by Sarah Hawke
Larric’s concern was that after centuries of Covenant sermons depicting the dark elves as demon-worshipping, blood-thirsty savages, there could be no real compromise. This was a holy war, a righteous war, and that meant the Legion was duty-bound to fight until the bitter end.
“My guess is that Gabriel sent you here to convince me to send my armies to Sanctum,” Darkstone said into the silence. “He and the rest of the Quorum want to replace Lucian, and with new leadership he believes we can turn the tide against the vaeyn.”
“That’s largely correct,” Larric said. “Duchess Zarene fully supports the Covenant, obviously, and Duchess Farrow isn’t yet convinced we can successfully oppose Lucian. But Kristoff believes the latter will come around soon, and he already has Duke Arland’s full support. With the aid of Korvale’s soldiers, we believe we’ll have enough men to force Lucian’s hand.”
Darkstone grunted and folded his hands in his lap. “Mere soldiers won’t be enough to force the Emperor to do anything. Kristoff underestimates the power and influence of the Covenant, as always.”
“Perhaps,” Larric conceded. “But you’re clearly not content with the current situation. What is your alternative?”
“Reaching out to our enemies rather than our ‘friends,’” Darkstone said with a smug smirk. “The vaeyn are the victims here, Captain. They don’t want this war any more than we do—but unlike us, they might be able to stop it.”
Larric turned towards Karethys. “How?”
She leaned back in her seat, her violet eyes glimmering in thought. “I have no love for your Emperor, obviously,” she said, “but he is not the real source of your problems. Hierophant Vexius holds him on a tight leash, and as you’ve just said, the Covenant believes this is a holy war. Nothing will change unless we can dispel that belief.”
“Which is obviously easier spoken about than accomplished,” Darkstone added, “but the bottom line is that Vexius is our true enemy. She must be destroyed if this war is to come to an end.”
“I hope you’re not suggesting we murder the Hierophant.”
“Of course not. Transforming her into a martyr is the worst outcome I can imagine. The Covenant would rally behind her memory and insist on burning Sulinor to the ground. Thankfully, there’s more than one way to destroy an enemy….”
Larric paused as he bit into an apple. He was stalling, of course. He had been taken completely by surprise here, and he was desperately trying to figure out how to proceed. “Such as?”
“Vexius has been mired in scandals ever since she ascended to her position a decade ago,” Darkstone continued. “Her reputation is vulnerable, but waging a campaign against her would take too long. What we need is leverage—leverage our new vaeyn friends have been more than willing to provide.”
Karethys smiled thinly. “Our spies have learned a great deal about the inner workings of the Covenant, both from our operations in Sanctum and from recent conquests. Many of the prelates despise Vexius, and not all of them are war-mongers. With careful manipulation, we can turn them against her. They will discredit her for us, and we can use the chaos of her political downfall to put an end to this war.”
Larric frowned. “And that’s it? That’s all you want?”
“The Matriarch Queen will require other concessions, of course,” Karethys replied matter-of-factly. “Your Legion attacked us, and there are many factions in Sulinor who would prefer we destroy you than negotiate. But they can be appeased.”
“Kristoff will be restored to power in Stormcrest,” Darkstone said, “but he will need to cede territory. Balagarde and the eastern coastline will likely remain in vaeyn control.”
Larric grunted. “You don’t seriously believe he’ll accept those terms.”
“He won’t have a choice,” Karethys said. She locked eyes with him for a long moment before she flicked her wrist dismissively. “But we can negotiate minor details later. The point is my people are willing to call an end to hostilities, but only if you agree to replace Hierophant Vexius and institute certain reforms.”
“Reforms,” Larric murmured. “Such as?”
“I am no naïve enough to believe your entire society can change overnight, but we will not tolerate the brazen enslavement of our cousins forever.” Karethys’s eyes flicked over to Elara. “Your Covenant must change, or a long-term peace will never be possible.”
“As a show of good faith, I have already taken steps to further protect faeyn slaves here in Korvale,” Darkstone said. “It’s a small step but an important one. I’m confident that given time, we apply pressure to a new Hierophant and enact positive reforms.”
I felt my brow furrow in disbelief, and I was suddenly glad that no one was paying any attention to me. I still didn’t dare touch the Aether in the presence of so many other channelers, but even without my telepathy I didn’t believe a word Darkstone was saying. Everything Master Kristoff had told me about the man implied that he was a staunch traditionalist. His relationship with the Covenant had always been frosty, but that didn’t make him a reformer. On the contrary, it just meant that he was annoyed they exerted so much power in his personal domain…
“This is a lot to take in,” Larric said after a moment. “And frankly, I’m not sure how Duke Kristoff would respond to any of this.”
“He’ll come around when he understands the alternatives,” Darkstone said. “Reclaiming most of Glorinfel is better than reclaiming none of it, after all.”
Larric nodded but didn’t reply. He obviously wasn’t convinced by any of this either, but he must not have been sure how to respond. Instead he finished his fruit and continued studying Karethys.”
“I don’t expect us to resolve everything today,” Darkstone went on, flashing everyone a soothing smile. “But I did want to get everything out on the open right away. No one will benefit from deception here. If we’re going to save to the Empire, we must carve a path forward…together.”
“Of course,” Larric said, forcing his own smile. “Ultimately, we all share similar goals.”
“Indeed.” Darkstone finished his drink and placed the goblet back down on the table. “I’m sure you are exhausted after your trip, but I wished to discuss a few minor issues before we retire. Then we can continue fresh tomorrow.”
Larric nodded. “Very well. Please, continue.”
The discussion continued for perhaps another hour, though the vast majority of the conversation was more about subtle verbal jockeying than anything of substance. Darkstone clearly just wanted to evaluate Larric as a negotiator so he could properly tailor his arguments tomorrow. Karethys, for her part, seemed content to watch the men duel and interject only when necessary. She spent most of the time staring at Larric and occasionally me. I wished I knew her true agenda.
Once the meeting adjourned, Darkstone ordered his men to escort us to our chambers. The luxurious suites put the master bedroom in Stormcrest to shame. The art, the furniture, the rugs—at a glance, I saw wonders from at least a dozen overseas nations. The Numenese silk alone was probably worth more than Larric’s armor…
“We’ll have a feast tomorrow evening,” Darkstone said. “Tonight I assume would you rather relax a bit.”
“Very thoughtful, Your Excellency,” Larric replied, smiling. He strode into the center of the suite and shook his head at the painting over the bed. “Is this an authentic Garravio?”
Darkstone nodded and smiled. “Yes. Nearly eight-hundred years old, give or take a decade. I would have preferred to purchase the ‘Veil of Stars,’ but the Elerians weren’t willing to negotiate. I’m actually supposed to ship this back in a few months...but we’ll see what happens.” He chuckled and gestured to the adjacent room. “Your associate is welcome to stay here. I assumed you would want an adjoining suite.”
“That will work out splendidly, thank you,” Larric said.
“Then I will say ‘goodnight’ to you, Captain. If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask one of the servants.”
T
he Duke bowed and vanished around the corner. Karethys stayed in place for a moment, her face unreadable, before she followed. Larric waited a full minute before he closed the door and let out a deep breath.
“Merciful Triad…”
My head swam with a thousand different questions, but I decided to wait and allow him to speak. I had no idea what he was going to expect of me now that the situation had proven so...complicated.
“Kristoff’s lucky he didn’t come here,” Larric went on, turning. “He’ll never agree to any deal with the vaeyn. The situation would have deteriorated quickly.”
“What are you going to do?” I asked. My voice was hoarse, having barely spoken a single word all day.
Larric shook his head. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But something’s not right. We need to figure out what they really want.” He paused and eyed me up and down. “I know Kristoff sent you here to manipulate Darkstone, but he might not allow that to happen. Be careful.”
I nodded sheepishly. “Is…is there anything I can do for you, my lord?”
“No,” he murmured. “Go ahead and enjoy your suite. The guards should bring up the rest of our supplies soon.”
“As you wish, my lord.”
I bit down on my tongue and did as he ordered. I even shut the door behind me to give him some privacy. It was still early and I wasn’t tired yet, but I knew I shouldn’t complain. I had fully expected to be down on all fours with Darkstone’s cock inside me at this point, but now…now I legitimately had no idea what was going to happen. Even if Darkstone was merely pretending to abhor slavery, with the vaeyn looking over his shoulder he might never have the opportunity to take me. And if he didn’t take me, I wouldn’t be able to slip into his mind. I wouldn’t be able to convince him to agree to Master Kristoff’s proposal or uncover his darkest secrets…
Sighing, I plucked a peach from the table and sat down on the edge of the bed. Mere moments after I finished the last bite, the door opened and our caravan guards delivered my luggage. One of Duke Darkstone’s servants helped them unpack, and she hung up the various dresses and gowns inside the armoire. It was an odd sensation to watch a human perform my job for me, but she insisted that I relax and enjoy myself. The guards, for their part, couldn’t help but toss me disgusted glares. I had a feeling that their accommodations weren’t nearly as elaborate despite the fact I was a mere slave.
They finished quickly, but just moments after the door shut behind them another knock sounded on the wood. Frowning in confusion, I turned the handle and peeked around the corner—
“Good evening, my lady,” the Duke’s young son, Varyl, said from the other side. “I hope my father has made you comfortable.”
“Y-yes,” I stuttered in confusion. “Everything is lovely.”
“I’m glad to hear it. He glanced past me into the room. “Do you mind if I come in for a moment?”
“O-of course not, my lord.”
I stepped backwards, and he casually sauntered inside. “I wondered if Kristoff’s hound would keep you at his side all night,” Varyl said with a grunt. “Things must be very different in Glorinfel if he’s willing to grant his avenari such leeway.”
I frowned. “My lord?”
His smile widened as he pushed the door shut…and then, without warning, he abruptly grabbed me about the waist and clamped a hand over my mouth.
“Scream and I’ll break your pretty neck,” he warned. “Do you understand?”
Varyl’s grip was like iron. He might have only been nineteen, but he was strong and powerfully built. There was no way I could fight him off, so I didn’t even try. Instead I merely nodded.
“Good,” he said, relaxing his grip on my mouth. His arm remained locked around my waist, however, and I could feel the heat from his breath on the back of my long ears. Eventually he scoffed in disgust. “I can’t believe my father put you up in one of the royal suites. A worthless elf whore treated like a bloody princess…”
I gasped in surprise as he pushed me up against the nearest wall. I could feel his swelling manhood against my leg, and I wondered if he might take me right here. With his free hand, he pulled down my low-cut dress and freed my breasts.
“I know you’re supposed to be a gift for my father,” Varyl said, “but he rarely fucks his own slaves these days. He’s old and tired and has too much on his mind. Even I fuck his new wife more than he does.” He chuckled softly as he pinched my nipple between his fingers. “He wants to play nice with the dark elves, so for the next few days we all get to pretend you’re an honored guest rather than a stupid cunt. It’s disgusting.”
He pressed harder against me, and after fondling my breasts for another few seconds he lowered his arm and slipped his hand beneath my dress. His fingers crawled up my thigh before they finally settled against my sex.
“Gods, you’re actually wet,” he said with a snort. “You see? I knew you were a whore. You probably can’t wait to spread your legs for every noble in the Vale. Well…you’ll get your chance.” He leaned in close enough that his lips tickled my earlobe. “Just remember that once the vaeyn bitch is gone, you’re mine. Kristoff might not even want you back once I’m finished…but I doubt he cares. Plenty of other elf sluts to go around.”
Varyl held me in place as he slipped the tips of his finger inside me. After chuckling for another few seconds at my obvious discomfort, he finally released his grip and pulled away.
“See you soon,” he taunted, stepping back to the door. He twisted the handle, but just before he left he glanced over to the armoire. “Oh, and by the way…you won’t need any of those. I prefer my whores naked.”
With that, he strode out of the room and shut the door behind him. I stood in place for several long seconds as my mind slowly caught up to what was happening. Master had warned me that the Darkstone family was legendarily depraved, but I hadn’t expected this…
Still, I was perfectly accustomed to dealing with men who got off on their own power. Lord Varyl was young and probably thought he was special and unique…but all men believed that, no matter their position or influence. And after they had dominated and humiliated me, their egos would swell even as their cocks deflated.
But ultimately, I was the one who had been in control all along. I read their minds, I controlled their thoughts….I transformed them into my puppets even as I gorged on their seed. And if I never got the opportunity to manipulate Duke Darkstone, his son would suffice. He would tell me everything I needed to know, and one way or another Master Kristoff’s plan would come to fruition.
I would make certain of it.
Chapter Two: Nighttime Dalliances
I spent the next several hours after Varyl’s visit lying on the bed and allowing the Aether to flow through me. My mind and senses stretched out across the palace, though the lingering threat of being identified as an Unbound kept me in check. I treated the exercise as a form of meditation rather than an overt attempt to learning anything. A focused mind was a dangerous mind, Master was fond of saying, and I needed to be both focused and dangerous if I had any hope of succeeding here.
I was just about ready to finally retire for the evening when I heard the unmistakable sounds of movement from the adjacent suite. Larric had been silent for hours now, and I initially assumed he had merely woken to fetch some water. But his footsteps were too cautious and measured for a man who was half-asleep. It was almost like he was stalking someone…
Frowning, I slipped out of my sheets and swung my legs off the bed. A human probably wouldn’t have even heard Larric at all, but my elven senses were keen, especially after I had just been channeling so intently. I listened for a few more seconds, and I knew something was seriously wrong when I heard the faint ring of metal. He had retrieved a weapon, probably a simple knife, and he was tiptoeing towards the door leading into the hallway.
Biting down on my lip, I crept towards the door connecting our suites. I pressed my ear against the wood and held my breath, wondering if I should just pr
ess it open and ask what was wrong. When he remained still for several more seconds, I turned the handle and peeked inside. His chamber was dark aside from a small, ever-glowing lantern on the far wall, but I could just barely make out his half-dressed figure as he approached the door with a knife in hand. I opened my lips to speak—
At which point the shadows themselves seemed to come alive.
I had never seen anything like it. The tendrils of darkness writhed and twisted, and the skin on my arms prickled as a surge of power rippled through the Aether. Soon a humanoid figure appeared, and it pounced upon Larric like a great cat leaping from the underbrush.
I had seen his impressive warrior skills first-hand when we had been ambushed by bandits outside the Aetherium just a few weeks earlier. He had scythed through a half a dozen men like grass, and I had trouble imagining anyone getting the better of him—at least, until this moment.
The shadowy figure coiled around him and knocked the knife from his grip. He reflexively dropped into a crouch and spun around to strike with his elbow, but the figure had already vanished. He paused and blinked and in confusion while the shadows coalesced behind him. The figure reappeared and grabbed him again, and before I could even gasp Larric was pinned tightly against the wall.
Seconds passed like minutes as my mind struggled to accept what had just happened. But as the shadows finally calmed, the figure’s identity became clear: it was Lady Karethys, and she was calmly holding a blade against Larric’s throat. For an instant, I thought she was going to kill him—he was pinned and helpless, and I opened my mouth to scream—
And then she laughed.
It was as husky as her speaking voice but laced with impish guile, almost like a child who had just spooked a friend. The blade in her hand vanished, and she pressed against him until her lips were almost touching his ears.
“You’ve gotten sloppy,” she whispered. “All the time away from the Covenant must have dulled your reflexes.”
