Chapter Seventeen
I made a new save point as Evangeline took my hand since I had a good idea where the night was headed, and I pulled her down onto my lap to a chorus of applause from my entourage.
“Congratulations, Evangeline,” Elissa squealed, and my wife hopped up and down on the balls of her feet. “We’re going to be sister-wives! It’s official!”
“This calls for a celebration!” Bellona announced, and she clapped her hands excitedly.
“Tonight?” Caelia murmured as her soft chocolate eyes flicked to the setting sun beyond the window.
“No, no,” the seamstress said and waved her hands. “Another day. We will need time to prepare.”
“Congratulations, sir,” Riondale said with an uncharacteristic grin. “You’re certainly one lucky man.”
“You can say that again,” I chuckled.
Hell, I said it to myself all the time. Being a god had its perks, and the string of hot babes on my arm was definitely one of my top favorites.
“Let’s give ‘em some privacy,” Jax growled, and he shooed the rest of my followers away, which left me alone with my three women.
“It looks like we’re alone now.” I peered lovingly up at the duke’s daughter, and then I included Mahini and Elissa in my gaze. “How shall we celebrate, ladies?”
“Well,” Mahini purred, and she swayed her hips as she crossed the distance to me. The desert goddess stroked her fingers down my spine and buried them in my hair before her piercing blue gaze met my eyes. “I think you and Eva have earned some time alone.”
“Yess,” Elissa practically moaned, which made me chuckle. “You’ve already swept her off her feet, Bash, now carry her away.”
“They have a point…” Evangeline murmured in my ear, and then she nibbled on my lobe. “If that is what you desire?”
“Always,” I growled, and I stood to my feet with Eva in my arms. “I’ll see you girls in the morning, then.”
“Goodnight, you two!” Elissa giggled, but she stood up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on my cheek. The tiny goddess ran her fingers through Eva’s hair like she was a baby in my arms, but the duke’s daughter leaned into the touch, so it was obvious she enjoyed it. “Have fun.”
“This would be a good opportunity to impregnate her,” Mahini pointed out with a curt nod. “Fill her with your seed so a child may grow on this night. It would be a good omen.”
“I will do my best,” I laughed, and I kissed the desert goddess on the forehead. “Thanks for the tip.”
“That would be magical,” Eva sighed in my arms. “I would love to bear your children, Bash…”
“I know.” I grinned down at her. “Let’s go spend the rest of the night trying, shall we?”
“Please.” Eva nodded.
I winked at the other two women before I carried Evangeline down the hallway to the room I’d claimed as my own. Mahini and Elissa still had plenty of empty rooms in this wing to choose from, but I had a feeling they would wind up snuggled up together. The thought warmed my heart, but as we approached the bedroom, other areas of my body began to heat up in anticipation of what was to come.
The sex I’d had with Elissa on our wedding night was some of the best sex of my life, but it had only gotten better and better from there. Still, I knew the night with Evangeline would be just as special, and I planned on burning every detail into my long-term memory.
I kicked open the door with the toe of my boot, and then I carried the duke’s daughter across the threshold. I crossed the distance to the bed, and I placed her gently down upon the blanket.
“You’re being so sweet to me,” Eva murmured as her eyelashes fluttered over her smokey-gray eyes. “Thank you, Bash… You make me feel so happy.”
“Trust me.” I smirked. “I’m about to make you a lot happier.”
“I believe you,” Eva giggled in anticipation, and she scooted back until she was in a comfortable position against the pillows.
“Why are you still wearing so many clothes?” I asked with a raised eyebrow, and then I proceeded to kick off my boots and unhook my belt. “You have until the count of five to get naked.”
To be fair, I made sure I was taking off my clothes at the same pace as the duke’s daughter, but she was faster. Eva was laying naked before me by the time my pants came off my hips, and I flashed her a devilish grin as I took in her full beauty.
Eva’s short jagged hair was a little askew from getting undressed, and her soft pale skin glimmered in the light from the lamps. Her smokey-gray eyes were full of lust, and her tongue darted out to moisten her dry lips.
I dragged my eyes across her body, and I couldn’t wait to do the same thing with my hands. I followed the form of her shoulder to the dip of her waist and then even further to the curve of her hips.
Eva was perfect, and she was all mine.
“I can almost feel your eyes on me,” she murmured as she covered her perky little breasts with a self-conscious hand. “Do I please you, Great One?”
“More than words could explain.” I shook my head in amazement at how lucky I was. “You have no reason to be embarrassed or self-conscious. You’re gorgeous, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”
“Me, either.” Eva removed her hand slowly, and she flashed me a timid smile. “Get over here already, my future husband!”
I chuckled as I crawled across the massive king-sized bed toward her, but I stopped when I reached her feet. With the softest of kisses, I explored the skin of her toes until Eva was giggling from the ticklish sensation. She pulled her feet up and curled her legs until she was in the fetal position, and she shot me a pouty face.
“Be still,” I growled in a playful tone. “I’m trying to explore my fiancée’s body.”
“I’m trying,” Eva giggled, and she stuck her toes back out in a straight line.
“Thanks.” I grinned, and then I returned to my ministrations.
I wanted to literally kiss her from toe to head, and since I was the God of Winning, I always got what I wanted.
I wished time would slow down so I could spend the rest of my life in this moment, but I had ways to make that happen. I could go as slow or fast as I wanted and then reset back to my save point to do it all over again.
Eva inhaled sharply as my lips found their way a little higher north, and I was pleased to discover her ankles were equally as sensitive as her feet. The lighter the touch, the more she reacted, and her little gasps were music to my ears.
“Oh, Bash, you’re such a tease,” Eva murmured as goosebumps erupted along the flesh of her legs. “This is torture!”
“I haven’t even reached your waist yet, darling,” I informed her. “Be patient. If you’re going to be my wife, then you have to let me make love to you as slow as I want sometimes.”
“Of course,” she breathed, and her eyelashes fluttered once more. Her gray eyes were trusting as she gazed down at me, and I kept her locked in my gaze as I slowly lowered my lips to her skin. “Do whatever you want to me. I am yours…”
“Forever.” I nodded, and I trailed my tongue from her ankles to her shins. My fingers followed the path my mouth had already taken, and I felt Eva stretch toward the sensation of my touch.
Then my lips crossed her knees, and I tasted the silky-smooth skin of her inner thighs. Eva instinctively spread her legs ever so slightly, and the movement drove me wild with desire. My cock hardened against the bedspread beneath me, and I had to take a deep breath to cool my rapidly rising desire. I was going to take my time and enjoy every inch of my future bride, and my body would have to deal with it. It would soon be time to get my own pleasure, but for the moment, I wanted to torture Eva until she begged me for release.
I moved upward, but I avoided her center of pleasure as I caressed her hip bone with my tongue and spread the warmth of my fingers out across her legs.
“Oh, my!” Eva gasped as I made my way toward her stomach, and goosebumps trailed in the wake of my tongue.
“You like that?” I chuckled against the soft dewy skin of her lower abdomen.
“I like everything you’re doing to me,” Eva whispered, and her fingers reached down to tangle themselves in my hair. “It’s torturously delightful…”
“That’s exactly what I intended.” I nodded in satisfaction, and then I returned my focus to her magnificent body.
The primary word that sprang to mind was soft, but the duke’s daughter had earned some hard edges as well. The muscles of her abdomen were lean and toned, and her legs had grown more muscular since the first time I’d ever seen them. Eva trained regularly now, and fought by my side more often than I liked, but her efforts were paying off. While I loved her just as she was, it was still kind of awesome to have my woman getting hotter over time. Her skin would always be silky smooth and soft, so she could get as fit as she wanted, and I would be one happy groom.
I felt her hips buck toward my fingers as they roved especially close to her down-covered mound, and I shot her an admonishing look.
“Getting anxious, are we?” I teased as I pressed her hips back into the bed. “What do you want me to do, Eva?”
“I-I-I… I want you… to…” Eva bit her lip as she gathered the courage to say what she wanted. The expression was adorable and made me want to be inside her right then and there, but that would come later.
“Make you cum?” I supplied with an arched eyebrow, and then I trailed my mouth tantalizingly close to the mound between her thighs.
“Is that the word for the lightning feeling?” Eva murmured as she played with my hair, and a subtle pressure pushed me toward her center of pleasure.
“Mmhmm,” I confirmed. “All you have to do is say it.”
“Please, Bash…” Eva gasped as my lips reached their destination. “Yess…”
“You have to say it,” I insisted, and I flicked my tongue across the outer edges of her lower lips.
“I… want you to… make me… cum!” Eva stammered out, but it was all I needed to hear.
Her nails dug into my scalp as I pushed her legs even further apart and licked her crevice from bottom to top in one swift motion.
“Fuuuck,” she gasped, and her juices already seeped from her entrance to drip onto the bed sheet beneath us.
“You’re so wet already,” I observed as I sampled her juicy flavors. “You must want me really bad…”
“Yes.” Eva nodded slowly, but her eyes were staring blankly up at the ceiling as she focused in on my movements between her legs. “I always want you, Bash… Every moment of every day.”
Her words were music to my ears as I got busy eating her pussy like my life depended on it. I swirled my tongue around her clit, and then I sucked the pleasure node between my lips, which elicited a series of panting gasps from the duke’s daughter.
“Oh, Bash, yes…” she moaned, and her hips bucked toward the sensation.
I wrapped my arm around her hips, and I positioned my fingers at the top of her entrance, which allowed me to spread them open even more to give my tongue full access to her dripping wet pussy. She tasted delicious and refreshing, and I lapped up her juices like a kid in a candy store.
Eva was getting really worked up, and I pushed her to the verge of orgasm multiple times, but each time I paused until she calmed back down. This was still supposed to be torturous, after all. The duke’s daughter was already gasping for air, and her pale skin was flushed a rosy hue. I was just waiting to hear her beg me, and then I would release her from the agony of my teasing.
“Please…” she murmured in a voice thick with desire, and her tongue flicked out to moisten her lips. “Please, Bash… It’s too much. I need you.”
That was my cue, so I slurped up her clit once more, and with my other hand I slowly slid one digit inside her moist entrance. I thrust gently in and out while I manipulated her pleasure node with my mouth, and her gasps turned to screams as her entire body began to shudder beneath me.
“Fuck!” Eva gasped. “Oh, Bash!”
I didn’t relent my attack on her pussy, and her hips bucked wildly around my face despite the arm restraining her. I licked her from bottom to top, and I flicked my tongue across her clit as she shook against my mouth. Then the walls of her entrance clamped down on my fingers, and she spasmed through another orgasm right on top of the first one.
Intrigued, I decided to see how many times I could make her climax in a row, so I added a second finger to the one inside her entrance. Her lips stretched to accommodate the additional girth, and her tight little pussy shuddered around my digits as I moved them slowly in and out. I circled her clit with my tongue until she was pressing toward me, and then I sucked it into my mouth the way she liked.
Eva’s nails dug deeper into my scalp, and she held my head motionless while her hips ground against my face until she was practically fucking herself with my mouth and fingers.
It was hot as hell.
My cock throbbed with need as she calmed down from her third orgasm, and the sheets beneath us were soaked with her love juices, but there was still plenty of dry bedding remaining.
“Come here.” I hopped up on my knees, and I repositioned Evangeline onto a dry spot.
“Anything you say,” Eva murmured, and she looked up at me beneath hooded eyes. “You’re amazing…”
“You haven’t seen anything yet, my love,” I assured her, and I stroked my cock slowly as I eyed her dribbling pussy and spread-eagle form. “We have the rest of our lives for me to come up with new ways to blow your mind.”
“I will gladly spend the rest of my life picking up the pieces of my brain,” Eva replied with a coy smile. “Now, come up here and kiss me like you want to marry me.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I growled, and then I curled up beside her. I cupped her cheeks in my hands as I leaned in for a kiss, and I brushed her lips softly with mine. “Like this?”
“Mmhmm,” she murmured, but her lips parted ever so slightly to invite me in further.
The kiss deepened, and our tongues roved out to explore each other’s mouths. Eva moaned, and the sound vibrated her lips in a very enjoyable fashion. When we finally came up for air, my cock was pressed against her legs with a demanding energy.
“I need you inside me now,” Eva informed me in a decisive tone, and her gray eyes were serious. “I want to feel all of you.”
“Me, too.” I smirked, and I rolled onto my back as I pulled the duke’s daughter on top of me.
Eva’s legs spread to straddle my hips, and as she settled into a seated position, her wet lips rubbed against the tip of my cock, which made it jump with anticipation. My future wife giggled, and she rocked her hips to rub herself all over me.
“Fuck, that’s hot,” I groaned as I kept my eyes locked on my crotch. My dick was already slick with her pussy juices, and I hadn’t even been inside her yet. My member throbbed almost painfully with the urgency of my desire, but I wanted to make sure my bride was just as ready as I was, so I spread her legs a little more and rubbed her clit in a circle with my thumb.
“That… feels… so… goood…” Eva gasped, and she bucked her hips toward the sensation, which positioned the tip of my dick right at her entrance.
I felt her inviting warmth, and the wetness coating my length, but her eyes were full of desire as they burned into me.
She was ready, and so was I.
I kept her locked in my gaze as I slowly slid inside her, and her lips parted ever so slightly as her gray eyes widened. Her forehead creased as a moan escaped her mouth, and her hips rocked in a slow circular motion.
I could feel every inch of her tight wet pussy, and my cock pulsed as she squeezed tightly around me. Every motion she made sent shockwaves of pleasure up my spine, and I could have come right then, but I held onto my control.
Then Eva began to bob up and down the length of my shaft, and her juices gushed out in torrents. She planted the palms of her hands on my chest to give herself support, and her face was contorted in an expression of bliss as she rode me like a blue-ribbon cowgirl at the fair.
I gripped her hips to encourage her rhythm, and soon we were working together at a brisk pace that had us both panting. She kept her smokey-gray eyes locked on my face, and the wave of pleasurable expressions she wore was almost as enjoyable as the sensation of her pussy around my cock.
“Oh, Bash,” Eva moaned as she ground her crevice onto me so my tip reached deep inside her. “The… lightning… is starting… again…”
“Oh, yeah?” I grinned as I leaned up and wrapped my arms around her lower back to hold her against me. Then I started to lick and suck on her nipples while she bobbed up and down on top of me.
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” Eva gasped out, and then she froze as a wave of orgasmic bliss took over her. “Yesss!”
A sea of stars exploded in my vision as I gripped her tightly against me, and the sensation of her pulsating around my shaft was too much for me to bear, so I released my hold on my self-control.
“Fuuuckk,” I growled as I sprayed my seed deep inside Evangeline’s dripping wet tunnel.
The wave of sperm exploded out of me like water shooting from a firehose, and I collapsed back on the bed as my hips spasmed. I held my future wife against my pelvis as we both shuddered through the aftermaths of our orgasms, and I groaned when my legs jolted with another shock of electricity.
“Mmm,” Eva murmured as she moved her hips in a circle. “I love the way it feels when you fill me with your seed.”
I glanced down to see some of the white tendrils dribbling out of her red, swollen pussy to coat my shaft and balls, so I quickly grabbed her and flipped her onto her back.
“Squeeze your legs together,” I instructed. “That way none of it will fall out. You do want a baby, right?”
“Absolutely.” Eva nodded emphatically. “I will do as you say.”
She snuggled up against my chest, and I squeezed her against me with one arm.
“You’re way too sexy for your own good.” I shook my head in awe as memories of our lovemaking session flashed through my mind. I was already itching to reset and do it all over again.
“As long as you think so,” Eva replied with a contented sigh. “I can’t wait to rub it in those ladies’ faces that I’ll be your wife someday.”
“Speaking of our wedding,” I said. “How soon are you thinking?”
“I am not sure,” Eva admitted. “While I must admit I have fantasized you would someday claim me as your wife, I haven’t thought much past just being yours forever.”
“We could do it soon if you want,” I pointed out. “I’m sure the king would happily help us tie the knot. He’s always wanting an excuse to have a banquet, after all.”
“I would want all of Bastianville to be able to be there,” Eva said. “It wouldn’t be fair to the rest of the people if they couldn’t witness your second marriage.”
“They got to see the first one,” I reminded her. “You’re sure Vallenwood wouldn’t be a better location? We’d have all the finery and fanciness of the palace at our disposal. It would be even better than if you had a wedding at your dad’s castle.”
“I’m sure he will insist upon us using his castle as soon as he gets word of our engagement,” Eva mused.
“I take it Vallenwood is out altogether, then?” I chuckled.
“Too fancy.” Eva shook her head, and the motion caused the ends of her jagged blonde hair to tickle my nose. “I’ve spent my entire life draped in fine clothes and surrounded by fancy things. I would much rather our wedding be smaller and more casual.”
“You’ll be the Archduchess of Bastianville,” I pointed out. “You deserve all the finest things in life, but if that’s a small wedding in our hometown, then so be it.”
“I want you to be happy, too, my future husband,” Eva purred. “I’m not the only one getting married at our wedding, you know. If you want a big wedding in Vallenwood, then I will be happy to go along with you. I just want to be your wife. The rest is unimportant.”
“There’s no rush to figure it out,” I assured her. “We just got engaged last night, and where I come from people stay like that for years before they actually tie the knot. I’m not sure I can wait that long, though.”
“Me, either,” Eva admitted with a wry smirk. “It’s all I can do not to say let’s tie the knot tomorrow.”
“We could…” I waggled my eyebrows at the duke’s daughter, which elicited a delighted giggle.
“Patience, my love,” she urged. “It is as you always say. We have all the time in the world.”
“I do say that a lot, don’t I?” I chuckled, and then I nuzzled my nose against her jagged blonde locks. “You’re pretty wonderful, you know that?”
“Not nearly as wonderful as you are,” she countered.
We spent the next few hours going several more rounds, cuddling, and complimenting each other the way only a newly engaged couple can, but right before we ended up falling asleep, I reset back to my save point to enjoy the evening all over again.
Chime.
I didn’t waste any time getting inside my soon-to-be bride, and she orgasmed around my shaft multiple times before I released a bucketful of my seed deep inside her tunnel.
Chime.
We made love in pretty much every position I could think of, and then we came up with a few new ones of our own. I had her bend over doggy style, then we sixty-nined, and during one run through, I had her wrapped up like a pretzel.
Chime.
Chime.
I came in her mouth, on her breasts, and inside her tight little tunnel more times than I could count, but nothing really quite matched the beauty of my first run through of the evening, so I reset back to my save point for a final time.
This time, I went slow again, and I had her reach climax four times before I entered her soft, squishy well of pleasure. I made love to my fiancée slowly, and I savored every sight, smell, and taste she provided until we were both exhausted.
I made a new save point to finalize our night as she laid her head on my chest and curled her legs around mine. We talked about our future wedding again, and my future wife fell asleep with a smile on her lips, so I was beyond satisfied.
The next morning dawned bright and early, and my eyes popped open of their own accord. I felt full of energy and ready to take on the world, so I slid out from beneath Evangeline and pulled on my clothes from yesterday.
I knew the late riser would be asleep for a few more hours, so I tiptoed out of the room with my boots in my hand, and I went out in search of some breakfast.
The servants of the king’s palace usually had a spread of breakfast foods available before I woke up, but it was still early. I found the staff in the process of laying out the trays when I entered the kitchen, and I nodded to them in greeting.
They didn’t say anything to me, so I grabbed a plate and began to help myself. I scooped up some biscuits and gravy, grabbed several pieces of bacon, and filled a glass with a red liquid I assumed was a kind of fruit juice.
Riondale trotted into the kitchen looking well-rested and ready for the day, and the young lieutenant saluted when he noticed me.
“How was your night?” Riondale asked with a subtle smile, and his brown eyes danced with amusement.
“Perfect,” I assured him. “I don’t know how I ever got so lucky…”
“Maybe it’s the godly powers,” Riondale suggested with a shrug.
“True,” I chuckled. “I just didn’t want to rub it in.”
“Oh, there’s nothing to worry about there.” Riondale clapped me on the shoulder, and then he grabbed a plate for himself. “I am honored to serve you, Great One. Hearing of your exploits just sweetens the deal.”
“I’m glad you think so.” I finished getting my breakfast gathered, and then I headed into the dining room.
The young lieutenant followed after me a moment later, and the two of us sat down to enjoy our food.
“So, some of the volunteers came to the palace yesterday while you were holding your interviews,” Riondale informed me between bites. “They were worried about not being trained to fight.”
“We will be in Vallenwood for a short while still,” I pointed out. “I’m helping the king select the court wizard to the new Duke of Arginold. We have time to train them, if that’s what they want.”
“Forgive me if it’s insubordinate,” Riondale said in a worried tone, “but I assumed you would say that, so I already started to work with them. We ran through some drills yesterday, but after I eat, I’m going to meet up with them again.”
“Take Niconor, Jeron, and Bron with you, too,” I suggested. “They’re still needing some practice.”
“Yes, sir.” Riondale nodded crisply.
“Good work, Ri-guy,” I said, and I noticed some of the tension leave his shoulders. “If you’re going to be my general, then you’ll need to get comfortable making some decisions on your own.”
“Would Jaxtom not make a better candidate?” Riondale frowned. “You’ve known him longer, and he is more respected by the people of Bastianville.”
“Jax also has a shop to think of,” I pointed out. “He’ll stay plenty busy outfitting our army, so I don’t think he would have time to lead them on top of that. No, you are my top pick, Ri-guy. If that’s something you even want?”
“Of course, sir.” Riondale blinked at me in confusion. “It would be the highest honor you could bestow upon me. I couldn’t have predicted you would ask me in my wildest dreams.”
“Glad I could make your dreams come true,” I said, and I flashed him a grin. “It sure takes a lot of weight off my shoulders knowing I have someone I can count on. There are some nefarious deeds going down, and I need good men at my back.”
“I have your back,” Riondale assured me. “I hope you always feel like you can count on me.”
“Me, too,” I laughed, but then the upcoming assassination attempt sprang into my mind, and I frowned. “There’s something else I need to discuss with you.”
“Anything, sir.” Riondale matched my frown with his own.
“I have learned there will be another attempt on our lives soon,” I informed him in a serious tone. “This time, it will be focused on my women.”
“Who would do such a heinous thing, here in the palace of the king?” Riondale shook his head as he clenched his fists. “Don’t worry, sir. I won’t let anything happen to them.”
“Neither will I.” I scratched my chin as I thought over what I needed the lieutenant to do. “I’d like to keep the girls well-guarded. While they can protect themselves for the most part, I’m not leaving anything to chance. Any time they leave this wing of the palace, I want an armed guard with them. Even Mahini, although I know she’ll argue.”
“Who will argue?” Elissa asked as she bounced into the room with a plate full of food.
“You’re up early,” I observed, and I leaned my head back so she could plant a kiss on my lips before she took a seat at my side. “And hungry.”
“I am.” Elissa gave me a soft smile. “I wasn’t feeling great when I first woke up, but after I laid still for a while, the feeling passed. Then all I felt was starving.”
“I think the banquet tired us all out more than we were expecting,” I mused. “Make sure you get lots of rest today. I can’t have you getting sick of me.”
“I will.” Elissa twirled one strand of her fiery locks around her pointer finger as she picked at her food. “But back to what you were saying. Someone will argue with you? Who would possibly be crazy enough to do that?”
“Mahini,” I chuckled.
“True enough,” Elissa giggled.
“You girls will have armed guards with you at all times for the remainder of our stay in Vallenwood,” I informed my wife. “I don’t want to scare you, but one of my enemies is trying to get to me by hurting my women.”
“Fools,” Elissa snorted. “If anyone even comes close to me, I’ll smash them with my mace.”
“Promise me you’ll stay out of trouble?” I fixed her with a stern look. “Or at least not go looking for it?”
“Don’t worry, husband,” Elissa cooed. “I’ll stay in the palace today.”
“I’m off to training,” Riondale announced as he pushed back away from the table with his empty plate in his hands. “If you get curious later, we’ll be in the courtyard.”
“Good.” I nodded. “Don’t go too far.”
Riondale shot a glance at my wife, and he nodded subtly. Since I was confident we were on the same page, I waved goodbye and returned my focus to my food. The bacon was perfectly crunchy, and the gravy was divine. I gobbled up the rest of it in a few swift bites, and then I wiped the back of my hand across my mouth.
Elissa ate much more daintily, but I waited for her to finish before we returned our empty dishes to the kitchen. My wife stretched up on her tiptoes to give me a kiss, and then she murmured something about going to wake up Eva.
I found Mahini and Caelia in the living room, and the two girls smiled at me in greeting when I entered.
“How are you lovely ladies this morning?” I asked.
I wasn’t surprised Mahini was awake already since the desert goddess had always been an early riser, but I knew next to nothing about Caelia. The general store owner seemed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed despite the sun still just barely lifting over the horizon, so I took it she and Mahini were similar in that way.
“Ready to go home,” Mahini informed me as her nose scrunched up in distaste. “The beds here are too soft.”
“It won’t be too much longer, I promise,” I assured her. “I have a bit of business left to take care of, and then we’ll be headed home.”
“I know you are doing things for the king,” Mahini replied. “I don’t mean to hurry you. I miss sleeping in a tent, though, and hunting with you. All this pomp and fuss does not sit right with me.”
“Me, either,” Caelia murmured with a shake of her head. “It is… Overwhelming, to say the least.”
It was interesting to see the two women getting along, since they were vastly different. Where Mahini was bold and brave, Caelia was soft and timid. The desert goddess could kill a man with a look, and the general store owner could melt you with her chocolate eyes. They were both powerful in their own ways, but it seemed they had some things in common. Namely, not enjoying the fanciness of the palace as much as the other women did.
Still, I wanted to bring Caelia out of her shell, so I flashed her a cheeky grin.
“Your beauty is overwhelming, Miss Stone,” I said in a flirtatious voice, and her cheeks bloomed with a dark rosy hue.
“I don’t know what to say…” Caelia avoided my eyes, and she fiddled with the skirt of her dress.
“You just say thank you and let him adore you,” Mahini instructed the timid girl with a smile pulling at the corners of her lips. The affection for the dark-haired woman was obvious in her voice, and it made my heart swell with pride.
I had some of the best damn women in the whole world.
After I spent some time flirting with Caelia and Mahini, I talked to Jax about where we should go next in search of our dragon armor blacksmith, and then I discussed fabric purchases with Bellona. By the time Riondale returned with his trainees, Niconor, Jeron, and Bron, lunch was being served in the kitchen.
It was nice to spend some time with my entourage, and we all laughed over our food as we sat around the large formal dining table. Eva joined us midway through the meal, and her relaxed expression made my heart soar.
My fiancée flashed me a loving smile as she grabbed some food, and she took the empty chair on Elissa’s other side.
“How are you feeling, my love?” I asked. “Did you get enough sleep?”
“Oh, I am feeling just wonderful,” Eva gushed as she glanced around the table at all our companions. “I am happier than I have ever been, my future husband.”
“Do we need to give you two the room?” Jax growled, but I could tell he was joking by the way his eyebrows twitched with amusement.
“We can hold back for now,” I chuckled. “But thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it someday.”
“Don’t say I never did nothin’ for ye,” the blacksmith muttered, but he winked across the table at me. “It ain’t every day ye get engaged…”
“For Bash it might as well be,” Jeron snickered. “Leave at least one woman for me, okay?”
“We’ll get you a bride soon enough, Jeron, I promise,” I laughed. “The spoils go to those who wait, or something like that.”
“Has anyone caught your eye yet?” Sarah asked the woodsman in a curious tone.
“I noticed you watching a lady at the banquet,” Bellona interjected.
Jeron blushed bright red. “Yes, there was someone I couldn’t take my eyes off of. Lady Jaketta. But she has eyes only for the king. I wish I could make her look at me…”
“Come see me later,” the seamstress instructed the woodsman. “I’ll have you outfitted in a fancy doublet that will be sure to catch her eye.”
“Thanks, Bellona,” Jeron replied, and he dipped his head in a self-conscious way. “Thank you, everyone. Really.”
“You’ll find the right one soon enough,” Riondale informed him. “And we will all do our part to help you.”
“I just need some of the Great One’s luck to rub off on me…” Jeron shot me a sideways smirk. “Can I borrow something of yours? Maybe it will help.”
“I’m not like a good luck charm or anything,” I laughed. “Trust me, with the outfit Bellona makes for you, you’ll be set.”
“If you say so…” Jeron’s eyes held a little bit more hope in them than they had previously, and he straightened his shoulders ever so slightly.
The rest of the meal passed in a similar fashion, and my entourage swapped stories about their favorite parts of Vallenwood so far. Then we moved on to discussing our goals and plans for the future. Bron and Sarah had decided to open up a toy store in Bastianville since so many families with children had moved into my hometown, so they would be shopping for goods to stock their shop with while in the capital. I heard Ako Gray’s name mentioned more than once when they brought up the wizards, and I was glad to know I wasn’t the only one impressed by the cat-man.
I spent the rest of the day hanging out with my people since I didn’t want to stray too far away from my women with the looming threat of an assassination attempt. I half-expected to receive a summons from the king, but his majesty left me alone for the entire day.
Dinner went down much the same as the previous meals, and I was happy to hear so much laughter around the table. My heart grew heavier with each passing hour, though, and I couldn’t escape the bad feeling in my gut. I would make sure nothing happened to my women if it was the last thing I did, so I instructed all three of them to come to bed with me that night, and I wrapped them in my arms as much as I could.
“Is everything okay, husband?” Elissa murmured as she was squeezed against my side. “You’ve been acting a little odd today.”
“Yes, not as calm as you usually are,” Mahini observed, and she propped herself up on her elbow to frown at me. “What’s wrong.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I grinned. “Everything is going to be just fine.”
I made a new save point, though, just to be on the safe side, and then we all started to fall asleep. Hours passed without anything happening, but I tossed and turned nonetheless. I slept in fits, an hour here, two there, but I kept waking up to check on the girls. I would calm back down when I saw them sleeping peacefully beside me, but the feeling of reassurance never lasted as long as I would have liked.
It had to be close to dawn when I heard my bedroom door creak open, and I held my breath as I sensed a presence entering the chamber. Then, faster than I could track, the figure moved through the shadows to the other side of the bed. A knife shot out before I could move to act, and the blade sliced across Mahini’s throat quicker than my eyes could see.
“No!” I yelled, which startled the other two girls out of their slumber.
The figure jumped back and brandished the dagger in his hands, but it was too dim in the room to see them clearly. All I could tell was they were wearing dark clothes and a cowl that covered their face.
These fuckers thought they could sneak in my bedroom and kill my women?
They had a big lesson coming their way, but soon they would learn they’d fucked with the wrong god.
Chime.