Empire Builder 1: Breed, Populate, Conquer by Dante King (free e books to read online txt) 📕

They both sat across from each other, deeply satisfied, as the torch light flickered on their faces.

The room they were in was plain and bare, but looked much homier now that it was clean and warmly lit. The women had evidently been very busy while he and Vinata had been away harvesting the food for dinner.

“My mana is regenerating,” he announced after a short silence.

Melody’s eyebrows raised. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. I can’t put my finger on exactly how full it is, but it has to be nearly half.”

Melody let out a low gasp. “Nearly half? You are far more powerful than I expected.”

“Do you think there’s some reason why I’ve learned how to regenerate mana so quickly?”

“I’m not sure.” Melody shrugged. “Perhaps this area is helping you to recover your strength at a faster rate. I don’t know exactly what this place is, but it was important to your former empire.”

“Maybe it is,” he said. “We will have to tell the nymphs who I am before long. My power will make it too obvious.”

“I think you’re right,” Melody said.

“Is it dangerous to tell them?” he asked.

“Why would it be dangerous?”

“Isn’t it possible that they could be spies for the Xurian Realm?” He knew almost nothing about the political intrigues of this world. But he figured it didn’t hurt to be cautious, especially around strangers.

Melody shook her head. “I have never heard of a nymph serving the Realm. They have been downtrodden by the Usurper for centuries. They long for your return. If any were to work for the Usurper, that would be a deep betrayal indeed.”

“I see.” The knowledge left Ben feeling somewhat more reassured. “In that case, I can tell them tomorrow when we have more time.”

“That’s a good idea.” Melody nodded.

In the stillness, Ben heard the hoot of an owl outside—or whatever this world’s equivalent of an owl was. There was hardly another sound, which was unusual for him, having come from a big city.

“So, how did you find talking to Vinata?” Melody asked. He could see faint lines of worry on her face as she asked, as though she were nervous about his response.

Could this be jealousy? Melody hadn’t known him for very long, but she had been the one to bring him to this world, and their union had apparently produced a child, or at least a monster egg. After all she’d been through for him, he didn’t want her to be concerned that he would abandon her for the nearest good looking monster woman.

Doing his best to sound unconcerned, he allowed his face to look slightly startled, as though it were an unexpected turn of conversation. “Oh, Vinata. She seems nice, and very capable. You know, I’m glad we rescued the nymphs; they may end up being helpful around here while we wait for their people to find them.”

Melody beamed. “I’m so glad to hear you say that.”

He started. That wasn’t the response he’d been expecting to hear. “What makes you glad about it?”

“You have shown such compassion to these women. The Forgotten Ruler was always known as a champion of the monster races, but what you did for these women today shows more than mere compassion. I saw how you looked at those women after you rescued them.”

If by looked she meant ogled, well, he couldn’t help admitting he had found all three women very attractive. He was only a man after all.

“Aren’t you concerned?” he asked, still a bit confused.

“Concerned about what?” Melody chuckled and twirled her hair around one finger. It was almost like she was deliberately pretending to be more innocent than he knew she was.

This was abnormal. “We had a child together, Melody. Aren’t you concerned about me falling for other women?”

“But what would be the problem with that?” Melody asked.

Geez, this is some kinky shit, if I’m understanding her correctly.

“You’d be ok with me being with another woman?” Ben asked.

If he hadn’t known better, he would have said Melody was from Europe after all and not some foreign world.

“If the other women are suitable mates for the Forgotten Ruler, I may be able to grow accustomed to such an arrangement.” She nodded and looked away, as if considering the idea and finding herself more pleased with it by the moment. “After all, it would be quite a thing for one woman to believe she was enough to keep the Forgotten Ruler himself satisfied.”

Women? Plural?

The image of a dark ruler with several women leaning on his arms came back to Ben from the vision he had seen in the ancient crystal ball. And the words of Vinata, who had shyly expressed a wish to become one of the Forgotten Ruler’s wives.

Ben shook his head. This day had been weird enough, he didn’t need to make it any stranger just now. One day at a time, he told himself.

“And why are you glad that I showed compassion to the nymphs today?” He steered the conversation back toward a topic that might be a bit easier for his overwhelmed mind to understand.

“It is one thing for a man to become a powerful ruler.” Melody clasped her hands together on the table, looking thoughtful. “You showed that you have what it takes to become powerful today. You had the courage to fight in battle, and the ruthlessness to deal out justice to wicked men.”

She stared wistfully at the table as she recounted this.

Then she raised her chin and looked straight into his eyes. “But not every man can become a kind and wise ruler as well. You showed today that you would not hesitate to save innocents from danger, and destroy those who oppose your will.”

Her eyes blazed with fervor as she spoke.

“It was just as well that you left to gather food this evening. I would not have wanted to cause a scene around the other nymphs.”

“Come again?” This seemed like a hard left turn in the conversation.

“Not just yet.” Melody smiled mischievously again.

Ben felt his cheeks