Page 30 of Acedia

No. Iris would never regret giving me her trust. If she gave me the gift of her beautiful, eager submission in bed, then I would show her my gratitude for it every single day. I wouldworshipher.

The pressure on my knot was unbearable within minutes, and I hurriedly rolled onto my back, coating my stomach in cum instead of my bedding.

It would be impossible for me to get intimate with Iris without the very real risk of me sinking my teeth into her neck, and I couldn’t do that until we’d properly spoken about it. Until I’daskedher. Ideally, until I’d proposed to her.

Stupid Allerick, ruining all my plans. This was going to be the longest month of my life.

The eyes of the court followed me curiously as I made my way into the dining hall with everyone else, heading for the table where the ex-Hunters usually sat for dinner. Meera was already helping Iris onto the bench seat, and I shot a pleasant but warning look at one of the Shades, who looked as though they would sit next to her, helping myself to that spot instead.

Iris was wearing a different outfit from the clothes she’d arrived in, which she’d also been wearing this morning. I wondered if someone had raided Verity’s supply for her, since the loose warm top and matching trousers she was wearing were both pale pink.

Tilly wriggled under the bench, her tail poking out into the walkway and nose between Iris’s feet. If anyone stood on Iris’s beast, I might have to make an example out of them. Hopefully, the court knew to watch where they walked.

I snuck one of the plainest pieces of roast meat off the platter in the center of the table and dropped it on the floor for her. Tilly immediately wriggled forward, practically inhaling it with a satisfied lick of her lips.

Well, that was easy. I could win over the dog, at least.

“Hello, Iris.”

“Hello again, Damen,” she replied immediately, perking up. There was an odd, fluttery sensation in my chest that she instantly recognized my voice.

“How are you?” I watched closely for any sign of awkwardness after this morning, but she didn’t appear to be feeling any.Iwas definitely feeling some, having spent most of the afternoon fantasizing about her while fucking my own hand.

“Very well, thank you. I’m excited to be having dinner here tonight. It was so kind of Meera to collect me—and she found me some clothes since I didn’t pack any.”

“Do you need more?” I asked, straightening. I could coordinate that somehow, couldn’t I? Perhaps I could nag Astrid into coordinating it, at the very least.

“We’re on top of it,” Tallulah assured me, apparently listening in from the opposite side of the table while carrying out a full conversation with one of the courtiers next to her. Her ability to multitask was truly unmatched.

“How was your afternoon?” I asked. A bold question because I desperately hoped she didn’t repeat it back to me.Oh, it was fine, thanks. I spent it wondering if you’d get on all fours on the bed for me and let me lick your pussy from behind.

I didn’t want Tallulah overhearingthatconversation.

“It was very nice, thank you. I didn’t do much—I napped a little, actually.” Iris seemed embarrassed about that, though I couldn’t see why. I napped all the time. “But only because I didn’t sleep well last night. I don’t nap usually, I swear,” she added hastily.

“Why not? Naps are glorious. Everyone should take them. I had one myself this afternoon.”After several hours of masturbating.

“Well, that makes sense. I imagine you have a very busy schedule.”

Tallulah looked at me with one eyebrow raised as if I was the one who’d put that idea in Iris’s head. I hadn’t, had I? I was confident I’d never intentionally given her the impression that I was extremely busy.

To my surprise, one of the guards I hadn’t seen out of the in-between in years was making his way over to our table, and I loudly encouraged him to join us—partly to shame the courtiers who should have been shamed all on their own by their behavior.

Evrin had been born without horns—which was rare, but it happened. Unfortunately, there was still a lot of stigma attached to it, and many members of the court weren’t shy in the ways that they avoided him.

I made a show of standing up and clapping him on the back as a little “fuck you” to anyone watching who thought his lack of horns was contagious.

Evrin had handily taken the attention off me, which was nice of him, though I felt guilty aboutwhyeveryone was staring. Itwas more unusual to see a Shade without horns than it was to see the prince sitting with the masses instead of at the high table.

Allerick and Ophelia hadn’t even noticed. As usual, their attention wouldn’t be diverted from each other. They were so obvious about their staring too—I was going to have to pull them aside later and remind them that they were the royal couple and should try to act with a modicum of collectedness in public.

“Sit, sit,” I insisted, quickly making the introductions, though apparently they weren’t necessary. Meera and Tallulah had met him before, and it appeared that Tallulah wasn’t a fan. Interesting.

“Patrolling the in-between sounds like a difficult job?” Meera said to Evrin, valiantly attempting to strike up a conversation while I snuck Tilly more meat. It was only right—I’d seen the bowl of dry, boring food she was subsisting off. A little fresh meat wouldn’t hurt.

“It’s not difficult so much as tedious,” Evrin replied.

Iris tilted her head toward him as he spoke, and I watched, enchanted by the gesture. “Why would it be difficult?”

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