Page 21 of Shadowbound

“I bid you wear my Band

I bind you with my Hand

Your Magic you will Yield

Your Fate to mine is Sealed.”

Sylvanna uses a golden key to lock the collar. I feel the cool metal around my neck and expect it to be hard and unyielding. To my surprise, it at once begins to mold itself to my throat. I don’t feel choked or strangled by it at all—instead, it almost feels like the metal has become velvet or soft, supple leather.

“Oh—it doesn’t hurt,” I say, though I’m probably not supposed to be talking.

“Of course not—I rule my Blood-servants with love, not fear or pain,” she assures me and runs her fingers through my hair. Her eyes darken for a moment. “My mother…she ruled with agony and terror. I could never follow in her footsteps.”

I feel a surge of pity for her, which surprises me. I barely remember my own mother, but what memories I do have are of her doting on me. Well, that and burning herself on my skin as I got older. That was painful but through it all, she loved me. It sounds like my new Mistress didn’t have that from her own mother.

“No, she gave me precious little love or tenderness. You’re sweet to worry, but I’m fine,” she murmurs and I see the green jewel pulse at her temple.

“How does this collar work?” I ask belatedly. “Am I now subject to your every whim, my Lady?”

“No, not at all.” She shakes her head. “This Collar of Control will simply help you channel your magic. When you wear it, it’s safe for you to let your ‘Celestial Fire’ as you call it, build to the breaking point. The collar will absorb and store any magical overflow. Which means it’s safe for you to pleasure me or yourself without causing a catastrophe.”

“I do not pleasure myself,” I say stiffly. “Self-abuse is blasphemy.”

Her delicate eyebrows lift.

“Is that what you call it in Solaris? That’s not how we think of it here. Self-pleasure is self-care. It’s relaxing and it builds magical power. In fact, I pleasure myself every night before bed—which is a duty I’ll expect you to take over in time.”

My heart feels like it stutters in my chest.

“You’ll want me to service you every night?”

“And during the day as well. But not yet. First, we must fit you with this…”

She lifts the smaller metal circle from the velvet cushion and motions to me.

“Rise so I can reach you.”

I stand and watch as she fits the circlet of metal around the base of my cock. Should I really let her do this? But before I can consider the question, the ring molds itself around my shaft just like the collar did around my throat.

“What the fuck does this one do?” I growl, feeling put on the defensive.

“This gives me control over your pleasure, my Paladin.” She takes my hard cock in her small, soft hand, drawing a groan from my lips. “You see, while you wear this ring, you won’t be able to come unless I allow you to. Oh, you can touch yourself as much as you want, but you won’t be able to reach a release unless you’ve earned it.”

“How do I earn it?” I ask, feeling my balls tighten. I could almost come right now, just from having her stroke me.

“Various ways,” she says, still caressing my cock. “You must prove your obedience, my Paladin.”

The fire inside me is building along with the pleasure. I feel like she’s been teasing me for fucking hours! But just as I begin to feel the seed boiling up from my sac, the ring around the base of my shaft tightens and I find my pleasure denied. At the same time, the fire that was building inside me goes…somewhere else. Maybe into the collar?

“Fuck!” I groan. “That’s fucking torture, Mistress!”

She gives me a wicked smile.

“Yes, I know. It should make you eager to obey me, don’t you think?”

I don’t just think—I know. She’s got me by the balls with this fucking magical cockring. And yet somehow I find pleasure in it. Why? I don’t know. Is there some twisted part inside me that longs to be treated like this? That wants to bend my will to the whims of the Sorceress?

“It is not weakness to submit, Alaric,” she murmurs to me. “To long to give control of yourself to another—to be vulnerable. That takes strength that most men do not have within them.”

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