Courts and Cabals by G.S. D'Moore (best e reader for academics txt) 📕

she accepted a glass of water and a towel from a female changeling that took up station next to the throne.

Aveena sipped at the water and began to pat down her brow and chest. She’d worked up a sweat from the workout, and it made her half-exposed tits glisten. I hated myself that it turned me on.

“I simply wish to make amends, Lady Foxbelle,” I bowed deeply, nearly prostrating myself before her.

“Humph,” she grunted, as I rose back up. “I see he’s still alive,” she turned her gaze on Chloe.

The nymph averted her gaze, and went down to one knee. “He was aided by the succubus, my lady.”

“The half-blood whore,” Aveena spat on the ground, and the female changeling produced another towel and went to wipe it up.

“They’re nothing but fucking slaves,” I was barely able to hide my disgust.

While the female changeling was wiping the spit off the ground, the changeling Aveena had just finished fucking was turning a dangerous shade of red. “My lady . . .” he groaned.

Aveena was still judging Chloe’s failure, but sighed, and waved her hand. “Fine.”

I’d never seen someone cum so hard before. The stone slab was roughly eight feet long, and his first ejaculation cleared it. Many more followed, staining the surface of the stone. With his dick looking less like it was about to burst, the man gave a cry of ecstasy, and promptly passed out. He collapsed off the slab and landed on his shoulder with a crunch. Other changelings rushed over, but didn’t help him. They went about wiping his jizz off the slab.

I watched it all in horror, and Aveena watched me. That was her power play; the physical, emotional, and mental power she had over her vassals. Nothing humans had even came close. It was complete and utter servitude among the lesser Fae, and even worse, it was determined by blood. Your fate was sealed before you were even born. I promised myself then and there that I would never visit Aveena’s home realm.

I snapped myself out of it and quickly produced my offerings. “I offer what was agreed upon, a baby’s rib,” I laid the small bone down at her feet. “Because of my failure, I offer you dragon’s heartstring, phoenix feather, powdered unicorn horn, and a protective pendant. Please accept these with my deepest apologies, and let us bury this feud between us.” I backed up and kept my eyes downcast, waiting for a decision.

Slowly, the Fae noble got to her feet and stood over my offerings. “There was a reason I required the baby’s rib on a deadline, mortal. Because of you, I missed the opportunity, and now have to wait until the next blood moon,” she stepped on the baby’s rib and shattered it into half a dozen pieces. “Dragon’s heartstring,” she scoffed. “Only used in the most rudimentary Fae magic,” she picked it up, took a bite out of it, and spit the chewed remains at her cleaning changeling’s feet. “Phoenix feather,” she stomped on the red-orange feather that disintegrated into ash on contact, “used by tricksters and charlatans. And powdered unicorn horn,” she picked up the bag and tossed it to Chloe, who wiggled her eyebrows at Jerome. “Do you think I am unable to get aroused, mortal? Do you think the men I bring to my bed aren’t filled with desire?” The sneer on Aveena’s face showed me I was utterly and completely failing.

“And this trinket,” she tossed it back in my face. It happened to hit directly where Chloe had stabbed me, and I winced in pain. “My own glamour is stronger than that second-rate charm.” She was shorter, but she towered over me as she stood inches in front of my face. “I find your offerings lacking and insulting, Cameron Dupree. There will be no peace between us.”

“Please, Lady Foxbelle,” I made the split-second decision to get on my knees. “What do you require to make peace between us?”

Whatever she was about to yell at me, my question brought her up short. She sat back down on her rocky throne and studied me closely. “Twice you’ve been saved by the half-blood. And twice I’ve smelled her foul stench on you. She sees you as valuable in some way. I would have that value taken from her. That will bring peace between us,” she sat back smugly. “Swear fealty to me. Be mine.”

“Are fucking kidding me. You realize I just watched you use your vassals like playthings. They stand guard all night, clean up after you basically spit on them, and nearly die pleasing your spoiled ass. You’re just some brat princess who was given everything by mommy and daddy, and the first time you don’t get what you want, you throw a hissy fit. Why the hell would I ever want to be bound to you, bitch?”

That was what I should have said, but I wanted to leave here with my head attached to my shoulder. “My deepest apologies, Lady Foxbelle, but I can’t swear fealty to you. I am my own man.”

She probably expected it, and if she didn’t, her emotions didn’t show on her face. “That is my price,” she reiterated. “If you cannot pay it. There will be no peace.”

“If that is your will, noble Fae,” I deflated in acceptance.

“It looks like the harem deal is the only option,” I couldn’t see any other way to pull my ass out of the fire. I was still trying to figure out how all of this got away from me so quickly.

“This negotiation is concluded, but the rights of parlay will hold,” Aveena declared, with a pointed look at Chloe. “There will be two sunsets of peace for you to prepare yourself. Get you affairs in order, Cameron Dupree. At the stroke of midnight on Monday, your death is sealed.”

“Very well,” I didn’t know what