Page 30 of The Sorcerer of Shadowholde

Oh, Gods. Already? He had said he didn’t want a consort, but here he was inviting her to his bed. The thought of sex with the High Consul wasn’t unpleasant in and of itself, but in her own time, by her own choice.

Though she had no urgency to go back to the Praetor’s villa, Vita wondered again if the known danger was perhaps better than the unknown.

“Requests?”

Aurora rolled her eyes. “Come along, dear. Let’s not keep him waiting.”

It was worth a try.

Vita gathered her dress and followed. The journey was quick as they stopped just a few doors down from hers.

Aurora opened the door, gesturing for Vita to enter. She walked in carefully, skin prickling with goosebumps as if expecting an attack.

The High Consul sat in a lavish armchair, one leg crossed over the other as he thumbed through a book. He wore a casual white shirt, long-sleeved and cut in a deep v, so different from the elaborate garments she was used to. The door shut behind her and she was alone in the room with him, waiting awkwardly until he closed the bulky tome and set it on the table, turning his attention to her.

“Vita. Come, sit with me.” He gestured to the chair next to him, plush and red, and she obeyed. “Care for a glass?”

He took a casual sip of wine, eyes sparkling as he observed her. She nodded, thinking it would be best to be in a bit of a haze for whatever was going to come next. The High Consul poured her a glassand his fingers brushed hers as she took it, sending a shiver down her spine.

Vita took a tentative sip, not taking her eyes off of him, wanting to be ready when he moved in. The scent of berries wafted up to her nose, the wine mellow and with a tinge of sweetness. He watched her lips as they pressed against the glass, and she quickly set it down to rest on her lap.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were a sorcerer?”

The question surprised her.

Sorcerer? Vita wasn’t a sorcerer, had never considered herself adept at magic. Her surges were just mistakes of nature, something that had gone wrong when the Gods had created her.

“I-I don’t know,” she said, her voice cracking. “Most people would want me thrown in the city jail if they found out.”

The High Consul chuckled.

“Darling, surely you noticed Aurora is blessed with magic. I’m not one to follow arbitrary edicts, no matter who proclaimed them.”

Blessed with magic?Such a strange notion, an odd way to think of the curse that had haunted Vita her entire life. But she supposed his words were true enough. Aurora was a powerful mage, that was clear, and the High Consul valued her presence, even though it was in direct violation of the Emperor’s law, the man who governed over all of them.

Even if Vita didn’t need to worry about her surges being made public, she still did not understand what she was doing here.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and for a moment she wondered if it was Aurora coming to take her back to her room.

But no, two new people entered, one of which she’d seen before.

She remembered the man from the Aonalia Feast, the one who had watched her with glowing red eyes as she ate. The one who had spied on her at Ad Noctua. He was large, easily over six feet tall, and bulky, with wavy auburn hair that curled around his ears. The other person was a woman, close to Vita’s size and with the same raven black hair, though hers lay as straight as a stick against her back. What were they doing here?

The High Consul stood up to greet the newcomers, his constricting pants showing off his toned ass and thighs. He paced over to them, resting a hand on each of their cheeks, and it was impossible not to stare.

“My dearest pets… this is Vita. She’s here to see the show tonight.”

Show? What show?

Vita absentmindedly took another swig of wine as she tried to ignore the tension cutting through the room. The two newcomers gazed her way, licking their pale lips as if the sight of her made them hungry.

“She will not be joining us?” the man asked, his voice a deep, raspy whisper.

The High Consul turned to Vita with a smirk.

“Only if she wishes to, though I believe she’s a bit shy.”

Joining them for what?

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