Chapter 1
The sweet, buttery scent of pancakes woke me gently from my sleep, and the warm glow of sunlight stroked my face like a soft feather.
My dreams had been all over the place, so it took a second for me to adjust to the surroundings. I remembered dreaming about the Elder Lord, and how he’d attacked the school with no notice, but I also dreamed about the wonderful evenings that constantly occurred with the witches of this academy. My wild imagination had conjured up pictures of the witches’ soft, delicate bodies, which contrasted majorly against the harsh, terrorizing images of the Elder Lord and his army.
It seemed as though every second of every day, whether awake or asleep, the Elder Lord was somewhere at the back of my mind.
But I was sort of used to it by now.
When I finally found the energy to open my eyes, I spotted the silver platter placed on the table beside my bed, and I instantly caught my reflection in the shiny dome that sat on top. My black hair was a mess, my blue eyes were still full of sleep, and a rosy hue lightly coated my cheeks from the comforting warmth that cocooned me.
Then I rolled onto my back as I prepared myself to move, and I found myself stroking the empty side of the bed where Amber had been last night. It felt strange not having someone beside me when I woke up, but I knew it was for my own good.
Amber had one thing, and one thing only, on her mind, and she didn’t stop until she got it.
Amber was addicted to my cock, just like everyone else, but she was also addicted to bondage and dominance, and she never stopped until every toy and position had been used in some way.
Not that I minded this wild side of her, because I fucking loved every second, but even I needed my sleep, and I wasn’t going to get a second of rest if Amber had anything to do with it. And I needed to have a focused mind, especially with everything that’s been going on with the Elder Lord, so I politely told Amber last night we could reconvene again at some point soon.
But we both came at least six times, so at least neither of us had been left high and dry.
Once I’d finished reminiscing about Amber’s wonderful pussy, I sat up in bed and relaxed back against the headboard. Cordelia must have sensed I wasn’t in the mood to move to a table just yet, so as well as the platter of food, she’d also left a wooden lap tray on the floor.
I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I lifted the dome lid and took in the glorious sight before me. As well as four thick, fluffy pancakes, Cordelia had also included several slices of bacon, syrup, scrambled eggs, and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
“Thank you, Cordelia,” I said to the room. “You must have known I needed a big breakfast this morning.”
“I had a feeling, my lord,” the ghostly voice giggled. “Just let me know when you’d like a bath, and I’ll be sure to have it ready for you.”
“I think I might go for a shower today,” I said as I thought the answer through in my head. “Yeah, a shower sounds like a nice change.”
“Of course, sir,” Cordelia said. “I’ll have everything ready for you.”
I shoved a forkful of food in my mouth before her words even settled in the air.
“Oh, fuck.” I groaned as my taste buds were attacked by the various textures and flavors. “You’ve definitely outdone yourself today.”
“Thank you, sir,” the ghostly maid giggled. “Only the best for you.”
The sweet pancakes were as light as a cloud, and my knife tore through them without any trouble. The bacon had been fried to perfection so it shattered into several pieces, and the scrambled eggs were made with the ideal amount of butter and seasonings. I could have quite happily sat there all day as I guzzled down more and more of that incredible breakfast, but once I’d washed it all down with the orange juice, I rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
The shower was all prepared for my arrival, as Cordelia had promised. Rolling clouds of steam filled the room, a fresh towel had been hung on the rail, and bottles of various shower gels and shampoos had been left on the wire basket.
My tired muscles instantly rejoiced as I stood under the hot water, and I simply stood there for a full minute as I allowed my body to get battered by the streams. Then, once the water worked its magic, I forced myself to move and began to wash last night’s events from my body. I worked the shampoo into a foamy lather, and I let out a satisfied sigh as my nails scratched against my scalp. Then, once my hair was clean, I grabbed the first bottle of shower gel my hand touched and completed the process.
Just like with breakfast, I didn’t want the shower to end, but after I’d spent a few more minutes underneath the hot stream, I turned off the water and grabbed the fresh towel Cordelia had provided. I took a moment to properly dry myself, and then I slipped on the clothes which had been neatly folded and left on my bed. Once all that was done, I was officially ready to start the day, and I plodded downstairs to greet my coven.
I was surprised to find the common room practically deserted, and only Morgana and a few of the familiars were visible, but the frantic noises that came from the nearby bedrooms told me the others were still getting ready.
The bedrooms had gone through a few changes in the last couple of weeks. Every witch in the academy was mine to enjoy, so I’d made their old bedrooms more to their liking, and they were free to come spend the evening with me whenever I summoned them.
But with so many women around, I also made the decision to include extra rooms within these living quarters for when certain witches in particular caught my eye. It had been the same with Revna’s sisters and the Edrian women when they’d first joined us, so I was sure to stick to that plan whenever I decided to add more women to my nightly rotation.
“Good morning, master.” Morgana smiled up at me from her spot in one of the seats.
Morgana sat sideways in the chair, with her legs draped over the armrest near the roaring fire, and an open book was perched on her lap. The brunette’s shoes and socks were placed neatly on the floor, and she wriggled her toes like she was trying to warm up her feet.
“Good morning,” I replied. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah…” Morgana said unconvincingly. “I could have done with a few extra hours in bed, but it’s nothing a strong coffee can’t heal.”
“I can ask Cordelia to conjure some,” I offered.
“No need,” Morgana said. Then the bookish brunette slipped her wand out from her pocket and aimed it at a small side table. “Capulus.”
A white light shot free from her wand, and as the light settled, a mug of steaming hot coffee sat in its place. Morgana gave the mug a hungry smile, and she delicately placed both hands around it as she brought the mug to her lips.
“Is that better?” I smirked.
“Mmm… much better.” Morgana sighed as she took another sip.
I collapsed down on the nearby couch as Morgana continued to read her book and drink her coffee, and I found myself losing concentration as I watched the sleeping familiars resting beside the fire. The blue scales of Akira’s Komodo dragon, Damien, created a glistening, holographic effect as it caught the light of the flames, and Lily, Faye’s white ferret, had curled herself up into a tight ball, so I couldn’t see where the head began and the tail ended.
Morgana’s black bear had also joined the gang, but Silvia didn’t sit as close to the fireplace, and her yellow eyes roamed around the room as if she was looking for something. I’d yet to see Alexander this morning, but he often spent his mornings out in the wilderness, so I was sure to see him at some point.
I was brought back to the real world as I heard a door slam from somewhere behind me, and I turned to see Marina, Nyx, and Beatrix heading in our direction. Nyx had one of her pipes perched between her lips, and Beatrix was in the middle of pleating her damp, golden-brown hair.
“I’m sorry if you’ve been waiting for us, my lord,” Marina said with a guilty look on her face. “Some of us overslept.”
“There’s no rush.” I smiled at the siren.
It took several more minutes before the rest of the coven joined us, and Akira, Astrid, and Remy were the last to leave their assigned bedrooms. Astrid and Remy were in the middle of tying back their hair, whereas Akira held half a slice of toast in one hand and an apple in the other. I never saw Vanessa, but she often left the room before us, especially if she had a lesson to prepare for.
“Fuck,” Akira said around a mouthful of toast. “I swear I set an alarm last night.”
“So did I,” Astrid joined in.
“I don’t know why you’re all panicking,” I snickered. “You clearly needed the extra sleep.”
“I mean, it probably doesn’t help that we were kept up all night,” Akira chuckled. “Honestly, Amber has the ability to wake up the entire school!”
The room erupted into laughter, and I was certain I heard a throaty laugh coming from one of the familiars.
“Oooh, yessss, master!” Nyx imitated.
“Right there!” Akira said in a breathy tone. “Fuck, right there!”
“You’ve been a bad, bad boy,” Freyja added, which only made the women laugh even harder.
“Alright, that’s enough.” I smirked as I broke up their fun and games.
“I’m sorry, sir, I really am,” Freyja said with humor still in her voice. “But you must admit, that witch sure knows how to have a good time.”
“You’re right there.” I winked.
“I’d say I’m jealous, and I’d want to take part, but from the slaps I heard coming from that room, I don’t think I’d be able to survive,” Akira cackled. “Satan, how are you not bruised this morning?”
“A hot shower did the trick.” I shrugged.
“At least it wasn’t a cold one, otherwise Amber didn’t do her job properly,” Morgana said with a whisper of a laugh.
The coven cracked up once again, and this time I joined in with their laughter.
“Okay, enough,” Samara said firmly. “We shouldn’t comment on who our master fucks, or how she fucks him.”
Muffled giggles were heard as Nyx and Penelope covered their mouths with their hands.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Penelope said. “You’re both right, we wouldn’t want Amber to say the same things about us, and like Samara said, we shouldn’t comment on who our master fucks, since we all belong to him.”
“Okay, but was she good…?” Akira asked with a sly smile.
“Couldn’t you gather that from the noises you just imitated?” I joked.
“Perhaps I am just jealous.” The black-haired witch shrugged as she bit into her luscious, green apple. “Maybe you could reenact what happened?”
“Maybe one day, but not right now,” I replied. “We have far more important things to think about just now.”
“Yes,” Morgana said as she sat upright in her seat. “The Elder Lord, right? Have you heard anything yet?”
“No, not yet,” I sighed. “It’s like he’s completely vanished since his attacks against Gassotara and The Night Province two weeks ago.”
“How strange…” Vesta said with a thoughtful expression.
“I wonder where he’s gone?” Marina asked.
“There’s no real way of knowing where he’s gone,” Samara replied, and she crossed her arms over her chest as she frowned. “But he’s obviously living off-grid somewhere.”
“Is there a way for you to find him, my lord?” Revna asked. “Perhaps you could create a spell to track down his location?”
“I’ve tried,” I said. “But it seems like he’s devoting all his energy into blocking my attempts. I can get flashes of images and wisps of dreams, but little more.”
A lesser man might have become frustrated, but I was no man. I was the Dark Lord, and I was made of shadows and patience. If the Elder Lord wanted to hide from me now, fine. I could wait.
And when he least expected it, I would lunge from the darkness and devour him whole.
“Do you think he wants to attack without anyone picking up on his actions first?” Astrid asked.
“Yes.” I nodded. “We all know the Elder Lord hasn’t given up yet, so he’s clearly gone somewhere to weigh his options before he attacks.”
I had to admit, the Elder Lord’s sudden disappearance surprised me at first, but it also wasn’t completely unexpected. I briefly thought back to his attacks against the two realms, and the blockage he’d placed on my premonition, and I knew he’d done that for a reason. The Elder Lord had wanted to distract me, either so I couldn’t get to the realms on time, or so he could catch me off-guard, and since his distractions hadn’t worked, then he thought the best idea was to vanish.
The Elder Lord knew which games to play, and he knew how to slow me down, but he clearly didn’t know how to stop me. I was far more powerful than that asshole expected, and I was always going to be one step ahead of him.
“So, what do we do now, master?” Morgana asked.
“We’ll have to keep an eye out.” I shrugged. “He could be planning anything right now, but I won’t know what that involves until he acts on it.”
“Why don’t we break down his previous actions and go from there?” Akira suggested. “If we think back to what he’s done before, then we might get a better idea of what he’ll do next.”
“I think we all know what he’s going to do,” Samara scoffed. “He wants to take down anyone and everyone who follows Cole.”
“Exactly.” I nodded. “No realm is safe, not until I’ve defeated the Elder Lord and killed off his pathetic army and all his holy followers.”
“Then is there a way we could prevent his attacks?” Freyja asked. “We can’t watch over every realm, and the last thing we want is for the Elder Lord to slip through the cracks and kill innocent people.”
“Yeah, maybe you could use the same spell you placed over Scholomance?” Della suggested.
“I know I’m powerful, but I don’t know if I’m that powerful,” I snickered. “The protection spell used my entire source of energy to stimulate it, and that was just the school, let alone an entire realm.”
The day after the battle against the warlocks, I’d created a protection charm to keep Scholomance under a constant veil of safety. It took days to perfect it, several vials of my blood, and the most powerful witches in the school in order to cast the spell. It now meant my witches were constantly safe, and no amount of magic could break through the tough exterior, but it practically drained my energy, and I’d barely had the power to move for a few days afterward.
I appreciated Della’s suggestion, and I would have considered it had the previous charm not been so powerful, but we needed to think of another way around the Elder Lord’s plans.
“Hmm…” Akira mumbled as she took another bite of her apple. “So, there’s absolutely no way to locate him right now?”
“Not that I know of.” I shrugged. “I’ve dissected every theory, and I’ve racked my brain for the smallest suggestion, but I can’t come up with a solid idea.”
It was hard for me to admit defeat, particularly when it came down to something like this, but I also had to admit sometimes magic wasn’t the answer, and no number of spells were going to give me the result I needed.
But it wasn’t all bad news, because even though I couldn’t spy on the Elder Lord, at least his absence gave me the opportunity to solidify my empire, increase my army, and gather as many realms together as I possibly could. There were still a large number of nonbelievers out there, and I knew there would always be a few floating around, but I’d used this time and opportunity to change some of their minds.
As annoying as it was that the Elder Lord had fucked off, I’d made the best of it.
I also used those rare, peaceful moments to fully enjoy my women and converse with them in the common room without the feeling like I constantly had to shadow-port to another realm, or prepare my army for battle.
“Oh!” Morgana shouted as she jumped from her seat. “I have to show you what I learned this morning!”
The segue seemed random, but I knew the bookish brunette was only trying to lift the mood in the room.
“Is this another thing you’ve read in a book?” Akira smirked.
“Of course, it is,” Morgana retorted. “Because I, unlike some, like to stock up my powers.”
I heard the snickers that came from a few other women around me, but Morgana ignored them and focused on her new spell.
It always pleased me when my coven studied in their spare time.
Morgana stood up straight and made sure her feet were pressed together, and then she raised her wand, twirled the wooden stick in a circular motion like a halo, and whispered the spell. “Invisibilia corpus.”
A rain of green light fell down on Morgana, and the more light that fell, the fainter her body became. At first it looked like a trick of the light, but then it wasn’t long before Morgana had completely vanished. I couldn’t help but smile, because while that spell wasn’t new to me, there were a few women who hadn’t seen it happen before.
“Umm…” Cleo said as she peered around the room. “She’s still here somewhere, right?”
“Yes,” Circe said after her forked tongue flicked out of her mouth. “I can still taste her.”
I knew Morgana was still in the room, and it soon became clear to everyone else when a lock of Cleo’s blue hair was lifted from her shoulder and draped over her face.
Cleo let out an almighty scream as she leaped off the couch and ran to the other side of the room.
Akira was Morgana’s next victim, and as the black-haired witch went to take the final bite of her apple, Morgana’s invisible form grabbed it from Akira’s hands.
“Hey!” Akira yelled. “Give that back, I’m not finished yet!”
Morgana continued to play her little game for several more minutes, and in that time, she pulled on Nyx’s horns, untied Revna’s shoes, and played with Tally’s black hair. The few women who were scared at first quickly joined in with the game, and they all sat back and waited to see what Morgana was going to do next.
Then the shower of green light appeared again as Morgana returned to the room. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was a mess, and her labored breathing made it seem like the brunette had just taken part in a marathon.
“Unholy shit,” the bookish witch panted. “I didn’t think that would make me so out of breath.”
“That was so cool!” Astrid cried out as she bounced on the couch. “Can you show me how to do that?”
“Of course.” Morgana grinned. “I’ll teach you all how to do it, if you’re interested.”
“Just as long as no one takes my apple from me again,” Akira sulked. “I was enjoying that.”
Morgana spent the following few hours teaching each witch how to perform the spell, and I simply sat back and enjoyed the show. At one point, Della thought it was a good idea to pick up one of the sleeping familiars, but as soon as Lily sensed her body being lifted into the air, the ferret let out an almighty shriek like she was being attacked, and once her paws hit the floor, she scarpered underneath one of the couches in search of safety.
Because my coven and I were as advanced as could be, we no longer saw the need to attend regular lessons, but I never stopped them from taking part if they wanted to. On the other hand, the Edrian women and Revna’s sisters hadn’t been to a school before, so I’d asked Vanessa, Circe, and Samara to help improve their knowledge. The rest of the coven helped out as much as they could, and it pleased me to see them all working together.
There was a wonderful atmosphere in the room as the coven took part in learning the spell, and without any pressing jobs to complete, I happily sat back to witness the entire event.
Then, just as it became Revna’s turn to try out the spell, I heard the main door open, and seconds later Alexander soared into the room. The wolverine perched himself on the armrest beside me, and he tucked his wings into his sides.
“I was wondering where you’d gone off to,” I said.
I thought I’d make the most out of the morning sun, Alexander replied. There’s nothing better than the warm sun mixed with the chilled breeze as it hits my wings.
“I’m glad you had a good time.” I smiled.
I did, he said with a slight smile. I mean, it also could have been because Silvia and I had an argument, but that’s only a minor detail.
Alexander’s ruby-red eyes looked over at the black bear for a split second, and then he turned his attention back to me.
“Do I want to know what the argument was about this time?” I snickered.
Er… probably not, he said as he covered his face with one wing. All you need to know is we’re on good terms now, and the argument has been pushed behind us. But I was wondering if the wonderful Cordelia could magic up some food for me? I’m starving!
“When are you not hungry?” I asked.
That is beside the point, sir. He smirked
“Fair enough.” I shrugged. “Cordelia, could you find some food for Alexander?”
“Of course, sir,” the ghost maid replied.
Aaah, thank you! Alexander cried out. I don’t know what we’d do without her.
Then Alexander spread his wings and lifted off the armrest. He flew to the other side of the room in a flash, and I heard the contented sighs as he chowed down on the feast Cordelia had made for him.
“Speaking of food…” Faye said with a cheeky grin. “I don’t know about any of you, but I could also do with some lunch.”
I’d been so relaxed I never even noticed how much time had passed, and I also could have done with something to eat, despite the mountain of food I’d enjoyed that morning.
“Yes, please!” Akira replied as she jumped up from the couch. “Just as long as Morgana doesn’t try to steal it again…”
“Hey, I took your apple away from you for five seconds,” the brunette scoffed.
“Five seconds is still long enough,” Akira said with a pointed look.
I called the room to attention before the simple conversation could get too out of hand, and then I led my coven through the winding hallways in the direction of the banquet hall. We passed various students on their way toward their next classes, and all of them stopped to bow their heads as they caught sight of me.
“Good afternoon, Dark One,” one young witch said with a smile.
“Good afternoon,” I replied. “Enjoy your lesson.”
“I always feel so powerful when we walk behind you,” Della whispered once the girl had left.
“You’ll soon get used to that feeling,” Nyx snickered.
“Oh, I’m pretty used to it already,” the Edrian witch said. “But it still blows my mind.”
The Edrian women were still fairly new to the coven, so I could see how it would take a while to get used to everything, especially when I considered the lives they used to live. Certain women in Ederia were picked to bear children, and the mothers were treated like queens, but the others were brushed off to the side like they were nothing. Della, Tally, Remy, and Cleo hadn’t felt power like this before, so walking alongside me must have been understandably strange at first.
The walk to the banquet hall continued in the same fashion, and I heard the buzz of voices that seeped through the double-doors. Then, as soon as I opened the doors and stepped inside, the noise instantly died down, and every witch turned their heads to peer over at me. I sensed their eyes on me as I sauntered down the center of the hall, but when I reached our assigned table, the students picked up their conversations, and the room was full of noise once again.
“Right… what’s on the menu today?” Akira rubbed her hands excitedly with a gleam in her eyes.
I clicked my fingers, and platters of food instantly appeared in front of each witch. Everyone had a different meal in front of them, but none of them complained about what they were given. Nyx looked exceptionally pleased with the roast beef sandwich that sat before her, Beatrix barely wasted any time before she tucked into the large plate of pasta, and Circe practically salivated over her salmon salad.
I hadn’t given much thought about what I wanted to eat, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the stacked sandwich that resided on the platter. The sandwich was made from thick, seeded bread, and I was quick to notice the slivers of tomato, lettuce, ham, cheese, and mustard. It was exactly what I needed after the tremendous breakfast, and I knew it wasn’t going to be on my plate for long.
But then all of a sudden, just as I’d picked up the first half of the sandwich, a powerful feeling washed over my body as a premonition formed in my mind.
The sandwich fell from my hands, and then my eyes winced shut as the tsunami ebbed and flowed.
“Cole?” I heard Circe’s faint voice. “Master, are you okay?”
I couldn’t find the strength to reply to the serpentine witch, and I felt my body spiral as it fell deeper and deeper into the premonition.
Then the picture became clearer as the wave of sensations began to calm down, and I caught sight of the figure who’d appeared in front of me.
It was the Elder Lord.
He was back.