t have the power to open one of these prisons quietly. I can see ways to invoke enough raw destructive power to break the orb you’re in, and that should free you, but our captors will notice that right away.
Ah, so you seek to arrange a mass uprising, Weaver replied. That could work, if there are enough voices of reason to ride herd on the maddened mob. And afterwards?
“You do as you wish, if you can escape,” I said. “Although I can point you to a couple of goddesses who are looking for allies, if you’re interested.”
Perhaps. What can you tell me of the monsters who have left me to rot here for so many ages?
Alanna began to speak, outlining the rise of Asgard and the portfolios of its leading gods. I listened with half an ear, while I considered the situation. There were almost a hundred prisons here that held divine beings, and at this rate there might be a dozen or more who were lucid. Weakened as they were by their long imprisonment and lack of anchors, I didn’t think they had any hope of toppling Asgard. But a pack of Ancient Beasts rampaging through the city would be a hell of a distraction, and the more subtle prisoners could probably escape in the confusion.
A bunch of vengeful ancient deities would be quite a thorn in Odin’s side, and if some of them came out of things feeling well disposed towards me that was a bonus. Yes, this had potential.
Assuming I could figure out a way to survive blowing up the Sunspire.
Chapter 16
The heavy beat of magically enhanced drums filled the Slick Vixen as another serving girl guided me through the crowd. There were two elves dancing on the stage this evening, posing and touching each other suggestively as they worked their clothes off. But I wasn’t here for the show.
I was expecting to be led into the back room again, but instead the girl showed me to a booth in one corner of the main hall. Caspar sat there alone, staring at the stage and drinking. I slipped onto the bench at the other side of the table, and raised an eyebrow.
“Are the dancing girls corrupting you, Prince?”
“Hah! Bunch of fucking vampires, that’s what they are. They may look pretty, but don’t let that fool you. All they care about is your coin purse, and they’ll suck it dry in an instant.”
“Aw, don’t be like that, honey,” the serving girl said. “The stage girls might get a little mercenary, but its only because they have so many men chasing them. If they didn’t put a high price on their time they’d never get any peace.”
Caspar snorted. “Enough of that. Off with you, girl. Bring me another glass, and leave us to drink in peace.”
She pouted a little, but didn’t argue. “Yes, sir. Sir wizard, would you like anything?”
“A tankard of Black Gold,” I told her.
“Ugh, that dwarven sludge? Well, you’re the customer.”
She scurried away to fetch our drinks, and I turned my attention back to the former prince. He’d obviously been here drinking for a while, but he didn’t sound completely smashed.
“Drowning your sorrows?” I asked.
“I didn’t get my victory,” he grumbled.
“Hey, it’s not my fault the winter fey decided to crash the party. Did you ever find out what was up with that?”
“They were acting as advance scouts for the frost giants,” he explained sourly. “The passes to Jotunheim are full of troops now, and the damned faeries are guarding their columns against our raiders. The last briefing said there are a hundred thousand giants on our side of the mountains now, and Hel’s navy is massing off the coast.”
“Sounds grim,” I commented.
“Bah! A few giants are nothing. There’s already a plan to deal with them, I’m sure. But that’s where you come in. The last match was declared a draw, and I needed a win to keep my standing. Now my battlegroup has slipped down from the main body to skirmishing, and they’ll be sending us out to face the faeries soon.”
I shrugged. “Sucks to be you, but I don’t see what any of this has to do with me. I don’t have any pull with the generals.”
“Don’t be coy, wizard. I’ve seen the way you conjure up enchantments like a street vendor making hotcakes. Make me something to banish the glamours these faerie rely on, and I’ll consider us even.”
“I never owed you anything in the first place,” I reminded him. “I only agreed to help with the training battle because you were blackmailing me. But if you’re just going to keep coming back for more I don’t see that I have much incentive to go along with it. ”
“I asked for one thing, and you didn’t deliver,” he insisted. “Now I’m giving you a chance to fix it. Give me what I’m after this time, and we’ll be done with each other.”
“Until the next time you need something. Seems to me your threats are looking a little hollow now, anyway. Generals can be pretty hidebound at the best of times, you know. I have to wonder if they’d pay any attention to wild stories from some rookie commander with a low ranking, when they’ve got an invasion to stop.”
“Don’t test me on this, Daniel. Do you think that was the only arrow in my quiver? There’s no end to the trouble I could give you, and all I need to do is speak a few words in the right ear.”
“Are we down to schoolyard threats, then? I’m not your servant, Caspar.”
He glanced at something over my shoulder, and smirked. “I knew you’d take that tack. Consider this a demonstration, then. You have three days to deliver, or there will be more trouble to come.”
An enchanting female voice came from behind me. “Trouble? In my establishment? Then I’d better make sure I get in on it, no?”
I turned to look, and found myself staring.
She was tall, blonde and absolutely stunning. She had the same kind of curvy, buxom beauty as Avilla, an enticing mix of exotic perfection and earthy allure that was impossible to resist. But this woman somehow made even my beautiful hearth witch seem a little dowdy in comparison.
The way she was dressed probably had something to do with that, although ‘undressed’ might have been a more accurate way to put it. She wore a snug choker of dark metal that was sculpted into intricate knotwork designs, with a heavy ring attached to the front that announced it as a functional collar rather than simple jewelry. There were similar bands around her wrists and ankles, and the rest of her minimal attire continued the theme.
She wore open-topped shoes with high heels, but that was the only item I’d consider normal clothing. Her magnificent breasts were encased in a tight harness of leather straps that lifted and supported them, but left the hard peaks of her nipples exposed to the warm air of the club. More leather straps crisscrossed her body, winding around her limbs and creating a superficial impression of clothing without actually hiding anything. Even the little tuft of golden fur between her thighs was on full display.
She arched her back, presenting her breasts for my gaze, and took a deep breath. Her nipples swayed with the movement, mesmerizingly enticing, and I wondered what they would taste like.
A hard pinch from Alanna brought be back to my senses. I blinked, and checked my wards. But no, she wasn’t enchanting me. She was just that damned beautiful.
“You must be Aphrodite,” I managed.
Her smile was full of taunting mischief. “Yes, and you are the man who thinks to own me. Are you sure you can handle your prize once you’ve claimed me, Daniel?”
Handle her? Cerise would be all over that idea, but I already had alarm bells ringing.
“That was Odin’s idea,” I said. “He’s gotten tired of you causing trouble here, so he’s trying to find some fool to pawn you off on. I couldn’t exactly say no with Thor standing behind me fingering his hammer.”
&n
bsp; “He does play with his little hammer a lot, doesn’t he?” She said lightly. “One wonders what poor Sif thinks of the habit. But where are your manners? You haven’t even offered me a seat.”
Caspar jumped to his feet. “Please, take mine, Exalted One.”
“Oh, all right. Run along then, princeling. This doesn’t concern you.”
Caspar bowed, and retreated. Aphrodite gestured, and a couple of elven serving girls appeared to quickly dust off the spot where he’d been sitting and carefully place a velvet cushion on the bench. The goddess put her arms behind her back, and her arm bands locked themselves together with a metallic click. Then she settled herself on the cushion with a sigh, and the servants scurried off.
“Ah, it’s nice to get off my feet,” she said.
“I’ve heard that high heels are a strain,” I replied. “But I’m surprised a goddess has to worry about such mundane problems.”
“Oh, but I’m hardly a goddess at all as long as I’m wearing this collar. My power has been suppressed for so long I can barely remember what it felt like to command the elements or bend hearts to my will. All I can do is stay eternally young and beautiful, and I have to obey any order the man wearing my control ring cares to give.”
“Is that why you’re sitting like that?” I asked.
She nodded. “I’m not allowed to feed myself. If I want to eat I have to be a good little slut, and convince my master to feed me. He has me sit like this so he can play with my tits while he eats. Then when he’s done I’m allowed to beg for my meal, like this.”
She leaned forward, making her breasts dangle and sway over the table. Her eyes gazed into mine, and went wide with longing. Her lips parted, and a pink tongue darted out to lick them.
“Master,” she crooned. “Your pet is so hungry for you. Please, master, may I worship your big cock with my mouth? I need you so bad. Please, just shove your dick all the way down my throat and fuck my filthy whore face. Beat me, choke me, pull my hair. I don’t care, just please, please let me taste your seed. I need it, Master. Your dirty slut is aching for your hot man juice.”
Thrall (Daniel Black Book 4) Page 23