Chapter 1

“Mason!”

I furrowed my brow as someone began shaking the crap out of my shoulder, and I pried my eyes open just enough to see Shoshanne’s breasts bouncing violently above me.

I grinned. “Hey, there … ”

“Mason, I forgot the mages!” the healer hissed, and my eyes popped open wide. “I forgot to remove the runes! I fell asleep!”

I shot up from the bed and nearly flattened Deya, who was passed out in a sprawl across my legs, and Shoshanne’s hair was in a wild nest as she stood there terrified, hungover, buck naked, and with a bit of my cum still dripping down the side of her right inner thigh.

“Shit.” I scrambled to find our clothes on the floor while she tripped over her own legs and held her head, but then I froze.

The sound of chains rattling registered in my ears as my fingers slowly lost feeling, and I locked eyes with Shoshanne for less than a second before I bolted for the door. My heart couldn’t decide if it should be racing or stopping, but it settled for a middle ground as I cut through the clearing beside the house and came barreling into the infirmary.

Last night was a blur of flesh and moans after the women began undressing me and insisting I get them all pregnant, but I must have eventually passed out after cumming more than I’d ever done in my life. I had my healing rune to thank for keeping me going, too, because I remembered how determined Cayla had been to have me in her over and over again. Of all my women, I was pretty sure I fucked her the most last night, and in the back of my mind, there was a hazy image of her on all fours begging for more of my sperm while I finished up with Deya for the fifth, or maybe it was tenth, time.

Still, I couldn’t believe we’d all forgotten to make sure Shoshanne got to the infirmary, and now, every possessed mage gathered from the attack at the Oculus and the snatcher’s patrol were lying unattended at the edge of Falmount Rift.

Across the sea of chained up mages, I saw five of them were regaining consciousness, and one was already wrenching at his iron restraints so aggressively, the stone mounts were beginning to crack.

Shoshanne crashed into my back and groaned, but I caught her before she could topple into the wall.

“Where’s the tranquilizer?” I asked in a low voice, but the healer’s eyes were only half open, and I could tell all the Rosh she downed last night was still wreaking havoc on her.

Then another mage began tearing at their restraints, and she groggily stumbled into the room.

“I don’t know,” she whimpered, “it’s somewhere in here.”

“You find the tranquilizer, I’ll contain the mages,” I ordered, and the healer nodded as she braced herself on the table to head for the storage cellar.

I would’ve loved to stand there admiring the naked woman shuffling away as fast as she could manage, and my lingering handprint on her ass cheek drew my full attention as I tried to remember when the hell that had happened.

Unfortunately, the air around me was already sparking with the static of the possessed mages’ powers, and I dragged my eyes away from Shoshanne’s creamy backend as I carefully moved forward into the operating room.

Right now, they couldn’t see me from the way they were chained down, and with their robes so covered in filth and muck, I couldn’t make out what their elements were. For all I knew, my lungs would burst with water at any moment, but maybe I’d be lucky and find they were only Terra Mages.

Then a second mage began struggling and suddenly ignited his chains, and I knew I’d have to get creative real soon.

My weapons were all in the house still, and I didn’t have a stitch of clothing on as I sparked my metal magic to summon my revolver. I’d hoped to have it in hand and clock the bastards over the heads before they even realized I was there, but then Shoshanne yelped as a wall of spare chains crashed to the floor, and the two conscious mages went stock still.

The others still rolled restlessly while they slowly regained consciousness, and my revolver slid into my grip behind my back.

I lunged with it raised above my head, but then I heard Shoshanne suddenly gasp and drop to the ground in the cellar, and my own lungs constricted. Flames shot at me, too, as I stumbled and grabbed my throat, and I managed to duck just before my face could be melted off for me.

My runes warred in my mind as I rolled and felt my head begin to spin from the lack of oxygen, but I made it to the Ignis Mage and brought the butt of my revolver down on his temple.

Shoshanne was knocking down everything in the cellar as her magic sifted into my lungs to save me, but only a sliver of air returned.

The Aer Mage on the table had a vice grip on both of us, and as I stood on shaky legs to head for him, his eyes locked on me. Then they locked on my dick, and for a split second, he was so caught off guard, his magic faltered. That’s when his own breath hitched from Shoshanne’s efforts, and I lunged forward to smack him over the head.

My lungs burned as I gasped and waited for my head to stop spinning, but the floor was bucking under me now, and I heard chains being thrown to the ground. I whipped around to see a Terra Mage with bloodshot eyes and a spindly frame rising from the operating table, and every stone mount in the place snapped open at the same time.

I sparked my Terra magic just as the possessed mage ripped the ground up, and my back smashed into the ceiling. I had a pit torn open under him, though, and as I softened my landing, he scrambled to bring himself back from the hole I’d dropped him into. The walls of the infirmary began to shake and break apart, and an ominous crack echoed through the ceiling as he bared his teeth at me.

That’s when Shoshanne stumbled out of the cellar with a giant vat in her arms, and as the Terra Mage turned, the shuddering of the stonework stopped at once while his brows shot up. He gaped openly at the nude, caramel beauty, and when I saw his robes shift from his instant boner, my vision practically turned red.

“Dude!” I scoffed, and I sparked my metal magic to lock his discarded chains around his neck before he could blink.

He slowly turned purple as his red eyes bulged from his head, and he dropped to his knees while he continued staring at Shoshanne.

As soon as he was unconscious, I reluctantly released him, and I tried to remind myself I didn’t want these mages to die, even though what the fuck? The guy was possessed and ready to kill me, but he still had the gall to get hard over my woman. Granted she was outrageously sexy, but that hardly excused it.

I casually kicked the unconscious Terra Mage as I sparked my Terra magic, and I resealed the broken mounts on every table in the infirmary. Then I smacked another mage over the head before he could get his eyes open, and Shoshanne gasped as she tripped.

Tranquilizer sloshed all over her breasts and belly to turn her caramel skin a rosy red, and the healer looked down in shock.

“Fuck!” she squeaked.

“Whaaat are you doing?” I groaned as I ran over, and I caught the vat of tranquilizer before Shoshanne could spill the last of it across the floor. “Where’s your healing staff?”

“Um … ” she mumbled.

“Godsdamnit,” I growled, and another mage began shifting in their restraints. I slammed the vat on the table and ran for the cellar, but as I turned full circle and eyed the absolute mess Shoshanne had made of the place, I didn’t see a single dart anywhere.

I had no idea what dosage of the strange brew would kill a person, but considering a single prick of a dart sent these mages under for ten hours, I knew I couldn’t just spoon it down their throats. Then Shoshanne mumbled something completely incoherent in the next room, and I clutched my hair as I tried to think fast.

I knew there were spare darts in the ammunition cabinet, but they were made of wood, so I just sparked my metal magic, dragged the whole cabinet out of the atrium, and brought it to the infirmary as I simultaneously scanned the house for the silver of Shoshanne’s healing staff.

I found it tucked under a sleeping Ruela of all places, and I wrenched it free from the wolf’s weight to bring it soaring into the operating room.

The cabinet caught the doorframe and crashed to the floor just as I came running back into the room, but I managed to catch the staff in midair as cartridges, magazines, rockets, and darts scattered around the room.

I held my breath as I watched the runed rockets skitter across the stonework and knock into tables along the way, but thankfully, none of them exploded. Then I dove for a fistful of darts as Shoshanne dropped to the floor. I crawled over and propped her up in a seated position against the table as her eyes rolled back into her head, and even though the chains behind me were rattling louder and louder, I focused on connecting with the gem of the healing staff as I held it above her.

My eyes fell shut as the power of the gem connected with my focus, and in my mind, I could see everything beneath the surface of the healer’s skin.

“Woah,” I muttered.

Shoshanne’s veins and arteries glowed a vibrant purple as her heart beat a brilliant pink, and everything looked like a blacklight party inside her body as her organs shifted in various blues and greens. Her heartbeat was slowing, though, as the tranquilizer seeped through her skin, and everywhere it had splashed was turning a deeper hue of orange in my mind.

I had no idea how to use the healing staff, but I knew the healer had diluted the tranquilizer with it before. So, I just focused on the orange areas as I willed the gem to clear it from her system.

It responded immediately to my intentions, and like a magnet, the strength of the gem latched onto the tranquilizer. The heavy pulse of it drawing the brew out coursed through my palm where I clutched the staff, and my head felt heavier as I ordered the gem to speed up the process. Little by little, the orange began to fade to a light peach color, and after another couple minutes, there was no trace of the tranquilizer in her system.

Shoshanne moaned lightly, and once I was absolutely sure she would be okay, I opened my eyes to see her staring in horror over my head.

I jumped to my feet and sparked my metal magic in time to wrap another pair of discarded chains around a Terra Mage’s neck, and I dropped the darts I’d been clutching into Shoshanne’s lap.

“Get these laced fast!” I ordered, and she scrambled to her feet.

The Terra Mage’s eyes bulged as he landed on the floor with a bone crunching smack, and I ducked to avoid another bout of white-hot flames shooting up from the next possessed mage.

Then I wove at a crouch between the operating tables and popped up to plant my fist in the Ignis Mage’s face.

Shoshanne slid over cartridges with a handful of darts held precariously above her head, and I grabbed them from her to bury them in the arms of the last three mages regaining consciousness. They were out again in seconds, and I delivered a fresh dose of tranquilizer to the ones I’d had to take down myself.

Then I stood naked and panting in the middle of the trashed operating room while I waited to see if any others would stir, and Shoshanne looked my way as she clutched the edge of an operating table.

“So … let’s not tell anyone this happened,” I said as our eyes met.

The healer nodded vigorously, but then she clutched her head and suppressed a gag.

“You’re a mess,” I chuckled.

“I hate Rosh.”

“No, you love Rosh,” I assured her. “Trust me, I was there.”

Shoshanne blushed and looked down at the jewelry still stacked all up her wrists. “Did you make me these?”

“Nope. You and Deya stole those off the drunken mages last night.”

“I would never!” she gasped, but when I sent her an apologetic smirk, she dropped her face into her hands.

“No more Rosh,” Shoshanne mumbled. “No Rosh ever.”

I laughed as I came over to wrap the naked healer in my arms, and she shook her head in embarrassment.

“I almost unleashed these mages on all of Falmount,” she whimpered.

“Yeah well, I almost blew up the infirmary with us in it,” I told her as I eyed the rockets littering the floor. “We’re even.”

“I’m getting to work right this second before any of these other mages can wake up,” she decided.

“You might want to summon a hangover cure out of that healing staff, first,” I suggested, and Shoshanne snorted as she rubbed her temples.

“Will you stay with me in case the others begin to wake up?”

“Sure,” I chuckled. “I’ll be on dart duty. You just worry about getting those runes off.”

Ten minutes later, Shoshanne was capable of walking upright again, and I headed for the house to grab our clothes. My other three women were still tangled up on the bed, and they’d slept right through the entire ordeal in the infirmary. Even Deya was still passed out even though I’d nearly thrown her off the bed in my rush, and I shook my head as I gathered my clothes and Shoshanne’s little silk bodice and boots.

The healer let me take my time dressing her as she giggled and perched herself on the table, but once I finished tying the last two bits of lace together around her ample cleavage, she sent me a haughty look and hopped down.

“Time to work,” Shoshanne said curtly, and I grinned as she strutted off like she hadn’t just spilled half a vat of tranquilizer all over herself and nearly killed us all.

“Yes, ma’am,” I muttered, and I sparked my metal magic.

The mess of ammunition slowly rolled across the floor, and I filed it all away in the cabinet before I sealed the doors and sent it back to the atrium. Then I used my Terra powers to restore the cracked ceiling, walls, and floor before I headed for the bodies of the two mages I’d strangled.

I heaved them back onto their operating tables, but as I secured the restraints on the spindly Terra Mage with the bloodshot eyes, I furrowed my brow.

“I’m watching you,” I growled as I tightened his chains a little more than necessary, and I casually tilted his head in the opposite direction of Shoshanne.

The healer already had two runes removed as she worked with clipped efficiency, and after I readied a dozen more darts just in case, I dropped down on a stone stool beside a long table at the center of the room. My stomach let out an angry growl, but I didn’t want to abandon Shoshanne for even a moment until we were sure everything was handled here, so I decided to get some of my own work done while the healer sterilized her tools and moved on to her next patient.

There was only one thing I wanted to get done, though.

I scanned the perimeter of Falmount real quick to check that everything was in order, and then I closed my eyes and sparked my Terra magic to search for the image I’d been dying to get a look at.

After a minute of sifting through the many designs I’d been forming since I came to this realm, the schematics of the Master’s fortress I’d gotten from Hulsan gleamed in red at the forefront of my mind. I immediately recognized the spires, bridge, and strange walls Deya had described for me after her scouting mission, and there was no doubt in my mind this was definitely the same structure. Except now, I could see the interior walls, too, and I carefully rotated the image to get a closer look.

Halls intersected at impossible degrees that seemed to run diagonally from top to bottom, and they continued down into the mountain as they curled into long tunnels that led to massive underground chambers. Ten of the chambers were bigger than all of Falmount Rift, and one of them had to span as much space as Serin did. I furrowed my brows as I returned to the surface and began looking for an entrance, but then Shoshanne called my name.

“Huh?” I asked as I was pulled back to reality, and the healer pointed to four mages who were beginning to stir.

I grabbed a few darts from the table and headed over, and once I’d administered an extra dose of tranquilizer, I joined Shoshanne to check how she was doing.

“I’ve already finished nine of the mages,” she told me. “What are you doing over there?”

“Looking at the Master’s fortress,” I muttered, and the healer arched her brow.

“What? How?”

I’d forgotten there was little time to explain anything to the women after the confrontation with Hulsan the day before, so I filled the healer in as she finished removing another two runes. Her warm brown eyes went wide as the details piled up, and by the time I finished, she was gaping with her scalpel forgotten on the table.

“And what do the schematics show?” Shoshanne asked with eager eyes. “Did you find the entrance? Is he forming his own weaponry there? Does he--”

“I don’t know yet,” I chuckled. “I was just about to look into all of this.”

“Well, go!” she urged. “Why are you still standing here talking to me?”

I raised my brows as she blushed and realized how silly she sounded, and I left a kiss in her copper curls before returning to my stool.

Then I shifted my focus to the mapping of the fortress again, but after several minutes of scanning the place, it still made no sense. Even with the schematics right there in my mind, there was no logical explanation for how the mages could enter and exit, and as I feverishly scanned and rescanned every inch of stone wall from top to bottom, not a single seam came back to me.

I ground my teeth together and turned my attention to the underground chambers next, and while I worked my way through their walls as well, I began to locate small tunnels and offshoots into smaller chambers.

My pulse quickened as I followed one of these tunnels further and further, and in a few minutes, I found myself far north beneath the Draconis Mountains of Orebane.

The Master had his own underground network sprawling from his headquarters, but as I turned the image over and over, I could see no tunnels leading to Serin. I let out a tense sigh and gritted my teeth as I searched once more, but there was nothing that indicated how so many possessed mages had gotten into the Oculus from the Master’s fortress. The tunnels didn’t reach the surface anywhere they led, either, so how the hell was anyone getting in and out?

Then I shifted the image to see there were three more tunnels that led deep into the jungles of Nalnora, and one of them ended dangerously close to where House Orrel kept their army of Wendigos.

“Fuck,” I breathed, and my eyes shot open.

Chapter 2

The snatcher automaton was already bringing in another batch of mages by the time Shoshanne finished her work, and I helped her transfer the others to the upper levels of the infirmary since everyone in town was still passed out from the celebration. Her Terra Mage assistants would probably be out for several more hours, and I really wished I could give Shoshanne a day off, but she didn’t seem to mind the work.

I got the sense her pride as a healer was a little ruffled after this morning, so I just did as I was told and reorganized the patients for her while she sterilized her tools and muttered under her breath about making broth and brewing a new batch of tranquilizer. I didn’t fill her in on the developments with the Master’s fortress, either, since she seemed to have enough things to worry about, and I knew she’d just end up with her brows crinkled with worry all afternoon. Besides, news this bad was usually something I preferred to tell my women all at once, and hopefully the knot in my stomach would have eased by then.

Once Raynor arrived to give the healer a hand, I was finally certain everything in the infirmary was handled, so I decided to head back to the house. Shoshanne asked me to send the other women over once they woke up so she could help them recover from the Rosh, and I left her with a dozen more runes to remove as Raynor began preparing the next batch of tranquilizer.

I could hear a few tired sighs coming from my women already as I crossed the clearing, and when I entered the atrium, I couldn’t help grinning at the sight that greeted me.

Deya, Aurora, and Cayla were all lounging in the enchanted waters of the fountain, and they looked like they had no intention of leaving anytime soon. Their slender legs were draped across each other’s laps while they lazily scooped water across their arms and breasts, and all three turned sleepy smiles my way that made my heart flutter a bit.

Even with bags under their eyes, they looked like a group of Grecian goddesses bathing amidst my hoard of weaponry, and I admired every dripping curve as I strolled over to crouch beside them.

Then Aurora slid over to steal a kiss, and her emerald eyes practically sparkled when they met mine.

“Ladies,” I murmured with a smirk. “I assumed you’d be sleeping all day after the treatment I gave you last night.”

“I want to,” Deya pouted. “My head is trying to explode.”

“My legs won’t move,” Cayla mumbled as she dropped her head back against the fountain edge.

“I’m not surprised,” I chuckled. “You were pretty demanding. I don’t think we’ve ever tried half those positions before.”

“That sounds about right,” the princess giggled. “How did we get back to the house?”

I stared for a second. “I walked you. Don’t you remember?”

All three women shook their heads without concern, and I slowly stood as I glanced around the atrium. There was a half-eaten platter of bread and fruits on the ground, but nothing else, and as I considered how much Rosh they’d drank, a notion hit me in the gut like a freight train.

“Out of curiosity,” I muttered, “what do you guys remember?”

The three women furrowed their brows in unison.

“Hmm,” Aurora mused and squinted her eyes as she tried to recall the night before. “I feel like the Baroness’ nipples were mentioned, and Kurna taught me to do something amazing that I already forgot how to do.”

“Something about dragon fleets?” Deya guessed.

“What do the words ‘baby palace’ have to do with anything?” Cayla asked as she stared at the ceiling. “That’s all I’ve got.”

My brows shot up. “Oh, shit.”

“What?” Aurora asked, and she sat up uneasily. “What did we do? It was embarrassing, wasn’t it? Did I kill someone? I’m so sorry if I did, that Rosh went straight to my head.”

“Mason wouldn’t let you kill someone,” Cayla sighed. “You probably just made him tie you down as usual.”

I’d forgotten how to blink by now, so I just nodded along and tried to come up with something to say. Apparently, none of my women remembered any of their plotting about our murdery children, and the hours they spent begging for me to cum in them again and again to get them pregnant flashed through my mind as my legs went numb.

“Uh … ” I looked around again to see if there were any empty cups lying around, but I didn’t see any. “So, did you guys drink or not drink the tea today?”

All three women sobered immediately.

“What tea?” Cayla asked as her icy blue eyes zeroed in on me.

“You know,” I chuckled, “the tea. Dallium, right?”

“Mason!” Aurora gasped, and she splashed water at me as her cheeks turned red. “Why are you talking about our tea? Mind your own business!”

“It’s personal!” Cayla informed me as she shifted uncomfortably, and my jaw dropped.

“What? You’re the ones who brought it up last night!”

“So?” Aurora scoffed. “We were drunk, stop talking about it!”

“Yeah, but,” I tried as I rifled my hair, “I thought you said … I mean, you made it pretty clear last night that you all wanted … ”

I bit my lip as I considered the three women, and Deya was deliberately averting her gaze while the other two looked thoroughly affronted.

“Alright, never mind,” I sighed.

“No, wait,” Cayla suddenly said, and she narrowed her eyes. “What did we say about the tea?”

I swallowed hard and fidgeted a bit. “You seriously don’t remember?”

The women shook their heads.

“Uh …” I cleared my throat. “Just stuff. You know. That you drink it twice a day and that’s why none of you have gotten pregnant yet.”

Aurora and Cayla exchanged a pointed look.

“Okay,” the half-elf eventually muttered. “So, why do you care?”

“What?”

“Why do you care if we drank our tea?” Cayla asked. “Do you not want us to?”

I couldn’t really feel my face anymore, but it probably looked like I was three seconds from getting mowed down by a car as my mind refused to offer up any coherent statements. It was just a hollow skull now, but I finally blinked after a full minute.

“I didn’t say that,” I managed. “I didn’t not say that. I just … well … ”

“You said we haven’t gotten pregnant yet,” Aurora pointed out as she furrowed her brows skeptically.

My legs started shuffling me away, and I rubbed nervously at the back of my neck as Deya’s violet eyes widened.

“Did I? I uh … you know, I’ve got a lot to …” I tried, and my back hit the wooden planks of the door. “The Oculus! I’ve gotta check on that and handle a couple things, so you guys just do your thing. Shoshanne said she can do the healing stuff, and uh … I’ll just be right back. Cool? Cool.”

My ankles knotted around themselves from how fast I turned tail, but I tripped my way out of the house and firmly shut the door behind me before any of them could get beyond their confused stares.

Then I heard Deya let out a silvery giggle. “He definitely said ‘yet.’”

“Where the fuck is Haragh?” I growled as I clutched my hair right to the roots, and I nearly bolted down the lane.

Getting through Falmount was like playing lava as a kid, though, and I hopped precariously over bodies as I scanned everywhere for the half-ogre. It looked like a massacre had taken place, but the mugs strewn all over the lanes and still clutched in the mages’ fists eased my concerns. Clearly, they were alive, and most of them were at least half dressed while they drooled on their companions and laid propped against trees, houses, and each other. A few were belly up in the street and hugging their empty mugs like teddy bears, and I caught sight of one young man draped over his windowsill and snoring into the bushes.

The mess from the celebration last night only got worse as I neared the marketplace, and I finally came to a stop as I stared. Almost every mage strewn around the clearing between the oak trees were completely naked, and the six barrels of Rosh were completely gone. Some of the empty barrels had mages inside of them now, while others were tipped sideways and used as backrests. Then I saw the guy who’d been swimming through his own sinkhole, and it looked like he’d fallen asleep halfway in the ground with two others.

There were only a handful of mages awake now, and they’d clearly chosen ale over Rosh last night because they picked their way through the naked limbs without concern as they headed for the library.

“Okay,” I mumbled to myself. “I feel like this isn’t my mess to clean up.”

So, I hopped over legs and arms to make my way across the market, and when I got to the other side, I found Kurna.

His mage’s robe was only a tattered loincloth now, and he had a black eye and a bloody nose as he laid starfish style outside the training fields. There was a woman’s silky purple garter tied around his forehead like a bandana, and little amber flames flickered from his fingertips despite his gravelly snores.

I crouched and snuffed them out as I shook my head, and I wished this realm had cell phones with cameras because there was no way my women would believe me about the state of the brawny Ignis Mage. I was still chuckling to myself when I left the mess of Falmount behind me and rounded the wall of the training fields, and as I headed north into the foothills, I sparked my Terra Magic to scan for any sign of Haragh.

I knew he’d moved to the northern woods with Taru after we returned from Jagruel, but I was tentative to show up at their new place unannounced because hearing ogres fucking wasn’t anything I wanted to experience in my life.

So, I moved at a slow and cringy pace as I worked my way through the woods, but then I heard a cheery tune being whistled up ahead, and as I redirected my Terra powers, I could sense the familiar footfalls of my half-ogre friend.

“Oh, thank the gods,” I sighed, and I leapt over felled logs as I sprinted onward.

Haragh cocked a brow when he saw me coming, and I couldn’t help but notice he was more beat to hell than he’d been the last time I saw him. Even the buttons on his leather vest were torn clean off, but I didn’t bother pointing this out as I came to a gasping stop in front of him.

“You alright?” the half-ogre chuckled. “Look like ye’ve seen a ghost.”

“I’m so glad you’re not passed out.”

“’Course I’m not,” he snorted. “Ogres know how to hold their Rosh, unlike you lot. Did those women of yours ever make it home in one piece? Urn told me they were startin’ quite a bit of trouble.”

I nodded and glanced nervously over my shoulder. “You are exactly the person I need to talk to. What are you doing right now?”

“Nothin’” he said with a shrug. “Thought I’d go see if Kurna was alive is all. He was fixin’ to jump off the pub roof at one point.”

“He’s alive,” I chuckled.

“Oh, good,” Haragh said lightly. “What are you panickin’ about then?”

“Dude … I don’t even know where to begin,” I replied, and I tried to decide if my elven women could hear me this far away. Then I lowered my voice. “Look, come with me to Serin. I’ve gotta check on the repairs to the Oculus. I’ll tell you along the way.”

Haragh eyed me with some concern as I power walked back through the woods, and we took a route around the outskirts of the village to avoid the maze of mages littering the streets. When we got to the Mustang, I motioned for Haragh to get in as quickly as possible, and I glanced around to see if my women were outside.

I could hear them giggling and murmuring quietly to each other in the infirmary, and I abruptly jumped into the car.

Bobbie roared to life as I planted my foot through the accelerator, and Haragh grabbed ahold of the ceiling as we sped toward Serin. Once we skidded onto the dirt road that led to the capital, I finally took a deep breath.

“Haragh, I think I might be having four babies,” I told him.

“What?” he snorted.

“Last night, the women went crazy after all that Rosh, and they begged me to get them pregnant.”

“All four of them?” he asked anxiously.

“Yep,” I said with a harried nod, “aaaand that’s not even the worst of it, because none of them remember a damn thing.”

“They don’t remember wanting you to get them pregnant?”

“Nope. I asked them if they were gonna drink the tea, and they had no fucking idea what I was talking about.”

“What tea?”

“The tea!” I snapped as I kneaded the steering wheel in my grip. “They said they drink this weird tea every day so they don’t get pregnant, and that they weren’t going to drink it anymore because they want all these babies. Now, I have no idea if they drank it or not.”

“Well,” Haragh said, and I noticed he looked a little paler green, “that’s good then. If they don’t remember, they’ll drink it.”

“Maybe,” I allowed, “except I asked them about it, because duh, and they asked me why I cared. They have no idea the kind of stuff they were saying last night, or the kind of stuff I did to them, and now they’re asking me if I don’t want them to drink the tea anymore.”

“What’d you say?” he demanded, and I sent him a nervous glance.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I panicked.”

“Shit,” the half-ogre mumbled.

“I know!” I groaned. “I couldn’t even put words together. I said something, and they were looking at me. Then I bolted, and they’re giggling, and I’m so confused. Four babies! Do you know how many that is? That’s … ”

“Four.”

“Yeah!” I scoffed. “And last night Cayla was going on about me making them mini guns and, dude … I can’t be arming toddlers. There’s so many reasons that’s not happening.”

“Well, you’ve gotta kill that Master before they show up,” Haragh informed me. “You can’t have an arch nemesis with kids running around. That’s not fittin’.”

“Exactly,” I agreed as I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. Then I furrowed my brow. “So, wait a minute. Are you saying this is all fine technically? Because I can just kill the Master off before the babies get here, right? No mini guns needed.”

“S’pose ye’ have to,” he snorted.

“Unless they drink the tea today,” I mused, and Haragh scratched at his chin for a bit in thought.

“Why don’t you just bring it up again?”

“I don’t know, they got all touchy about it,” I sighed. “Like it was rude to bring up the tea.”

“Well, yeah, that’s not too polite,” he agreed. “Women got all kinds of herbs and spices and shit. It’s personal.”

“They brought it up first!”

“Why didn’t you squash it when they brought it up?” the half-ogre challenged as he threw his big green arms up. “Tell ‘em hell no! You’ve got shit to take care of! No babies!”

“Because,” I groaned, “you have no idea how hard it is to resist the four of them like that. They were already naked and going on and on about it. They begged me for it. Repeatedly!”

“Damn.”

“Our babies were practically spilling out of their eyeballs,” I told him through gritted teeth. “In every color combination, too. What was I supposed to do? Have you seen my women? They’re fucking gorgeous! How could I not want to have babies with them? And why shouldn’t I when they want it so damn bad?”

“Aww,” Haragh chuckled. “You’ve got a point with that blue hair in the mix, plus the elf with the pink hair. Ye’ gotta wonder if they’d have your metal powers. Ah, and if you had a wee babe with Miss Cayla, I bet the tyke would be a hell of a shot. And with Shoshanne, the kid would likely be smart as all--”

“Not helping,” I muttered.

“Sorry.”

“They’ll be little murderers, I just know it,” I mumbled, and as I shifted anxiously in my seat, I realized I was driving way faster than usual.

“Your elf’s a docile little thing, though,” the half-ogre pointed out.

“No, she’s a troublemaker is what she is,” I snorted, “but what if our baby turns out like her brother? My kid, but related to that guy … ”

“Woah.” Haragh’s eyes widened. “That would be a bit scary. Still, this could be simple. Ye’ just keep an eye out, yeah? See if they’re sippin’ any tea. Wake up early, set yourself up in the kitchen, and follow them around.”

“I can’t stalk my own women,” I sighed. “That’s just not okay.”

“With those runes ye’ don’t really have to,” he said with a shrug. “Give it a listen instead. See if ye’ hear any tea.”

“Right, the silence of tea steeping in a cup.”

Haragh furrowed his brows. “I see your point.”

“You know what? It doesn’t matter,” I decided. “Right? They’ll do their thing, and either they’ll be pregnant, or they won’t be. I’m cool with it.”

Even as the words left my mouth, I knew I couldn’t maintain that chill of an attitude about this, and when I snuck a glance at Haragh, I found him looking at me.

He was clearly just as unconvinced as I was.

“Shit,” I cursed.

“That fuckin’ Rosh, man,” Haragh chuckled.

“Fucking Rosh. How are the ogres not constantly pregnant?”

“Most of ‘em are,” he admitted. “Taru certainly wants a big family, and I couldn’t deny the woman a damn thing she wants, I’ll tell ye’ that much.”

“Wait, you’re planning on being a dad?” I asked, and the news brought out a lopsided grin in me. “How are you so calm about this?”

Haragh snorted. “Well, the Master don’t give a shit about me, does he? I’ll be just fine either way.”

“Godsdamnit,” I growled, and I nodded a greeting to Simun as we pulled up to the gates of Serin.

“Baron Flynt,” the guard said with a deep bow.

“Baron?” Haragh asked with surprise.

“Oh, yeah,” I chuckled. “I’m a baron now, I forgot to tell you. Temin gave me Falmount and the surrounding land. It should be about ten miles around. He’s gonna have a mapping of the parcel drawn up and sent over.”

“A baron with that much land’s gotta have some heirs,” the half-ogre mused as he casually turned his gaze out the window. “Just sayin’.”

I grinned as we drove through the capital toward Temin’s castle, and I had to admit, the man wasn’t wrong. Plus, if I built up Falmount a bit more and got my security in order, four kids would certainly be well protected there. They’d grow up with their own village to romp around in, too, which was something I never imagined for my offspring, and Cayla’s point about our child ruling over Cedis made my chest swell with slightly greedy pride.

So, by the time Bobbie was parked in the castle courtyard, I’d devised three different designs for strongholds, and I was trying to decide if I wanted my moat to be filled with eels or not. I didn’t want the kids falling in, but moats always seemed like a solid security measure. For a baron anyway.

“You good?” Haragh asked as I came around the side of the Mustang, and he clapped me on the arm.

“I’m great,” I assured him despite the permanent crease between my brows. “This is totally fine. Pregnant or not, I’m on board, so I’ll just let it lie.”

“Let it lie,” the half-ogre agreed.

“I trust my women, and they can do what they please. It doesn’t matter to me.”

Haragh nodded his approval, but I could have sworn he raised his brows just as I headed toward the enchanted entrance of the Oculus.

Chapter 3

Big Red offered a crisp salute when we emerged from the shadowy tunnel, and Haragh held up a fist that the automaton had no idea what to do with.

“Like this,” I chuckled as I bumped my knuckles against Haragh’s, and Big Red imitated the gesture.

The half-ogre let out a deep laugh that echoed through the tunnel, and we were both shaking our heads in amusement as the stone gates of the Oculus parted for us.

Then Haragh halted. “What in the gods … ?”

“Yeah,” I muttered as I looked out across the ancient city.

My heart ached at the sight of the destruction the Oculus had suffered during the attack yesterday, and knowing Hulsan had done the bulk of the damage over me didn’t help matters at all. Countless buildings were obliterated into dust while others had only a wall or two still standing, and the entire blacksmith’s quarters were flattened under a massive shard of stone from the cavern ceiling. The elaborate, glittering dome of the Great Library was gone, and most of the small bridges crossing the waterways were broken away.

“Bastards,” Haragh growled, and I could feel his Terra Magic already spark as his expression darkened. I knew his connection to the place was just as acute as my own since we shared the same element, and I didn’t doubt he was thinking of all the Terra Mages who’d worked to form the ancient city for years.

I was too, but there was no way I was going to let them down.

There was already a group of Defenders in the streets reforming structures and using Aer magic to clear away the dust and rubble, and as we headed to join them, I caught sight of Defender Urn among the crew.

He had his palms raised as he used his Terra Magic to carefully stack shattered stone together and mend their seams, and his thick moustache twitched side to side in the effort of replicating the previous design.

“Defender Urn,” I said once he got the last stone in place, and he turned a smirk my way.

“Ahh, Defender Flynt,” the burly mage replied. “Finally get those women of yours in order?”

Haragh snorted and quickly turned away, and I cleared my throat.

“Uh, yeah,” I muttered. “Sorry about that. Deya gets a little sneaky once in a while, but I’ll make sure they return everything to their proper owners.”

“Don’t bother,” Urn chuckled. “No one will remember anyway. That was one hell of a celebration. I had to drag this lot up out of the lanes to get them going on the repairs this morning.”

He jutted his large thumb in the direction of the other Defenders, and while half of them were hard at work, the other half shuffled from one building to the next in a similar fashion to Shoshanne.

“I appreciate it,” I told him. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

“There’s a handful of mages in town getting some lunch, but then they’ll be coming to lend a hand as well,” Urn assured me. “So far, we’ve got the front section repaired, and there’s three Terra Defenders assessing the damage in the blacksmith’s quarters.”

“Perfect,” I said with a nod. “What are we doing about the dome?”

“Well,” Urn sighed, and we turned toward the shattered library, “that dome took our predecessors three years to piece together, and each color was varied in ten different shades throughout on account of a special balance of minerals decided upon after about a decade’s worth of research.”

I nodded blankly. “Right.”

“So, we’re leaving the dome on the floor for the time being,” Urn chuckled. “Here’s hoping we can sort through the shards of glass and reorganize it all, because I don’t know shit about staining glass.”

“Me neither,” I admitted. “Where do you want me to start?”

“With Markus over there,” he said as he pointed to a Terra Mage with short black hair. He didn’t have on Defender gear, just his Terra robes, and he was working alone to lift boulders as big as Bobbie and reform two columns. “He’ll show you how to tap into the previous designs, and then you can get to work anywhere you like.”

“The original designs?” I clarified. “That’s possible?”

“Sure is.” Urn nodded. “Although, I’m just as surprised as you. I’m not really clear on how it’s possible, but he gave me the schematics he extracted through a circuit. This should save us a lot of guesswork and a little time. Plus, we can uphold the integrity of the city, which is what I’m most concerned about.”

“Me as well,” I agreed, and Urn sparked his powers as he turned back to the structure behind us. Then I nudged Haragh as I headed toward the mage with the black hair. “Did you know it’s possible to read the original designs of this place?”

“No,” the half-ogre admitted. “How ye’ know that?”

“This guy does,” I muttered, and I cleared my throat as we approached. “Markus?”

The black-haired mage looked over his shoulder with his palms still raised to support the two large columns that had collapsed against each other, and he furrowed his brows.

“Yeah?”

“Defender Urn told me I could learn a thing or two from you about the original designs,” I explained. “I’m--”

“Defender Flynt,” Markus finished for me, and he smirked. “Everyone knows who you are. Let me just solidify this entrance real quick.”

The mage lowered the two columns into place, and he spent a few minutes piecing together the upper portion of the arch from a stack of rubble below. Once he finished this, he closed his eyes, and I assumed he was studying the design because he shifted the whole massive arrangement a few centimeters to the side with a grating screech of stone on stone. Then he nodded and turned to head our way. His eyes were a muddy shade of green beneath his black brows, and he couldn’t have been much older than Pindor because his attempt at a goatee was only slightly superior. He was almost as pale as Cayla without the silky smoothness to his skin, and he walked without any haste.

“It’s kind of weird you need me to teach you anything,” Markus admitted. “I saw you rip a mountain open once.”

“You did?” I asked. “When?”

“Up in Orebane,” Markus chuckled. “How often do you rip mountains open?”

“Hard to say,” I laughed, “but that’s cool. You fought with us against the ice giants then?”

“Yeah,” he replied. “I live in Falmount too, actually. One of your women was robbing the mages last night. It was hilarious.”

“Ah. Yeah, two of them were, but that’s been addressed. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried,” he snorted. “The pink haired one giggles like a maniac even when she’s invisible, so we were placing bets to see how many times people thought they were going crazy. I won, and now I have this sword.”

He gestured to an impressive broadsword sheathed at his hip, and I nodded my approval.

“At least some good came of it,” I muttered.

“You should tell her to bump into more people next time,” he suggested, “that really got them going.”

“I’ll do that,” I chuckled. “So, about these designs … ”

“Here,” he said, and he knelt down to place his palms against the ground.

Haragh and I mirrored him, and as I sparked my Terra Magic, I could sense Markus’ was decently developed.

“Do you want me to just give you the designs through our circuit, or do you want to learn how to find them yourself?” Markus asked.

“Definitely the second one,” I said, and Haragh nodded eagerly.

“Alright,” Markus said with a shrug, and I decided I liked the guy.

His demeanor was approachable and unaffected, but he also didn’t call me sir like a lot of the other mages had started doing, and I honestly appreciated it.

“Just wondering before we begin,” I said. “How did you learn this yourself?”

“My grandpa was a Terra Mage, too,” Markus replied. “He taught me the six fundamental ways to gather information through our element, so this is--”

“Wait, there’s six ways?” I clarified. “I only know of two. Sensing a physical presence and sensing the use of magery nearby.”

“That’s pretty good,” he said with a slightly impressed nod. “A lot of Terra Mages around here haven’t learned either of those. My grandpa said Abrus tended to favor the Ignis and Aer Mages in his training, so a lot of specialized knowledge hasn’t been revisited in a long time.”

Haragh let out a low whistle. “What are the other four?”

“Well, the one we’re about to do is kind of a combination,” Markus explained. “You focus from within the stonework in the same way you would when searching for a physical presence, but instead of lingering near the surface to seek out magery reacting with our element from above, you seep farther down. It isn’t the same everywhere, because it takes advanced mages to manage it, but here, you can locate layers of memory in the stones, and those layers hold traces of the magery that’s come before.”

I nodded as I realized this kid really knew what he was talking about, and Haragh just stared from my side.

“What’s interesting is the rubble itself doesn’t hold the designs they were used in, because they were only pieces used for the grander scheme,” Markus continued. “That’s how I realized what the previous mages had done. So, if you took that pile of boulders over there and directed your focus inside, you wouldn’t find the image of the building they came from. That’s because the deepest layers of the cavern hold an overall mapping of the entire city instead. The Terra Mages who first began forming the Oculus used a technique of fusing their own mental memories of the schematics with their element deep under the surface. This way, it wouldn’t matter how many years it took to build the place or what damage occurred over time, the current Terra Mages could seek out the original design and be able to work with this without sacrificing the more impressive elements.”

“Holy shit,” I chuckled. “That’s incredible.”

“Yeah, it’s amazing,” Markus said with a grin. “Wanna try?”

Haragh and I quickly followed suit as Markus closed his eyes, and I focused on following the trail of his magery beneath the stonework.

We travelled thirty feet deep, and then forty, and as we neared the sixty-foot mark, I felt Haragh’s commitment wavering. Then we slowed down and leveled off around seventy feet underground, and my veins began to heat painfully under my skin.

“Nope,” I heard Haragh suddenly say, and his connection disappeared. “Fuck that.”

I snorted to myself and kept my attention underground with Markus’ powers, and for a long, silent minute, nothing happened. Then I began to sense another presence, and within a matter of seconds, I was drowning in a power so strong it made every muscle in my body shake with tension. That’s when the currents began to course through me, and one jolt of magic after another forced itself through my magical connection like razor blades. I couldn’t keep track of them all as their energy began to buzz loudly in my ears, but when my veins began to feel like they were collapsing in on themselves, my eyes flew open.

“What was that?” I gasped, and I realized I was breathing heavily, like I’d just run a marathon.

“That’s the mages,” Markus muttered, and he had his brows knit in concentration as he kept his eyes closed. “It’s overwhelming at first, but that’s just because you’re picking up on the individual presence of each one. There are hundreds of them down there, though, so don’t focus on that. Think of it like listening to an orchestra, and only let the collective presence register. It’s easier that way.”

I was staring and trying to figure out how the hell a mage so young could explain all of this so well, but I immediately took his advice and returned my focus far beneath the surface of the city.

The minute I arrived in the deepest layer of stone, my veins began to burn again, but I took some long and deep breaths this time to keep from breaking the connection. The strength of the hundreds of mages’ powers made my heart start beating erratically, but as I forced myself to zone out of the individual variances, I began to register it all as a singular drone. It was like I was sitting on top of a bass amp at a concert as the frequency shook me to my core, but the longer I kept my attention here, the less my veins burned.

They started to feel stronger instead, and I realized I was suddenly part of the same droning presence while my Terra powers mingled with the rest. Then a blaze of blue flashed in my mind, and I had the sensation I was pitching forward even though I could feel my palms were firm on the ground. My head spun as blue images of buildings and bridges began flickering past in quick succession, and I gritted my teeth against the instinct to pull back from the dizzying scene.

I didn’t know how many minutes passed like this, but eventually, the drone became a high-pitched ringing in my ears, and my limbs suddenly felt lighter than air. My heart beat was slow and steady now, and I found myself looking at every structural outline of the Oculus.

I wasn’t just looking at them, though, I was part of them. My Terra powers surged through every wall and beam of every building like I’d exploded into a thousand pieces, and just turning my attention to one spot brought me spiraling across the city to lock into this exact pinpoint.

“Holy shit,” I breathed, and from very far away, I could hear Markus chuckle in agreement.

Then I turned my focus to the strange buildings crawling up the walls of the cavern, and I saw they had long, winding, rootlike footings that ran forty feet into the mountainside. They sprawled apart from there to interconnect with the others around them like a giant grove of aspen trees, and as my mind scanned the entire perimeter, I realized all the structures lining the walls of the ancient city met with this underground network.

This wasn’t even the coolest part, though, because the droning sound emanated differently from every direction, and I could sense the different mages who had formed it all. There were groups whose magic radiated from full quarters, and others who had individually formed various buildings all across the city. Some of the mages’ powers felt archaic while others were only twenty years old, but the Great Library possessed the oldest presence of them all. I couldn’t even fathom how long ago it was constructed, but it had to have been close to a thousand years ago from how aged the frequency felt in my veins.

My palms were sweating now as my heart rate slowed to a tired throb, and as I noticed how lightheaded I felt, I realized I was losing my own strength from the connection. So, I reluctantly released my focus and let my magic ease back to the surface of the city, and when I opened my eyes, I felt like throwing up.

“Stand up slowly,” Markus advised, but he didn’t look at all concerned. “You’re gonna feel weird for a few minutes, but you’re fine, I promise. Old magery is difficult for us to process in the present, and it doesn’t drain your powers in the same way. It just overwhelms your senses.”

I nodded and stood up, and Haragh was looking like he regretted bailing on the lesson now.

“What’d ye’ see?” the half-ogre asked with a look of awe. “You’re pale as shit.”

“I’ll show you in a minute,” I chuckled, and I turned to Markus. “How old are you?”

“Nineteen,” he replied.

“And you taught Urn, the other Terra Defenders, and us to do this all in one day?”

“Well, most of the others are pretty hungover, so I just showed them the schematics so they wouldn’t throw up.” Markus shrugged. “You picked it up quicker than the two I did show, though, since they passed out the second they broke the connection.”

I furrowed my brow. “Why are you living in Falmount? You should be teaching here.”

“As an instructor?” Markus asked with a confused frown.

“Yeah,” I chuckled. “You’re very good at this, and you know more about your element than the Defenders do.”

“I don’t know,” he said as he scruffed his black hair. “I’m really just a student. Wyresus said I should--”

“Fuck Wyresus,” I cut in. “You should teach. I’ll talk to Temin about it.”

“Really?” Markus asked, and his muddy green eyes lit up. “I thought only the head of the Order could appoint instructors.”

I just shrugged, and I would have mentioned I’d already been offered the job, but I still wasn’t sure if I wanted to accept it yet. Still, being able to hand select every instructor in the Oculus would be more than convenient where training the mages was concerned, and if they were as skilled as Markus, my job would immediately be made easier.

“I’ll work it out,” I assured him. “Do you have any idea where we should start on the rebuild?”

“Well, since you have a good connection to our element, you could probably take on the three training halls that were damaged,” Markus told me. “It makes it kind of impossible to utilize the space properly now, so if you guys wanna start there, that’d really help get the mages back to studying as soon as possible.”

I nodded. “Which ones?”

“The Aer, Ignis, and Flumen halls,” Markus said as he crouched and touched the stonework again, and I did the same to share in the circuit with him. The blueprint of the Oculus came to the forefront of my mind again, but this time, the presence of the ancient mages was gone. It was just a memory of what I’d seen far below the city, and Markus rotated the image to show me where we were headed.

“That double spire marks the Aer training hall,” he explained, “and just on the opposite side of the waterway is the Flumen training hall. The Ignis one is closer to the library on the northern side. See it?”

“Yeah, I see it,” I replied and broke the connection. “We’ll start with those and get all three repaired today.”

“Okay, but be extremely careful with the ceiling in the Aer Mages’ training hall,” Markus warned. “It dictates most of their lesson work, and if one stone is out of place, it’ll have to be redone again.”

“Good to know,” I replied, “and thanks for the lesson. Really. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

“You’re welcome,” Markus said, but he was already turning back to his archway, which I now knew from the schematics was meant to extend and meet the buildings on either side.

I stared for a minute before Haragh and I headed down the street toward the training hall for the Aer Mages, and once we were out of earshot, I nudged the half-ogre in the arm.

“Can you imagine how advanced every Terra Mage in the Order would be with that guy instructing them?” I muttered as I tried to process the residual buzzing in my veins. “We’d surpass the other elements in a month.”

Haragh raised his brow as a cocky grin came to his face. “Well, I like the sound of that.”

“Me, too,” I chuckled. “Think what we could accomplish, though. You have no idea how complex magery gets once you tap into the ancient presence of it. It was … ” I couldn’t even find the right words to describe it, and I furrowed my brow as I tried to adjust to reality again. “With an instructor like that, their skills would sky-rocket. The citizens are still struggling to get the tradesmen’s quarters built up, but we could update every quarter of the entire city with a dozen mages as skilled as Markus in a matter of days. Not to mention Falmount.”

“Wouldn’t mind making Falmount twice as impressive as the capital,” Haragh mused. “Give Temin a run for his money.”

“I could appoint Kurna to instruct the Ignis Mages, too,” I said half to myself. “He’d bring them all up to speed just as quickly.”

The sight of the brawny mage igniting his entire head last night came to mind, and I hadn’t forgotten he’d managed to teach Aurora the same stunt within only a few drunken minutes.

“Don’t get too far ahead of yourself,” Haragh chuckled as we turned down a side street. “Temin might let ye’ put Markus in a better position here, but you can’t assume he’d let ye’ do as you please with everything.”

I glanced sidelong at the half-ogre. “Actually, Temin kind of … offered me Wyresus’ job.”

Haragh stopped in his tracks, and I turned to see him staring dumbfounded at me. “He wants ye’ to become head of the Order?”

“Yeah,” I admitted, “but I haven’t given him an answer yet. I honestly don’t think I have the time for that kind of responsibility. It would be kind of cool, though, and--”

“The fuck is the matter with ye’?” Haragh cut in. “Take the job.”

I sighed and turned to continue down the street. “Yeah, Raynor said the same thing.”

“Good,” the half-ogre snorted. “He’s right. You already clean up every mess that comes along while Wyresus rots in that cellar all day. May as well claim the title with the power. Then you could appoint anyone you wanted without having to run it by Temin.”

“I don’t mind running things by Temin,” I told him. “He’s usually on board with my ideas anyways.”

Haragh shook his head. “What do your women have to say about it?”

“I haven’t told them yet,” I admitted.

“Yeaaah, you’re takin’ the job,” Haragh assured me, and his tone suggested I officially had no say in the matter anymore. “One slip of the tongue from me, and those women will be acceptin’ the post for ye’.”

“Okay, not cool,” I muttered. “Cayla would never let me turn it down.”

“Mm-hmm,” he said smugly as we came to the remains of the Aer Mages’ training hall, and he held out a big green arm as he motioned for me to lead the way.

I sent the half-ogre a disapproving glare as I passed, but once we were inside, I was abruptly distracted.

Half the lofty ceiling had collapsed, and the rubble destroyed most of the floor and several columns on impact. The dim hall must have spanned half the length of a football field, and the stonework of the walls and ceiling were constructed from a light gray granite while the marble floors looked forest green beneath the debris. Tasteful columns lined both walls every six feet, but there were no windows anywhere, which made sense since the Aer Mages were meant to contain their powers within the ancient hall. Instead, torch mounts were centered between each column from one end to the other, and as I craned my neck, I could make out the peculiar vaulting design used in the portion of the ceiling that still remained.

I could sense how old the construction was because the undamaged stones hadn’t been moved in hundreds of years, and my Terra powers sparked eagerly in my veins at the opportunity to restore it all to its original glory.

“Not bad,” Haragh mused as he climbed over the rubble and took a look around. “The Aer Mages have it pretty good here.”

“You can see the various patterns they’re meant to practice,” I pointed out as I gestured to the ceiling. “The air would funnel through the corner vaultings, then probably flow back to the ground and cycle upward to the center vaultings, which means they have to rotate the directional flow at the last second to avoid the stone ribbing. They could practice every pattern of movement in here, and once they’re familiar with the feeling of each, they would have the precision necessary to wield their element with accuracy anywhere they wanted. Pretty impressive approach.”

“Eh, it’s just a bunch of wind,” Haragh grunted. “Stone’s much more difficult.”

“Sure,” I chuckled as I used my boot to clear a space on the floor. Then I knelt down and placed my palms on the deep green marble. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” Haragh jumped down from the rubble with a heavy thud, and he kicked a few shards of stone aside before mirroring me and summoning his Terra Magic.

“Remember what Markus said about getting the ceiling exactly right,” I reminded the half-ogre, and we combined our powers in a circuit as I zeroed in on the mental schematics to locate the Aer Mages’ hall.

Once we studied the design for a few minutes, Haragh started reforming the crumbled walls while I steadily restored the columns as each portion was completed. The heavy sound of stone scraping into place filled the hall as we worked with our eyes closed, and I kept my attention on the design in my mind while the rubble reshaped itself into stout blocks and began fusing into place. Then we took some time to be sure each seam at the upper portion of the wall was perfectly level before we moved on to the vaulted ceiling.

I could sense Haragh’s confusion over the various angles interconnecting all over the place, but if we worked in the same spot together, we were able to stabilize the stone ribbing without it collapsing during the process. Once the ribbing was in place, we each began on our own areas again, and it took us nearly half an hour to fill in the gaps with the proper sloping for the Aer Mages’ element to flow as needed.

Then we broke our connection and stood up, and while Haragh reformed the marble floor and smoothed the surface to one seamless slab, I checked our handiwork and compared it to every inch of the design.

It was identical to the original structure that had been built hundreds of years before, and a huge grin came to my face as I turned in a full circle to admire the kaleidoscopic design.

“Seems like overkill,” Haragh grunted.

I sighed. “You’re jealous. This place is fucking awesome.”

“Terra hall’s better,” he mumbled stubbornly, and he headed for the entrance as I continued gaping at the strange vaulting patterns above me for a minute.

Then I jogged to catch up to Haragh, and we took a winding cobblestone street that lead to the northern edge of the Great Library. It was easy to find the Ignis training hall because the two giant pilasters that flanked the entrance had intricate engravings from top to bottom, and they looked like massive black infernos frozen in time.

Inside, we could see someone had blasted the entire eastern wall apart, and with daylight shining in, it was easier to get a look around the blackened training hall. From floor to ceiling, the place was crafted from polished black granite, and while it was just as large and windowless as the Aer Mages’ hall, the design was like night and day. There were no torch mounts in sight, which I thought was strange at first until I realized they would hardly be necessary to a bunch of Ignis Mages, and the ceiling was a simple gabled arch that reminded me of old cathedrals.

What really grabbed my attention, though, was the floor.

From the entryway, it looked like a slate black bee’s nest, but as I walked forward a ways, I could see each of the cylindrical pits that dotted the hall had a thin line of steps circling its walls. I followed one of these down into the granite hole, and the walls rose five feet above my head once I made it to the bottom. It felt eerily like I was in a tomb, but then Haragh’s head appeared over the edge, and his chuckle echoed around the polished hall.

“Not much down there for a Terra Mage to do,” he informed me.

“What do they use these for?” I asked as I ran my hand along the sleek, black wall.

“I asked Aurora that once,” he told me. “Said anyone can shoot flames all over the place but learning to wield fire is about taming and directing the element more accurately.”

“That sounds like her,” I chuckled. “So, how does it work? They can’t let any flames escape their pod while they train?”

Haragh nodded. “Down there, they have a tight space to work within, too, so they can focus on exactitude of movement rather than just sending jets in one direction.”

“Alright, that’s fucking cool,” I mused. “How did they come up with this approach?”

“Who cares?” Haragh grunted. “Still just a bunch of flames flyin’ around, except now you’re in a hole.”

I sighed as the half-ogre turned away, and I climbed back up the blackened steps to join him near the shattered wall.

“Ye’ wanna head to the Flumen hall?” the half-ogre asked as he sparked his magic and raised his palms. “I can finish this one up no problem.”

“Sounds good,” I replied and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll meet you back in the front quarter in a bit.”

Haragh nodded as the shattered granite began to shudder around us, and I wound my way through the beehive of pods as I headed back toward the streets.

I had to reform a collapsed bridge to cross the central waterway of the Oculus, but once I skirted my way around the decimated blacksmith’s quarters, I finally found the structure I was looking for. Unfortunately, the Flumen training hall was surrounded in the jagged remains of what used to be a cobblestone street, and whoever tore it all up had burst the wall of the canal in the process. Now, water flowed freely between the rubble, and from where I stood, it looked like it had flooded the entire interior of the training hall, too.

I couldn’t do anything to clear the water without a Flumen Mage around, but after I climbed to higher ground, I found a broken wall I could balance on. From here, I was still able to connect with the stonework through my Terra powers, and I seeped into the ground to repair the street first. With the jagged rock reformed into squat bricks and leveled off, I sent my Terra Powers into the walls of the Flumen training hall next.

At first, I couldn’t find any structural damage anywhere, but then I realized the burst canal wall used to split into fifteen aqueducts that flowed beneath the street and siphoned into the training hall to run widthwise across the floor. All of the underground channels had been obliterated when the street was torn apart, but as I connected with the previous schematics of the city, I could sense the dimensions of the aqueducts that provided the water for the Flumen Mages.

So, I carved a swatch of the street out and began reforming the underground channels as water sloshed around the stone. Then I sealed the surface off once more and checked to make sure they were all aligned properly with the fifteen channels inside the training hall.

To look at it, the place was still a complete mess with water flowing up as high as my knees, but I could feel the design beneath the surface was restored. I would have to send a Flumen Defender this way to direct the canal water back into the main waterway, but there was one last thing I wanted to do first.

I kept my Terra powers sparked as I returned to the blueprint in my mind, and now that I was familiar with the general layout of the training halls, it was easy to locate a fourth one. I paid close attention to the map as I headed back toward the library, and on the southern side, I finally found what I was looking for.

I’d never visited the Terra training hall before, but I couldn’t resist taking a few minutes to finally explore the place. Until today, I hadn’t even been aware each element had a designated training hall in the Oculus, but after seeing the others, I was itching to get a look at what the other Terra Mages had to work with. So, I scaled the steps leading up to an open gothic archway, and a dozen ideas came to mind of what the ancient mages might have come up with.

At first glance, though, I was honestly a bit disappointed. The Terra training hall looked like an empty building still waiting to be embellished, with columns and torch mounts much like the Aer Mages’ hall. This building had a series of circular windows lining the upper walls that allowed a few dim shafts of light to spill in, and the ceiling was less elaborate than any of the others. Then I walked into the center of the room, and I finally realized the floor was the big draw of the place.

My boots passed over slate, obsidian, soapstone, and shale, and when I knelt and placed my palms down, I almost laughed out loud. My powers expanded through the floor to send back all manner of materials stacked thirty feet deep, and while the surface was created from fourteen different kinds of stone alone, the layers below were just as varied. I sensed whole slabs of jade, quartz, and diorite sporadically fused within the arrangement, and my veins started to vibrate pleasantly from the presence of the many earthen wares hiding beneath the hall. A Terra Mage could familiarize themselves with locating and altering every one of them in here, and extracting each while maintaining the structure would probably be involved in the more advanced lessons.

I chuckled as I stood and glanced around at the dim hall, and part of me regretted that I hadn’t been trained here. Every Terra Mage who came before me no doubt spent years learning to connect with and influence their element within these walls, and even though I’d advanced quickly with my magery on my own, I didn’t recognize half of the minerals underneath my boots. My fingertips tingled eagerly at the prospect of tapping into every one of them, and I grinned as I imagined lining my entryway with sculpted jade pillars like a fucking monolith.

Then I nearly jumped out of my skin as the sultry timber of the Baroness’ voice drifted from the shadows of the hall.

“You look at home here,” she said, and a wave of fear rushed through my limbs.

I should have known she’d pop up again, but I hadn’t expected her to stick around once the attack had ended. She was the type to travel ahead of the fray, and I doubted there was much left here to profit from now that the battle was over.

Well, besides me.

“Let me guess,” I replied as I turned and eyed the distant corners. “You’re here to be of absolutely no help with repairing the Oculus.”

The Baroness chuckled as she emerged from the shadows, and I couldn’t help but notice her breasts nearly caused her tight black velvet corset to burst at the seams. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders and rippled with every step, and the way her skirts rustled across the stone made it look like she was gliding.

Then she brought herself so close the exotic smell of her wafted over me like a cloud, and she looked up at me as she blinked her two-toned eyes.

“Why should I exert my efforts to repair something that is not mine?” the Baroness asked.

“Why are you lingering around here if you don’t give a shit about the place?” I tossed back, and her coy smile faded slightly.

She looked back at me for a long moment while I tried to decide if I should walk off, and half of me wanted to before her arrogance could irritate me any further.

I was constantly in a war between whether I could trust the Tenebrae Mage or not, but her habit of always being around and somehow contributing nothing had started to grate on my nerves. Especially after I found out she could have alerted everyone to the impending attack on the Oculus but didn’t. She probably made a decent amount of money from that secret, too, and someone who worked in the shadows for her own gain was no one I needed to get involved with.

“You’re upset with me,” the Baroness finally said, and her ghostly white eye betrayed her disappointment for a fleeting second. “Why?”

“Besides the stalking me for information you can sell part?” I asked as I crossed my arms. “Probably because you clearly only have your own interests in mind, you run around doing favors for some nameless dear friend, and thanks to your selfishness, the oldest city in Illaria is half destroyed.”

“Yes, but you’ll fix it,” she purred with a careless shrug.

“Thanks,” I snorted. “I needed another mess to clean up. I wasn’t busy with anything as important as defending the regions from the Master. I was actually bored before all of this happened.”

I turned and headed for the entrance, but I only made it halfway there when the Baroness materialized from the shadows to my right, and she caught my arm in her slender grip to stop me.

“I know it is inconvenient,” she told me in a low voice, and I spared her half a glance. “Sometimes inconvenience is necessary to put you in a position of greater power.”

“Are we talking about your power or mine?” I clarified.

“Yours, of course,” she replied. “If this attack had not taken place, the other Defenders would not have been forced to heed your warnings about the possessed mages. Hulsan would still be attempting to sway your loyalty, the king would not have realized you are the perfect man to lead this Order, and you never would have learned that young Markus has knowledge you and your mages could benefit from.”

I pulled my arm free as I turned to face the woman.

“Should I be grateful?” I challenged. “I’m not impressed you can creep around in shadows and infringe on private conversations. I had to kill our own mages off by the dozens yesterday rather than save them, and I should be building defenses and scouting the eastern foothills to prepare an attack. Instead, I’m here arguing with you in a city that never should have been destroyed.”

“Admit it,” she chuckled without concern. “You’re a little impressed.”

“Look, I’ll spell it out for you,” I growled. “My business is my own, and it isn’t for sale, Baroness Batonova. Anyone who’s looking to trade my secrets can kiss my ass, including you, so stop following me.”

“Then you are angry with me.”

My fury was mounting now, but the ebony bed of cleavage only an inch from my line of sight was difficult to ignore as I glared down at the woman. She kept casually bringing herself closer, too, and all the while, her expression was impossible to read. It was a flawless, coal black mask, and her two-toned gaze had some kind of hold on me that made me forget I was in the middle of storming off.

“How the hell did you know about the king’s offer?” I demanded as my focus faltered. “Only the king and two people know about that. I haven’t even told my women.”

“But Haragh will tell them for you,” she said with a smirk, and my jaw locked.

“See that?” I muttered as my pulse pounded in my ears. “That right there is exactly why I’m done having this conversation with you. Or any conversation with you for that matter. Every time you open your mouth, you give me more proof I shouldn’t trust you, but you act like I should be flattered. I’m not.”

Finally, the Baroness’ mask shattered as her eyes widened in alarm, but I turned my back and headed for the entrance before she could say anything else to piss me off.

Then I heard her heels clicking against the stone floor as she followed after.

“Fine,” she said, and the hair on the back of my neck rose at the velvety tone of her voice. “I may not work in a style you appreciate, Mason Flynt, but I assure you I only have your best interests in mind.”

“Prove it,” I growled over my shoulder. “So far, I’m not convinced.”

I had every intention of storming down the steps and washing my hands of the woman for good, but then I felt the Baroness’ powers closing in, and I didn’t make it to the archway before her shadows bloomed in front of me. The darkness undulated slowly like a curtain of smoke as the ancient hall disappeared from view, and I tried to push through, but the disorienting haze had me turned around within seconds.

I could hear the Baroness’ heels clicking closer as my hand finally knocked into a wall, and I flipped around with my back braced to see her sauntering through the fine black mist.

Her eyes were hooded as she eyed me without blinking, and her tautly bound cleavage rose and fell heavily with every breath. Still, my hand slid to my pistol as I realized the shadows were drawing closer, and something in her expression had my blood slowly heating up.

“Baroness, if this is some--” I tried, but she pressed herself flush against me before I could finish, and she held an ebony finger against my lips to silence me.

“I thought I told you,” she murmured softly. “Call me Nulena.”

Then the Baroness lowered herself onto her knees in front of me, and I could only stare as she began to unlatch my belt.

“Say it,” she purred, “please?”

There was a depraved sort of glint in her two-toned eyes now, and as I felt her grip tighten around my cock, I realized her mask was completely gone.

Chapter 4

The Baroness gasped lightly as she pulled out my already raging erection, and she bit at the meat of her bottom lip while she admired my girth. Then she began slowly dragging her satiny tongue up the length of my shaft, and when she finally got to the head, she lapped up a bead of precum. Her two-toned eyes flicked up to me as she swirled her tongue teasingly around the tip, and the sight of the secretive woman kneeling so wantonly at my feet made it impossible to come up with a logical rebuttal.

“Nulena, I don’t think--” I tried, but the moment her name left my tongue, the Baroness whimpered softly and wrapped her lips around my tip.

Then she pulled me deeper into her mouth, one inch at a time, and my entire lower half started to tingle as my head fell limp against the wall. The heated pulsing of her tongue against me shut my brain down immediately, and I stared up at the shifting shadows. The depth of the darkness surrounding us gave me the sense we were completely cut off from the rest of the world, and I knew no one would even know we were here if they walked into the hall now. It didn’t matter that my breath grated in my lungs as pleasure overtook my whole body, or that the Baroness moaned with shameless enjoyment while she sucked more desperately.

I had her completely to myself, and as my head became light on my shoulders, I managed to look down to find her eyes burning up at me.

She looked at me like I was a god and she had hundreds of sins she was confessing right now, and the abyss of her coal black eye looked so impure while the ghostly white one blinked submissively at me.

That’s when I realized I’d never seen a woman look at me like she was right now, and I immediately released my hold on my pistol to slide my hand around her neck instead.

With the Baroness clutching at my wrist, I cupped her against me while I began slowly thrusting myself deeper into her mouth, and I couldn’t resist tightening my grip to a punishing one as I felt the back of her throat finally constrict around me.

Her soft flesh felt like heated silk as her moans vibrated straight through me, and when the Baroness suddenly forced me even deeper, my restraint snapped. I gave her what she wanted as I gradually drove myself into her with more powerful thrusts, and when she took my full length deep into her, I couldn’t wait any longer.

My seed burst from my shaft and gushed down her throat, and the Baroness struggled to take it all in as her nails curled painfully into my arm. I could feel her muscles pulsing deeply as she began to tremble in my hold, but I didn’t stop thrusting as my cum kept streaming out, and the whole time, the woman’s eyes remained locked onto mine.

Only when every drop had coursed into her did I finally loosen my grip a bit, and the Baroness’ eyes fluttered shut as I slowly pulled myself from the heated sheath of her mouth. Then she rolled her tongue thirstily against the underside of my cock, and I realized she was already wanting more.

I had half a mind to test her resilience for a while longer, too, but the brassy sound of horns suddenly erupted across the Oculus, and I heard the king’s guards march through the stone gates. The Defenders all abandoned their work and hurried to stand at attention for the king, and the Baroness’ sinful gaze flicked up to me.

She refused to stop her suckling, though, and I grinned while I let her enjoy herself for another few minutes. Her ebony lips were slickened with semen when she slowly slid them up the length of my shaft to release me, and I let out a ragged breath as she casually swiped a finger at the corner of her mouth.

Then I grasped the Baroness firmly by the shoulder and pulled her to her feet, and I didn’t say a word as I slid my palm down her bare arm to settle it on her breast. I could feel her aroused nipple beneath the taut velvet as I stroked my thumb across the bud, and as the Baroness shivered with pleasure, she instinctively tipped her lips up to mine. I let her linger there, though, while I considered her penetrating gaze, and there was a glimmer of something in her ghostly white eye that I thought I imagined for a second. It looked a hell of a lot like complete devotion, and I decided to see if she was still feeling as evasive as usual now that she didn’t have her taunting mask on.

“Tell me what Temin’s doing here,” I ordered in a low voice.

“He’s looking for you,” the Baroness told me at once. “The Elders of Aurum have arrived, and the borders of Orebane have been closed.”

I sobered immediately and furrowed my brow. “Already?”

“Yes, they’ve lost patience with Temin,” she replied. “The Elders come seeking a meeting with you, but the king will gather the nobility instead. Ten of the noble families hoped the borders would close, while the rest can be swayed to reconsider their tariffs.”

I nodded as the Baroness trailed a slender finger along my jaw and down my neck, and she brushed her lips against mine just enough to get my blood heating up again. So, I slid my palms to the cinch of her waist as I let the heady scent of her distract me from my concerns about the Elders, and she curled against my chest as a contented sigh drifted from her lips.

Then she began murmuring a couple more of her secrets, though, and my veins slowly turned to ice.

“Six men who will be in attendance would have me killed if they knew about this,” the Baroness informed me. “Nine would pay anything to have you killed instead, and two would like to see Deya and Aurora’s throats slit, but they fear you too much to risk an attack yet.”

The Baroness pulled away, and despite the weight of her words, she had a careless grin on her face again.

“Just because they’re elves?” I clarified.

“Of course,” she said with a shrug. “Your elves. I suggest you address the issue soon. I would hate to see anything happen to them.”

With that, the seductive woman turned toward the mist at her back as if nothing had happened, and the moment her silhouette faded into the shadows, the dense haze around me lifted to reveal the deserted training hall.

My legs were shaky, and my spine was still tingling, but my gut hollowed out as all of this sank in, and I stared straight ahead while I mechanically adjusted my belt. Then I walked from the building in a blank state as I tried to absorb everything that had just taken place, but by the time I neared the other Defenders at the entrance of the Oculus, I was still lost.

How any of this proved I was supposed to trust the obscure woman was beyond me, but I had a feeling I was about to find out firsthand how good her word was. Hopefully, there was some overlap in the number of murderers wandering around Serin, too, because holy shit.

“Defender Flynt,” Temin sighed with deep relief when he saw me coming, and he deserted the others as he waved for the two guards beside him to fall back. Then he caught me by the arm and turned me toward a more secluded area beside a carpenter’s shop. “The Elders of Aurum are here in Serin.”

I nodded.

“They’ve refused to allow the last two trains to cross the borders of Orebane,” the king continued hastily. “Now, they don’t want to waste any time addressing the tariffs at all. We must repair this. I was relying on their weaponry since the blacksmith’s quarters are out of commission here, and Defender Urn tells me the repairs will take two weeks to complete because the forges were destroyed.”

“Where are the Elders now?” I asked.

“I’ve had rooms prepared for them in the castle, but it took half an hour just to convince them to stay there for the afternoon,” he said with an offended frown. “They tell me they’ve only come to speak with you and have no interest in the affairs of Illaria any longer. I already had little sway with the Elders to begin with, but without their cooperation now, half my army and the mages in the Oculus will be grossly under armed. We’d only just begun to increase production when the attack occurred. Not to mention, the majority of the wealth being brought to Illaria as of late is on account of our alliance with Orebane.”

“I’ll speak with them.”

“Do you think you could convince them to remain here a day longer?” Temin asked. “I can gather the nobility by tomorrow evening, and if we can manage to turn the tides where the trade tariffs are concerned … ”

“No promises,” I told him, “but I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you,” the king sighed as he kneaded his hands nervously and eyed the few destroyed buildings around us. “This is terrible timing. I had no idea they were coming here, and to make matters worse, I’m entirely out of dwarven wine.”

“I’ve got a steady supply in Falmount,” I chuckled. “I’ll have everything we’ve got sent over.”

“Have you really?” Temin asked, and his eyes widened eagerly. “That would help immensely. The Elders were disgusted to hear I had nothing better than our own wine to offer. I told them it was strictly of the highest quality, but that only upset them further, of course.”

I smirked. “Yeah, I wouldn’t say anything like that.”

“I don’t know how you ever managed with them,” Temin sighed.

“To be fair, they’re more approachable once you kill off an army of giants for them,” I admitted, and the king chuckled as he finally relaxed a degree.

“Well, let’s hope that still applies,” he muttered. “I’ll do everything I can to make tomorrow appropriately lavish on such short notice, but would you come speak with the Elders now? They say it’s urgent.”

“Yeah, the Defenders have the repairs under control here,” I told him, “and we’re expecting more mages to arrive soon.”

“Excellent. I believe there are a handful of healers waiting to speak with you as well, though.”

“Healers?” I asked as I furrowed my brow. “What do they want me for?”

“Just a guess, but I assume they require your assistance in some extravagant way like all the rest of us,” Temin snorted, and he sent me a wry smirk as we turned to head back toward the others.

The Defenders were still at attention in the streets, and a few of them raised their brows when they saw me walking beside Temin rather than behind him.

“Defender Urn, I will be borrowing Defender Flynt for a while,” Temin told the burly mage, and Urn nodded diligently. “I’ll speak with the blacksmiths of Serin about the new forges within the next two days. Where are the healers you spoke of?”

“They’re working on clearing the streets, Your Highness,” Urn replied as he gestured just beyond the buildings at our backs.

“If you see Haragh, will you let him know I’ll meet him at the entrance?” I asked another mage.

“Certainly, Defender Flynt.”

The Defenders promptly dismissed themselves to return to their work on the repairs while Temin’s fifteen guards stood aside in waiting, and we headed toward a wall of swirling dust being swept up in an Aer Mage’s powers. There was a group of six healers joining in the effort on the next street over, and the two who were Flumen Mages stood nearby while they spoke quietly to one another. I recognized the gray robes they all wore as belonging to the Order of Pallax, and the delicate stitching along their hems displayed their elements.

Then they saw us approaching, and they ceased their work to bow deeply to their king.

“I was told you wanted to speak with me,” I said in greeting.

“Defender Flynt,” a blonde Flumen Mage replied, and she stepped forward with her hands clasped neatly together. She had kind, deep brown colored eyes that were lined with thin wrinkles, and she wore her feathery hair in a high, crisp bun like Shoshanne used to do. “I’m Mage Hellia. I have been overseeing the infirmary here while we await an appointee for the position.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” I said with a nod.

“The other healers and I have little to occupy us while the repairs are taking place,” Mage Hellia explained as she raised a graceful hand to gesture to the others behind her. “I understand your own infirmary is operating with only one healer to tend to your patients, and we’d like to offer our assistance.”

“Really?” I asked with some surprise. “That would be very helpful. Shoshanne has a retired healer there assisting with some tasks, but with patients arriving every few hours, her hands are pretty full.”

“Then we would be happy to assist her,” Mage Hellia said.

“I should warn you, the work there is strictly surgical at the moment,” I admitted.

“Yes, we’re aware you’ve undertaken difficult measures to restore our mages,” the woman replied. “I’m sure none of us would object to joining in the efforts, if your healer could instruct us on the proper procedures to be followed.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“Shoshanne will be relieved to hear it,” I told the healers. “She’s working there right now if you wanna gather your supplies and start heading to Falmount. I’ll make sure she knows to expect you within the day.”

Mage Hellia smiled softly and bowed once more before she led the others away, and the king promptly summoned his guards from the streets.

“I hope you don’t mind that I--” I began to say, but the king waved me off.

“I’ve already told you Defender Flynt, the resources of my kingdom are at your disposal,” Temin said as his guards fell into step directly ahead and behind us. “You may do as you please within these walls.”

I raised my brows as the Baroness suddenly came to mind, and when we got to the stone gates of the Oculus, Haragh was waiting to join us.

“The Elders are here,” I explained. “They want a word.”

“Oh, nice,” Haragh said without concern. “Been a while.”

Temin glanced over his shoulder at the half-ogre like he was crazy to sound so nonchalant, but Haragh just chuckled before breaking rank long enough to snag a fist bump from Big Red on our way out.

The rattling of armor echoed around the tunnel as the frontmost guards held their torches high, and I did my best to get my mind refocused, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the look in the Baroness’ eyes as I held her locked around my dick. Her warnings about Aurora and Deya had my hackles raised, too, and I was caught somewhere between horny and willing to kill a fucker right now.

Plus, I was beginning to realize I wasn’t entirely sure I cared if I could trust the Baroness or not.

Just that one taste of the woman’s appetite had me burning for more, but I couldn’t ignore her words. If getting closer to her meant my women and I would be in even more danger, I knew I shouldn’t risk it. A part of me wondered if I’d actually misinterpreted her actions lately, though, because that ghostly white eye of hers betrayed a hell of a lot I wasn’t expecting to see.

We crossed the castle courtyard and headed up the entrance steps while I ground my teeth together in thought, but I tried to set this all aside so I’d be able to handle the Elders of Aurum with a clear mind. Then the king’s guard dispersed to take their posts lining the hall, and Temin led Haragh and I through the castle and up a lofty flight of marble steps to the second floor.

“You can wait in the upper throne room,” Temin told us as he turned down a hall with a pair of elaborately carved wooden doors at the end. “I’ll alert the Elders of your arrival and send them in directly.”

I nodded as the king parted the doors for us, but then he startled before crossing the threshold.

The five Elders of Aurum were already seated at the head of the room, and even though there were ten seats lining the farthest wall, Dorinick’s uncle had taken it upon himself to sit in Temin’s own throne. Their dark red robes draped across the floor at their feet while their long hair blended in with their beards, and even though they weren’t surrounded in rubies here, they still gave off a palpable air of superiority.

The king’s cheeks flushed a bit as he forced a gracious smile, and we crossed the extensive chamber to come to a stop in front of the surly dwarves. They didn’t rise at Temin’s arrival, but a few of them idly stroked the well-groomed beards that fell into their laps.

“Elders,” Temin preened. “I’m pleased to see you’ve already adjourned. Defender Flynt was more than happy to join us at your request.”

None of the dwarven Elders gave any acknowledgement to the king while their frowns remained stern, and Temin eventually cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“Yes, well,” he muttered, “I’ll just leave you all to discuss your affairs, shall I?”

The line of dwarves continued silently staring the king down, and Temin sent me an uneasy glance as he turned and headed for the doors. Just before he left the chamber, though, Dorinick’s uncle, Dogra, stood and bowed.

“Defender Flynt,” he said loudly. “It is an honor to see you this day.”

I caught Temin’s irritated sigh as he closed the doors behind him, and I fought the urge to chuckle as I bowed in return.

“The honor is mine, Elder Dogra,” I replied before I gestured to the half-ogre beside me. “You remember Defender Haragh, yes?”

“Of course,” Dogra said with another bow of acknowledgment, and he took his seat again as the white-haired Elder beside him cleared his throat.

“Defender Flynt, we’ve come with regards to the fortress you’ve located within our region,” Foreg informed me.

“I thought that might be the case.” I nodded.

“General Dorinick has issued an order to our soldiers to not take action with little explanation as to why. We know only that you intend to alert us if there is a real danger. Dorinick left rather quickly to return to his mine in the far north after delivering this information, and after much deliberation, we thought it prudent to familiarize ourselves with the circumstances as soon as possible.”

“I see … ” I muttered as I furrowed my brow. “So, did General Dorinick not mention the ogres, then?”

Foreg’s eyes flared as the others shifted in their seats and exchanged anxious glances.

“What ogres?” Foreg demanded.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or be irritated with Dorinick, but I probably should have known he’d use the opportunity to fuck with the Elders.

“Uh … well,” I began, “the Master who was responsible for possessing the ice giants has been using his rune to recruit more creatures and expand his army. We believe the fortress in the eastern foothills is his main headquarters, and it seems he’s housing most of his recruits there. We’ve been working to figure out what his numbers are so we can be as prepared as possible when the time comes to attack, and recently, a lot of things have come to light in this department.”

“Like ogres,” Haragh added.

“He’s possessed the ogres and brought them to Orebane?” Foreg’s wild white eyebrows inched higher as this sank in. “Th-They could be in Aurum at this very moment! They could--”

“They aren’t heading to Aurum,” I assured him. “Not yet, anyways. Dorinick and Thrungrig’s crew are actually scouting the fortress right now from the eastern mountains to ensure we’re aware of any developments.”

“They’re what?” Foreg bellowed as he rose to his feet, but Dogra just sighed heavily as the Elder on his right sent him a livid glance.

“This will be the eleventh time your nephew has deliberately misrepresented his intentions to us in only a matter of months,” the Elder grumbled, and he stroked his ruddy red beard with disapproval.

“I am well aware, Killick,” Dogra growled without looking over.

“This time, he’s put our entire nation at risk of being wholly unprepared for an attack, and if he should die out there in the eastern region--”

“I am sure the soldiers are aware of the circumstances,” Dogra interrupted. “Dorinick would not fail to keep his army informed.”

“While keeping his Elders entirely in the dark!” Killick scoffed, and Haragh and I exchanged a side-eyed glance while we waited for the dwarves to hash things out. “Dogra, your nephew’s insubordination has become a blatant attack on everything we stand for, and if he carries on like this--”

“Dorinick has never let our nation down,” Dogra reminded the angry dwarf.

“No, only his leaders,” Foreg said, and as a hostile silence overtook the room, I decided I should probably blaze ahead while I had the chance.

“My own army is preparing to handle the threat in the eastern foothills,” I assured the Elders, “and I’ve gained an alliance with two Elven Houses who are willing to join us in the fight. The ogres in the west have offered their army as well, and--”

“The elves?” Killick clarified in disbelief, but Foreg was already stammering over him.

“An alliance with the ogres? That’s impossible. They’d sooner slaughter your entire fleet, Defender Flynt. Surely you don’t believe--”

“Grot and I have reached an understanding,” I replied, and the Elders looked like I’d just slapped them across their faces. “Haragh and I travelled to Jagruel recently to put a stop to the abductions in their region, and we gained an alliance in arms to strengthen our collective chances against the Master’s army. I also addressed the issue of the ogres hunting within your western mountains while I was there, and they won’t be venturing beyond your borders any longer.”

The Elders stared in amazement without replying, but after a long moment, Agrokea’s age-addled voice broke the silence, and I turned my attention to the blind Elder in the last chair.

His thinning and stately white hair fell in a scraggly mess around his shoulders to blend in with his beard, and his milky blue eyes remained fixed ahead of him as he furrowed his brows.

“The mountains … in the west … are safe?” Agrokea wheezed with much effort.

“Yes, sir,” I replied, and I bowed my respect to the man despite his inability to see it. “Grot has given me his word no dwarves will be hunted again.”

A faint smile trembled at Agrokea’s weathered lips. “Foreg … the mines.”

“I agree,” Foreg replied in a low voice, and I realized the Elders’ surprise had abruptly given way to a much more calculating air. “Killick, how soon can the men travel?”

“At once,” Killick responded, and he was stroking his ruddy red beard more determinedly now. “The platinum has been out of reach for a long while, Foreg. It will be three times its value.”

“How many operations were closed in the west?” Dogra asked.

“Three platinum, two gold, and our only two alexandrite.”

“The black opal, as well,” another Elder muttered, and Foreg turned to exchange a silent and weighted look with Dogra.

I could almost see the coins piling up in their greedy eyes, and I smirked as I realized this conversation was about to work directly in my favor. Then I casually cleared my throat.

“I was unaware your mountains contained platinum,” I said. “I haven’t seen a metal as precious in any of my travels.”

“You would not,” Dogra replied. “It has been years since the mines were closed, and there are no deposits anywhere amongst the other regions. The dwarven nation alone possesses platinum.”

“I certainly look forward to seeing what comes of this, then,” I said with a grin. “All of Serin will empty their pockets when word reaches the citizens.”

Dogra’s green eyes shone at the words, but Foreg looked down at his hands in his lap.

“Word will not reach them,” he said in a low voice. “Defender Flynt, I am sorry to say the borders of Orebane have been closed. The trade agreement that stood between your nation and our own is no longer in place.”

I made sure to stare for a moment. “What? I thought the train--”

“We mean no disrespect to you or your remarkable inventions, Defender Flynt,” Foreg assured me. “You have done much to honor the dwarven nation, but we have no choice. In the last two weeks, the tariffs against Orebane have quadrupled, and our own goods are being pawned at less than their worth. There is little reason for us to continue honoring the agreement put in place following your arrival in Orebane.”

“I have heard of the tariffs against your people,” I replied. “King Temin has struggled to make his subjects see sense in the matter, but--”

“King Temin has disappointed our trust entirely,” Killick interrupted with a scowl. “The tariffs placed against us are an insult, Defender Flynt, and his subjects are incapable of respecting the quality of our craftsmanship.”

“That isn’t true,” I countered. “The swords your nation has provided are the best in the kingdom.”

“Aye,” Haragh agreed in earnest. “Won’t find a blade as well wrought as a dwarven sword.”

The flattery appeased most of the Elders as they grinned smugly behind their beards, but Foreg maintained his solemn frown.

“Precisely,” the white-haired dwarf replied, “which is why this insult will not be borne.”

“Elder Foreg, the tariffs were instilled in my absence, but I assure you they will not remain in place,” I said, and Dogra narrowed his eyes with intrigue as he toyed with his black beard. “King Temin alerted me to all of this the moment I returned from Nalnora, but I’ve had to delay addressing the issue while I dealt with the threats against the Order of the Elementa and Jagruel. Our mages are being enslaved by the Master, same as the ogres, and I’ve been working to restore our numbers and protect the regions. Temin has already arranged for me to speak with the nobility on behalf of Orebane, though, and I will not allow them to profit from my inventions while our alliance with your nation is abused.”

Foreg raised a wiry white brow as he eyed me carefully, but Agrokea was the one who spoke next.

“You will speak … on our behalf?” the aged dwarf wheezed.

“You have my word,” I promised. “I built that railway through the mountains because your nation can offer what no other can, and I intend to make sure your contributions are honored as they should be.”

The Elders considered this for a minute, and then Foreg finally let out a sigh.

“When do you intend to address the nobility, Defender Flynt?”

“Tomorrow evening,” I replied. “If you stay one more day, you’ll see the tariffs dropped yourselves.”

“Stay?” Killick snorted. “In the castle of a man without the good taste to keep dwarven wine?”

“My own village serves no other wine, Elder Killick. I’ll send every casket I have if it would please you.”

Agrokea chuckled lightly. “There’s … your man of taste … Killick.”

I grinned, and Killick snorted in agreement.

Then Dogra turned to Foreg. “If the tariffs are dropped, think of the profit to be made once the platinum is mined. We’ll more than restore the damage done, and no one in the south has ever laid eyes on black opals before.”

“You speak sense, Dogra,” the white-haired dwarf admitted.

“Defender Flynt, address your noblemen,” Dogra said as he looked back to me. “If you can lower the tariffs against Orebane, then the line of trade will remain in place.”

“And what of the threat in the east?” Killick reminded his companions, and I tried not to laugh as the Elders realized they’d completely forgotten once the prospect of the wealth to be made in the west came up.

“Right now, we’re strengthening our armies to prepare for an attack,” I told the Elders. “We have reason to believe the Master is housing all manner of dangerous creatures within his fortress, and given his knowledge of rune magic and the number of mages he’s recruited, risking an attack at this time would be unwise. That’s why Dorinick volunteered to keep an eye on the developments there. I received word just yesterday that his crew are already in position.”

“An honorable feat on my nephew’s part,” Dogra said with sage-like nod, but the others seemed reluctant to acknowledge the praise.

“Then we continue to await your instruction,” Foreg announced, and the five Elders rose to their feet.

“I appreciate your trust,” I assured him as Haragh and I bowed deeply.

“We await your wine as well, Defender Flynt,” Killick added before we could turn to leave, and I grinned.

“It’ll be here within the hour, Elder Killick. You have my word on that, too.”

As Haragh and I exited the throne room, I could hear the Elders already muttering to one another over the wealth to be gained from the western mines, and I chuckled when we found Temin pacing anxiously in the hall just outside.

“Well?” he hissed as the doors closed behind us.

“They’ll reopen the border as long as the nobility agree to lower the tariffs by tomorrow,” I told the king, “and it would be in your best interest to be prompt about enforcing it. The dwarves are about to start mining platinum again.”

“Platinum?” Temin gasped as his eyes went wide. “You’re certain about this?”

“Yep,” I said with a nod, and the king turned on in his heel without skipping a beat.

“I’ll prepare everything at once.”

Haragh snorted as Temin disappeared around the corner, but the king popped back into sight shortly after.

“I nearly forgot, Defender Flynt,” he called, “there’s another chest waiting for you in the lower throne room. A gift from King Balmier in the south.”

Then Temin was gone from sight, and his voice echoed all down the marble hall as he began frantically ordering his servants around.

“I’m gettin’ in early on that black opal,” Haragh muttered as he waggled his brows. “Dorinick’ll set me up real nice, I bet.”

“Are you sure you’re not half dwarf?” I asked as we headed for the stairs, and there were already red-faced servants running around like mad. By the time we finished fetching a medium sized chest from the lower throne room, even the king’s guard had abandoned their posts at the entrance to prepare for the meeting with the nobility tomorrow, and we let ourselves out while we sidestepped a few young men who’d collided in the front hall.

I’d never seen a gathering of the richest in Illaria before, but the idea of addressing them all myself made my nerves waver a bit as I realized how much was riding on this. This notion was swiftly interrupted by another, though, because the Baroness would be in attendance, along with those who would gladly kill either of us.

And just like that, my mind had her on her knees again as my blood heated a few dozen degrees.

“ … except the whole hilt is made of the stuff, ye’ve never seen anything like it,” Haragh sighed as I unsealed Bobbie’s doors.

“Huh?” I asked as I blinked myself back to reality.

Haragh’s smile fell. “Have you not been listenin’ this whole time?”

“Sorry, I was thinking about something.”

I dropped into the driver’s seat as Haragh rolled his eyes, but then I stared at the steering wheel for a minute while I considered how much had happened since Shoshanne woke me up this morning. I suddenly felt like my life had throttled at full speed ahead, which seemed impossible considering it was already jam packed, and I couldn’t stop nodding lightly to myself while I processed this.

“Why we not drivin’?” Haragh grunted.

“Sooo,” I mumbled, “just before Temin showed up, the Baroness tried to swallow my dick for me. Well, not tried. She uh … she pretty much succeeded.”

We sat in silence for a few beats while Haragh fidgeted his fingers on his knee, and I continued nodding for no apparent reason.

“Well,” the half-ogre finally managed, “at least ye’ know that one’s not pregnant. Definitely would be your scariest kid yet.”

I turned a hard stare in his direction, but Haragh abruptly looked away as he fought to keep his smirk in check, and Bobbie let out a low growl that gave me the impression she was trying to change the subject.

Chapter 5

I could hear my women still giggling to each other when Bobbie came to a stop in the clearing beside the house. Haragh and I stood with our arms crossed and our backs against the steel for a few minutes, but he eventually glanced over and nudged me with his elbow once he realized I wasn’t about to move.

“If ye’ want, I’ll sit in that damn kitchen all week,” he muttered under his breath. “I’ve got time.”

I snorted. “That’s alright, but thanks for the sentiment. Like I said, I’m just gonna let this one lie.”

“If you say so,” Haragh sighed. “I’m gonna go see how my own woman’s doing then.”

I grinned as the half-ogre proudly adjusted his tattered vest, and while he lumbered off toward the northern woods, I took a steadying breath and sparked my metal magic to carry King Balmier’s gift along with me. Then I strolled up to the house like it was any other day, and when I entered, I saw my women gathered in the kitchen.

Deya and Shoshanne were perched on the counter giggling at the moment, and Cayla was just emptying the last of a pitcher into everyone’s cups when Aurora’s eyes met mine over the healer’s shoulder.

Then the half-elf sent me a glittering smile, and I let the chest drift to the workshop table without me.

“There you are,” Aurora chuckled. “We were beginning to think you ran away from home.”

I forced a chuckle of my own as I came over to join my women, but I kept half an eye on their cups the whole time. Whatever they were drinking was a dark purplish red that stained their lips, and when no one offered me a cup, I realized I was gonna be shit at letting this lie.

“You all look like you’re feeling better,” I tried.

“Yes, Shoshanne saved us from the Rosh,” Aurora laughed.

“And Deya’s been telling us about her afternoon,” Cayla added between sips. “She transmuted with the green dragon scale you got for her.”

“How’d it go?”

“It was amazing,” Deya sighed as she slid her cup away. “Mason, I ate a griffin!”

I dragged my eyes away from the discarded cup. “You what?”

“Ate it,” she said with a devilish grin. “I’ve never tasted anything like it, Mason. Even the bones were good! They snapped apart like nothing in my teeth, and it was such a rush to hunt him down like that. I could smell his fear as I overtook him, and I’m beginning to understand Ruela so much better now.”

“I want to be a dragon,” Aurora groaned. “You get to have all the fun.”

“But you get to light things on fire,” Deya pointed out.

“So do you if it’s a firebreather,” the half-elf snorted. “I don’t get to hunt griffins while I light things on fire. You get to smell their fear, Deya. That’s twice as awesome.”

“She has a point,” Cayla agreed. “I only get to see their fear in the split second before I shoot them. It’s nice, but smelling it would be so sexy.”

“Okay, but should you be eating whole, raw griffins?” I asked as I cocked a brow at the elf. “What if you ingest some sort of parasite or bowel disease or something?”

Deya shrugged. “I feel fantastic.”

“I wonder if your dragon form can sustain your elven one,” Shoshanne said thoughtfully. “Could you waste away if you transmute too long and miss meals in this form?”

“Or is it like our magery?” Aurora asked. “Does the connection physically exhaust you after a while?”

“Not at all,” Deya told them, and my hand discretely closed around the handle of her discarded mug. “I’m not hungry anymore, either. I was starving before I began transmuting, though, so maybe my own appetite carries over when I change forms.”

I nodded along while Cayla wondered whether Deya’s connection to the creatures was something the dragons around her noticed, but my arm froze before I could get the mug to my lips on account of Aurora’s next question.

“Have you ever transmuted with a pregnant dragon before?”

“Yes!” Deya said with immediate excitement, and her hands slid to rub her belly affectionately. “The purple dragon I used to kill the Terra Mage in Jagruel hadn’t laid her eggs yet, and I could feel them inside of me. I felt like they were my own babies, too. My connection to the mother dragon gave me this overwhelming sense of … I don’t know how to describe it. Completeness, I suppose. I felt protective and warm all over, and my mate refused to let me leave the nest at first. He kept bringing me his kills to eat, and he burnt two dragons to a crisp just for coming near me. I’ve never felt so important. Like I was the center of his entire world.”

“Aww!” Aurora moaned, and her own hands cupped her honed belly. “That sounds so lovely!”

“It was,” Deya sighed.

My brows shot up as I glanced between the two women and their wistful smiles, and when I looked down, the sight of their hands petting their abdomens made something in my gut shift. They looked like gorgeous, doting pregnant chicks while they giggled at one another, and I was still sizing the two of them up when the mug suddenly left my hand.

“That’s mine,” Deya informed me with narrowed eyes.

“I’m thirsty,” I said like a fucking robot, but Shoshanne shook her head.

“You wouldn’t like it. It’s too sweet for your taste.”

I furrowed my brows. “It smells kind of like wine.”

“Does it?” Cayla asked lightly, but before I could respond, all four women drained their cups.

“It makes me miss home,” Deya sighed.

“You know, it is kind of like that juice you guys drink,” Aurora agreed.

“I think so too,” Shoshanne said with a nod, “but much less alcoholic.”

“That’s good, at least,” I muttered.

Cayla cocked a brow. “Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why is it good if there’s less alcohol in it?” the princess asked, and all four women looked at me.

I hadn’t meant to say what I’d been thinking out loud, and as I considered the looks on their faces, I realized making a speech about alcohol consumption and pregnancy five minutes after getting home would be the opposite of letting it lie.

“If this is about the Rosh, you’re being a hypocrite,” Aurora informed me. “You acted like a maniac in Jagruel, so don’t get judgy.”

I nodded. “Totally, I just … figured you’d all be tired of drinking for a bit after the Rosh yesterday and the hangover this morning. That’s all I meant.”

“I am over it,” Deya groaned. “I never want to get that drunk again.”

“Then don’t,” I said with a shrug I hoped was casual. “Nothing wrong with just hanging out and avoiding alcohol for a few months, am I right?”

“But Deya’s so cute when she drinks Rosh,” Shoshanne countered before her brows furrowed. “At least I think she was cute … I don’t really remember.”

“Mason, was she cute?” Cayla asked. “You seem to remember last night better than us.”

“Yeah, she was cute. You all were.”

“You never told us if we were ridiculous, though,” Aurora laughed as she propped her elbows on the counter. “Be honest. How embarrassing was it?”

“Yeah, I hope we didn’t upset you at all,” Shoshanne added as she eyed me cautiously.

“I mean, you were a little ridiculous,” I admitted, “but not embarrassingly so. Nothing I’d object to, anyway. You were all just kind of … talkative. Said a lot. Did a lot.”

“Oh, I know I did a lot,” Cayla chuckled. “I still have your seed seeping out of me. This has to be the most you’ve ever poured into me.”

“Me too!” Deya giggled. “Mason must have been insatiable again.”

I gaped as the women looked at me with accusing smirks, and I tried not to let the assumption it was all my doing get to me. I very clearly remembered being instructed to cum in them as much as I could physically manage, but when Aurora had the audacity to roll her eyes, I finally grabbed one of the empty mugs.

“Was this the tea?” I demanded.

“Mason!” Cayla scoffed. “Why are you still talking about the tea?”

Aurora crossed her arms. “Yeah, is disrespecting our privacy going to be a regular thing with you now?”

“Wha--?”

I rifled my hair and turned for the atrium rather than respond, and I ground my teeth when I heard Deya giggle at my back. Then I dropped onto my stool at the worktable, and I briefly considered whether I felt like making a huge and stupid scene about last night that would probably end with me looking like a jack ass and embarrassing my women.

Then Shoshanne walked in. “Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine,” I muttered, and I grabbed the closest piece of steel. “Just have a lot of work to do. Guns, automatons, the Oculus, not losing my damn mind … you know, the usual.”

“Well, here,” the healer said as she slid a glass of water my way. “You said you were thirsty.”

“Tell us how we can help,” Cayla offered as she sidled in, and I felt her hands massaging my shoulders a few seconds later.

Then I glanced at the glass of water and the healer, and I couldn’t even hold onto a scrap of irritation.

Shoshanne smiled sweetly as she sat on my lap and curled her fingers around my leather vest, and my palms slid along her silky thighs to settle on her ass as she began kissing me. Cayla’s lips were slowly working their way up my neck now, too, and then Deya nipped lightly at my ear on the other side.

“If you need me, I’ll be practicing with my scales,” the elf purred, and I nodded while Shoshanne’s tongue tangled with my own.

I let the two women ease my tension while they stroked my shoulders and laid kisses anywhere they could, and by the time Shoshanne’s lips finally left mine, I’d decided huge scenes were useless, and no one ever said having four women would be a no stress situation.

“Thank you, by the way,” the healer said softly.

“For what?”

Shoshanne shrugged. “Taking care of us.”

“Mm-hmm,” Cayla agreed, and she left one last kiss on my neck. “We love you, Mason.”

Their words caught me off guard a bit, but as I considered the sparkle in Shoshanne’s brown eyes, I couldn’t help grinning. Warmth spread across my chest and caused my heart to pound a little heavier than usual, and I felt a sudden surge of determination to do everything I could for my women, no matter what happened.

“I love you, too,” I assured them as I tucked a copper curl behind Shoshanne’s ear, and she blushed lightly.

“Then tell us what we can do to help,” Cayla murmured in my ear.

“You wanna help me with an automaton?”

“You wouldn’t mind?” the princess asked as she clutched eagerly at my shoulders. “I’ve been so curious what you’ll be sending to Jagruel.”

“Not at all, you can help me design it if you want.”

“I wish I could help, too,” Shoshanne sighed with disappointment. “I love watching you work, but I’m sure the snatcher will be back soon, and I should get the infirmary ready for the next batch of patients.”

“That reminds me,” I said, “I met the healers from the Oculus today, and they’d like to help you here. Since you’ve been tied to the infirmary for days now, I took them up on their offer. Figured you could use a break, and I could use seeing your face around way more often.”

“Really?” she asked, and I could tell how relieved she was.

“Hell yeah,” I replied. “They’re getting their equipment together, and then they’ll be on their way over. There’s six of them, and if you show them how to handle the procedure, they’ll get right to work. Then you only need to oversee their progress once in a while.”

“And we get our healer back,” Cayla added as she squeezed Shoshanne’s arm, and the healer smiled happily.

“That sounds so wonderful. I love my work, but removing runes all day isn’t my favorite thing I’ve ever done as a healer. To be honest, the whole process is starting to make me nauseous, but I didn’t want to complain since it’s so important that we get the work done.”

“Well, thank you for taking it all on despite how gross it is,” I said as I pulled her a little closer. “I’m proud of you. You’ve single handedly saved nearly two hundred mages and reunited them with their families, and because of you, Sebastian gets to be a father, too. I wish you could have seen how grateful he was last night. Him and that redhead owe a lot of their future happiness to you.”

“That does make up for the flesh peeling part,” Shoshanne giggled. “I’m a big fan of babies being born into families with strong fathers and adorably curly haired mothers.”

“Me too,” Cayla agreed.

Then Shoshanne stroked my cheek before she hopped down from my lap, and I furrowed my brow as I watched her head for the door. Something about the warmth in her gaze just now sent my mind into a tailspin all over again, and I began to wonder if my other women had told her about our conversation at the fountain this morning.

I was still staring at the wooden carvings on the door when I heard Shoshanne’s heels clicking their way into the infirmary, but then Cayla cleared her throat and sat on the stool beside me.

“So, where do we start?”

“Um,” was all I came up with.

A hazy smirk just refused to leave my face all of a sudden, and when I looked over at Cayla, she was smiling, too.

“What is it?” she laughed.

“Nothing,” I chuckled as my grin grew a bit more. “Let’s uh … let’s start with that chest over there. It’s a gift from your father.”

Cayla gasped in surprise and hopped up, and when she opened the chest I’d brought back from Temin’s castle, her blue eyes went wide. Then she let out a soft moan as she slid her hands inside the chest to pull out two heaping fistfuls of diamonds, and my jaw dropped.

“Is that entire thing filled with fucking diamonds?” I asked.

“Of course, it is,” the princess sighed happily.

“Holy shit,” I mused. “That’s a hell of a gift.”

“Will you make us all kinds of beautiful things with them?” Cayla asked as she continued digging through the gems like she couldn’t help herself. “I know you’re busy, and you don’t have to do it right away or anything, but just sometimes? If you’re not too busy.”

“Glady,” I chuckled, and I pulled my stack of sketches over. “Although, I could probably do it tomorrow if you want to show off at the castle a bit.”

“We’re going to the castle?” Aurora asked, and I turned to see her bringing in a platter of food for me.

The half-elf set it down on the table and winked before placing a kiss on my cheek, and the smell of roasted pheasant had me instantly salivating. She’d even toasted the slices of bread with her powers as well, and the melting butter on top practically sang to me as I realized I hadn’t eaten since yesterday.

So, I swiftly shoved a whole piece of bread into my mouth and groaned with relief, and Aurora snorted as she joined Cayla to admire the diamonds.

“We’re going to the castle because Temin’s gathering the nobility to discuss the tariffs against Orebane,” I mumbled through another lump of bread. “The Elders are here.”

“The Elders of Aurum?” Cayla clarified. “That’s not possible. The dwarven Elders have never visited the southern kingdoms. What would bring them to Serin?”

I swallowed a salty lump of pheasant. “Seriously? Never?”

“Yes,” the princess assured me. “They notoriously snub us regardless of circumstance. The kingdoms here finally gave up extending any invitations.”

“Oh,” I said with a slow nod. “Well, they’re here now. Not by invitation, though. They came to see me.”

A telltale glint came to Cayla’s eyes, and Aurora burst out laughing when the princess abruptly abandoned the diamonds to come my way.

“The Elders of Aurum left Orebane to see you?” The hark-haired beauty purred. “I’m so turned on right now.”

“I can tell,” I cleared my throat.

“Tell me everything,” Cayla demanded, and she hitched her leg over my lap to straddle me.

“Okay,” I chuckled. “Dorinick didn’t bother telling them about the possessed ogres, and Elder Foreg said they thought it would be prudent to discuss the fortress with me directly. So, they came down here, insulted Temin, and sat in his throne. Then they bowed to me and told me it was an honor to see me again.”

Cayla let out a moan as she rolled against my groin.

“Keep talking, Mason,” Aurora giggled. “She likes it.”

“Well, that’s where the good news ends, unfortunately,” I admitted, but I kept kneading Cayla’s ass in my palms for a bit since she couldn’t seem to stop grinding up on me. “They also closed the borders of Orebane, and if I can’t convince the nobility to lower the tariffs by tomorrow, then they’re backing out of the trade agreement.”

“What?” Cayla gasped, and she froze. “But they gave you their word.”

“I know, but it’s nothing personal, Illaria’s just not holding up their end of the bargain,” I told her. “Luckily, most of the nobility could probably be convinced to change their tune. The Elders agreed to stay for the meeting, so Temin’s trying to dress it all up to their standards. Now, I’ve gotta have all our wine from the pub sent over because he’s out.”

“The Elders came all the way to Serin, and Temin doesn’t have dwarven wine?” Cayla exclaimed with wide blue eyes.

“Yeah, they were pretty disappointed,” I chuckled, “but I promised I’d rectify the situation for them. That seemed to undo some of the damage, at least.”

Cayla’s eyes darted to Aurora, and the half elf immediately headed for the door.

“I’ll get the Mustang loaded and bring it over,” Aurora decided.

“I can do it,” I offered.

“You have enough to take care of,” Aurora called back on her way out the door, “and if the Elders of Aurum seriously bowed to you, I’ll get that wine there in ten minutes flat.”

“You have to convince the nobility, Mason,” Cayla said as she climbed off my lap and began pacing instead. “Without the alliance in place, our armies can’t cross the border to deal with the Master’s fortress. Plus, if he should attack the dwarves, the lords won’t send their armies to--”

“I know,” I interrupted, “but don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

“How?” she demanded.

“I don’t exactly know,” I admitted, “but I’ve got a couple ideas. When I spoke with the Elders, I told them about the agreement that Grot and I reached where the ogres’ hunting habits are concerned. It turns out this opens up all the western mines the dwarves were forced to close down before. Not only are the Elders eager to get their operations going again, but they’re chomping at the bit to rake in a profit over it. Once the nobility understand what they’re about to miss out on, I have a feeling they’ll be scrambling to reverse the tariffs. I’ll just have to handle the topic carefully.”

Cayla narrowed her eyes. “What’s in those mines?”

“Platinum,” I said with a grin, “along with alexandrite, gold, and black opal.”

“Platinum?” Cayla asked in shock.

“That’s right.”

“Gods, alexandrite is so beautiful … and I’ve never even heard of black opal,” the princess breathed.

“Well, hopefully I can get this all handled then,” I said. “If everything goes well, I’m gonna make sure you’re the first woman in the south to wear one.”

Now, Cayla’s greedy grin was back in place.

“We have to be covered in diamonds tomorrow,” the princess informed me. “You remember the way the Elders offered their own jewels for us to wear at their celebration in Aurum. They value extravagance, Mason, and I refuse to let them think you can’t match their standards. You have to exceed them. They’ll respect you even more for it, and you’ll make the nobility look like peasants in comparison.”

“Deal,” I chuckled, “but for now, let’s get this automaton started. The Master will find out what happened in Jagruel soon, if he doesn’t already know, and I need to get their defenses in order before he can lash out.”

“Right,” Cayla said as she tried to refocus. “Automaton first. Diamonds second. What have we got?”

“So, these are the designs I came up with just because I was having fun with it when I worked on the snatcher,” I explained, and I laid four sketches side by side. “I’m not bothering with blow guns this time since I have no way of handling the procedures so far away, and anyone the Master sends to Jagruel will probably be terrifying and extremely powerful. That being said, I’m leaning toward this last design, just because he’s the biggest.”

Cayla nodded as she scanned the parchment over my shoulder. “What’s this strange sword on the middle one?”

“That’s called a machete, like I said, I was having some fun at the time,” I mumbled. “It’s actually mounted to allow for 360 degrees of rotation, so it kind of serves as a helicopter machete of death if need be.”

“Helicopter?”

“A flying machine from my realm,” I replied. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Hmm …” Cayla mused, “and what about this weapon on the smaller one’s head?”

“That’s actually a precursor to the lightning idea I’ve been working on with the 1911,” I explained. “At first, I wanted it to shoot a bolt of lightning, but now that I’ve dabbled with the technique a little, I think I’d rather have it explode in all directions instead. That way, I could send the automaton out on a stealth mission in enemy lines, and with one strike, every soldier in the vicinity drops dead. Then he moves on to another position and delivers another attack.”

“I like that one the most,” Cayla said with a deadly grin.

“Me too,” I chuckled, “but I’m still trying to figure out the lightning rune.”

“Then I suppose you should build the biggest one for the ogres, but can you add your death machete to it? That sounds like more fun, don’t you think?”

“Make the deadliest one more deadly?” I clarified. “Yes, that does sound fun, and I love working with you by the way.”

I shuffled the spare designs aside as I pulled the last one over, and I grabbed a pen to alter it a little.

“No, don’t get rid of the sword,” Cayla countered. “Big Guy’s really instills fear when he unsheathes it. That’s my favorite part.”

“Good point,” I said with a nod, “but does he really need a sword and a machete?”

“Well, and the gun,” she added as she pointed to the automatons left arm.

“I was gonna replace that with a crossbow actually,” I admitted. “Just because he’s living so far away and keeping him loaded would be difficult.”

“Damn,” Cayla sighed. “I wanted the gun, but I see your point. It’s too bad you can’t extend the magazine space to accommodate more cartridges.”

I furrowed my brow. “I suppose I could do that.”

“Without limiting his movement? Wouldn’t the added bulk get caught on the metal around the middle when he took aim?”

“Well, so far I’ve been keeping the magazines for the darts mounted on the exterior of the other automatons, but if I left the arms hollowed out, there’s no reason I couldn’t utilize that space as ammo reserves.”

Cayla nodded. “You could fill the entire forearm and shoulder with cartridges if you could find a means of feeding them into the barrel.”

“Unless I didn’t need to have the cartridges made at all,” I muttered, and my mind began turning a mile a minute.

“How is that possible?”

“I don’t know for sure if it is,” I admitted, “but the metal rune Deya was telling us about could be the ticket. She said it draws metal from its surroundings. So, if I didn’t hollow out the arms, but I used that rune on the gun, it could potentially gather metal from the interior of the automaton and propel it from the barrel like a bullet. It would be a long while before it ran out of metal to draw from, and that’s less trips to Jagruel to replenish supplies.”

“That one,” Cayla decided as she nodded fervently. “That’s my favorite design.”

“It’s worth a try,” I agreed. “We’ll get the basic automaton built first, and then see what we can do about the gun. For now, I’ll design it so the sword can double as a death machete. That way I can quickly replicate the entire limb from Big Guy’s design, and just alter the way the blade mounts when it’s extended.”

“While you do that, I’m designing our jewels for tomorrow,” Cayla decided, and she flipped over one of my other designs as she sat back at the table. “I wish I had some way of making our weaponry appear less gaudy, but I suppose we don’t need it at the castle anyway.”

“Actually, I want you all armed tomorrow,” I told her as I sparked my metal magic and pulled three large chunks of steel from the shelf. Then I began replicating the wheel gears and treads of the other automatons, but I increased the size by twenty percent.

“Are you expecting an attack?” the princess asked with concern.

“Not really,” I admitted. “The Baroness mentioned I’ve got some enemies amongst the nobility, though. It’s just a precaution.”

Cayla arched her brow. “You trust her word?”

“I don’t know yet,” I mumbled, “but I’m not taking any risks. She made it sound like Aurora and Deya have been targeted by someone. Two someones, in fact.”

“If that’s the case, I’d rather be prepared,” Cayla decided.

“Me too,” I agreed, and I solidified a cylindrical base and fused the mounts of each wheel gear to the sides. “Now that you’re runed, I’m counting on you to keep an eye out tomorrow, alright? Let me know if you see anyone suspicious. I doubt they’d try anything there, but I want to have their faces in mind in case I get an opening sometime soon.”

Cayla turned a deadly glance my way. “Absolutely.”

“Don’t worry Aurora and Deya over it, though,” I told her, and I began replicating the stout central bearing I’d used to ensure our snatcher’s torso could rotate entirely around. “The last thing I want is for either of them to feel like them being elven is a danger anymore. With me around, they honestly shouldn’t have to.”

“I agree, but shouldn’t we inform Shoshanne?”

“Inform me of what?” the healer asked as she came through the front door, and I pulled a lump of iron from the shelf to form the solid cylinder that would mount within the central bearing.

“We’re going to the castle tomorrow to discuss the tariffs with the nobility,” I explained as I secured the iron in place. “The Baroness warned me two people who will be there have targeted Aurora and Deya.”

“Have they?” Shoshanne’s cheeks flushed with anger, and Cayla nodded as they exchanged a glance.

“Keep an eye out tomorrow,” the princess told her. “We don’t want the others to worry, but Mason wants to know where he should be aiming.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Shoshanne muttered. “I’d love to get my hands on their lungs myself, though.”

I smirked as I began replicating the series of steel plates that made up Big Guy’s arms. “Is everything going alright at the infirmary?”

“Yes, but I thought I’d come and ask your advice,” Shoshanne replied. “The snatcher returned with much more than I was expecting.”

“Shit,” I sighed. “How many mages?”

“That’s the strange thing.” She frowned. “They’re not mages.”

Chapter 6

“So … what are those?” I asked as I stood in the clearing beside the house.

“I don’t know,” Shoshanne admitted.

“Whatever they are,” Cayla said as she circled the trio of the bodies, “they’re beautiful.”

“And runed,” Shoshanne added.

“Well, we’ll have to remove the runes, I guess,” I sighed, “but do you know how to work with … fur?”

“Well--” the healer began, but Cayla cut her off.

“Or we could keep them,” the princess muttered as she stroked the dense black fur of the beast. “I want to wear this fur every day for the rest of my life. It’s the softest thing I’ve ever felt.”

“Nope. I didn’t build the snatcher so you could skin massive cats and wear their hides.”

“But--”

“Nooo,” I refused. “Tell you what, if you wanna hunt one of these guys down and skin it yourself, then you can wear it. Earn the hide, Cayla, don’t just steal it off a tranquilized body.”

Cayla let out an irritated sigh as she stood up and crossed her arms. “Fine. I will. Just as soon as we figure out what it is and where it’s from.”

I nodded in agreement as I came over to get a closer look at the cat that laid at her feet, but the more I looked at it, the word ‘cat’ just wasn’t accurate enough. For starters, it had pronged horns jutting out of its skull above its eyes, and they were as dense black as the fur of the beast at the base. Toward the tip, though, the black gave way to an ember orange, and I tested the sharpness as I eyed the two-foot long prongs. It wasn’t as razor sharp as I expected, but it would definitely impale the crap out of someone, especially with the strength of the cat behind it. The chiseled muscles in its shoulders could be seen beneath the thick fur, but the fur didn’t cover its entire body. Instead, the fur shifted to scaly skin halfway down each leg, but more concerning than all of this were the beast’s claws.

I pushed my thumb into the pad of its foot to retract a six inch claw the same ember hue as the tip of the beast’s horns, and this time, my finger sliced open nearly to the bone from a single touch. I hissed in pain as my rune rushed to repair the damage, but I was mostly distracted trying to figure out if it was regular pain I experienced. It might have just been my surprise, but I could have sworn the claw felt like flames to the touch.

“How long do you think they’ll be unconscious?” I asked Shoshanne as I looked over the three cats.

“Not long,” the healer guessed. “They have to be at least five hundred pounds each. I’m surprised a single dart managed to knock them out at all, so I wouldn’t expect them to stay this way for much longer.”

“Then we better get to work fast.”

“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” Shoshanne mumbled as she kneaded her hands with worry.

“Would you rather come up against this guy possessed, or not possessed?” I asked her, and she bit her lip. “That’s what I thought. Get your surgical tools and some emergency tranquilizer in case they wake up. We’ll do the procedure right here in the clearing.”

Shoshanne nodded and hurried toward the infirmary as Cayla stooped to bury her fingers in the dense black fur some more, and she grinned to herself in a way that made her look kind of similar to the cat.

“You can feel how powerful it is,” she said under her breath. “What does the Master want with these? They must be special in some way.”

“Well, he’s already got sphynxes and all manner of creatures at that fortress,” I said with a shrug. “Looks like he’s diversifying. What I don’t understand is how the snatcher got them. I’ve never seen anything like this in Illaria, and the automaton is patrolling just east of Serin. At least, I think he is.”

“There’s three, though,” Cayla pointed out as she trailed her hand along a pronged horn. “A pack.”

I furrowed my brow. “You think the Master sent them out for an attack?”

“I would,” Cayla admitted, and she peeled back the beast’s lip to reveal stark white, eight-inch canines. “If I had these at my disposal, I’d send them out in droves to slaughter my enemies. They’re fantastic, how could you not want to utilize this kind of beast as a means to a gruesome end?”

“This is why we can’t have pets,” I sighed as Shoshanne emerged from the infirmary.

“We have Ruela,” Cayla chuckled.

“She’s not a pet, she’s a weapon,” I countered, “and a damn good one.”

Cayla sent me a lethal grin. “I knew you liked her, but thank you for proving my point.”

I shook my head as Shoshanne carefully laid a dish of tranquilizer out on the ground, and she placed a handful of darts down beside it before unrolling her case of surgical equipment.

“Where do we release them when we’re finished?” the healer asked. “Even if I remove the rune, this creature is still a dangerous one, whatever it is, and we can’t just let them all wander around the foothills.”

“We’ll give them back to the snatcher,” I decided. “I’ll have him put them back where he found them.”

“What if the Master recaptures them?” Cayla asked, and I shrugged as I knelt down beside Shoshanne.

“We see if the snatcher brings them back again, I guess.”

“Mason, I’m supposed to be saving our mages, not giant beasts,” Shoshanne sighed.

“I know, but what do you want me to do?” I chuckled. “They’re here now, and they’re runed. If we’re trying to prevent the Master from gaining power we can’t counter, I’d say avoiding coming up against these guys is toward the top of the list. I don’t want a pack of them coming after me any time soon.”

“Me neither,” the healer admitted. “Let’s do this as quickly as possible, though. Would you mind starting on the middle one while I start here? Cayla, maybe you could get the one on the end?”

Cayla and I quickly followed Shoshanne’s instructions as she handed over two scalpels and a fistful of gauze, and we got to work removing the mottled patch of branded flesh from each cat’s hindquarters. The brandings all looked relatively fresh, and they still smelled foul from the singed hair and skin, but the flesh was thinner than a human’s, so the procedure was done much more quickly than I had expected.

In only ten minutes, the three beasts were deruned and bandaged up, but as soon as we stood and looked down on their bodies, I realized there wasn’t an automaton in sight.

“Um, where is the snatcher?”

Shoshanne’s eyes snapped to mine, and I could tell she was on the verge of instant panic. “He went back out after he dropped these off.”

“That’s about right,” I sighed. “Okay, no big deal. We can just have Big Guy take them back for us.”

“It’s too bad we only have one snatcher,” Cayla muttered. “What if he keeps bringing creatures like this back? He couldn’t fit these and mages in his nets, and if he chooses one over the other, what’s to stop another attack like the one at the Oculus?”

“Considering I still have no idea how that attack was even possible, I’m gonna focus on one problem at a time,” I replied. “Maybe I should make another one, though. The snatcher’s been doing nonstop runs for days, and you’re right. If creatures like this keep showing up, we’ll have a hole in our defenses.”

“But you have to finish Jagruel’s automaton,” Cayla reminded me.

“And the magazines.”

“First things first,” Shoshanne said, and she looped her fingers in mine.

“Agreed. I’ll track down Big Guy first, but maybe you should lace the darts in case they wake up before--”

“What are you doing?” Deya suddenly gasped, and we turned around to see the beautiful elf sprinting toward us with her face flushed as pink as her hair.

“Removing runes,” I said with a shrug.

“Get those out of here!” the elf ordered, and she clung to my arm as she stared at the bodies on the ground with wide eyed fear.

“Do you know what these are?” Cayla asked, and Deya nodded.

“They’re Osulla,” she replied. “Why are they here? You shouldn’t have brought them!”

“The snatcher brought them in,” Shoshanne told her with a worried frown. “Why? What do they do?”

“They’re hellcats,” Deya informed us. “They spread fire wherever they go, and with three, all of the foothills could be destroyed in a matter of minutes!”

“Wait, what?” I gasped.

“When will they wake up?” the elf demanded.

“I-I don’t know,” Shoshanne admitted. “I was worried about the same thing. We need Big Guy to take them back where they came from. Now.”

Deya furrowed her brows. “But that will take days. Can you spare him that long?”

“No,” I replied as my heart rate steadily increased. “Deya, where do these come from?”

“The lands south of Nalnora,” she replied. “They shouldn’t be here. Mason, you have to get them far from here before they can cause any damage.”

“Godsdamnit,” I cursed. “Shoshanne, get the darts ready, and I’ll find Big Guy. Cayla, there’s a black horse in the stables named Whiskey. Ride him like hell to the Oculus and order Big Red to get here and take over the patrols. The repairs are still underway there anyways.”

“Yes, Mason,” Cayla replied, and she turned to run down the lane toward the stables as Shoshanne began shakily lacing the darts with a fresh dose of tranquilizer.

Then I sparked my Terra powers and scanned the perimeter of Falmount, and I found Big Guy just rounding the southern foothills on his way east of the village. So, I sparked my metal magic instead and focused on sending it outward across the town, and in a few minutes, I felt my powers fuse with Big Guy’s treads. Then I turned him around to bring him back to the western woods, and I could sense him already following my directions and gaining speed.

Deya stood trembling anxiously as she looked down on the three Osulla, and Shoshanne knelt to check the eyes of the beasts next. When she peeled one of their black eyelids open, she revealed a fiery ember eye with a golden pupil, and after assessing each one, she sent me a nod of relief.

“They’re thoroughly sedated,” the healer assured me, “but they won’t stay like this all the way to the south of Nalnora.”

“We’ll give the darts to Big Guy,” I decided as I sensed the automaton already heading down the lane. “Deya, what should he be looking for? How far south does he have to go?”

“The jungles begin to disperse into moorlands about forty leagues south of House Quyn,” the elf explained. “Past the moors, the land becomes barren, and it’s covered in smoky geysers. The Osulla live there in the smoke lands.”

“That’ll take forever to reach,” I muttered as Big Guy whirred to a stop at my back, and I quickly gestured to the giant cats. “Big Guy, I need you to take these three Osulla south of Nalnora. Travel as fast as you possibly can and avoid all cities and villages along the way. You’re looking for smoky geysers and barren lands beyond the moors. Probably about sixty leagues beyond the jungles. Drop them there and come straight back, understood?”

Big Guy’s indigo gem burned brighter at the command, and he nodded once before approaching the bodies on the ground. Then he heaved one of the Osulla up to hoist it over his giant shoulder, and the cat draped limply without waking up. Once he had all three piled on his limbs, I placed the six darts in his fist, and he closed his fingers around them.

“If they begin to stir at all, give them a single dart to the leg,” I ordered. “Don’t let any of them regain full consciousness, and no matter what happens, don’t lose one.”

Big Guy nodded once more, and then he promptly turned his treads toward the woods in the south. I tracked his progress for a bit and could sense him gathering speed once he left the foothills, and when he reached flatter lands, he turned directly southeast and gunned it to top speed.

“I hope six darts will be enough,” Shoshanne worried as she came to my side, and I looked over at the two pale women who were still trembling as they stared into the woods where Big Guy had disappeared.

“Maybe we should keep this one to ourselves, too,” I muttered, and both women nodded in agreement.

“Mason, I don’t understand what they were doing here,” Deya said with a frown. “The Osulla rarely travel as far north as the Nalnoran border, let alone beyond the jungles.”

“Apparently, the Master’s located their whereabouts,” I told her. “The snatcher brought them from the eastern foothills.”

“Gods, if he hadn’t captured them … ” Shoshanne whimpered.

“But he did, so we can all relax a little, right?” I pointed out.

“What if he has more at the fortress, though?” the healer asked.

“I hope he does not,” Deya growled, and I was surprised at the immediate fury I heard in her voice. “The Osulla are incredibly rare. They should be left to their own lands in the far south, not captured and unleashed on the rest of the world. They’re magical beings that have been around for thousands of years. They should be respected.”

“They’ll be back where they belong soon enough,” I assured the elf as I pulled her under my arm, and she nodded tensely as she continued to scowl.

“Thank you for not killing them,” Deya said softly. “You’re a good man.”

“You should thank him for not letting Cayla skin them,” Shoshanne mumbled, and the elf’s violet eyes went wide.

“She was just … enamored,” I told Deya. “She wouldn’t have really done it. I think.”

Deya shook her head. “One would have been enough to burn half of Illaria. Why would he take three?”

“I don’t know, but it’s a good thing we’ve got Ignis Mages around,” I sighed.

Deya furrowed her pink brows. “I’m not certain that would be enough. The Osulla’s flames are enchanted. They’re a different form of magic. Would magery be able to counter it?”

Shoshanne and I looked at one another, but neither of us had an answer for her, and the sound of voices coming down the lane distracted our attention away from the woods ahead of us.

When we turned, I saw the six healers from the Oculus approaching, and Mage Hellia sent us a reserved nod in greeting.

“Defender Flynt,” the woman said as we joined her and the healers beside the infirmary. “I apologize for the delay.”

“Oh, it’s not a problem,” I assured the woman, and Shoshanne forced a casual smile. “Perfect timing, actually. This is Mage Shoshanne, she’s the head of our infirmary here in Falmount. She’ll be overseeing your work and instructing you on the proper procedures and protocols.”

Shoshanne blushed at the introduction, but I just sent her a broad grin as the other mages nodded respectfully to her.

“Hi,” she managed with a nervous laugh. “So … right this way.”

Deya giggled as we watched Shoshanne lead the other healers toward the infirmary, and she sent us an uneasy glance over her shoulder before they all headed into the operating room.

“I hope they don’t object to the chains,” Deya whispered.

“They’ll be fine,” I said with a shrug. “At least there’s no enormous hellcats with uncontainable fire magic laying around anymore.”

“Yes, that would be embarrassing,” the elf giggled, and I dropped my arm around her shoulders as we headed for the house. “I love living with you. It’s never boring here.”

“That’s a really good way to look at things,” I chuckled. “How did your transmuting go?”

Deya sent me a mischievous smile that made her violet eyes gleam. “I ate another griffin!”

I could only sigh as the elf trotted into the house ahead of me, and I found her already sitting on my worktable with her legs crossed as she dug through the new hoard of diamonds.

“I tested the yellow scale this time, from the dragon that breathes poisonous gas,” the elf informed me. “They don’t fly as fast as the others, but they’re fierce for direct combat. They move more quickly on their feet than I expected.”

“Which is your favorite so far?” I asked as I shifted her ass a bit so I could get a look at my sketch again. Then I sparked my metal magic to finish melding together the steel plates of the new automaton’s right forearm.

“The green one,” Deya said with a grin. “Or the purple. I can’t decide. I still have to try the red and blue scales, and I wish we had been able to get a black one, because the female whose mate you killed is becoming an alpha at Mors Pass. The other dragons seem to fear her the most.”

“You can tell how they feel about each other?”

“I’m starting to understand their body language,” she explained, and I nodded as I moved on to forming a simple hinge joint for the elbow. “Being a drake is less fun because of this. I think it’s the way their bodies slither side to side, which is usually a threatening maneuver amongst the dragons. That’s why they attack them so readily, but I’m finding it helps with speed. The drakes that don’t wriggle as much are slower.”

“That’s pretty cool,” I muttered, and I started molding more steel plates to complete the upper arm. “How fast are those Osulla supposed to be?”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I can’t believe we had three sitting right in Falmount just now. It makes me tremble just to think of it.”

I realized Deya’s hands really were trembling lightly, and I furrowed my brow as I secured the upper arm to the elbow joint. Then I began on a ball and socket for the shoulder.

“How does their magic work exactly?” I asked the elf. “You said it wasn’t the same as magery.”

“Through their claws and horns,” Deya explained. “They don’t cause damage if their claws are retracted, but if they extend them, flames ignite with every strike against the ground. Osulla create a trail of fire when they run this way, and the flames burn faster than any regular flame. They can ram their attacker with their horns, too, and the same enchanted flames are instilled inside. Their running and climbing causes the most damage, though.”

“With the Master controlling three, he could have coordinated an attack to burn all of Illaria within a day,” I mused as I began replicating the arm to form the other, and Deya sent me a worried nod. “What else is south of Nalnora?”

“All kinds of creatures,” she said with a shrug. “Dragir says there’s creatures there that no elves have ever seen before, and since the lands are not part of any nation, other beasts come and go as they please. The Wraith Witches are said to have been born in the smoke lands, but I don’t know if it’s true or not.”

“Then the Master’s been travelling.” Just the thought of him setting his sights on capturing the strange creatures that lived outside the bounds of the nations made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. “He could have sent some of his mages to brand the creatures, but if they’re as dangerous as you say, there’s a good chance he handled the job himself. Plus, he’d have to have a few impressive tricks in his bag to transport them all back to the fortress undetected.”

“Then he crossed Nalnora recently,” Deya said, and she paled at the thought. “Right near House Quyn.”

“I’m sure your House is alright,” I told her gently, but I was honestly feeling pretty uneasy about the possibility now. Last time the Master visited Nalnora, three Houses fell in only a few days. “Dragir keeps a close eye on the jungles, and your dogs are constantly patrolling, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” Deya allowed. “I suppose you’re right, but Dragir planned to move to the caves on the coast when we left. If he’s not at House Quyn, something could go undetected.”

“If it’d make you feel better, you could check for yourself,” I pointed out. “Fly south next time you’re transmuting.”

“You wouldn’t worry too much?”

“As long as you take a western route,” I told the elf. “Don’t fly anywhere near the coast or House Orrel, and don’t linger in the jungle for too long. Just check to be sure everything looks alright, and then fly back along the western border.”

Deya shifted the chest of diamonds aside. “Can I go right now? I won’t be able to stop worrying if I don’t.”

I nodded as I finished the last few details on the automaton’s arm, and the beautiful elf promptly hopped down from the table. I could tell she was still trembling when she clutched my shirt to pull me over for a quick kiss, and her pink brows were knitted with concern as she headed for the next room to gather her scales.

Once Deya was gone, I finally stopped working long enough to really consider the full weight of what the Master might have been up to in the south, and there was no avoiding the obvious. The mages I’d recaptured had already confirmed these witches were working with the Master, and if the Osulla showed up outside of Serin, he’d definitely been raiding the smoke lands to pack his arsenal with things I couldn’t even imagine.

And if I couldn’t imagine them, I couldn’t prepare to counter them.

“Shit,” I cursed under my breath, but I tried to focus on what I could counter at the moment. The Osulla were headed back to where they belonged, and I still had the ogres on my side so long as I ensured their safety in the west.

Still, having more automatons on hand was beginning to sound like a good idea, and if I had more snatchers, I could potentially undo the damage already done from the Master’s little field trip to the south. Fireball runes would only get us so far, though, and I decided I’d tackle the lightning rune as soon as the automaton for Jagruel was finished. It only needed a little tweaking to rein in the power by a few degrees, and whatever else lived in the smoke lands, I doubted they’d be immune to a jolt of lightning being embedded into them from a 1911.

So, I took a steadying breath as I sparked my metal magic and began forming the giant torso of the automaton, and I left a gaping hole in the center for the central wiring hub and channeling gem. I tried to resist the urge to bother Deya every few seconds while I waited to find out if House Quyn had been attacked, but coming up with new ideas for automatons helped a lot.

Part of me wanted to form an entire army’s worth, and once I remembered Grot’s offer to let me have as many channeling gems as I wanted, the idea suddenly became more appealing. I was halfway through a mental design of an automaton wielding tungsten axes as big as a horse when I heard Big Red’s treads whirring through the foothills, and I immediately abandoned the copper spool of twelve gauge wire I’d been working on.

It was close to dusk now, and the ominous red glow of Big Red’s channeling gem slowly passed over the houses of Falmount as he made his way to the western woods. I could hear a few mages who’d been caught off guard as they shrieked and scuttled away, and when Big Red came to a stop in front of me, a chill ran up my spine at the sight of his unwavering and blood red stare.

“Is Cayla alright?” I asked the automaton, and he nodded once. “Good. I need you to help us out here for a while. Your brother’s on a solo mission. As you know, I’ve had Big Guy running our patrols in Falmount, and you’re standing in for him since the Oculus is under repairs.”

Big Red’s gem beat steady and slow in response.

“Cool,” I said with a nod. “So, Big Guy’s duties are to protect any mage who needs help, and to pursue any enemies who might be lingering around the perimeter of the village. He usually starts his patrol heading south. Then he circles toward the east and completes a full round before doubling his path in the western woods since it’s our most vulnerable spot. Sound good?”

Big Red nodded once, and I grinned.

“Awesome,” I replied, “and thank you for getting here so quickly. I really appreciate the dedication, buddy. It’s gonna be cool having you around for a few days.”

I stepped aside for him and gestured to the western woods, but when Big Red raised a fist my way first, I chuckled and knocked my knuckles against his. Then he dutifully whirred his way past the infirmary, and I stood there grinning with my hands on my hips like a dad at a high school football game.

Until he deliberately turned north instead of south, anyways.

“Seriously?” I sighed, and I shook my head as Big Red’s glow continued steadily making its way in the exact opposite direction of Big Guy. “Fucking brothers, man.”

I didn’t have time to mull around in disappointment, though, because I could already hear Deya’s skirts rustling as she headed for the atrium, and I jogged back to the house to find my beautiful elf sitting in a blank state on the edge of the fountain.

“How’d it go?” I asked as I quickly closed the gap between us, and I knelt in front of her to rub her arms since they were covered in goosebumps. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded. “Okay … did you see anything suspicious?”

“No.”

Now, I cocked a brow and straightened up a bit. “Are you still Deya?”

“Uh-huh,” the elf replied, and she forced a smile. “Just … it was fine. All fine. Nothing important. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? Because you seem kind of--”

“I saw my brother having sex, and I can’t unsee it,” Deya blurted out, and my brows shot up.

“Oh! That’s … shit,” I managed.

“Yeahhh,” she sang, and her voice went up several uncomfortable octaves. “I think it was with Rhys’ wife, too, so … there’s that.”

“With Aliasa?” I chuckled. “Damn! Dragir, you dog.”

Deya furrowed her brows, though, and I immediately sobered as best as I could.

“I mean damn, what a dog. That’s … rude.”

“Let’s just move on,” Deya suggested.

I nodded. “Definitely. House Quyn is alright, though?”

“Yeah, it’s glowing with some sort of light that Dragir must have come up with,” she replied, “and the patrol is double what it used to be in the surrounding jungles, but I suppose they must be okay if … well. Anyway.”

“Yeah, they’re fine,” I chuckled. “Are you really okay?”

“Absolutely,” Deya said in the same oddly high voice. “I’m going to sit in this water now and try to forget everything I’ve seen.”

I was about to respond when the beautiful elf abruptly turned herself around on the edge of the fountain, and she dropped fully clothed into the enchanted water until she was completely submerged. Bubbles billowed up as I stared down at her face beneath the surface, and I decided she probably needed a moment.

“Fair enough,” I muttered, and I turned back to the worktable as a merry chuckle slipped from my lips.

At least Dragir was having a jolly old time these days, and the thought of Rhys waiting at home for his genuinely smoking hot wife to finish banging his friend was just the upper I needed at the moment.

Shit, I’d be right in Dragir’s place if I could manage it, and I contemplated Aliasa’s tigerish grin and amber eyes as I shuffled a few meaningless pieces of steel around on the table. She’d only kissed me once, but that woman definitely made an impression, and I was humoring myself with the memory of her meaty ass strutting into the jungle when the Baroness thrust herself into my mind.

She was on her knees once again, and I thoroughly cleared my throat as I knocked the steel right off the table and tripped over the stool when I tried to catch it.

Then I came crashing down onto my own knees while Deya shot up for a gasping breath.

“Are you okay?” she demanded.

“Absolutely,” I said a little higher than usual. “Just working. You know.”

Deya nodded and dropped back beneath the water, and I forced my mind to think about automatons and elaborate weaponry rather than the Baroness’ ebony lips or her throat clenching around my cock like her life depended on it.

“Fuuuucking focus,” I mumbled to myself as I reorganized my sketches a bit, but then Bobbie’s growl entered the bounds of Falmount, and I let out a sigh of relief.

At least my own gorgeous women always distracted me without fail.

I could hear Cayla’s giggle right along with Aurora’s, too, and I left Deya to her mental cleanse as I headed outside. Then I unsealed Bobbie’s doors, and before Aurora could get beyond a smile, I had her in my arms with my tongue forcing its way into her mouth.

The half-elf moaned happily as she melted in my hold, and I pinned her against the side of the Mustang while Cayla chuckled in approval.

“We missed you, too,” the princess purred, “and we bought many things for tomorrow because we couldn’t make up our minds.”

Aurora nodded as she knotted her fingers in my hair, and I hoisted her up so her legs were locked around my hips. Then I carried the half-elf inside while she bit at my tongue for more, and when I propped her ass on my worktable, she refused to let me go.

“Is Deya okay?” Cayla asked, and I finally resurfaced.

“Yeah, she saw Dragir having sex with Aliasa,” I told her. “She just needs a minute.”

Aurora wrenched me back for more as Cayla dropped several parcels onto the floor of the atrium, and I had the half-elf’s shirt off by the time Deya shot up for another gasp of air.

“Hey, sweetie,” I heard Cayla sigh. “Are you alright?”

“Anything you have to distract me would be great,” the elf spluttered, and Aurora chuckled against my lips.

“I brought you many lovely gifts,” the princess assured her.

“Me too!” Aurora mumbled, and I reluctantly released the giggling woman so she could hop down.

I still admired her bobbing breasts as she pranced over to the fountain, though, and I grinned when she pulled a fiery red dress out to show it off for me.

“The Elders were wearing red, so I figured I should probably outdo them,” Aurora told me, and she sent me a wink.

“I fully support this,” I said with a nod. “Where does that slit end?”

Aurora smirked and trailed her finger up her leg, and when she stopped just inches from the apex of her thighs, I let out a groan.

“Yeah, wear that, that’s … that’s good.”

“I know,” Aurora giggled. “I thought of you the moment I saw it, but just wait until you see what we got for Shoshanne.”

“What about me?” Deya asked as she propped her elbows on the edge of the fountain.

“You are dripping wet, and I got you velvet,” Cayla replied. “So, you get to wait until tomorrow.”

“But--” the beautiful elf tried.

“No buts,” the princess countered. “You belong to a baron now, and this is the highest quality velvet in Serin. If you take all of your clothes off for Mason, though, I might reconsider.”

I raised my brows as Deya immediately obeyed the princess’ command, and Shoshanne’s husky giggle drifted into the atrium as the elf peeled her drenched silk from her lavish curves right in the middle of the fountain. She kept her violet gaze on me as her cheeks flushed a deep pink, and when she traced a few circles across her clit while I watched, I lost all feeling in my legs.

“I see I got home just in time,” the healer murmured and slid her arms around my waist.

“I’d say so,” I agreed. “How are the new healers doing?”

“They’re wonderful,” Shoshanne sighed. “I can’t thank you enough for bringing them here for me. They listened to everything I said, and no one objected to the chains or the procedure. I think I might finally be able to step back from the whole operation and trust that they’ll … be …”

Shosanne trailed off as Cayla pulled a black velvet evening gown out of a parcel, and both of us let out simultaneous sighs as she held it out to a still dripping wet and naked Deya.

“I thought you could use something a little more sinful,” the princess informed the elf, and Deya blushed to her roots.

“I love it!” she laughed, and I bit my lip at the sight of her bright pink nipples while she bounced and threw her arms around Cayla’s neck.

Then a knock came at the door, but I was way too distracted admiring the scene to move a damn inch, so Shoshanne headed over to answer it for me. I only vaguely registered the sound of a king’s guard saying something I didn’t remotely care about, though, because Cayla had half her leather corset off now while Aurora helped her with the ribbons.

My brain was firmly rooted in my dick by the time Shoshanne handed me a roll of parchment, and I numbly unrolled it as Aurora teased me with only a glimpse of Cayla’s nipples beneath her leather.

“What is it?” Deya finally asked, and I dragged myself out of my erotic reverie long enough to look down at the parchment.

“Looks like a mapping of the land the king’s giving me.”

Cayla gasped and strutted over with her leather still only halfway off her ass, and I let the women all snatch the parchment away as my hand drifted down to cradle the princess’ half-bare cheek against me. My other hand snuck it’s way beneath her leather, too, and I slid a finger into Cayla’s slick entrance as I admired her perfect porcelain breasts.

“Gods … it’s huge,” Aurora moaned, and I grinned.

“Help yourself,” I mumbled, but then Shoshanne elbowed me in the ribs and I snapped out of it.

“What’s going on?”

“Look at this!” Aurora insisted as she pointed at the parchment. “This is way more than ten miles.”

“Holy shit,” I chuckled. “That’s definitely more than I need.”

“I respectfully disagree,” Cayla informed me, and she grabbed my wrist to force my finger even deeper inside her. “With this much land, you could house all of the mages in Serin if you wanted.”

“The next Oculus,” Aurora mused, and I eyed the look on her face.

All of my women suddenly wore slightly scheming expressions, and I had a strange sense of déjà vu as they let out a collective sigh and clutched the map between them.

“Mason could build a twenty-foot wall around all of this for us,” Aurora murmured.

Shoshanne giggled. “Mason could build us our own railway to oversee it all.”

“Mason has more land than Aeris,” Deya informed them, and Cayla’s cheeks flushed on the spot.

“Does he?” the princess asked breathlessly as I snuck another finger inside of her.

“Twice as much,” Deya assured her. “We could build a palace on this much land.”

“We could have our own dungeon to torture our enemies with this much land,” Aurora added, and all four women looked at me expectantly.

“I mean … I don’t fucking care,” I chuckled. “Anything you want. Sure.”

Then Cayla was on me as she tore my vest open, and I could feel Shoshanne wrenching at my belt as Deya’s giggles filled my ears. Aurora was dragging me to the bedroom now, while Cayla refused to stop kissing me, and I finally just threw the princess over my shoulder so I wouldn’t flatten her in my haste.

My clothes were torn off within seconds of Shoshanne shoving me onto the bed, and I honestly couldn’t tell who forced my dick into them first because I already had an ass on my face.

Despite the Master’s machinations, life could be fucking great.

Chapter 7

I woke up naked with my head on a stack of sketches in the atrium, and the automaton for Jagruel stood nearly completed at my side. All that was missing was a choice of weapon for his left arm, and I’d passed out after spending half the night trying to solve the issue.

It probably didn’t help that I was already exhausted from making love to all of my women for well over three hours, but I couldn’t sleep knowing the Master was currently one upping me. I laid tangled with my women while they all drifted off to sleep, but even their satiny limbs and breasts pressed around me didn’t ease my mind.

The Osulla had been this close to ending it all, and soon, the Master would know I stopped him from making that kind of progress yet again. Which meant I couldn’t afford to let one more attempt slip under the radar. I needed to secure the ogres’ safety and get on the offensive, but even after an hour trying to work with the metal rune, I had nothing. I’d succeeded in accidentally combining every scrap of metal in my house into a giant lump in the atrium, though, and it took me another hour just to sort it all out again, including rebuilding the automaton from scratch.

Then I decided to scrap the idea altogether rather than waste any more time on a new rune, because mastering the lightning one was more important right now. Still, Cayla wanted this sentry to have a gun, and I honestly did, too. Anyone who went after the ogres deserved what they got at this point, and I was done moving backward at all. I couldn’t afford to, so I sketched out ten different ideas, and around sunrise, I finally felt like I had a solid chance at a solution.

So, as the noise of Falmount roused me out of a dead sleep, I dragged myself up and stumbled to the fountain before I dropped in and let the enchanted waters douse me for another day of kicking ass. Then I took a while longer to wash all the sex off since I was supposed to be speaking with the nobility of Illaria today, and there was a hell of a lot of rigorous sex going on lately.

Of course, last night, I may have had slightly ulterior motives. The thing was, my women were crazy after me once they saw that parcel of land, and when I saw the same plotting look in their eyes that I’d seen on the night of the Rosh, I decided I wasn’t about to miss the opportunity. So yeah, I may have kept at it with them way longer than necessary, but I knew for a fact I’d cummed in each of them more than six times on average, on top of what I’d done the night before, and if that didn’t get them all pregnant, I didn’t know what would.

Not that I cared one way or the other because I was letting it lie.

Just in case they cared, though, I figured I should be as thorough as possible, and they definitely had zero objections last night. My women let me have my way with each of them in any direction I pleased, over and over, and now, they would probably be sleeping it off for the rest of the morning. I would have required the same if not for my healing rune, but it had me bouncing back like an immortal lately, and I had its powers to thank for my award-winning max level porn star performance last night, too. Around my tenth climax, the term sex god took on a whole new meaning for me as a fresh jet of semen filled Deya’s taut tunnel to capacity once again.

Which meant I should damn well be able to have the automaton completed and ready to move out by the time my women woke up, and then I could spend the afternoon working on the lightning rune for the 1911. If all went well, my concerns about the Master would be fully addressed before the meeting this evening, and I’d only have to focus on not letting the alliance with Orebane go all to hell.

Well, that and figuring out which two fuckwads had the balls to target my beautiful elves.

I figured the nine who wanted to kill me weren’t as much of an issue. Mostly because there was no way they’d get a shot in with my women around, but also because I had no intentions of carrying on with the Baroness at all. Too much was on the line, and if I did end up with four pregnant women relying on me soon, the last thing I needed was to meddle with a woman who could put a dozen extra targets on my back.

Even though she was probably worth it because I still couldn’t stop reliving that blow job at least once every hour. I’d never had my dick that far down a woman’s throat in my entire life, but even as I considered this, I realized I was once again thinking about the Baroness.

“Godsdamnit,” I growled as I shot to my feet, and I dripped water all over the house as I tracked down a towel. Then I dug my pants out from under Cayla’s thigh-high boots and a couple pairs of chains, and I returned to the worktable determined not to think about the Baroness anymore. Not just for the safety of my family, but for her sake as well. It’d really be a shame for a woman of her … talents … to be at risk over meddling with me.

So, I stubbornly furrowed my brow, and I forced my attention back to the sketches on the table as Stan’s head popped up from behind my spool of copper wire.

He’d been with me through the wee hours of the morning while I worked on the issues involved with rigging the new automaton to operate a gun, and bouncing ideas off him had been half the reason I came up with so many options. We were honestly having a lot of fun with the whole idea, but I knew Stan was secretly hoping I’d upgrade his brothers a bit after this, because he kept striking the pose he always used when he was mentioning Big Guy.

Now, we spent a few minutes perusing my three favorite options from our planning session, and Stan eventually pointed to the most logical one.

“I know,” I told the little metal man. “I just really wanted to go full automatic for once, but you’re right. Since he’ll be so far from Falmount, we should play it safe.”

Stan nodded his approval, and I shuffled the spare designs aside as he sat down on the corner of my paper.

For this design, the automaton would have to have a pistol permanently mounted in his hand, and that way, I could utilize his entire forearm as a magazine without the issue of feeding the bullets in at an angle. I estimated about sixty rounds could fit between his palm and the hinge of his elbow, and there was little chance the Master would send that many mages to Jagruel any time soon. He’d managed the abductions there with only two mages before, and by the time he found another pair as effective as Dahko and his Ignis helper, I’d already have my automaton in place and ready to blow their brains out.

I smirked as I sparked my metal magic and summoned a fresh lump of steel from the shelf, and I pulled my 1911 over to prop it directly in front of me while Stan rubbed his metal hands together.

Then I let my magic seep into the pistol’s makeup as I studied every dimension, spring, and bushing, and I transferred the details directly into the fresh steel down to the exact millimeter. My jaw throbbed as I gritted my teeth in the effort of securing each piece without using my hands or eyesight at all, and even though the process was slower than forming each part and piecing it together like I’d done before, I kept at it. I wanted to perfect the process of working this way, not only because I knew I could do it, but because it might simplify a lot in the immediate future.

I still hadn’t decided if arming the mages with my 1911s was a safe move or not, but after the design for my revolvers had ended up in the Master’s hands, I was feeling less confident about the idea. Arming Temin’s men with rifles and revolvers had been a bold move when I first entered this realm, and since I’d learned my lesson there, I knew I absolutely could not let this new design end up in the hands of the Master’s recruits.

However, if I could figure out how to prevent the same mistake, I would need to make hundreds of replicas in order to arm my mages for the siege against his fortress. If that time did come, I wanted to be sure the process was as time efficient as possible, and I figured the best solution was the same as it always was.

To level up on my magery, because the possibilities were seemingly endless, and after talking with Hulsan and working with Markus to fix the Oculus, I was more determined than ever to find out what I was capable of in this realm.

So, I opened my eyes to find Stan doing a little victory dance between two pistols on the table, and I grinned as I picked up the newly completed 1911.

“That wasn’t too bad,” I mumbled, and Stan held up his hand for a high five.

I could sense the mental fatigue of the process, but it wasn’t anything concerning. It felt a lot like I’d pushed my limits a little on a day at the gym, but it clearly paid off, because the new pistol was identical to the original. I even disassembled it to be certain everything aligned properly, and once I had the 1911 completed by hand once more, I walked over to the sentry.

He was double the size of Big Guy, so I had to crane my neck to get a look at his ominous helm, but I knew he’d have to be staggering to survive the strength of the Master’s recruits.

“We’re gonna alter the grip and firing mechanism quite a bit,” I told Stan as I showed him how the pistol would be mounted. “I’ll double the size of the pistol once everything is prepared, but normally the magazine inserts into the grip here at the bottom. That feeds the bullets upward into the chamber, though, and we need them to feed straight from the back now. To accomplish that, we have to remove the entire hammer rigging first, but for our purposes, this is perfect, because the automaton doesn’t need to worry about safeties, and I’d rather he didn’t have to bother cocking a hammer at all.”

Stan nodded along and pointed to the sketch again, and I joined him at the table.

“Exactly, that’s why it’s missing on the sketch,” I continued as I gestured to the completed pistol. “See, this part is being removed to expose the chamber, but if we remove the hammer, we have to either find a different means of striking the firing pin or, and this is what I’m hoping to accomplish, we could bypass the need for a firing pin altogether.”

Now, the metal man shook his head, and he kicked his little foot against my 1911 like it was useless.

“No, no, stay with me here,” I tried, “because think of the blow gun I gave Big Red. Now, I used the air rune Deya showed me to propel the darts, so why can’t I use the same rune, with a little more kick behind it, to propel the bullets?”

I grinned as I waited for Stan to catch up, and I had the sense he was grinning too because he remained frozen in place for a long moment. Then he clutched his little head in his hands and dropped onto his metal ass.

“Right?” I laughed. “It’s fucking perfect! I just have to get the air rune up to specs and rig the trigger rune to interact with that rather than the firing pin. This way, I have a clear path to feed the bullets straight through the automaton’s palm into the chamber, and all he’s gotta do is pull the trigger. Easy.”

I sat back on my stool as I sparked my metal magic, and the first thing I did was to carefully remove the sear, disconnector, and hammer. Then I removed the firing spring, pin, and stopper before broadening the space where these had been so it would be the same width as the chamber it extended into. Now, I had a straight shot through the rear of the pistol, and I could see out of the other end where Stan sent me a little salute of support.

I chuckled as I went to the cabinet to pull out my engraving kit, and I quickly handled the trigger rune first. I’d gotten used to balancing the elements after engraving this rune five times over in Jagruel, and within fifteen minutes, I’d embedded the copper wiring within the pistol and ran it from the trigger rune to a copper contact point within the chamber.

Then I sparked my metal magic to split the entire frame in half, and with the inner chamber exposed, I closed my eyes to find the degree mapping I’d used on the rune for the blow gun.

I refamiliarized myself with the three necessary elements first, and I decided to double the thickness of each line for the initial test run. Hopefully, that would be enough of a kick for the altered pistol to fire similarly to the original, but unfortunately, the space I was working with was outrageously tiny, so instead of having a single copper contact point within the chamber, I added more metal to line the entire circumference with copper at this point.

Then I closed my eyes and began summoning one element at a time, and by the time I finished balancing all three into cohesion on the copper, I could hear my women beginning to stir in the bedroom. I had the split frame realigned and fused together when Cayla’s arms slid around my shoulders for a hug, and she let out a sleepy sigh as she tucked her chin against my neck.

“Good morning, beautiful,” I muttered, and the princess let out a soft moan in greeting. “How are your legs doing?”

“Ouch,” she mumbled.

“Yeah, I figured,” I chuckled, and I turned around to pull the naked woman into my lap. “In my defense, you told me to tie them like that.”

“No regrets,” Cayla yawned. “New gun?”

“Sort of,” I replied as the princess turned the altered pistol over in her hands. “It’s for the automaton. Wanna help me test it out?”

“When you’re done building it,” she said with a shrug, and I grinned.

“I am done building it. Here, watch.”

I shifted the naked princess off my lap so I could grab a few bullets from the cabinet, and once I slid one into the chamber, I handed it over to Cayla.

“Fire it at the door,” I told her, and she furrowed her brows.

“But there’s no hammer?”

I chuckled and turned her around instead as I took my stance behind her, and I steadied her arm with the front door in my sights. Then I pressed her finger down on the trigger, and the bullet shot from the barrel to bury itself in the wood as Cayla gasped.

“Well shit,” I chuckled. “Guess it’s perfect.”

“How … what? How is that possible?” Cayla demanded as I released my hold on her. “There’s no firing pin. There’s no--”

“Magic,” I said with a grin. “Look in the chamber.”

Cayla immediately squinted into the exposed back of the gun, and the moment she noticed the rune etched into the copper siding, a grin twitched at the corners of her lips.

“I don’t believe it,” she murmured. “Do you realize what this means?”

“It means shit’s about to get pretty fun,” I assured her as I took the 1911 back to the table, and I didn’t have to look over my shoulder to know the princess was pacing behind me.

“Mason, this changes everything!” Cayla giggled excitedly. “Assembly time will be cut down, the possibilities are endless, and--”

“Hold on,” I chuckled, and I caught her by the hips while she passed so I could root her between my thighs. “First, let’s see if I can rig the magazine properly at all. Then we can get excited.”

“No, I’m going to be excited anyway,” she said with a smirk, “because I already know you’ll figure it out.”

The princess tipped my chin up for a kiss as she stroked her fingers through my hair, and only when I casually slid my fingers around her inner thigh to tease her a bit, did she finally giggle and release me.

“Will you make me every gun I could ever imagine?” Cayla purred, and her icy eyes glittered at the thought.

“Always,” I assured her, “but don’t I owe you all kinds of diamonds first?”

“The meeting!” Cayla gasped, and she was out of my hold and heading for the fountain before I could blink. “There’s so much I have to do to get ready. I bought you four different outfits, and--”

“I’m pretty sure I only need one,” I muttered as I headed for the automaton.

“But this is the nobility, Mason! You need options, and if you try each one on, I can--”

“Just pick one out,” I chuckled. “I’ll wear whatever. In the meantime, I want to get this guy headed to Jagruel before lunch so I can focus on adjusting that lightning rune.”

Cayla sighed as she scooped water over herself and let it run down her porcelain frame, and I sent her a wink despite her disapproving glare.

“Fine,” she relented, “but I still can’t decide what I’m going to wear.”

“I thought you bought something yesterday,” I muttered, and I sparked my metal magic to begin packing the automaton’s forearm with steel as I kept the dimensions of the 1911’s barrel in mind.

“I did,” Cayla replied. “Seven gowns, and all of them are perfect, so that’s my trouble.”

I looked over. “You bought seven dresses for one evening?”

“Seven for me,” she said with a shrug. “Then there’s four for Shoshanne because I couldn’t decide how much cleavage to show off, and there’s six choices for Deya, but I think the black velvet is probably best.”

“Damn. How many for Aurora?”

Cayla rolled her eyes. “One. She fell in love with that red gown as soon as she saw the slit, and she refused to let me pick out anything else.”

“You’re ridiculous,” I informed the woman, and I split off a chunk of steel as I sat back at the table to alter its makeup.

“You’ll thank me,” Cayla sighed, and as I turned my attention to the steel, I could hear her dripping water all the way to the bedroom.

Then I began slowly adjusting the malleability of the metal, and once I had a full chunk of spring steel instead, I began forming a stout spring the same diameter as the chamber I’d left in the automaton’s arm. I inserted the final spring into the slim magazine in the forearm, and I used my metal magic to fuse it to the base near the elbow hinge.

Stan was already rolling the last two bullets on the table over to me, and I patted him on the head before inserting them into the arm as well.

“Thanks buddy, but we’re gonna need way more than that,” I chuckled, and I pulled a box of bullets out of the cabinet and began filing them into the automaton’s arm. I managed to fit fifty-five end to end, and then I reformed the automaton’s hand so the chamber let out at the base of his thumb to line up with the pistol.

I was just about to test the altered 1911 once more to be sure the rune didn’t need any tweaking, but then I heard Aurora let out a furious curse, and I cocked a brow at the sound of Cayla slapping her across the cheek.

“Get up!” the princess ordered, and when I heard Aurora chuckle with enjoyment, my body temperature shot up.

Then Cayla shoved the naked half-elf into the atrium, and I snorted at the look on Aurora’s face. Her eyes refused to open all the way, and several imprints from her iron chains still flecked her wrists and belly.

“You’re ridiculous,” Aurora groaned as she was forced into the fountain. “It’s too early for pampering, and Mason kept me up half the night.”

“Stop complaining!” the princess scolded, and she tugged on one of Aurora’s braids. “You look like a wildling, and how am I supposed to do anything with this when Mason’s seed is plastered in your hair? What will the other barons think?”

“They will be incredibly jealous he has four beautiful lovers.” Aurora giggled and sent me a devilish wink, but then Cayla abruptly dunked her under the water while she had her guard down. The half-elf gurgled in protest, and when she finally emerged, she swiftly caught Cayla in a headlock and flipped her into the fountain.

Water sloshed all over the atrium as the two women began to grapple in earnest, and I turned around on my stool to admire their slick bodies while Aurora laughed her ass off through the whole ordeal. I lost track of who’s naked ass belonged to who at first, but once Aurora managed to pin Cayla’s face against the edge of the fountain with her breasts, I finally caught up.

I was honestly a little surprised at how dirty the two women fought, but Cayla eventually called a dripping wet truce after Aurora bit her ass cheek without reserve, and the princess managed to escape Aurora’s claws with a haughty huff.

“Well, you’re clean, at least,” Cayla scoffed as she stood beside the fountain with her arms crossed under her breasts. “Now, get out so I can make sure your gown doesn’t need any alterations. Personally, I think your nipples are too close to being exposed in it.”

“Not until you bring Shoshanne out,” Aurora chuckled with a dirty smirk. “She likes when I wash her off, and I know you enjoy helping.”

Cayla couldn’t resist smirking despite the half-elf’s sass, and I raised my brows when she strutted off to drag Shoshanne out of bed for her.

“I love everything about you,” I informed Aurora.

“I know,” she giggled. “Thanks for cumming on my face last night, by the way. I’ve been wanting you to do that for months.”

“Always happy to oblige,” I sighed, and Shoshanne let out an equally furious growl in the bedroom.

“How come you don’t have to suffer the wrath of the princess?” Aurora grumbled. “You are the baron after all.”

“Because I made a cool gun today,” I chuckled. “You should take notes.”

I turned back to the table as Cayla began straight up ordering Shoshanne to get out of bed, and by the time the healer was forced into the fountain, I already had the pistol mounted in the automaton’s hand.

All that was left was fusing the channeling gem into his central wiring hub, but I took my time digging my stash of gems out of the cabinet because I couldn’t stop staring at the women in the fountain. My hand groped blindly through my hoard of ammunition while Aurora slowly lathered Shoshanne’s breasts with soap, and Cayla giggled as she sat on the fountain’s edge and propped the healer between her splayed thighs to wash her hair for her.

I’d been a little rough with Shoshanne last night after she begged me to go as deep as I could, and I’d given her what she wanted over and over again. So, I fully understood her exhaustion now, but she still smiled sleepily and kept her brown eyes on me while the women cleaned her up, and I could tell by the blush on her cheeks that she was thinking about last night, too.

“Good morning,” I chuckled.

“I love you,” Shoshanne sighed, “but remind me to slap Cayla later.”

“Deal.”

“You’ll thank me,” Cayla muttered once more, “but you can absolutely slap me as much as you want so long as Mason gets to watch.”

My hand closed around the satchel of gems just as Aurora began rinsing the bubbles off Shoshanne’s creamy skin, and I almost tripped over my stool while I kept my attention glued on the sopping wet women currently bathing in the middle of my workshop.

“You’re gonna wash Deya next, right?” I asked in a daze.

“Only if you finish your work,” Cayla replied, and the commanding look in her icy blue eyes sent me barreling for the automaton.

I had the channeling gem mounted in the central wiring hub before I could take a full breath, and I whipped around in time to catch the view of Shoshanne rising to her feet in the fountain with Aurora giggling beneath her.

Then the three naked women’s smiles fell as they gaped past me, and when I turned around, I found myself staring four feet up at the gleaming golden eyes of the automaton.

“Hey, I’m Mason Flynt,” I informed him.

The automaton nodded once, and then he looked at the fountain.

“Those are my women.” I grinned fiercely. “Kill anyone who tries to harm them.”

The machine-man nodded again, held out his fist, and then I tapped knuckles with him.

Yep. He got it.

Chapter 8

I couldn’t stop staring at the largest automaton I’d built to date, but then Stan vaulted off the table and latched onto my sleeve. He must have been desperately seeking my attention without me noticing because when I looked down, he was pointing urgently at the automaton while he clung to my shirt.

“Oh, right! Sorry, buddy,” I chuckled, and I scooped him into my palm to raise him high above my head.

I kept chuckling, too, because he immediately took a power stance with his hands propped on his hips as he rose several feet into the air.

“This is Stan,” I announced. “He assisted in designing your weaponry, but don’t let his size fool you. He’s my number one guy around here.”

Stan gave a decisive nod and snapped a crisp salute, and after a pause, the automaton returned the gesture. Then Stan gave the signal, and I slowly lowered him back down to the table while Cayla giggled behind us.

“I’m gonna move you to the clearing outside,” I told the automaton. “Then we can start testing your range of movement and weaponry and go over your orders. Aurora, could you draw me a map to Jagruel? If I get a mental image of it, I can channel the directions into his gem so he can head out.”

“I’m coming with!” Cayla blurted as she sloshed out of the fountain, and the other two women swiftly followed while they left puddles all over the floor.

By the time I got the automaton raised out of the atrium and set down in the clearing between the house and the infirmary, my women were clutching sheets around their midsections and sprinting out of the house to get a look at my new magic robot.

I grinned as I sized him up and took a turn around the entire machine to be sure everything was in place, and the automaton remained standing at attention with his golden gem pulsing like a beacon in his chest. His gleaming eyes burned unblinking behind his helmet, and this combined with the 1911 in his hand suddenly made me a bit uneasy. I’d never given my sentries semi-automatics before, but I reminded myself this was my own killing machine, so I should be able to trust it. At least I wouldn’t be coming up against him myself.

“Alright,” I sighed as I came to a stop in front of him, and Cayla sent me an eager grin.

“Gun first?” the princess begged.

“Orders first,” I corrected, because it seemed more important that his loyalties be firmly instilled before he started playing around with a death machete and a gun with nearly sixty rounds in it.

So, I raised my palm as I sparked my Terra Magic, and I let my powers connect with the automaton’s channeling gem. It was one of the gems Grot had given me in Jagruel, and while it wasn’t any bigger than a pocket watch, it had a frequency as strong as Big Guy’s. Something about its presence felt a little less serious than his, though, and I figured this would be good because I’d come to think of the ogres less as brutes and more as damn good partiers, so I had a feeling they’d appreciate his vibe.

“Okay, buddy,” I began.

“Name him Maximus!” Aurora called. “He’s the biggest one! Maximus is perfect!”

“I have a cousin named Maximus,” Cayla said with a nod. “It’s a respectable name.”

“Hey, me too,” Shoshanne giggled.

I smirked and started again. “Okay, Max, your orders are as follows. You are to travel to Jagruel and patrol the forest and hunting grounds of the region. The ogres are under your protection, and they’re relying on you to prevent any attacks or abductions. Take no prisoners and destroy any and all threats to the ogre region. Do not interfere with their own kind, though, because they tend to fight regularly amongst themselves. Keep your focus sharp, never let down your guard, and if you sense a dark magical force within anyone who enters the region, that’s your primary target. Understood?”

The automaton nodded diligently.

“Cool,” I said with a smirk. “Take care of yourself, too, though. This is a big job, and I’m counting on you to ensure the safety of my allies in the west. Use your ammunition sparingly, and keep your aim direct to avoid any waste. I’ll come out there to replenish your supply every once in a while. Now, are you ready to test out your functionality a bit?”

Max didn’t hesitate to unsheathe his massive sword, and I ducked just in time to avoid having my head mounted on the steel blade.

“Damn,” I muttered, “uh, alright, let’s have you work out your blade a bit on that tree over there. Run through the basic maneuvers and--”

That was all I got in because Max was already whirring toward the tree line, and I tentatively followed after as I assessed his mobility. Regardless of how huge he was, he steered himself around with incredible precision, and he came to a clipped stop in front of a stout oak. Then he raised his sword to strike, and in a single blow, the trunk was sliced in half. My jaw unhinged as a low groan creaked across the clearing, and the branches of the surrounding trees snapped as the oak crashed down into the forest.

Then Max raised his sword again, and I quickly rushed forward.

“No, that’s plenty!” I yelped. “Don’t do that again, that’s … that’ll be just fine. Let’s move on.”

Max nodded diligently, and I tried to rein in my grin.

“So,” I chuckled, “since you cut the thing down anyway … in one swipe … why don’t we test out your machete mechanism and clean up that tree a bit?”

I stepped back a ways while the automaton promptly headed for the felled oak, and my pulse quickened as I kept my eyes glued on his steel blade. There was a brief pause as he held it extended toward the branches, but then I heard a hollow click, and the blade began turning in his palm. It gradually picked up speed as my chuckles grew louder, and when he suddenly drove forward into the knot of branches, I leapt back as leaves, twigs, and shards of wood went flying in every direction.

Then Max started testing his maneuvers, too, and he looked like a giant, metal samurai warrior as he wielded the spinning machete in long, precise movements to cut through everything in his path.

When the automaton got through the entire head of the oak, the blade came to a sharp stop before he sheathed it, and he turned around to stand at attention and await his next order.

Now that the sound of him tearing through wood was gone, I could hear my women laughing near the house, and I turned to see them clutching each other and their sheets while they cheered for the automaton.

Cayla was the most excited of the three, though, and she had a giddy grin on her face that reminded me of a kid on Christmas morning.

“Do it again!” Aurora called. “Do the trunk next!

“Death machete is my new favorite invention!” the princess laughed, and I grinned.

“You’ve still gotta give the pistol a chance,” I pointed out.

“I don’t understand why you changed it,” Shoshanne said as she furrowed her brows. “It doesn’t look like your other pistols.”

“I used the standard trigger wiring, but I combined it with the air rune from the blow guns to bypass the need of a hammer and firing pin,” I explained. “That’s why the rear portion looks a little under designed, but all the work is being done internally. This way, his ammunition is stored in his forearm and delivered through the rear of the gun.”

“What if the bullets start a fire in the forest, though?” Shoshanne worried. “Without any mages to contain a blaze, the enchanted flames could--”

“I already considered that,” I assured her. “Since I won’t be out there to address any mishaps with this guy, his ammunition is just bare bones copper bullets, with no rune magic involved. Considering how effective Big Guy and his brother are with their crossbows, I figured the automaton’s aim would be lethal enough to be effective without the extra ‘burn you alive’ factor.”

“Good thinking,” Shoshanne sighed with relief, and I turned back to Max.

“Ready to show them how it’s done?” I asked, and I pointed to the trees behind the house to get him repositioned.

The automaton’s gem burned brighter in anticipation while he raised his left hand, and once he was ready, he looked to me for the order.

“Have at it,” I said, and Max gave a curt nod.

Then he pulled the trigger, and one bullet after another was fired into the trunks of thirty trees in under a minute. The automaton rotated his torso to continue his path as he struck each tree surrounding him without missing a single target, and when he was turned all the way around and was facing the infirmary, my gut suddenly dropped.

Max didn’t shoot the place up, though. Instead, he bent his arm into a right angle until the building was out of range, and then he continued shooting his way through the forest once more until his entire magazine was empty. When he lowered his arm, the clearing was completely silent, but after I’d stared for a solid minute, I heard someone high above me let out a low, “Damn.”

I craned my neck to see the three Defenders on the infirmary tower looking down at the automaton with wide eyes, but I only managed half a wave because I was busy envisioning an epic army of automatons armed with pistols and moving across the foothills to destroy my enemies in seconds flat. Giant automatons with death machetes and impenetrable armor that mowed down possessed mages like ants and punched right through the walls of the Master’s fortress. I could stand them at the gates of every city in Illaria, and hundreds of them lining the perimeter of Falmount would certainly ensure the safety of my hypothetical children.

I could already imagine my murdery kids growing up and training with the best of them, and they would become the greatest knights in the history of the Illarian army. My automatons could run them through drills in their own training fields while I carried on making love to my women all over my palace, but around the time the kids started ordering my automatons to attack each other just to get a rise out of me, I heard Deya frantically sprinting from the house.

I blinked out of my daze to find the beautiful, naked elf shakily clutching her pistol, and her pink hair was wild from sleep as she planted herself in front of my other women.

“Wh-What’s wrong?” she stammered. “Are you all okay? I heard an attack!”

Aurora laughed heartily as the guards on the tower abruptly returned to their posts, and Cayla sighed and lowered Deya’s gun for her.

“I appreciate your commitment, but Mason’s just testing his new automaton,” the princess informed her. “He gave it a gun.”

Deya furrowed her sleepy brows in confusion, and I took the opportunity to drag my eyes all up and down her lithe figure.

“You look adorable when you’re nakedly defending the people you love, though,” I told the elf.

“Oh,” Deya said with a harried nod. “Thanks. I’ll just … yeah.”

Shoshanne snorted as Deya stumbled back to the house with her pistol limp in her grip, and I was about to address Max once more when I heard the elf yawn a greeting to Jenik.

That’s when I noticed my squire standing pale faced on the lane, but to his credit, he didn’t even notice the naked woman passing by. He was busy gaping in horror at the massive metal machine behind me, and I decided I liked the kid that much more, even if he was a jerk to Pindor every chance he got lately.

“Jenik!” I called as I waved him over. “This is Max.”

My women casually dismissed themselves even though Jenik seriously didn’t spare them a single glance as he shuffled forward, and he was still looking like a lobotomy patient by the time he crept to my side.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Uh … ”

“Is everything alright at the Oculus?” I tried, and I glanced between him and Max’s gleaming eyes that towered above us. After a few minutes passed like this, though, I nudged the kid to bring him back around. “He’s not gonna kill you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Are you sure?” Jenik squeaked.

“Positive,” I chuckled. “I already programmed him. We were just running a quick trial run before he leaves. I promised the ogres an automaton to guard their region in exchange for their alliance in arms, and this is the final product.”

Now, Jenik finally woke up. “You … have an alliance with the ogres?”

“Yep,” I said with a nod, “and as a knight, you’ll be expected to know a thing or two about diplomacy. Remember, it doesn’t matter how terrifying a creature is or how many times someone warns you about getting eaten. What matters is if you’re willing to meet them halfway. First lesson.”

“Okay,” he said with a nervous nod.

“So, what did you want to see me about?”

Jenik was staring at Max again, but he swallowed hard and managed to keep up a conversation. “That’s actually why I’m here. I just finished my lesson at the fields, and I was wondering if you had any time to train me today?”

“Hmm, good point,” I muttered. “We should probably get you practicing in combat. Do you have your dad’s sword with you?”

“I do,” he replied, and his hand slid to the hilt of his sturdy broadsword.

“Excellent,” I said and sparked my Terra Magic. “You’ll be training with Big Red today.”

“Th-The machine from the Oculus?” he stammered, and he practically turned green.

“Of course,” I replied as I sensed Big Red’s treads through the dirt, and I figured he’d be coming back through the western woods any minute. “You wanna spar with the best, don’t you?”

“Well, yeah,” Jenik mumbled, “but--”

“Then Big Red’s your guy,” I assured him. “I’ve been training with his brother Big Guy myself, and once you get past the crippling fear part, I think you’ll really enjoy it. Let me just get Max on his way, and we’ll set you up.”

I left Jenik to steady his nerves while I walked over to Max, and the giant automaton held out his arm as he gestured to his empty magazine.

“You’re already getting the hang of it,” I chuckled as I sparked my metal magic. “How did everything feel? Do you need any last minute adjustments?”

Max shook his head as I brought two boxes of bullets drifting over from the atrium, and I used my magic to open a groove along his inner arm and expose the chamber inside. Then I filed another fifty-five bullets into place, and once the forearm was resealed, I tossed the empty boxes aside and sparked my Terra Magic instead.

Next, I pulled Aurora’s map out of my pocket and studied the directions to Jagruel as I instilled the image into my mind, and then I raised my palm toward Max’s channeling gem to transfer the information.

“Got that?” I asked once I was finished, and Max saluted without delay.

Now that I had every detail addressed, though, I was feeling a little sad to see him go. He was my biggest, baddest automaton yet, and I knew he was exactly what Jagruel needed. I just wished we’d had some time to get to know each other a bit. Maybe train a little and see if he could kill me. So, I let out a sigh after admiring the intimidating machine for another minute, and when I extended a hand, the metal man pressed his knuckles into mine.

“Just be careful out there, buddy. I know you’ll kick ass and make me proud, and I want you to know it’s an honor to have you working for me. I mean that.”

Max’s golden gem burned a little brighter at the praise, and he nodded solemnly before turning around on his treads. He didn’t look back as he made his way to the west, and I watched him go for longer than I probably needed to, but I couldn’t help it. He was just so fucking huge and shiny.

“This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” I muttered to myself, and Jenik cleared his throat from beside me.

“Defender Flynt, are you alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” I sighed as I forced myself to look away, and when I turned back to my squire, he was looking at me like I was nuts. “Just hard to let an epic machine go, you know?”

Jenik clearly didn’t know, but he shrugged and nodded anyways.

“So!” I said with a decisive clap of my hands, and I could already hear Big Red approaching. “I want you to report here for an hour a day of training with Big Red, and if you get injured, feel free to visit the infirmary to your right. Let them know you’re my squire, and they’ll patch you up in no time. If it’s a really bad injury, though, find Shoshanne. She’s got a healing staff that can reverse any mortal wounds.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Jenik asked, and his voice cracked a bit as Big Red’s eyes appeared between the trees.

“You’ll be fine,” I chuckled, “and better off for it, really. Big Red’s scarier than pretty much anything you’ll come up against while you’re defending Illaria. If you wanna be a badass knight, this is how you’re gonna get there.”

I turned around as Big Red came to a stop at my back, and he offered a fist bump in greeting.

“Hey, buddy,” I said with a grin. “This is my squire, Jenik. He’s counting on us to help him become a hell of a knight. So, start with the basics, come up with a few drills to run each day, and gradually work toward more advanced tactics as he improves. Don’t try to kill him, though, okay? We want him alive.”

Big Red nodded and unsheathed his sword, and Jenik tripped backward to splat like a flipped bug on the ground as he let out an involuntary shriek.

“Can’t do much from down there,” I informed the kid, and I grabbed his arm to haul him to his feet. Then I prodded him forward. “Have fun and pay attention. Big Red’s got a lot to offer.”

Jenik gulped loudly in response, but as I eyed his shaky stance, I remembered something.

“That reminds me,” I muttered, and I locked my grip on his shoulder. “Next time Pindor has an urgent message for me, don’t be a dick about it. I’ve known him longer than I’ve known you, and that counts for a lot regardless of anything Mina has to say about it. Understood?”

“Y-Yes, sir,” Jenik stammered, and I sent him a lethal grin before I crossed the clearing.

I snuck a glance over my shoulder before I rounded the corner, though, and Jenik had both hands clutching his trembling sword as he risked a single swipe at Big Red. Their blades met with a tiny clink of metal as Jenik yelped, and Big Red shook his head with disapproval.

“He’ll get there,” I sighed, and I headed into the house.

Then I came to an abrupt stop when I found Deya laid out in the fountain with the other women all lathering her from head to toe with bubbles.

Cayla smirked as she trailed her sudsy fingers in circles around the elf’s nipples for me, and I managed to make it to my work table without collapsing.

“Your lunch is waiting for you,” Aurora informed me, and I glanced over at the meal waiting on a platter for me with a glass of wine beside it. “Make yourself comfortable.”

The four women giggled as I dropped down hard on the stool and reached blindly for a chunk of bread, and I couldn’t help grinning as I worked my way through grilled chicken, roasted pears, cheese, and wine.

The whole time, Deya eyed me while the women turned her every which way, and they made a point of keeping her in the most erotic positions while they ran their hands all over her soapy body. My favorite part was when Shoshanne brought the elf flush against her to wash her hair, and while her caramel thighs curled around Deya’s pale hips, Aurora decided to finally let Cayla soap her up without a fight.

They were all covered in bubbles and blushing by the time they were done, and I drained the last of my wine as I chuckled in approval.

“Next time, I’m not taking a bath until you’re all awake,” I decided.

“Good,” Cayla replied as she stepped out of the fountain. “A baron with four women shouldn’t have to wash himself.”

I sent her a wink. “If you say so, princess.”

“Since your automaton’s finished, does this mean you’re not busy?” Deya asked, and I didn’t miss the eager way her eyes stared at my belt.

“Sorry, I’ve got a rune I need to work on,” I told the beautiful elf, “and I’m pretty sure Cayla’s got plans for all of you today.”

“I do,” Cayla replied curtly, and she pointed to the bedroom as she looked down on the drenched women. “Get out. We have seventeen dresses to sort through, and if I’m going to have your hair done in time, we have to start immediately.”

Shoshanne and Deya giggled happily before they trotted their naked asses to the bedroom, but Aurora let out a heavy sigh while she took her time climbing out of the fountain just to annoy the princess. The half-elf sent me a coy wink on her way out the door, too, and I smirked when Cayla finally just slapped her ass to get her into gear.

Then I headed for my ammunition cabinet, and as I dug out the one magazine I had with a lightning rune engraved on it, I couldn’t recall ever enjoying a meal so much. It was kind of a shame we had plans for the evening, because I was already hoping for an encore, but I knew there’d be plenty of time for that in our future.

Shit, I was a baron now. I could hire servants to take care of half our needs, and with so much land in name now, I could employ my own blacksmiths, tailors, carpenters, the whole gamut. Soon, my women would be able to buy anything they needed right in my own village, and the best part was, the labor would all be free since I could build the town up with my Terra powers. With the profits I was raking in off the railway, I could afford to pay my subordinates well, too, which eased my conscience a little bit since I’d never imagined having a bunch of servants before. Usually, I prefered to just get things handled myself, but I had a feeling Cayla would have something to say about that. Plus, after my women had made no complaints roughing it with me in the mountains, jungles, and all over Illaria and Cedis, I felt like they should be pampered a bit these days.

So, overall, being a baron was going to be pretty cool, and with Cayla insisting on handling every detail, tonight would probably be enjoyable, too. All I had to do was focus on my own work, and I silently thanked the gods for my good fortune as I pulled over a slip of parchment.

I could hear Jenik making some progress in the clearing while I sketched out the lightning rune for a larger reference, so I decided to familiarize myself with each element individually first. I already knew summoning them was intense and potentially life threatening, and the process had overwhelmed my senses completely when I’d first engraved the rune. So, I figured if I took it at a slower pace this time, I might be able to simplify the process in the future while gaining a clearer understanding of the influence of each element. That way, I could find the proper balance for my magazines without undergoing the process of needlessly engraving an erratic rune multiple times over.

I spent the next half hour focusing on a single element while I kept my Terra powers sparked in my veins just in case, and by the time I broke the connection, I felt deeply in tune with its presence. I also kind of felt like I’d snorted a line of coke, though, because my heart rate was jacked, and I had to pace around the shop for ten minutes just to get my legs to sit still again.

Stan watched me warily from his perch on top of one of my mounted bazookas, and I kept pacing while I wrestled with dozens of design ideas flitting through my mind all at once. Only half of them made any physical sense, but eventually, I ended up hunched over the table and feverishly sketched out a twenty-five square foot bathing room complete with a heated fountain and waterfall as well as a built in steam system.

Then I sat back and studied the lounging area in the corner I’d clearly put in for the sake of steamy sex, and I decided the element I’d just been working with wasn’t directly related to lightning so much as it was pure energy. It was the force behind the rune that kept the lightning sparking as long as it had at peak voltage, and I made note of this on the corner of my bathing sex house sketch while Stan sent me a pointed look.

Then I casually tucked that design far beneath the others, and the little metal man shook his head.

“Hey, no one said you had to go in,” I muttered. “You can wander around the rest of the house and mind your own business.”

I was just regrouping to tackle the next element when Cayla dragged Shoshanne into the atrium, and Stan tugged on my sleeve to direct my attention to the copper haired beauty in the doorway.

Her dress was a purple see through mesh that hugged her body like paint.

“Woah,” I managed, and Shoshanne blushed.

“Cayla, there is absolutely no way I’m wearing this to a castle full of nobility,” the healer muttered, but Cayla waved off her rebuttal.

“I’ve narrowed Shoshanne’s options down to three gowns, but I can’t decide which to use for tonight,” Cayla told me as she tapped her chin and eyed Shoshanne. “I know it’s a little edgy, but it shows off all of her best assets, and it’s hard to argue with that. What do you think, Mason?”

I stared at the sheer purple fabric that left almost every inch of the caramel beauty exposed, and my brain lost the ability to form words while Shoshanne slowly blushed to her roots.

“It’s … completely see-through?” I finally managed.

Cayla tapped her chin once more as she considered this. “There’s a little slip of silk there, though, so you technically can’t see everything.”

I nodded, but then I just stared at the slip of silk while I willed it to disappear.

“Maybe you’re right,” Cayla sighed. “Possibly the wrong crowd. Thank you, Mason.”

Then the princess carted Shoshanne back toward the bedroom as I gaped at her sheer purple ass.

“Wait, don’t get rid of that one, though!” I called after her. “Ever. That one should definitely stay. It’s good. Please?”

Shoshanne giggled in agreement as she disappeared into the next room, and I took a steadying breath while I turned back to the table and tried to decide if I even gave a shit about rune magic.

Stan was tapping his foot impatiently, though, and when he crossed his arms for good measure, I cleared my throat loudly.

“Runes,” I agreed. “We’re doing runes. Sorry. Got distracted.”

It took me quite a while to get back in the frame of mind for it, but after several attempts, I finally summoned the next element, and I spent as much time familiarizing myself with this one even though it was almost painful to do so.

This was definitely the lightning element, but a different portion of the rune must have dictated the webbing design, because all I could sense was one jolt after another of electricity zapping through the air around me. It didn’t adhere to any pattern or consistency, and when I broke the connection, I decided to keep this elemental line as it already was on the final rune because the energy element was what really needed tweaking. So, I made a note of this as well, and I was just about to move on to the last elemental line when Cayla shoved a chest of diamonds my way.

“Do you have time to start on our jewelry?” she asked, and since the four women beside me were naked, I immediately nodded.

“Are you all wearing that then?” I asked.

“No,” Cayla chuckled, “Aurora needs to fix the seams on a couple of our gowns because our nipples keep falling out.”

“But Shoshanne’s nipples being fully displayed is okay?” I clarified with a smirk.

Then Shoshanne cocked a brow, and I realized I’d hit a nerve amongst the women. Judging by the set of the healer’s jaw, she must have spent a while arguing with Cayla on this very point, but the princess didn’t seem remotely concerned about her opinion. Now, the tension between them was impossible to ignore, and I furrowed my brow as I turned on my stool to face the four of them.

“Did I miss something?”

“She has perfect breasts!” Cayla insisted. “I just want to make sure all of us look our best tonight, and if that means Shoshanne’s half naked, so be it. She could cripple every man in the room with one glimpse at that ass and those big perfect breasts. That’s called power, Mason, and as a baron, you should definitely utilize it.”

“You’re not wrong,” Aurora admitted, “but I told you, you’re wasting your breath. We all know Shoshanne only lets Mason see her best assets. She’s shy.”

“Oh, she most definitely is not shy,” Deya argued. “She just needs to stop being so modest. Mason, tell her she’s beautiful in the purple dress. Who cares how many people will be there? I think she should wear it and make them all drool over her. It’s more fun.”

Cayla nodded and turned to me for support, but Shoshanne blushed and crossed her arms while I did my best not to smirk.

Then I pulled the caramel beauty over, wedged her between my thighs, and I settled my palms on the perfect ass in question. I could tell she was beyond irritated by the teasing of the other women, but as she bit her lip and avoided my gaze, I knew she was once again too sweet to admit it. In all fairness, though, it was difficult to stand up to Cayla when she had her whip within reach.

“Well, I don’t want her showing off for anyone else, either,” I informed Cayla. “They couldn’t handle her, and besides, I happen to like being the only man in Illaria who knows about this ass.”

Shoshanne’s eyes immediately lit up as a glittering smile came to her face, and apparently she was finally feeling sassy again, because she sent Cayla a defiant smirk over her shoulder.

“So there,” the healer huffed. “I’m wearing the white dress, and Mason will love it.”

“Fine,” Cayla sighed.

“It does make you look like an angel,” Deya said with a sweet smile, and she stroked the healer’s arm. “You should wear it.”

“Also, I’m slapping Cayla twice later,” Shoshanne added, and I chuckled as I turned her around to prop her on my thigh.

“Fair enough, but now that that’s settled, what am I making?” I asked as I opened the chest of diamonds.

“These,” Cayla replied.

Then she slid her design over to me, and the women gathered around my stool to get a look as well.

“Ooh, those are so pretty,” Deya breathed with wide eyes.

“The silver band should be two inches wide and immaculately polished,” Cayla explained, “and the diamonds should crest the entire circumference around. Deya’s should have the pink sapphire from Dorinick’s collection mounted in the middle, too. They’re meant to be worn taut at the neck, but you can customize the sizing to each of us with your metal magic once they’re finished, right?”

I couldn’t help grinning as I eyed the design. “Let me just clarify … basically, you want diamond dog collars?”

“What is a dog collar?” Deya asked, and she furrowed her pink brows.

“They aren’t for Ruela, if that’s what you mean,” Aurora said with equal confusion. “They’re for us.”

“Right, well, anything you want,” I chuckled. “I’ll get right on it.”

“Be sure to use the biggest diamonds, too,” Cayla instructed. “I refuse to have smaller diamonds than anyone in that room tonight.”

“Me too!” Deya giggled. “Although, I’ve never worn diamonds before.”

“You’ll love it,” the princess assured her, and her icy blue eyes glinted at the thought.

“I hope the Elders don’t mind we’re not wearing rubies,” Shoshanne worried. “I remember they favor rubies.”

“The Elders favor superiority,” Cayla clarified, “and Mason is already superior to anyone attending. As long as we arrive looking better than every woman there, they’ll be plenty impressed.”

I rolled my eyes as the women headed off to secure their nipples in their dresses, but Shoshanne lingered behind to leave a kiss on my cheek. Then she strutted off with an extra wiggle in her hips, and I chuckled while I grabbed a couple random fistfuls of diamonds because honestly, every gem in there was fucking huge.

Then I shifted gears from lightning powered weaponry to commissioned jewelry, but the fact that I was now making sparkly chokers for my women to impress a bunch of dwarves made the work all the more ridiculous to me.

Stan was totally on board, though, and he took his job of organizing his favorite diamonds by size very seriously while I formed the silver bands. Then I taught him how to play hockey with a small lump of diamond and a bit of copper wire, since the women were taking forever getting ready anyways, and we used two upturned magazines as the goal posts.

Once we reached half time, I finished polishing all the silver until Stan could see his own reflection, and then he laid his top choices of gems out in four neat lines with the huge pink sapphire at the center of one. I had to admit, the final product was pretty impressive, and I’d never seen so many diamonds displayed between only four necklaces before. None of the gems were smaller than a half dollar, and I was just smoothing off a few of their cuts so they’d really catch the light when Cayla cleared her throat.

Then I turned around to find my four women standing in my workshop fully glitzed out for a night at Temin’s castle, and to say my heart skipped a beat would be an understatement.

It was more like my heart stopped altogether while my body temperature hit its boiling point in half a second, and there was a mingling desire to say fuck the nobility and just tear all their dresses off right there instead.

Sure, their nipples were technically concealed, but just barely, and the tiny straps that held it all in looked ready to snap from the weight. They still managed to look elegant, though, and Cayla and Aurora’s dresses were identical, except the princess’ was a deep blue silk to contrast with the half-elf’s fiery red.

Shoshanne’s cleavage was the least exposed of the four in her white silk gown, but the fabric still clung to every luscious curve in a way that left very little to the imagination, and with Deya beside her in taut black velvet, the pair looked like a sexy angel and devil combo just waiting to tempt me one way or the other all night. Especially with Deya’s dress dipping drastically low to expose half her midsection and an ample dose of cleavage.

Cayla had somehow wound all of their hair up in different elaborate styles, too, with a few haphazard strands hanging down around the edges to give them a tousled look, and as I took in the overall effect, my palms slowly began to sweat.

“Holy shit,” I managed. “You all look …” I lost the words though when I realized the slits on their dresses left each of their right legs exposed with every step. So, the only word that came out after that was, “thighs.”

“You’re welcome,” Cayla said with a proud smirk, and the four women giggled as they turned so I could admire the view from the back as well.

That’s when I realized they were all barebacked as far as possible without revealing the cracks of their asses, and their little straps criss crossed over their backs in designs that immediately reminded me of a few of our activities the night before.

“Are the necklaces ready?” Cayla asked eagerly, and I blinked.

“Um … yeah,” I cleared my throat as I dragged my eyes away, and I nudged Stan off Deya’s sapphire to bring them over.

Then I sparked my metal magic while my women tilted their chins up to expose their slender necks, and as I fused each silver band in place and cinched the metal tighter, I couldn’t resist grinning over the whole situation.

I really did feel like I was putting collars on a group of sexy guard dogs, and the way their lips curled with satisfaction as they trailed their fingers across their diamond studded throats had me feeling all kinds of ways about it.

“I wish we had cuffs to match,” Aurora mused as she glanced at her bare wrists, and all four women immediately turned to me with pleading eyes.

“Hang on,” I sighed, and then headed over to dig out some more diamonds.

Then Aurora gasped. “But what if we had diamond garters!”

“Or diamond holsters,” Cayla giggled.

“Diamond studded daggers,” Deya sighed wistfully.

“Alright, we’ll never make it to the castle if you guys keep adding to the list,” I muttered as I finished eight silver bands for their wrists, and they all dumped diamonds on the work table for Stan to sort through.

“Diamond holsters at least?” Cayla asked, and Shoshanne sent me a pout that was genuinely impossible to refuse.

“How about this?” I laughed. “Diamond garters with silver holsters. Then you can still wear your pistols, but they’ll be concealed under your dresses, and I’ll make the daggers another time.”

“I’m wearing mine on the right side,” Cayla informed me as she slid her porcelain thigh from the slit in her dress. “I don’t want my pistol concealed. I love guns and want everyone to see it.”

“Me too,” Aurora decided, and I sparked my metal magic to bring more silver over from the shelf.

The sun was already starting to set, but with Stan on diamond duty, I managed to finish all the cuffs up in record time while the women strutted around the shop enjoying themselves. Then, one by one, I secured what I mentally deemed were diamond shackles to their wrists.

Apparently, I was the kind of baron who kept his women collared and shackled now, but at least they were diamond studded, so whatever.

And goddamn. It was so hot.

The women fawned over their jewels and announced they felt like queens, and Aurora sparked her flames to make the diamonds glitter even more. They kissed me all over to show their thanks for taking the time to make it all for them, and I grinned and shrugged while I let them carry on.

I didn’t bother pointing out that the solid silver bands meant I could technically control them all with my powers if I felt like it. That was the fun kind of detail I’d rather keep in my pocket for later.

Then I used my malleable steel to form the garters, and the diamonds here were large enough that the difference in metal wasn’t even noticeable. I ended up using double garters for each, though, so the weight of their 1911s would be more secure in the silver drop holsters, and then I just sat back to enjoy watching each of them shimmy their diamond garters on and secure their pistols while I took stock of my life up to this point.

By all accounts, I had no idea what I’d done to deserve all this bounty.

“Mason, you aren’t even dressed!” Cayla scolded. “You’re gonna make us late!”

“Right,” I snorted. “My bad.”

“I laid everything out on the bed for you,” the princess informed me, and I left for the bedroom just as Aurora snapped the steel of her garter against her thigh and giggled.

It took me less than a minute to get dressed, and I was tucking my shirt in while I headed for my 1911, but then Cayla cut me off and was suddenly tugging at my clothes all over the place. So, I just put my hands up and let her do her thing while Deya giggled in amusement.

“Can I ask why we went with red?” I muttered. “I’m more of a black and white kind of guy to tell you the truth.”

“Yes, but you always get blood all over your shirts,” the princess replied as she popped the top button on my shirt open. “I thought we might as well lean into it. This way, if you have to kill someone, you still look nice.”

I raised my brows. “You really do think of everything.”

“You’re welcome,” Cayla purred, and she hopped up to give me a kiss.

The other women headed for the door while they hollered their goodbyes to Stan, but Cayla caught my arm before I could follow, and when I looked over, she was holding the handle of a dagger out to me.

“What’s this for?” I asked.

“In case you have anything to take care of that you’d rather not draw attention to,” she muttered under her breath, and she sent me a pointed look that immediately reminded me of the Baroness’ warning.

It really did seem fitting to slit a fucker’s throat if he had a mind to do the same to my women.

“Good call,” I agreed, and I sheathed the dagger before I gave Stan a high five. “Hold down the fort, buddy, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Stan just shrugged, and as I saw him heading toward my rack of daggers, I realized I probably should have chosen my phrasing more carefully.

Chapter 9

“Defender Solana, Miss Deya Naera of House Quyn, Princess Balmier, and Mage Shoshanne,” Cayla told the marshal, but the poor guy only stared as a bead of sweat dripped down his forehead.

It was the third time Cayla had tried to get the marshal to keep their titles straight, and I shoved my hands in my pockets as I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I couldn’t see why it mattered that he announced our arrival to begin with, but I was starting to wonder if being a noble was really going to sit well with me. I was all for owning a village, but seriously, why couldn’t a guy just walk into a castle without all the pomp and circumstance? I did it all the time.

“D-Deya Solana, Miss … Shoshanne,” the marshal stammered, and Aurora shook her head as she brushed Cayla aside.

“You can keep it simple,” she told the guy. “Deya, Aurora, Shoshanne, and Princess Balmier.”

“That’s not regal,” Cayla scoffed. “No, it’s Miss Deya Na--”

“The second one was fine,” I sighed. “Just say their names so we can get on with this.”

The young man nodded anxiously, but when he just stared at me and sweated some more, I realized he was still lost.

“Deya, Cayla, Shoshanne, Aurora,” I repeated, and then I pointed at myself. “Mason Flynt.”

“Baron Flynt,” Cayla hastily corrected, and the marshal nodded as he stepped forward to the edge of the carpeted steps to announce our arrival.

“Baron Flynt and …”

I tried not to laugh as he suddenly looked ready to piss himself, but eventually he just barreled on.

“… and his women,” the marshal announced to the hall.

Aurora snorted as the crowd turned toward the stairs, and even though Cayla clicked her tongue in disapproval, I offered the guy an unconcerned shrug while he dabbed at his sweaty brow.

“Nailed it,” I assured him.

I could see Temin chuckling to himself at the head of the hall as we descended the stairs, but a sea of nobility separated us from him, and half of them were muttering curiously to one another as they waited for us to join them in the hall.

Temin had gone the extra mile and had servants all over the place dishing out hors d’oeuvres and goblets of wine for everyone, and my pulse kicked up a notch as I realized how many nobles there were in Illaria. They had their wives, daughters, and sons along with them, too, and now, every eye in the damn place was staring at us thanks to the marshal’s announcement.

For a few seconds, I was slightly irritated that most of the crowd was watching my women’s hips sway, but then I realized they were actually staring at the diamond garters and pistols, and I couldn’t help feeling a little smug. I was in the right crowd for it, at least, and when I glanced at Cayla, she was looking smug enough for the both of us.

The princess was clearly in her element and proud to be escorted on my arm, but my other three women had insisted that ogre formation would look the most impressive. They must have been onto something there, too, because by the time we reached the base of the steps, there was a circle of nobility gathered close to make their own introductions as soon as possible.

“Baron Flynt,” a portly old man said as he pushed his way ahead of the rest. “An honor to meet you at last, sir. Your efforts on behalf of Illaria are nothing short of--”

“Baron Flynt,” another man interrupted, and he lifted his nose stubbornly as he introduced his wife and daughter as loudly as possible.

Then a regal woman planted herself in front of me before she was rudely shuffled aside by another dower lady in blue silk, and I just nodded along and pretended I was registering any of this for the next ten minutes.

None of their names were filed away because they kept talking over each other, and also, I didn’t really care, but Temin eventually parted the crowd as he gestured for us to follow him.

“Thank you,” I chuckled, and the king grinned.

“You look like you could use a drink already,” Temin said as he waved his hand toward a server waiting in the wings. “Ladies, always an honor, and may I say, you outshine everyone here.”

My women bowed slightly to the king’s praise, and when the server brought goblets of wine over, Cayla took one and handed it directly to me.

“You’ve done wonderfully with everything on such short notice,” Cayla assured the king.

“So kind of you to say so,” Temin said, and his relief was palpable. “I’m afraid tensions are rather high this evening, but your wine is certainly helping in some respects.”

I nodded. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“They haven’t spoken to anyone,” the king hissed out of the corner of his mouth. “They refuse to. Did you make them any of those weapons of yours?”

“Who?” I asked with some confusion.

“The Elders!”

“Oh,” I snorted. “No, why?”

“Thank the gods for that,” Temin sighed. “I was beginning to think they’d come to kill us all. Would you speak with them for some time? I tried but to no avail, and I’m afraid their behavior will do little to improve the evening’s discussions. Perhaps if the others see them acknowledging something other than their wine, they’ll warm up a bit.”

I craned my neck over the crowd in the direction Temin gestured, and I couldn’t help laughing as I caught sight of the Elders of Aurum. They were seated at a long table with only five goblets on the table in front of them, and most of them glared in disdain at the nobility all mingling nervously nearby. Agrokea was obviously staring off across the room without seeing much of anything, but his frown showed he was just as unenthusiastic as his companions.

“Yeah,” I chuckled, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“I appreciate it,” Temin assured me. “The meeting will begin in one hour in the great hall, so time is of the essence. It would be best if you strive to make yourself better known amongst the nobility. Your reputation precedes you, of course, but a few personal acquaintances would serve you well when it comes time to discuss the tariffs. I recommend you drink plenty of wine beforehand as well. It’s the only way I ever manage to get things accomplished amongst the nobility these days.”

“Thanks for the advice. Where should I start?”

“Do you see the larger man in the blue coat over there?” Temin muttered as he tipped his head, and I nodded. “Lord Allen. He’s the Earl of Rainard, which is the largest fief in Illaria. Or rather, it was, until you procured the lands surrounding Falmount. Establish yourself with him, and you’ll gain the favor of at least fifteen others, but handle it delicately. He’s rather used to sniveling barons attempting to get into his good graces.”

“An earl … ” Cayla mused. “Interesting.”

“Don’t even think about it,” I muttered under my breath, and she sent me a smirk that showed she was already mentally promoting me.

“Then there’s Lady Emonie, who presides over Tellish in the west since her husband passed,” Temin continued, and he gestured to an elderly woman with a medieval sort of lace frill around her neck.

Lady Emonie was speaking with a group of grim-faced women in equally archaic gowns, and she wore several golden rings on both hands while she looked down her nose at a group of young lords passing by, and it was more than clear she was unimpressed.

“She holds precedence with several of the baronesses, and I will just hint that her particular associates have strong influence with their husbands,” the king clarified.

“Duly noted,” I replied with a smirk.

“Tread carefully amongst the women here by the way,” Temin warned. “You may have four beautiful ladies of your own already, but there are plenty of barons present who won’t appreciate your charm where their young wives are concerned.”

“Are you implying I’m a scoundrel, Temin?” I chuckled.

“Of course not,” the king said with a grin. “Only that many would like to paint you that way.”

“Rough crowd,” I muttered as I drained my goblet, and Temin swiftly beckoned to a servant who brought me another.

“I would dedicate your time to Lady Emonie and Lord Allen first,” Temin told me as he lowered his voice. “Although there are several young lords who could potentially be swayed if your beautiful women aren’t averse to charming people.”

“That’s why we are here,” Cayla purred. “I told you, our assets are your assets.”

“Your princess is ready for some sport,” Temin chuckled. “Good luck.”

I let out a sigh as the king turned away to greet a group of nobles behind him, and Aurora nudged me.

“We’ll handle the lords,” the half-elf giggled, but I shook my head.

“I didn’t bring you here to dangle you in front of these idiots,” I informed the women.

“No, you brought us because we’re your women, and we always work together,” Shoshanne replied.

“Exactly,” Cayla agreed, and just like that, the evening was in her hands. “I’ll go along to handle Lady Emonie, and the rest of you, start praising Mason amongst the rest of these idiots. Make sure to mention that he’ll be building up Falmount soon, but once it’s time to approach Lord Allen, Shoshanne will join Mason instead. She’s the most elegantly dressed of the four of us, and a man of his stature will appreciate this.”

“Oh, really?” Shoshanne asked lightly, and Cayla rolled her eyes. “How convenient that I’m so appropriately modest this evening. I think it’s my turn to say it … you’re welcome.”

“Ladies,” I muttered with a pointed look. “We can slap this all out later. Let’s just get to work.”

“Agreed,” Aurora said with a nod, “but do I get to slap Cayla, too?”

“What did I do to you?” Cayla scoffed.

“Nothing, I just want to,” the half-elf said with a shrug, and the princess couldn’t help the dirty grin that came to her face.

“Deal,” she agreed, and I chuckled as I turned to lead my women deeper into the hall of ritzy nobles while I swiftly drained my goblet again.

A server appeared out of nowhere to swap it out for a fresh one the second I was done, and I was just fixing to drain this one as well, but then my path was abruptly intersected, and I would have doused the Baroness with the entire contents of my goblet if Cayla hadn’t pulled me back just in time.

“Shit, sorry,” I snorted.

Then my eyes dropped directly to the Baroness’ plush lips, and my mind went blank.

She’d painted them a sultry red for the occasion, and when she caught me staring, her lips curled into a seductive grin that did nothing to distract the direction of my thoughts.

“Uh … hey, or hello,” I mumbled.

“Good evening, Baron Flynt,” the Baroness murmured.

“Yeah, good evening,” I replied, and I decided to just look anywhere but at her.

Luckily, Cayla interceded. “Baroness Batanova. It’s nice to see a familiar face here tonight.”

“The feeling is mutual,” the Baroness said as she bowed to the princess. “You all look as beautiful as ever.”

Aurora giggled in a way I rarely heard from her, and I turned to see her cheeks as bright red as her dress while she avoided the Baroness’ gaze, too.

“And Miss Shoshanne,” the Baroness continued, “I must say, you look like an angel in white.”

Now, I furrowed my brow as her choice of words struck a familiar chord, but the obscure woman was already turning away, and she left us without another word.

I watched her go as the hair on my arms stood stock straight, but then I casually continued on my way even though I could feel Cayla’s icy gaze on me.

“What did you do?” the princess asked point blank.

“What are you talking about? I was polite.”

“Yes,” Cayla allowed, “and she was practically devouring you with her eyes. What did you do?”

“Did you sleep with her?” Aurora hissed, and I half drank, half inhaled my wine.

“No,” Cayla mused, “that’s not it.”

“Then she went down on him,” Aurora decided, and wine almost spewed out of my nose as I whipped around.

“H-How did you … ?” I stammered, and my women’s eyes sparkled with amusement as I quickly scanned the surrounding nobles to be sure no one was within ear shot.

“When did this happen?” Cayla demanded.

“More importantly, was it good?” Aurora asked with a devilish grin.

Deya giggled. “I bet it was incredible, have you seen her lips? They are dark and delicious.”

I bit my tongue just as I was about to admit her throat was actually the best part, and I lowered my voice.

“Can we discuss this later?” I muttered. “The clock’s ticking.”

“Only if you promise to tell us everything,” Cayla replied, and I quickly nodded my agreement before she looped her arm in mine.

Then the other three women headed off through the crowd while they giggled to one another over the look on my face, and Cayla and I made our way toward Lady Emonie.

Running into the Baroness so abruptly had thrown off my focus completely, and I was beginning to feel claustrophobic amongst the many snobbish men and women surrounding us. I couldn’t help wishing there were a few more ogres in attendance to liven things up a bit, but still, I had a feeling I could actually sway this crowd if I got in the right mindset.

All I had to do was cozy up to a select few before the meeting began, and as far as the rest were concerned, my women really did have a point. Even I couldn’t stop glancing over my shoulder to get another look at them, and if they wanted to use that leverage to bag me a few more votes, it was hard to argue with the approach.

Unfortunately, I was becoming acutely aware of several admiring looks from the younger women I was passing, and they giggled my name in greeting.

Cayla refused to stop for any of their batting eyes, though, and I only risked a slight nod of the head as I caught their sullen husbands eyeing me carefully.

“I’m not sure a baronetcy is gonna work for me,” I muttered, and Cayla chuckled.

“Yes, that shirt is backfiring,” she admitted. “Now, it’s impossible to ignore how good you look. All these women want a piece of you. If they only knew how amazing you were, they’d want more than a piece.”

“Should have gone for the blood stained shirt,” I sighed and sent her a wink, and the princess elbowed me hard as we approached the group of grim-faced elderly women who gathered like a flock of sheep around Lady Emonie.

“Lady Emonie,” Cayla said, and she dipped into a graceful bow as the woman’s eyes immediately locked on her diamonds.

“Princess Balmier,” Lady Emonie replied. “I had hoped we might have a chance to meet ever since I heard you were residing in Illaria. Your honorable father and my late husband were fond of one another.”

“I’m honored to hear it,” the princess admitted. “May I introduce Baron Flynt of Falmount Rift?”

Lady Emonie looked more intrigued sizing me up than she had with other young lords earlier, and I made sure to bow my head in respect while she did so.

“Baron Flynt,” the old woman mused, “I have heard so much about you.”

“All good things, I hope.”

I couldn’t believe this was all it took to get a giggle out of the dower women surrounding her, and Lady Emonie’s withered cheeks suddenly tinged a light pink.

So, I decided to definitely roll with this, and I sent the women my most charming grin. Another bout of giggles followed, and I knew Cayla could tell what I was up to because she was fighting against her own giggles as well now.

“Lady Emonie,” the princess continued in a forced serious tone, “I had the good fortune of visiting a merchant in Serin recently whose stock of silk is the finest I’ve seen in ages. Then he told me you are his patron.”

“Sir Hubert,” Lady Emonie said with a smug grin. “Yes, he is the only merchant I work with in Serin. You are a woman of splendid taste.”

“I have to agree with you there,” Cayla said cooly, and she curled her arm in mine for good measure as I tried not to chuckle.

Damn it, she knew how to work a room.

“Might I say, Princess Balmier, your jewels are absolutely exquisite,” Lady Emonie praised, and the women around her nodded in agreement. “I’ve never seen such a display of diamonds before. Which silversmith did you procure these pieces from?”

“How kind of you to notice,” Cayla replied as she casually stroked the massive jewels dotting her neck. “I’m afraid you’ll not find anything of this kind in Serin, though. Baron Flynt crafted them himself.”

I slapped another charming grin on my face as the group of women appraised me once more, and when Lady Emonie’s fan suddenly unfurled and began to flutter at her breast, I decided this couldn’t possibly go any better.

“Well,” Lady Emonie sighed with a smile, “he is certainly a talented man.”

“You have no idea,” Cayla murmured, and when every cheek amongst the women blushed, the princess turned to me. “We mustn’t ignore the other guests, though, darling. I believe King Temin asked that you introduce yourself to Lord Allen, yes?”

“Lord Allen?” Lady Emonie asked as her fan fluttered a little faster.

“Yes,” I replied, “although I would certainly prefer to spend my time with you all, I must honor the king’s request.” Then I nodded to the other women. “Ladies, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I look forward to seeing you regularly in the future.”

“Baron Flynt,” they replied with hazy smiles, and Cayla turned me around.

Once we got out of earshot, I glanced her way, and the princess couldn't have looked any more pleased with herself.

“Is that seriously all it takes?” I clarified.

“Trust me,” Cayla replied, “I know what I’m doing. You might be a danger amongst the younger women, but you are exactly the sort of baron these older ladies want in Temin’s court. Not only are you incredibly nice to look at, but you’ve proven yourself to be a man of honor who fights as readily as any knight, which is more than can be said for half these young lords. They’ll vote for anything you recommend as long as you keep that charming grin of yours in place.”

“Damn,” I muttered. “So, how many more old ladies do I have to smile at?”

“None,” Cayla informed me. “Temin was correct about Lady Emonie. Even the nobles of Cedis know who she is because of her silk, and the nine women beside her worship her. Not to mention, her husband’s relationship with my father happened to be largely on account of her taste in fine jewels.”

I cocked a brow. “You’ve been plotting for this all day, haven’t you? That’s why you went and got all those silk dresses and had me make you all the jewelry.”

“Of course,” Cayla said with a shameless grin, but as she reached for another goblet and handed it over to me, her eyes suddenly narrowed.

“What’s wrong?”

“The man in green,” she said in a low voice. “He’s speaking with the Baroness at your five o’clock.”

I nodded and sipped my wine a bit before casually turning to get a look, and I found the Baroness’ gaze locked on me already. She didn’t appear to be studying me, though, so much as she was waiting for me to look over, and the man in green who was speaking quietly in her ear seemed to be the reason.

Then he glanced across the room with a sneer, and I followed his gaze directly to where Aurora and the others were speaking with a group of men. I couldn’t decipher his words with so many conversations taking place around the marble hall, but as I watched the guy, his glower drifted toward my half-elf three more times. Then the Baroness arched a brow, and the man walked off as if they hadn’t been speaking at all.

“Hold this,” I said as I handed my goblet to Cayla, and I made my way toward Temin.

The king was nodding along through a conversation he clearly didn’t care about, and when I made to pull him aside, he immediately dismissed himself and followed.

“Who is that?” I asked in a low voice, and then I gestured to the guy in green who was skirting the edge of the room.

Temin furrowed his brow and considered the man. “You know, I haven’t the faintest idea. He must have come with one of the ladies, perhaps?”

My gut told me this wasn’t the case, but then the man posted himself beside a group of men and began muttering as he tipped his chin toward my women again, and I knew it wasn’t the case.

“Hmm,” Temin said at once. “I’m not entirely sure I like the cut of his jib, and I’d say he’s giving your women a rather strange look. Would you like me to have the guards remove him?”

“Nah, don’t trouble yourself,” I replied as I clapped him on the shoulder, and I studied the man’s face closely so I wouldn’t forget it.

Temin nodded. “If you’re sure. How are things going with the nobility?”

“Surprisingly well,” I chuckled. “Give me twenty more minutes, and I’ll probably be set.”

“Excellent,” the king said with a grin, “although I’ll warn you, the man who will speak against you is named Baron Ralish, and he’s not a fan of yours. Most of your opposition consort with him, though I hardly know why. The man only sells oats.”

“Fantastic,” I snorted, and I turned away to rejoin my women.

Cayla had put herself directly beside Aurora now, and as I approached, I sent her a discreet nod before looping my arm around Deya’s waist.

“We should visit the Elders before we tackle Lord Allen,” I told the women.

“Yes, it would probably help if Lord Allen saw the way they are with you,” the princess agreed. “I’ve been keeping an eye out, and the Elders really haven’t spoken to a single person here. Temin brought his servants over to refill their wine while we were with Lady Emonie, and they didn’t even bow.”

“This has been easier than I expected, though,” Aurora admitted as we headed for the table of surly looking dwarves. “Half the lords we’ve spoken with are dying to get to know you, Mason.”

“You sure I’m the one they want to get to know?” I asked, and I sent her a pointed look over my shoulder as she adjusted the taut red silk around her breasts.

“Honestly, yes,” Aurora laughed. “They looked terrified to be seen talking to us. Judging by how many times they looked your way, I’m pretty sure they’re afraid you’ll kick their asses.”

“Good,” I said with a grin. “What did you tell them?”

“Well, we mentioned you’ll be building up Falmount soon, and four of them want to make a deal with you to sell their crops in our market,” the half-elf explained.

“Six others want to buy steel from your mine, too,” Shoshanne added.

“And there were a handful who I am certain just want to be seen with you,” Deya giggled. “It’s been a very illuminating evening.”

“Agreed,” I muttered as I scanned the room for the man in green, and I found him still speaking with the same group of men.

I also caught sight of the Baroness, and yet another man was muttering quietly beside her while neither looked at one another. Then he walked off only to be quickly replaced with another, and I realized the woman must always be working every angle. I could only imagine the sort of secrets she procured amongst this lot, and when I saw Lady Emonie heading her way as well, I couldn’t help shaking my head.

All the Baroness did was stand there and sip her wine, and one noble after another seemed drawn to her while she kept her face an unreadable mask through every conversation. When she caught me looking at her, though, the faintest smile curled at her lips before it was gone in a blink.

“I saw that,” Cayla muttered, and all of my women began giggling.

“That woman is so confusing,” I sighed as we began mounting the steps leading to the table of Elders.

“Oh, I don’t know,” the princess said with a smirk. “I’m beginning to think I understand her quite well.”

“Me, too,” Aurora chuckled, but before I could ask what they meant, the Elders saw us approaching, and their scowls immediately faded.

Then Foreg stood to bow to us in greeting, and the others followed suit as I did my best not to grin like an idiot at the instant blush on Cayla’s cheeks.

“Defender Flynt,” Dogra said, and he considered my women each in turn with an approving nod. “Your women look as remarkable as ever, although I believe we have not met the elf.”

Deya paled as the Elders took their seats and eyed her with reserve, but I pulled her closer to my side as I responded.

“This is Deya Naera of House Quyn,” I told the Elders.

“House Quyn?” Agrokea croaked. “Of Qadir?”

“Yes,” Deya replied with pleasant surprise, “Qadir was my grandfather.”

“A formidable man.” Foreg nodded. “For an elf.”

“Ahh, yes,” Killick mused as he stroked his ruddy beard, and he narrowed his eyes. “The elf who forged the first enchanted blade. I have seen but one in my life, and I still recall how expertly wrought it was. Shame the old elf has passed. He was a visionary amongst his kind.”

“My brother has continued forging the Halcyan blades for the last six decades,” Deya told the Elders. “Mason has several on hand.”

“Do you really?” Dogra asked as he looked at me.

“I do,” I replied. “You should come to Falmount before you head back to Orebane. We have a train station there, and you can study the blades up close before you depart if you’d like.”

“We will do that.” Foreg nodded. “It would make our trip here more worth the while. I predict the tariffs will not be lifted.”

“I’ll do everything I can to see that they are,” I assured the dwarf. “Do I have your permission to mention your mines in the west? I think this might be just the incentive that’s needed.”

“Yes,” Dogra replied at once. “Do mention all the wares in the west, and make it known that none will be at the disposal of Illaria should the tariffs remain in place.”

“I will. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“No, this wine is plenty,” Killick said, and I could see his grin beneath his ruddy moustache. “I feel much at ease now that I have a decent drink in me.”

“Five decent drinks,” Dogra muttered as he sipped his own wine.

“Well, I’m glad to hear it,” I chuckled, “and I look forward to seeing you all in Falmount.”

Then my women and I bowed deeply to the Elders as they nodded in approval, and we turned to find several noble eavesdroppers abruptly looking away while we descended the steps.

“They bowed!” Cayla giggled, and I could tell she’d been holding in this excitement since we walked up.

“You’re ridiculous,” I sighed.

“Ridiculously turned on,” the princess corrected, and she pulled Shoshanne forward. “Now, go speak with Lord Allen before Temin calls the meeting, you’re running out of time. Remember, be very delicate about how you approach him. The last thing we need is him thinking you’re a shallow kiss ass. We’ll see what we can do with a few more lords for you.”

Shoshanne was glowing as she looped her arm in mine, and I sent her an admiring grin as I led her through the crowd.

“You look beautiful,” I murmured in her ear.

“Do you really like it?” Shoshanne asked anxiously as she smoothed the white silk, and I couldn’t nod fast enough.

“Yes, it’s perfect, although I’m gonna be honest with you, I’ll probably tear it to shreds the second we get home.”

Shoshanne giggled and blushed even more, and she still had bright pink cheeks when I caught sight of the large Lord Allen in his royal blue coat. His hair was a similar shade to my own and combed back in a delicate wave, and he swiped a bit of wine from his wiry moustache as he saw me coming. Then he sent me a broad grin, and to my surprise, he was pushing his way toward me a split second later.

“Baron Flynt!” Lord Allen boomed, and he met us in the crowd to extend his hand to me. “I’ve been wondering when I’d get a word with you. This must be the beautiful healer of yours, yes? With the lovely copper hair?”

I was instantly confused, but I played it off as his grip nearly crushed my hand while he shook it vigorously.

“Lord Allen,” I replied. “Yes, this is Miss Shoshanne. We’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Not so much as I have about you,” Lord Allen chuckled, and the sound was a full bellied one as he patted his blue coat with a merry grin. “My nephew has had a lot to say on your account. I’d like to thank you for taking him under your wing, so to speak. He’s really come into himself ever since he met you, and to know he helped lay the tracks of the railway is a point of pride with me these days. Truth be told, I brag about it constantly.”

The man tapped his nose as he winked like I was an old friend, and I furrowed my brow in complete confusion.

“Forgive me, sir,” I tried, “but who is your nephew?”

“Pindor, of course!” Lord Allen boomed. “Hasn’t he mentioned me?”

Chapter 10

I stared for a long moment as my world suddenly collided seamlessly with the formidable earl, and part of me honestly couldn’t believe it.

“You’re fucking with me,” I finally managed.

Lord Allen let out another guttural laugh and clapped me hard on the shoulder, and Shoshanne looked just as surprised as me as she smiled at the genial man.

“You’re exactly as he described,” Lord Allen informed me before he drained his goblet. “Hell of a refreshment, too, if you ask me. We need a man like you in the court. Tell me, how’s Pindor doing? I haven’t heard from him in a few weeks, but I imagine he’s busy with his training. He’s completely changed his tune about his studies since he met you. Before the railway, he wanted to putz around and learn my business, but I told him absolutely not! A mage his age ought to study his craft, not squander his gods given talents amongst this lot. Seems you were just the mentor he needed.”

I blinked as I considered how eager Pindor always was to learn more, and I couldn’t help feeling even more proud of the kid now that I knew how little time he’d spent taking his magery seriously.

“Pindor’s doing great,” I told the earl, and I tried to catch up to reality. “He actually uh … well, I don’t know if you heard about the recent attack at the Oculus?”

“I heard,” Lord Allen said, and he abruptly sobered. “Gods, Pindor wasn’t--”

“No!” I quickly assured the man. “No, he’s just fine. He fought like hell and really did us proud in the attack. That’s what I was gonna say, I wouldn’t have gotten there in time without him. He’s the one who sent word to me in Falmount. If he hadn’t acted so quickly, we would have lost the Oculus entirely.”

“My Pindor?” Lord Allen asked, and his eyes glistened a bit. “You don’t say.”

“Hell, yeah,” I chuckled. “That’s kind of just how he is, to tell you the truth. Pindor’s always right there when we need him. He helped me rescue a girl up in Orebane without hesitating, and he tore a mountain open in the process. He’s a hell of a mage.”

Lord Allen was practically bursting with pride now, and I was glad to see someone appreciating the kid considering how his reputation had been going south lately at the Order. Of course, now that I knew he was related to the Earl of Rainard, I kind of wondered if his cockiness was technically well founded, even if the delivery was shit.

“That sure is good to hear,” Lord Allen said with another proud pat to his belly. “His parents would be happy to know it, rest their souls.”

Now, my smile fell a bit. “Pindor’s parents are dead?”

“Sadly,” the earl sighed. “I raised the boy up myself since he was three. I suppose that’s why he didn’t value his magery so highly at first. Always knew he’d end up taking on my responsibilities one day, but that doesn’t mean he should squander his talents now. He really never mentioned?”

“No,” I admitted, and I realized Pindor and I actually had a lot more in common than I thought. The fact he was in line to inherit the earl’s domain was fucking news to me, though.

“Well, he’s always been a quiet kid,” Lord Allen said as he grabbed three goblets from a passing server and handed me and Shoshanne two of them. “Too shy to do much more than keep his nose buried in a book. I wish he’d find himself a nice girl sometime, but I suppose it’s enough that he’s come out of his shell and dedicated to pursuing his studies.”

“Yeah,” I said as I couldn’t contain my grin. “He’s uh … he’s definitely coming out of his shell.”

Lord Allen grinned broadly beneath his wiry moustache, and he was about to say something more when a bell began to ring across the room, and Temin invited the entire gathering to adjourn to the great hall so the meeting could begin.

Shoshanne sent me a wide-eyed look, and my knees went numb as I realized I’d spent all of my time talking about Pindor rather than solidifying some prestige with the man who could ensure me at least fifteen nobles.

“Ah!” Lord Allen sighed as he drained the last of his wine, and he prodded my own goblet as if to say I should do the same. “Time for the slaughter, I’m afraid.”

I drained my wine like a dying man as the hall began to empty, but then Lord Allen roughly grabbed me around the shoulder to drag me with him.

“Now, don’t let Baron Ralish get to you,” he muttered conspiratorially. “He’ll go after you on account of how little time you’ve spent in your position, but you just hold firm. His lot are a bunch of greedy imbeciles, but we can’t allow them to destroy this trade agreement. I’ve done all I can amongst the better half, so it falls to you now. Just remember, the citizens in the lower quarters are relying on you to help them maintain their circumstances, and if Ralish gets his way, they’ll drop right back into poverty in the blink of an eye.”

I furrowed my brow. “Really?”

“Certainly,” Lord Allen assured me, and he managed to grab two more goblets for us before we reached the door. “Half of his workers left his despicable working conditions as soon as the alliance with Orebane allowed their families to get by in Serin. So, don’t let his confidence fool you. He may have been the first to corner the market of oats in Illaria, but he’s floundering to remain relevant, and there are plenty of others who could knock him right out of the market with enough gumption to give it a try. So, stay the course. What have you got up your sleeves?”

I chugged my wine as the weight of the situation began to press heavier on my shoulders, and I was suddenly glad I had a decent buzz to keep the panic at bay.

“Well … I’ve got some news about mines opening in the west,” I replied. “That and the fact it’s my railway, and I could honestly close the whole thing down if I wanted to.”

“Good,” Lord Allen said with a nod. “Lead with that. A bit of a prod at his questionable labor force wouldn’t hurt either. No one’s had the nerve to come out and say it, but from what I hear from Pindor, you’re a man who stands up for what’s right, and there isn’t a single noble who still uses children in the fields except for Ralish.”

I stared as the earl tapped his nose once more before joining his wife and entering the great hall at her side, and Shoshanne looked as completely caught off guard as me while I slowed to a stop.

“So …” she muttered, “that was a lot to take in.”

I nodded. “I’m so fucked.”

“No, you aren’t,” Shoshanne assured me as she took my hand, and my other three women joined us as the crowd filed by. “You know everything you need to, and Lord Allen already supports you.”

“He does?” Cayla asked eagerly, and I walked ahead on numb legs while Shoshanne filled the others in about Pindor, Ralish, and the lower class of Serin relying on me to maintain their circumstances.

When we entered the great hall, hundreds of gilded chairs lined the marble floor with the Elders seated in a shadowy pew high above, and they glared down at the nobility as if they already knew what direction this would go in.

King Temin saw us enter and motioned for us to take a row of seats in the front, and as I dropped down into a seat and willed the wine I’d just chugged to kick in as soon as possible, the king walked to his throne at the head of the hall. His advisers flanked him on either side in their own gilded seats, and I decided being a noble was definitely not something I wanted to do.

“Wait, are you nervous?” Cayla asked in disbelief as she noticed the look on my face.

“Oh, I don’t know,” I muttered. “I am about to address hundreds of nobles after only meeting two, and there’s apparently way more riding on this decision than just some swords for Temin’s army.”

“Mason, ten hours ago you had a princess chained to your bed,” Cayla whispered. “Remember that.”

“Let’s not forget you had your dick down the Baroness’ throat recently, too,” Aurora added.

I smirked now, and as the two women gave me their best know-it-all looks, I nodded.

“You’re right,” I agreed. “I should just whip it out. Problem solved.”

Then I grabbed at my belt, and Cayla barely contained a screech as she snatched my hand away.

“Mason!” she hissed. “Don’t do that to me! Just … approach this like you do everything else.”

“Exactly,” Aurora whispered. “You know you’re right, so just go out there and prove it.”

“Politely,” Cayla clarified. “Unless … well, unless that doesn’t work. Then speak your mind. That doesn’t always get you into trouble.”

“Great,” I mumbled. “Thanks for the advice.”

“And no matter what happens, do not whip it out,” Aurora giggled. “Only half the people in attendance would appreciate the gesture.”

“Yeah, but how many votes do I really need?” I asked as I sent the women a roguish grin, but then Temin stood up, and my nerves doused my ego in seconds.

I rarely got to hear Temin use his ‘king’ voice, but as he solemnly addressed the nobles on the issue, I was honestly kind of floored he just talked to me like a regular guy all the time. He looked so stately up on his throne looking out at us all, and I registered pretty much none of what he said as the last three goblets I chugged finally started making their way to my head.

Then Deya tapped my elbow, and I looked over to see her violet eyes glittering with adoration.

“You look really handsome tonight!” the elf whispered, and I couldn’t help grinning.

“Thank you,” I chuckled. “That helps.”

“I’m proud of you, and I’m proud to be yours.”

“Thanks,” I sighed. Her words really did make me feel a ton better.

Deya nodded and smiled sweetly, and I looked straight ahead as Baron Ralish took the floor in his mustard yellow robes. Right away, his snide voice grated on my nerves, but I was mostly distracted trying to place him because he looked familiar for some reason. Then he sneered, and I realized he was one of the men the guy in green had been talking to earlier this evening.

That’s when my gut started to heat with a deep seeded fury, and I decided there was no way this fucker was gonna have the last say today. Not when he consorted with the same asshole who was plotting to threaten my women.

So, I sat there and took in every word he had to say, and the longer he spoke, the more I hated him. He appealed to the nobility’s pure greed for wealth, and he praised the railway over and over again for solidifying their places above all the rest. He made a few underhanded references that I didn’t understand, but I could tell they were meant for specific lords as a way of hinting that they owed him their approval on the issue for some reason.

I could see why the tariffs had been instilled with guys like him around, and he openly berated the dwarven Elders for never allying with them in the past, but to be honest, he was only making it abundantly clear why they hadn’t. He spoke of nothing but money for the rich, and for a guy who sold oats, he sure thought a lot of his contributions to the nation. I would have liked to see him create anything of genuine substance, but judging by the papery hands he kept folded on the podium like a priest, I knew it was too much to expect of the guy.

A few of the seated gentlemen argued against his points here and there, while others stood to make obnoxious declarations on Baron Ralish’s behalf, and by the time the guy finally returned to his seat after what felt like an hour, I couldn’t even count how many times I’d rolled my eyes.

I was also reaaally feeling the wine now, and Cayla sent me a sidelong glance as the buzz of conversation amongst the nobles filled the hall for a moment.

“I recognize that expression,” she muttered under her breath. “Just try not to tell them all off, Mason.”

“No promises,” I chuckled, and Temin rose from his throne once more.

“Baron Flynt, you have the floor,” Temin announced, and I could have sworn I saw him smirk as I dragged myself to my feet.

The hall fell silent again when I was in place behind the podium, and I braced my weight as I gripped the edges of the metalwork. Then I took a moment to admire the craftsmanship because it was actually very well made. The podium was solid gold and must have been casted to create an elaborate brocade all around the edges, and a person could do some serious damage if he happened to have the ability to lift the thing.

I eyed Baron Ralish as I contemplated how an elf might handle this situation, but then I caught the look on my women’s faces, and I realized I should probably start talking. So, I cleared my throat and looked out at the many, many, nobles seated in front of me.

“So,” I muttered, “I don’t even know where to start after all of that. That was … enlightening.”

To my surprise, several people chuckled while Ralish’s expression soured a degree, and I bit my cheek to keep from smirking.

“Well,” I began, “I guess first I’d like to thank the Elders of Aurum for joining us today. It was very considerate of them to put up with listening to that, and it’s always an honor when the representatives of such an ancient and honorable nation choose to travel so far to discuss things in person. The dwarves are some of the best forgers in the world, and they’re willingness to provide our own nation with goods as well wrought as theirs is not only an honor, but an essential contribution to us at this time.”

A scant few nodded in agreement, and I furrowed my brow.

“Which was kind of the whole point of the railway,” I clarified. “To improve the relations between regions and the circumstances of everyone. In every quarter of this city, there are people who are relying on the trade agreement for weaponry, provisions, and income, and the wealth it’s brought to our nation was never meant to be siphoned into the pockets of only those present in this hall. These tariffs alone have made it so, but lowering them to a respectable degree in no way threatens any of your positions. Trust me, you’ll do just fine, and as a bonus, those beneath you will do much better, too.”

Aurora smirked at the tone in my voice, and I cleared my throat as Cayla sent me a nervous look.

“Now, with all of that being said,” I continued, “keeping the tariffs in place and destroying our alliance with Orebane for the sake of your own thirst for wealth will certainly do the opposite for you. The dwarves are reopening eight mines in the west this week, and they had intended to offer the wares to our nation until all of this came up.”

“What do these mines offer?” a lord asked as he stood.

“Well, some of them have additional reserves of copper and gold,” I told him, “but more importantly, the others could provide us with platinum, alexandrite, and black opal for the first time in hundreds of years.”

Conversation broke out across the hall as several in attendance began muttering anxiously to one another at the news, and I could tell by how quickly Lady Emonie was fanning herself that I’d certainly caught her attention. The fact that every noble family seated in her vicinity were eyeing her reaction told me I might have just sealed the deal so easily, but then Baron Ralish rose to his feet, and his grating voice cut through the buzz of the hall.

“Baron Flynt, your greed for metal is widely known throughout our nation,” the man sneered, and I furrowed my brow. “We are not so foolish as to think you speak without bias now, so do drop your pretenses. The mines in the north are rich with all manner of metal, and few of us are so gullible as to doubt you came here this evening solely to ensure your own precious supply is not threatened.”

“Okay …” I muttered as I tried to find an appropriate way to respond without just telling him to fuck off. “You are aware I own my own mine, right? Two, actually. Not to mention, my powers allow me to access metal reserves anywhere, so I don’t need anyone’s help to uh … satiate my greed for metal, as you put it. However, platinum is something I’ve never encountered in my travels, and a metal as precious could influence the markets of Illaria in ways--”

“Yes, yes, and you hope to cash in on the profits yourself,” Baron Ralish cut in. “It’s plain as day you have monetary interest in this subject, Baron Flynt, so your attack on our own monetary interests is wholly unfounded. You know nothing of the delicate balance that maintains our stations in Illaria, but seeing as we are well aware of your own stake in these tariffs, I suggest you own up to the fact that your position would be threatened if the trade agreement with … ”

The baron trailed off as all heads of the nobility turned, and I followed their lead to the heights of the hall where Dogra had risen from his seat and was now looking severely down on all of us.

“Let it be clearly stated,” Dogra announced, “that Baron Flynt will have full access to any and all resources within the borders of Orebane regardless of the agreement reached between our nations. The rest of Illaria, however, will not.”

The last of his words rang through the silent hall with a punishing finality, and he said no more as he returned to his seat.

“So,” I continued, “clearly, I speak for the sake of the citizens of both Orebane and Illaria without any self-serving interests in the matter.”

“And you would do well, Baron Ralish, to consider the man you are accusing of such a charge is responsible for the railway that has been filling your pockets these last months,” Lord Allen added, and half the hall began muttering in agreement.

“Yes,” I continued, “and I didn’t build the railway to fill your pockets. The citizens of both our nations, as well as Cedis, are just beginning to reap the benefits of this trade agreement. Here in Serin, everyone’s quality of life is improving. People are rising from poverty to a degree they never imagined possible, and half of them are simply hoping for the bare minimum of keeping their children out of your fields, Baron Ralish.”

Lord Allen grinned as Baron Ralish’s pallor turned sallow, and I barreled on since I finally seemed to have gotten his attention.

“You may seek to profit from the labor of others,” I informed the baron, “but the majority of us here can understand this doesn’t mean others shouldn’t be allowed to profit as well. Your narrow sightedness alone will sacrifice their ability to provide for their own families, and as the man who brought this railway to fruition to begin with, I can assure you I’m not above rectifying the issue of my own accord if necessary.”

“And what exactly are you implying, Baron Flynt?” Baron Ralish scoffed.

I glanced at Cayla as I realized I was potentially about to overstep my bounds, but the princess smirked, and my other women grinned like they were definitely hoping I’d continue.

So, I did.

“I’m implying only one man in this nation could bring that railway into creation,” I told the man bluntly, “and the same man is more than willing to see the railway that runs near your lands no longer does so. If your greed threatens the agreement reached between Illaria and Orebane--an agreement achieved only due to mine and the mages’ direct efforts--then I see no reason to abide by the bullshit of a guy who sits back and lets others do the work for him. Frankly, I’d like to see you lay all that track, you spineless piece of--”

“Baron Flynt,” Ralish growled, “our Royal Highness would never permit such blatant discrimination--”

“Oh, fuck you,” I finally snorted, and a few nobles gasped in shock while others tried their best to stifle their amusement, but I could still hear Aurora burst out laughing above it all. “You’re discriminating against the dwarves and everyone below your station right now, and don’t think I’m not aware that selling your oats at a quarter the price in Serin is what put you in this position to begin with. I may be new around here, but I’m not an idiot, and if all you have to offer is your fucking oats, then there’s gotta be ten other barons here who could knock you right out of the market easily.”

“Thirteen,” Lord Allen called out, and the men beside him chuckled.

“The point is,” I sighed, “by instilling these tariffs, you’re gouging the citizens of Orebane, and as a result, you’re minutes away from ensuring the people of your own nation never benefit again from the wares of a people with infinitely higher quality goods to offer. I could make a dozen other solid points, but I’m honestly out of patience. So, vote as you please on the issue, but keep in mind, that railway has my name stamped on it, and I ally with the dwarves, as does your king.”

“I move for a decrease of the tariffs by half,” one man offered as he shot to his feet, and several quickly nodded in agreement.

“Is that the deal you’re giving Cedis?” I clarified, but the man quickly averted his gaze, and I nodded. “That’s what I thought.”

Now, several barons shot to their feet to make their case, and while their voices echoed around the hall, I shifted my weight and reminded myself that shooting them on the spot would be a very Nalnoran way of handling things.

So, I ground my teeth instead and let them carry on, but then something else caught my attention.

It was a static energy drifting through the air from above, and I furrowed my brow as I looked toward Aurora.

“Do you feel that?” I mouthed to the half-elf, and she looked around in complete confusion as I tried to pinpoint where the sensation was coming from. It was pressing down heavy on me now, and it was distinctly familiar to my own powers, except I wasn’t summoning them at all. As far as I knew, none of the nobility were mages, either, except for one.

Then I found the Baroness in the crowd, and she was the only one not paying attention to the argument taking place. She was looking straight up, instead.

The static presence was growing stronger now as my gut told me something was about to go wrong, and when the Baroness’ eyes suddenly snapped to mine, she nodded.

“Temin,” I said above the din as I turned to the king’s throne. “Something is--”

But then a thundering crack broke through the bickering of the nobles, and the ceiling collapsed on us all.

Chapter 11

Shrieks rebounded around the marble hall as I dove out from behind the podium, and I sparked my Terra powers with my palms up as I came crashing to my knees. Then every shard hurtling toward the crowd froze in midair as the weight of the shattered ceiling collided with my magic, and I quickly looked over to be sure the dwarven Elders were unharmed in their pew.

All of their jaws were dropped as they stared at the massive chunk of marble only a foot above their heads, and half the nobles were frantically running into one another while the other half couldn’t seem to move an inch as they gaped at me.

Then the static presence of the magic that had caused this disappeared, and I gritted my teeth as my veins burned under the effort of splitting my magic while holding everything in place. I sent my Terra powers surging through the castle one floor at a time as I sensed servants running around in confusion of where the thundering crack had come from, but then I found them.

There were nine people three floors up who moved at far too quick a pace, and I turned to my women as I tracked their course through the upper levels of the castle.

“Three floors up,” I growled, and my women all ran for the entrance as they pulled their pistols from their holsters.

Then I forced the shards of the ceiling to rise, and my brow was drenched with sweat from the effort by the time I had every massive piece fused into place once more.

“Evacuate the castle!” I hollered to Temin as I jumped to my feet, and I shoved past the frantic nobles while Temin’s voice rose above the panic and ordered everyone to the outer courtyard.

I was barreling up a stately flight of marble steps when I caught up with my women, and I sent my magic ahead of us to find the culprits of the attack.

“How many?” Aurora gasped as she struggled to keep her gown up.

“Nine,” I panted, and we rounded the next flight of steps as servants rushed past us on both sides. “All Terra Mages.”

“Gods,” Shoshanne whimpered. “Mason, they could bring the whole castle down.”

“Not with me here,” I growled. “It took all nine of them to break that ceiling, so we know they’re not as strong as Dahko. They’ll probably try to drop us all through the floor the second we approach, so we’re using our numbers to our advantage.”

“How?” Deya asked with a nervous frown, and she wasn’t even winded as we poured on the speed.

“Starting with you and Cayla,” I replied, and as we came to the third floor, I could already tell it was deserted. So, I motioned for my women to continue onward to the fourth floor, and I pulled my pistol out as I lowered my voice. “Deya, you’re going to be invisible for this. They won’t be able to track your course with your necklace on, so I want you and Cayla on sniper duty while Aurora, Shoshanne, and I pursue them directly.”

“Be careful,” the princess warned, and I nodded.

“You two hang back a bit while we draw them out,” I continued. “Aurora, contain the flames as best as you can, and Shoshanne, see if you can get a hold of their lungs to slow them down.”

Then the steps in front of us broke open, and I quickly sparked my magic to keep my women from dropping through while they stumbled to regain their stance.

“There!” I hollered as I caught a glimpse of two mages disappearing at the end of the hall ahead, and we barreled onward while Deya flickered out of sight beside Cayla.

The two of them dropped back when we rounded the corner, and the mages I’d seen sparked their magic as they looked back over their shoulders. I’d anticipated their attack, though, and as the hall began crumbling on either side of us, I forced the pieces back into place while Cayla and Deya fired two bullets.

They only caught one of the mages on the arm as the two men dove around the next corner, but it was enough to start a blaze beneath the skin, and the man’s tortured screams echoed around us he was devoured by the flames.

Then a shot resounded throughout the fourth floor, and we all froze as I heard a servant dropped to the ground close by.

“That was a revolver,” Cayla muttered as she hurried to our sides.

“The mages have revolvers?” Aurora clarified, and I could see a flicker of fear in her emerald eyes as adrenaline began to mount in my veins.

“Change of plans,” I decided. “If we’re all together, they only have to get us cornered and empty their cylinders on us. Split up.”

“But what if they break the floor open,” Shoshanne said as she stared in horror at the stonework beneath our feet.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep track of all of you. I won’t let you fall through.”

Aurora pointed to the stone ceiling next. “Or get crushed?”

“Mason, that’s too much to do all at once,” Cayla countered.

“It’s our only option,” I replied. “If they fan out much more, they really will be able to take the castle down, and they’ll be too spread out for me to do anything about. Move fast and use your bullets sparingly. We don’t have any extra magazines, so we’ve gotta make every shot count, and if you find any servants, tell them to get the hell out of here.”

I turned and ran after the mage who’d gotten away before my women could argue, and I sent a powerful surge of my Terra powers throughout the stonework of the entire fourth floor as I went.

Luckily, the eight remaining mages hadn’t fled to another level yet, and as I sensed my women splitting off to take them down, I wove through the hall with my pistol at the ready.

I passed the king’s keep and several lofty chambers that were all deserted, but then I stumbled across two cowering servants hiding behind a copper statue. Both of them frantically pointed in the direction the mages had run, and I nodded as I quickly continued.

“Stay low to the ground and get out of the castle as fast as you can,” I ordered over my shoulder, but Aurora suddenly shrieked as someone’s powers broke through my own.

The tortured screams of a mage followed almost immediately after while I reformed the ground beneath Aurora’s feet just in time, and I turned a corner to finally catch sight of the fleeing mage.

I fired before he could dodge my shot, and I was already leaping over his flaming body when another tortured scream echoed through the castle. That’s when I sensed two mages climbing to the next story, and I changed my course to head for the nearest flight of stairs.

The walls of the fourth floor shook as the mages attempted to break them apart, but I doubled the force of my Terra powers and fought hard to keep the stones in place. The floor shook next as I felt my veins vibrate from the effort of countering the mages’ collective powers, but I was finally nearing the fifth floor now.

I could hear revolvers being fired below, and Cayla ordered Aurora to back down while I sensed Shoshanne’s magic spark in the air. I was slowly stalking my way through the hall as panicked screams broke out downstairs again, and I couldn’t help grinning when Deya’s silvery giggle came shortly after.

Only four mages were left, and knowing two of them were up on the fifth floor with me eased my concerns for my women by a degree. The four of them only had to take down their last two, and hopefully, I’d have handled my own by then.

Rapid fire broke out below me, though, and I froze in place as I heard two bodies hit the ground. The mages must have found the servants I’d tried to save, and the fury I felt knowing they were picking off innocent bystanders made my Terra powers flare with determination.

I sealed off the doors of every remaining chamber on the fourth floor in case there were any others in hiding, and when another tortured scream echoed back, I grinned and turned down the next hall.

It was almost pitch black in this corner of the castle with only a single torch at the far end of the hall, and I could hear a heartbeat thudding not far off as shots fired in the distance. I stalked forward while the stones under my boots began to tremble, and I knew the next mage was waiting for me around the corner up ahead.

I tried to lock him in place with my Terra powers, but he was countering my attack with the full force of his own magery, and I began to sense my magic draining rapidly from the effort of maintaining so large a space. I couldn’t risk pushing my limits while my women were relying on me to keep them safe, so I stopped trying to go on the offensive, and I held my pistol outstretched instead.

Then I kept moving forward, and as a final terrified scream echoed through the fourth floor, I grinned and shifted my Terra magic. Now that the last mage downstairs was dead, I just needed to finish off my end of the bargain, so I directed my powers straight to the feet of the mage waiting for me.

He growled angrily as I locked him in place and ran forward, but then the entire wall broke apart beside me, and I managed to block the rubble flying my way so I wouldn’t be buried in it. Another wall broke open before I’d even reformed this one, and I could sense the mage fleeing down the hall as he tore the side of the castle open wide.

Shrieks echoed from the courtyard as I came to a stop and stared out from the edge of the tower, and I caught the stones and sent them another direction before they could reach the nobility far below. My gut dropped when I saw how high up I was, but I didn’t have time to holler down and move the crowd farther back. The crack of a revolver split through the hall as a bullet grazed my shoulder, and I dropped to my knees as I fired into the shadows.

Flames burst across the walls when my bullets struck stone, and I cursed as I vaulted forward and clambered over the rubble. Another wall broke loose as I passed, but I managed to dodge the onslaught just as I saw a mage lunge into a stairwell.

They were too fast for me to keep up with, but I didn’t back down while I barreled down the hall and took the steps three at a time, and I could hear my women beginning to panic as they searched for any sign of me below.

Then the steps broke open as a revolver fired at my back, and I realized I was sandwiched between the last two mages. So, I let the steps drop me while I clung to the remaining edge of stone, and I fired into the blackened stairwell to light it up. Flames coursed over the stones as an eerily vacant face flickered into view, and when the mage raised his revolver, I swiftly sent a bullet straight into his chest.

Then I holstered my pistol while the flames devoured the possessed mage, and I dragged myself up onto the remaining steps before I reformed the ones above me. I continued my course to the sixth floor as fast as I could, and when I came to a panting stop, I listened carefully for any sign of the final mage.

The footsteps I heard were already at the other end of the tower, though, and I broke into an all-out sprint through the deserted hall. Then the mage started blasting the walls and ceiling apart as he went, and I did my best to repair the damage while I leapt over boulders and fallen statues. My Terra powers were beginning to falter now as the destruction slowed my pursuit, but when I reached a moonlit archway leading out onto a battlement, I finally halted and scanned my surroundings once more.

I couldn’t hear any footsteps, but this was the only direction the mage could have gone, and I strained to catch even a single sound that might give me a hint of where he was lurking.

Then I slowly made my way out onto the battlement, but even with my Terra Magic sifting through the stonework, I couldn’t sense anyone. I sent my powers back through the entire sixth floor to see if he’d doubled back, and my heart began to pound heavy as I realized my four women were just about to mount the steps. Without knowing where the mage had gone, I couldn’t protect them, and I split my magic to send it across the bridge of the battlement and up to the seventh floor at the same time.

It was like the mage had vanished into thin air, though, and I realized there was one place he could have gone to manage such a stunt.

My gut churned uneasily as I moved toward the edge of the battlement with my pistol clutched in my grip, and I slowly peered into the courtyard below. A harried sigh escaped my lips as I saw no bodies below, but my relief was short lived, because that meant he was still up here somewhere, and Aurora’s voice calling for me was getting closer.

“Come on, you bastard,” I muttered under my breath. “Make your move.”

I turned in a circle to eye the edges of the battlement next, and as my gaze drifted over starkly moonlit ridges of stone and deep black shadows, a flicker caught my attention. Suddenly, there was a heartbeat right near me, although I had no idea where it had come from, and I squinted into the shadows as my grip tightened on the trigger.

Then the stone bucked under me, and I was thrown clean into the air and off the bridge. I could hear the shrieks of the nobles in the courtyard as wind coursed over my body, and the twisted grin of a mage appeared at the edge of the battlement as he watched me drop several stories down.

I was grinning, too, though, as I steadied my aim and fired my pistol before I could do another roll in the air. My fall was gaining speed now while the stone of the castle tower flashed by, but the mage’s chest erupted in enchanted flames as my bullet struck true.

His pained screams drowned out the shock of the nobles as he flailed and tipped forward off the bridge, and his body was entirely consumed by the flames within seconds.

Then I forced my Terra magic to spark just before I hit the ground, but searing pain shot through me despite my efforts to soften my landing. My rune roared in my ears as I realized I couldn’t move my legs, and above the elven chanting, I could hear my women screaming my name as they looked down at my body on the ground.

“Fuck,” I managed to wheeze, and I let the leaden abyss of the healing rune take over my mind as the dead mage’s ashes rained down around me.

Warm blood was seeping out of some part of me, and the bones in my back felt like splinters against my organs, but they were gradually reforming themselves with every passing minute as I laid there trying to take deep breaths. I could tell my arms were fully healed first, and my skull stopped throbbing by the time the ground under me rumbled from a swarm of nobility running my way. When I managed to pry my eyes open, Temin was stooped over me looking as close to death as I was, and the many nobles surrounding us took turns screeching, weeping, and generally being unhelpful while they gaped at me.

“Can you move?” the king demanded.

“Nope,” I grunted as I gritted my teeth against the stabbing pain in my legs. “Just give me a minute. I’ll be fine.”

“Gods, Mason,” Temin gasped, and his face leached of all color. “You’ll be paralyzed after a fall like that. I can’t believe this. How could I have let such a--”

“Move godsdamnit!” Aurora suddenly bellowed, and my women crashed through the crowd to drop down beside me.

Shoshanne even shoved the king aside before her tear streaked face came into view, and I sent the caramel beauty half a grin.

“Hey, beautiful,” I muttered.

“Mason,” the healer whimpered. “I thought … I thought--”

“Is he alive?” Deya gasped, and her hands were stroking my hair as she trembled from head to toe.

“Don’t worry,” I mumbled. “It’d take a lot more than a fall to kill me.”

“C-Can you breathe okay?” the healer asked, but I could already sense her magic seeping into my lungs to help me anyway.

“I’m almost healed,” I assured her. “Any guesses why the pain won’t fucking stop, though?”

“Where?” Cayla demanded.

“My leg,” I groaned through gritted teeth.

“Everyone move back,” Shoshanne ordered the nobles, and they shuffled several feet back while they kept murmuring anxiously to one another.

I could feel my women groping at my legs on either side now, and Deya gasped as her hand closed around the most painful spot. I jolted and reached to rip her hand away as pain burned through my entire leg and foot, and Shoshanne cursed under her breath.

“Mason, your rune healed your bones improperly,” she murmured as quietly as she could. “They fused too quickly, we have to get you to the infirmary and re-break them.”

“Just get it over with,” I hissed.

“But--”

I sent the healer a stern look, though, and she nodded at once before coming around to my other side. Aurora and Cayla gripped my forearms while Deya pressed down hard to hold my thigh in place, and then I took a deep breath just before my shin snapped apart.

“Fuck!” I yelped, and Shoshanne began forcing my shattered bones into place as quickly as she could while my rune chanted with a vengeance already. I didn’t know how many times I cursed under my breath while she broke the bones two more times and shifted them into place, but eventually I ran out of filthy phrases and just focused on not throwing up.

Then the chanting began to quiet down as the pain subsided, and once I was able to think more clearly, I decided I was beyond grateful my spine had at least healed properly, because the few minutes I’d spent paralyzed honestly terrified me. If Dragir were here, I would have probably fallen at his feet now for branding me with the healing rune, but since he wasn’t, I settled for thanking the gods as my women hastily checked the rest of my bones.

“I’m fine,” I muttered while my rune settled back to a dull murmur in the back of my mind, and I felt Deya and Shoshanne’s hands on my shoulders next as they tried to help me up.

“Mason, we need to get you back to the infirmary immediately,” Shoshanne informed me. “I’m checking you with my healing staff to be sure your organs are alright.”

“Sure,” I replied as I strained to stand, but the residual fatigue from pushing my magery made my head spin, and Cayla and Aurora quickly braced themselves under my arms to keep me steady.

My bones felt fine, though, and I couldn’t help grinning over the fact that I could walk away from a six-story fall. Knowing we’d taken down every one of the mages who’d stormed the castle improved my mood quite a bit, too.

“Should he be walking?” the king exclaimed as he rushed forward, and I chuckled despite how woozy I felt.

“Don’t worry about me, Temin,” I muttered. “It’s not the first time I’ve almost died.”

“We’re taking him home,” Cayla informed the king.

“Of course,” Temin said, and he motioned for the crowd to make way for us. “Is there anything I can do? Do you need anything?”

The nobility parted as they clutched one another and stared in silent shock, and I noticed several young lords fanning their wives on the ground.

“Nah, I’m good,” I grunted. “Thanks for the invite, though. This was fun.”

Temin managed a harried chuckle as he led me and my women through the crowd, and he escorted us back across the courtyard and through the castle while pale faced servants and nobles lingered around, not knowing how to proceed from here.

“I’ll come back tomorrow and fix up the rest of the castle,” I assured the king, but he immediately declined.

“Defender Urn can attend to this mess,” Temin insisted. “You just focus on recovering. If not for you, every noble in the nation as well as the Elders would have been killed. Myself included. There’s no way I could repay this debt, Mason, but I assure you I intend to try.”

“There’s no debt,” I informed him, “I’m happy to help.”

The king shook his head in disbelief as we reached the entrance hall, and when I offered him my hand, he felt as cold as ice as he shook it with both of his.

“Take care of yourself,” Temin urged, “and if you need anything--”

“I’ll let you know,” I interrupted, “but you should probably disperse your guards throughout the castle for the time being. Just in case.”

“I agree,” the king said with an anxious nod. “I’ll triple their watch until we can find out how all of this came to pass.”

“Good. Now, go make sure your nobles haven’t all fainted.”

Temin managed a chuckle as I let Cayla and Aurora steer me down the hall, and he was already ordering his servants to tend to his guests as I shuffled away.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Shoshanne asked, and her brows were still knitted with worry. “You look ready to drop.”

“Yeah, I’m just worn out,” I told her, but this was honestly the understatement of the year. “My rune doesn’t seem to replenish my mage powers as quickly as my body. It does kind of feel like I just fell off a bridge, though.”

“The moment we get home, I’m taking a look at you,” the healer decided, and Cayla nodded.

“We’ll get you some food, too, but the healing waters could help,” the princess added.

“That’s a good idea,” Deya replied. “Nemris’ magic is stronger than any other. Maybe it could restore his own faster.”

I could tell none of them would be calming down anytime soon, so I let them carry on making an endless list of ways to fix this, even though I knew it was just time that I needed.

Then Cayla’s hand tightened on my hip, and I glanced down to see her eyes burning up at me. She quickly jutted her head to the side as I furrowed my brow, and when I squinted into the shadowy hall to our right, I caught a glimpse of green at the end of the hall.

The man turned just as I noticed him, and I slowed to a stop as I sparked my Terra magic. The effort immediately made my head spin, but I unwound my women’s arms from my waist as I forced my magic to keep tracing the man in green.

“I’ll meet you at the Mustang,” I told the others.

“Mason, what are you thinking?” Aurora demanded. “You need to get home.”

“Yes, what else could possibly matter right now?” Deya asked as she tried to pull me along. “You have certainly done enough. Come and sit down.”

“I forgot to tell Temin something,” I lied as I tried not to sway where I stood. “It’s very important. I’ll be fine, just get to the Mustang, and I’ll be there in a couple minutes. Cayla and Shoshanne, go with them.”

Cayla nodded as she took Aurora’s hand, and when Shoshanne noticed the look on the princess’ face, she casually looped her arm through Deya’s as they pulled the two elven women toward the doors. The second they were all outside, I turned on my heel and silently ran down the hall to my right, and I could already sense the man’s footsteps nearing a side door that led out to the courtyard.

I closed the distance between us in only a matter of seconds, though, and he was reaching for the iron latch when I caught him from behind and locked him in a death grip with my dagger at his throat.

The man gasped and gagged as he fought to free himself, but I managed to keep him steady despite how little strength I had left in me at the moment.

“I couldn’t help but notice you eyeing my women,” I growled in his ear, and he fought more violently to free himself.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” the man choked. “They disgust me.”

“Yeah, I thought that was kind of odd.”

Then I wrenched the dagger across his throat, and warm blood coursed over my hand as the man dropped twitching at my feet. His eyes bulged wildly while he clutched at his slit neck and gaped up at me, but his twitching slowed rather quickly, and soon he was lifeless in a pool of blood.

I swiped my bloody dagger across my thigh before I sheathed it, and I used the last scraps of my magic to let the corpse sink far beneath the floor along with every trace of blood. Then I walked over the newly reformed stone, and as I unlatched the door, I realized the fresh blood drenching my sleeve blended pretty well with the shirt Cayla had picked out for me.

“She really does think of everything,” I chuckled, and I headed across the moonlit courtyard to join my women.

Chapter 12

It was dawn when I carefully untangled myself from my women’s arms and snuck into the workshop, and even though I knew I could probably use another few hours of sleep, I planted myself at my work table as quietly as I could.

My women had been adamant about taking care of me last night, and I didn’t put up a fight since I knew the sight of me lying mangled on the ground had terrified them. Even after Shoshanne made sure everything was healed properly, they still refused to leave my side, so they spent hours massaging my muscles and trailing tender kisses all over me while I laid in the enchanted waters of our fountain instead. Deya even insisted on feeding me scraps of grilled venison like we were back in Jagruel, and I let the sight of them all drenched and glimmering in Aurora’s firelight distract me from my concerns for the evening.

Then the sun rose, and I woke up with a ten-pound weight rooted in my gut as I considered everything that had happened at the castle.

Nine more mages were dead, and while we’d succeeded in saving the nobles of Illaria as well as the Elders of Aurum and our king, I couldn’t shake the sense that those nine lives should have been spared, too.

Luckily, I’d already formed a full snatcher before, so all I needed to do to rectify the situation was duplicate his design. With a fleet of snatchers, our efforts to reclaim our mages could multiply, and more lives would be saved at a faster rate. So, I got straight to work replicating a pair of snatchers from the treads up before any mages had awoken in Falmount, but it wasn’t long before the first knock came at the door.

Then another, and another, and I ground my jaw as I rose for the seventh time to receive what I already knew would be a gift from yet another lord of Illaria. I wasn’t ungrateful, but I knew my women would be upset to know I’d gotten right back to work instead of recuperating after the attack, so I nearly sprinted for the door to avoid waking them up.

“Baron Flynt,” the page announced, and I swiftly shushed him.

“Keep it down,” I hissed. “What do you want?”

“A delivery from the Duke of Wellix,” the page whispered, and he motioned for the two guards behind him to step forward with their giant iron chest. “A gesture of our lord’s gratitude in honor of your--”

“Yeah, I know,” I whispered back, “my efforts to protect the nobility etcetera, etcetera. Thank you.”

I sparked my metal magic to haul the chest into the house, and I nodded before quietly shutting the door in the page’s face.

“What’s your guess?” I asked Stan as I rejoined him at the worktable. “Coins or gems? Or maybe jewelry for a change?”

Stan tapped his chin in a way that reminded me a lot of Cayla, and I smirked as I waited for him to make up his mind. Then he twirled his hand in the air, and I recognized his sign for gems.

“Let’s see,” I chuckled, and I opened the chest to find hundreds of golden coins instead. “Sorry, buddy. Just money.”

I shuffled the chest aside as I pulled another lump of steel over, but before I even finished the second tread on the base of the automaton, there was another firm rap at the door, and I sighed as I sprinted to answer it.

Then I jumped at the alarming sight of the four armored knights standing in a line on my porch, and for a second I thought they’d come to kill me because they all had their longswords in hand.

They parted after offering a crisp bow, though, and they braced their blade tips against the ground to kneel in front of me. Then a fifth knight stepped forward with a six-foot-long wooden rod laid across his hands, and my eyes nearly popped out of my head as I noticed the striking heads dangling from chains on each end. The wooden shaft was well worn and studded with iron beads at the center for a better grip, but I was mostly focused on the three-inch spikes on each head while the knight knelt in front of me and held the weapon aloft.

“Baron Flynt,” he announced ceremoniously. “We come this day on behalf of our lord, the honorable Earl of Rainard, to present you with this gesture of gratitude, good faith, and the highest esteem. Lord Allen has commissioned us with this task in the hopes of solidifying the union in arms between your two houses.”

I stared so long at the seriously scary weapon that the knight’s arms began to shake from holding it, and then I swiftly took it from him as he sighed with relief.

“Sorry,” I muttered blankly, “Lord Allen sent me a flail?”

“Yes, sir,” the knight replied. “This piece was forged over a hundred years past by the best blacksmith in our county, and since then, it has been wielded in every battle our lord has engaged in.”

“Damn,” I chuckled, and I gestured for the knights to rise again. “This is my first flail, but I’m already a huge fan, so thank you.”

“Yes, it’s one of our finest,” the knight admitted as he spared a grin. “I believe the young master might have mentioned your personal interest in weaponry.”

“Young master?” I asked, but then I caught on. “Ohhh, you mean Pindor, don’t you?”

The knight looked slightly confused beneath his helm, and he shrugged. “Of course, sir.”

I couldn’t help laughing at the thought of Pindor walking around being referred to as the young master of an earldom, and the knights glanced between each other while I tried to rein in my amusement.

“Sorry,” I finally managed. “Please, give Lord Allen my thanks for the flail, and tell him we’ll be in touch. Or that I honor the union? Whatever a baron would say.”

“Perhaps that you acknowledge and are honored by the gesture,” the knight suggested.

“Perfect!” I replied, and the five knights all bowed before they turned in tight precision to head back down the lane toward the stables.

I stood there for a moment to admire the formidable impression of the troop, and I kind of wished I had some well-wrought armor for my soldiers, because it really was intimidating when they all stood together like that.

“Young master Pindor,” I mused with a smirk, and I returned to the atrium while I tested the weight of the new weapon in my hands.

I’d never held a flail before, let alone a double ended one, but it was embarrassingly close to the top of my bucket list back on Earth. Nunchucks were cool and more readily available growing up, but a flail was so much more intimidating, and I couldn’t help grinning as I gave it a trial swing.

Then one of the striking heads flew within an inch of my face, and I sobered immediately before I carefully set the thing down on the table and stepped away.

“Yeah, no,” I muttered to myself, and Stan shook his head as he backed away as well.

The little metal man wouldn’t go anywhere near the flail after that, and the two of us took turns eyeing the deadly spikes while I finished forming the wheel gears and treads for the first new snatcher. Then I doubled the production so I had two identical bases standing side by side before I moved on to forming the stout bearing for both of their cores.

I was only just starting on a pulley system for one of their shoulders when another knock came at the door.

“Seriously?” I muttered, and I tiptoed over as fast as I could before wrenching the door open.

Kurna cocked a brow when he was greeted with a tense scowl, but I relaxed the second I realized who it was.

“Oh, it’s just you.” I grinned. “Come on in.”

Kurna chuckled as he closed the door behind him, and when he saw the array of riches already stacked around the atrium, he let out a low whistle.

“Who did you rob?”

“No one,” I chuckled as I dropped back onto my stool. “Apparently all you have to do is save a few nobles, and they’ll start beating down your door with the finest Illaria has to offer.”

“Yes, I heard what went down at the castle last night,” Kurna told me, and I furrowed my brow.

“How’d you hear about that?”

“I walked through the market,” he replied with a smirk. “Everyone’s talking about it. Word has it you nearly died, and all the rest would’ve gone right along with you. What happened?”

“I’m still trying to work that out,” I mumbled as I sparked my metal magic, and I finished replicating the snatcher’s pulley system out of a lump of steel. “Nine Terra Mages tried to collapse the whole ceiling on us, but what I want to know is how they got in there to begin with. Temin’s security is always tight, and there’s never less than fifteen guards at the entrance. Somehow, the mages all got to the third floor, though, before they broke straight through the stonework.”

“Suppose they disguised themselves as servants?”

“No, they were in their old mages’ robes,” I told him, “and that’s not even the weirdest part of it. They were all armed with revolvers, and one of them--”

“What?” Kurna gasped. “Your revolvers?”

“Replicas,” I clarified. “I think the Master’s forging his own weaponry in the upper levels of that fortress. A couple mages we interviewed mentioned smelling something like heated metal up there, and all nine of the mages we came across last night had revolvers on them.”

Kurna shook his head. “They’re dangerous enough without carrying revolvers as well.”

“My thoughts exactly,” I snorted, and I turned my attention to securing two stout iron cylinders in the central bearings of the automatons. “They killed off some of Temin’s servants while we were after them, but we managed to take them out before they could cause much more damage. None of them would have had to die, though, if I’d captured them before any of this happened. That’s why I’m building these two guys. I figure, if we can’t work out how they’re getting around, we need to triple our efforts until we can.”

“Good idea,” Kurna said as he crossed his arms. “Have you gotten any closer to an answer?”

“No, but I cornered one of the possessed mages last night, and the bastard vanished into thin air, so that might be something.”

Now, Kurna stared from the other side of one of the automatons, and I could tell he was just as confused as I’d been at the time.

“I don’t understand,” he said as he shifted uneasily. “How is that possible? You’re certain he was gone?”

“Positive,” I said with a nod. “I tracked him all the way to the battlements, and then it was like he never existed. I scanned everywhere, but it didn’t matter. Even my Terra Magic turned up nothing, so I thought he jumped, but then out of nowhere, he was there again in the shadows.”

“Do you think that Baroness had something to do with it?” Kurna asked in a low voice. “Batanova, isn’t it? She’s a Tenebrae mage, and she should have been there amongst the nobility. I heard she works with shadows.”

“I don’t think she knew anything about the attack,” I replied, but in the back of my mind, I knew Kurna had a solid point. “I saw the Baroness just before the ceiling broke, and she seemed to have sensed the presence of their magic at the same time I did.”

Kurna shook his head once more and rubbed at the back of his neck, and I began replicating the snatcher’s torso while he considered all of this.

“At least you were there,” he muttered after a moment. “If you hadn’t been, Illaria would be lost to the Master already.”

“I’m sure it’d take more than that to bring the nation down.”

“Like hell it would,” Kurna snorted. “Every noble in the nation was at that meeting, including our king and the dwarven Elders. That’s Orebane left to their own, Illaria without a ruler, and every sect of our nation without any semblance of a leader. You saved all our asses. Again.”

“Huh,” I mused. “I guess you’re right.”

“Not to mention Cedis,” Kurna added as he strolled over to study the flail on the table beside me. “I’m guessing the only heir to the throne was on your arm last night, wasn’t she?”

Fury sparked in my gut as I realized he was right, and the full weight of what the attack was meant to accomplish made my pulse kick up a notch.

“He’s getting too close,” I mumbled, and I began forming the elbow and shoulder joints for the automatons. “Too many close calls are slipping through.”

“Maybe,” Kurna allowed, “but you’ve handled them all so far.”

“Only barely,” I countered. “Yesterday morning, all of Illaria could have gone up in flames, and then the attack against the nobility last night. He’s moving fast and strong. We need to get on the offensive. Right now, we’re scrambling to keep up.”

Kurna finally dragged his attention away from the large flail, and he looked at me with deep concern. “What do you mean all of Illaria would have burned?”

“Have you ever heard of a creature called an Osulla?” I asked.

The brawny mage shook his head as his brows furrowed another degree.

“They’re a magical sort of wild cat from the lands south of Nalnora. Apparently, their claws and horns spark enchanted flames that burn at a faster rate than regular fire, and we found three of them here in Illaria yesterday. Deya said theirs is a different form of magic. Do you think that means you and the other Ignis Mages couldn’t have countered the flames?”

“I don’t know for sure,” Kurna admitted. “I’ve never encountered such a creature.”

“Well, I’d rather not find out then,” I muttered, and I finished securing the torso onto one of the snatchers’ central bearings before I mounted the shoulder joints into their respective sockets on either side. “We removed the runes from the Osulla and had Big Guy take them back to the south, but who’s to say what’s coming next? In three days, the Master’s attempted to take over the Oculus, slaughter every noble between here and Orebane, and sent those Osulla to the foothills as well.”

“It sounds to me like he’s getting desperate,” Kurna said with a shrug, and I raised my brows as I turned from the steel plating I’d just started forming.

“Desperate?” I scoffed. “He’s getting pretty close to kicking our asses is what he’s doing.”

“Think about it, though,” Kurna tried as he raised a hand. “Before you went to Nalnora, he was slowly working his way around. He had time. The elves were carrying on the same as always when you got there, but then within only a few days, the Master launched attacks against how many Houses? Now, you’ve returned to Serin, and again, he’s pushing one attack after another on us. If he were truly prepared to conquer, he would have orchestrated all of these attempts simultaneously. But he’s following you instead, and to me, it sounds like he’s trying to intimidate you. It’s like you said when Hulsan was after the Oculus--the Master needs you on his side. What better way to show his strength than pull off all these attacks as quickly as possible?”

“If he really needed me, he wouldn’t have tried to drop a fucking castle on my head,” I snorted, but Kurna shook his head.

“Or he had no idea you’d be there,” Kurna suggested. “You’ve been a noble for two days, Mason. Who’s going to keep him informed now that Hulsan’s dead? You weren’t supposed to be at the castle, but if the Master knew the Elders travelled to Serin, then killing off your most elite allies at once would be a decent way to get you second guessing your chances.”

I sat back as I considered this. “You think he’s going for shock value?”

“I’d say so,” Kurna chuckled. “It doesn’t make his efforts any less effective, but it does change the game. If you’re asking me, he’s in the same position we are, but you’re forcing him to act like he’s not, because it doesn’t matter what he throws at you, you’ve blocked every one of his attacks. Maybe we can’t storm that fortress until we’re better prepared, but he can’t conquer the nations until he’s more prepared, too. I honestly think he can’t do much more than he is doing right now.”

“He’s doing a hell of a lot of damage,” I clarified, “but you have a point. He hasn’t attempted a complete overthrow yet. Which makes me wonder what he has in mind.”

Kurna thought about this for a moment. “How many mages have you recovered?”

“Well over two hundred by now,” I said with a shrug.

“Then he doesn’t have many left out there,” Kurna mused. “Probably no more than a couple hundred or so. That would explain why he’s going after other creatures instead, like this cat you mentioned. If he’s caught on to what you’re doing, he probably assumes you won’t bother blocking his efforts elsewhere while you’re focusing on the mages.”

“Then he assumed wrong,” I said as I sent the man a deadly grin.

“Good,” Kurna chuckled. “If you keep that up, all that’s left is--”

Aurora’s gasp distracted both of us as she came through the doorway with her eyes wide, and she let out an ecstatic giggle before she went straight for the flail on the table.

“I haven’t seen one of these in years!” Aurora sighed.

I raised my brows as the half-elf casually picked up the giant, double ended flail, but then she handily spun it over her outstretched arm, and both Kurna and I yelped and dove out of range as the striker heads whipped into a blur around Aurora.

She had a huge grin on her face while she twirled the staff with ease and passed it hand to hand, but then one of the striker heads smashed into my rack of bazookas, and the spikes impaled the stone wall of the atrium.

“Shit,” the half-elf giggled. “Sorry about that. It’s been a while.”

All my blood had drained from my appendages while I ducked behind my automaton, and Kurna had his back flat against the door of the house by now.

“You can wield a fucking flail?” I demanded, and Aurora smiled without concern.

“Of course, I can,” she chuckled. “Wanna see me do a--”

“No!” Kurna immediately barked, and I pointed to the table.

“No flails in the house,” I decided. “Just … put it down.”

“Why’d you make one if I can’t even play with it?” Aurora sighed, and she sent me a pouty look as she continued clutching the flail across her chest. The striker heads were still swinging freely within inches of her body, though, and I shook my head as I instinctively backed away.

“Put it down!” I ordered once more. “I didn’t make it, and if I knew you’d be using words like ‘play,’ I never would have brought it in the house. Do you have any idea how dangerous that thing is?”

“That’s half the fun,” Aurora muttered as she rolled her eyes, and she made a big show of dropping the flail on my work table as she put her hands up. “Happy?”

Kurna and I slowly came out of hiding while the brawny mage let out a tense breath, but Aurora just smirked with amusement when he leveled her with a stern finger.

“Where did you learn to do that?” Kurna growled. “The Order stopped training with flails years ago!”

“Haragh taught me,” Aurora said with a shrug. “Wait a minute, is this his flail? I thought he had triple strikers on each end.”

I rifled my hair as I imagined Aurora and Haragh “playing” with flails together, and my voice was a little shaky when I found my words again.

“It’s a gift from Lord Allen,” I informed her. “Don’t touch it.”

Aurora cocked a brow. “You realize if I’m the only one who knows what I’m doing with a flail, I should probably be the only one who does touch it.”

“Not the point,” I replied, and I pulled the weapon well out of her reach as I sat back at my stool.

“Hold on,” the half-elf laughed, “are you afraid of me with a flail?”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation, and Kurna nodded in agreement. “Terrified, actually.”

“Hmm … ” Aurora mused, and she sidled over to sit onto my lap.

Then the half-elf curled her fingers around my neck, and she had a coy grin on her face as she leaned in to brush her lips against mine.

“I promise I won’t bludgeon you,” Aurora murmured.

I managed half a chuckle as I glanced between the flail and her fiery eyes, and my grip locked around her arms just in case she had any ideas.

“Nope,” Kurna said, and he headed straight for the door. “If she’s near that flail, I’m leaving.”

“Wait, I was gonna tell you--” I tried, but the door shut firmly behind the brawny mage, and Aurora chuckled mirthlessly.

“I forgot how fun it was to scare men into the streets,” Aurora sighed. “Makes me feel like I’m back at the Oculus.”

“Why would Haragh teach you, of all people, how to wield one of those?” I asked. “You’re deadly enough as it is.”

Aurora shrugged. “Because it’s fun, and we were bored. Why would Lord Allen give you one if you’re so scared of them?”

“I’m not scared, I’m cautious,” I firmly corrected. “And it’s here for the same reason as all of this.”

I gestured broadly to the chests and statues strewn around the atrium, and it only took half a second for Aurora to leap off my lap as she finally noticed something other than the flail. She had a gaping grin on her face while she threw open one chest after another, and I’d never seen her eyes so wide as when she took in the heaping troves of gems, coins, and finery.

“Gods, Cayla’s going to lose it when she sees all of this!” Aurora giggled, and she leapt over a chest of rubies to head for the bedroom. The next thing I heard was my half-elf shaking the others awake and proudly informing them we were even richer than yesterday, and I shook my head as I finished the last pulley system for the new snatchers.

Both sets of malleable netting were almost finished by the time my women rolled out of bed and meandered into the atrium, and I openly ogled every inch of exposed flesh while they stared in sleepy confusion. None of their little silk robes managed to cover their asses, and the shock of our new riches distracted them from tying the fronts closed for several minutes. Which gave me some time to appreciate their ample curves and cleavage while they fawned and stooped to dig through a chest or two, and their enthusiasm saved me from a berating over the fact I’d clearly been up for hours now.

Or it did at first, anyways.

“Wait, why are you awake?” Cayla demanded as she narrowed her eyes skeptically. “And why are you already building more automatons? Mason, you should be resting, not--”

“Yeah, but I’m feeling fine, honestly,” I insisted. “Fully recuperated, don’t even worry about it. Plus, someone needed to answer the door, so I figured I’d work on addressing the issues from last night. Namely, we need more snatchers in the field if we want to prevent any more of these attacks from slipping under the radar, and I decided if we had two more, that’d be a decent start.”

“You’re certain you’re restored?” Shoshanne asked as she anxiously bit her lip and pulled her tiny robe closed.

“Absolutely,” I assured her. “And look! We have a flail now.”

“A flail no one’s allowed to play with,” Aurora grumbled.

“You keep saying ‘play’ like it’s a toy,” I pointed out. “That is the biggest reason why I’m concerned about it.”

“You should be more concerned about where we’re going to put all of these statues,” Deya giggled as she trailed her fingers over a giant bronze horse some countess had sent me. “How are you going to build anything with them all standing around in here?”

“Oh!” Cayla gasped, and she turned from the chest of rubies she was digging through. “You said you’re fully recuperated, so does that mean we get our mansion?”

All of the women lit up at the thought, but despite their scant clothing and eager eyes, I couldn’t help glancing over at my automaton as I turned a bundle of netting over in my hands.

“You want it right now?” I clarified. “Because there’s kind of a lot to take care of that’s a little more important than having a mansion, don’t you think?”

“But how are we going to have celebratory rich baron sex if we don’t have a mansion?” Cayla asked.

The netting tumbled to the ground as I shot to my feet, and I had my Terra powers sparked at full throttle while my women giggled with delight.

“I already designed the bathing room,” I informed them. “How big of a mansion do you want?”

Chapter 13

“Bigger!” Aurora hollered, and her voice echoed throughout the chamber as she cupped her hands around her lips.

“What could we possibly need this big of a room for?” I yelled back, and the women’s laughter carried all the way across the giant hall while they chose not to respond.

I’d already expanded the walls of our house until I was forced to just join it with the infirmary, and the upper level had seven vaulted rooms that I couldn’t imagine ever using. Apparently, having two enormous staircases at either end of the house was necessary, but I held my ground when they started making plans for my workshop. Now, the atrium remained, as it was, at the very center of our twelve-room mansion, and since we added the second story, I had infinitely more room to stack my weapon racks upward as my collection grew.

Still, I didn’t have any intentions of entertaining enough people to fill the great hall Cayla insisted on, and I couldn’t help rolling my eyes as I shoved the back wall over five more feet.

“I’m not making it any bigger than that!” I hollered to the women. “This is getting outrageous!”

“Okay, but don’t forget the chandeliers!” Shoshanne yelled back, and another fit of giggles drifted over to me as I shook my head and sparked my metal magic.

Every single room in the house already had draping iron chandeliers hanging from the ceilings to match their wrought iron doors, so why not add another four or five?

I snorted to myself as I made this chandelier even bigger than last time because I knew they’d ask for it anyways, and I secured three concentric circles together with chains before forming dozens of little platforms around each one for Aurora’s flames. Then I raised the chandelier all the way to the thirty-foot-high ceiling, and Cayla let out a satisfied sigh as the half-elf sparked her magic to send individual amber flames flickering from every platform.

“Don’t forget the rubies!” the princess called, and I summoned another cluster of gems from the chest in the hall. Then I began mounting them around the iron circles so they caught the light of the flames, and I couldn’t help feeling a little dwarven now that my house was literally studded with jewels.

On the bright side, I was finally working my way through my stock of metal, and since there was stacks more at the mine, I was kind of excited to start putting it all to good use. Our staircases were both lined with elaborate, spiraling iron bannisters, and after a little trial and error, I managed to reform some of our diamonds into large enough gems for Cayla’s taste. Then I used them to cap off the bannisters at the base of both stairwells, and my women spent a solid ten minutes petting the skull sized diamonds and twirling around the iron spindles like a group of scantily clad fairies.

I vetoed their silver dining table idea, though, just because I didn’t want them getting cold if and when we ended up fucking on it, and the same went for the golden kitchen counters they suggested.

Since I didn’t exactly need the giant marble statue of one of the baron’s great grandfathers that arrived shortly after we began rebuilding, I decided to break it down and use it for our kitchen countertops instead. Then I sent a random page to hunt down a carpenter in Serin for me, and I gave the boy a slip of parchment with the dimensions we’d need to make a table big enough for our dining hall.

All that was needed to bring my bathing room fantasy to life was a Flumen Mage, but this was only slightly more important than filling the moat my women were totally on board with. They wanted to line the base with steel spikes, though, and for the sake of my hypothetical children’s safety, I casually swayed them in a different direction.

So now, the stone bridge leading across our moat was lined with genuinely intimidating steel spikes on both sides just to give a decent “don’t even fucking try it” vibe, and I agreed to build two sentries to guard the bridge for us once I had the time. Secretly, I was already mulling over an idea I had to utilize the lightning rune on a twenty-foot-high electrified gate instead, but I didn’t want to get too ahead of myself.

“Is that enough chandeliers?” I chuckled as I finished securing the last of five above the giant hall, and after some deliberation, my women nodded.

“Now, the targets!” Deya giggled, and I furrowed my brow.

“What targets?”

“Lining this wall, please!” Aurora sang. “Make some of them taller to mix it up!”

“Make one shaped like Aeris!” Shoshanne called, and Deya gasped like she couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of this first.

“And some racks on the opposite side!” Cayla added.

“Hold on,” I chuckled. “Is this a giant training hall?”

“Of course,” Aurora laughed. “What else would we use it for?”

I nodded as I considered how much space we now had to ourselves for combat and shooting practice, and part of me knew that fucking flail wasn’t going to be out of service for long. Not with a room this big to swing it around in.

“Okay, but by the time I finish this, you better be wearing those diamonds I made you and very little else,” I informed the women, and Cayla looped her arm in Shoshanne’s as she sent me a wink.

“Yes, my lord,” the princess purred, and I was still shaking my head when their giggles reached the second story.

Then I turned my attention to lining an entire wall from floor to ceiling with mounted targets made of softened stone, and I couldn’t really remember what Aeris looked like, so I started on a vaguely robed and irritating figure. When I topped it off with elf ears, though, I remembered the time a few idiot mages offered to use Deya’s ears for target practice, and I decided to reform the whole thing into a giant life-like penis instead. Just for the sake of seeing how my women would react.

The four racks I installed on the opposite wall were each customized to accommodate our various kinds of weaponry, and I was mulling over the additions I wanted to make to our collection while I stepped back to admire the full effect.

I’d never imagined having my own indoor training hall, but the stately chandeliers hanging down were beyond comprehension. I could already envision plenty of late night and half-dressed target practices taking place within this hall, and there was plenty of room for Cayla to give us some demonstrations with that whip of hers, too.

“Classic,” I sighed as I finally dragged myself away from the massive chamber, and I took my time admiring our new mansion while I strolled back to the atrium.

After I tore off a spare piece of parchment, I quickly scrawled a note instructing any of the nobles’ pages to leave their deliveries outside for me, and I pinned the note to the wooden door with one of my favorite daggers, since it was my own door after all.

Then I headed up my diamond studded stairs and along a broad hallway until I was exactly halfway across the second level.

I could hear my women speaking quietly on the other side of the dense wrought iron door that led to our new bedroom, and when I pushed the door open, a warm amber glow overtook me as my brows shot up.

The entire floor was covered in glinting golden coins, and the shelves I’d lined the right-side wall with were now littered with every gem I had left in the house. Individual flames hovered above the jewels to send shimmering reflections all over the walls, and the fireplace to my left had enchanted embers burning bright red beneath the mantle.

All four of my women were perched on our bed in sheer nightgowns with their diamond studded collars and cuffs, and their cheeks were dusted in pink to match the blood red chiffon that only barely veiled their naked forms. Behind them, the iron posts of the headboard had foot tall flames flickering on either side, and even though Deya had begged me to model our new bed after the one I’d first made love to her in at Aeris’ palace, I went with Aurora’s added suggestion of the magical torches. Now, deep black leaves spiraled across the posts that rose several feet above the bed, and I definitely didn’t mind the demonic tone the torches brought to the whole scene.

I felt like a filthy rich Satan as I closed the heavy iron door behind me, and I waited for Cayla and Deya to come to me as I took in the whole view. I was beginning to understand why the women insisted on having no windows now that I was completely submerged in firelight with them, and I had a feeling things were only just beginning to heat up as I eyed the many, many flames surrounding us.

“My lord,” Cayla murmured as she tucked herself under my arm, and she and Deya began slowly unbuttoning my shirt for me.

“You’ve gotta stop calling me that,” I chuckled.

“No, it turns me on,” the princess said with a smirk, and then she pulled my collar aside to kiss the nape of my neck while Deya giggled and slid my shirt from my shoulders.

“That’s cool, too.”

The sight of their perked nipples beneath the red fabric made my mind spin as they started on my belt next, but it could have been the fiery room or the way Shoshanne and Aurora were eyeing me from the bed.

They had their legs tucked under them while they curled their fingers to beckon me over, and I let Cayla and Deya pull me along with them toward the bed while gold coins rustled under my boots.

Then the two women passed me off to the others, and as Shoshanne pulled me snug against her breasts, Aurora began nibbling at my ear while I vaguely remembered to kick my boots off.

Deya and Cayla finished undressing me as Shoshanne began trailing her fingers all over my chest and shoulders, and when my four women were tucked around me with flames shimmering in their eyes, I suddenly felt like a giant man treat waiting to be devoured by all of them.

“So … who’s first?” I managed as Aurora’s lips began working their way down my neck, but Cayla shook her head.

“Just lie there,” the princess purred.

“Yeah, it’s our turn to take care of you,” Shoshanne murmured in my ear, and whatever I meant to say in response only came out as incoherent dribble when Deya’s hand closed around my already raging erection.

Then Cayla was kissing me as silky thighs curled around my legs, and I could feel Shoshanne’s breasts rising and falling against my back with every breath. I was just sliding my palms along Cayla’s hips to pull her dress up when I was suddenly kissing Aurora instead, and just as quickly, Deya’s lips found mine next.

I grinned as they passed me back and forth between them, and I gladly laid back and enjoyed their supple flesh rolling against me as they climbed around each other to get at me.

Then Shoshanne’s husky giggle sent a shiver down my spine as her lips blazed a heated trail along my shoulder, and I jolted as Aurora’s fiery grip closed around my cock next. My body temperature skyrocketed, though, when the women who weren’t kissing my lips began biting at my neck and chest instead, and I was lost in an abyss of silken curves and soft sighs for longer than I could tell. Then I was being laid back on a pile of pillows instead, and I opened my eyes to see all four of my women up on their knees around me. They looked down on me as they slowly began peeling their sheer dresses off, and I swallowed hard as their sleek hips, narrow waists, and full breasts were revealed one by one.

They were giggling by the time they were all naked, and they didn’t hesitate to start in on me again, except this time, I found my lips closing around their nipples here and there as they moaned for more. I couldn’t bear to release any of them, though, and I tried to lock them against me, but then they started tearing each other out of my hold for another turn, and I chuckled when Aurora finally just pinned my arms back and left a punishing bite on my neck.

So, I let them have their way as their breasts heaved against my face and chest, and while they forced their tongues and nipples into my mouth left and right, I did my best to allow my half-elf to keep me restrained, even though I could have broken free at any second. It took all of my will power not to, because the sensation of their bodies sliding all over mine was riling me up more than I could stand, but as their lips finally began traveling south, I let out a ragged sigh that made Aurora giggle in my ear.

“Don’t move,” the half-elf ordered as she left a last bite on my neck, and she released my arms to join the other three women as they started taking turns dragging their tongues up and down my shaft.

“Fuuuuck,” I groaned as I clutched my hair, and I stared up at the vaulted ceiling of our mansion bedroom while flames and gems glinted all over the place.

I was suddenly extremely aware of the fact this was my domain for once, and the finery and lofty ceilings belonged to me instead of elves or dwarves or kings. Every jewel and golden coin in sight was mine, and this massive, fiery bed would be ours for years to come.

I glanced down to admire the sight of Shoshanne and Aurora sliding their tongues up my cock at the same time while diamonds glittered at their throats, and when Cayla grinned and joined in to suckle at the tip, I lost all ability to process my own luck.

No words could possibly describe my gratitude in that moment as Shoshanne brought herself above me and slipped her nipple into my mouth again, and I let her moans override my thoughts while my other women started fighting for a full taste of me. Then I began sliding my finger along the caramel beauty’s wet pussy lips, and as she let out a gasp of pleasure, the other women couldn’t wait any longer.

I chuckled as Shoshanne was abruptly yanked off me, and she let out a giggle as she curled herself along my side instead. Deya was crawling up me now while Aurora and Cayla licked their lips clean, and they grabbed hold of the beautiful elf’s hips once she straddled me. Then the two women guided my shaft into her taut tunnel, and even though she cried out from the girth, they just forced me in deeper. I had to lock my grip on Shoshanne’s ass to brace myself and keep from cumming right then, and the caramel beauty pressed her heavy breasts firm against me as she began kissing my neck again.

Then I watched while Aurora and Cayla moved Deya’s hips against me, and the beautiful elf panted and clutched at her hair as a dewy sheen of sweat glistened across her breasts. My jaw went slack when the two women began gnawing at Deya’s neck to make her moan, and when their grip on her hips became more forceful, I could feel the elf beginning to spasm around my cock as her legs splayed further apart.

Deya’s violet eyes glinted in the light of the flames as the women kept her locked in place with my dick buried as deep as possible inside her, and they started biting at her nipples next when her moans turned into whimpers.

Then the elf threw her head back and let out a screech that pushed me over the edge, and as my heated seed gushed into her womb, she began to quiver. My eyes rolled back into my head from the punishing thrusts the women refused to stop, and I could feel Deya spasming through a second orgasm as I throbbed hungrily inside of her.

Shoshanne let out an impatient moan against my neck as she grabbed my wrist to pull my hand behind her thighs, and when I forced two fingers into her, she was sopping wet as she began grinding desperately against me.

Still, Aurora and Cayla refused to let Deya go until she screamed through a third orgasm, and my cum was seeping from her splayed thighs as her pussy turned a blistering pink.

Then the half-elf let out a devilish laugh when Deya went limp in their arms, and she tossed her against my other side as Cayla sent me a coy wink.

I could hardly see straight by the time Deya’s lips found mine again, and she was trembling against me as she grabbed my other hand so I could stroke her slick entrance while she moaned into my mouth.

I couldn’t believe she still needed more after the treatment the women had given her, but I obliged the beautiful elf while Cayla flipped around to straddle me in reverse.

Her porcelain ass formed a perfect heart shape when I looked down, and then she tipped her hips so I could watch her guide my cum-slick shaft into her. I wasn’t expecting her to be so wet already, though, and the silky sensation of her easing me in one inch at a time caused my grip to tighten on my other women.

Shoshanne and Deya gasped as I held them locked against me by the cleft between their thighs, and when I felt my entire length finally ease into Cayla’s heated tunnel, Aurora chuckled greedily once more.

Then the half-elf brought herself in front of Cayla, and her hands slid around to fondle the princess’ ass as she wove her hips in tantalizing circles on top of me. Aurora’s emerald eyes glinted at me as she buried her teeth in Cayla’s shoulder, and when the princess gasped from the pain, she only dug her nails into the tender flesh of her ass and kept going.

The harder Aurora bit her, the stronger Cayla thrust against me, and the two women had my blood boiling as Shoshanne and Deya moaned and clung to me from either side.

I could tell Shoshanne was dying to be released now, and she loved saving her first orgasm for my cock, but I just hoped she could hold out as Cayla’s breath began to hitch desperately with every thrust.

Then Aurora finally slid her hand around the princess’ throat beneath her collar, and as she tightened her grip, Cayla’s back arched to force me even deeper.

“Tighter,” she begged, and when Aurora obliged her, Cayla’s immediate climax shook straight through me while she clenched hard around my erection and let out a grating shriek.

Then the half-elf gave her a sound slap to the ass, and my seed erupted so fast I jolted beneath the two women. The bright red hand print on the princess’s porcelain cheek only made me pulse more heavily inside of her while she twitched in pain and pleasure, and when Deya whimpered in my ear from yet another orgasm, I felt my cock twitch hungrily as a fresh bout of semen gushed into Cayla’s taut tunnel.

“You ladies are gonna kill me,” I groaned as Cayla began rolling against me again, but I quickly pulled my fingers out of my other women to grab the princess by the waist.

“I’m not done yet,” Cayla moaned as she tried to fight against my hold, but I just chuckled and pulled her off me, despite her protests.

“Shoshanne can’t wait,” I growled in the princess’ ear, and when I recognized the spark of fury in her icy blue eyes, I grinned and summoned my magic.

Then I locked her arms above her head by the diamond cuffs on her wrists, and her breasts heaved impatiently while she was forced to lay there and wait her turn.

Aurora already had Shoshanne up on her knees and ready to straddle me when I laid back across the bed, and I let Deya finger Cayla to keep the princess satiated in her shackles.

“Go easy on her,” I warned as Aurora brought herself flush against Shoshanne’s back, and the half-elf nodded obediently as she reached around to guide me into the healer’s unbelievably tight center.

Both of us groaned at the sound of Shoshanne’s lusty gasp, and I slowly eased her hips down onto mine while her breaths became more strained. Then Aurora started tracing soft circles across her clit for me, and as my full length finally slid into Shoshanne, the healer immediately shrieked with pleasure and tensed around me. That’s when I lost my own restraint, and I swiftly rolled to pin the woman under me as her nails dug into my back.

Aurora giggled and collapsed on the bed beside us, and I grinned when she began fingering herself to the sight of me pounding into Shoshanne. The caramel beauty let me do what I wanted while she panted and blushed to her roots beneath me, and all of my women were hungrily watching my cock by the time I finally drove myself fully into Shoshanne and emptied my seed into her.

The healer whimpered as I forced her into another climax with the throbbing of my dick, and I’d only just finished with her when Aurora roughly shoved me flat onto my back again.

“My turn, Baron,” the half-elf growled, and I released Cayla from her shackles so my other three women could join in.

I couldn’t help chuckling as I watched them scratch, pinch, and bite at Aurora without restraint, and the half-elf grinned sadistically as I kept her thrusting against me with my hands locked on her hips. Her powers meeting with my own made my skin tingle everywhere we touched, and beads of sweat dripped down her slender neck as her body heated more with every passing minute.

The room felt like a steamy, flaming dungeon as the glint of the jewels made my women’s bodies shimmer red and gold, and while Aurora’s moans grew louder, her flames steadily built up around us.

All I could hear was the panting and moaning of my women as they began pleasuring themselves and laying kisses all over me again, and when Aurora finally clutched her hair and screeched toward the ceiling, her orgasm made the entire room blaze with searing white flames.

Half of me was sure we were all about to burn alive, but that didn’t stop me from giving Aurora what she wanted, and my semen gushed into her as the heat where our flesh joined sent me into a earth-shattering climax that actually made me forget I had three other women clawing at me for a second round.

All I could think of was the flash of flames building around Aurora’s flawless and glistening body while she trembled in my powerful grip, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered the sound of the other women moaning through their own orgasms as they watched us.

I didn’t know how long I stayed there with my dick buried in the half-elf and trembling greedily for more, but by the time I let her collapse against me, my head was disconnected from my body, and I’d lost the ability to blink.

So, I just laid there panting with my women strewn around me and gasping to catch their breaths, and a grin slowly spread across my face as the flames died down to reveal sooty black scorch marks all over the walls.

“I think I’m gonna like being rich,” I managed between breaths, and the women burst out laughing as they shimmied over to curl around me.

“Me too,” Shoshanne moaned softly, and Aurora nodded in approval as she settled her flushed cheek against my chest.

“Next time, I want what you gave Shoshanne, though,” the half-elf informed me, and both Cayla and Deya promptly requested the same.

“Can we have celebratory rich baron sex every day?” Deya sighed.

“Only if you’re good,” Cayla murmured against the elf’s pink hair, and I reached over to give the princess another sound slap on the ass.

Then we laid there admiring the glint of the jewels across the vaulted ceiling while my grin refused to fade even a degree, but after a while like this, I furrowed my brow as I noticed the very distant thud of a fist against wood. At first, I thought I imagined it, but after a moment, I registered the sound of deep voices muttering to one another and Ruela’s warning growl drifting through the halls.

“Shit!” I cursed as I shot up and wrenched myself free of my women’s hold. “I forgot about the fucking Elders!”

Chapter 14

I was roughly tucking my shirt in my pants when I got to the base of the stairs, and my eyes were still adjusting to the daylight after the firelight of our bedroom. Ruela was dutifully snarling at the wooden planks while she foamed at the mouth, but I only had to point toward the kitchen before the wolf promptly trotted off, and I did my best not to appear too disheveled when I finally opened the door.

I found the five dwarven Elders eyeing me from the other side of a pile of offerings that had been arriving all afternoon, and I cleared my throat as I swiped the sweat off my brow. Then I tried for a casual grin even though I knew it was probably lopsided and hazy as hell.

“Sorry about the delay,” I muttered, and I sparked my metal magic to shuffle the statues and chests aside so the Elders could make it to the door. Then I noticed the dagger sticking out of the wood beside my head, and I swiftly yanked it free and pocketed my scrawling note. “I still need to hire someone to answer the door. Please, come on in.”

The Elders bowed their heads lightly as they passed, and I could tell their keen eyes were studying every inch of the extensive entryway as well as the three archways that surrounded us and led to the rest of the house.

“Your moat is lacking,” Dogra announced before I’d even shut the door.

“Yeah, we’re waiting on a Flumen Mage to give us a hand with a few details around the place,” I admitted. “My shop is straight ahead, though, if you want to get a look at the weaponry we spoke about.”

“Diamonds?” Foreg asked as he peered through the archway to our left.

“Yes,” I replied. “Cayla wanted--”

“They should be bigger,” the dwarven elder informed me. “A staircase as grand requires twice the jewels, Defender Flynt.”

“Ah,” I said with a nod. “I’ll remember that.”

Then I gestured for the Elders to head through the archway directly across from the front doors, and after they muttered under their breath for a moment over the emerald serpent statue sitting on a table in the foyer, they finally shuffled their long velvet robes toward my shop.

They made several suggestions along the way about adding marble floors and changing out my iron chandeliers for golden ones, but when they entered the atrium at last, they were fully distracted by the half-built automatons.

“These are the sentries I’ve been using to recapture those who have been possessed by the Master’s rune,” I explained. “I’m increasing the size of my fleet to ensure attacks like the one at the castle don’t happen again. I’m sorry you were all caught in the cross hairs last night, but--”

“Never mind that,” Dogra grunted as he eyed my shelves of spare metal. “I wish I could say the whole circumstance was another insult, but in truth, I found your efforts rather impressive. I’ve never seen a Terra Mages’ powers up close before.”

“Well, I’m glad it made up for the near death,” I chuckled.

“You’ve more than made up for many things,” Foreg assured me as he led Agrokea to my stool, and I lowered it a little so the aged dwarf could rest his legs.

My own legs were still numb from the finale with Aurora, but I managed to keep myself upright by discreetly bracing all of my weight against my work table while the Elders began rummaging through my stock.

Overall, they seemed pleased with the variance in metal as well as how large my chunks of raw gold were, and I caught the mention of platinum several times while I pretended I couldn’t hear every word they were muttering to one another.

“Has any decision been reached about the tariffs?” I asked after a moment, and before my concerns about the dilemma could even heighten, Killick let out a chuckle.

“Those nobles of yours have certainly changed their tune,” the elder informed me with a grin. “The tariffs against Orebane are now half what Cedis has been given, and King Temin has arranged for the selling of our goods to be more closely monitored in the markets here.”

I could hardly believe what I was hearing, but I knew by the smug nods of the others that it must be true.

“That’s fantastic! I was worried progress might have gotten derailed after the attack interrupted everything.”

“Not at all,” Killick assured me. “I believe your words alone swayed their opinions, but your heroism on behalf of us all certainly secured nearly every vote in your favor. Shortly after you and your women departed, the king pushed for a vote before the gathering let out, and only three houses stood against your efforts. All the rest were only too eager to see the tariffs reversed post haste.”

“Holy shit,” I chuckled. “That’s way better than I expected.”

“Us as well,” Agrokea croaked, and I grinned at his withered smile.

“I guess the final decision more than makes your trip worth the effort,” I mused, and Foreg glanced over as he returned a lump of solid gold to the shelf.

“It will once we see these enchanted blades,” the elder said.

“Right.” I nodded and held out an arm. “They’re all over here against the wall.”

The Elders swiftly followed as I led them to my racks, and their eyes flitted admiringly over my collection.

“Daggers are all on this rack, and the swords are just to the left there,” I explained. “If you were interested in glaives, they’re on the opposite walls, and I personally think the way the blades are fashioned on these pieces is pretty impressive.”

Dogra beelined for the rack of glaives without hesitating, and the others began pulling one Halcyan dagger after another from the wall to pass them around. The swords were nearly as long as the dwarves were tall, but they still grinned in appreciation at the finely wrought silver hilts and expertly honed blades.

“Remarkable,” Foreg muttered in awe. “How ever did you come by so many?”

“Nalnora’s honor system is a little more cut and dry than most,” I admitted. “Out there, if you kill the elf, his weapons are yours, so that’s how we ended up with most of these. Deya’s brother, Dragir, is the elf who forges the Halcyan blades, though, and he offered quite a few of them to me to show his gratitude. We helped protect House Quyn and one of their allies from the Master’s army while we were there.”

Agrokea chuckled from his stool. “A friend to dwarves … and elves … alike.”

“And ogres, apparently,” Dogra muttered.

“You’re certainly unlike the rest of your kind,” Foreg allowed, although he looked less impressed than Agrokea was. “Does this elf friend of yours sell his pieces in Illaria?”

“No, not at all,” I replied, and the thought of Dragir reaching any sort of agreement made me smirk. That was just never going to happen. “I’m pretty sure Dragir stopped selling his weaponry even amongst the Elven Houses. I’ve seen elves kill each other just to get their hands on one of his daggers.”

Foreg grunted as he tested the tip of a Halcyan dagger against his thumb, and Killick gestured to one of the serrated swords.

“You should let this elf know the dwarves would pay well for his weapons,” Killick told me. “Not that they are in any way superior to our own, but we would value the enchantment of the blades. Is it true they prevent any wounds from bleeding?”

“It is,” I said as I came over and pulled a dagger from the wall, “but you have to maintain your hold on the hilt, otherwise the enchantment doesn’t work. Here, I’ll show you.”

The Elders gathered around as I dragged the Halcyan blade across my forearm, and when no blood seeped out, they began muttering excitedly amongst themselves. Then the slit in my skin healed right before their eyes, and they fell silent as they stared in shock.

“Oh, that’s not from the blade,” I muttered, and I quickly pulled my sleeve down as I returned the dagger to the wall. “I uh … I heal quickly.”

“No need to hide your secrets amongst us,” Dogra told me in a low voice. “No man could survive a fall like that with magery alone, and we saw how your healer struggled to adjust your leg before your bones fused together of their own accord.”

The Elders studied me carefully while they waited for me to respond, and I finally nodded.

“Fair enough,” I replied. “I found an elf in Nalnora to brand me with a rune that heals my body at an accelerated rate. I’m not immortal or anything, but I’ve survived several bad injuries thanks to the power of the rune I wear now. Including the fall last night, thank the gods.”

“Then the elves are still practicing rune magic,” Foreg mused, and he stroked his white beard as his eyes widened with intrigue.

“Some elves still know the ways of rune magic,” I corrected him, “but a lot of the ancient knowledge has been lost.”

The dwarves shook their heads in disbelief as they stared down at the Halcyan blades in their hands, and even though I knew Dorinick would have a field day when he found out, I made a snap decision.

“You should take some of these blades with you back to Orebane,” I told the Elders. “Who knows when you might see one again, and I certainly have more than I need.”

“Surely, we couldn’t infringe on your hospitality,” Foreg immediately declined, but Killick was already hopping on his tippy toes to get at the serrated sword, and I chuckled as I pulled it from the rack for him.

“I insist,” I assured Foreg. “It’s the least I can do, and I thank you for the suggestions where my home is concerned. I’ll do what I can to make sure it’s improved by your next visit to Illaria.”

“Never mind that,” Foreg replied, and he waved his hand dismissively. “We have just the thing. We’ll see to the necessary supplies as soon as we return to Aurum.”

“That’s really not necessary, Elder Foreg--”

“Nonsense,” he cut in. “We owe you greatly, Defender Flynt. Not only for ensuring the tariffs were properly opposed, but for speaking so loyally on our behalf. You showed great integrity on the matter, and we thank you for upholding your dedication to Orebane. Not ten in ten hundred would speak as you did this past evening.”

“Nor would they tell a baron to fuck off in front of their own king,” Dogra muttered, and he sent me a grin that bore a striking resemblance to Dorinick’s.

“I’m still getting the hang of this nobility thing,” I admitted as I rubbed my neck.

“On the contrary,” Foreg replied, “I believe you have it all well in hand.”

I nodded my thanks as the Elders swapped daggers and swords to make their selections from my hoard of weaponry, and when my women arrived with their cheeks still flushed and their hair mussed after our steamy afternoon, I sent them a broad grin.

There were a few unmistakable bite marks flecking their slender necks, but luckily, the dwarves were more distracted by my weaponry than my women. The four of them smirked to themselves as they settled in on the edge of the fountain, and when the Elders expressed their gratitude to them for so readily defending the castle, they just shrugged, smiled, and blushed some more.

“You ought to expand your collection, Defender Flynt,” Dogra said as he finally decided on a particularly deadly Halcyan glaive. “I see you’ve acquired an impressive flail, but a few well-wrought battle axes wouldn’t go amiss, and I see no lances.”

“What an excellent idea,” Aurora mused with a deadly grin. “I think battle axes are just what we’ve been missing.”

“Perhaps a mace or two,” Killick added. “We’ll have some of our best sent from Aurum.”

“You’re too kind,” Cayla assured the dwarves, and I could have sworn I saw Killick blush beneath his beard as she fluttered her lashes at him.

It was understandable, though. She still had that sultry look in her blue eyes that she always had after a good fucking, and I sent the princess a wink as I returned the last few daggers to my rack.

Then Foreg cleared his throat with a stern frown in Killick’s direction.

“We had best be on our way, Defender Flynt,” the elder announced. “The train to the north will be leaving shortly, and we have much business to attend to now that you’ve restored the mountains to the west of Aurum.”

“Absolutely,” I agreed.

Aurora offered her arm to Agrokea as she helped him down from the stool, and he chuckled hoarsely when she insisted on escorting him to the station as well. Then I led the Elders out of the house and across my bridge while I tried not to feel too cocky about my soon to be moat, and I snuck a glance over my shoulder to admire the outside view of my mansion.

My self-satisfaction shot up as I realized it had to be three times as big as House Quyn, and Cayla looked as proud as I did while she sauntered behind the dwarven leaders like a queen. The mages in Falmount stared openly at the sight of us escorting the Elders through the lanes, and I would have sent them all away if the attention didn’t seem to please the dwarves so much.

“I suppose these are your soldiers?” Killick grunted as he gestured to a group of gaping Aer Mages.

“For the most part,” I replied. “That reminds me, if I were interested in purchasing some dwarven armor, how much--”

“How many soldiers require armor?” Dogra cut in, and I sent him an uneasy glance.

“A couple hundred probably,” I admitted. “I know it’s a lot, but--”

“We’ll send enough for five hundred,” Dogra decided with a nod. “You’ll likely gather a larger force before long.”

My women’s eyes went wide at the offer, and I nearly tripped over my boots.

“That’s incredibly kind of you,” I managed. “How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing, of course,” Foreg replied as we mounted the steps to the platform of the station.

“Elder Foreg, I couldn’t accept such an offer,” I argued. “Your work is unparalleled, and--”

“As is your own, Defender Flynt,” Foreg interrupted. “Contrary to popular belief, the dwarves are an extremely gracious race. We honor those who honor us, and the efforts you’ve made on behalf of Orebane more than pays for any wares you require. You can expect the first shipment of armor within the week, and the moment our western mines begin production, we will see that your women are the first in Illaria to wear black opal.”

Cayla’s eyes glittered as she stepped forward to take Foreg’s hand, and she bowed deeply to the Elders as I quickly followed suit.

“Thank you for honoring us with your visit,” Cayla said in earnest. “Words cannot express how much we appreciate your alliance.”

Foreg looked extremely pleased by the princess’ gesture, and he bowed in return while Cayla’s smile grew even wider.

Then Foreg turned to me. “If you hear from Dorinick before we do--”

“He will,” Killick muttered, and Dogra rolled his eyes.

“Do give him our best,” Foreg continued.

“And let him know he is treading on thin ice,” Killick growled. “We are not above withdrawing the offer we’ve extended to him for a seat amongst us.”

I smirked. “I’ll be sure to let him know.”

The Elders bowed once more before they filed into the train car, and they were already studying their Halcyan daggers again before the door slid closed. Then Bagneera ignited the engine, and the train slowly pulled out of the station to head north into the mountains.

Cayla immediately burst into giggles as she clutched my arm and sent me a giddy smile, and Deya curled her arm in mine to lay a kiss on my cheek.

“You’re officially the only noble in Illaria to ever receive the dwarven Elders in your home,” Cayla informed me. “Don’t you feel better than every other person in the nation? I do.”

“I do, too,” Aurora said with a satisfied smirk.

“You’re all letting this go straight to your heads,” I decided, and I turned to lead my women back to our mansion while Shoshanne giggled and pulled Aurora along with her.

“I can’t believe our army will be fully suited in dwarven armor,” Deya sighed.

“I can’t believe we’ll all be wearing black opal before Lady Emonie,” Cayla moaned.

“I believe it,” Shoshanne said with a shrug. “Mason has more than proved his worth to the dwarves. Why shouldn’t they repay him directly?”

I sent a grin to the healer over my shoulder, but as I turned my head, a strange sound registered in my ears. It was coming from the woods just east of the station, and my feet slowed to a stop as I tried to decipher what I was hearing.

“What is that?” Deya asked as she did the same, and Aurora furrowed her brow.

“It’s getting closer,” the half-elf muttered.

My hand slid to my pistol as I slowly headed back toward the tracks, and the sound was loud enough now that several mages in the streets were also reaching for their revolvers while they trailed behind me.

Then I finally realized where I’d heard the noise before.

“Son of a bitch,” I whispered, and the green glow of my snatcher’s gem flickered between the trees as my gut dropped through my ass. Then I flipped around and raised my voice above the grating roar coming from the woods. “Everyone clear the streets! Now!”

Chapter 15

Chaos broke out as the mages hurried to take cover, but Aurora stood right where she was as her emerald eyes lit up, and if I wasn’t so concerned for everyone in Falmount, I would have rolled my eyes.

Instead, I herded a few panicked mages in the proper direction while Shoshanne ordered the inhabitants of the houses near the tracks to evacuate, and Cayla demanded everyone holster their weapons immediately.

Only half the mages heeded her words, though, and Aurora swiftly turned a venomous glare toward the lingering crowd until they finally obeyed the order and lowered their revolvers.

“Anyone who pulls a trigger will be burned alive,” the half-elf growled, and I quickly ran to her side.

“Aurora, you can’t threaten to kill our mages,” I mumbled as I sent them all an apologetic nod, but the look the half-elf turned my way was enough to make even me shrink back.

“Please?” I tried, and Aurora cocked a brow. “Great, good talk.”

I abandoned my efforts there as I sprinted toward the tracks like my ass was on fire, and my women were at my back when the snatcher whirred across the tracks.

“Wait!” I ordered the automaton. “Don’t bring it--”

But the large, black dragon snared in the snatcher’s netting gave a furious roar that sent flames shooting right over the automaton, and we all jumped back as frantic screams broke out around Falmount.

“Godsdamnit, that’s a big dragon,” I gasped as I helped Shoshanne to her feet.

“I want it,” Aurora announced.

“You can’t have a fucking dragon!” I growled, but the words were lost to another furious roar, and the wings of the dragon beat hard against the ground to send tremors shaking the lanes.

The beast was only half subdued despite the three darts pricked in its black snout, and as it continued attempting to free itself, the tips of its wings smashed through the roofs of two nearby houses.

Then I caught the sound of the Defenders running from the pub, and when another house caved in, I knew I was going to have to think fast.

“Shit, shit, shit,” I muttered, and Shoshanne sent me a terrified look.

“Mason, I don’t have enough tranquilizer for this,” the healer informed me.

“I know,” I said with a nod. “Um … okay, let me just--”

“Defender Flynt!” Urn suddenly barked, and I cringed as I turned to find seven furious Defenders pulling their revolvers out at once.

“Don’t shoot!” Aurora screeched, and then she bolted straight toward the dragon.

“Aurora, what the--” I tried, but the dragon’s flames shot out a split second later, and when they engulfed the half-elf’s body, I lost all ability to function as my legs collapsed under me.

Shoshanne’s shriek pierced my ears as every mage in the streets went into a full panic, and I heard several hammers cocking behind me, but I couldn’t seem to do much more than stare as my world caved in on itself.

Then the flames died down, and a coal black Aurora coughed as she swiped the soot from her eyes.

“Don’t shoot!” she choked, and Cayla fainted on the spot.

“W-What the fuck?” I stammered as I shakily got to my feet. “Aurora, you … what are you doing?”

“Don’t shoot!” she demanded again. “I see your guns, you bastards, and I meant what I said about burning--”

“Shut up and get over here!” I bellowed, and Aurora jumped at the tone of my voice.

Then she reluctantly abandoned her position, and I couldn’t decide if I should chain her to the house for the rest of her life or have sex with her right here in the streets. For ten seconds, I thought I had lost her, but now I was twice as pissed as I’d been when she ran toward the dragon.

So, I glared at the soot covered woman while I tried to breathe at a normal rate, and even the roars of the dragon couldn’t distract me from the war of relief and fury taking place in me. Silence fell in the streets while the mages kept their aim directed toward the partially subdued dragon on the tracks, and Shoshanne half-heartedly fanned Cayla as she eyed me nervously.

“Sorry?” Aurora tried with a crooked smile.

“Don’t--” My fury silenced me, and I settled for grabbing her arm and shoving her into Urn’s hold instead. “Don’t move.”

“But, Mason!” Aurora whined.

I leveled the woman with a look that finally silenced her before I turned to the rest of the town, and a few younger mages shrank back at the sight of me.

“Lower your guns!” I ordered. “Now!”

“Defender Flynt, that creature--” Urn began, but I raised a hand to silence him, too.

“No,” I countered. “No one say a damn word, alright?”

The dragon let out a vengeful roar at the command, and I rifled my hair as Deya offered me a tiny and awkward smile.

“Any ideas?” I asked the elf, but she shook her head.

“I’ve got one,” Urn tossed out. “Kill the damn thing. It’s a danger to the whole town, and if that machine brought it here, then it must be runed as well. We can’t risk--”

“But Mason!” Aurora whined once more, and I swore I saw her stomp her foot.

“Defender Solana,” Urn berated, “you are behaving entirely irrationa--”

“Fuck you!” the half-elf snapped, and she elbowed the burly Terra Mage so hard he lost his hold on her.

Then Haragh pushed his way through the crowd, and I could have cried I was so relieved to see him.

“Oh, thank the gods,” I groaned. “Haragh, just … be here. Fix this with me.”

“Is that a dragon?” he clarified when he got to my side.

I nodded. “Yeah, I--”

“Then shoot the bastard, what are ye’ waiting for?”

“How dare you!” Aurora screeched. “No one is shooting this dragon, and I may be your friend, but I will absolutely murder you if you try! Don’t think I won’t! I’ll fucking flail you to death and I won’t regret doing it!”

“Yeah!” Deya scoffed as she came to stand beside the half-elf and tried to match her scowl.

“Aurora …” I warned, but Haragh’s brows practically raised right off his forehead.

“Alright, let’s just calm down,” the half-ogre suggested, and the look he sent me was too confusing for me to even discern its meaning. Then he cleared his throat, and I decided I really did not need his help right now. “Clearly tensions are high, and we’ve all got a lot to process, yeah? Aurora’s feeling a little over-protective, is all, and I’m sure her hormones are makin’ her--”

“My what?” Aurora gasped, and my women snorted in disgust. Then the half-elf punched Haragh directly in the diaphragm with all the force she could muster.

The half-ogre heaved and dropped to his knees as I nodded to myself, and another bout of flames shot from the dragon just to drive the stake in.

“Wh-What about hormones?” Cayla asked dazedly from the ground, and while Haragh looked anxiously between me and my pissed off women, he must have decided just to give up all together.

“Temin asked Mason to be head of the Order!” the half-ogre blurted out, and all of my women gasped in unison.

“You’re such an asshole,” I growled.

“Wait,” Urn cut in, “did he really offer you the job?”

“Mason, you didn’t tell us!” Cayla scolded as she tried to stand. “This is huge! How could you not--”

Suddenly, another furious roar broke through the crowd, but this time, it wasn’t coming from the dragon.

Mages shrieked and scrambled away as Taru lumbered down the lane, and when she saw Haragh doubled over on the ground, she let out another growl that actually silenced the dragon for a second. She still had the giant ruby Haragh made her propped under one arm while her club dragged in her other hand, and I craned my neck to look up at her as I tried not to appear too terrified.

“Oh, hey, Taru,” I managed, but she snarled so fiercely that my eyes dropped to the ground instead.

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” Haragh rasped hastily from the ground. “I’m just fine! This dragon is all that’s goin’ on. Damn dragon.”

“Dragon,” I agreed with a nod.

Aurora casually inched behind me as Taru’s blood red eyes swept over us all, and then the ogre woman dropped her massive club before hauling Haragh to his feet with one hand.

“Thanks, sweetie,” Haragh grunted. “Don’t suppose ye’ got an idea of how to handle this without killin’ the dragon? Mason’s women are uh … well, they’re attached to the thing.”

Taru considered the dragon for a moment while everyone in the streets stood stock still, but when the ogre woman shrugged and shuffled forward, I furrowed my brow.

“I wouldn’t get too close if I were you,” I warned. “It’s a firebreather.”

The ogre woman ignored me, though, and she circled around the side of a smashed house while she clutched her ruby. The dragon sent out another jet of flames that made the crowd jump a foot in the air, and as soon as it finished, Taru strolled over, raised her fist, and punched the dragon right in its snarling face.

Then the thing was out cold, and Haragh let out a booming laugh as he broke into applause.

Taru shrugged once more and shuffled back toward us, and the other mages eventually joined in with their own cheers while I just stared at the unconscious dragon until Haragh began shaking me by the shoulder.

“Hell of a woman, ain’t she?” he hollered above the cheers.

I nodded. “Uh-huh.”

“Taru, you’re the most amazing ogre in the world!” Aurora squealed, and when she and Deya leapt up to throw their arms around Taru’s hulking shoulders, the tiniest smile came to the she-ogre’s face.

Urn just sighed and sent me a pointed look, though, and I turned to Shoshanne.

“You got this?”

“Of course,” the healer said at once. “I’ll get my equipment and remove the rune as quickly as possible. Should I have the snatcher drag it back to the east for us?”

“Yeah,” I said blankly, and with that, I turned to push my way through the crowd of mages.

“Where are you going?” Aurora demanded above the cheers.

“I need a drink.”

I didn’t acknowledge a single other person until I was sitting at the counter of Flynt’s Pub with a mug of ale in hand, and even then, it took three refills before I glanced at the Defenders quietly seated beside me.

“Don’t say it,” I muttered as I beckoned for Raynor to bring me another pint.

“I know it’s your town now,” Urn replied, “but you have to understand that bringing a damn dragon--”

“Totally,” I interrupted, and I drained my pint in three gulps. “I’ve got this.”

“Do you?” Kurna chuckled. “That woman of yours is about as unruly as the dragon.”

“Noted.”

“Are you at least going to address the fact that Temin offered you a hell of an opportunity?” Urn sighed and swiftly ordered another pint.

“Nope,” I replied. “I haven’t decided if I’ll accept the job yet, and clearly, my hands are already full. Now, I’ve got possessed dragons to add to the list of crazy shit the Master’s up to, so Temin’s offer just got knocked down another few pegs.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Kurna admitted. “Funny, we were just talking about shock value, eh?”

“What are you talking about?” Urn asked as he furrowed his brows.

“Mason captured some strange creatures the other day with powers that could burn all of Illaria down in less than a day,” Kurna told the man. “Plus, the mages who attacked the castle all had revolvers on them, and apparently they can vanish into thin air and then reappear, too.”

Urn sat in silence while I forced another pint into my gullet, and I let out a loud belch as I finally felt the tension in my shoulders unwind a little.

“And we still have no idea how they’re pulling off these attacks?” Urn checked.

“Yep.” I nodded.

“Shit,” he sighed, and he ordered himself another pint.

“I still think the Master’s just trying to show off,” Kurna insisted.

“I wouldn’t count on it,” I muttered.

“Why?” Kurna asked. “Did something else come up already?”

I sighed as I rifled my hair, and then I finally turned to face the two men beside me. “I’ve been studying the schematics for the Master’s fortress, and he’s got underground tunnels leading miles into both Nalnora and Orebane. I have no idea what he’s planning to do with them, but there’s at least seven of them as of a couple days ago, and still, somehow, none of this gives us any answers because they don’t lead toward Serin.”

“Not one?” Kurna asked as his eyes went wide.

“None of them,” I repeated. “Unfortunately, though, one of the tunnels does lead dangerously close to an army of Wendigo one of the elven leaders keeps on hand, and the same elven leader wants to murder me.”

The color slowly drained from both men’s faces while I ordered all of us another round, and even Raynor was frowning as he listened in.

“Wendigo,” Urn said with a blank nod.

“An army,” Kurna mumbled. “A whole fucking army of them.”

“Yeah,” I replied. “So … maybe the Master is trying to rile me up, but ultimately, I’m riled enough regardless because clearly, he’s got huge, underground, absolute decimation type plans. And we don’t.”

“We have to get into that fortress,” Kurna decided. “We have to get on the offensive.”

“That’s my point,” I agreed.

“We must be overlooking something,” Urn muttered as he stared into his pint like it would hand up the answers to him. “They’re getting around somehow, we’re just missing something. It has to be staring us right in the face. We just have to figure it out.”

“Fast,” Kurna added.

“So, how can we somehow scout them without risking any more lives?” Urn mused. “We need a stealthy, untraceable means of finding out how these mages are traveling by untraceable means.”

I snorted as Kurna let out a groan of defeat already, but then I furrowed my brow as something occurred to me.

“Actually,” I muttered, “I might have a way.”

“How?” Urn demanded.

“I know someone who sort of makes it her business to find out things like this,” I admitted.

“Why haven’t you mentioned this before?” Kurna asked flatly.

“Because I’m not really sure if she wants me dead or not,” I replied, and Urn shook his head.

“How many people want to kill you these days?”

“I don’t know,” I snorted. “A lot, a few, hundreds, who cares? I have possessed dragons being dragged into my town, and a girlfriend who just runs up to them like they’re puppies! Doesn’t matter that she means the world to me. Nope. Dragons are here so … ”

“Your house is looking real nice, though,” Kurna pointed out. “I saw that moat you’re working on. Impressive.”

“Thanks,” I chuckled, and this actually did cheer me up a bit. “I kind of want to put eels in it, but I need to get a Flumen Mage to help fill it first.”

The two men nodded in approval, but then Deya burst into the pub and began shoving past the packed tables to get to me. I wasn’t remotely buzzed enough to hear another damn word about dragons, though, so I furrowed my brow as I stubbornly focused on my pint.

“Mason!” Deya gasped as she crashed into my arm. “I need you to ride me! Now!”

Urn and Kurna spit ale all over Raynor while I spluttered and tried not to choke, and half the pub was chuckling at my back while Deya clung desperately to my arm.

“Deya,” I croaked, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m really not in the mood.”

“Not like that,” she sighed as she rolled her violet eyes. “Like a dragon!”

Now, Urn did choke, and ale spewed from his mouth while he struggled to catch his breath.

I tried to ignore the whistles of support coming from every corner of the pub, and Deya shrugged and waved to the mages while they nodded in approval.

“Do it!” someone hollered, and I glared over my shoulder.

“Deya, is it possible to discuss this another time?” I muttered.

“No, it’s important!” she hissed. “Mason, I transmuted with the green dragon, and I think something’s wrong at Mors Pass. The black dragon the snatcher brought in is the female I was telling you about, and she’s the fiercest one I’ve seen out there. If the Master runed her, then he could have easily runed others, and there’s several missing from their nests. The babies don’t have anyone to care for them! You could ride on me to go see for yourself, and then we can find out how to help them! Please? I’ll never ask for anything else in my life!”

I rubbed my temples while I processed this. “You want me to go to Mors Pass and kill no dragons again? We’re back to the baby dragons?”

“Please?” she begged. “They need us!”

“Do they, though?” I muttered, but when I chanced a peek at the elf beside me, her brows were pinched together while she pouted and bit her lip, and judging by the looks on Kurna and Urn’s faces, they already knew what my answer would be.

“Godsdamnit,” I groaned, and I chugged the last of my pint. “Look, I have to take care of something in Serin so we can finally figure out how the mages are getting around. Then I’ll fucking ride you and save the fucking dragons. Shit!”

“Thank you!” Deya squealed, and she covered me in kisses while I tried to resist the urge to slam my head against the countertop. “You’re the most wonderful man in the whole realm, do you know that?”

“I do, actually,” I informed the beautiful woman as I stood, and Urn clapped me on the arm.

“Don’t get killed, Mr. Wonderful,” he chuckled.

“If I die, Kurna, you can have my mansion,” I told the brawny Ignis Mage. “Do not let Haragh touch my flail, though. He’s not allowed to play with my stuff anymore.”

“Understood,” Kurna said with a broad grin. “I’ll put eels in your moat for you, too. Honor your memory and all that.”

“Thanks, man,” I sighed, and I led Deya out of the pub to another chorus of goading whistles.

“Are you leaving straight away for Serin?” the beautiful elf asked as we hurried down the lane. “Because I think we should fly to Mors Pass as soon as possible. The poor babies will be hungry!”

“No,” I replied. “We’re having a family meeting because there are so many things that need to be said right now. Then I’m going to Serin, and the baby dragons can sit in their nests and wait like everyone else until I have time to save them.”

“Mason, why do you sound so upset?” Deya asked with a frown. “We’ve spent such a lovely day together, and with so much sex.”

“I know,” I admitted, “and I was feeling great an hour ago, don’t get me wrong. A lot of awesome things happened today, but now there’s possessed dragons, and Aurora’s almost dying right before my eyes, so yeah … perspective.”

“True, but dragons are so exciting!” Deya replied as we crossed our bridge. “Get excited!”

“Sure,” I muttered.

“Wait,” Deya said, and she flipped around before I could push through the doors. She had her pink brows crinkled with concern again, and her violet eyes were searching as she gently placed her palms against my vest. “Mason, I know you care about the baby dragons.”

I shrugged.

“What if they were our babies, though?” she persisted. “Think of it. All together in a little nest, but no one around to care for them. Wouldn’t you do anything you could to help them? I know you would.”

I ground my jaw as her words sliced straight through me, and her expression made a strange warmth begin to bloom in my chest as she waited so anxiously for me to defend our hypothetical babies.

“Of course, I would,” I told her. “I’d probably slaughter whole villages and melt people’s faces off if our babies were in danger. Except our babies would never end up alone in their nest to begin with, because there’s no way I’d let that happen. I’d build an entire army of automatons just to make sure they were safe at all times. And a moat.”

Now, Deya giggled as she pulled me closer, and her cheeks were a soft pink.

“See?” she whispered. “You care very much. Now, just pretend the baby dragons are our babies.”

“Absolutely not,” I chuckled. “If I do that, Aurora’s gonna make me bring them all here.”

Deya let out an exasperated sigh as I brushed past her and entered the house, and I could hear my other women laughing together in the training hall. So, I headed straight there, but the second I walked in, I almost forgot how tense I was.

Aurora and Cayla were stroking the six-foot-tall penis I’d built in the corner, and Shoshanne had somehow managed to climb nearly to the top. Then they saw me standing stone faced beneath the arched entrance of the hall, and they laughed heartily as they waved.

“Mason, there’s no way Aeris’ penis is this big,” Shoshanne hollered, and her words echoed all around the chamber while Cayla lovingly stroked the veiny shaft of my penis statue.

“Yes, and I could never fire on a masterpiece like this,” the princess informed me.

“I vote we put it in the entryway instead,” Aurora giggled, but when my half-elf turned her careless grin my way, I locked my jaw.

“Is the dragon gone?” I growled through gritted teeth, and Shoshanne abruptly slid off the penis with a diligent nod. “Great. Family meeting.”

Then I turned on my heel to head for the atrium because I needed something to keep me busy at the moment, and I could hear Deya excitedly going on and on about me agreeing to save the baby dragons. She definitely oversold my “defending our babies” speech, but I studiously focused my attention on threading the last bit of netting into one of my automaton’s shoulders rather than correct her.

I had four blow guns formed and mounted with a furious wave of my hand, and I’d mostly made up my mind to be very calm about our family meeting, until Aurora pranced into the shop still half covered in soot.

“Mason, can I go with to ride on Deya?” the half-elf asked eagerly. “I’ve never ridden a dragon before!”

“No,” I replied. “You’re staying here and never moving again.”

“What?” Aurora asked in complete confusion, and my other women casually tinkered with a few lumps of gold as they raised their brows. “But Mason--”

“No arguments,” I cut in, “because I had to just watch you run straight toward a fucking dragon and almost die, so you are no longer allowed to move unless I say so. Ever.”

“I kind of agree with Mason,” Cayla admitted with a long-suffering sigh. “I thought you were dead, and I hate fainting like that. It’s so degrading.”

“I’m an Ignis Mage,” Aurora chuckled. “I knew I’d be fine.”

“Yeah, well, it took me a little longer to catch on to that,” I shot back, “and in the meantime, I realized I can’t actually live without you, so no! You can sit at home and just … never move.”

Now, Aurora’s cheeks blushed as her eyes welled with tears. “Aww, Mason!”

“Don’t you ‘aww Mason’ me!” I scoffed. “This is not an ‘aww Mason’ moment.”

“I love you so much,” the half-elf murmured, and she sent me a smile so beautiful, I could have puked.

I dropped onto my stool instead, though, and I buried my face in my hands as I tried to come to terms with the fact my Ignis Mage was entirely out of my control. Normally, this was something I loved about her, but those ten seconds when I thought she was dead were still twisting a knife in my gut.

“Obviously, I love you, too,” I mumbled against my palms.

Then Aurora wrapped her arms around me, and she refused to stop hugging me no matter how much I tried to shake her off. So, I finally just let her cling to me while she giggled in my ear, and when she snuck around my side for a kiss, I kissed her back. Angrily, at first, but it was impossible to stay mad when she did that thing with her tongue that made my spine tingle. Eventually, I was chuckling while she intentionally did it over and over again just to cheer me up, and I finally shoved her off me as the other women giggled at her shameless maneuver.

“The next time you run at a creature that deadly, I’m building that dungeon you wanted and chaining you up in it,” I informed the woman.

“And you won’t be pleased while you’re in there either,” Cayla added sternly. “No sex for you.”

“Deal,” Aurora agreed at once, and she turned back to me looking as unconcerned as ever. “So, do I get to ride a dragon? Pleeease? You could sit behind me like when you first built Bobbie and tease me all you want.”

I grinned. “Yeah, okay, that does sound kind of fun.”

Aurora threw her arms around me as she giggled like a maniac, and Deya looked nearly as ecstatic as her at the news.

“I’ve never been ridden before!” the elf sighed. “This will be so much fun!”

“And important since the fate of the baby dragons is in our hands,” Shoshanne reminded everyone, and the women sobered up as they nodded in agreement.

“Was that the family meeting?” Cayla clarified.

“Not all of it,” I chuckled. “Second topic is … ummm.” I trailed off as I tried to decide how to approach the subject delicately, and part of me just wanted to shrug it off, but I knew I needed my women’s input because I was out of ideas and it definitely concerned them. “So, I was wondering, hypothetically … well, not hypothetically, more realistically--”

“Please tell me this is about the Baroness,” Cayla said with a grin.

“How do you always--nevermind,” I sighed. “Yes, it’s about the Baroness, because I need to find out how these mages are getting around if I’m going to block their attacks, and the Baroness is starting to look like the only person who can find out for us.”

“Then what do you want to talk about?” Aurora asked, and she hopped up to sit on the table beside me.

“Honestly? I’m ninety percent sure I can’t go within ten yards of that woman without wanting to fuck her.”

“Well, you have essentially done as much to her face,” Cayla muttered.

“And she clearly can’t keep her eyes off you,” Aurora added.

Shoshanne nodded. “So, what’s the problem?”

“Great question,” I replied. “The Baroness told me there were several people at that meeting with the nobles who would have her, or me, or both of us killed if they found out we were uh … fraternizing.”

“How many would have you killed?” Deya asked curiously.

“I don’t remember,” I admitted. “Something like ten for her and seven for me, or five? I was kind of distracted at the time, but it was enough to be concerning given that I love you guys, and that would be bullshit.”

“We love you, too,” Shoshanne murmured, and her warm eyes softened as she sent me a sweet smile.

“Okay see? That is all I need,” I told the women, “and I can’t in good conscience get involved with someone who could bring so much murder down on us. Not with everything we have, or … could have, or not. I don’t know, what I mean is us being alive for the foreseeable future is ideal for a lot of things that could take place. I’m just putting that out there.”

“Agreed,” Cayla said with a sage nod, and Aurora did her best to keep from giggling.

Then Deya took a deep breath as she raised a slender finger in the air, and we all looked over and waited.

“Okay,” the beautiful elf began, “maybe we can’t for certain trust the Baroness doesn’t want to get us all killed. Yet.”

Now, Aurora did giggle as Deya sent her a smirk, and I cocked a brow.

“However,” Deya went on, “I think we can trust she doesn’t want to get herself killed. So, you should act based on that.”

“How do you know she cares about not getting herself killed?” Aurora asked as she narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, she doesn’t care,” Deya clarified. “That’s obvious just to look at her, and it’s quite elven, but to want to die is different. She does not want to die, but she admitted her attraction to Mason could bring this on. I am very familiar with this dilemma, so I can say with certainty the Baroness thinks he’s worth the risk. Now, he only has to decide if she is worth the risk.”

“Huh, that does kind of feel logical,” I mused, “in an uncomfortable way.”

“That’s because it’s very elven,” Cayla sighed as she sent me a pointed look, but Deya gave a frank nod.

“And we already know the Baroness hangs out with elves, so she would get that logic,” I pointed out.

“Exactly,” Deya agreed.

“Plus, she’s a baroness,” Shoshanne added. “You’re a baron now … it will be cute if we all live.”

“I just want to see you have sex with her,” Cayla sighed. “I’m sorry, I know I should be more cautious, but that’s where I’m at. She’s very beautiful and I just love her skin.”

“Yeahhh,” Aurora agreed. “The Baroness is genuinely scary, but I saw the way she looked at you at the castle, and it made her less scary for some reason. She looked kind of … sweet, in a deadly way. Like she would get many people killed, but probably not you. Not on purpose, anyway.”

“Well, alright,” I chuckled, and I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. “We’re all in agreement then. Meeting adjourned. I’m gonna go handle this, I’ll be right back, and we’ll do dragon riding and saving babies and all that.”

I hopped up from my stool and headed for the door, but then I backtracked for a moment as I turned back to my women.

“To be clear, I’m not going to Serin to handle her, I’m going to put forth a business proposition to handle the possessed mage attack thing. This whole conversation was just precautionary.”

“Right,” Cayla said as her eyes glittered with amusement. “Well, just make sure to handle that proposition nice and deep.”

Then the princess sent me a wink, and all four of my women burst out laughing as I turned for the door without responding.

Chapter 16

I paced outside the torchlit entrance of the Oculus for about ten minutes before I finally decided to go in.

My women had almost completely eased my mind where the Baroness was concerned, but the second I was in the car and on my way to Serin, the love I felt for them came crashing down on me, and I decided elven logic was horse shit.

The fact was, no matter how much Cayla wanted to see me fuck the Baroness, or how certain Deya was that she could relate, my women invested their trust in me as much as I did them, and I couldn’t stomach the idea of making the wrong choice. I just wanted to destroy the Master, finish my moat, and lock down Falmount to keep our family safe. So, no matter how hard it was to resist the Baroness, I knew I couldn’t waltz into bed with her like it was nothing when all of this was on my plate.

More than anything, talking with my women helped me realize having my life threatened over the Baroness wasn’t my biggest concern. Being betrayed by her was a whole different story, though, and I needed absolute assurance she wasn’t going to intentionally throw me or my women under the bus.

Still, Deya said the Baroness must think I was worth risking her life over, and without knowing anything about the obscure woman, I had no idea if this translated into any kind of loyalty. All I knew was the Baroness walked a dangerous line without seeming to care one way or the other, and even the heads of the Elven Houses put their questionable faith in her.

Where the hell that left me, I had no idea, because the Elven leaders were a bunch of backstabbing and dirty dealing shit stains.

So, I stared at the stone gates of the Oculus while I considered how many people were relying on me to handle the threat of the Master and storm his fortress, and then I shoved my libido aside, took a deep breath, and parted the gates to enter the Oculus.

Repairs were still underway in the underground city, but since the Terra Mages had gathered the shattered glass from the library to begin sorting through it, several mages were strolling around and resuming their studies as best they could.

The Defenders working on the repairs nodded to me as I passed, and when I saw Markus helping a few of them decipher the ancient schematics of the Oculus, I paused to listen in for a moment. He was at least ten years younger than them, but they listened carefully to every word he had to say, and I could tell he genuinely enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others. He was exactly the kind of instructor the Order could put its trust in, and I was about to go over and see how he was doing when something much more distracting caught my eye.

Pindor was strolling down the street ahead of me, and I did a double take as I realized he was holding hands with the Ignis Mage beside him.

“No way,” I chuckled, and I quickened my pace a bit before calling out to the young Terra Mage.

Then Pindor turned, and Mina sent me a little wave.

“Hey, Mason!” the Ignis Mage giggled, and both Pindor and I were grinning from ear to ear while I did my best not to completely fanboy over the two of them.

“Hey, Mina. You look like you’re having a lovely day.”

“Always.” Mina smiled. “I heard you almost died again.”

“Yeah, I’m alright, though,” I assured her, and I turned to Pindor. “I was hoping I’d run into you. There’s something I wanted to talk to you about. Got a minute?”

“Sure,” Pindor said with a shrug, but he didn’t move or unwind his hand from Mina’s.

He must have noticed my trepidation with speaking in front of her, though, because he eventually cocked a brow and glanced sidelong at the Ignis Mage.

“You can tell me whatever you wanted to say,” the kid assured me. “It’s only Mina.”

Mina sent Pindor a dimpled smile as she cozied up to him a bit more, and I crossed my arms and nodded even though I had a feeling he was going to regret this.

“Alright,” I muttered, “I met your uncle the other day.”

Pindor’s ears instantly went beet red as his brows shot up, and I grinned shamelessly while he fumbled to respond in a natural tone.

“Oh!” the kid managed. “That’s … okay! We’re kind of heading to the library to study, though, so I’ll just … we’ll catch up later, yeah?”

I nodded. “Yeah, we will.”

Then Pindor practically dragged Mina away, and I chuckled heartily when I heard the kid desperately distracting her with some rambling nonsense like he wasn’t in line to inherit one of the largest fiefs in Illaria.

At least he and Mina were on good terms again, though, and I silently congratulated myself on being the best fucking mentor in the realm as I turned to head deeper into the city.

I didn’t really know if the Baroness would still be lingering around here, but I figured if she was, I only needed to find a corner of the city with enough shadows in it to draw her out. It might take a while, but since her element was darkness, it seemed logical she could sense things through shadows in the same way I could through my own elements. I wasn’t sure whether the Baroness would recognize my presence specifically, but given her habit of following me pretty regularly, I had a feeling she might.

So, I glanced around every corner as I headed to the edges of the Oculus, where the light from the craterlike ceiling wouldn’t reach, and I watched for any particularly dim lit side streets. It wasn’t long before the static presence of the many mages working around me sent a rush of energy through my veins, though, and I was itching to be of some use while I was here just wandering around anyways. So, I sparked my Terra Magic to bring the schematics of the ancient city to mind, and I set to work repairing any damaged structures I came across while I scanned the side streets for a shadowy alcove.

I managed to restore seven buildings and three bridges before I passed a dim alleyway between two shops, and I slowed to a stop while I finished adjusting the grade of the street someone had misaligned by a few degrees.

It was a slender and crooked alley closed in on three sides by the well-worn brickwork of a few buildings that survived the attack, and I furrowed my brow as I checked the street ahead and behind me.

It was completely deserted at the moment, so I turned and slowly made my way between the buildings as my nerves started to feel a bit jittery. I couldn’t shake the sense I was the bunny wandering into a fox den, and part of me hoped the Baroness was miles away from here as I brought myself deeper into the shadows of the alley.

Then I waited there while my heart pounded in my ears with every passing minute, and when the sounds of the city suddenly started to fade, I glanced over my shoulder, but I already knew I’d see nothing but shadows there. An eerie veil of darkness undulated at my back now, and the entrance to the alleyway was completely obscured from sight while the wall ahead of me billowed a dense black.

I was barricaded in the Tenebrae Mage’s enchantments now, and I knew no one would even hear me if I screamed my head off. Then I recognized the same exotic scent wafting around me, and the memory of Onym smiling to himself just before the Baroness stabbed him through the heart flashed to the forefront of my mind.

“I swear to the gods, if you stab me right now … ” I growled, but I didn’t even finish the threat before the Baroness abruptly appeared at the edge of her shadows without her usual strutting out of nowhere show.

She had her hands up as she stared intently at me, and something about her expression was incredibly familiar, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

“I’m unarmed,” the Baroness assured me, and she slipped her fingers around a fold of her sheer black dress to pull it aside and expose her legs. “See?”

Then she turned full circle while my gaze locked on to her perfect, ebony ass, and she waited there near the shadows until I nodded. When she came forward, though, her two-toned eyes scoured every inch of me, and her tense frown immediately put me on edge.

“You’re okay,” the Baroness said after a moment.

“Of course, I am,” I replied. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I saw you,” she informed me. “You were broken on the ground. Your skull was bleeding. You … you fell from the battlement.”

I furrowed my brow at the tone of her voice because it wasn’t as careless as usual, and her gaze was so direct, I had trouble understanding what she was really getting at. Everything about her contradicted what I’d come to expect of the secretive woman, and my pulse quickened as I scrambled to figure out what was off about her.

“I did,” I allowed, “but if you saw me fall, then you must have seen me walk away, too.”

“Your women had to help carry you, though. You could hardly stand, you looked like …”

“Like death,” I finished for her with a chuckle. “Yeah, I know. I felt like it, too, but like I said, I’m fine now.”

I shrugged, and the Baroness nodded curtly before she fussed with the folds of her dress a bit. Then she straightened up and forced a cold expression, but she didn’t look dangerous at all. Whatever was different about her countenance made her usual mask completely unconvincing, and she was guarded in a whole different way now.

“You could have just followed me like you always do if you were … concerned,” I pointed out.

“I had other things to attend to,” she said and tried for a careless shrug.

“So,” I mused, “you thought I was seriously hurt, and then you finally stopped following me?”

The Baroness’ ebony cheeks suddenly took on a strange opalescent sheen I’d never seen before, and they almost shimmered as the muscles in her jaw twitched with irritation.

That’s when I realized she was blushing, and I finally caught on.

As lucrative as a person like me was in her line of work, this wasn’t remotely why she’d followed me all over Nalnora and back. The only thing that had changed since I saw her last was she watched me drop six stories to the ground, and the fact that she looked as worried about me as Shoshanne made it pretty clear what was going on.

Now, I couldn’t help the slight grin that came to my face.

“You’re in love with me,” I realized, and when her cheeks shimmered even more, she abruptly looked down, and I knew I’d landed on the truth.

How I’d overlooked the possibility seemed ridiculous to me, but the woman’s body language betrayed how vulnerable she felt now that I’d called her out on it. Which made me wonder if she’d ever felt like this about anyone before. Considering she carelessly toyed with the likes of Onym and the head of House Orrel, I was inclined to think not. She couldn’t possibly conduct her business if she cared about anyone but herself, but here she was, still following me and actually blushing while she struggled to appear unconcerned.

So, I reached out and gently tipped her chin up so she had to look me in the eye, and she honestly looked scared to admit it, but she didn’t have to. It was clear she wasn’t the sort of woman who walked around falling in love with anyone, and I had a feeling she was even more confused than I’d been all this time.

Especially when she abruptly backed away in embarrassment, and she reached toward the shadow beside her to pull a smoky black tendril over and twirl it between her fingertips. The sliver of shadow curled around her slender fingers like a feather while she avoided my gaze, and I tried not to smirk as she cleared her throat and focused on the shadows instead.

“When I sensed you here, I assumed you had something you wanted to speak with me about,” the Baroness muttered in a clipped tone. “What is it?”

“I wanted to ask for your help with something,” I replied, and her two-toned gaze flicked up to mine.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” I chuckled, but I came over to brush the bit of shadow out of her hands rather than continue.

The strange smoky curl dissipated the moment I touched it, and the Baroness’ cheeks shimmered as I brought myself even closer to her. She struggled to keep her eyes on me, but when I slid my hand around the cinch of her waist, she didn’t pull away, and I could feel a shiver course through her at my touch.

So, I leaned in close to bring my lips against her ear, and her heart rate doubled the moment I murmured her name.

Then Nulena melted into my hold, and her fingers locked around my jaw as her lips found mine. She clutched me against her with trembling hands while she kissed me deeply at first, but when she started nipping lightly at my tongue, her passion suddenly took over. It was like her arousal went from zero to a hundred in seconds flat, and there was nothing tentative about the way her thighs hitched up around my waist while she clawed at the roots of my hair.

I managed to pin her against the brick wall before I toppled over, though, and she still had her teeth locked on my bottom lip when I finally resurfaced to get a look at her.

Nulena’s breaths were coming heavy and fast now as her breasts threatened to burst out of her black corset, and her heated gaze burned straight through me without reserve.

So, I tore her off me and flipped her around, and I wrenched the little clasps of her dress open to expose the delicate curve of her spine. Then I pulled the corset lower, and the Baroness braced her hands against the wall as I slowly stripped her down right there in the darkened alleyway.

Every inch of her made my loins burn with a vengeance as I followed the slender curve of her waist to her ample hips, and when I let her dress drop to her ankles, the sight of her perfectly honed backend drew my hands like a magnet. She was as velvety to the touch as I’d always imagined while I dragged my palms up her plush thighs and taut ass, and when I slid my hands around to her chiseled abdomen, I honestly couldn’t decide if I wanted to travel higher or lower from here.

She was built like a goddess in both directions, so one hand instinctively began kneading her heavy breasts in my palm while the other slowly blazed a trail south, but when my fingers curled around her completely sleek mound, I nearly collapsed against her as a groan escaped my lips.

Still, the Baroness’ eyes flicked back to me with uncertainty, and I couldn’t even find the words to reassure her. I needed her more than I could even express at the moment, and I fumbled to wrench the buckle on my belt open as a carnal hunger surged through my veins.

Nulena gasped when she felt the heat of my erection between her thighs, and I only had to tip her hips back to slide the head of my cock into her dripping wet tunnel.

“Ohhhhh,” she mewled like a cat, and I knew I couldn’t possibly get as much of her as I wanted in this position.

So, I pulled her away from the wall and forced her onto her knees, and the woman moved wherever my hold commanded as I firmly slid my palm along the curve of her spine to pin her down against the cobblestones. With her ass propped up against me, I penetrated her with long, torturously slow thrusts until she was quivering all over, and my fingers dug into her meaty hips as I gradually tightened my grip.

It wasn’t long before she was so wet for me that I couldn’t resist driving into her at full force, and Nulena jolted against the cobblestones while each thrust made her cry out as I buried myself even deeper.

The whole time, I kept my eyes on her sleek ebony pussy lips straining around my shaft, and in every moan, I could hear how desperately she’d been wanting me all this time. So, I let my own pent up desire unleash on the woman as she nearly collapsed, but I kept her ass propped up against me in a vice grip as I drove into her without restraint. The shadows around us swelled as her moans turned into long, wavering shrieks that only egged me on, and her nails began to scrape across the stones as I felt her spasm uncontrollably around my cock.

I quickened my thrusts just as my seed burst from my shaft to pour into her, and Nulena’s velvety walls trembled as my own climax prolonged hers. I didn’t stop pounding into her, though, while I let the sound of her pleasure fill my mind, and every pulse of my dick only made her back arch more like she couldn’t possibly get enough.

I watched as my semen began to seep down her ebony thighs, and still, I kept at her while she moaned in a delirious state of pleasure. Then the muscles in her back began to twitch, and I knew she was already building to another orgasm.

My blood burned in my veins as I reached around to flick my fingers across her sleek clit, and when she wailed from the friction of my touch, her thighs instinctively slid further apart. I had her pinned hard against the cobblestones like this within seconds, and with my full weight pressing down on her, Nulena quaked to her core as her next orgasm sent a genuine scream echoing around the alley.

Then I locked my hands around hers as I let another torrent of my seed release, and the power of my hold on her as I throbbed deep in her womb had the woman mewling like a cat for me all over again.

I was shaking by the time I finally eased up, and I couldn’t even bring myself to pull out of her as we both laid there trying to catch our breaths. Her body kept spasming periodically from her residual pleasure, and her fingers stayed locked around mine while she made no attempt to free herself. I could hear her heart beating fast and heavy as her breaths became ragged with exhaustion, and I chuckled against her ear before I began kissing her slender neck.

“Damn, Mason…” Nulena moaned softly at the sensation of my lips against her, and as I slowly slid my cock from her sopping wet tunnel, she shivered once more.

Then I rolled her over, and despite the deep red marks on her nipples, hips, and knees from the stonework, her lips curled into a soft smile I hadn’t seen on her before. Suddenly, the secretive woman looked docile as she remained strewn across the ground and completely at my disposal, but more than anything, she looked at me like she loved me nearly as much as my women did.

So, I laid myself against her and let her cling to me, and while she kissed me as hungrily as she’d done before I had my way with her, the sensation of her powers colliding with mine was like nothing I’d ever experienced.

Aurora’s fiery spark made me ignite everywhere we touched, but Nulena’s powers seeped straight through me like a tonic, and every stroke of her fingers against me made my limbs gradually go weak. She clutched at me like it was all she intended to do for the rest of her life, and I wasn’t about to suggest otherwise while my hands roamed wherever they pleased.

Nulena was soft as velvet and sleek all over, and my seed seeping out of her only made her that much more fun to explore while I worked to memorize every tuck and curve of her ebony body. Whenever my hand slid across her taut belly, I could hear her heart begin to pound heavier, and the second I travelled lower to tease her slick lips with my fingers, her breasts swelled as her two-toned gaze begged me for more. I could have laid there for hours getting better acquainted with the sultry woman now that I understood how badly she wanted to do just that, but I knew I couldn’t.

My other women were expecting me, and the thought of Deya’s pleading eyes when she begged me to help her finally dragged my focus away from the Baroness’ supple curves and tender kisses.

“Don’t go,” Nulena moaned as she clung to me, and she wantonly hitched her thigh around me so my cock slid along her still wet entrance. “Not yet.”

“I have to,” I murmured against her ear. “My women are waiting for me.”

Nulena reluctantly released me at the words, and I grinned at the obedient look in her eyes as I pulled the naked woman to her feet. Then she was kissing me again, though, and I chuckled while I let her have a last taste before pulling away.

“You came here to ask me for something,” the Baroness reminded me as I stooped to grab her dress from the ground for her.

“I did,” I replied. “I was hoping you could help me find out how the Master’s mages are travelling. I can’t prevent these attacks unless I know how they’re possible to begin with. The only reason I got thrown off that battlement was because the guy I was after vanished and then reappeared to catch me off guard. So, however they’re getting around, it has to be some form of magic, but I’d rather not get myself thrown off too many more bridges to find out what it is.”

“I’ll find out,” Nulena assured me, and her instantly murderous tone sent a chill down my spine.

She didn’t even bother redressing herself, either. She just crumpled her black gown against her breasts, and I stared as she promptly turned to bring her perfectly honed ass back to the shadows.

Before she disappeared, though, she looked back at me, and this time, she didn’t chuckle and shrug me off. Her gaze was longing and direct, and she smiled ever so slightly before she disappeared into the haze.

Then the curtain of shadows around me lifted, and I was standing in the middle of a dim and deserted alleyway again.

I raised my brows while I swiftly adjusted my belt, and I had my hands shoved into my pockets as I casually strolled back out to the streets of the Oculus.

Mages passed by here and there as I made my way back toward the stone gates, and I couldn’t help grinning to myself as the exotic scent of the Baroness clung to me like a second skin, and her velvety moans echoed in my mind with every step.

Chapter 17

I didn’t register anything during the entire drive back to Falmount, but somehow, I blinked and found myself parked outside the mansion in a state of erotic nostalgia. I couldn’t get Nulena out of my mind for anything, and I was incapable of moving beyond a snail’s pace as I climbed out of the car and crossed the bridge.

My women’s voices echoed through the lofty house as I followed the sound of their giggles, and when I got to the training hall, Aurora had my flail in hand while the other three sat studiously absorbing her every word.

“Keep in mind, everywhere is fair game,” the half-elf explained, “so don’t feel like you have to aim for a kill shot first thing. Have a little fun with it. For example, dropping the striker head with enough force will drive the spikes straight through a sabaton to impale a man’s foot, and once he’s on his knees and wailing in pain, it’s just a flick of the wrist, and the momentum will bring the other end around to bludgeon his skull. Same goes for the forearm, the ribs, the--”

Aurora abruptly clamped her mouth shut when she saw me posted against the arched entrance, and she sent me an apologetic smile.

“Oh, hey, Mason,” the half-elf muttered. “We were just … chatting.”

I let out a long sigh as I shuffled over to join them, and when I held out my hand, she frowned and passed the flail over to me.

“Why not go for the knees?” I asked. “Then as they buckle, the spikes do twice as much damage, and hitting the ground would probably hurt enough to make them barf a bit before you kill them.”

Cayla chuckled in approval as Aurora’s emerald eyes sparkled up at me, and her smile spread from ear to ear.

“I love you,” the half-elf sighed, and she tucked herself under my arm. “Want me to teach you a few basic maneuvers?”

“Yes,” Deya answered for me. “I want to see Mason use a flail.”

“Some other time,” I chuckled. “My reflexes would probably get my own skull bashed in at the moment.”

“Hmm,” Cayla mused as she narrowed her eyes. “You are looking slouchy.”

“And satisfied,” Deya added.

Then Aurora gasped. “You had sex with the Baroness, didn’t you?”

I couldn’t help the lopsided grin that came to my face as I rubbed at the back of my neck, but this only made the women all lose it and fall into a fit of giggles as Aurora wrenched the flail out of my hand.

“Tell me everything,” the half-elf demanded.

“What color are her nipples?” Cayla immediately cut in, and I furrowed my brow despite the grin on my face.

“We’ve already gone over that,” I reminded the princess, but when she just blinked in confusion, I remembered how drunk she’d been at the time. “They’re the same color as the rest of her. And I mean … alllll the rest of her.”

“Wait, are you talking about her--” Deya started, but I nodded before she could finish, and all four women’s lips curled into filthy little grins. “That’s so sexy.”

“Yeah, it is,” I muttered.

“I bet she’s built like a goddess,” Shoshanne mused as she bit her lip.

“I bet she begged for more,” Cayla murmured, and her icy blue eyes were hooded like she was already imagining it.

Aurora snorted. “Of course she did. It’s Mason. We all do.”

I raised my brows, but when they all looked to me, I shrugged.

“I mean, you’re right on all counts, but I don’t think--”

“Gods! I wish I could have seen that,” the half-elf sighed. “Is she as tight as Shoshanne?”

I smirked. “No one in any realm is as tight as Shoshanne.”

“Stop it.” The healer blushed and giggled, but Deya just flopped back across the floor with a groan.

“I want to see the Baroness moan for Mason, this is so unfair!”

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” Cayla purred. “We all felt the same way when he slept with you, but as you know, patience pays off.”

“In the meantime,” Aurora giggled, “Mason can give us all the dirty details we want. Come on, there’s gotta be more.”

I rolled my eyes while I failed to rein in my grin, and I forced myself to turn away from the women even though they eagerly awaited my reply.

“You’re so silly,” I chuckled, “and we have dragons to save, right? I want to get the new snatchers out in the field before we leave, and then we can--”

“Nooo!” Aurora whined, and the women grabbed me before I could reach the entrance. “Just one detail, please! Anything! We’re dying over here.”

I let out a sigh as they clutched my biceps with pleading eyes, and then I shook my head and rifled my hair.

“Fine,” I chuckled. “She’s …”

I couldn’t believe how turned on I was just thinking about it, and I could tell my women noticed the lusty cast of my eyes because they grinned and leaned in with anticipation.

“She’s … completely hairless. Like … everywhere.”

The women let out a collective moan as their hold on me went limp, and we all stood there for a moment of silence while my blood began to burn all over again at the memory of Nulena’s sleek pussy gleaming with my seed. I could tell they were all imagining it because their cheeks were suddenly bright pink, and when Cayla’s eyes met mine, we shared a nod of solemn approval.

“Gods,” the princess murmured.

“Mmhmm,” Shoshanne moaned, and Deya looked like she didn’t even care about the dragons anymore.

“Now,” I chuckled and cleared my throat, “let’s all try to focus and get back to work.”

The women’s grips slid from my arms as I headed for the atrium, but it wasn’t long before I heard them hurrying to follow me, and when I finished digging my engraving tool out of the cabinet, they were casually perched on the fountain watching me.

I grinned and sat down beside the first snatcher’s blow gun, and I glanced sideways at my women’s little smirks before I began summoning the elements I needed for the air rune to propel the darts. The women remained stock still through the entire process while the weight of their stares made it impossible not to chuckle now and then, and the moment I finished engraving the last of the four blow guns, Cayla spoke before any of the others could.

“I don’t see any bite marks,” the princess pointed out, “so did you take her from behind?”

“Yes,” I sighed, “and that is the absolute last thing we’re saying about it.”

“Okay, but one more thing,” Deya begged, and I sent her a strict look.

“One more.”

“Did you get a murdery feeling from her?” the elf asked cautiously. “Any underhanded comments, or shifty eyes? Maybe a chuckle that seemed sexy at the time, but could actually mean she’ll slit your throat when your back is turned? Think carefully.”

I leaned back against the table as my women’s expressions shifted, and I could tell they were a little nervous to hear the answer.

“That’s a fair question,” I allowed, “and my honest answer would have to be that I don’t think we have anything to worry about. Not from Nulena, anyway.”

Aurora grinned at once. “We’re calling her by her name now?”

“She likes it,” I mumbled. “A lot.”

The women giggled as they exchanged knowing glances, but Cayla arched a brow.

“What makes you certain about her motives?” the princess asked.

“Umm,” I tried, and the toes of my boots shuffled a bit as the same stubborn grin came to my face. “Some stuff came up about the attack at the castle, and judging by how she handled it and then a few other things … yeahhh, she’s umm … she’s in love with me.”

“I knew it,” Cayla immediately announced.

“You did not!” Aurora scoffed.

“Oh, yes, I did,” the princess countered. “She’s been following Mason everywhere, and as spooky as it was, she has tried to help him out in her own way. I just figured she couldn’t decide if she should choose a side for once, but when she got Pindor to warn Mason about the Oculus, I was pretty sure she was in love with him. A woman like that doesn’t summon the one man who can end an attack of that magnitude unless what matters to him is important to her.”

“Aww,” Deya squealed. “She’s so sweet!”

“That is cute,” Shoshanne admitted. “She’s breaking her own rules, and she can’t help it. I’m glad Mason had sex with her. She must have been under so much stress over all of this.”

Aurora nodded. “That poor woman.”

I furrowed my brow as I considered the women’s take on the matter, and I couldn’t deny I’d gotten the same impression, but they really just drove right through the convoluted parts and hit the nail on the head.

“Yeah,” I mused, “she seems kind of confused about the way she feels, but I think my fall off the battlement upset her quite a bit. I guess she thought I was seriously injured afterward. She even stopped following me over it.”

“Of course, she did,” Aurora murmured sadly. “She was heartbroken, Mason, and she’s probably never been heartbroken before in her life.”

The four women shared a long sigh of pity, and I couldn’t help laughing at the look of them.

“Alright, well, she knows I’m fine now, so I think we can cheer up about it,” I told them, and I headed to the cabinet to pull out my bag of channeling gems. “Plus, she’s pretty determined to find out how that bastard got the jump on me when we were on the bridge, so it’s a good day for everyone, right?”

“Especially for Nulena,” Shoshanne murmured, and the women giggled as they began testing her name out for themselves.

I shook my head as I picked out two more gems I’d gotten in Jagruel, and the women carried on enjoying themselves while I finished mounting the channeling gems in the central wiring hubs of each automaton.

Then the snatchers’ eyes ignited, and the room went silent.

Both of their gems burned a blinding white as they turned their helmets to scan the room, and when they caught sight of each other, they just stared for a long moment. Then they nodded in unison and turned their eyes toward me like they were already dutifully awaiting their instructions.

“Godsdamnit,” I chuckled. “I fucking love this realm.”

“What are we naming them?” Aurora asked with a deadly grin, and the four women came over to stand around me as they admired the metal machines and the piercing white eyes towering above us.

“That one’s Egon, and the other is Ray,” I decided without hesitation. “Which means our lead snatcher finally has a name, too.”

“What is it?” Shoshanne asked as her eyes lit up.

“Venkman,” I replied, and even though the Ghostbusters reference flew right over their heads, the women nodded in approval.

“I like it,” Cayla decided.

“Such unusual names,” Deya mused. “Are they common in your realm?”

“I wouldn’t say common, but they’re certainly well known,” I snorted, and I sparked my metal magic to raise both automatons up over the walls of the mansion and set them down across the moat. “Shoshanne, we’re gonna need more darts to get these guys in working order.”

Shoshanne nodded as she hurried ahead of us, and while she made her way to the infirmary to lace the darts for me, I crossed our bridge with my women close behind.

“No,” Jenik squeaked from the sidelines when we joined the two automatons.

My squire had his broadsword in hand with Big Red looming in front of him, but his gaze was on the new machines as his pallor became a sickly gray.

“Please don’t make me fight all three of them,” Jenik whimpered, and I smirked.

“Don’t worry, these are just some new snatchers,” I assured him, and the kid looked ready to keel over from his relief. “You’re doing great, by the way.”

Big Red shook his head in disagreement, though, and Deya looked at the kid with pity.

“Don’t give up,” she said with a sweet smile. “I think you look so brave fighting the big metal man. All of the other knights will be intimidated by you one day, and Mason always knows what’s best, so you should be grateful he is letting you train with Big Red.”

Jenik practically melted as a wonky grin came to his face, and I let out a sigh when he managed a hazy nod.

“Go on,” the beautiful elf urged. “Back to your training, squire boy.”

The kid stood a little taller as he turned his attention back to Big Red, but I noticed he kept checking over his shoulder to see if Deya was still watching him.

She was already tucked under my arm, though, as we admired the two new snatchers like they were our own metal children, and the elf sighed happily after a moment.

“I think they’re going to make you very proud,” she told me in earnest.

“I think so, too,” I agreed, “and with three of them out in the field, we might even be able to prevent every attack the Master has up his sleeve for the time being.”

“It’s a good thing you brought the new healers here,” Cayla muttered. “They’ll certainly have their hands full with three snatchers delivering daily.”

“Do we need to test their abilities?” Aurora asked, but I shook my head.

“I replicated Venkman’s build to a tee, so they’ll be ready for action,” I assured her, and I sparked my Terra powers as I held my palm out toward the two machines and connected with their channeling gems. “Alright boys, you’ll be serving under the leadership of my head snatcher, and your orders are to follow his lead. Pursue and fire on any and all possessed beings you come across, no matter what species, and once they’re tranquilized, load them into your nets and bring them straight here to the infirmary to be unloaded. Keep a constant patrol and scan the skies as well. Not one of the Master’s minions can slip by, and I’m counting on you two to see that every inch of the foothills is well guarded at all times.”

Egon and Ray nodded as I broke my connection with their gems, and Shoshanne was out of breath when she rushed to our side with a sack full of freshly laced darts. The women helped load each of the magazines on the automatons for me while I took a turn around the machines to be sure everything looked properly aligned, and by the time my original snatcher whirred his way to the infirmary with a fresh batch of mages, they were ready for action.

“Hey, buddy,” I called to the green snatcher, and I beckoned him over once he finished letting the healers unload his nets for him.

The green glow of his gem beat as steady as ever while he came to join us across the bridge, and the two new snatchers sized him up from treads to helm.

“So, I’ll be calling you Venkman from now on,” I informed the snatcher, and he nodded without taking his eyes off his new crew members.

I got the sense he was establishing his dominance over the others with some kind of automaton staring contest, and when the two new machines finally raised their hands to him, he delivered a clanking high five to each.

“Hell, yeah,” I chucked. “I’m glad you guys can respect the order of things. Venkman, why don’t you take your fleet out and show them the ropes right away? Their blow guns are locked and loaded, and I’ve filled them in on the general operation we’ve got going on here. Since you brought in a dragon today, though, I’ve instructed them to keep an eye on the skies as well, and I’d appreciate it if you did the same. Other than that, just work together, coordinate your attacks if need be, and keep up the good work.”

With that, the three snatchers turned on their treads, and both Egon and Ray waited diligently for Venkman to pass them up and lead the way through Falmount.

I instinctively followed after them with my women in tow even though I knew they’d be just fine, and I couldn’t help the slightly tyrannical laugh that escaped me as I watched the three giant machines whir ahead in strict formation. I’d never sent out a genuine fleet of automatons to do my bidding before, and despite how many times I’d imagined it, the pride that overwhelmed me now was greedier than I was prepared to handle.

When we got to the tracks and let them continue on without us, I felt like those evil scientists who thrum their fingertips together with ghoulish laughs, except I had four gorgeous women around me looking just as satisfied with my work as I was. I kind of wished they all had on skimpy lab coats or something to really mark the occasion, but watching my creations forge ahead through the trees was still one of the high points of my life in this realm.

“Who you gonna call?” I chuckled merrily, but Aurora looked at me with utter confusion.

“What?” she snorted.

My enjoyment deflated by several degrees as I realized no one for billions of miles would ever respond appropriately to the question, and every fiber of my being ached at the thought. It just felt so, so wrong.

“Ouch,” I mumbled, but I tried to focus on how epic the machines were rather than the fact this realm would never know the glory of Ghostbusters. Then I realized they’d never know about Bill Murray, either, and I actually had to brace my hand on Aurora’s shoulder before I got too overwhelmed.

“Can you ladies do me a huge favor?” I abruptly asked, and my women looked at me with a mixture of concern and confusion over the sudden shift in my mood.

“Anything,” Cayla replied.

“If I ever ask ‘who you gonna call’ will one of you please, please say the word ‘ghostbusters’ with some genuine zeal? It would just … it would mean a lot to me.”

“Ghostbusters?” Deya asked, and her Elven accent made the word sound completely adorable.

“Yes,” I laughed. “Just like that.”

“We can do that,” Shoshanne said with a shrug.

“Thanks, guys.” I grinned as I took a deep, rejuvenating breath. “You’re the best.”

Then we turned to head back down the lane, and Deya trotted ahead of us with a giddy bounce in her step.

“Dragon time!” the beautiful elf sang, and several passing mages’ eyes went wide with immediate terror.

“For us,” I clarified, “not you.”

The mages’ relief was palpable as they nodded and continued on their way, and I realized I’d have to find some way to make it up to the town about the dragon incident. They did come to Falmount Rift to live a safer life, and if the primary draw of my town was the unparalleled security, then I wanted them to know they could trust me to keep it that way. So, I tried to decide what a baron would do for his residents to make up for dragging a fire breathing dragon into town, and even though none of them knew about the Osulla, I felt like this should be rectified as well.

I still hadn’t made up my mind on the proper course of action by the time we returned to the mansion, but for now, I figured ensuring the snatchers didn’t bring any more dragons into town was a good place to start. Maybe I’d just have to crack a few more barrels of Rosh open soon and let the mages go ape shit again.

“So, how are we doing this?” I asked the two elves as I leaned against my worktable. “This is your mission, after all, so consider me at your command. Within reason.”

“First, I will transmute and fly west to come get you,” Deya replied, and I smirked at the way she pursed her lips importantly. “We can circle Mors Pass to get a look at the state of the nests there, and then I will take us closer to the Master’s fortress so we can find out if the missing dragons are being kept there. If not, venturing south might be ideal because they could be hunting in the jungles, but we should all keep a close eye out on the way there in case the Master has already sent them east toward Serin.”

“Okay, but don’t pick us up here in the town,” I told her. “The mages shouldn’t have to worry about dragons showing up out of nowhere.”

“How about in the western woods?” Aurora suggested.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” I agreed as I turned to Deya. “We’ll wait for you near that grove where we found Ruela hunting when we first got to Falmount.”

Deya gave a very sober nod of approval, but then her “I’m the leader” facade crumbled as a glittering smile came to her face, and she squeezed Aurora’s hand.

“This is so exciting!” Deya giggled. “I cannot wait until you see who I’ll be, you’re going to love it and be so impressed!”

The beautiful elf pranced out of the atrium to find a quiet place to do her transmuting, and I chuckled as Cayla and Shoshanne came over to give me a kiss before we left.

“Please be careful,” Shoshanne murmured as she held me tighter than usual. “I don’t like the idea of you flying through the air with possessed creatures around. Or without them around. I don’t think anyone should be flying if they can’t grow wings.”

“In my realm, people have invented all kinds of flying machines,” I told her with a smirk. “We travel through the air at speeds nearly ten times faster than the train I built here.”

The healer’s brown eyes went wide at the thought. “The people in your realm must like to tempt death then.”

“Defy death,” I corrected. “We’re huge fans of pushing the limits of our species.”

“Well, regardless,” Cayla cut in, and I was surprised to see her looking worried for once, “please don’t let Deya get too close to that fortress. All three of you will be in terrible danger if someone out there catches sight of you, and it isn’t as if Deya can simply break her connection with the two of you on her back. She’ll be forced to stay no matter what happens until you’re both back on the ground and in a safe area. So, if something goes wrong, either you all will die, or just the two of you will die, and I don’t think I have to explain how furious I would be.”

I hadn’t even thought of this, and my own nerves kicked up a notch as I realized she was right.

“We’ll be careful,” Aurora assured the two women, but my mind was already racing with everything that could possibly go wrong while we said our goodbyes and headed to the clearing beside the house.

I brooded over the impending dangers I’d somehow disregarded all afternoon as we made our way through the western woods, but Aurora just looked bursting with excitement when we got to a small grove and sat on a felled tree to wait for Deya. The half-elf bounced her knees up and down in her eagerness to get started, but after a moment, she calmed down a bit, and I noticed her watching me intently instead.

“You’re thinking about the position Temin offered, aren’t you?” Aurora asked, and I smirked half-heartedly.

“No, just worrying about getting Deya killed,” I mumbled. “Dragir would be so pissed, he’d probably come all the way to Illaria and gut me at last. Not to mention how much it would suck for you and me to meet a grizzly end over a bunch of baby dragons. Being head of the Order is honestly the last thing on my mind at the moment.”

“I kind of thought so,” Aurora muttered, and she studied me for a moment. “Since you never mentioned anything to us, I take you don’t want to accept the job?”

“I haven’t decided,” I told her. “Cayla will most likely make me take it now anyway, though.”

“She will not,” the half-elf assured me, and when I sent her a wry look, she actually seemed certain about this. “Cayla may love the idea of you gaining all the power in the kingdom, but she knows nothing of magery or the workings of the Order. She’s worried the position would demand a lot from you, but she trusts you to make the right decision. We all do.”

I furrowed my brows. “Oh. That’s a relief.”

I’d avoided telling the women because I wanted to have a clear mind about the matter, but without any of them pushing my hand on this one, I realized I really had no clue what the hell I wanted to do.

“Sooo, do you think I should take the job?” I asked the half-elf, and she burst out laughing as she shook her head.

“I have no idea,” Aurora admitted, “but if it helps at all, I think you’d be an incredible head of the Order. Granted, I thought Abrus was great for years, so I’m not sure my opinion should count.”

“Of course it counts,” I assured her. “Abrus was extremely knowledgeable. No matter his loyalties, he must have been dedicated to his position in the Order because he did a fantastic job training you and plenty of others. That’s part of my concern about replacing Wyresus. I’m no Abrus.”

“You’re no Wyresus either,” Aurora snorted. “Think about why Temin offered you the job to begin with.”

“I’m the only one delivering?”

“No,” Aurora said, and she rolled her eyes as she began tapping the list of reasons off on her fingertips. “Temin offered you the job because you’re constantly striving for improvement, you approach things head on, you defend what you believe in, and you don’t harbor any bias where the elements or even the other regions are concerned. Magery is truly fascinating to you, too, and Temin clearly thinks you would do justice to the merit of the Order. What else do you think you need?”

“Infinitely more advanced abilities,” I replied. “I’ve learned a lot, but I don’t know enough to help every mage advance the way Abrus did. I don’t want to take the job if I can’t live up to the title. Sometimes, you just have to admit you’re badass but not that badass, you know?”

“I do,” Aurora said with a shrug, “but I disagree with you. Don’t forget, Abrus was speechless the first time he saw you use your magery.”

“I’m pretty sure he was more pissed off than impressed,” I chuckled.

“More importantly,” Aurora persisted, “the Order relies on so many different inlets of knowledge. Just because Abrus took an authoritative approach doesn’t mean that’s the only way to be head of the Order. Abrus couldn’t admit anyone was as skilled as himself, and he led the Order with his sense of superiority at the forefront of everything, but you value the knowledge of others. Being able to accept and work with other people’s input is part of what’s gotten you this far, and it would make you an effective leader. I think the Order would improve in several ways with a man like you in charge of it.”

I grinned as Aurora’s emerald eyes met mine, and her sincere faith in me was staggering. She’d been the one who helped me realize I was a mage to begin with when I first landed in this realm, but somehow, she truly believed I was capable of leading the entire Order of the Elementa in defense of Illaria. Her words and the look in her eyes were almost enough to make me believe I had it in me, too, and I felt like I could actually do a lot of good at the Order with a woman like Aurora at my side.

“Maybe you should be head of the Order,” I suggested as I nudged her side, and Aurora let out the loudest snort I’d ever heard.

“Hell, no,” the half-elf chuckled. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin with that mess.”

I rolled my eyes. “Nice. I’ll just clean it all up then, yeah?”

“Fix iiiit,” Aurora giggled, and we were still laughing when a loud shriek broke through the clouds above us.

Both our jaws went slack at the sight of the dragon’s black underbelly as it came in for a landing, and every tree around us rustled with the beat of its massive wings. Then its talons struck the ground, and the entire grove shook with the weight of the beast landing.

Leaves fluttered to the ground while I stared in silence, but Aurora let out a wavering whimper as she rose to her feet and stumbled forward.

“Mason … it’s a dragon,” she breathed, and Deya’s violet eyes blinked back at us from the soot black face.

The dragon Deya was transmuting with had foot long horns curling back from the skull with bloody tooth-like spikes lining the jaw, and its gleaming scales caught the light to make the black appear almost blue. A ragged line of spines jutted out of its stout neck, and where the spines ended, two tattered wings plumed from its shoulders to span nearly twenty feet each.

I slowly dragged my eyes over every rugged muscle from head to tail while Aurora reached out with both hands trembling, and when her palms settled against the beast’s shoulder, she let out a harried sigh.

“Mason, touch it,” the half-elf ordered under her breath. “It’s amazing!”

I reminded myself this gigantic, grizzly beast was actually my super sweet and sexy elven girlfriend before I moved an inch, and even then, I was having trouble putting one foot in front of the other. I could feel heat radiating from the dragon’s body like it was a bundle of hot coals, and every breath gurgled into a deep, steady snarl that reverberated through its gullet.

Then I finally grazed my hand across the scales, and I grinned at the strange feel of the massive lungs filling under my palm as the warm scales rippled blackish blue.

“Woah,” I managed, and the dragon looked over its shoulder at us as it let out a soft screech that made its throat gleam a fiery red.

“You’re so beautiful,” Aurora whimpered, and she ducked under the draping wings to try and run her hands across the dragon’s sinewy back that rose several feet above our heads. Then she gasped, and I jumped about a foot out of instinct. “Mason, this is the dragon the snatcher brought into town earlier.”

“Are you sure?” I clarified, but I recognized the poisonous spike on the tail as I eyed the beast up and down once more.

“Here’s the patch of skin Shoshanne removed,” Aurora pointed out, and I joined her near the rear leg. Sure enough, it looked like someone had carved a thick slice out of the armor-like skin of the dragon’s leg, and I noticed there was a single scale missing just above the scar.

“Guess Deya finally got that scale she wanted,” I muttered to myself.

“Oh, this is perfect!” Aurora realized, and she ducked back under the wing. “The Master thinks he’s possessed this one, so we can get close to the fortress without raising suspicions.” Then the half-elf patted Deya on the head like she was an enormous dog. “You clever elf… errrr… dragon.”

Deya snorted a shower of sparks from her snout that made my brows shoot straight up at the sight, but then the dragon suddenly turned full circle, and Aurora and I stumbled back as the poison-tipped tail flicked by. Then Deya was stomping against the ground and dipping her head low in front of us, and I furrowed my brow when the dragon kept doing this several times with its tail flicking back and forth.

“Is this some sort of dragon language?” I hollered above the noise of her thudding and snarls, but I narrowed my eyes as something about the look in her violet eyes struck me as familiar. Then I propped my hands on my hips while I considered the way the dragon was moving. “Wait a minute. Are you … flirting with me?”

“She is!” Aurora exclaimed as she pointed to the dragon’s scaly haunches. “Look, she’s wiggling her butt at you!”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I sighed, but Aurora laughed with giddy approval. “Don’t do that … I’m not remotely into dragons, Deya, this is just not necessary.”

Now, Deya snorted deep blue flames from her blackened snout, and she abruptly stopped wiggling.

“Hey, now,” I chuckled, “I’m very impressed, okay? You’re an awesome dragon, and the spikes on your chin are super off-putting. I just happen to prefer your real ass over this one. That’s all.”

“Well, I think you’re a very sassy dragon,” Aurora assured her. “You wiggle any way you want, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It’s cute!”

I rolled my eyes as the dragon shifted to stand closer to Aurora, and the fact the two were literally siding with each other over ass wagging left me with no words on the matter. Especially since one of them had her poisonous tail twitching threateningly behind her.

“That’s cool,” I said with a shrug. “I’ll wait here while you wiggle, and the baby dragons can slowly die of starvation in their cold little nests. Unless the other dragons eat them as appetizers. That seems more likely.”

The sad little screech the dragon let out at my words matched Aurora’s look of horror perfectly, but I still couldn’t help chuckling at the pair of them.

“What?” I snorted. “I’m here, aren’t I? Ready when you are. Let’s get this done.”

“Okay, but don’t talk about the baby dragons like that,” Aurora mumbled as she sent me a sad pout, and the dragon screeched pitifully in support.

“Just get on the dragon,” I sighed.

Which was something I never thought I’d say, but it felt really good.

“Do you think they’re being eaten?” the half-elf asked anxiously, and the look in her eyes made my heart clench.

“No,” I lied. “I was just joking. The baby dragons are probably cuddling or something. Trying to stay warm, play fighting, that kind of thing. They’re patiently waiting for us to save their parents.”

Aurora nodded even though her brows stayed crinkled with concern, and I came over to pull her into my arms, but I was really just getting a grip on her waist in the process. When the half-elf moved to hug me, I promptly hoisted her up to shimmy her onto the dragon’s back instead, and she yelped as she clung in a splayed position to the jet black scales.

Then Aurora’s grin stretched from ear to ear as she worked to straighten up, and she stared down at the thick knot of muscles under her palms.

“I’m sitting on a dragon!” Aurora announced in disbelief, and I braced my boot on the crook of a wing to climb up behind her.

Then I wedged the half-elf’s ass between my legs, and the warmth of the scales seeped through my clothes in a way I definitely didn’t mind as my hands slid to Aurora’s thighs.

“Hell, yeah, you are,” I said with a grin. “You ready to fly on one?”

Whatever Aurora said sounded like a whole lot of giggles to me, and I patted Deya’s scales to let her know we were ready.

Then the dragon crouched as her muscles swelled underneath us, and the moment I realized how much power was under me, my adrenaline shot up, and I finally questioned what the hell I was thinking when I agreed to fly on a dragon.

There was no way to keep us restrained, a dragon was nothing like an airliner, Deya had never tried to carry anyone before, and I even hated roller coasters when I was a kid.

Before I could bail on the idea, though, Deya lurched upward, and her wings beat so hard, dirt and leaves billowed around us as Aurora and I pitched forward and squinted through the fray.

My guts felt like they were about to plummet straight through me as my heart pounded wildly in my chest, but the fact that my healing rune was steadily growing louder was what made me more terrified than anything.

Unfortunately, Deya was already gaining altitude now as she rose above the tops of the trees, and as soon as she had some clearance ahead of her, I felt the muscles in her shoulders roll as she gave a sturdy pump of her wings to propel us straight over Falmount Rift.

“Hooooly fuck!” I bellowed, and I grabbed Aurora so tight, she wheezed in protest.

Chapter 18

“Mason, you’re gonna miss it!” Aurora yelled above the noise of the wind rushing over us, and she let out an ecstatic laugh for good measure.

I didn’t open my eyes, though, because I honestly didn’t want to see how high up we were. Every flap of Deya’s enormous wings caused us to rise and then plummet a few degrees where we sat, and the jarring sensation was enough to convince me I was about to drop straight to the ground at any second. So, the exact height of that drop was not something I needed to be aware of at the moment. All that mattered was I needed to keep a firm hold on Aurora and do my best not to puke all over her.

“Mason, look!” Aurora insisted.

“Fuck that!” I hollered back. “I’ll look when we’ve landed.”

“But your fleet of snatchers look so awesome from up here!”

This did manage to bring me around from my crippling fear, and I pried one eye open.

The treetops were a golden blur while we flew over the foothills at an alarming rate, and my breaths came fast and shallow as I tentatively opened the other eye and forced myself to look down. I could see Temin’s castle rising up from the edge of Serin while the sun burned amber at our backs, and not far behind the bounds of the capital, my three automatons were barreling through the woods at top speed.

The light of their gems cast an ominous glow across the forest floor, and they looked like a giant, metal force to be reckoned with while they maneuvered around trees and boulders with tight precision.

I couldn’t help chuckling with pride despite my shaky nerves, and as I scanned the rest of my surroundings, I realized the ride was actually pretty smooth. Deya flew as gracefully as she ran, like it was second nature to her, and even though her sinewy body rolled with every beat of her wings, she kept us steady without tipping side to side at all.

From up here, I could see the mountains of Orebane rising up for miles and miles to the north while all of Illaria stretched toward the southern horizon, and the setting sun cast a golden hue across everything in sight. The chill of the wind at this altitude bit at by hands and face, but the warmth radiating from the dragon’s scales heated me straight through as I kept a firm hold on Aurora’s waist, and my breaths gradually evened out as the sheer awesomeness of the situation overrode my fear for my life.

“We’re on a fucking dragon!” I shouted as a slightly hysterical laugh escaped me, and Aurora sent me a fearless grin over her shoulder.

Then the half-elf threw her head back and let out a whooping scream of sheer joy, and Deya joined in with a thunderous roar that vibrated through every inch of me until my teeth were chattering.

I was beginning to understand the two women’s obsession with dragons now, and as I turned to get a look at the way the beast moved under me, I couldn’t deny they were just as incredible as they were terrifyingly huge. The jet-black scales rippled with the orange light of the sun as I looked back, and every taut muscle rolled perfectly to counter the motion of the wings.

Then Deya jolted under me, though, and I locked my arms around Aurora’s waist as I turned my attention toward the horned head of the dragon. Deya had her gaze set on something to the south of us as her lungs swelled beneath our legs, and I was about to ask her what was up when she pinned her wings back and dove straight at the ground.

Aurora and I screamed for our lives as we tried to keep our hold on the spines in front of us, and the sudden drop made my heart nearly stop as my guts were left somewhere up in the atmosphere. I tried hollering for Deya to cut the shit, but the wind blasting past us drowned out my words while the trees of the jungle grew larger with every second, and I pinned Aurora’s head down just before we tore through the canopy.

Then a pained screech rent the air as Deya unfurled her wings to bring us to a sudden stop, and a split second later, we crashed to the ground.

Aurora and I looked up to see Deya’s massive head whipping back and forth as she tore into a full-grown sphynx, and blood began to splatter all over the trees, ferns, and us.

I grabbed the half-elf and dragged her with me as I leapt to the ground, and we ran into the ferns just as the sphynx’s snarls abruptly stopped with a juicy wrenching of flesh.

“What the hell?” I managed as we crouched in the ferns and watched the dragon, and the ferocity it put into chomping the carcass into bits made my bile churn. “Did Deya break the connection?”

“I don’t think so,” Aurora murmured as she stared in awe. “She told me about this.”

“You knew she was gonna hurl us at the ground?” I growled, but the half-elf shook her head as she kept her eyes glued on the dragon.

“No, she told me about her instincts when she’s transmuting,” Aurora explained. “Deya said she connects with the dragon’s instincts even though she’s herself, and they override her sometimes. That’s how she ended up hunting her first griffin. She can’t help it. Isn’t it incredible to watch her, though? She’s so … brutal.”

I gaped in horror as I watched blood ooze from Deya’s teeth while she buried her snout inside the sphynx’s shredded body to gnaw on its innards, and when I heard the crunch of bones, I gagged and turned my back. The sounds were just as gruesome as the sight, though, and while Aurora continued to stare beside me, I did my best to think of anything but the fact that my beautiful elf was currently munching her way through a six hundred pound, still warm and raw, body.

I counted ferns, dug my boots against the moist soil, and even wished we were near a grove of Raxis just so I could battle some carnivorous flowers to distract me, but it didn’t do much good. The gooey gnashing of teeth was impossible to ignore.

Finally, after what felt like ages but was probably only minutes, I heard Deya’s bloody tongue sliding across her teeth, and Aurora let out the breath she’d been holding.

“Gods, she’s incredible,” the half-elf muttered. “I think I love her even more now, don’t you?”

I raised my brows rather than respond, and then I chanced a glance over my shoulder. Nothing but bloody soil remained of the sphynx, and the soot-black snout of my elven girlfriend was dripping with residual guts and blood when she looked toward the ferns.

Then Aurora burst from the cover of the thick fronds with an admiring grin on her face, but it took me a little more effort to get my legs working enough to join the two.

I did manage a nod of greeting when Deya looked my way, though, and I cleared my throat as I struggled to think of something I could possibly say after that.

“You uh … you good?” I tried, and Deya nodded as she snorted a bit of sinew from her nose.

“You’re so amazing,” Aurora fawned. “I can’t believe the way you just snatched that sphynx out of the air. And look at this clearing! You got blood everywhere, you’re a maniac! Gods, I love you so much.”

A gurgle of what I guessed was pride echoed through the dragon’s belly while she came closer so Aurora could pet her head, but I casually shifted out of range as I eyed a chunk of bloody fur stuck between her fangs.

“So … we should probably get going,” I decided, and I swiftly mounted the dragon’s back before she could ask for any more pets.

Aurora was giggling happily when she climbed up to perch herself between my legs, and I was so out of it after dropping thousands of feet to watch a dragon maul a sphynx, that I just held on and stared straight ahead as Deya took flight again.

The sky was turning red now as the sun dipped low over the western horizon, but there was still enough light to see by when we neared Mors Pass. Deya circled slowly as she dropped at a way less petrifying speed to bring us down to the foothills, and Aurora and I scanned the nests below to get a head count.

Even at a glance, I could tell there were several dragons missing since our last trip here.

Then Deya touched down in the nest belonging to the black dragon, and she kept her wings unfolded to help shield us from the view of the others. It wasn’t quite time for the dragons to begin hunting, so I knew this couldn’t account for the empty nests, and Aurora whimpered when she saw four baby dragons shivering together close by.

“Mason,” she managed in a tight voice, “they’re cold … ”

“They’ll be okay,” I assured her, but something began to stir in my chest as I watched their little scaly bodies tremble. They really did look helpless, and I didn’t know if it was my newfound appreciation for dragons, or my paternal side flaring up, but I couldn’t deny that I did want to save the baby dragons.

All of the baby dragons.

Seven of the barren nests either had eggs or babies nestled in them, and Deya shifted anxiously beneath us as she looked up and down the pass.

“Are there more missing than before?” I asked, and she nodded her scaly head.

Aurora let out another whimper while she processed this, but then she gasped and clutched my leg.

“Mason, he’s eating them!” she shrieked, and every dragon near us snarled at the sound.

Our attention was glued on a nest further down the pass, though, where an orange dragon with horns jutting out of his face all over had a little blue dragon in its teeth. His mate watched from a nearby nest without concern, too, and something in me snapped when I saw four sphynx carcasses strewn around her that hadn’t been touched.

Deya let out a vicious roar as she turned toward the horned dragon, but I already had my Terra powers sparked, and I broke the rock beneath him apart to send him crashing into the canyon below. Then I raised the rubble up as my vision tunneled, and I hurled the entire onslaught at him without remorse.

“That’s right, you fiery fuck!” I growled as the giant orange dragon flailed and tried to right himself. “Bet you wish you’d peeled someone else’s flesh instead of lurking around being a dick! Why don’t you get off your scaly ass and do some real dragon shit?”

I paused my attack as the horned dragon finally got back to his feet, and then I sent another slew of boulders at his skull while the dragon snarled in confusion and backed his way down the pass.

Then Aurora turned. “Are you telling the dragon off?”

“Damn right I am, they’re babies!” I scoffed, and I sent another boulder flying as a final fuck you. “He’s acting like it’s a bushel of apples or something. I tell you what, when I find whoever owns that nest, I’m pointing them right toward that asshole. Deya can get a scale from one of the parents, come back, and teach him a lesson or two about picking off babies like grapes, the little--”

I snapped my jaw shut as I realized both Deya and Aurora were staring back at me, and then I gruffly cleared my throat as I turned my attention strictly away from the nests.

“Anyway,” I muttered. “We’re going to the fortress now, right?”

Next thing I knew, Aurora was flipped around and straddling me, and I fumbled to keep a grip on the dragon as her tongue began doing things that made my spine twitch uncontrollably in response.

Within seconds, the half-elf was nearly as hot as the scales under us as she grinded her hips against mine and knotted her fingers in my hair, and I could have sworn the sound Deya made was the dragon equivalent of a chuckle.

Then Deya lurched upward to take flight, though, and I would have tipped right off her back if Aurora didn’t have such a vice grip on me at the time. She only kissed me more determinedly as the wind began to course over us, and I tried to decide if I valued my life enough to make her stop for safety’s sake. Then she locked her legs around my waist and began moaning for more, and I let her do what she wanted because how often does a guy get to have a worship-level make out session with a woman while riding a dragon?

Worst case scenario, we fall off and Deya would have to pull another epic dive to save us. Hopefully.

So, I fondled Aurora’s ass to rile her up a bit while her lips began to burn against mine, and every time Deya flapped her enormous wings, the rolling of her muscles forced the half-elf firmly against my groin. I was beginning to wonder if having sex on a flying dragon was physically possible when I realized we were beginning a steady dive once more, so I focused on enjoying my final moments in the bliss of Aurora’s enthusiastic hold instead.

Even the jolt of our landing didn’t distract her from my lips, but when I opened my eyes and glanced sideways, my arousal was doused like I’d just had a bucket of ice dumped over me.

Aurora pulled away in confusion when she realized I was incapable of moving any part of my body, and she followed the direction of my gaze.

“Mason … ” the half-elf managed, but her voice was barely above a whisper.

I nodded. “I see it.”

I should have been more prepared, given I’d studied the schematics of the Master’s fortress already, but I hadn’t fully absorbed how extensive it was until this moment. Now, I was slowly losing feeling in my limbs while I took it all in, and none of us moved for several minutes as we looked out at a fortress that had to be four times as big as Temin’s castle.

Twilight had gathered by now, so the clouds of smoke looming over the spires and towers glowed an eerie red with the last light of day, and the grounds were already cast in deep blue shadows. I could see the outlines of possessed ogres below as they either lumbered around or tore into each other, and from the peak we were perched on, I could hear their deranged snarls as the Master’s rune pushed them to their most barbaric limits.

The bodies of those who hadn’t survived littered the bloody snow all over the place, and I recognized several elven ears and mage’s robes among them. This was enough to ignite a fury in the pit of my stomach like I’d never known, but when I finally looked up to scan the spires, I couldn’t keep from dropping my jaw entirely.

Dragons clung to the stone and spires like moths against a lantern, and the few who were flying let out perpetual jets of flames even though there was nothing around for them to attack. The strength of their wings kicked the smoky clouds up into swirling torrents as they circled the fortress, and their piercing screeches seemed to make the ogres below all the more vicious.

It was like all of them were reacting to the threat they each posed without knowing how to respond, and the Master’s rune kept them in their places regardless of their natural instincts. So, they turned against each other with unbridled ferocity while we looked on in silent horror, and when a dragon dove to spew a stream of flames across the grounds, I had to look away.

“Mason, there’s over a dozen dragons out there,” Aurora finally managed, and Deya’s violet eyes glanced back at us.

“Let’s go,” I said mechanically.

Aurora turned herself back around without another word, and Deya took flight as soon as we were ready while a stony silence fell over us.

Then I spent the entire flight back to Falmount Rift focusing on how badly I wanted to torture the Master. Not just kill him, but torture him until he was begging for me to finish him off, and even though I’d never been one to indulge in that sort of thing, it felt incredibly appropriate for the circumstances.

I could only imagine what kind of hell the others were enduring within the impenetrable walls and underground caverns of his headquarters, and the sheer extent of the place made my palms sweat in panic. Knowing I’d just tripled my efforts at recapturing his minions eased my fury a little, but not enough to keep me from envisioning all kinds of clever contraptions for inflicting the optimum amount of pain on a person without allowing them to die yet.

As much as I wanted to turn right around, though, and blast through his walls before slowly stretching him in five different directions starting with his dick, I knew I had to be smart about this. One slip up would see all of Illaria in the same condition as the gory grounds of his headquarters, and I was more aware than ever how much depended on my next moves.

Which made the Master’s recent attacks seem like nothing but swarms of bugs I’d been swatting at, because without a solid offensive attack, he’d just sit there in his fortress building his disgusting regime and waiting to unleash it on all of us. He’d keep prodding at me to try and drive me out into the open so he could snatch me up, and I didn’t come to this realm just to be forced into serving a cause like his.

I came to kick his ass straight into the next realm if I could, and by the time Deya dove to bring us down into the western woods, I had my jaw set in firm resolve while my mind cycled through one option after another for how to proceed from here.

The look on Aurora’s face when she climbed down reminded me of the first task, though, and as Deya’s violet eyes studied me carefully, I shifted my attention to what we could do right now.

“Don’t worry,” I told the women, and I patted the dragon on her bloody snout because I could tell how anxious she was. “We’re handling this tonight. Wait here for us.”

Deya nodded as Aurora swiftly jogged into the woods, and I followed close on her heels until the torchlight of the clearing outside our house glowed up ahead. I could see Cayla and Shoshanne pacing nervously together while they waited for us to return, and when they saw us coming through the woods, Aurora broke into a run and didn’t stop until she was wrapped in Cayla’s arms.

“They’re eating the dragon babies!” the half-elf wailed, and I tried not to smirk, because clearly, we’d been in two very different mindsets during that whole flight.

“What?” Cayla asked in blank shock.

“Let’s get inside,” I suggested, and I shoved my most recent torture device to the back of my mind. “We can discuss everything in the workshop.”

I ushered the three women into the house while Aurora explained everything we’d seen, but I noticed she couldn’t help her enthusiasm when she got to the part about Deya hunting the sphynx, or my apparently heroic act on behalf of the baby dragons.

I was standing with my arms crossed and my back against my work table  while the other two women clustered around Aurora, and even Stan was paying close attention from a pile of steel scrap metal.

“That sounds awful,” Shoshanne mumbled once Aurora finished, and I didn’t think her brows would ever unknit themselves again.

“It was horrifying!” the half-elf assured them.

“So, what’s the plan?” Cayla asked, but then the women all turned to me.

“Aurora, this is your mission,” I reminded her. “Deya’s waiting for us, so it falls to you to decide how to proceed. We’re all at your command here. What do you want to do?”

“Kill the orange dragon,” Aurora decided without skipping a beat.

“The orange dragon had a nest full of his own babies,” I calmly pointed out. “Does he need to learn a lesson? Yes, but that’s not the problem we’re facing right now.”

Aurora clutched her blue hair like she had no idea what to say next, and I could tell she was just too wrapped up in the baby dragons to think straight. Then I realized using this might help her out a bit.

“How about this?” I tried. “Pretend the blue baby dragons are your babies, but you’re captured and possessed right now. What would you want someone like us to do?”

“Save me from being possessed so I can come back and kill the orange dragon.”

“That works, too,” I said with a smirk. “How do you want to accomplish the saving part?”

“I don’t know!” Aurora groaned. “The babies are probably being eaten right this second, Mason! There are so many dragons at that fortress, we’ll never save them all, and I can’t think of anything but those little scaly bodies shaking and scared, and I can’t stand it!”

I let out a long sigh as Aurora’s emerald eyes brimmed with tears, and Cayla anxiously rubbed her back to try and calm her down a bit. The half-elf rarely got so worked up like this, but I couldn’t blame her. I’d definitely lost my chill when I saw that horned dragon eating the babies, too. So, I made a snap decision for everyone’s sake.

“Permission to take over this operation?” I asked.

“Granted,” the half-elf croaked, and I turned toward my stock of steel.

“Shoshanne, I need you to go to Flynt’s Pub and get Raynor, he’ll be assisting us this evening,” I said as I sparked my metal magic, and I began forming a blow gun like the snatchers wore on their arms. “Then I need you to get a shit ton of tranquilizer over here stat.”

“Yes, Mason,” Shoshanne said with a curt nod, and she ran for the door.

“Cayla and Aurora,” I continued, “go find wherever Deya’s transmuting and haul her body to the Mustang. Make sure she doesn’t drop the scale while you do it.”

“Why does she need to be in the Mustang?” Cayla asked.

“Because we’re not leaving her here alone, and this way, if she gets injured as a dragon, Shoshanne can help heal her in her elven form,” I replied, and the two women nodded in agreement before they rushed from the atrium.

“Stan, can you bring that engraving kit over?” I muttered as I summoned my spool of copper wire, and the little metal man hopped to with a salute.

Then I replicated an identical trigger system to my 1911 and mounted it on the blow gun, and I could hear Aurora and Cayla fumbling in their efforts to not drop Deya while I got my copper wiring and contact points all rigged. Once the two women grunted their way out the front door, I pulled over my engraving tool, and Stan nervously rubbed his little hands together as he hovered close by.

“Don’t worry, buddy,” I mumbled while I carefully split the barrel of the blowgun in half so I could line the inside with copper. “I’ll handle all of this, just hold perfectly still so I can engrave everything as fast as possible. Then you and I are sitting down first chance we get to discuss the pros and cons of physical versus psychological torture, and the best means of combining the two to achieve the perfect balance of ultimate suffering.”

Stan froze as he turned his head toward me, and I shrugged.

“It’s been a long day.”

Then I closed my eyes, and I summoned one element after another in quick succession as I worked my way through the air and trigger runes. While the engraving tool scraped across the metal, I made sure to carefully adjust each elemental line to deliver the most powerful kick I could manage, and I just hoped the final product wouldn’t explode in my hands.

I based the magazine off the one on my bow so I could use the arrows I already had on hand, and I had it fully rigged when all three of my women returned with Raynor close behind them.

“Deya’s loaded up with her scale still in hand,” Aurora told me as she rushed to my side. “What else can I do?”

“Help Shoshanne pack up all the supplies needed for removing the dragons’ runes,” I instructed. “Bring her healing staff along, too, and if there’s enough scalpels to go around, see we’ve got them all. This is going to be a group effort.”

Aurora and Shoshanne promptly obeyed my orders while I showed Raynor where to place the vat of tranquilizer, and I sparked my metal magic as I dumped a pile of serrated arrows onto the table.

“Could you make sure there’s enough tranquilizer on these darts to knock out a dragon for about an hour?” I asked the barkeep, and his wiry brows wavered somewhere between shock and fear.

“Y-Yes, sir,” he responded, and I nodded as I began reforming the tips of the darts to remove the serrated edges.

Then I passed Raynor each arrow as he got to work, and Cayla didn’t need any prompting from me to join the assembly line and get the laced arrows loaded into the magazine of the blow gun for me. Once it was fully stocked, she pulled out my quiver and filed the rest of the arrows away, and I already had my supplies cleaned up and the blow gun in hand when Aurora and Shoshanne returned.

“Ready?” I asked the women, and they nodded.

“What’s the plan?” Aurora asked, and her emerald eyes looked up at me expectantly.

“I’m flying Deya to the eastern foothills,” I began, “and the rest of you, including Raynor, are taking Bobbie. I want you to drive as far as we did the first time we visited Mors Pass, and then Cayla and Aurora are on scouting duty. Keep your eyes on the sky, because I’ll be picking off the possessed dragons as they head out to hunt, and it’s gonna be a mad dash to get them all deruned after that. Use Bobbie to get to the bodies as quickly as possible, but if you’re not finished with one of them by the time the next one falls to the ground, no one is to remain behind alone. Work in pairs, understood?”

Everyone nodded, and I gestured to the racks of weapons at my back.

“Get yourselves fully armed in case we come across any possessed mages out there,” I ordered. “The snatchers will be working nearby, but I want to be sure we’re prepared for anything, and Shoshanne, you’re driving.”

“Me?” the healer clarified as the others headed to the ammunition cabinet, and they began grabbing spare magazines, cartridges, and a few rockets.

“You need to stay with Deya at all costs,” I informed her. “If she’s injured up there--”

“Of course,” Shoshanne replied as she caught on. “I’ll drive Bobbie and stay with her while the others remove the runes.”

“Thank you,” I replied, and I tucked a kiss in Shoshanne’s curls as Cayla handed over a pistol and her set of shuriken. “Don’t worry about beating the hell out of the Mustang, either. I can repair any of the damage later, just make sure you reach every dragon as they fall.”

With everyone armed and Raynor looking wide eyed but on board, we left the mansion while Stan fidgeted anxiously with a little diamond and watched us go.

Then I turned to head into the woods rather than follow the others, but my women pulled me into their arms before I made it three steps.

“Be careful,” Shoshanne murmured, and all three women were pale as they clung to me.

“Don’t let …” Aurora tried, but her throat closed up, and she just shook her head and buried her face against my chest instead.

“Hey,” I chuckled, and I sent the women my most reassuring grin. “Get out there and save some dragons. Let me worry about not dying, alright? I’ve gotten pretty good at it these days.”

Cayla managed half a chuckle as she took a steadying breath, but I made sure to give each of them enough time to kiss me goodbye before I finally nudged them toward the Mustang.

They were still glancing back over their shoulders when I disappeared into the darkened woods, and I quickened my pace while I tried not to let their worried looks feed into my own nerves.

The truth was, I had no idea what I was doing this time, but that hadn’t ever stopped me from winning before. Knowing most of my women would be on the ground and able to flee at any time eased a lot of my concerns, too. Now, I just had to make sure Deya and I both survived, and I found the black dragon waiting for me right where I’d left her.

“Ready to kick some ass?” I asked as I sent her a grin, and Deya let out a low growl of approval when I braced my boot on the crook of her wing to hoist myself up.

Then I secured the blowgun to my back with the quiver of spare arrows, and I got a firm hold on the spines in front of me.

“I’m guessing I’ll regret saying this,” I muttered, “but let’s see how fast you can fly.”

The muscles beneath me swelled as Deya crouched low, and my regret was instantaneous as she shot straight into the air with a grating screech that probably had every mage in Falmount pissing themselves.

Chapter 19

My eyes were officially stuck bulging out of my head by the time Deya landed on a low peak between Mors Pass and the Master’s fortress, and it was several minutes before I could loosen my hold on her spines. My rune had been screaming in my ears almost as loud as the wind all the way here, and the sight of the stars streaking past made me half certain we were about to warp into another dimension.

Somehow, we didn’t, though, and I couldn’t tell if the airy feeling in my veins was on account of my adrenaline or if my heart had finally thrown in the towel on me. So, I quickly pressed my fingers against my neck just to be sure I still had a pulse, and when I felt a frantic flutter of a heartbeat, I nodded in relief.

“Okay, I’m still alive,” I mumbled blankly, and Deya snorted sparks from her nose.

The possessed dragons were getting restless as they circled the spires of the fortress in a perpetual blaze of fire, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before they absolutely needed to hunt something. We’d beaten Bobbie to the foothills, though, and this was exactly what I was hoping to accomplish, because I wanted to get a closer look at the Master’s headquarters. So, I sparked my Terra powers to bring the schematics of the fortress to my mind while Deya settled into the snow, and I rotated the vibrant red image until it aligned with the structure in front of me.

It looked like the bridge ran directly through the giant peak the fortress was built around, and I could see that Hulsan had used this section as a sort of central divergence where multiple stairwells branched off. The stairwells continued down into the belly of the mountains, and one end of the bridge fed directly into the frontmost collection of buildings. The other end led all the way to the opposite side of the peak, and more structures expanded the fortress far into the mountains.

I wondered if this bridge might be my best chance at infiltrating the Master’s headquarters, and I considered how much access it would give to the rest of the place. Then I raised my palms to test my theory out a bit.

First, I tried to channel my Terra powers into the stonework that fused one end of the bridge to a tower, but I furrowed my brow when I couldn’t seem to reach it. I’d utilized my magic at a further distance than this plenty of times, though, and as I kept trying to get at the stonework, I realized there was something repelling my efforts.

The sensation was like trying to push the wrong ends of two magnets together, and as I attempted to get at the other walls of the fortress, the same thing kept happening.

“Figures,” I snorted, and I turned my attention to the peak itself.

When the strange sensation repelled my efforts here as well, I finally ground my jaw and looked down into the bloody grounds. I tried altering the surface terrain, accessing the tunnels beneath the foothills, everything … but my powers only strained against some invisible force as the Master’s enchantments shrouded every inch of his domain.

Which meant I couldn’t even read through the stonework to try and locate the runes he was using to achieve this, and I cursed under my breath. Then I got another idea, and I summoned my metal magic instead, but even though I could sense scores of metal within the fortress, I couldn’t connect my powers with any of it.

The metal did seem to be primarily located in the upper sections of the main structure, though, and as I eyed the smoke still billowing into the night sky, I decided this must be where his forges were located.

“Well, that’s annoyingly unhelpful,” I muttered to myself, and Deya shifted beneath me. “Hopefully, Nulena can deliver some kind of input, because as of right now, I and every mage in our army won’t be able to do shit about this fortress. Even the ground surrounding the place is inaccessible.”

The grumble Deya made sounded so supportively pissed off that I couldn’t help grinning, and I chuckled as I brought my quiver around to get ready for phase one of Operation Save the Dragons. Deya’s violet eyes widened at the sight of the arrows in my quiver, though, and she gave an anxious little screech.

“I know,” I admitted, “but I’m going to be very careful where I aim, okay? A dart couldn’t deliver enough tranquilizer or strike deep enough in these dragon’s limbs to be effective. One arrow won’t do too much damage compared to staying possessed.”

The dragon’s scaly head nodded in understanding, and when she turned back around, she was already crouched to take flight as an ominous rumble echoed through her entire body.

“Hold on,” I chuckled, and I pulled back on her spines as she let out an impatient snarl. “I know you’re chomping at the bit here, but we’re in battle dragon mode right now, and all good battle dragons find a balance between dragon instincts, and Deya’s common sense, alright?”

Deya nodded once more, and she looked back at me for her instructions.

“Timing is going to be everything here, along with not getting killed,” I continued. “If we tranquilize too many dragons at once, Shoshanne won’t be able to keep up with finding the bodies before the others finish removing the runes. So, let’s aim for one dragon every five to ten minutes, and try to herd them away from the jungle and the fortress so they land in the foothills. Most importantly, if you suffer any injury beyond a torn wing or a broken limb, break the connection immediately.”

Now, the dragon let out a vicious snarl, and I smirked as I patted her scales.

“I know, but I’ll be fine,” I assured her. “My Terra powers are at peak performance right now, and as much as I don’t want to do a death fall toward the ground, I can survive it. This is too dangerous a situation to not have a last-ditch plan in place, so I need your word that you won’t stay with me if you’re badly injured, deal?”

I wasn’t too surprised when Deya casually looked away without giving me any affirmative signal, and I sighed as I nudged my boot against her side.

“Deal?” I repeated, and the black dragon just barely grunted.

I shook my head as I scanned the foothills, and two possessed dragons were already taking off toward the blackened jungles to begin their hunting. The more that left before Bobbie arrived, the longer this operation would take because we’d have to stick around until they returned, so I fidgeted with the barrel of my blowgun as I watched another two take flight and head south.

It was only a few minutes later when Bobbie’s headlights glinted in the distance, though, and I waited until she was in position before I tightened my grip on the blowgun and braced my legs a little more firmly around the dragon’s shoulders.

“Alright, it’s showtime,” I muttered. “Let’s try and keep a low profile as long as we can and steer our targets as far west as possible.”

Deya didn’t hesitate to lunge from the mountainside the moment the words left my mouth, and she unfurled her wings to coast us out over the eastern foothills. Then she made a wide circle as two more dragons abandoned their posts at the fortress, and she adjusted our course so we’d intercept them before they reached the Nalnoran border.

I had my finger poised on the trigger as we neared our targets, but when Deya let out a warning snarl and cut across their path, flames erupted from both dragons’ toothy maws.

“Shit!” I yelped as Deya shielded me from the flames with her wings, but the maneuver caused us to do a barrel roll through the air, and I clung to her scaly back as the dragons came after us on both sides.

The second we were upright, their flames jetted our way again, but when we dove out of range, I saw my opening as both their underbellies were exposed above us.

Then I took my aim, and I gritted my teeth in trepidation before I pulled the trigger.

Nothing exploded, though, and the arrow fired so fast the strength of the air rune almost threw me right off Deya’s back, but the screech of the dragon above assured me I’d hit my mark dead on. Then I adjusted my aim before the second dragon could get its jaws parted for another attack, and as the next arrow impaled his inner thigh, his wings jolted in pain.

My heart pounded hard while I waited for the pair of them to drop, and I was just beginning to worry the dosing wouldn’t be enough when the flapping of their wings began to slow. Then they spiraled toward the ground, and they landed with heavy thuds in the shadows of the foothills below.

“Hell, yeah,” I growled as Deya snarled in approval, and I gave her a sturdy pat to the scales. “Way to remain calm. Now, we just have to do that about a dozen more times.”

The fact that improvising my newest weapon in a slapdash moment actually worked out had me brimming with pride, and I clutched the blowgun against me while I let this win wash over me for a bit. Not only was my production time on point lately, but my ability to use rune magic was steadily improving, which meant storming the ominous fortress that loomed in my sights wasn’t as far out of my skill set as I’d feared.

It was only a matter of time before I got my opening where the Master was concerned, and with both magery and rune magic in my arsenal, I’d be more than ready if I had anything to say about it.

A lethal grin came to my face as Deya circled above the sedated dragons, and Bobbie was already coming to a stop just beside them. Then Cayla and Raynor hopped out of the Mustang and paired up to locate the runes, and they swiftly set to work removing each one.

Three more dragons were already heading straight south from the fortress, though, and I tightened my hold on Deya’s spines as she turned us around.

“We need to herd them west before we tranquilize them,” I told her. “If they retaliate, we’ll be right in sight of those ogres on the grounds, so try to lure them toward Bobbie without pissing them off too much.”

Deya picked up speed to catch up with the trio of possessed dragons before they reached the jungles, and at first, she tried steering them based on what I assumed was some kind of dragon flocking signal. They didn’t seem to notice her at all, though, and when they kept a steady course, I furrowed my brow.

“Deya, get in front of them,” I ordered as I looped my blow gun around my back to free up my hands. “I’ve got an idea.”

The black dragon dipped low before she rose up at the head of the flock, and I turned around as I whistled as loud as I could to catch their attention.

“Hey, you guys hungry?” I hollered, and I pulled my sleeves up to flash a bit of skin. “How ‘bout some man flesh? What do you think? Nice juicy mage just sittin’ here waiting to be …”

I trailed off as the dragons’ eyes all zeroed in on me in unison, and I could feel the full weight of their predatory stares as I froze with my arms still out.

Then they lurched forward with their teeth bared.

“Oh, fuck! Go!” I yelped, and I whipped back around to get a death grip on the spines in front of me.

Deya took a hard right as she began to lead the dragons west, and I chanced a glance under my arm to find two hungry golden eyes leering at me on our left flank. The possessed dragons were gaining on us quicker than I’d expected, and they began snapping at Deya’s tail and legs as they overtook us.

“Fly faster!” I bellowed, and the black dragon shot forward with all her strength as I pulled the blowgun around from my back.

I could see Bobbie’s headlights not far ahead as Deya’s roar rippled through me, and she swiftly dove before she doubled back to bring us directly beneath the beasts.

Then I aimed straight up, and I sent three arrows soaring into the dragons drive-by style. I couldn’t help laughing as they dropped one by one and landed in a tidy line for my women to handle, but the victory was short-lived.

My grin faded on the spot as I turned my gaze toward the Master’s fortress, and I saw every dragon left in his armada heading straight at us.

“Well … that got their attention,” I muttered.

Deya let out an anxious screech as she hovered in the air and gauged our next attack, but I gave her a reassuring pat to the scales. If we could manage to drop them all in one spot, it wouldn’t matter how quickly we took them out, so I took a steadying breath as I mentally prepared to get stupid reckless.

“Come on,” I finally growled. “Let’s show them what you’ve got.”

I didn’t expect my words to amp her up so much, but Deya took off like a shot as blue flames spewed from her jaws, and I did my best to hold on as we flew headlong into the fray.

I tried not to let the fact I was literally riding my woman into a dragon battle go to my head, but I ended up slapping her haunches to goad her on anyway, and I might have thrown a raucous “yeehaw” out there. I was honestly too caught up in the moment to be sure.

Either way, my skin was practically peeling off my face from the speed we gathered as we flew across the foothills, and I had my finger taut on the trigger when we barreled into the mass of dragons.

Three arrows quickly met their marks within a matter of seconds, but that’s when the shit hit the fan, and the other seven dragons closed in on us.

Deya dove and looped between them while I fired every chance I got, and with one hand firmly locked around one of her spines, I let her do her thing as she wove us through torrential jets of flames and lashing talons.

The slicing of jagged teeth echoed in my ears as the dragons snapped and snarled around us, but I took two more out before any flames managed to reach us.

Then Deya shielded me with her wings, and I was prepared for the barrel roll this time as we broke away from the flock. We darted left and right with the last five dragons hounding us at every turn, and I sent another arrow into one of our pursuers before Deya plummeted toward the ground.

“Shiiiit,” I growled as the wind whistled in my ears, but Deya swooped upward at the last second, and two possessed dragons slammed into the ground.

I swiftly fired arrows into their haunches as we rose into the air with only two dragons left, and I had just managed to take one of them out when flames erupted over the jungle.

Three of the dragons I’d seen leave to hunt were just returning, and all of them had their eyes set on Deya as they soared straight for us.

“Watch your south side!” I shouted as the black dragon under me dodged the last dragon’s teeth, and I swiftly fired an arrow into his rear leg as he glided by. “We’ve got three heading our way.”

Deya shifted her wings to whip us around, and I felt every muscle in her body tense at once as I checked my magazine.

“There should only be four dragons left,” I assured her, but before I could add a few spare arrows to the five I had loaded, the dragons were already in range, and they abruptly branched off to surround us.

Then they tore their bloody jaws open, and in an instant, flames streamed over us from all sides.

Deya took a spiraling nosedive straight at the ground to escape the onslaught, and I would have just clung there screaming my head off if I wasn’t acutely aware I was the only one who could end this.

So, I locked my legs as tight as I could despite the burns blistering my skin, and with one hand clutching a spine, I fired blindly into the jets of flames swirling past my vision.

Relief flooded my veins as two screeches pierced my ears a split second later, and Deya unfurled her wings just in time to catch our fall. Shards of rock broke loose under us as she coasted and fought hard to regain some altitude, and the third dragon was hot on our tail while he let out a thunderous roar.

I only had one arrow left in my magazine as I twisted around to steady my aim, and the toothy jaws of the beast were parted to take a bite out of Deya’s haunches when I pulled the trigger.

Then the arrow impaled his leathery forearm, and his teeth sliced through air as he jolted in shock. He was so close to us, I could see his serpentine pupils rapidly dilating as his strength gave out, and his eyes finally rolled back as he began a silent drop toward the ground.

“Holy shit,” I gasped, and I whipped back around to get a firm hold on Deya. “That was too close.”

My rune was warring in my mind as the burns on my legs and knuckles healed themselves, and I could see Bobbie already barreling over the rocky terrain to get to the three beasts we just took down. I fumbled to reload my magazine despite the wind and the rolling of Deya’s muscles beneath me, and my breaths were coming shallow now because my rune still hadn’t quieted down.

Then the hair on the back of my neck stood on end as the sense of some impending doom washed over me, and I had just finished securing the last arrow in the magazine when Deya abruptly changed course.

I pitched sideways and nearly fell off as she took a hard turn, and when we came around, she was flying headlong at a massive purple dragon that was at least twice her size.

It was the last of the four to return from the jungles, and his teeth were locked on a hoard of carcasses, but the moment his fiery orange eyes narrowed on us, the bodies dropped from his jaw.

Then flames seemed to erupt from every crevice of his face as the light of the blaze illuminated the foothills for a mile around, and I scrambled to right myself as I blinked hard to regain my vision.

“Deya!” I hollered in warning, but she didn’t slow her pace.

I could feel her lungs swelling rapidly between my legs as she gained speed instead, and just when I thought she would collide with the beast, she dove. My ass rose right off her back as I clutched her spines for dear life, and then I crashed down hard as she swooped upward to bring us directly beneath the possessed dragon.

He was already onto her tactics, though, as his keen eyes tracked our every move, and I had my blowgun aimed at his underside when he tore after us before I could blink.

Three arrows missed their marks while Deya veered off as fast as she could, but she was too late.

I readied myself to take a jet of flames straight to the face as the dragon parted its jaws on my right, but then his teeth closed around Deya’s wing instead, and a pained screech vibrated through me as the blowgun was jerked out of my hand.

Chapter 20

I struggled to keep my grip on Deya as the massive dragon threw her across the foothills, and she let out another shriek as the tattered leather of her right wing scraped over stone.

She didn’t let herself crash to the ground completely, though, and her snarls grated in her throat as she fought to fly. The purple dragon was circling at our backs to prepare for another bite now, and I knew she didn’t have it in her to escape him.

“Deya, break the connection!” I shouted as I prepared to jump to the ground, but she didn’t listen.

She let out a vicious snarl instead, and before we could smash into an oncoming ridge, she twisted and caught the rocks with her talons. Then she propelled us straight upward just as the purple dragon dove, and blood sprayed down with every beat of her tattered wing. She managed to dodge his next attack, though, and as the possessed dragon narrowly missed colliding with the ridge, flames shot out from his nostrils and ignited every bramble in sight.

“Break the connection, now!” I bellowed, and my fury mounted as she ignored my command again. “Deya, I lost the blowgun, get out of here! What are you doing?”

The last of my words were drowned out by a deafening roar when the purple dragon gained on us once more, and Deya answered back with a vengeance as her scales heated several degrees beneath me.

That’s when I realized her own instincts were being overpowered, and my gut dropped.

Deya wouldn’t break the connection because her dragon instincts told her she had to fight this bastard off, and even though she was going feral now, there just was no way in hell I was about to abandon her in the fight.

So, I pulled out my pistol as Deya reeled in her effort to keep flying, and the two of us crashed through the canopy of the jungle with the possessed dragon only yards behind us. Branches snapped against her and nearly took my head off while Deya snarled and tore through the jungle, and she spewed flames all over to ignite an inferno in her wake.

Then the purple dragon broke through the trees ahead of us, but Deya kept right on going, and I fired three bullets in quick succession just before her teeth sank into the fucker’s neck.

We rolled and slammed our way across the jungle floor while she ripped into him with twice the ferocity she’d shown the sphynx, and even though the enchanted flames from my bullets were already devouring her attacker, Deya refused to let up.

I was finally thrown into the air as the tortured screeches of her victim echoed around me, and I sparked my Terra powers just in time to soften my landing. Then I rolled about twenty feet through the blackened ferns before I came to a bone crunching stop against a pile of boulders.

“Fuck,” I rasped as my rune chanted furiously in my ears, but I forced myself to my feet even though my legs could hardly support my weight.

Then I limped ahead while I waited for the pain to stop, and I could see Deya tearing through the dragon with her talons now. Searing white flames spread to the trees and undergrowth around her while she ripped the fiery body to shreds, and I stared for a moment and couldn’t help but admire how completely badass my little elf dragon was.

The flames were building, though, and my rune was already quieting down, so, I swiftly climbed to the top of a stump as I waved my arms high above my head to get her attention.

“Deya, you got him, alright? Get out of there!”

This time, the dragon’s violet eyes immediately turned to find me, but I could tell she wasn’t entirely willing to stop mauling the guy yet.

“Now,” I ordered more firmly, and Deya took a last look at the bloody and flaming remains before she finally obeyed the command and turned away.

Her black scales were charred and absolutely covered with blood when she got to me, and I let out a harried sigh as I sized her up.

“Aurora was right,” I muttered. “You’re a maniac.”

The black dragon tipped her snout down and gave a soft screech, and I chuckled at the sight of her suddenly acting apologetic when ten seconds ago, she was in full-on slaughter mode.

“Oh, I’m still impressed,” I assured her. “Honestly. You’re a hell of a battle dragon, and that was beyond epic. Just look at this jungle … you fucking lit this place up!”

Deya and I both turned to eye the flaming trees at her back, and the trail of fire led north as it illuminated the path of destruction she’d caused on our way here. The giant ferns were flattened while the low-lying branches were all strewn across the fiery jungle floor, and Deya’s haunches wiggled a bit while she admired the view.

Then she sent me a glinting look, and I rolled my eyes.

“Go on, get it out of your system,” I chuckled. “Then we’re taking a look at that wing.”

The black dragon dipped her head low as she let out a playful snarl, and she flattened another dozen or so ferns when she pranced full circle in an oddly adorable and humongous victory dance. Her poison-tipped tail flicked back and forth as a little spurt of flames shot out from between her teeth, and I was laughing my ass off by the time she reined it in and trotted back to me.

“Yeah, you did good,” I chuckled, and I gestured for her to turn so I could reach her right wing. “Now, let’s see what the damage is.”

Deya happily crouched down while she shifted to extend her wings, but she kept taking a few playful nips at me despite the blood still dripping from her, and I smirked as I batted her snout away.

“How are you so peppy when you’re in pain?” I snorted, but when Deya shook her head, I immediately furrowed my brow and looked more closely at her wing.

I could have sworn the bone along the upper ridge had been snapped down the middle when the possessed dragon threw Deya across the foothills, but now, it was completely straight as if it never happened, and the torn leather of her wing was healing itself right before my eyes.

“What the … ” I muttered as I trailed my fingers along the leather, and at first, I thought it might be Deya’s elven genes helping her heal quickly in her dragon form. Except I knew elves didn’t heal at this fast a rate, and as I kept my eyes on the shredded bits of leather, I caught the faintest glimmer of purple as they fused together.

Then I grinned.

It was the same purple hue as the gem on Shoshanne’s healing staff, and I realized she must be healing Deya’s body back at the Mustang. The fact that this in turn healed her dragon form was just about the coolest thing I’d seen all day, though, and the two of us watched in awe as the last bloody bits of her wing slowly healed.

Then Deya flexed her fully restored wing and gave it a flap that made the undergrowth around us rustle, and she was working her way through another victory wiggle when a dagger flicked right past my nose.

I yelped and ducked just before another one coursed over my head, and Deya abruptly froze in confusion.

“Seriously?” I growled, and a third dagger whizzed within an inch of my shoulder. “Five fucking minutes. We’ve been here five minutes, and there’s already daggers flying at my--”

Deya snarled as another dagger came my way, though, and I bolted at a crouch to mount her back before the next one could get me.

“Go, go, go!” I urged before I’d even gotten a firm hold, and Deya lurched into the air as I watched two more daggers flick through the ferns.

Then we broke straight through the canopy above us as her wings scattered broken branches in every direction, and I fired two bullets into the blackened jungle below just because.

“I hate Nalnora,” I sighed, and Deya grumbled beneath me, but I didn’t apologize for the sentiment.

For all I knew, those daggers came from the warriors of House Orrel, and I silently hoped my stray bullets happened to hit any one of them while I scanned the upcoming foothills for a sign of Bobbie.

I saw her headlights gleaming blue beside the body of the last dragon we’d taken down, and Cayla and Raynor were stooped near the dragon’s shoulder while Aurora stood on the Mustang’s roof waving to us.

“Bring us down right over there,” I hollered above the wind, and Deya swooped into a wide circle to begin her descent.

Once we landed, Shoshanne was the first to reach us before I’d even jumped down, and she dragged me back to the ground by my boot.

“Are you okay?” the healer asked while she anxiously patted me all over, and I chuckled as I pulled her into my arms.

“Of course I am,” I replied with a cocky grin.

“I was so worried,” she murmured.

“Of course you were.”

“Deya screamed louder than I’ve ever heard anyone scream, and then there was blood all over the backseat, and I almost crashed Bobbie I was so scared and--”

“Woah, back up,” I cut in as I sobered. “What happened?”

“Her arm was gushing blood all over the place, Mason,” Shoshanne explained, and I could tell how pale she was in the moonlight. “Her muscles were torn right off, her bones were broken, she was screaming in agony, but she wouldn’t open her eyes. I was worried someone at the fortress would hear her, and both of you were gone with that dragon coming after you. I didn’t know what to do.”

“Damn,” I muttered. “That sounds scary as hell.”

“It was,” the healer admitted, and I tightened my hold on her to comfort her a bit.

“Well, you must have handled it well, because you even healed the dragon,” I told her. “I saw it with my own eyes. Her wing was shredded and snapped in half, but you healed it.”

Shoshanne looked as shocked as I’d been. “From here?”

“Yeah,” I chuckled as I gestured to the black dragon at my back. “See for yourself. That right wing is the one the dragon caught us by. Deya’s connection when she transmutes must work in both directions.”

“It must,” Shoshanne agreed. “Her injury in her dragon form affected her body here, and my healing her body restored her dragon form.”

“That’s so amazing,” Aurora mused, and she nuzzled her cheek against Deya’s bloody scales.

“And concerning,” Cayla pointed out from where she was slicing into dragon flesh. “If her connection works in both directions, then we need to find a way to ensure the Master doesn’t possess any more dragons. Otherwise … ”

“Shit,” I muttered as my fingers turned cold, “you’re right.”

“What do you mean?” Shoshanne asked.

“Think about it,” I replied. “If Deya transmutes with one of her scales, but the dragon she connects with has been runed without us knowing it, then she’ll be possessed in her elven form, too. The connection works both ways.”

We all turned to look at the black dragon behind me as the gravity of this sank in, and Deya let out an affronted snort of blue sparks. Then she promptly took flight and left us all in a cloud of dust as she headed toward Mors Pass.

“She probably thinks you’ll never let her transmute again,” Aurora snorted.

“No, I wouldn’t do that,” I admitted. “She’s so, so awesome as a dragon. Those maneuvers she was pulling off blew my mind, and I just watched her maul that purple guy while he was already going up in flames. He was twice her size!”

“She mauled him?” Aurora asked as her eyes went misty with adoration, and I nodded.

“Then I suggest you start coming up with a way to block the Master’s attacks out here, too,” Cayla sighed.

“I’ll add it to the list,” I mumbled. “How are we doing with the groundwork, though?”

“This is the last dragon,” Cayla replied, and she stood to come join us while Raynor continued the work. “His skin is thicker than most, though, so it’ll be a little while longer.”

“You guys managed to keep up with all of that?”

“Yes, and it was so fun,” Aurora chuckled. “Shoshanne’s driving is kind of like her sex style. You’d think she’d be all cautious and dainty, but then out of nowhere, she’s bangin’ around rougher than--”

Shoshanne loudly cleared her throat as she sent the half-elf a disapproving look, and when she tipped her head toward Raynor, Aurora clamped her hand over her mouth.

The old guy was tactful about it, at least, and even though there was no way he didn’t hear that, he studiously kept his focus on removing the rune to spare Shoshanne the embarrassment.

“Anyways,” I chuckled, “I’m glad everything was handled. You guys did a fantastic job, and none of us died, so I think we can call this mission a complete success.”

“We should celebrate,” Cayla said with a coy smirk.

“Baron style,” Aurora added. “If Mason has it in him, anyways.”

I raised my brows at the challenge in her voice, and all three women blushed and giggled when I sent them a roguish grin.

“You’re gonna regret that,” I informed the half-elf.

“Good,” she purred, and this time Raynor couldn’t help chuckling quietly to himself.

Then I cleared my throat and headed over to give the old guy a hand with the dragon.

“How’s it going over here?” I muttered as I squatted beside the old healer.

“Not bad, not bad,” Raynor rasped. “Don’t suppose you’ve got a sharper blade on you? These scalpels are dulling fast on account of the dragon skin.”

“I do!” Deya called as she climbed out of the Mustang, and the sight of her looking like an elf again made my heart flutter a bit.

She was so petite and scantily clad with her violet eyes shining in the moonlight, and to look at her, no one would guess she’d just mauled a full grown firebreather without remorse.

Deya smiled sweetly as she handed one of her Halcyan daggers to Raynor, and then she waved at me when I just sat there staring at her.

“Sorry,” I chuckled as I rose to my feet. “How are you feeling? Is your arm okay?”

“I feel fantastic!” Deya assured me, and she looped her arm in Aurora’s as the half-elf came over.

“The way you flew straight into that mass of dragons was incredible,” Aurora fawned. “Were you scared, or just feeling so dragony that you liked all those flames and teeth coming at you?”

Deya let a silvery giggled fall from her lips. “I wouldn’t say I liked the teeth, but I certainly love flying Mason around.”

The two women eyed me up and down, and I awkwardly scruffed the back of my head.

“I might have gotten a little caught up in the moment once or twice,” I admitted. “So, sorry about the whole … smacking you like a horse thing.”

“I liked it,” Deya said with a shrug. “You’re cute when you’re riding into battle. Normally, I only get to watch from far away, but being there with you makes me happy. I feel like we could slaughter all of our enemies if we only have each other.”

“Aww, me too,” Aurora admitted. “Fighting with Mason is probably the most fun I’ve had since I came to Illaria.”

“Just wait until you get to come up against a whole army,” Cayla told the beautiful elf. “Mason starts murdering everyone in sight without a second thought. It’s incredibly sexy.”

“Mmm … and burying them in the ground with a wave of his hand,” Shoshanne mused.

I stared in silence while the women began discussing whether they liked it more when I slit throats or blew people’s brains out, and once the conversation shifted to me splitting skulls open with tungsten axes, I casually backed away and returned to Raynor’s side.

Then the old guy raised his wiry brows at me, and I sent him half a grin.

“Bet you wish you were back at the pub,” I mumbled, “instead of peeling dragon flesh next to the Master’s fortress.”

“Not at all,” Raynor chuckled as he continued slicing away. “Don’t think I’d like to go slitting anyone’s throats, mind, but this is alright. Feels good to be helping out, protecting these creatures and such. They sure are something, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, I think I’ve come to appreciate them much more.”

“’Course you won’t catch me ridin’ on one,” he said as he sent me a pointed look. “No sir, I’ll keep my feet on the ground, thank you.”

“Don’t worry,” I chuckled as I clapped him on the shoulder, “I won’t drag you out dragon flying, I promise. I really appreciate your help, though.”

“Anytime,” Raynor rasped as he smiled and nodded, and he carefully peeled back a thick slice of scaly skin.

It took both of us grabbing from two sides to finally get the Master’s rune removed, and the first few dragons we’d sedated were just waking up now. They stumbled around the foothills like drunk dogs at first, but then they took flight on wobbly wings, and they headed back to Mors Pass like it was any other evening.

Deya assured Aurora the baby dragons were not all eaten when she brought the black dragon back to her nest, too, and the pair of them began rambling on and on about their first official mission while they circled the sedated dragon and studied him closely.

It really was kind of cute how they couldn’t keep from sighing and petting the enormous beast like he was a sleepy cat, and even Cayla scruffed the guy’s scaly chin with a little smirk on her face.

Raynor and I were cleaning Shoshanne’s surgical tools for her when Aurora suddenly called my name, though, and I looked up to see my half-elf hopping up and down on Bobbie’s roof while she frantically pointed toward the woods.

“Mason, there they go!” she exclaimed, and I stood up as I craned my neck.

That’s when I saw my fleet of snatchers racing into the foothills, and their gems glowed ahead of them to illuminate a herd of grimy mages desperately attempting to flee back to the fortress. The mages started dropping like flies while my fleet fired on them with marked precision, and Venkman set to work bagging up the bodies while Egon and Ray rounded up the last mages like wild hogs.

“Yeaahh!” I cheered as I threw my hands up. “Who you gonna call, bitches?”

Then Deya popped up from behind the sedated dragon and let out a proud, “Ghostbusters!”

I instantly clutched my heart as my knees went weak, and my love for the woman in that moment just about made me woozy.

“Get over here,” I groaned, and Deya pranced over with a glittering smile so I could wrap her in my arms. “Out of all the realms or universes with elves in them, you are the absolute best elf. And the best dragon. I want you to know that.”

Deya giggled at the praise, but then she looked a little self-conscious as she bit at the corner of her lip.

“Even though I eat griffins and sphynxes?” the elf asked.

“Well … what you do in your dragon time is … we don’t have to talk about those things,” I said with a shrug. “You just enjoy yourself, alright?”

This immediately cheered Deya up again, and she snuggled happily against my chest.

“I will,” the beautiful elf murmured, “but know that I would gladly eat anyone for you, Mason Flynt.”

I grinned. “I know you would.”

Chapter 21

Raynor had a bit of a bounce in his step as he headed down the lane toward Flynt’s Pub, and I was glad the old guy was having some fun helping us out. He was a damn good barkeep, but he also never hesitated to drop what he was doing and lend a hand or a scalpel, and I was incredibly grateful for the old healer as I watched him merrily disappear into the night.

Then my women began insisting I join them on our bridge, and when I came over, my grin spread from ear to ear.

“Kurna, you’re a good man,” I chuckled.

The brawny mage must have found someone to fill my moat while we were gone because it was teeming with water now, and the best part were the eels in it. Big ones, too. I didn’t see a single one under three feet long, and the eels snapped viciously like my own little army of water spawn while I slid my arms around Cayla and Shoshanne to admire them all.

“I’m gonna name every last one of them,” I decided.

“Good luck,” Aurora snorted. “There has to be fifty eels down there, and they all look the same.”

“No, they don’t,” I countered. “Look. That one has red eyes, and the one he’s fighting with has black eyes. There’s one with a spot on his nose, too, that’s distinct.”

Aurora cocked a brow, but I ignored her.

“Their papa knows how to tell them apart,” I cooed as I looked down into the moat, “isn’t that right, little guys?”

Four eels shot out of the water with their razor-like teeth chomping at the stone of the bridge, and even though all four of my women screeched and hopped back, I let out a happy sigh.

“Damn, they’re cute.”

“Is this how strange it is that we like dragons?” Aurora clarified, and both Shoshanne and Cayla nodded in response before they quickly turned to head up to the mansion.

I would have stood there all night smiling my ass off, too, if not for the sudden giggling of my women, and I finally dragged myself away from my water spawn to join them near a heaping pile of gifts waiting outside our door.

“Mason, it’s you!” Deya giggled, and she lovingly stroked the biceps of a miniature me sculpted entirely from a single chunk of ruby.

“Holy shit,” I breathed.

It really did look exactly like me, but with a bit of devilish flare thanks to the creepy red face and eyes, and I had a revolver in each hand as I held one poised to fire. It was basically a three-foot-tall Mason Flynt shrine worth who knew how much money, and I couldn’t imagine what I would possibly do with a ruby statue of myself.

“It’s perfect,” Cayla purred as she dropped to her knees to admire it more closely. “The Elders of Aurum have the most excellent taste.”

“Do they?” I snorted, but the women all nodded in approval.

“It’s exactly what we need to complete our mansion,” Shoshanne sighed.

“Let’s put it right in the entryway,” Deya suggested, and Aurora gasped with delight.

“Then everyone will be able to admire it!”

“No,” I firmly decided. “I’m not putting a ruby statue of myself in my entryway. I’d rather drag that giant penis statue out and mount it on my bridge.”

The women all looked at me like this wasn’t a bad idea, though, and I was still stubbornly shaking my head to their protests when I heard Haragh clear his throat.

My women immediately turned icy at the sight of the half-ogre sheepishly approaching, and they promptly tipped their noses up as they stalked into the house without another word.

Then they slammed the door.

“Don’t worry about them,” I muttered. “They’ll come around. Maybe don’t mention their hormones again, though. Ever.”

“I’m sorry, alright?” Haragh groaned as he shoved his hands in his pockets. “What can I say? I don’t know shit about women. You’re the guy with all the spare ones runnin’ around, and I don’t know how ye’ handle the lot of them. They were all glarin’ at me, and Aurora could easily kill me, and I just … ”

“Panicked,” I chuckled. “I get it. Don’t beat yourself up, though. I’m not even mad anymore.”

Haragh nodded with relief, but then he furrowed his brow as he reached to pick a bit of singed fabric from my shoulder. “Why are ya clothes all burnt up?”

“I rode a dragon tonight,” I told him. “It was awesome.”

“Did you bring the flail?” he asked with an eager grin. “Flails and dragons are a killer combo.”

“How do you know about my flail?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Kurna told me,” the half-ogre mumbled. “You … you really not gonna let me see it?”

“Nah, you can see the flail,” I sighed. “Why don’t you come by tomorrow? You can give me a few pointers on how to not bludgeon myself with it.”

“You know who knows her way around a flail, is Aurora,” Haragh chuckled. “Oh, hey … she could teach those scary kids of yours how to play with it.”

“Why do you guys say the word ‘play’?” I demanded. “It’s not a toy, dude, it’s a deadly weapon!”

“Yeah, but they’re fun,” the half-ogre said with a shrug. “Feels like playin’ once you get the hang of it. You’ll see.”

“Go,” I ordered as I pointed to the northern woods, and Haragh chuckled heartily as he waved me off and headed home.

Just the thought of my hypothetical kids coming within ten feet of that flail had me kneading my hands anxiously as I sparked my magic. Then I began sending all the chests from my porch into the house while I tried to decide if I should install some kind of indoor fencing to keep the kids away from my weaponry.

It would be kind of adorable to see them training with their moms, though. Maybe on a lazy Sunday … a little shooting practice after breakfast, some dagger lessons before lunch. Shoshanne would probably sit all nervous in the corner clutching her healing staff, and when the kids were tuckered out from their training, I’d send them off to chase Big Red around town while I chained all my women up for some afternoon delight.

I could find that rune the elves used to keep their palaces quiet and engrave it in our bedroom, and that way, our murdery kids wouldn’t ever have to know how many scandalous things their moms begged me to do to them.

Life would be good, basically, and I was grinning to myself as I sent the ruby statue far into a cluttered corner of my workshop. Then I headed to my bridge to get a last admiring look at my moat, and I was working on finding the perfect name for a particularly long-toothed eel when a strange sensation bloomed around me.

It sparked against my skin in a pleasant way that brought my body temperature up a few degrees, but when I turned toward the billowing shadows at my back, I wasn’t doused in fear this time.

I smirked when Nulena emerged from the darkness, and she wore a white, strapless gown tonight rather than her usual black corset. Her two-toned gaze softened the moment her eyes met mine, and she came straight to me like she couldn’t wait another moment. There were two side-slits on her gown that exposed both of her legs with every step, too, and she smelled like exotic fruits and jungle flowers as she sighed and curled against my chest.

Then I slid her long black hair over her shoulder so I could trail my lips along her ebony skin, and Nulena shivered in my hold while I enjoyed the velvety feel of her. Eventually, my head was filled with her presence as I chuckled and pulled away, but her lips swiftly caught mine.

Nulena kissed me so intensely, I could feel how much she’d been craving me with every bite she left on my tongue, and I couldn’t deny I already wanted more of her, too. Just having the Baroness’ slender fingers clutching desperately at my neck made me want to rip her dress off as quickly as I had last time, and when she let out a soft moan, I could hardly keep from doing just that.

I forced myself to practice some restraint, though, as the sound of the mages strolling to their houses reminded me I was standing in my front yard at the moment.

“I assumed you’d be working this evening,” I murmured when Nulena finally released me, and her cheeks shimmered like black pearls as she gazed up at me.

“I was,” she replied softly. “I found out what you wanted to know.”

That snapped me out of my hazy state.

“Already?” I clarified.

“Yes.” Nulena nodded. “The rune created for the Master harbors an element not known to most elves today. It is a very small and inconspicuous line amongst many that form his rune, but its presence allows for the wearer to transport themselves to any point where this same element has been engraved. It’s nearly impossible to discern where the Master has placed it, because he requires nothing but one elemental line to utilize its power, and someone with even the most basic understanding of rune magic only has to summon the element quickly and arrange it properly. Then any of his soldiers may connect to it at his order, and they are transported directly to the spot where this line is engraved.”

All of this was said with no concern as Nulena eyed my lips and the exposed parts of my chest beneath my singed shirt, but her heated gaze did nothing to distract me from the gaping pit I was currently dropping into.

Fuck.

The Master’s minions could fucking teleport, and given how effective the tiniest elemental line could be in rune magic, I knew damn well I could walk past a hundred of his engravings without ever noticing.

Which meant a single line etched on one of the many, many stone walls of the Oculus was all it took for hundreds of possessed mages to come crawling in, and Temin’s castle could have dozens of engravings hidden all over it. Hell, my own house could have one, and I’d never know it until the Master’s army flooded my halls, suffocated me, and branded me in my sleep.

“Okay, so … ” I muttered, but my voice sounded far away now as my mind went completely blank.

Then Nulena smirked. “Don’t look so nervous.”

“It’s kind of hard not to be,” I chuckled shakily. “This is … bad. To say the least.”

“Hmm.” Nulena gently pulled me against her as she kissed me once more, and then she murmured against my lips. “It’s late.”

I nodded.

“You look like you’ve had a long day,” she pointed out, and I managed half a grin as she toyed with a singed tear in my sleeve.

It really had been a ridiculously long day, and I couldn’t fathom how I was still standing at this point after everything that had happened since I woke up this morning. It was only last night that I’d gotten paralyzed falling off a battlement, but even after battling dragons and getting thrown across a jungle, I was still wide awake, and Nulena was in my arms gazing up at me.

I could see a glimmer of devotion in her ghostly white eye while the coal black of the other looked ready to do anything I asked of her, and the way her cleavage swelled beneath her white silk suddenly made it easy to shove my concerns about the Master aside. At least for tonight.

So, I grinned and offered her my arm.

“You should come inside,” I told her, and a nervous smile came to the woman’s ebony lips as her cheeks began to shimmer once more.

Nulena let me lead her to the house while I resisted the urge to bid my pet eels a goodnight, and I could hear her heart beginning to pound heavily as we strolled through the dim halls of the mansion.

Then we passed the massive chamber with my six-foot penis statue in it, and she came to an abrupt stop.

“Is that … you?” Nulena asked with a smirk, and I cleared my throat as I eyed the diamond crown Cayla had placed at the top of the penis.

“No,” I muttered, “that was a joke that’s apparently going to be a permanent fixture now.”

I casually pulled Nulena along while she let out a low chuckle, but by the time we made it to the lofty wrought iron door of my bedroom, she was silent while her heart raced beneath her breasts.

Then I pushed against the door, but before I’d opened it beyond a couple feet, my women gasped at my arrival and scrambled to their positions.

All four of them were naked in our fiery bed with their diamonds on, and Shoshanne sent me a silly grin before she slapped Cayla across the face so hard, the princess toppled into Aurora’s arms. Then the half-elf forced her back up, and Shoshanne delivered a second unforgiving slap to her other cheek.

I raised my brows as the healer smiled proudly, and when they all burst into giggles over Cayla’s clear enjoyment, I couldn’t even rein in my grin.

“Uhh … ” was all I got out.

“We’re ready for you, baron,” Aurora purred, and the flames around the room grew a few inches as she curled her finger to beckon me over to the bed.

“Don’t forget,” Deya giggled, “we all get the Shoshanne treatment this time.”

I swallowed hard as all of my blood funneled straight to my dick in less than two seconds, and I glanced at Nulena, who was still out of sight of my other women.

“So … yes, first of all,” I managed. “That’s … I can definitely do that. Also, though, I sort of brought someone to join us?”

I shoved the door open before I led the Baroness into the room, and all of my women gasped like I’d just brought them a present they’d always wanted. Their eyes lit up as they clutched one another in their excitement, and Aurora anxiously mussed her blue hair as her cheeks turned pink.

A fiendish grin came to Nulena’s lips while she took in the sight of my women all waiting in bed for me, and her two-toned eyes had a sinful glint to them as she considered the scorch marks all over the walls.

Then I grinned and brought Nulena to the bed, and I handed her off to my women as they let out a collective sigh and dragged her between them. The Baroness chuckled when they couldn’t resist running their hands all over her perfect frame, and I admired the five women’s heaving breasts and perked nipples while I unbuttoned my shirt and tossed it into the fireplace since it was burnt to hell anyway.

“Nulena, do you like to spank people?” Cayla asked breathlessly, and the Baroness slowly turned a smirk toward the princess before she nodded.

The princess whimpered against her will as her blue eyes shot to me, and I could tell she was at a loss for words.

“I know,” I chuckled.

Then Aurora slid Nulena’s silk dress up, and I could have collapsed on the spot because she had nothing on underneath. Cayla and Aurora didn’t stop there, though. They pulled the woman’s thighs up and apart for me to keep her locked between them, and Deya and Shoshanne took hold of her arms next.

“How do you want her?” Aurora asked with a devilish grin.

“Just like that,” I replied, and I kept my eyes on Nulena’s sleek, ebony mound as I started undoing my belt.

I could tell she was already wet for me as her breaths started to come faster, and there was no way I could start slow with her this time. Not with my four women holding her steady for me.

Every one of them was blushing with anticipation by the time I came over to join them, and when Aurora’s flames shifted to a deep red, Nulena began to shiver all over as the women tightened their holds.

At that moment, I could honestly say I didn’t give a shit about the Master or his teleporting minions. I had five of the most gorgeous women I’d ever seen in my bed, and we’d all waited a long, long time for this one.

So, I chuckled as I braced myself between Nulena’s ebony thighs, and as her lips curled into a coy grin, I couldn’t deny that even on the verge of all hell breaking loose, it was fucking good to be a baron.

End of book 10

End Notes

Thank you for reading Metal Mage 10. Once I hit 100 reviews I’ll start working on the next book! Please leave your reviews here! Thank you!

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2019 by Eric Vall