Page 38 of Chained to the Devil's Daughter

“Take another for me. Good girl,” he murmured as he added another, curling and massaging my inner walls. “That’s it, my dirty queen. Take what you need from your pawn.”

I gripped his shoulders and writhed, fucking his fingers as deeply as I could. Slowly, he began twirling his thumb, passing over my engorged clit with growing intensity and slickness.

“Come for me, Your Majesty.”

His voice was distant, but an orgasm barreled toward me regardless. I bit his shoulder to stifle my moans as it hit, grasping my womb in undulating waves. I was lost in the thrall of its power, crashing through me like a maelstrom.

Not seconds later, my knees still knocking, Ash’ren lowered my skirts and removed his leg from between my thighs, not in a rush but certainly with purpose. Taking his cue, I teetered back to sit on the fountain’s edge and smoothed my gown.

After the guard passed by on the other side of the vine wall, Ash’ren and I shared a giddy look. He turned his gaze upward, and I followed it to the statue of my father. Ash’ren’s previous lethality toward the thing was now pure vanity.

“You dirty man,” I scolded. “You liked that, didn’t you?”

“Hmmm,” he said with feigned innocence, hands in his pockets. “Why in the four elements would I enjoy giving you mind-blowing orgasms in front of your cultist father?”

“Was it mind blowing, though?”

“Shall we try again and see?” Ash’ren sat beside me. With a quick glance around, I leaned toward him, close enough our arms were glued together.

“Oh!” Fara came sailing around the corner, yelping at the sight of me nestled into a man not yet named my suitor. Fara dipped into a low bow. “Your Bone-Blessed Majesty, Tor'cha has, erm, has some questions for you.”

“Fara, you of all people do not need to use my full title,” I chided softly. I stood and turned to Ash’ren, who was smirking with that haughty, knowing look that made my insides dance. Surely, he didn’t know the surprise, though. Only the secret of what we’d done before my father’s likeness. “Excuse me, Ash. Thank you for attending me to the garden, I had a lovely time.”

Ash bowed with extra drama and pitched his voice in a deep mockery of society’s rules. “As Your Great Highness, Lady of the Rings, Ruler of Hell, Queen Firefly wishes.”

I couldn’t help a little snort. I remained rooted to the spot as he tucked his hands into his pockets and backed away.

“Well, then,” I whispered directly into Fara’s ear. “Time to plan a Naming banquet.”

Some tenseha ha’s followed my statement. No, this wasn’t betraying anyone. It was totally cool. And it wasn’t as though I would call it off now, even if I’d wanted to. To be clear, I did not.

20

Ash’ren

My fingers smelled like Searra’s sweet nectar. For the twelfth time, I brought them to my nostrils and inhaled the pleasant scent, more stimulating than pyro sap.

Searra would be busy for a while. Royalty always had something to attend to, or settle, or whatever. Though she’d called me her king in jest, I wasn’t sure I wanted that role. It could be nice to have a little say over what happened in Hell, I guess. Especially knowing how it felt to be on the outskirts of society.

Speaking of the outskirts, people were awaiting my help. I had to admit it was fulfilling deep in my blackened fucking soul to have a purpose other than sick entertainment for fucked-up overlords.

When the next carriage pulled up, the driver holding the gryffions’ reins crinkled his charcoal face into a look of utter disgust under a flashy top hat.

“Ash Render,” he spat by way of greeting. “Why should I give you a ride anywhere?”

“For the queen’s coin.” I twirled a coin between my knuckles.

“That spoiled heiress ain’t no queen yet.”

“Yet.”

The sour demon grunted and jerked his head toward the back. I flipped the coin with my thumb, sending it sailing through the air to land on the grouchy man’s hat.

It seemed like forever before the gryffion’s strides slowed from their breakneck pace. I’d counted and lost count and counted their steps again by the time the driver ordered me to get out. I nodded at the scowling demon as I brushed past, trying not to stumble too much. Traveling by gryffion was not my fucking favorite, but without a wing, I had no choice.

I managed to reach the ladder built into the side of the bridge without giving away my dizziness. The carriage driver spat on the ground before departing.

Unlike my last trip to Ring Seven, I saw a few smiles. Even heard someone whistling a tune in the distance.

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