Page 66 of Of Monsters Of Kings

The absence of the robe felt like a cooling summer breeze.

Until it didn’t.

King See groaned again, and that gave me permission to groan too. My head thudded against the wall behind after, and I swept my hands over my body again. Doing so wasn’t much, but it was something.

“Mighty ancients, you must be designed to destroy me,” the king whispered.

“Are you certain?” I latched onto the conversation like a lifeline.

“Only ancients could have managed perfection. I am sure.”

I flushed and didn’t know what to say. That he was looking at my patches and stiches was something I hated, and that must account for my mounting anger and frustration. I wanted him to do something to help me, anything. The nothingness of this night was infuriating beyond measure. I wanted to scream. I wanted to charge over to his throne and take his face between my hands. I wanted any number of things that weren’t part of our bargain. “I would not have agreed to this if I’d known how it would be.”

“I expect not,” was the cold reply.

Did he feel the same anger?

I resumed my pacing. “I don’t see why you asked me here to just look and not talk or for any other reason!”

“We are limited in what is possible, mistress, as you know.”

“I know that,” I snapped, realizing the words sounded childish, but quite unable to prevent them.

“You come undone for me at last.”

“I’m not undone. What does that mean? Why do you talk in riddles tonight? I…” I sank to all fours, then lowered to press my forehead to the ground. I moaned, then choked on a sob when the cool stone did nothing for my fever. “Help me, please.”

“What ails you?”

“My body burns.”

“Yes, I have watched you catch on fire.”

“Then do something about it. There must be something you can do to help.”

“Would that ancients granted me the power to, maiden.”

I rolled away from him. “What would you do to me if ancients did grant you the power?”

His power pressed harder. “I would curl against your back and whisper in your ear. Perantiqua.”

I shuddered.

I want him. The state of me, the feeling within and over my skin. This was want. I wanted him like nothing else. The force of my lust made me quail, and I could only be swept along with it.

I whispered. “And then?”

“I would roll you back, so I could look upon your face.”

I rolled to my back, barely knowing myself.

“My hand would cup between your thighs. Just the softest squeeze for fear my power might harm you, a new monster.”

Was I breathing? I couldn’t tell. I swept my hand over my stomach between my legs and squeezed, moaning on a sigh.

There was a long, menacing snarl from the throne. His power pinned me to the floor. He was standing and closer than ever before. “I would rip off that tormenting garment and have you, maiden. Every piece of you. Cease touching your body in this manner. I cannot watch any longer.”

His power slapped my hands to the stone either side of my shaking, mess of a body.

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