Page 36 of A Reign of Storm and Madness

“Keep your head bowed,” Theos’ voice suddenly comes from behind me, a commanding whisper as we come to a stop at the end of the long hall before a trio of what I can only describe as thrones of old—the kind that ancient human kings and queens supposedly once sat upon before the Gods came to our world. In the center, upon the largest throne of them all rests a single dark crown made of black stone and metal. To the right, a second crown takes up residence, this one made of pearl and silver. No one is wearing them.

Kalix directs us to the left, where the only person upon the dais waits to be presented to. Dolos’ shadowy frame sits casually against the smallest throne of them all. The shadows around the lower half of his body have pulled away to reveal a bobbing golden-haired Terra on her knees before him as she takes his cock into her mouth over and over again. I lower my eyes to the floor, not wanting to acknowledge the desperate noises coming from the girl’s throat, as if she’s doing her best to please the God of Imprisonment for fear he’ll kill her if she fails.

Undisturbed by the awkwardness of coming up to him as he’s being pleasured, Dolos doesn’t acknowledge the girl as he speaks. “Darkhavens, come,” he orders. In my periphery, he waves them forward with a swiping dark hand. “Bring me your Terra. I wish to see how she fares after her punishment.”

I stare harder at the ground even as my nails sink deeper into Kalix’s arm. As we graze the top step of the dais, the heat of the Darkhaven at my side fades as he pulls himself from me. Without knowing what else to do, the second Kalix’s body is no longer in touch with my own, I go to my knee, bowing before Dolos. I never raise my gaze to meet his even when I hear the girl who’d been sucking him cry out in surprise.

My teeth grind down as a wave of heavy air slams into the back of my head, forcing my face lower until I’m nearly kissing distance to the stone underfoot. Dolos’ shadows slip over my shoulder, lifting my hair and pushing the silver locks away from my back as he examines my spine.

An ice cold, skeletal finger slips down the ridges of my back, drawing the length of what I know to be one of the worst of my markings. I breathe out, slow and even, trying not to tense or turn and fight. Every instinct I’ve ever honed over these last ten years is demanding that I not show my back to an enemy. I close my eyes and sink into my position, forgetting all the aches and pains that it brings, ignoring the quiet but harsh breathing of the girl.

“She seems quite submissive now,” Dolos says, his tone somewhat disgruntled. “Has she been this way since her punishment?”

I hear the words, let them slip through my ears, and don’t respond. He’s not talking to me. A beat passes and to my surprise, it’s Theos who answers.

“She’s learned the error of her ways, Your Divinity,” he states. “This Terra has expressed how grateful she is for your mercy.”

“Has she?” Dolos doesn’t sound as if he quite believes Theos, and no one answers his suspicion as I feel the God of Imprisonment circle me again until he’s standing in front of me.

My eyes squeeze shut even tighter. It makes me a cruel bitch, but I hope he doesn’t replace the girl with me. I pray that I don’t take her place. The thought of bowing before this God, of offering him something of my flesh to please the man who brought me such pain sits like a venom-filled capsule in my stomach. Tears gather at the back of my eyes and I push them back, fighting them with all my strength.

I’ve fucked for a kill before, but I was always the one in control. I was the one who decided which method would get to my target faster. I’ve never had to fuck for my life and I hope I don’t have to contemplate that kind of sacrifice.

That icy finger touches the side of my face, making me jump at the suddenness of it as it slides down further until it curls just under my chin and slowly brings my face upward. My lashes lift and I curse the watery vision that blurs what is already a disrupted sight behind this damned mask.

“She does appear to have far better manners now,” Dolos comments. He’s so close that the weight of those invisible chains lock around my wrist and hold me down, clamping around me in ways that make it impossible to resist. His finger dips further until he touches the scale-like throat covering that I’m wearing. “I am pleased that the three of you accepted my gift for her now that she’s been reintroduced to our Academy grounds.”

“Our Terra is gratified by your words,” Ruen replies.

“Is that true, Kiera Nezerac?” Dolos’ head turns down to me. “Are you appreciative of my good will?” A single tear slips out of my eye and slides down my cheek. Shame rips through me.

“Yes, Your Divinity,” I answer in my quietest voice. “Your benevolence is a blessing to one as lowly as I.”

His finger taps under my chin, urging me to rise further. I do, not standing, but straightening my spine until my head is at level with his lap. I swallow and keep my eyes directed upward since that’s where he’s wanting me to focus. I can’t see the expression he hides beyond his shadows, can only deduce from what I can see of him. Which is practically nothing.

“I am glad to hear it, young one,” he says. “I shall look forward to your reform and seeing how you flourish within the Academy.”

Dolos takes a step back and his hand falls away from my face once more. Air floods my body, and I don’t even realize that I’m gasping as he takes his seat and motions for the blond-haired Terra that had been servicing him before to move back into her place. She doesn’t hesitate, likely used to this kind of duty, as she crawls forward and locks her lips around the head of his cock and swallows it down, her cheeks hollowing out as tears stream down her face, coming from beneath the lace mask she wears that almost matches my own were it not for the different crimson color.

“Thank you, Your Divinity,” Kalix appears at my side again, his tone far more polite than I’ve ever heard it even if it’s spoken with a bit more bite than his brothers. His hand locks on to my bicep and he pulls me to my swaying feet, nearly ripping me off the platform as he drags me backward, towards the crowd and party-goers.

My head spins as I suck in breath after breath, trying to catch up to the instinctive fight or flight urge that’s flooding me. Kalix continues to lead me through the hall, passing through an archway into another room that’s been set up for even more Day of Descendance revelry.

More naked bodies are writhing. A dark-skinned Mortal God laughing and then groaning as two Terra males service her—one at her breast and the other at her cunt. I turn, my gaze sliding one way and then another. A red-haired, freckled Terra girl cries out as a female Mortal God slides her fingers down the girl’s thatch of matching red hair over her pussy. I see why all the Terra now have to wear these masks—it marks them as servicers, as weak ones should Mortal Gods get too carried away.

“This way,” Kalix grunts as he tugs me toward the back of the room and into a smaller hallway. Confusion swarms me. I glance back, thankful that I spot Ruen’s dark head and Theos’ white-blond head following close behind. On the blueprints, this place had looked like one large chamber. Maybe it is? Maybe the hallways are secrets that not even Regis could find?

“Kalix, wait—” Ruen jolts forward and grabs ahold of my other arm, stopping Kalix’s stomping strides to keep me from being ripped apart between them. “Dolos is going to want to see us with her.”

With me? My brows rise over the mask. “I thought you said all I’d have to do is act?”

A hand clamps over my mouth and Ruen’s gaze flashes red before fading just as fast as it appeared. He sighs and drops his fingers away from my face. “Don’t speak unless spoken to here,” he says as if realizing that they had forgotten to tell me as much. “If another Mortal God or a Divine Being approaches you, keep your tone polite and your eyes on the floor.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Theos snaps as he appears right behind me. “She won’t be away from us.”

A silent conversation passes between the two of them, but Kalix’s hand remains locked on my upper arm. “I want her first,” he finally says, tugging me back, and Ruen is forced to let go or bruise me.

“She’s not a toy you can just claim,” Theos sneers.

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