《The Demon King of Hearts》


 Chapter 1: The Kindness Of Strangers

    Isle Point was a major trade hub on Tythic¡¯s coast, making it the ideal landing site for Ash¡¯s first steps onto the mainland. From here, goods flowed in from the islands and dispersed to the capital of West Origin in the south, the Othelan Republic in the north, and every major city in-between. Over the last century, the once tiny trade port grew into a sprawling city of thatched roof huts and grand warehouses constantly thrumming with wagons leading to and from its massive docks.


    For now, Ash basked in air that tasted of dust and salt while staring dumbly at the vast array of carriages and wagons bristling along the city¡¯s edge. His eyes moved further to scan the trees - honest to Deianira trees - surrounding the city as far as he could see. The endless carpet of long, thin trunks topped with pine needles and palm fronds stretched over thickets of flat-leaved plants hemming in the city¡¯s borders. In places, wide roads of sand and gravel laid the forest open, crushed flat beneath an endless tide of boots and hooves.


    The overwhelming array of novel sights and sounds washed over Ash and left him small. While many of the heavier wagons were pulled by thick, lumpy aibax, many smaller carriages were pulled by mud drakes. Dad always said aibax and skitterlings were the odd ones, and that four-legged beasts were the norm, but they were nothing like Ash imagined. The creatures bore dull brown scales from their muzzled snouts to their long flat tails and rose to Ash¡¯s shoulders when they stood. Unlike aibax, who seemed fine milling about in the noon sun, the drakes at rest preferred splaying out in the dirt with their eyes closed.


    ¡°Master?¡± Khukri nudged him gently. The two had been here a while, sitting on their traveling chest while Ash considered the best path forward.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Ash mumbled, pulling the leather folder from his pack again. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ there¡¯s so much. It¡¯s wild, I¡¯ve lived my whole life so close to all this, and this is the first time I¡¯ve seen any of it.¡±


    Khukri¡¯s fur flowed around his neck and shoulder as she nuzzled against him. ¡°When I was in the Dusk Empire, we lived in a compound where my nose was the only one sensitive enough to smell the grass outside, so finally seeing it with my own eyes...¡± She placed her hand on the folder, easing it open. ¡°We have your entire life to enjoy new things, but if you want to be strong, we need to focus.¡±


    Ash sighed, leaning against her as he unfolded his father¡¯s map. ¡°Okay, this is us, here, at Isle Point, but it¡¯s hard to make money fast in Tythic without drawing attention. This canyon between these two mountain ranges is the Azure Syndicate, where it¡¯s a lot easier. So we need to head...¡± Ash¡¯s finger trailed down the page, tracing a road southeast. ¡°There. Azure Junction. It¡¯s a big city right on the border. If we set up there, we can find a broker and start farming.¡±


    A nervous growl left Khukri, vibrating Ash¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it a broker that sold you out to Via?¡±


    A knot tightened in Ash¡¯s gut. Lenn never seemed the sort to stab a friend in the back, but a traitor wouldn¡¯t have many to betray if he acted the part. At this point, he almost hoped Lenn had betrayed him, since the other possibility meant someone made him talk. ¡°My purse is heavy, but every day we keep our ship docked it gets lighter. Our first step is the same as in The Direwood.¡±


    ¡°Another beautiful wolf slave?¡± Khukri teased with a pout. ¡°How greedy.¡±


    Heat radiated up Ash¡¯s neck and flushed into his cheeks as he kissed the top of her head. ¡°Another one? Deianira spare me, the first was trial enough.¡± At the time, he hadn¡¯t given much thought to Khukri being his Whip, beyond her continued subservience. It later occurred to him the entire point was to keep her owner¡¯s other slaves in line. At best, it meant Khukri wouldn¡¯t object to him buying another slave, and at worst, she expected it. ¡°For now, we need sustainable income without a lot of questions, and the only way I know is with a broker. We¡¯ll need to be careful.¡±


    Khukri nodded, then slid onto the ground and popped open her trunk. ¡°To Azure Junction then. Can I change into my armour?¡±


    ¡°Azure Junction¡¯s a few days away, so make sure you¡¯re comfortable. While you¡¯re at it, fill up a backpack with anything you might want.¡± Ash stretched as he stood, selecting a wagon from amongst the crowd. His gaze settled on an older deer-boy in a light grey shirt covering a scruffy winter coat. His fur was grey-tipped, and the skin around his face sagged slightly, though he smiled when their eyes met.


    The man¡¯s carriage was a plain, well-made wooden vehicle with benches for passengers and a rear wooden platform to secure their luggage. The driver¡¯s seat overlooked a harness tethering a sunbathing mud drake. As Ash approached, the man climbed down from his seat, rolling his shoulders before offering Ash a hand. ¡°Well met, young man. Name¡¯s Rowan. Looking for a ride?¡±


    "Ashling.¡± Ash accepted the handshake, though it was impossible not to divert some attention to the huge lizard not five feet away. ¡°We¡¯ve got two, looking to get to Azure Junction.¡±


    ¡°I know the way,¡± Rowan said. ¡°I can¡¯t quite handle baggage like back in my heyday, but I can drive you there just fine. It¡¯s a bit of a ride though, four days or so, long as we get moving soon¡­ I¡¯d say, two hundred crowns?¡±


    Ash cocked his head, reaching beneath his cloak to grab his coin pouch. ¡°Crowns? Like, the thing a queen wears?¡±


    A bemused expression crossed Rowan¡¯s face as he produced a circular golden coin from his pocket. ¡°A crown¡­ Tythic¡¯s currency. You¡¯re an island boy, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The coin purse tipped into Ash¡¯s hand, flooding it with small, square chits of iron. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable that the Crown used a different currency, Ash supposed. The annexation treaty gave the islands north of West Origin protectorate status, granting a staggering autonomy to their city-states, leashed only by the queen¡¯s edicts. ¡°Yeah... you don¡¯t use florins on the mainland?¡± Ash asked.


    ¡°Afraid not.¡± The gold coin rolled between Rowan¡¯s knuckles as he eyed Ash¡¯s iron. ¡°There¡¯s a currency exchange in Isle Point, but if you¡¯re in a hurry you can pay 1200 florins and I¡¯ll swing by an exchange later to do it myself.¡±


    Somehow, Ash doubted one crown was worth six florins, but even if that truly was the rate, he had no idea what a good price for a carriage ride was. Still, they had a decent amount¡­ So what if the old guy fleeced them for a few? ¡°Alright.¡± Ash picked out three hundred-florin coins and poured the rest back into the bag. ¡°Three hundred a day, to a total of 1200 for the whole trip?¡±


    After coming to an arrangement, Ash and Khukri secured their chest onto the back and hopped inside. With a few sharp commands, the drake forged onward, dragging the carriage at a nice even pace.


    Khukri waited five minutes, glaring into the forest as trees filled both sides of the road, then she crawled onto his bench and curled up, setting her head on his thigh. ¡°Master? I don¡¯t trust this guy...¡±


    That couldn¡¯t help but get a smile. Ash gently pulled Khukri¡¯s scaled hood back and stroked her head, staring into the endless woodland. The trees never stopped, no matter how far they traveled it was just... usable wood as far as he could see. ¡°Do you trust anyone?¡±


    ¡°Only the pack.¡± Khukri glanced up, then grunted in concession. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s just you, for now.¡± For a long time, she lay on his lap, letting him stroke loose fur from her winter coat before she stirred. ¡°Master?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°When can we expand the pack?¡±


    Ash¡¯s stomach tightened, making him squirm uncomfortably. ¡°I like being alone with you,¡± he said, presenting a stern face. Despite being way, way too good for him, he was Khukri¡¯s ¡®Master,¡¯ wasn¡¯t he? If he didn¡¯t want another girl invading his paradise, that was his call to make. ¡°I love you, Khukri.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my everything, Master,¡± she assured, slowly closing her eyes. ¡°But we have to expand eventually.¡±


    Well, apparently, this was a conversation he couldn¡¯t escape forever. Ash ran his fingers down the bridge of her nose, tracing one of her eyes before slipping down to her collar. It was a simple band of steel with ¡®Ashling¡¯ carved into the front, and blank in the back where numbers would usually be. Sometimes, Khukri seemed like this untouchable force of nature that gave the world its colour. Sometimes¡­ sometimes she seemed like a damaged girl, flinching from wounds long past, ones that wouldn¡¯t heal because he¡¯d agreed to be her captor rather than liberator. ¡°We can¡¯t buy a new girl right now, anyway. Let¡¯s hold off until we¡¯ve found a place to stay.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Khukri smiled, curling tighter. Later, when their situation was more stable, he¡¯d need to find a permanent solution, but for now the girl was sated.


    A loud crash resounded ahead, instantly snapping Khukri from her reverie. As she rolled off the bench, she grabbed Ash by his cloak and pulled him to the floor. Khukri crouched over him, pressing a hand to his mouth as she peered out the window while the carriage crawled to a stop.


    ¡°That¡¯s far enough!¡± A woman called from up front. ¡°We¡¯re not looking to hurt anyone, so you¡¯d best not make us!¡±


    ¡°You... You don¡¯t need to hurt us!¡± Rowan yelled, lurching the carriage sideways as he dismounted. ¡°Look, I¡¯m coming down all peaceful like!¡± Ash tensed, but Khukri only glanced down and placed her index finger against his lips.


    Methodical, even footsteps, rounded their carriage before the woman¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°Alright, you in the carriage! Come on out if you don¡¯t want to get hurt! Real slow!¡±


    Khukri¡¯s muzzle lowered to Ash¡¯s ear as she whispered. ¡°Draw your sword. If anyone opens the other side of the carriage, kill them.¡±


    The footsteps came closer. ¡°We¡¯ve got a warbow trained on that door you know, if we wanted you dead, you¡¯d be dead. You¡¯ve got ¡®till three to do this the easy way.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s seven out there; I think they have clubs,¡± Khukri whispered. ¡°Their footsteps are light, so cloth armour at best. They don¡¯t have the money for a warbow.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°One! Two! Three!¡± The bandit released a long sigh. ¡°You want to do this rough? Fine, we¡¯ll do this rough.¡± The moment the door opened, Khukri leapt out with a feral snarl. The woman opening the door barely had time to scream before Khukri¡¯s teeth sunk deep into the bandit¡¯s throat.


    Blood spurted through the open door as Khukri tore out the deer-girl¡¯s jugular, covering Ash in red dots before he slammed it shut. With shaking hands, Ash drew his sabre, bracing himself below the window with his blade pointed toward the opposite door. Outside, fury turned to confusion, then fear. Loud, bestial barks twisted Khukri¡¯s gentle voice into something unrecognizable as she chased the girls into the woods.


    When the door clicked, Ash swallowed, bracing the weapon in both hands. The sabre slid cleanly through the gap between door and carriage, the point pressing into Rowan¡¯s chest and drawing a bead of blood. With a relieved sigh, Ash retracted the weapon and offered Rowan a hand. ¡°Hurry, hide in here. Khukri can handle-¡±


    Rowan lurched forward, clutching a fistful of Ash¡¯s shirt. For a moment, everything was a blur, then Ash slammed into the ground. His fingers twitched as he coughed, but went still as Rowan¡¯s rusty knife set against his throat. ¡°Quiet now, island boy... toss the sword.¡±


    Ash numbly threw the blade aside, muscles barely working while the image of Khukri ripping that woman¡¯s throat out filled his thoughts. Rowan bent over, dipping his fingers into Ash¡¯s cloak and tearing the coin pouch free. A moment later, and he was gone, bounding up the side of the carriage. Ash rose to his knees, watching in disbelief as the drake picked up speed and rolled down the road, slowing only long enough for a few panicked girls in worn cloaks to leap onto the side.


    Of course, he¡¯d screwed up, again. With Rowan gone, Ash was left to stew in his failure, staring at the bloody corpse left beside the road. One he could have easily joined in death, had Rowan so wished.


    Soon, Khukri emerged from the forest, her black-scaled armour gleaming with blood. ¡°Master? Are you hurt?¡±


    He sighed, leaning back on the nearest tree. ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize we¡¯d left the main road¡­ Rowan was working with the bandits all along. I... I failed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Khukri hurried over and knelt at Ash¡¯s side. Initially, she reached out to wrap her arms around him, but hesitated, looking down at the bloody mess coating her armour.


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± he insisted. ¡°They took our money, Dad¡¯s tools, my books, fuck! My books¡­ he took my coin pouch right off me and I couldn¡¯t stop him. He wasn¡¯t even a girl.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been training you less than a month, Master. You need to be patient.¡± When Ash didn¡¯t respond, Khukri touched his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve still got a ship in drydock, along with its cargo. Plus, we kept the most important stuff in our bags. We¡¯re going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°Right, my sulking certainly isn¡¯t going to help...¡± Ash removed the bag from his back, setting it between his legs to leaf through the contents. Luckily, he¡¯d been wearing his pack when torn from the carriage, leaving him a few days of provisions, several bundles of tools, a small kit of his favorite seeds, and his folder of paperwork. It didn¡¯t make what happened okay, but it was enough to get them back on their feet. ¡°I still have the map, but we¡¯ll need to continue on foot and camp without a tent. What¡¯d you end up putting in your bag anyway? Any food?¡±


    ¡°Two hundred fifty thousand florins and a pair of antlers.¡± The bag landed next to Ash, letting out a scraping metallic noise as the coins crunched together.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Ash blinked, slowly tying his bag shut. ¡°Oh, yeah, that¡¯ll help.¡±


    Khukri smiled, lowering her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about feeding me Master, I¡¯m a premium hunter, remember? Why don¡¯t you look for some place for us to spend the night while I get rid of these bodies and find something to eat?¡±


    Ash set his bag next to her and stood. ¡°First, come here.¡± When Khukri drew close, he slipped a hand behind her head, covering himself in blood as he pressed against her with a slow kiss. ¡°Thank you Khukri¡­ without you¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.¡±


    The fur on Ash¡¯s back rose with Khukri¡¯s affectionate growl.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± Ash murmured, squeezing her once more before withdrawing.


    * * *


    Ash clutched his backpack¡¯s straps as he set foot in Azure Junction. After three long days of isolated hiking, it was a lot to get used to. Thousands of buildings stretched from between two mountains, with roads extending like spiderwebs past vast swathes of farmland and into the wild. Wooden walled buildings and huts with roofs of dried palm fronds littered the roads, with rudimentary hatches thrown open to invite the tail end of winter before spring had its way.


    Streets of packed dirt brimmed with animals glancing oddly at Khukri as they passed. Hundreds of conversations from deer and rabbits started and died, drowning each other out as Ash slipped between them. Bizarrely, though this was likely the most people Ash had ever seen at once, it was the least seen he¡¯d ever felt. It was... nice, actually, if a bit claustrophobic.


    As the mountains grew closer, the crowds thickened, the buildings grew sturdier, and the smells... became complicated. Garbage pits they passed were separated from the city by railings, filling the street with the pungent smell of fertilizer. On the other hand, some buildings smelled of smoke and seasoned vegetables. After an uncomfortably close brush past a deer-girl, Ash grabbed Khukri¡¯s hand, pulling her from the main road and toward thinner crowds.


    At last, they reached the heart of Azure Junction - the market. A simple fence separated the vast buildings and an endless maze of wooden stalls displaying their owners¡¯ wares, where men and women in flashy, eye-catching colours, inviting a steady stream of customers to see clothes, metalware, food, or countless other goods.


    ¡°Look at them all...¡± Ash stopped at the edge, eyes narrowing as he inspected the seemingly random rows. ¡°It¡¯d be a lot easier if they made a main road that went straight through.¡±


    Khukri¡¯s hand slipped over Ash¡¯s shoulder and tucked under his chin, pressing gently upward. ¡°That¡¯d defeat the purpose.¡±


    Wooden spires rose from the maze like stalks of corn, each housing a team of warbow armed deer-girls in Tythic military gambesons. The weapons were marbled black and white, and each longer than the girl who held it. Luckily, they looked relaxed, idly chatting with their compatriots from behind their parapet. ¡°Oh, fuck. Those are warbows, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Khukri¡¯s hand caressed his neck as she pulled back. ¡°This is a border city. Those girls are probably Crown-trained marksmen.¡±


    Great, as if hiding his massive bounty wasn¡¯t enough, now he could add ¡®instant death from above¡¯ to his list of concerns. It was actually Ash¡¯s first time seeing a warbow, even though it held a nearly iconic status as a symbol of Tythic¡¯s power. Despite being so influential to Tythic¡¯s history that the country actually owed its national colours to the weapon¡¯s distinctive marbling, Eriskay¡¯s annexation treaty forbade them on the island in times of peace. Peacetime, incidentally, that had lasted since the peace agreement with the Othelan Republic two hundred years prior.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just muddle through then.¡± Ash pressed into the maze with Khukri at his heels, staying close to the stalls to avoid the wagons that occasionally rolled down the middle. ¡°Stop me if you see a stall selling meat; we¡¯ll need to replenish your food.¡±


    Hundreds of stalls blended together as they passed, using the guard towers as reference points to press toward the border. Finally, the wooden hallways ceased, dumping them into an open area of paved roads and larger stone buildings. In a daze, Ash eagerly pulled Khukri into the courtyard, eyes rolling along billowing forges and pens of beasts enjoying the open air.


    Ash¡¯s attention settled on a small stage as he passed, where a deer-girl in a set of ornamental black plate frilled with silver, spoke to a crowd of hundreds. ¡°...will protect its people and identity. Our great nation values the peace and prosperity we enjoy with our neighbours, and we look forward to our Tythic children working with them for generations to come, as Tythic citizens!¡±


    A smile blossomed as Ash turned to watch after they¡¯d passed. The family that overthrew the Tythic royals last season came from the southernmost region of the kingdom, so Ash didn¡¯t know what to expect. From the look of things, the new family was committed to peace, and no one around here seemed uneasy. All the better for him. The last thing Ash needed was more complications.


    Khukri grabbed his shoulder, jostling his attention from the speaker. ¡°Master? Look, it¡¯s an ARC.¡±


    Absently, Ash followed Khukri¡¯s extended hand to a huge wooden building with a flat roof overhanging its many pillars. ¡°An ARC?¡± Ash asked, diverting them around the massive structure.


    ¡°Animal Resource Centre,¡± Khukri clarified, clinging to his arm. ¡°The Azure Syndicate runs them, they handle people. Prisoners, slaves, that sort of thing. They¡¯re in most major cities in Tythic.¡±


    His fur bristled as their arms interlaced, already feeling her questioning eyes begging to breach the subject. ¡°Good to know, I think I like the ones in The Direwood more. They felt a lot less imposing¡­ Come on, I think the border¡¯s just up there.¡± Ash moved on, pulling his reluctant pet wolf past the building.


    A continuous thatch roof set on pillars ran across the entire canyon, sheltering thousands of travellers. Before he¡¯d hit the marketplace, most of the animals going about their day were deer. By now it had flipped, leaving mostly rabbits in the massive pavilion¡¯s shade. Ash watched in fascination as a girl ran from deeper in the canyon, breathing heavily as she removed a wooden pack and handed it off to a woman in a white robe. There were many box-collecters like that, with robes sporting four deep-blue diamonds on their back in such a way that a white diamond remained in the absent space.


    After setting the pack on a cart, the official made a note and handed the runner a coin before moving onto the next girl. Now curious, Ash walked through the strange meeting area, watching wooden backpacks get loaded onto wagons or into various piles before being claimed by new owners. At the far end he stopped, staring at the massive fortress blocking the canyon several kilometres in, its blue-tiled roof shining like the ocean in the afternoon sun.


    As he stared, rabbit-girls fitted with wooden packs rushed past him onto the road, accelerating to a blur as they zipped off toward the distant structure past blurs coming the other way.


    ¡°They need a good twenty metres to pick up speed, but they¡¯re faster than me...¡± Khukri mumbled, surveying the field from over Ash¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Looks like there¡¯s roads for carriages and wagons we could use, but it¡¯s the afternoon, and we don¡¯t know what we¡¯re walking into. Maybe we should find someplace to sleep and return in the morning?¡±


    Finding a safe place to rest should¡¯ve been the priority. Unfortunately, something more pressing caught Ash¡¯s attention. He tapped Khukri¡¯s side, eyes trained on a deer-boy moving the contents of a wooden pack into a bag of his own. He was only a few years older than Ash, at most, and wore a black and green sash that ran around one shoulder and flowed into a dress that covered his legs. When he turned to leave, the exposed section of his back bore Deianira¡¯s symbol, just as Ash¡¯s, but in dark green instead of white. ¡°I want to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Khukri hastily took the lead, trailing the man as they returned to the industrial district with larger stone buildings. The man¡¯s gait wavered for a moment as he looked back, then took off at a full run before a racing Khukri easily ran him down.


    By the time Ash caught up, the man stared wide-eyed at Khukri, who firmly held his arm. Despite the disturbance, most passing gave a wide berth, diligently ignoring the distressed man. ¡°Hey, hey, sorry about that.¡± Ash said sheepishly. ¡°Khukri, be nice.¡±


    Khukri smiled warmly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat you.¡±


    Well... fantastic. If that wouldn¡¯t convince him they were friendly, what would? ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could ask you something.¡±


    The man turned his head from Khukri, one eye affixed on Ash, while the other lay colourless beneath two long scars. ¡°Whatever it is you think I¡¯ve done, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Done?¡± Ash asked. ¡°No, I was hoping you could tell me about the symbol on your back.¡±


    The scarred man raised an eyebrow. ¡°You... want me to tell you about my religion?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    His gaze shifted between Khukri and Ash before offering a nervous smile. ¡°That¡¯s not usually how this goes... but, sure? We can discuss it while we walk?¡±

 Chapter 2: Eden

    Sunset filtered through the trees, lighting the side of Conall¡¯s face as he shot Khukri a sour look. Their newest travelling companion identified himself as an ¡®alpine monk,¡¯ though that wasn¡¯t any religion she¡¯d ever heard of. Khukri returned the glare, teeth scraping against a large bone Master bought her at the market. Whatever this ¡®monk¡¯ was plotting, Khukri was watching, and she wasn¡¯t so easily taken in.


    As friendly and forthcoming as Conall pretended to be, he¡¯d already tricked Master into paying for dinner and a carriage to his monastery. Doubtless, the prospect of Master¡¯s money was enough to keep the fangs behind their false smiles. Khukri flexed her jaw, releasing small cracks from the bone as her teeth dug deep.


    The monk swallowed and turned his attention back to Master, adjusting his sash for the hundredth time. ¡°We¡¯re not a church; we don¡¯t really have any scripture per se,¡± Conall rambled on with Master hanging off every word. ¡°Alpine monks study the divine lights. The inner light of beasts, the outer light of plants, and the convergence that makes animals so unique.¡±


    ¡°And the symbol?¡± Master asked.


    Conall turned, presenting the half-covered green snapdragon on his back. ¡°An animal¡¯s light doesn¡¯t change, but with practice we can strengthen the ability to channel it through our bodies. This symbol appears on those who are strong enough. As one¡¯s light grows, the symbol brightens, and with it, our magical abilities grow.¡±


    ¡°Magic?¡± Master swallowed and threw a glance Khukri¡¯s way. ¡°You have magic?¡±


    ¡°Everyone does.¡± Conall turned back, leaning in his seat as the carriage thumped over an uneven patch of dirt. ¡°Every animal is born with light from their parents that acts as a seed that lets us see and touch the divine. Initially, it''s hard to notice, but you get stronger with each attempt. It took me about two years before I blossomed, but that''s with dedicated training every day.¡±


    Khukri¡¯s eyes fell on Master. Only a season earlier, the symbol beneath his shirt brought him precariously close to becoming Via''s bounty. Apparently, it wasn¡¯t the symbol she had to worry about, but the colour.


    ¡°Anyway.¡± Conall smiled, bag clutched against his chest. ¡°That¡¯s why we have a monastery here. The Queen... uh, former queen, I suppose, gave us permission to study the ancient wolven shrine in Azure Junction.¡±


    ¡°Ancient wolven shrine?¡±


    Khukri grit her teeth to still her disobedient tongue, eager to scold Master each time his ignorance marked them as prey.


    ¡°The¡­ the shrines? Big things made of a mystery metal even a warbow can¡¯t scratch? Goes so deep into the Earth no one¡¯s ever¡­ really?¡± Conall rubbed his head with a bewildered sigh. ¡°Well, before The Schism, wolves built them all over the globe to interact with the divine lights, somehow. We have monasteries studying most of the ones outside the Tsu Empire.¡±


    Master hesitated, glancing uncertainly at Khukri. ¡°Globe?¡±


    Khukri''s stomach tightened as Conall¡¯s curious gaze turned on Master, like he¡¯d found some new species of beast, rather than a hopelessly sheltered royal. ¡°Earth. The planet we live on.¡± The monk''s comment was condescending, though at this point maybe Master needed the hint.


    ¡°Master,¡± Khukri threw him a wary glance, letting the bone roll from her jaws and plop onto onto her lap.


    ¡°Relax.¡± Master badly suppressed a smirk. ¡°Despite how it seems lately, I don¡¯t believe everything I¡¯m told. I¡¯m sure Conall won¡¯t be offended if we don¡¯t share his religious beliefs. If he wants to think the Earth is a some sort of ball¡ª¡±


    Unable to stand it anymore, Khukri slid across the bench and wrapped both hands around Master¡¯s muzzle, her bone clattering to the floor and vanishing beneath the seat. ¡°Shhhh, no more,¡± she begged, staring wide-eyed into his confused face.


    Conall glanced out the window uncomfortably, then cleared his throat. ¡°We¡¯ve gone a bit off-topic, I think.¡±


    Khukri sighed, leaning back and releasing Master¡¯s maw. She¡¯d accept punishment for her disrespect if he so chose; her master''s reputation was worth more than hers, after all. ¡°It¡¯s getting late,¡± Khukri mumbled as she stroked the sides of Master¡¯s face and withdrew, praying he¡¯d take the hint.


    Their conversation fell silent, leaving everyone to stew while the clicks and thumps of carriage wheels eased to a halt. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day for everyone, I imagine,¡± Conall conceded, shouldering his pack as he opend the door. ¡°Why don¡¯t I get you settled, and we can talk tomorrow?¡±¡¯


    With a polite nod, Master exited the carriage, quickly followed by Khukri. They¡¯d traveled a fair amount through the woods and up a steep hill to reach a small fortress encircled by a ten-foot tall log wall and a spiked palisade. In a wooden box above the gate, two deer-girls sat with warbows nocked, squinting through dimming twilight at the vehicle below.


    While Master and Conall confirmed accommodations and cost, Khukri sidled up to the drivers, setting a hundred-florin coin on the driver''s seat. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of this place before? Is it safe?¡±


    The driver and guard were both deer-girls, though Khukri couldn¡¯t recognize any distinct features beneath the layers of heavy leather. The guard plucked up the coin, turning it in her fingers with an appreciative nod. ¡°We make this trip from time to time. They¡¯re odd ducks for sure, but I¡¯ve never heard about them hurting no one. Never give the queens girls no trouble neither. Far as I know, they¡¯re just a bunch of strange folk with too much money and time.¡±


    Khukri nodded, then shouldered her pack and hurried after Master.


    ¡°It¡¯s Conall, open up!¡±


    The gate parted, revealing a central pathway of paving stones surrounded by a garden brimming with flora. Even with her limited plant knowledge, the vibrant greenery in spite of early spring¡¯s middling heat told Khukri there was more to these plants than simple horticulture. An effect likely intended to inspire awe by those prone to think this place divine.


    Two deer approached, one with a spear and another with a torch, both wearing unmarked metal breastplates and leather armour. A security company¡­ or whatever the Tythic equivalent was, Khukri decided, issuing a warning glare from behind Master¡¯s back.


    ¡°Welcome home, Connall. We weren¡¯t expecting you ''till tomorrow.¡± The torchbearer smiled as she took his bag, handing it off to the other girl to examine. ¡°Also¡­ Who¡¯s your friend?¡±


    ¡°This is Ashling. He was nice enough to rent us a carriage.¡± Conall glanced warily at Khukri as he set his hand on Master¡¯s shoulder, urging him forward. ¡°He¡¯s on a voyage of discovery, it seems, and will be staying the night. Ashling, would you mind letting our girls search your bag?¡±


    Khukri clutched the pearl-handled knife strapped to her stomach as Master squirmed uncomfortably. ¡°Why?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Eden is self-governing at the discretion of the Crown,¡± Conall explained. ¡°If they suspect we¡¯re acting as a haven for criminals, we could lose their cooperation. That was a concern even before we had a new queen to appease.¡±


    Reluctantly, Master relinquished his bag, allowing the girls to pawed through his things before giving it back. When their eyes fell on Khukri she stiffened, baring an inch of steel as she released a low growl.


    ¡°Khukri...¡± Master warned, slipping on his pack.


    With a displeased grumble, Khukri sheathed the weapon and handed over Master''s money. Tension tightened her muscles as the spearwoman''s let out a low whistle. ¡°That¡¯s a lot to carry around. You might want to consider getting a bank account. I mean, you can still enter. There¡¯s no law against carrying a pack full of cash; it¡¯s just dangerous is all. Anyway, welcome to Eden.¡±


    Khukri grunted, yanking the bag protectively to her chest and stalking after Master through the gates. They followed a curved path through the sprawling vegetation, circling the monastery''s edge to reach an open field with hundreds of small green buildings topped by strangely curved roofs.


    ¡°We call these the Leaves.¡± Conall made a sweeping gesture as they passed, occasionally checking the numbered doors before selecting one he liked to unlock. ¡°Feel free to make yourself at home, tomorrow, after you''ve rested, I can show you around and answer any further questions you have. Until then, please don¡¯t wander about. There are places off-limits to outsiders.¡±


    ¡°Of course, thank you,¡± Master agreed, shaking Conall¡¯s hand before ushering Khukri inside.


    The cabin¡¯s interior was a single room of bright, polished wood, separated into four small areas by chest high walls. On the lower level, they had a kitchen with counters and cupboards for preparing and storing food, though nothing to cook with. There was also a room with a large empty basin for washing, as well as a bedroom with cotton pillows and blankets dyed a faded green. A ladder ran from the bedroom to a loft with a smaller bed and a hatch onto the roof. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him,¡± Khukri grumbled, setting the money beside the bed.


    Master closed the door, then shrugged off his pack and dropped it beside hers. ¡°What did I do wrong in the carriage? I thought I was being pretty diplomatic.¡±


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Khukri sighed. ¡°When people find out you don¡¯t know something everyone else does, it makes them think you¡¯re weak. They¡¯ll use you then stab you in the back.¡±


    He went quiet, jaw grinding as he sat on the bed, gently bouncing to test the mattress. ¡°Not everyone¡¯s like the slavers who raised you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Khukri admitted, kneeling before him and deftly loosening the laces to his boots. ¡°But there are more people like me than you.¡± She removed the boots and set them aside, giving his foot an affectionate squeeze. ¡°I¡¯ll serve you even if it kills me, but no one else will. Don¡¯t trust anyone until we get new members for our pack.¡±


    Master''s fingers slid down the sides of her face, gently pushing her hood back so he could pet her. ¡°Maybe I need to be a bit more careful,¡± he admitted, ¡°but I can¡¯t exactly hide from the world. If people will take advantage of my ignorance, then I need to be less ignorant.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know, lie,¡± she insisted, pressing her head into his palms. ¡°If you want to be a knight your priority should be training, not studying, so if it¡¯s not important, just pretend you understand.¡±


    A shiver drifted through Khukri''s body as Master''s mood shifted. His hands slowed, growing more assertive as they unclasped her armour¡¯s buckles. ¡°I will get stronger.¡± He insisted. ¡°But since we¡¯re alone, how about you tell me what I did wrong?¡±


    Instinctively, Khukri¡¯s hands found Master¡¯s belt, eagerly loosening his pants before she remembered herself. Every breath had to hold back ripples of anticipation, lest the waves they create deprive Master of his conquest. Every movement of his muscled form bristled with readiness to cast aside the facade and claim his prey, hands roaming over her body without a hint of hesitation. ¡°The Earth is a ball. That¡¯s not a religious thing, it¡¯s just something everyone knows.¡±


    Only her predator could touch her without fear like that, to know for certain he would have what he wanted, just as soon as he was ready. ¡°What? Really? Why doesn¡¯t the water fall off the bottom?¡±


    Goddess, she wanted to slap him sometimes. What difference would it make if the stupid planet was a sphere, a cube, or entirely in his imagination? Either way, she was in front of him, ripe for conquest. ¡°I grew up in warehouses and training camps, Master, not schools.¡± Khukri¡¯s fingers cupped his waistband, meeting his eyes as she slid his pants past his knees.


    A momentary objection flitted through Master¡¯s expression, then faded into a grin as he slipped the scales from her shoulders. Master gifted Khukri a weapon, but as he reclaimed his property, he exposed her defenceless flesh and snowy fur for inspection. A reminder of the beast she''d be without his guiding hand. His words meant little compared to the fierce gaze of approval upon witnessing her submission, and the guilty hunger he intended to satisfy.


    Khukri lowered her head, then slipped his pants free to fold and store them for tomorrow. In the Direwood, teasing and enticing was needed to give Master the confidence to bed her, but he understood the depths of his control now, and wasn¡¯t shy about reminding her where and how he chose.


    A shiver ran down her skin as rough fingers threaded through the fur atop her head, rubbing the backs of her ears once more. The familiar, playful touch reminded her she was a good girl, but on nights like this, more strength behind each stroke gave insistence to that reminder. Khukri was a good girl. Khukri would submit.


    Waves of tension through Khukri''s body became a curse as her groin warmed, preparing for the moment he would finally reach from behind that civil facade to take his prey. Master''s kindness wasn''t a lie, of course, he truly cared about her.


    He just cared about some parts of her a bit more than others.


    For now, Khukri played along, innocently smiling as she straightened, locked eyes with him, and unbuttoned his shirt. This weapon had been forged by slavers, honed year-round to kill, but what use did she have to a master who didn''t want to kill? Her tail flasher invitingly as she folded his clothes and tucked them in a drawer. ¡°What¡¯s the plan for tomorrow, Master? We still need to find a way to sell your cargo¡ª¡±


    An ear twitched, catching the subtle thump of Master¡¯s feet touching the floor a moment before his fingers wrapped roughly around the base of her tail. Khukri let out a small whimper as his chest pressed into her back. A warm breath rolled down her neck, making Khukri squirm as Master¡¯s other arm wrapped around her, possessively squeezing her breast as he prevented her escape. ¡°Why are you like this?¡± Master asked softly.


    Yes, I can be this. Her fledgling predator still desired prey to sharpen his teeth. A toy for his pleasure, forever obedient, forever useful. ¡°M-Master?¡± Khukri squirmed in his grasp, grinding her hips into the stiffening length sliding free from its sheath and working its way up her back. ¡°Oh...¡± she mumbled, lowering her head. ¡°Already? But we spent all day traveling¡­ I was hoping we could relax a bit.¡±


    ¡°Every time...¡± Master sighed, sending a shock through her body by roughly pinching a nipple. ¡°And then we wait until later, then it¡¯s ¡®we don''t have time to clean and don''t want to clean dried cum out of your fur agian.¡¯ and then ¡®we''re hungry, shouldn''t we have breakfast first?" he grunted, pushing a spike of pain into her as he pinched harder. ¡°You like sex, Khukri. I like sex. Why do you always act like you don¡¯t want it?¡±


    The fur between Khukri¡¯s legs became slick as her body responded to Master¡¯s punishment, eagerly preparing to correct her disobedience. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± she whined. ¡°D- do you want me to act like I want it?¡±


    ¡°I told you to express yourself honestly,¡± Master said; a familiar refrain tinged with exasperation. ¡°I just want to know why sex is always a struggle with you.¡±


    A low, apologetic whine escaped Khukri¡¯s throat as she felt the beast inside her retreated. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me Master. I¡¯ll do anything¡ª¡±


    This time, Master didn¡¯t let her finish. His hand left her breast, cutting her words off in a choking gasp as it found her steel slave collar. A dull pain raced up her back as he dragged her to the bed, then shoved her onto it, face down. Khukri let out a pathetic, humiliated sob as the fingers around her tail slipped up to her waist, then yanked her leg guards to her knees, exposing her dripping pussy.


    ¡°I want to make this good for you,¡± Master said, pulling her collar back until her knees touched the floor. ¡°But you¡¯re never honest with me, I mean, look at this!¡± Khukri jumped as his palm gently slapped her pussy, releasing a compliant whimper before his fingers started exploring. ¡°It¡¯s like a summer beach! In a few minutes, you¡¯ll be begging.¡±


    Khukri leaned forward on the bed, clutching the sheets, wriggling away as though she had the right to stop him from taking what he wanted. The buck was ready to breed. His musk practically flooded the room, overpowering her sensitive nose as he tossed her about like his toy. ¡°I¡¯m honest¡­" She whimpered, I wasn¡¯t trying to stop you...¡±


    ¡°Fine...we do this the hard way, again,¡± Master said, a sadistic edge creeping into his voice.


    Khukri yelped as Master lifted her with both hands and tossed her back-first onto the bed, shaky, eager breaths escaping as he pressed her shoulders to the mattress and mounted her. The tip of his massive cock pressed into her slit, pressure building only long enough for her to let out a pleading, ¡°No, wait¡­!¡±


    Her ankles caught on her leg guards, binding her feet together her knees were wrenched apart. A horrified gasp escaped as she was unceremoniously ripped open and filled by Master. Her whining turned to weak screams as his cock spread her walls and pressed against her womb, bulging her abdomen slightly from the force.


    Then, his magic. A flicker of pleasure radiated from the pain as he pushed into her again. After a minute, what was once a spark had become an inferno, drowning out the pain with endless waves of pleasure, along with everything else. Khukri resisted for as long as she could manage, shuffling and squirming in an attempt to hide the effects of the lust he poured into her. The pleasure from each thrust of his cock raced up her stomach and through her chest, filling her world and drowning out disobedient thoughts for a second. Then Two. Then... three.


    The longer Master fucked, the less she remembered to move; limbs falling limp as thoughts turned to how she ached to be perfect for him. Whimpers and begging turned to involuntarily moaning as her warm walls welcomed him, holding him tighter as she became his writhing fucktoy. When she started pressing back, eager to get fucked faster, Master took it as a sign to get rougher. This was when her predator was willing to show his true colours, her owner beneath the veil of empathy and love clouding his thoughts.


    Master bucked, fingers digging into her shoulders to slam into her as hard as he could, then tear himself from her pleading pussy before ravaging her again. Faster, harder, deeper. Khukri¡¯s head rolled back as her neck muscles failed, and thoughts of who she was and what she wanted slipped away. Finally she was perfect. A mindless doll for Master¡¯s cock as she drowned in a euphoric sea of orgasmic bliss, tongue rolling free as he drove her to the brink. Then he slowed.


    A thin line of drool slipped from Khukri''s tongue as she panted, miserable wolven thoughts returning. She squirmed, pleadingly looking into the eyes of the towering beast violating her. ¡°M-Master¡­ please? Please let me cum.¡±


    A victorious, cruel smirk rolled across his lips. ¡°I told you you¡¯d be begging.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Khukri whined, writhing as pulsating waves of pleasure surged and receded with each agonizing drag of his cock, dragging her to the edge and back in cruel rhythm. ¡°I wanted it! I was lying!¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± Master leaned close, voice lowering to a simmer as his palm pressed against her throat. It wasn¡¯t rough enough to stop her from breathing, but it showed who was in control. He was her master, her everything. Not even a velkammer could stop this feral wolf, but right here, right now, if he wanted to kill her, she couldn¡¯t stop him. An exhilarating flicker raced down her spine as his fingers tightened, a message from the predator lurking in Master¡¯s heart. ¡°But you insist on making this difficult for me! I love you, you stupid bitch, why won¡¯t you let me-¡±


    A hint of horror touched Master¡¯s expression as the word ¡®bitch¡¯ left his lips. His eyes widened and the fingers around her throat withdrew. After a slow, shaky breath, he grabbed her hips and buried himself to the hilt inside her.


    Khukri¡¯s back arched, forcing the air from her lungs in a long, mindless howl of ecstasy. Everything she was vanished once more; replaced by an endless all-consuming orgasm that racked every muscle. Her pussy tightened around him, eagerly taking as much cum as her womb could bear before it gushed from between her folds and seeped down her thighs. Each pulse released more, sending spasms of warmth and joy through her twitching body. For a few, glorious minutes, they weren¡¯t two animals, but one entity linked through Master¡¯s pleasure.


    When Khukri finally remembered herself, she relaxed; basking in uncontrollable, jerking muscles. Master leaned over her, shaking hands pressed to either side of her head as he took deep, even breaths. For now, she stilled, obediently lowering her eyes so he wouldn¡¯t sense defiance. Over the next minute his posture relaxed and his breathing grew even. Master¡¯s predator slithered behind a forest of civility, abandoning his toy now that it learned it''s place. Luckily, Khukri was also fond of the master who loved her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorr-mmh!¡±


    Master¡¯s words cut short as Khukri pulled her knees up. Her paws brushed past his newly-grown wolf tail before crossing behind his butt, yanking him forward and driving his sensitive cock back deep inside. He barely resisted as she pressed their lips together, gently offering the best kiss her wolven jaw would allow.


    Khukri squeezed tighter around Master as he tried retreating into his sheath, giggling into his mouth as his new tail swished, tickling the pads of her curling toes.


    I like being a good girl.

 Chapter 3: Masters New Den

    Khukri knelt next to the bed, watching through half-closed eyes as Master took slow, even breaths. He wasn¡¯t the focus of her attention, not exactly, but his reassuring presence was so calming that meditation felt hollow without him now. The coiling beast beneath her heart attuned to the mood of its predator, dormant and passive, breath synced to the rise and fall of his sleeping form.


    The barriers fell away, and, with her whole heart, Khukri felt.


    Raw instinct flowed as her fingers sank into his course chest fur, camouflaging the twin brown claws whose points anchored into hide. His flesh was so close she could practically taste it, and his warm blood flowed just beneath her hand, barely contained within its fragile shell. Severing the last chain to the slaver''s world would only take moving them an inch, and yet, her claws stayed clean.


    Khukri was a good girl. Safe. Relaxed. Happy. As Master desired.


    A knock at the door stirred Master. While any sensible animal would stir with fear wakening to a wolf''s jaws inches from their throat, her fearless predator shivered with excitement and delight, wrapping an arm over her head to scratch her ears.


    ¡°Your clothes, Master,¡± Khukri murmured, ears folded back while her claws slid harmlessly to the bed, allowing his escape.


    He stumbled, grin growing as he spied the long wolven tail he¡¯d claimed swinging between his legs. ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    Khukri left him to dress as she strode to the door, retrieving the large, pearl-handled knife from her cage. With the weapon behind her back, she cracked the door and gazed out at Conall¡¯s scarred face. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I need to talk to Ash,¡± Conall said flatly, lips tightened into a restrained scowl. Whatever the problem was, he seemed annoyed rather than hostile. Not that she¡¯d let her guard down either way.


    ¡°Master¡¯s getting dressed,¡± Khukri said, closing the door. ¡°He¡¯ll be out when he''s ready.¡± She hurried back, tossing the knife on the bed and reaching for her armour.


    The belt slid tight against Master¡¯s stomach, cinching his pants and hiding his tail down one leg. ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Khukri missed a buckle as his hands slid over her head and along her ears once more. It was impossible to concentrate through Master¡¯s praise. A happy flutter radiated through her heart, forcing her head into his hand to selfishly enjoy it while it lasted. Disappointingly, Master had more important things to do than play with his toys. When he attempted to withdraw she caught his arm, then jerked her head toward the sabre leaning against the headboard.


    Reluctantly, Master wrapped the baldric around his shoulder and let the blade swing loosely at his hip. When he moved, Khukri followed, footguards abandoned in her rush to comply. From a step behind, she stood at attention as the opening door revealed the irritated monk.


    ¡°Ash,¡± Conall said tersely. ¡°Enjoying the room?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Is everything alright?¡±


    Conall sighed, glaring at Khukri before relaxing his shoulders. ¡°No. But honestly? That¡¯s partially my fault. I¡¯d like to discuss the issue in private; would you mind coming with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Master trailed after Conall, leaving Khukri to secure and lock their door. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry if there¡¯s some sort of rule I¡¯ve broken, but I haven¡¯t even...¡± Master¡¯s voice wavered. ¡°Uh, wow, people here are, uh...¡±


    Khukri¡¯s eyes flitted about the inhabitants of their makeshift village. As expected, deer and rabbits made up the entirety, and with far fewer threats than in The Direwood. Men and women ambled among the pathways or sat amongst the plants, throwing curious glances her way as she passed. What likely caught Master off-guard was the many who decided against dressing this morning. Personally, Khukri approved; this made identifying threats to her master far easier.


    ¡°Naked, yes.¡± Conall¡¯s voice was resigned, but he pressed on, motioning for Master to follow. ¡°Honestly, I thought that would be the hard part of this morning¡¯s conversation. Some people...¡± He cocked an eyebrow and gave Master a hard look. ¡°are under the absurd notion that our religion is a weird sex cult. It is my sacred duty to correct that.¡± He sighed and turned away, increasing his pace as they carried on towards the compound¡¯s centre. ¡°Our bodies are gifts from Deianira, and nothing to be ashamed of. That said, this is a communal area. Clothing or not, if you behave inappropriately, you will be banished.¡±


    Master stood stiffly, eyes locked on the ground as he silently lumbered on. The strange thing about these people wasn¡¯t the lack of clothing. Khukri¡¯s packmates only bothered dressing for protection, so she was well aware how excessive the slaver''s practice was, but the lack of urgency was suspicious. Many deer simply sat in the grass, basking in the sunlight with their eyes closed, and even the ones walking didn¡¯t seem to have a specific destination in mind. What were they doing, and why were they doing it near her master?


    The trail led to a walkway of red square stones through a forest of strange new trees. The endless wave of vibrant greenery shifted to an ocean of pink. The thin trees stretched overhead, filling the sky with thousands of bright pink flowery branches. Rather than the outer layer''s bushes, these trees enjoyed thousands of haphazardly placed flowers she''d only ever seen before as a symbol. Snapdragons.


    For the first time since he''d stepped outside, Master looked up, eyes widening as they took in the red path. ¡°Conall?¡±


    The monk glanced over his shoulder, jaw tightening as he adjusted his sash again. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are those crabapple trees?¡±


    The hardness in Conall¡¯s face subsided when a small smirk broke through. ¡°Good eye. They¡¯re native to southern Tythic, but it¡¯s normally too hot here. Luckily, Deianira¡¯s blessing sustains them.¡±


    ¡°You grew these?¡± Master asked, grin returning through his earlier embarrassment. ¡°There¡¯s so many...¡±


    Conall chuckled, ushering them into the pink forest. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to take credit, Eden¡¯s flora is a group effort, and I didn¡¯t contribute to these ones, specifically.¡±


    Master¡¯s eyes slid from the pink canopy to an older deer-girl, sitting in a sunbeam at the tree''s base. His pupil narrowed to a line, then widened again as he regarded Conall with astonishment. ¡°The people here; they¡¯re all using the light to bless the plants?¡±


    ¡°...A very good eye,¡± Conall mused, returning his attention to the path. ¡°Many stay here, not because they care about our cause, but because they seek a safe place to strengthen their connection to Deianira. All that holy light, well...¡± He breathed in, dramatically raising his arms and tilting back his head. ¡°It heals the land, restores it to how it was when Deianira first gifted it to us.¡± Conall¡¯s tension evaporated as he released the breath and let his arms fall. ¡°Or, that¡¯s what we believe anyway, since you were curious. Come, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Khukri¡¯s lips curled as Master fell for the monk¡¯s nonsense again. She¡¯d seen his type before, the ones who revered nature as some sort of ¡®purity¡¯ to protect. They worshiped their little trees from behind their walls while armies maintained the order, but she¡¯d like to see them spend a year in The Direwood ¡®the way Deianira gifted it to them.¡¯ Perhaps discovering which beasts consumed the most of their remains would shed some light on who Deianira gifted the world to.


    Pink trees parted as the trail opened into a paved, red courtyard, littered with benches and tables surrounding a tower that stretched even higher than the walls of the Direwood Outpost. The tower consisted of a central circular building with long pink eaves stretching out from each story, mimicking a gargantuan snapdragon. Perhaps Khukri was going soft, for even she appreciated the impractical building¡¯s beauty.


    ¡°We call this, ¡®The Petals¡¯,¡± Conall said, unlocking the door and opening it for Master. ¡°We¡¯ve created and maintained a wealth of amenities for people to enjoy. Normally, there¡¯s a fee, but we¡¯ll make an exception today.¡±


    The door led down a narrow hallway to a massive atrium running up the building''s central shaft. Stories of lacquered wood rose overhead, separating each floor with an octagonal railing connected by twin spiral staircases chasing up the building¡¯s interior. The atrium''s inner walls were decorated with doors, lit by a sunbeam, cascading from above despite them clearly being inside. Whether magic or a trick, it had the intended effect on her master. Making him stop and gawk in awe. Tempting him from his purpose.


    Conall led them into one of the lower doors, then shut it behind them with a resigned sigh. The room was another of lacquered wood, lit through small slits in the walls just below the pink outdoor eaves. Towards the far wall the floor fell away, leaving a large square pit of water in the stone foundation. ¡°There. We''ve built these walls special to dampen sound,¡± Connal said. ¡°Rest assured, anything you say in here is private. Understand?¡±


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Um, no. Not really.¡± Master muttered, shooting a disapproving gaze at Khukri. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Khukri¡¯s fingers uncoiled from her knife¡¯s pommel, an apologetic pout on her lips.


    Conall grimaced, leaning against the wall. ¡°Ashling, Eden is a community. There are people who live here, people with families. With children.¡±


    Master stared.


    After a long grunt, Conall''s one good eye swung downward. ¡°...Children who¡¯d never heard a wolf howl before last night.¡±


    A second passed, then, Master¡¯s eyes swelled and his head jerked between Khukri and Conall. ¡°Oh. Oh! Fuck, I¡¯m so sorry! How much did they hear?¡±


    ¡°Is there some amount you''d consider acceptable?¡± Conall crossed his arms and sighed, still reluctant to meet Master¡¯s gaze. ¡°But, as I said, perhaps I bear some of the blame. I¡¯ve heard the rumors about us being a sex cult, and I should¡¯ve made it clear our practices are a lot more complicated than you''ve probably heard. Please understand, we don¡¯t want to shame you, or imply you''ve done anything immoral. Your inner light is a gift from Deianira. It¡¯s a beautiful thing and you¡¯re free to explore it without judgment here, even with a very scary wolf. We just have some... informal social norms we need animals to follow if we all want to coexist. Understand?¡±


    Master stared wide-eyed at the floor, head between his hands. ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry. I completely fucked up. I didn¡¯t think... well, I didn¡¯t think, period. Look, we¡¯ll pay what we owe and get out of here. Tell everyone I¡¯m sorry and it-¡±


    ¡°Relax.¡± Conall shifted forward, gently touching Master''s shoulder and affixing him with a sympathetic look. ¡°You don¡¯t need to leave. Just... keep it down.¡±


    For her part, Khukri wasn¡¯t particularly bothered. Despite Master''s mortified stare it was clear the monk still wanted his money, and any indiscretion forgiven by mere words hardly qualified as a mistake.


    ¡°Can you? Keep it down, I mean?¡± Master asked.


    What? Was she physically capable of not howling like a bitch in heat when Master made her cum so hard her limbs wouldn¡¯t work? Didn''t he know? He was the one who did it. Khukri leaned in, making Conall jerk away when she playfully growled into Master¡¯s ear. ¡°You could muzzle me...¡±


    Master swallowed and offered Conall a nervous smile. ¡°Right, I- I promise It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Conall nodded, reaching for the door before pausing. ¡°Oh, right. One other thing. There¡¯s a building at the far end of the monastery grounds opposite from the entrance. It¡¯s on a big open field with guard towers surrounding it, you won''t mistake it for any other structure here. That building is for monastery use only. Please stay away from it.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Master''s voice was low and distracted, but he met Conall''s gaze for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll steer clear.¡±


    With another conclusive nod, Conall finally left Khukri and Master alone.


    ¡°We have to go.¡± Master strode to the wall, breathing deeply before turning to her. ¡°We¡¯ll pay for our room and get back to Azure Junction. We can find an inn there.¡±


    ¡°I like it here,¡± Khukri objected, pacing to the pit.


    ¡°...You do?¡± Master asked, abandoning his wall to join her. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t trust these people, and now they¡¯ve heard us...¡±


    ¡°I didn''t say I liked them, they¡¯re a bunch of crazy nature worshipers running an expensive camp.¡± Khukri said, kneeling to dip her fingers into the cold pool. ¡°But the Queen''s guards don''t run things here, and most of the residents are prey species without natural weapons or combat training. Not to mention, I saw at least fifteen Deianira-marked backs on the way over here. Dark greens and pinks instead of white, but your symbol stands out less in this crowd.¡±


    Master sighed, kneeling alongside her with a resigned smile. ¡°I guess¡­ it is pretty nice here, and we do have plenty of money. If we pay a little extra to use these rooms...¡± He nudged her playfully with his shoulder. ¡°I won¡¯t have to muzzle my sexy pet wolf. I rather enjoy the howling.¡±


    Khukri grinned and ground against him. ¡°I know you do. We¡¯ll still need a cage though, and a supply of meat for me.¡±


    ¡°A cage?¡± Master''s smile faltered, drifting to confusion and concern. ¡°You¡¯re still worried you might go feral? I thought we were past that.¡±


    ¡°You were far too trusting of me, Master,¡± Khukri said, slowly rising. ¡°If I weren¡¯t a premium hunter, things could¡¯ve gone very badly. The girls down here aren¡¯t as well trained. Many of them haven¡¯t been properly broken in. Until I let your new girl into the pack we¡¯ll need to keep her caged at night.¡±


    Water sloshed between Master¡¯s fingers as he stared into the pit. ¡°I¡¯m thinking maybe I don¡¯t need a new girl. I already have a lot to learn, and we need to make money for the trip south. Let¡¯s just focus on that.¡±


    Khukri¡¯s head tilted and her eyes narrowed. His hesitancy wasn¡¯t unexpected. Wolves were never made Whips for good reason, and no matter how willing and devoted Khukri was to making Master''s pack perfect, she was still a wolf. It was reasonable, but she needed something to work with. ¡°Master?¡± Khukri tensed. ¡°How am I supposed to prove I can enforce my will on your pack... without a pack?¡±


    ¡°You don''t hunt outside winter, right?¡± Master asked, looking up with a hopeful smile. ¡°Just train with me. I''ll figure out how to make money without drawing attention and when we go back we can buy a pack.¡±


    A flutter rolled through Khukri¡¯s stomach at the words, though she did her best to still them. ¡°A... a pack is more than just a bunch of dogs hunting together. It''s...¡± The strange feelings Master sometimes drew out made her throat tense, filling her jaws with emotions she hadn''t the words to express.


    ¡°Hey, easy Khukri. They don''t own you anymore, I do. We can decide for ourselves what kind of Whip you are.¡± Master rose, approaching with a calm smile and placing his hands on either side of her face. Under his touch, her muscles relaxed and the attempts at speech fell away. ¡°I like you, us¡­ this.¡± Master gently tilted her head down and kisser the bridge of her nose. ¡°I don¡¯t want another girl, I love you.¡±


    Khukri lifted her muzzle, hands shaking as she tried once more. Nothing needs to change for you, Master. I am your Whip and I¡¯ll make your slaves behave any way you like. Should you choose, her mouth will only ever open when you desire a warm hole to-¡±


    ¡°Khukri!¡± Master squeezed her arms and set his jaw. ¡°How are you okay with the whole¡­ sex thing?¡±


    This again? She¡¯d thought that problem was well and truly buried. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to have a problem last night...¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Master released her, throwing his hands up in exasperation. ¡°Yeah, with you. I love you, I don¡¯t want to cheat on you.¡±


    Khukri turned, nervously hurrying to check the door was properly shut. The last thing Master needed was someone humiliating him for catching feelings for a slave. A wolf slave, of all things. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± she said. ¡°I love you too, with everything I am, but I¡¯m not your girlfriend. I¡¯m your slave.¡± Master''s jaw tightened, but she pressed on. He needed to understand, no matter how much it hurt. ¡°Your pack will be slaves, Master, all of us. You decide the terms. If you want to love one, the pack will accept it, and if you want to love many, so will I.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that bother you?¡± he demanded. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be jealous?¡±


    A giggle broke past her lips, cut short by Master¡¯s irritated glare. ¡°Sorry, I know this is serious, but I¡¯m the best, remember? I haven¡¯t been jealous since I was a child.¡±


    Master sighed, pushing past her and opening the door into the atrium.


    Khukri reverted to her collected subservient presence, falling in line behind her master lest someone see. ¡°Master...¡± she pushed, following him to the exit. ¡°I don''t think I can do this alone.¡±


    They ground to a halt in the hallway, Master¡¯s hand recoiling from door¡¯s handle as he turned, eyes filled with more pain than she''d ever inflicted in practice. ¡°You''re not alone,¡± he insisted, reaching out. "We''re in this together."


    ¡°I only desire to serve you, Master, and that''s not something you can do with me.¡± Khukri grabbed the outstretched hand and squeezed it tenderly. ¡°Another girl means more magic, another pair of eyes to watch for danger, and another pair of hands to help.¡±


    The door swung inwards, thudding into Master''s back and making him stumble forward into her. Two naked deer-men looked him over as they sidled through, then cringed away when their eyes met hers. ¡°Oh! Sorry!¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Master blurted, pulling Khukri past them by the wrist and jogging through the sea of pink petals toward their room. ¡°Even if I wanted to, I don¡¯t have the kind of money I did when we left home. I only got back half the money I spent from buying you, and we¡¯ve had expenses, not to mention what I got stolen...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need a premium hunter,¡± Khukri insisted. ¡°Two hundred thousand is enough to buy a healthy slave. I can train her until she¡¯s worthy of your pack.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred thousand?¡± Master pulled her from the pathway and led her to one of the trees. ¡°For that kind of money, we could stay here a year. You could train me to be-¡±


    Khukri''s hand pressed over his mouth, widening his eyes in surprise as he trailed off. ¡°Let¡¯s say I do. Let¡¯s say, I train you until you¡¯re as good as me.¡± Her eyes narrowed and her fingers curled around his muzzle, killing the insecure comment on Master¡¯s lips in an inaudible mumble. ¡°Even if you learned everything I know and became the strongest man on Earth, you still wouldn¡¯t beat me in a fair fight. Your body simply isn¡¯t built for it.¡± Her fingers relaxed, trailing across his cheek and down the side of his neck. ¡°If you want to be strong enough to control me, the pack must grow.¡±


    Master sighed, gently pressing her against the tree. ¡°Does it have to be now? I¡¯ve only known you a season...¡±


    A smile danced across her lips as she pressed his head to her chest. ¡°Selfishly? I like having you all to myself, but I can only teach one girl at a time. We can¡¯t risk letting someone disobedient learn your secrets, after all. The longer we wait, the further behind I fall in my duties as Whip.¡± Technically, if Master wanted to be strong enough without a pack they didn¡¯t need the girls¡¯ cooperation, but that line of questioning was one of the few topics that got her scolded.


    ¡°I guess another girl would make us back our money in the long run,¡± he reluctantly agreed. ¡°We could even buy one who understands how the Azure Syndicate works, that way we¡¯d have a guide.¡±


    ¡°A canine would be best, if you can find one,¡± Khukri advised, grin growing. Of course Master eventually saw the right path; he always did. ¡°It takes less training to break them in.¡±


    Master buried his nose against her chest, taking in a long breath and squeezing her against the tree before pulling away. ¡°Okay, I''m not promising anything, but we¡¯ll head back to Azure Junction and take a look at the ARC. Why don''t you get ready while I have a conversation with Conall. I¡¯ve got an idea.¡±

 Chapter 4: The Ghost of Miyoko

    Creaking, rattling loose boards and metal bars reverberated inside the sunless carriage. The rough wooden bench underneath Ghost made her sore every time her captor¡¯s box bounced. In a sense, she was lucky to have a carriage to herself, even if only because they didn¡¯t risk mixing girls on their way to market with those headed for execution.


    If she concentrated, muffled voices, along with the faint scent of dust and smoke leaked in, probably some sort of city. With so little sound and light it was difficult to guess how long she''d been in here, but they wouldn''t leave Tythic without opening the door for inspection. Azure Junction would be the fastest route to Azashi, with an ARC to store her on Tythic''s side of the border while the metsuke got some rest.


    The rattling slowed, and the incessant rocking from uneven Tythic roads petered out. With a soft sigh, Ghost ran her fingers over the long waxy oval in her palm, carefully checking for sharp edges or small rocks that might¡¯ve attached themselves during her ride. Finding nothing, she tipped her head back, opened her throat as wide as she could, and swallowed it whole. Tentatively, she touched her neck, kneading her throat to ensure she could still breathe.


    A few moments after the carriage went still, the double doors clicked and swung open. Blinding sunlight swept over Ghost, highlighting the natural white roots bleeding through her fur¡¯s faded grey dye. She raised a hand to shield herself, covering the thick black ring of fur around her eyes as she struggled to find the spearpoints of two men glaring into her box. ¡°Out.¡±


    Ghost rose, the chain binding her wrists clinking as she smoothed back her long ears. The spearmen were rabbits like her, clad in lamellar leather armour, along with matching faulds that guarded their thighs. Their wide, conical helmets bore the symbol of a yellow coin with a square cut from the centre, flanked by yellow laurels set on a white backdrop. The speaker was a third man who watched dispassionately from between the guards in a well-maintained, grey robe as she stepped onto the ground.


    Her legs, coated in metal braces from the knee down rigidly that locked her ankles, threw off her balance if she tried to lean into anything faster than a walk. Ghost''s feet clicked against the wood as she entered the ARC, pausing only long enough to locate the metsuke who brought her in, a woman eyeing her suspiciously from atop the carriage. Unlucky. Even a single metsuke made running next to impossible.


    There were only two options for someone stupid enough to get caught. Either you resisted with everything you had, or saved your time and energy for a chance to strike. Up ''till now, Ghost had done the latter, but the moment she passed into the Azure Syndicate, her odds of escape dropped dramatically.


    ¡°This way, ghost.¡± The robed man motioned for her to follow and walked into a long building of Azure design, with flowing wooden rooftops and stylish engravings along the walls and support pillars. Inside, a cavernous room surrounding a raised platform was sparsely attended by rabbits and deer quietly scribbling at desks. The building was unmistakably an ARC, and they¡¯d brought her on a day they weren¡¯t showing off their slaves on stage. Unlucky again; a crowd to hide in would¡¯ve made escape a lot easier.


    A few men''s eyes drifted up, slight grins touching their lips as they openly leered at her naked body. Those would be the newer ones, men who hadn¡¯t been desensitized to the ¡®allure¡¯ of the products they sold. After taking a mental note of which ones looked, Ghost lowered her head and followed the grey-robed man through a door off the sales floor.


    They marched down the hall, crossing sunbeams slipping through the windows covered by sturdy iron bars. The ARC¡¯s backrooms were filled with simple hallways of polished wood, separating the showroom from everything the syndicate wanted kept from public view. This included prisoners and products, yes, but also a slave prep room, filled with tools and a solid operating table.


    ¡°Stop.¡± Her captor raised a hand, waiting for her to come to a complete halt before he knocked on a door. Hesitantly, Ghost peeked behind her. The metsuke and her guards had already completely unloaded their responsibility to the ARC so they could head into town for a real meal. Either she¡¯d tricked them into thinking she wasn¡¯t a threat¡­ or tricked herself into thinking she was.


    Another grey robed man, this one a deer, opened the room to reveal a single desk with a customer. The new slaver¡¯s eyes swept over Ghost, mentally dismissing her before returning to his coworker. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I need a private cell,¡± Ghost¡¯s leader said, jerking a thumb in her direction. ¡°This one¡¯s bound for Azashi for execution.¡±


    ¡°You mean to stand trial?¡± Ghost asked dryly.


    Both turned with wide eyes. Likely, the men were used to working with slaves who didn¡¯t have the right to talk back, but until a syndicate lord declared her guilty, she did. The rabbit-boy''s mouth twitched upward slightly. ¡°Of course. This one¡¯s bound for Azashi¡­ to stand trial.¡±


    The deer nodded, shuffling out of the room. ¡°No problem. The prisoner cells are empty. Hey, after we get her secure, you think you could help me with this customer?¡±


    Inside the room, a single quiet deer smelling of kale observed them. This one wore the black and green robes of an alpine monk, displaying a muscled frame on his bare right side along with a soft, curious expression. Ghost¡¯s best guess?  He was someone with generational wealth who holed up in one of those expensive pagodas his entire life, braving the town for the first time to buy himself a toy. A perfect mark.


    ¡°Please wait here, Sir,¡± The grey-robed deer said before sliding the door shut. The workers quieted, only resuming once out of earshot. ¡°He¡¯s looking for a slave who can serve as a guide into the Azure Syndicate. Trouble is, he¡¯s one of those monks from the sex cult. Doesn¡¯t want a girl that¡¯s been sterilized.¡±


    "What?" The rabbit asked, the edge in his voice making it clear he was just as eager as his friends to go relax. ¡°Are you guys even Gaia compliant for breeding?¡±


    ¡°No. We''ll have to order one from the farms.¡± The deer pushed a door aside, revealing a room with three empty cells lit by sunlight streaming through tiny windows just below the ceiling. The cells were simple iron bars, barely big enough to fit the padded board they expected her to sleep on, with a bucket for waste on one end. ¡°But the coup threw off a lot of the paperwork, especially from the ARC¡¯s near West Origin. If I send out an order for an unsterilized girl and they find out we had one on hand, someone''s paying for it. I just need you for twenty minutes to question the girls with spotty records.¡±


    With a sigh, her captor opened the small gate and ushered Ghost inside. When she sat on the bed, he seized her manacles and connected them to a steel ring jutting from the wall with a padlock. ¡°Fine, twenty minutes. I escorted this one all the way from the islands and I¡¯m dying for some real food.¡±


    Ghost went slack against the wall, staring down in broken compliance until the door slid shut. It was now or never. With more information she could attempt a breakout under the cover of darkness, but any ARC worth its salt would be prepared. As good as Ghost was, the opportunity to exploit a weakness and escape was fast diminishing.


    With a deep breath, Ghost bent over, gagging as the length of white wax worked its way up her throat and plopped into her hands. As soon as the moist lump hit her palms she squeezed, showering the floor with shredded bits of wax. When enough fell away, she fished out the protruding bits of metal, wiping away little white flecks from her prize.


    With lockpick and tension wire in hand, Ghost set her sights on the padlock. It didn¡¯t take long. Unlike a dungeon, ARCs were required to be profitable, and cheap locks kept slaves in check just as well as pricey ones. She popped it off with a soft click, tossing it onto the bed before working on her manacles.


    Unfortunately, the locks on her leg braces would prove a fair amount trickier. Equipment the public purchased, like restraints and collars, were made of quality steel by some of the best Azure artisans alive. Crossing her fingers that the tools to remove them might be in the slave prep room, Ghost picked the cell¡¯s lock, then crept to the hallway door.


    A peek revealed an empty corridor, letting her slip free and creep about. Naturally, a rabbit''s first instinct was always to run, but if it was that easy they wouldn¡¯t have left her unguarded. Only the Azure border would greet her to the east, which meant she needed to escape west, through the maze of wooden stalls watched over by warbow wielding deer-girls. Then she¡¯d need to cross the city proper, where several metsuke called home. Even if she avoided them, they were rabbit-girls specialized in hunting escaped slaves and criminals. They knew enough to bring in foxhunters.


    Ghost peeked into the slave prep room, breathing a sigh of relief to find herself alone. About time I got lucky. The room was simple, desks lined with tools and surgical equipment in pristine order surrounded a sturdy table fitted with various clamps and restraints, awaiting their next victim. A grim shudder ran through Ghost as she touched the table before forcing herself away. Now wasn''t the time for empathy. The odds of getting out alive already weren¡¯t in her favour, and as soon as someone realized she¡¯d left her cell, those odds took a nosedive. The cabinet locks weren''t as shoddy as the ones from her cell, taking her twice as long to open. The minute it clicked, her pick clattered to the ground, abandoned in favor of fresh prizes. Inside, a wall of smooth, glass vials stared back, each filled with restricted alchemical cocktails. Ghost grabbed a black one, swirling the viscous liquid before returning to the tools.


    Her muscles recalled the old motions as she lifted a gun from its stand. It was a marvel of stainless steel; a mesh of gears attached to a long needle running out the front while remaining compact enough to fit into one hand. This wasn¡¯t a weapon, but it ended more lives than she ever could¡­ well¡­ Ghost¡¯s body count was complicated, but it easily ended more lives than any spear.


    The vial slid easily into the back of the gun, clicking as the clamp secured it. Next, she wound the crank on the side, ratcheting the gears and puncturing the cork with a thick needle. With everything ready, Ghost braced her finger against the trigger, set the needle inside her ear, then, for the first time since she escaped Han, hesitated. The needle hovered over her skin, shaking in an unsteady hand. ¡°Stop that,¡± Ghost demanded, though her voice lacked conviction. ¡°You survive.¡± She grit her teeth, tremors slowly fading. There wasn¡¯t time for fear, every second wasted could be the one that got her killed. ¡°You¡¯re a survivor, you survive, no matter what. Now, one more time. Just. Do. It.¡±


    With a last breath, Ghost pulled the trigger. The needle punched into tender skin, releasing a familiar pain as the area stained black. Just like that, Ghost was dead, and any reason for hesitation vanished. The nameless rabbit moved forward with the procedure as fast as it dared, carefully staining a number into its ear. After the first, it rewound the gun to ink a second, then a third, continuing until her flesh was eternally marred with a memento of her sins.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Miyoko detached the ink and returned to the cabinet, gritting her teeth and ignoring the constant cries of pain from her empty stomach and tender ear. The lockpick and tension wire vanished beneath the ink, masking any evidence of where she''d been and what she''d done after the cabinet clicked shut. After a moment¡¯s reflection, she wiped her eyes, grabbed one of the vials of ether they kept for surgery, and promptly swallowed it. Leaving evidence was dumb, swallowing breakable vials was risky, especially something this dangerous, but ether was on the restricted list! She couldn¡¯t not steal some.


    Click. After a final scan, Miyoko retrieved a blank steel collar and slipped into the hallway. Silence. Her escape had gone unnoticed, for now.


    Miyoko crawled to the Alpine monk''s door, raising the leg braces so they wouldn''t touch the floor a she scurried down the hallway. Before entering she stopped, collected herself with a deep breath, and patted down her shaggy coat. It was demeaning, but it wasn''t like there were a lot of options. The band of blank steel snapped snugly around her throat.


    Inside, the monk watched wordlessly as Miyoko quietly shut the door and approached, bashfully covering her breasts. Her wide, desperate eyes locked with his as she fell to her knees with a stifled sniff. ¡°Please, Sir...¡± she begged. ¡°Please help me.¡±


    Those dark brown eyes narrowed in suspicion, oval pupils narrowing to lines that leapt up and down as he took her in. ¡°If the slaver doesn''t have what I came for, he''s not going to trick me into-¡±


    ¡°Please... keep your voice down." Miyoko raised her hands defensively and glanced at the door, fear only half feigned. ¡°I¡¯m Miyoko. I was too deep in debt to a syndicate lord to ever pay it off, so I was sentenced to a life as a sex slave to repay my debt. I¡¯m to be sent to Azashi for training and sterilization.¡± The tears came easier than usual this time, though they wiped away just as cleanly. Softies loved when you humiliated yourself for them, but for men you needed to keep the tears from getting too childish or ugly to maintain ''sympathetic-but-fuckable.'' ¡°I didn¡¯t want to lose my link to Deianira, so when I saw a man of faith, I snuck away to protect my divine light.¡± Good operations gave you time to study your target and prepare, but Miyoko was desperate, so she¡¯d have to go with her gut and hope for the best. ¡°I know it¡¯s not fair, but if you don¡¯t buy me before they realize I¡¯m out of my cage...¡±


    The longer she spoke, the softer his eyes grew, and by the end of her sob story he was wrapped around her finger. ¡°Look, Miyoko...¡± the monk swallowed and lowered his eyes with a pained expression. ¡°My money¡¯s not exactly unlimited. I can¡¯t just buy whoever I want.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an alpine monk, right? Aren''t you here for someone to strengthen your connection to the divine?¡± Miyoko watched his eyes drift lower as she spread her legs, tempting him with his ''sacred'' prize. ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t cost more than any other sex slave, Sir, but they haven''t snuffed out my light. Not yet¡­ But if you don''t take it I''ll lose it anyway. I''ll... you know. Just keep me whole.¡±


    The monk hesitated, studying her. ¡°You understand what that means?¡±


    Too easy. Miyoko tensed, then feigned a resigned nod. ¡°I know it''s not the ringing endorsement you''ll get from the girls they''ve ''processed,'' but I don''t wanna get cut up and sent to a brothel. I''ll admit I don''t know much about your religion... but clearly I could use a change in my life and I''m, open to suggestions." Her trembling fingers reached out, pressing the fabric tight against his thigh. "I-I know I¡¯m not much to look at right now, but after a few meals and a good brushing? I promise I¡¯ll clean up real pretty.¡±


    His intense stare lingered as he stiffened, then gently grabbed her wrist and pried her fingers free. ¡°What did you do? Before the debt, I mean.¡±


    Miyoko frowned, letting the arm go limp and hang above her head. ¡°I¡¯m a broker¡­ oh, I mean, I was a broker. Now¡­ Well, I know enough to get you whatever you need. I can''t really prove it here, but we don¡¯t have long for you to decide. They don¡¯t let customers buy untrained girls, and they don''t keep trained, unsterilized girls at the ARC. If they realize I¡¯m not in my cell you''ll be going home alone tonight.¡±


    Concern flickered across the monk¡¯s face while he weighed his options, then he sighed and stood, pulling Miyoko to her feet by her wrist. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Damn, deer-boys are easy.


    Miyoko''s braces clicked as she stumbled behind the kale-smelling monk, forced to adjust her balance to keep pace. Luckily, once they hit the hallway he allowed her to set the pace as he guided her to the sales floor.


    With a moment to breathe, Miyoko took stock of the possible threats remaining. Even she was surprised the idiot bought her sob story, rail, stock, and lathe, but with him in her pocket, only a stupid clerk stood in the way of sweet freedom. Her nose twitched, the overpowering scent of kale drawing her attention back to the monk and his hundred-florin dye job. She¡¯d seen the monks before at a distance, but this was the first time getting close enough to make out the symbols they painted on their backs. Deianira¡¯s mark was familiar enough, but Miyoko had to admire the quality of the linework, cleanly separating petals and leaves with smooth curves despite the uneven surface. The colouring, on the other hand, was terrible. The greens throughout the piece varied in hue, a hallmark of low-quality alchemist¡¯s dye. Her head cocked as she scrutinized the work, unsure why anyone would bother being so precise just to ruin it. Upon further inspection, the dye bled beyond the lines, darkening the fur outside the symbol¡­ in fact, it looked more like a stain.


    Miyoko snapped to attention as they entered the showroom, instantly recalling the men behind the wooden desks to identify the next weak link. With a steady breath, she tugged on the monk¡¯s robe. ¡°Sir? That man over there¡¯s free, and he doesn¡¯t seem the type to ask too many questions.¡±


    Her escort glanced that way, then nodded.


    The man behind the desk was a young deer in a grey robe whose eyes openly roamed Miyoko as they approached. ¡°Good choice,¡± he said, turning his gaze to the monk with a suggestive grin. ¡°You know what they say about rabbits¡­ is it your first?¡±


    A strong, confident hand dropped onto Miyoko¡¯s head, firmly gripping her ears. The monk¡¯s demeanour shifted, lips spreading into a lascivious grin. ¡°My first, and I¡¯m looking forward to breaking her in. How could I resist, with fur this soft?¡±


    Panic shot through Miyoko, though she kept her reaction to a dejected sigh. The man¡¯s possessive clutches betrayed his true intentions, although she couldn¡¯t have asked for a better partner to bluff the clerk.


    The clerk¡¯s grin split wider as he nodded. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get the boring parts out of the way. Ticket?¡± The monk handed over a slip of paper, which the clerk quickly checked. ¡°Okay, Ashling, let me just check her ASN.¡±


    So, the monk¡¯s name was Ashling? Good to know, not that it¡¯d matter for much longer. Miyoko stepped forward, slipping from underneath his hand and turning to offer the clerk her ear.


    Breath stuck in Miyoko¡¯s throat as she lowered her head, ignoring the slight pinch in her ear as he lay in across the table. Without a mirror, she could only desperately stare into the ceiling and pray she hadn¡¯t made a mistake. After a few tense seconds, he released her, then ducked behind the desk and returned with a large book.


    Muscles relaxing, Miyoko retreated to Ashling¡¯s side to watching the clerk check pages before finally selecting one, a sour look filling his face.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Ashling questioned.


    ¡°Yeah...¡± the clerk mumbled. ¡°Her number¡¯s here; she¡¯s a registered slave with a price and everything, but it says she¡¯s already been sold. Years back.¡±


    ¡°I was purchased previously, Sir,¡± Miyoko cut in, lowering her head and folding her hands. ¡°They resold me at West Origin three months ago.¡±


    A loud, irritated grunt resonated from the clerk as he leaned back. ¡°Fucking West Origin, of course it¡¯s West Origin. You know how badly that coup fucked up our paperwork? It¡¯s been three months and we¡¯re still correcting errors!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Ashling cast a sidelong glance at Miyoko. ¡°But, what does that mean for me? I really wanted this one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m selling her.¡± The clerk quickly set Ashling¡¯s ticket down, scribbling furiously. ¡°I¡¯m not about to lose my commission just ¡®cause West Origin can¡¯t get its shit together.¡± He turned the ticket around, sliding it across the counter with a finger. ¡°Here, final confirmation this is the price you were quoted?¡±


    Ashling glanced, then nodded.


    ¡°Great.¡± The clerk leaned forward, stamping the ticket and relinquishing Miyoko¡¯s ownership papers. ¡°That should do it. Take this to the girls at the vault. They¡¯ll return your change and give you the key to her braces. After that, head down the street and give this to any Azure syndicate blacksmith. They¡¯ll etch your name and her ASN on her collar. You can take her to another smith for a custom job if you like, but ours will do it for free.¡± After a last lustful stare, the clerk snapped his fingers. ¡°Right, this is your first rabbit. Those notched rods are gonna slide all the way into her braces and it''ll open and lock itself. Return them to any ARC and we¡¯ll refund your 3000 florin deposit.¡±


    Ashling grabbed the small slip of paper with a grin, thanked the clerk, then made for the vault desk on the opposite side of the room. Miyoko¡¯s eyes returned to the monk¡¯s back, studying it while his funds were released. The closer she looked, the more sure she was that it wasn''t dye at all. Based on the smell she suspected he doused it in kale juice to appear greener, but why? Even if the colour was some sort of status thing among the monks, no one at the ARC would know the difference.


    The attendant Ashling''s backpack, which he promptly swung over his shoulder, blocking his symbol with the heavy jingle of coin. For a moment, Miyoko¡¯s eyes lingered on his pack, wondering just how much money he had left. Surely, a few florins would make her escape easier¡­ But if there was one lesson she learned from her little misadventure, it was the importance of playing it safe. Her eyes flicked about at the other animals and a little grin played on her lips as she walked naked out the front door in broad daylight. You thought you could catch a Ghost? Good luck. None of you can even see me.


    ¡°So¡­ Miyoko, my name¡¯s Ash.¡± The monk¡¯s kind front returned as he led her from the ARC. ¡°I know this was kind of a rush, but I want you to know I¡¯ll take care of you. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not exactly the life you¡¯d choose, but you don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± Miyoko flashed a nervous smile. How sweet. The rich boy buying himself a sex slave wants a wilting flower to protect. She took his hand between hers and pressed into his side. ¡°I''m truly blessed to have been saved by a kind master.¡±


    Ashling beamed, placing a protective hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m staying at a place called ¡®Eden¡¯ a few kilometres from the city. Let''s get you home and settled in tonight. We can come back to buy supplies in the morning.¡±


    Obviously he stayed in Eden. That cult had over a hundred compounds throughout the world, and insisted on naming all of them Eden, differentiated only by the major cities they built near. The insides of those compounds were still a mystery to her, of course. The accommodations were expensive, and the cultists somehow appreciated privacy less than the syndicate, making them the worst of both worlds for someone like her. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m moving so slow,¡± she pouted, loudly clanking her legs together. ¡°If you remove the braces...¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ash blurted before Miyoko could finish. ¡°Sorry, but no. I need to keep all your bindings on until you meet my Whip, Khukri.¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s eyes widened as she trailed Ashling toward the smiths. ¡°...What¡¯s a whip-khukri? And what happens to me when I meet it?¡±


    A half-smile formed on Ashling''s face. ¡°Khukri¡¯s my¡­ hunter¡¯s name. Up in The Direwood, each slave pack has one called a Whip who coordinates their group. Khukri can be a bit¡­ intense, sometimes, but she¡¯s really a nice girl. She¡¯s been through a lot, though. Just listen to her, and if she ever crosses a line, let me know.¡±


    A hunter? Wait, one of those psycho hunting dogs from the Direwood Syndicate? Miyoko sighed bitterly. Of course there''s another tripwire waiting for me. There''s always is.

 Chapter 5: Welcoming Wardens

    Miyoko trailed after Ashling wrapped in a thin blanket. Her fingers absently brushed the cold steel around her throat, gently tracing her "master''s" name. It was only temporary, of course. Ghost had worn many different outfits and names, slave would just be the last. Steel collars were troublesome to remove, but any problem could be solved for a price.


    ¡°That one.¡± Ashling pointed to a simple wagon on the roadside. Its driver stood at the front, tossing cockroaches one at a time into the eager jaws of an unbridled mud drake. ¡°I need to sort out payment with our driver. Why don''t you hop in the back and introduce yourself to Khukri?¡±


    Khukri, huh? So, this was the ¡®Whip¡¯ who decided whether or not the leg braces came off? With a determined nod, Miyoko approached the wagon and pushed the curtain aside. Excited blue eyes stared back, accented with a hungry smile. Wolf.


    Harsh metal pressed into the back of Miyoko''s thighs as the braces ruined her sudden retreat, making her stumble and grab the wagon for support.


    ¡°You¡¯re Master¡¯s new girl?¡± The eerie smile vanished as the wolf crept forward, holding out out a hand, it''s two claws protruding from the armoured gloves.


    Miyoko''s heart hammered against her ribs as the hand loomed, her mouth running dry. Calm down, she scolded with clenched teeth. If it was as dangerous as the Prides pretended, there was no way it would be here alone. She, bloody corruption, not it. The wolf was just a woman, a slave, even. At some point she''d been unrestrained in the woods with Ashling and the driver, and hadn''t killed them.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Miyoko,¡± she said, clenching the wagon tightly to hide the trembling. ¡°You¡¯re Khukri? Ashling¡¯s Whip?¡±


    ¡°Master¡¯s Whip,¡± Khukri corrected, pushing her hand another foot closer. ¡°Those look... unpleasant. Let me help you up?¡±


    Right. Right. She actually needed to get in the box with the totally normal woman who wasn''t going to eat her, didn¡¯t she? ¡°C-can you just grab that blanket before it slips?¡± Miyoko raised her shoulders, desperately balancing the weight on her back as she clung to the wagon.


    Khukri drew close with a nod. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not going to hurt you." Her hands swept around either side of Miyoko''s head, gripping the fabric and fanning it out to shield her from prying eyes as she climbed inside and scrambled to the back of the wagon. Those piercing blue eyes stared through Miyoko as the larger woman engulfed her in shadow, then twitched slightly as the wolf gave a displeased grunt. "Here."


    "Thanks." Miyoko took the offered blanket and wrapped herself as Khukri took the seat across from her.


    The wagon dipped as Ashling pulled himself into the cart, gaze nervously shifting between them. Any lingering chance the Prides were honest about the danger wolves posed evaporated as the monk rubbed up against Khukri, lowered her hood, and scratched playfully behind her ears. ¡°Sorry I left you here so long,¡± he mumbled, rubbing their muzzles together. ¡°Were you worried?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Master.¡± Khukri preened in his hands, eyes closing. ¡°I¡¯m glad you found one you liked.¡±


    Ashling turned toward Miyoko, then coughed and retracted his hands. ¡°Right! Khukri, I want you to give Miyoko some time to settle in and get used to her new home. Be nice, understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master. There''s no hurry, we''ll go slow." Khukri smiled and folded her tail onto her lap, turning her full attention back to Miyoko. "Did you grow up in the Azure Syndicate, or were you farm raised?¡±


    Miyoko opened her mouth, rapidly working out a lie, but stopped after realizing it wouldn¡¯t matter. Should she succeed, they¡¯d never see her again, and should she fail, death. ¡°Actually, I grew up in the Tsu Empire.¡±


    ¡°Tsu Empire?¡± Khukri mumbled, doubt evident. ¡°Aren''t the Prides the only ones allowed to leave?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Ashling¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Did you come over during the Han revolution?¡± When Miyoko nodded, he continued, immediately shattering his illusion of insight. ¡°I thought cats lived in the Tsu Empire, though.¡±


    ¡°Do you not know what an empire is?¡± Miyoko asked.


    Ashling scoffed, shaking his head. ¡°Oh, of course I do! I¡¯ve just never visited one because of the closed border. How was it? Growing up in the Tsu Empire?¡±


    A small, strained smile touched Miyoko¡¯s lips as a distant look took her. ¡°Uh, for rabbits? Not... not great...¡±


    *  *  *


    Tess groaned. Resting her head was a bit of a balancing act. The left side of her face was more bruised and swollen; most of the repercussion officers were right-handed, after all. So, naturally, she wanted to lay with the right-side down. The trouble was, favouring one side for hours caused her neck to ache.


    Two links of the chain wrapped around her neck pinched her skin, extracting a pained grunt. Damn it. Was the State so petty it removed links each time they did this? She wouldn¡¯t put it past them... though, admittedly, she probably wasn¡¯t worth the effort. Instinctively, Tess reached up, but her hands stopped short when the ones around her wrists went taught.


    With a deep breath, Tess sat back in the chair. Ignore the pain, relax... the links untangled and worked their way from her loose from her fur, falling back to her collarbone. Maybe she¡¯d just stay up for a bit. The sunbeam streaming through the barred windows rested on her now, so it had to be past noon. Since, legally, they couldn¡¯t correct her behavior for more than three days, she''d be free by the time that sun went down.


    The cool cobblestone walls and dirt floor was a pleasant change, but three days in a nice box was still three days in a box, and Tess was ready to pass out in whatever new apartment they dumped her in.


    The door creaked open, and a middle-aged cat-girl covered in grey and black stripes strode through. Her modest black dress flowed behind her as she crossed the room and lowered into the chair opposite Tess¡¯s. A savoury aroma flooded in alongside Tess¡¯s visitor, emanating from the steamy, clay bowl in her hand.


    The bowl tapped gently against the desk, followed by a clay jug of water.  Miyoko instantly dismissed the offering for what it was: a shameless, manipulative ploy to ingratiate her to her captors. There would be food waiting when she was free. Instead, her thoughts drifted to the brass gloves covering the woman¡¯s hands. Again? No, the table''s still here. Repercussion officers were required to remove any bio... any bio... ugh! Don''t panic Tess, that''s an academy word, look it up when you get out. They had to clean up any blood, shit, or piss before they left the room, that''s why they always removed the furniture first. ¡°Thank you, Officer."


    The woman smiled, brass gloves clicking as she folded her hands on the desk. ¡°I¡¯m not with the State, Tess, I¡¯m Elizabeth, the matron of your new orphanage. I apologize if I come across as imposing, but Our church doesn''t get along with the empire much and they tend to send us a lot of ''troubled cases''. Please, don''t stand on ceremony. I know they haven''t fed you since they locked you up. Eat, it''s all vegetables, it won''t bother your stomach.¡±


    Tess kept her face blank. While she had managed to sneak a meal in this time, the scent of garlic and onion made her mouth water. "I formally request a full list of ingredients."


    Elizabeth''s smile faltered. "The State gave me your record. I made sure everything in it is on your safe list."


    A moment of silence ticked past while Tess mulled the answer over, the Edict of Prisoners wouldn''t let her captors lie about what they fed her, but if there was a loophole the State would find it. "Everything in here is on my food safe list?"


    "Yes." Elizabeth insisted. "It''s vegetables, spices, herbs, and water. I''m not here to punish you Tess, I''m here to talk."


    "Oh?" Tess raised her hands, standing as much as she could before the chains went taught. "Oh! That''s so weird! I wonder why a girl who isn''t being punished is chained to the ground like that!"


    ¡°I understand I''m using my position to coerce you,¡± Elizabeth admitted, ¡°but I want to understand what our relationship is before I release you. Is it really worth sitting in here for another twelve hours as an enemy - just to avoid a ten-minute conversation as a friend?¡±


    The chains clanked as Tess slumped back in her seat, closing her eyes and releasing a resigned breath. As stubborn as she was, she wasn¡¯t stupid. ¡°Okay, friend. What is it you wanted to talk about?¡±


    ¡°First, have you heard of the Demon King of Hearts?¡±


    Tess¡¯s eyes flicked open, a scowl plastered on her face. ¡°Religion? No. I¡¯ll take the twelve hours.¡±


    ¡°I''m not asking you to join my church,¡± Elizabeth assured, giving Tess a playful smirk. ¡°But it is my entire job. Obviously I was curious. If my faith is off the table, how about we discuss why you keep getting banned from orphanages?¡±


    There''s the question I was expecting. ¡°Fighting. Didn¡¯t you say the State gave you my record?¡±


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°They did,¡± Elizabeth said, leaning forward on the table. ¡°The State''s official position is there is no Demon King of Hearts, yet I resist the corruption. So, what¡¯s your side of things?¡±


    Tess hesitated, brow furrowing as she searched for a trap. Once the State made their report about what was true, there were repercussions for ''lying'' about it. ¡°At the time, I mistakenly believed...¡± there, that should cover her ass. ¡°That I acted in self-defence. That some girls don¡¯t think a rabbit should be using the climbing towers. That they pick fights.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. ¡°You were attacked by girls in seven different prefects over a three years?¡±


    Tess shrugged. It didn¡¯t matter what Elizabeth thought. Those incidents were already investigated, and repercussions had been served. ¡°No ma''am. The State''s brilliant decision to let a bunch of little psychos with claws go unsupervised was working perfectly before I screwed it up. I can¡¯t imagine why I keep feeling threatened. Luckily the State let me know that my habit of picking fights against groups of cats that I can''t possibly win, will result in fights with groups of cats I can''t possibly win.¡±


    ¡°Rebecca attacked you?¡±


    A jolt shot through Tess¡¯s spine as she leaned forward, swallowing. This one read the file closer than the others. ¡°Uh, no. Not Rebecca. That one was an accident.¡±


    An amused grin crossed Elizabeth¡¯s lips. ¡°Please enlighten me as to how one ¡®accidentally¡¯ smashes through an apartment door, screams ¡®fuck the State¡¯ at the top of their lungs, and punches the resident in the face.¡±


    Damn it, what''s this woman¡¯s problem? Tess already confessed and received her repercussion! Was this even about Her, or was the woman after information about Becky? Tess grabbed the bowl of soup, tilting it against her lips and slowly gulping as she collected her thoughts. Tess had to keep talking. If she suddenly shut up, it¡¯d look like there was something to hide.


    With a gasping breath, Tess lowered the bowl and wiped her mouth, savoring the warm, salty liquid as it slipped down her throat. ¡°Yeah, fine. I¡¯ll tell you. So, since I¡¯m not a cat I get the lowest priority for housing, that means the other girls choose the bottom floors and I end up on top. The male apartments have stairs, but the female ones have that pole thing with the thick fabric y¡¯all climb with your claws.¡±


    Elizabeth folded her arms and tilted her head, conceding the point. ¡°Admittedly, the system doesn¡¯t adapt well to... edge cases.¡±


    ¡°Well, I found out I could reach my apartment by climbing to the roof of the boy¡¯s building and taking a running leap across the street. Only, that day, I missed. I hit the railing on the fourth floor and went straight into Becky¡¯s door at door go boom speeds.¡± Tess sighed, grabbing the water jug and bringing it to her lips. ¡°So I was a little annoyed that day that the State insists on not having stairs on the girls¡¯ building. I might¡¯ve accidentally blurted out something vaguely treasonous, which I immensely regret. I formally request a full list of ingredients in this water.¡±


    ¡°It''s just water¡­ Charles, come on in,¡± Elizabeth said, slowly rising to her feet. ¡°And why¡¯d you punch ¡®Becky¡¯ in the face, exactly?¡±


    A creeping dread rose through Tess¡¯s stomach as a short cat-boy about her age with orange fur pushed the door aside and stepped in. This new boy wordlessly crossed the room holding a wooden tray with two identical boxes, which he proceeded to silently set on the table before scurrying away. ¡°She¡­  she suggested I file for disability and I... I was already punished for that one!¡±


    Elizabeth nodded, looking down at Tess thoughtfully. ¡°Relax, I''m a woman of my word, you¡¯re free to go. The box on the right has the key to the locks on your chains, as well as the key to your new apartment. Top floor.¡±


    Hesitantly, Tess touched the box, noticing the empire¡¯s symbol, a symmetrical tree in a circle, stamped into a wax seal. Then, her eyes swept to the box on her left, which bore a seal with a heart wrapped in chains. A sliver of curiosity wormed into her. Obviously, she was being manipulated, but that didn¡¯t stop the burrowing thought. If she just opened the box right now, unlocked her chains, and left, she could be in a soft bed within the hour. There was no incentive to play this woman¡¯s game. Anyone with an offer worth making wouldn''t be playing games like this. Then again, there wasn''t really a downside to knowing what the offer was. ¡°And... the creepy box?¡±


    ¡°A set of lockpicks, and a manual on how to use them.¡± Elizabeth set a hand on the heart box with an apologetic smile. ¡°Forgive the heavy-handed metaphor, but what relationship we have depends on who you want opening your locks.¡±


    Tess hesitated with a hand still firmly set on the empire box, glaring daggers at the woman blatantly trying to manipulate her. ¡°What happens to girls who open their own locks?¡±


    With a nod and a smirk, the woman turned, tail swishing as she strolled toward the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back every six hours with food and water. If the empire¡¯s seal is still intact when you get out... well, there¡¯s plenty of things to teach someone who doesn''t need the empire.¡±


    *  *  *


    Miyoko tentatively entered Ashling¡¯s cabin. Aside from the backpacks he and Khukri set down, there wasn¡¯t much in the way of personal effects. Granted, just staying here cost a fair amount, but with how much he was willing to spend she expcted more. Perhaps the monks had some rule against personal items?


    ¡°For now, this is home,¡± Ashling said, eagerly swapping his monk robe for a green button-up shirt. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll head into Azure Junction to get you some clothes, then onto The Azure Syndicate to connect with a new broker.¡±


    A shiver ran through Miyoko a clawed hand graced her shoulder. ¡°Master?" Khukri said. "I need to groom Miyoko and explain her place. Would you like to watch?¡±


    Ashling hesitated, curious eyes sweeping over them before he shook his head. ¡°No... no. I¡¯ll give you girls some privacy. I could use an early bath anyway¡­ be nice, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    His gaze held, growing more intense. ¡°No cages, no restraints¡­ and no pressuring her into¡­ anything.¡±


    Khukri¡¯s jaw stiffened, but she still lowered her head in obedience. ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    After Ashling left, Miyoko tensed, watching the wolf warily.


    ¡°I recognize that look,¡± Khukri said flatly, unlatching buckles from her top. ¡°Are you afraid of wolves?¡±


    Miyoko swallowed hard, unsure of which answer was least likely to earn her repercussion. All children of Tsu were taught the Edicts, words supposedly given divine authority by Tsu himself. Some were obscure, but scarce few didn¡¯t know the first, the Edict of Wolves. Four words reduced wolves from global domination to endangered species. ¡®All wolves must die.¡¯


    Of course, the words of a long dead dictator were worth less than the paper they were written on. It still didn¡¯t make it any easier to talk to the monsters from her parents¡¯ stories.


    A sad smile crossed Khukri¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Hopefully, in time, you¡¯ll lose some of that fear.¡±


    ¡°Err¡­¡± Miyoko tensed. ¡°You told Master you would make sure I understood my place?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The wolf removed her top, then moved onto her pants as her smile returned. ¡°My place is at Master¡¯s side, to lead and care for his pack so he doesn¡¯t have to. Your place is with me, learning how to be worthy of joining Master¡¯s pack.¡±


    ¡°Master¡¯s¡­ pack?¡±


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s not a concept they have in the Azure exchange?¡± Khukri¡¯s jaw worked soundlessly for a moment before returning to a smile. ¡°It¡¯s a bit complicated. I''ll be training you later on, but for now, let''s just focus on making you look nice for Master.¡±


    That couldn¡¯t help but get an amused twitch from Miyoko¡¯s lips. Another Elizabeth, after all these years. Hopefully things worked out better for this one.


    Khukri finished her last buckle and straightened, slipping her leg armour off and depositing it in the dresser. ¡°See, I''m just an animal like you, there¡¯s no reason to worry. You¡¯re safe here. Now, up on the bed.¡±


    Naturally, Miyoko tensed. Only stupid people believed someone like her was safe anywhere. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You know why Master bought you, don¡¯t you?¡± Khukri crawled onto the bed, tail swishing and eyes gleaming over a predatory smirk. ¡°Well, we need to put your best foot forward. Let¡¯s start by removing that winter coat so he can see how pretty you are under all that.¡±


    Making herself a more appealing sex toy for Ashling wasn¡¯t high on the top of Miyoko¡¯s list of priorities, but refusing orders would only arouse suspicion. Luckily, she¡¯d seen enough slaves in the Azure Syndicate to mimic one. With timid steps, Miyoko made her way to the bed, tossed her blanket onto it, and climbed on.


    At first, Miyoko knelt in the centre, lowering her head, but Khukri had other plans. A surge of panic flowed as the wolf roughly grabbed her by the neck and yanked her off-balance. With an undignified yelp, she fell into Khukri¡¯s lap, secured by two strong clawed arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Khukri assured, retrieving a brush from the table beside the bed ¡°just relax.¡±


    Relaxing was a tall order for Miyoko on a good day, and a wolf¡¯s clutches didn¡¯t make it easier.


    After a long, quiet moment Khukri sighed. ¡°Okay... you can relax when you¡¯re ready. Can you at least agree to sit still while I work?¡±


    Miyoko nodded. What was the alternative?


    ¡°Good.¡± Khukri leaned against the wall and spread her legs, then wrapped one arm tightly around Miyoko¡¯s midsection and pulled her snugly in place. The other hand slipped between Miyoko¡¯s ears with strong, even strokes.


    After the first few, Miyoko felt the brush''s firm bristles against her skin, gently crawling down her back and wicking fur away. One thing was clear about her new captor, she was thorough. Eventually, sheer exhaustion eventually loosened Miyoko''s muscles as soothing strokes along the side of her face, ears, and back wiped the minutes away.


    There hadn¡¯t been a lot of time lately where Miyoko could calm down and rest. In fact, this was the first proper bed she¡¯d been on in the last three months. It was hard to believe how soft a real one was, to say nothing of the woman at her back. Somehow, she¡¯d expected wolf fur to be tough and prickly, but Khukri¡¯s was almost as soft and soothing as Fleur¡¯s.


    Miyoko¡¯s eyes closed, and her heart slowed. If the wolf wanted to hurt her, there wouldn¡¯t be much she could do about it. Khukri¡¯s swishing brush and even breaths penetrated her thinning fur in a soothing, endless rhythm. Removing that fur was important anyway. Maybe tricking Ashling¡¯s slave into taking care of it was a smart move after all. She stirred slightly when the brush pressed into her tail, but settled again as the gentle strokes carried her to sleep.


    Khukri sighed, jerking Miyoko awake as her chin lay on the rabbit¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Miyoko?¡± The wolf asked softly. Instantly, Miyoko struggled against her bonds, heart rate rising as the fear flooded back. ¡°No.¡± Khukri admonished, arm tightening threateningly. ¡°Stay.¡±


    Remembering herself, Miyoko stilled. ¡°What?¡±


    The brush slipped around Miyoko¡¯s shoulder to rest just beneath her throat. ¡°I wanted to warn you before I brushed your more sensitive areas. I''m going to be gentle, just try to relax.¡±


    ¡°Eep!¡± A shudder ran through Miyoko as she looked down, watching bristles sink into her fur and glide over her breast. ¡°Ah! Do... Do you have to?¡±


    The weight on her shoulder shifted as Khukri¡¯s head bobbed sideways. ¡°You¡¯re not enjoying this?¡±


    Heat rose to Miyoko¡¯s cheeks as she turned away sharply. ¡°No! Obviously! Just give me the brush and I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    Rather than withdraw, the brush moved down, hesitating as it slipped into the gaps between her ribs. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Khukri mumbled in a somber tone. For a moment, Miyoko thought her words got through the wolf¡¯s thick skull, but the hope was short lived. ¡°Your last owners didn¡¯t take very good care of you, did they?¡±


    ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± Miyoko asserted, burning cheeks intensifying as the brushing continued.


    ¡°Not anymore,¡± the wolf said, softly squeezing as she worked. ¡°Master takes care of you now. I''m sure he''ll be happy to see how pretty you look while he feeds us.¡±


    I said I could do it myself, Miyoko thought, bitterly closing her eyes and leaning back. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but they were easy marks and she was hungry. It wouldn¡¯t kill her to trick them into feeding her before she betrayed them.

 Chapter 6: Happy Tummies

    It was dark by the time Khukri released Miyoko from her clutches. The wolf was eager to show her handiwork to her master, going so far as to offer anything in his wardrobe for their trip to ¡®the petals,¡¯ where he would claim his prize.


    Luckily, Ashling appeared to have a foreigner¡¯s taste, replacing the many robes and dresses of Sean¡¯s collection with practical and sturdy pants and shirts. Perhaps her ¡®master¡¯ was foreign to Tythic? Even in northern Tythic, where some fashion bled through from the republic of the syndicate, the attire would be feminine. Of course, it was possible he was just weird, after all, Miyoko was a girl and she borrowed all her dresses from Sean. Either way, she was grateful for the chance to dress. That modicum of privacy was a perfect opportunity to stash the vial of ether.


    Hundreds of naked cultists filled the courtyard past the sea of green and pink trees, talking and laughing while crowding tables or sitting in the grass. In the middle, a tower rose into the darkness, presumably the Petals. Dots of light flowed from the building¡¯s small windows above, granting minor illumination to the pink eaves and hinting at its scale. The courtyard itself was lit by billowing fires in stone furnaces at the tower¡¯s base where a few, thankfully covered by healy leather aprons, continuously grilled and handed off clay bowls of roasted, seasoned veggies, along with a smell that make Miyoko¡¯s stomach twist and growl in anticipation.


    So, this is where the sex cultists perform their rituals? Miyoko wasn¡¯t dumb enough to believe their nonsense, obviously. She¡¯d heard plenty of talk about divine lights and spooky mysticism from Fleur, enough to trick that idiot monk into releasing her from the ARC anyway. At its core, this cult was no different from Elizabeth¡¯s. It was an easy thing to claim your side had magic powers or secret knowledge about a scary otherworldly being. It made for good propaganda, but the Tsu Empire were queens of propaganda. Somehow, being told ¡®walk around my compound naked and have lots of sex and you¡¯ll eventually get magic powers¡¯ did little to quell those doubts.


    ¡°Master!¡± Khukri called, drawing attention from several uneasy cultists. It was hard to say if the nervousness stemmed from a wolf existing, or the fact she showed up to their orgy armed to the teeth.


    Ashling skirted through the tables, smiling as he hurried over and grabbed the sides of the wolf¡¯s head, enthusiastically scratching behind her ears. ¡°Hey there beautiful¡­¡± he said, pecking her quickly on the nose before cocking his head to view Miyoko. ¡°Wow¡­ Miyoko. You look nice. How¡¯re you feeling, hungry?¡±


    Miyoko crossed her arms over her ribs and looked away as. ¡°Yes, Master. Thank you¡­¡± A timid smile turned the corners of her lips up, bashfully. Timid and shy. That¡¯s the role this time.


    ¡°Her previous owner, or someone from the exchange, mistreated her,¡± Khukri said softly, eliciting a concerned look from Ashling. After a moment, Khukri slipped around him, and nodded to the tower. ¡°She might be more comfortable away from the crowd.¡±


    With a smile and a gentle nudge, Ashling led them through the crowds and to the door, holding it aside so they could enter. Inside was busy as well, though nothing compared to the crowd they¡¯d just left. ¡°The first level is filled with pools of water, which draw heat from the furnaces they¡¯re cooking on outside.¡± Ashling indicated doors on each floor as they ascended the spiral staircases. ¡°The steam rises to the second floor, so those rooms are steam rooms... I¡¯m not sure why they want to sit in rooms full of steam, but they seem to like it... This room is ours for a few hours. There¡¯s a vent to let steam from the room below in. It¡¯s great. It¡¯s like... impossible to burn dinner.¡±


    The room was unremarkable, though clearly well-maintained. Other than the large stone oven in the corner, it held a table, a washbasin, and a large padded square of covered cloth. Miyoko only needed one guess for what the sex cult needed that last one for. In fact, they¡¯d only been in the room for a minute before Khukri sighed and glanced her way. ¡°Miyoko¡­ display yourself for Master.¡±


    Naturally, sex cultists had a one track mind, but she¡¯d hoped to eat first. ¡°Of course¡­¡± Miyoko unbuttoned her shirt, then slipped her clothing off and left it in a pile next to the door. With everything bare, she turned toward Ashling, feigning a nervous smile. ¡°I hope Master approves¡­¡±


    Ashling¡¯s eyes swept over her body, irritation and displeasure rippling through his features as he knelt. His fingers gently touched the fur just above her bellybutton, then rose to trace her bottom rib. ¡°Bastards¡­¡± he muttered. Clearly, he felt the ARC cheated him. The Miyoko whose number Ghost had stolen was priced as a healthy slave, so finding his new toy in this state had to be upsetting. It wouldn¡¯t matter though, she¡¯d be gone before he had a chance to return her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not weak, Master,¡± she assured, lowering her head. ¡°I¡¯m certain I can still please you...¡±


    His knuckles fell away, grazing her stomach as he rose once more. ¡°Later,¡± he said somberly. ¡°For now, let¡¯s get some food in you.¡±


    ¡°Master,¡± Khukri cut in. ¡°When an owner doesn¡¯t feed you properly for long enough, eating becomes dangerous.¡±


    Ashling glanced at the wolf with a displeased grunt, concern crossing his face. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t not feed her,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Look at her.¡±


    As little as Miyoko cared about what a sex cultist and his pet wolf thought of her body, this was getting rude. Sure, she hadn¡¯t eaten much in the last three months, and maybe her bones were showing just a little, but she wasn¡¯t diseased! Just hungry.


    ¡°You should start slow,¡± Khukri advised. ¡°Broth would be easiest on her stomach.¡±


    Miyoko sat at the table, where she was shortly joined by Khukri, who had, of course, also removed all of her clothing. Absently, Miyoko¡¯s eyes swept over the woman, only now realizing she might not warm Ashling¡¯s bed alone. A threesome with a wolf? If only those jackbooted thugs back in the Tsu Empire could see her now. It almost brought a smirk to her lips. Almost.


    The deer-boy set a dented iron pot on the table alongside two crude wooden bowls. Once Ashling took his seat, he filled one with a hearty helping of stew, and the other with liquid strained from the mixture. Inwardly, Miyoko cursed as she thanked him. Slaves were supposed to be grateful for the scraps their master cast them, and she supposed it could be worse. The wolf didn¡¯t even get a bowl.


    The bowl pressed against her lips and the savory, salty mixture slid down her throat and warmed her gut. It was barely a meal, something Ghost would¡¯ve refused on principle, but it was fresh, and warm. Miyoko deserved better, and she would have it, but for now she set the bowl down and stared at it with a tightened jaw, cursing the monk for every happy, fluttering emotion the meal brought.


    Blissfully unaware, the deer picked bits of potato and celery out with his fingers and popped them into his mouth like some kind of island savage. Then, he pulled out a small hunk of meat and smiled, laying it flat on his palm and extending it across the table. Almost reflexively, the wolf leaned forward, snapping the meat from his hand with powerful jaws and eagerly licking his palm clean.


    Miyoko set her bowl down, transfixed by the wolf¡¯s fangs casually grazing the man¡¯s skin. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Khukri get a bowl?¡±


    ¡°Wolves'' stomachs work different,¡± Ashling explained, picking another chunk of meat to hand-feed to his servile pet. ¡°They don¡¯t need to eat much in a day, so long as they eventually have a big enough meal to balance it out, so don¡¯t worry, but I only own the two bowls. I¡¯ll pick up a third when we go shopping for you.¡±


    Khukri swallowed and turned, giving Miyoko an apologetic smile filled with saliva-glistened fangs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Master likes feeding me.¡±


    A stiff smile crossed Ashling¡¯s face as he looked away. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m allowed to.¡±


    Right. Obviously that was the question she had. Not whether or not he¡¯d lost his damn mind touching those teeth.


    The night stretched on as the pair turned to banal conversation Miyoko only half listened to while she drank. Apparently this man had contacts with some farmers on the islands and was looking to sell his hunting spoils to make a stable income trading crops on the Azure exchange. It wasn¡¯t the worst plan, especially if the north had another bad harvest.


    After what felt like hours of idle chatter, Miyoko and Khukri were finally left alone while Ashling relieved himself. Despite the small portions, Miyoko felt full to bursting with the delicious broth, well delicious compared to the slop they fed her in the carriage anyway. Compared to what she scrounged up back on Inisheer? It was a warm, soothing taste of paradise.


    Miyoko yawned loudly and stretched, glancing out the window to the near-silent courtyard below. ¡°It¡¯s getting late¡­ how long does Master usually wait before having sex with us?¡±


    Khukri¡¯s eyes fell to the table and her ears drooped. ¡°Master¡­ has a few eccentricities you¡¯ll need to adapt to,¡± she apologized. ¡°It may be a while before he¡¯s comfortable enough to use you. It took two and a half months before he bedded me, but he¡¯s made a lot of progress.¡±


    ¡°Two and a half months?¡± Miyoko asked, mouth open as she struggled to imagine it. True, Khukri was a wolf, but that¡¯s the kind of thing you¡¯d expect to make sex a yes or no question, not something you¡¯d work up to. ¡°He¡¯s a man. That¡¯s like convincing ants to eat pie! What took him months?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a bit emotional,¡± Khukri admitted, though for some reason she averted her eyes. ¡°Master¡­ cares for me. Romantically.¡±


    Miyoko snorted and smacked the table. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a good one! So, what? he made you pretend to fall for him?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Khukri¡¯s head shot up and her eyes went wide. ¡°I love Master! He¡¯s my everything. I think he just wanted it to be special¡­ As if I was a real lover.¡±


    That¡­ wasn¡¯t something Miyoko ever expected to hear a wolf say. ¡°So¡­ you love him, and he likes you¡­ and you want me to have sex with him?¡±


    Khukri nodded.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re in a weird sex cult?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Khukri corrected. ¡°The cult is unrelated. I¡¯m Master¡¯s Whip; it¡¯s my duty to make you serve at Master¡¯s pleasure.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right.¡± Miyoko pursed her lips while glaring at the door, wondering how long she had before Ashling returned. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a wolf, so I actually need to sleep some time tonight, especially if we¡¯re going to the Azure Syndicate in the morning. If all we need to do before that is convince a man to have sex, I¡¯m pretty sure we can manage.¡± She scanned the room in case there was anything she¡¯d missed. ¡°These people definitely have lubricant somewhere, do you know where it is?¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The wolf¡¯s head tilted slightly. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s sounding like he¡¯s a bit guarded,¡± Miyoko said, praying that her increasingly forward attitude wouldn¡¯t cross some sort of line. ¡°When he gets back, I need him to think I¡¯m excited, but encourage him to fuck you first. It doesn¡¯t take much convincing once a man gets it out.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ you need¡­¡± Khukri hesitated, then stood with a determined nod. ¡°Okay, I can do that.¡±


    Finally. Miyoko sighed in relief, rising to follow the wolf. Only, Khukri didn¡¯t head for a dresser or drawer, nor did she exit the room to reveal the cultist¡¯s storerooms. Instead, she pushed Miyoko¡¯s chair aside and moved in close, making Miyoko¡¯s butt thump into the table and knocking her empty bowl to the floor. ¡°Khukri?¡± she asked nervously.


    The wolf bent down and cupped one side of Miyoko¡¯s ass in each clawed hand, then hoisted her onto the table in a single easy motion. A yelp of panic escaped Miyoko as her ass slapped against the table and she instinctively scrambled back, bumping into the iron pot.


    Khukri¡¯s head flicked up and she released a snarl, catching Miyoko¡¯s braces and dragging her to the table¡¯s edge. ¡°Stop squirming!¡±


    A horrified shiver rolled through Miyoko¡¯s body as she went ridgid, staring wide-eyed at the wicked row of fangs looming above. Her limbs locked up and she let out a squeak as those teeth descended.


    The stunned rabbit gasped as Khukri¡¯s cold nose pressed into Miyoko¡¯s clit, followed moments later by a strong warm tongue. After a few strokes, she tried to pull away, only for the clawed grip on her thighs to tighten.


    Audibly, there was no growl, but Miyoko felt the threatening touch of tense teeth between her pussy lips tighten. They rocked forward and back, massaging her sensitive nethers alongside the occasional flick of her tongue. Shivers rolled through Miyoko as she focused on breathing, arousal growing as a warm tongue dragged juices from her entrance to her sensitive clit.


    With a satisfied growl, Khukri¡¯s head raised, lapping twice at the air to dislodge strings trailing back to Miyoko. ¡°There, all done.¡±


    As soon as Miyoko¡¯s butt hit the table, she scurried backwards, braces clicking as she crossed and fell off the other side. With a confused grunt, she dared to peek. The wolf stared back, watching intently. ¡°Is that seriously normal behaviour where you¡¯re from?¡± Miyoko demanded, raising to her full, rather unimpressive, height.


    ¡°My packmates never needed my help getting wet,¡± Khukri said flatly. ¡°Besides. I don¡¯t think they would¡¯ve enjoyed that.¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s face warmed as she leaned forward, setting her hands on the table. ¡°But I would?¡± One of Khukri¡¯s eyes twisted upward and her head rolled sideways, as though she couldn¡¯t understand the words. Miyoko closed her eyes and took another deep breath. Relax Ghost, after you get the keys to your braces you¡¯ll never see these idiots again. ¡°You know what? Forget it,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Just get ready for when Master comes back.¡±


    When Ashling returned, he froze, his suspicious eyes immediately drifting toward her. Miyoko quickly approached, taking his arm and folding it between her breasts, pressing her cheek into his shoulder. ¡°Welcome back, Master.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Hey, Miyoko. Everything okay?¡± Ashling¡¯s eyes darted to Khukri, but the wolf only returned a pleasant smile.


    Miyoko caressed Ashling¡¯s muzzle with her ears as she turned her head, lifting her lips to gently whisper into his ear. ¡°Master? How long are you going to keep us waiting?¡±


    His ear twitched wildly beneath her lips as he pulled away, and the arm she clung to became rigid. ¡°W-waiting?¡±


    Oh good, he could repeat things. At least the intelligence of a parrot, then. Her fingers slid down his arm, wrapping around the back of his hand. With an urgent touch, she pressed his fingers between her legs so he could feel her arousal. ¡°Waiting,¡± she murmured.


    His hand snapped back like he was afraid it might bite, and his gaze toward the wolf grew accusatory. ¡°It¡¯s your first night, and you¡¯re¡­ you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Were Miyoko an actual slave, this would¡¯ve been a boon¡ªa night off from heaping false affection on her captor. The problem was time. If these two dragged her to the Azure Syndicate, she¡¯d have to return to Hotaru, and then this charade would get complicated. Miyoko needed those keys. Tonight.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous,¡± she lied, fidgeting as she clung to him. ¡°Do you think I could watch you and Khukri first?¡±


    Ashling opened his mouth but froze when Khukri stalked toward them, a hungry look in her eyes. ¡°Master¡­¡± she growled, ¡°Please use me first¡­ I¡¯ve been good all day.¡±


    The wolf knew how to push his buttons? Good, though that made it all the more confusing why it took so long to bed him. ¡°You¡­ want to?¡± Ashling asked, eyes widening.


    Awww, gawsh! Sex with my sex slaves in my sex cult! Why I never! Where would you even get such a crazy idea! It was unprofessional, but Miyoko rolled her eyes, certain Ashling¡¯s were only for the wolf wrapping herself around his other arm.


    ¡°Of course, Master,¡± Khukri said, grazing Ashling¡¯s cheek with a mocking bite that made him twitch. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s a long day, and you¡¯ll need your¡­ rest.¡± With Khukri¡¯s help, Miyoko dragged Ashling in a daze to the makeshift mattress, eroding his false resistance with each step.


    When they got close, Khukri fell to her knees on the padded floor, looking up with mischievous eyes. That movement was enough to tell Miyoko about Ashling¡¯s tastes. Despite his timid attitude, the man didn¡¯t expect to be serviced; he expected control and compliance. Miyoko quickly released his arm to kneel behind Khukri, placing her hands on the wolf¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Master¡­ Look how patient she¡¯s been! You¡¯re not going to leave her like this, are you?¡±


    Khukri released a small, pleading whine to drive the point home, which made the man staring down at them swallow. Finally, with a cautious smile, Ashling unbuckled his belt and let his pants fall to his ankles. He knelt before Khukri, running his palm over the top of her head with a growing smile. ¡°We should close the windows¡­¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Miyoko bowed her head as she rose. The window mechanism wasn¡¯t complicated, and it didn¡¯t take long to remove the poles in each corner, allowing a sizable wooden panel to fall over the gaps. When she looked back, Ashling¡¯s hand rested between Khukri¡¯s breasts, pressing her to the floor as he leaned over.


    A smirk crossed Miyoko¡¯s lips as the wolf started moaning, eagerly grinding her hips against her master¡¯s other hand. It was obvious from her antics that Khukri had never been taught to fake pleasure, but that only meant Ashling didn¡¯t know what a pleased woman actually sounded like. If he was that enthralled by a wolf who didn¡¯t know what she was doing, it¡¯d be easy to¡­ Miyoko¡¯s eyes lingered a second too long on the healthy wolf writhing beneath Ashling before she shut them, lowering the gas in the lamp and plunging the room into darkness.


    A confused, slightly annoyed grunt came from Ashling¡¯s direction, but it softened as Miyoko hurried to his side and placed a hand on his back. ¡°Master?¡± she asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough foreplay?¡±


    Moments later, Ashling shifted forward, followed by Khukri¡¯s surprised cry. As increasingly fervent moans filled the room, Miyoko stepped back and crouched, silently rifling through the pockets of Ashling¡¯s discarded pants. A smattering of coins was brushed aside, and two keys were removed. It only took Miyoko a second to run a thumb across them, ensuring there were no sharp edges, then she swallowed them.


    With that done, Miyoko knelt next to the two as their grunts and moans grew louder, the thud of his hips meeting hers coming faster. To stay prepared, Miyoko slipped two fingers between her legs, gently teasing herself as she studied Khukri¡¯s exaggerated writhing. He... he really thinks that¡¯s how girls act? Ugh, well, guess I¡¯m in for a bit of a performance.


    The wolf¡¯s shadowed figure twitched in the dim light, arching her back as she filled the room with a piercing howl. In a way, it was an honour to watch. Few alive could claim to have seen an endangered species in carnal embrace, even if she was faking it¡ªbadly.


    Miyoko¡¯s heartbeat shifted from fast to racing as the chilling noise settled into her bones. As though sensing her fear, Ashling¡¯s eyes turned on her, gleaming in the dim gaslight, their sharp blue irises roaming her figure as she slid her fingers free. That¡­ didn¡¯t feel like the same monk she¡¯d had wrapped around her finger. The looming shadow shifted closer, and she felt fingers slip between her collar and throat. A small, involuntary whimper escaped her as he roughly yanked.


    Miyoko struggled to steady her breathing. The man¡¯s affable aura had dissipated, replaced with one that made it clear his earlier offer to refuse had been revoked. Relax, Ghost, you know what men want from you, and you know the fastest way to make them stop. She placed her cheek against his chest, followed by a trembling hand. Coarse fur bristled beneath her fingertips as she breathed in, ready to make good on her bargain. Two keys for one lock. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m ready.¡±


    A grunt of surprise left her lips as he pressed her back onto the mattress. A flicker of primal fear raced through her as the large shadow rose atop her like a stalking beast. The fingers returned, gripping her collar like a handle to hold her in place as she felt his length press between her thighs, still slick with Khukri¡¯s excitement. The malicious eyes peered through the darkness, staring through her as if he barely saw the girl attached to the body he desired. ¡°Please be gentle¡­¡± she begged.


    Surprisingly, the monster hesitated. His fingers uncurled from her collar and receded. For a moment, the air was silent except for the wolf¡¯s heavy panting and light moans. Then Ashling spoke, though he seemed¡­ confused. ¡°Gentle? ¡­I can be gentle.¡± Miyoko flinched as he reached out, but instead of striking her, he cupped her face and rubbed her cheek. The movements were stiff, and his tone was hard, but his touch was light.


    A slow, steadying breath left Miyoko¡¯s lungs as she calmed. What was wrong with her? She was a professional, damn it, and she¡¯d dealt with far worse than some prick with a hardon and a pile of money. Hell, she¡¯d been a ghost for nearly three years without breaking down, so why was she having so much trouble now?


    Her eyes sealed shut as he entered, feeling every inch stretch her pussy as her tightened muscles yielded to his control. His cock slowly worked its way deeper, cautiously introducing his body to hers. He sank into her, increasing the pressure in her abdomen until their hips finally met, and she was filled.


    Relax, Ghost, just relax. You¡¯ve done this before. Smile, make him think he¡¯s important, and get the job done. The pressure released as he pulled back, easing himself out before pushing in again. Miyoko¡¯s eyes half-opened to find him over her, a fuzzy shadow accented by two hungry, piercing eyes.


    Ashling pushed faster, satisfying himself as she put up little resistance. Remembering her job, Miyoko mimicked Khukri¡¯s encouraging moan. It worked, sending a shock through her walls as he pulsed inside her.


    With the next thrust, a twinge of delight raced through her spine, curling down her arms and legs to make her toes twitch against the metal. The sensation faded a moment later, making Miyoko sigh in relief. Then Ash bucked, sending waves of joy through her nerves wherever her walls met his cock.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Miyoko mumbled, wriggling in place as Ash gently set a hand on her collar. A reminder. Don¡¯t resist. An unconscious gasp escaped her as her skin started to burn. ¡°W-what?¡± Her head tilted back as his excited breathing enthralled her. The little grunts he made every time he filled her felt right, and soon she longed for them, each signaling a precursor to the next wave of ecstasy.


    Miyoko moaned, desperately trying to clear the strange fog filling her mind. Her overloaded emotions ran wild as each thought became more abstract, slipping away as each seemed less relevant. This was a job; she didn¡¯t even like the guy inside her, so why did this feel good? Why didn¡¯t she want him to stop? A loud moan escaped her as she lost focus, the very kind she¡¯d derided Khukri for not ten minutes prior.


    A desperate, uncontrollable craving flooded through her veins as she writhed underneath. Every nerve strained towards Master, begging for more with each movement of her hips. Time stopped as an agonizing mix of pleasure and resistance melded into a single wave of sensation that took Miyoko¡¯s breath away.


    The frenzied rhythm of their fucking quickened to a crescendo as every muscle in Miyoko¡¯s body coiled together like a spring. She wanted more¡ªmore than just the sticky warmth between her legs, more than just Master¡¯s control, more something, anything! Finally, even her desires faded away, and Miyoko lost herself completely to the fullness of pleasure. With a cry ripped from deep inside her, she clutched her master through an orgasm so violent it left her shivering and twitching after it passed.


    A disappointed groan left her lips when Master pulled out, letting warm cum flow onto her tail and sink into the fur beneath her thighs. It was difficult to keep track of him once he wasn¡¯t inside her anymore, and harder to care. Miyoko lay back with a contented sigh, vanishing into an endless, peaceful haze.

 Chapter 7: Submission Guidelines

    Miyoko drifted in an endless sea, curling up in the soft warmth that promised protection from the world. A relaxed sigh escaped as her eyes fluttered open, only to find the wolf in her bed - not Fleur. Startled, Miyoko jerked up, pushing her blanket away and scrambling off the edge of the bed.


    The familiar wooden floor of Ashling¡¯s cabin hurried to greet her from below, while Khukri¡¯s smiling face did the same from above. ¡°You know, I never realized how long that lasted,¡± Khukri mused.


    The world spun, and Miyoko flopped about on the ground, struggling to steady herself. ¡°How¡­ how did I get here?¡±


    ¡°I carried you,¡± Khukri replied, as if the answer were obvious. ¡°I also cleaned you up a bit, but there¡¯s a water basin over there if you want to be more thorough.¡±


    As feeling returned to Miyoko¡¯s fingers and toes, memories came flooding back. That¡¯s right, I fell asleep after Ashling finished with me, didn¡¯t I? Apparently, he¡¯d worked her over so hard she¡¯d been too exhausted to clean herself up. Knowing she was asleep while the wolf freely played with her body would¡¯ve been more distressing had Khukri not already obliterated the line of common decency while she was awake. For now, there was a more pressing issue. ¡°What did he put in my broth?¡±


    ¡°Yours specifically?¡± Khukri asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Salt and pepper with a caiman base. Why?¡±


    A spike of irritation tightened Miyoko¡¯s jaw, but losing her patience wouldn¡¯t help. ¡°No. What drug? What did he use to make me enjoy¡­ that?¡±


    ¡°Drug?¡± Khukri smirked. ¡°You¡¯re a slave. If Master wanted to drug you, he wouldn¡¯t have to hide it. Is enjoying sex really a problem?¡±


    As little as Miyoko trusted Ashling¡¯s slave, the girl seemed genuine. It was always possible that the man kept her in the dark. Hell, maybe keeping the wolf addicted was how Ashling maintained control. ¡°I¡¯ve had sex before,¡± Miyoko said bitterly. ¡°I know the difference between an orgasm and a fucking heroin overdose.¡±


    Khukri cocked her head. ¡°Your food wasn¡¯t drugged. Master wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± A mischievous smile graced her lips. ¡°Okay, there was that one time he secretly drugged me and all my friends, but that was a special case. I promise, Master wouldn¡¯t give you anything that might hurt you.¡±


    Miyoko leaned forward, pulling her legs to her chest and wrapping her arms around the cold steel of her braces. ¡°Certain drugs that won¡¯t hurt either of you could kill a rabbit-girl. We can¡¯t pant fast enough to cool down, so if a drug raises our body temperature, we could overheat.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Khukri¡¯s ears shot up and her face became serious. ¡°I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t¡­ but to be safe, I¡¯ll ask. Master stayed behind to clean up. Wait here; I¡¯ll be back.¡± With that, the wolf rose, not bothering to dress herself as she hurried out the door.


    What Miyoko said was true, and she had real concerns, but the opportunity to leave had presented itself and she might not get a better chance. As soon as the door closed, Miyoko retrieved her ether and hastily threw on a set of his clothes. Finally, she regurgitated the keys and slid them into her braces, freeing her legs from their irritating prison.


    Unfortunately, when the front door opened, Khukri was waiting, suspicious eyes sweeping over the scene. A dark chill rolled over Miyoko as a clawed hand fell on her shoulder. Even if Khukri had sprinted to the petals and got a one-word response, there was no way she could have returned so quickly. ¡°Going somewhere?¡±


    ¡°I-I was coming to get you,¡± Miyoko mumbled, her mind racing. ¡°I found a scrap of clothing caught beneath the bedpost, but it smells like perfume¡­ I thought maybe someone might have stolen Master¡¯s things while we were gone, and I didn¡¯t want to get blamed.¡±


    Khukri¡¯s glare was doubtful, but she held out a hand. ¡°Give.¡±


    Miyoko fumbled with Ashling¡¯s baggy pants, pretending to get stuck while she crushed the vial inside the cloth used to protect it. The moment Khukri took it, she brought it to her face and inhaled deeply. The results were immediate. Khukri retched, tossing the cloth away as she stumbled on unsteady feet before collapsing to her hands and knees.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m gonna go¡­¡± Miyoko said, backing past the writhing wolf with a smug grin. ¡°You let Ashling know I appreciate the offer to spend the rest of my life fucking him for soup, but I¡¯m a tad overqualified for the position¡­ Good luck with your freaky sex cult, though!¡± With that, she chuckled and bolted out of the cabin.


    * * *


    Tess stared out the carriage window, dumbstruck by the palace¡¯s opulence. The grounds were larger than the entire town she¡¯d grown up in, with open fields and artificial lakes stretching so far it was hard to fathom the maintenance required. The palace itself was a massive mound of elegant white pillars and statues rising between two rivers, surrounded by marble retaining walls and thousands of pink and white flowers.


    ¡°Tess? Are you even listening?¡± Elizabeth snapped.


    Tess was used to getting scolded. Apparently, it was too hard for cats to remember she could see them just fine, even if they were behind her. ¡°Yeah. Get the girl to sign the paper and show me where she¡¯s keeping your book. I got it.¡±


    ¡°This is important,¡± Elizabeth snapped, papers rustling loudly from a sharp gesture. ¡°The girl is young, but she¡¯s still a lynx, and we only got this meeting because she was curious about rabbits. The book is the most important piece, but it¡¯s vital you also gain her trust and keep her entertained, otherwise she might not invite us back.¡±


    ¡°I get it!¡± Tess bristled, snatching the document. In the Tsu Empire, a coin¡¯s value depended on who spent it. So, if a male cat had enough to buy a fish, a female lynx might have enough to buy two, and a lion might have enough to buy four. In that way, they could encourage deals exactly like the one Tess was sent to make.


    Essentially, the orphanage would list supplies they needed and pay a lynx to buy them at a discount. It was bullshit, obviously, but a lynx¡¯s favor was too valuable to reject out of pride.


    Elizabeth glared. Somehow, she¡¯d gotten the impression that Tess couldn¡¯t control her temper. That was wildly unfair. Tess just didn¡¯t want to; there was a difference.


    As soon as the carriage stopped, Tess popped open the door and hopped out. Despite her protests, she¡¯d been fitted in a light blue dress with far more fabric than any outfit she actually owned. It didn¡¯t matter if she liked the clothing, the building, or the people, it was better than the fights and beatings she used to get. Tess grit her teeth and stood quietly at Elizabeth¡¯s side, keeping her head low as palace staff welcomed her.


    A younger voice cut through the noise, commanding enough authority to silence everyone with three words. ¡°Is this Tess?¡±


    Tess glanced up. The girl across from her wore a sleeveless green dress with yellow accents that suited her perfectly. Golden fur flowed elegantly down her arms and face, turning to a pristine white below her whiskers, all accented with adorable black tufts crowning the tips of her ears.They were cruel little ornaments from Deinira to accent the girl¡¯s natural beauty and let the inferior races know she indeed played favourites.


    ¡°I am,¡± Tess replied, masking her nerves.


    ¡°I¡¯m Fleur,¡± the girl said, grabbing Tess¡¯s wrist. ¡°Come on, let them handle the boring stuff. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Tess glanced Elizabeth¡¯s way, but even at half their age no one dared oppose the lynx. Fleur led Tess around the building and over a bridge before stopping in a large, sectioned-off field.


    Finally, Fleur turned, flashing Tess a smile. ¡°That¡¯s better. It¡¯s really nice to meet you.¡±


    Tess gave a small bow. ¡°And you as well, my lady.¡±


    Fleur laughed, making Tess flush. ¡°No need for that. Oh, are these the negotiation papers?¡± The lynx snatched them from Tess¡¯s hands and glanced them over before pulling a yellow pen from her dress and signing. ¡°There! All done! Now we can have fun for the rest of the weekend.¡±


    Unbelievable. Five minutes in, and Tess had already completed her main goal. ¡°Err¡­ thank you.¡±


    Fleur shrugged, clicking the pen back into place as if it were just another accessory. ¡°No problem. I know a lot of people don¡¯t like your orphanage because it¡¯s blasphemous, but let¡¯s talk about anything else, okay?¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Oh, wait! Did you want to check on your holy book first? I oversaw the transportation and made sure everything was handled with care.¡±


    Tess couldn¡¯t believe it. Either she was the world¡¯s best spy, or Elizabeth was way off about their persecution. ¡°We can save that for later,¡± Tess said, trying to gauge Fleur¡¯s interests. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what you do here for fun?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have fun here,¡± Fleur admitted, face souring. ¡°There¡¯s a lot my family expects of me. So I learn and train¡­ but if we finish the negotiations early, we can spend the weekend doing whatever we want!¡± She brightened up, grabbing Tess again and dragging her toward a table with a crossbow. ¡°Oh! Would you like to see the lynx pride¡¯s martial art?¡±


    Each pride had its own martial art, used to compete with other prides. Compared to Tess, Fleur was practically divine, but in the hierarchy of superior cats, lynxes were close to the bottom. ¡°Sure¡­ I¡¯ve never seen a pride¡¯s art before.¡±


    With a wide, proud smile, Fleur turned to the table. ¡°I assume you know what this is?¡±


    Tess stepped up to the weapon, cocking her head slightly as she looked it over. ¡°That¡¯s a TG-6 palace defender crossbow. The side lever gives it a faster reload speed than the TG-5, but at the expense of power. The State scaled it back so women could use it without needing a man¡¯s upper body strength. They¡¯re mostly issued to interior palace guards, where quick reloading is more important than armor penetration.¡± Tess hesitated, then sighed in annoyance. ¡°Fitted with a modular scope rail¡­ and no scope.¡±


    For a moment, Fleur looked from Tess to the crossbow in silence. ¡°Um¡­ Yeah, actually,¡± she finally said, offering Tess the weapon. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Here, hold it.¡±


    Tess barely moved, eyes flicking around nervously as she searched for guards. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to think I¡¯m going to shoot you.¡±


    A smirk crossed the pretty lynx¡¯s face as she held the weapon out insistently. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re going to do.¡± She let the tension hang for a moment, then giggled. ¡°Relax, the bolts are blunted for practice. This is what they¡¯re for. Please, take it.¡±


    Hesitantly, Tess selected a bolt from the table. As Fleur said, the tip was padded and wrapped in leather to reduce the damage, though it could still leave a bruise. She gingerly accepted the crossbow, realizing she had no choice. If she messed this up on the first day, Elizabeth would skin her alive, and she was only allowed to be here at Fleur¡¯s discretion. ¡°You want me to shoot you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Fleur said, walking away as she slipped on a pair of brass repercussion officer gloves. After putting some distance between them, she turned and held up one hand. ¡°Okay, pull the lever on the side and load the bolt. See if you can hit me.¡±


    The TG-6 wasn¡¯t ideal. It was a compromise weapon, designed by bureaucrats in East Origin to be cost-effective, but it paled in comparison to the industrial standard of the Othelan Republic. For Tess, it was vastly inferior to the Autoyumi S14 designed specifically for rabbits. Still, at a hundred feet, she could make the shot. Tess set the stock against her shoulder, pulled the slide back to lock the string in place, and fitted the bolt. Of course, she wasn¡¯t stupid enough to actually hurt a lynx, especially on palace grounds.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Fleur urged.


    Setting the stock against her shoulder, Tess aimed and released the bolt.


    Fleur didn¡¯t even flinch as the shot fell short, kicking up dust a few feet ahead. With an encouraging smile and a headshake, the lynx gestured for her to try again.


    Drawing the string back, Tess loaded another bolt. It was clear she wouldn¡¯t get away with simply missing, and with the orphanage¡¯s future on the line, she needed to put on a better show. Taking a steady stance, she did her best to aim despite the annoying scope rail blocking her view, and fired once more.


    Again, Fleur didn¡¯t move, but this time the bolt passed within an inch of her face. Narrowing her eyes, the lynx¡¯s expression turned more curious, almost predatory, as the wind ruffled the fur on her cheek. ¡°That was... very close. You were only a hair off... try again.¡±


    Swallowing hard, Tess loaded another bolt and raised the weapon.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Do it properly,¡± Fleur commanded.


    The crossbow wavered in her hands, but after a nervous gulp, Tess adjusted her aim and fired.


    The bolt streaked toward Fleur¡¯s chest, but the lynx twitched sideways, narrowly dodging the shot just before impact. Without hesitation, Fleur began closing the distance. Ninety feet, eighty feet, seventy¡­ ¡°Again!¡± she demanded.


    With a quick reload, Tess fired another bolt. This time, Fleur slapped it out of the air, redirecting it so it sailed over her shoulder. Sixty feet. Fifty feet. At half the original range, the lynx barely flinched as she sidestepped and backhanded another bolt, sending it wildly off target. At twenty feet, Tess released another shot. The bolt struck Fleur¡¯s palm with a loud thunk against her glove before falling harmlessly to the ground.


    A spike of fear raced through Tess as Fleur surged forward. Ten feet. Five... Grabbing a bolt from the table, Tess coiled her legs and launched herself twenty feet into the air, reloading and lining up a shot as Fleur broke into a sprint. The bowstring snapped forward, barely missing the lynx¡¯s head as she dove into a roll at five feet, then rose into a tackle.


    Fleur¡¯s muscled shoulder caught Tess in the stomach, though the impact was softened as the lynx¡¯s arms wrapped around her, guiding her gently to the dirt. A moment later, Tess found herself pinned, heart thumping wildly as Fleur¡¯s powerful body leaned over her, their faces only a foot apart. ¡°Tess! Tess, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay... relax... relax...¡± Fleur¡¯s voice was soothing, carrying the calm authority of a royal addressing an assembly.


    As Tess began to settle, she became acutely aware of Fleur¡¯s chest pressing against her, the lynx¡¯s soft breath barely stirring the fur along her neck. A creeping warmth spread across Tess¡¯s face, making her swallow hard and shake with embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m not scared.¡±


    ¡°Liar... you¡¯re freaking out. I can even feel your heart.¡± Fleur¡¯s brass-gloved hand settled between Tess¡¯s breasts, doing nothing to calm the rabbit¡¯s racing pulse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ You¡¯re safe, Tess. Just put the weapon down. Please.¡±


    Forcing her numb fingers to unclench, Tess tossed the crossbow aside and raised her hands in surrender.


    ¡°There you go,¡± Fleur murmured, her voice almost hypnotic. ¡°See? I¡¯m right here. I¡¯m not hurting you... do you want me to take the gloves off?"


    Before Fleur could act, Tess grabbed her wrist, her eyes wide.


    ¡°Right...¡± Fleur let out a wry, almost musical chuckle. ¡°The claws¡­¡±


    ¡°Why...¡± Tess struggled to keep her voice steady, swallowing hard. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to hurt me, why did you grab me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to do something you¡¯ll regret,¡± Fleur explained. ¡°Shooting at me in the practice field is one thing, but if the palace guards see a rabbit running away with a crossbow...¡±


    The words were soothing, and Tess had no reason to doubt her sincerity, but something about the possessive tone made her tense. ¡°I promise not to run¡­ Just let me go, please?¡±


    Hesitantly, Fleur withdrew, offering a hand to help Tess up. ¡°You¡¯re a very good shot.¡±


    Tess closed her eyes, breathing a sigh of relief as she accepted the help. ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    ¡°Your legs are incredible, too. I¡¯d love to examine them,¡± Fleur said.


    The rabbit¡¯s eyes snapped open, her mouth going dry. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That jump you made was impressive. Your legs must be...¡± Fleur¡¯s smile faded as she stepped back. ¡°Oh, Tsu guide me, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s difficult for me to communicate with outsiders sometimes. Every member of the pride is expected to hone their body, and inspections are quite common... You don¡¯t have to if it makes you uncomfortable. Or, if you prefer, you could examine mine first. I wouldn¡¯t ask you to do something I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Tess was taken aback. Fleur spoke with none of the menace or superiority she¡¯d expected; if it weren¡¯t for the regal demeanor, Tess might have thought her just a normal cat. ¡°Heh, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just used to being offered dinner before being asked to spread my legs.¡±


    Fleur¡¯s face lit up with a bright smile. ¡°Oh, fantastic! After dinner then! I¡¯ve brought in a chef who¡¯s an expert in Azure cooking. He spent four years studying in the Azure Syndicate.¡±


    Tess responded almost reflexively. ¡°I¡¯m not from the Azure Syndicate.¡± It wasn¡¯t until after the words left her mouth that she realized Fleur had taken her joke as an invitation.


    Before Tess could clarify, Fleur continued, ¡°Neither am I! I¡¯ll be expected to start making business trips there by the end of the year, and I was hoping to experience it for the first time with a friend.¡±


    A flush of embarrassment spread across Tess¡¯s face. This noble had asked to examine her out of the blue... and somehow, she felt like the one imposing. ¡°Um... A friend? Me?¡±


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s for you to decide, isn¡¯t it?¡± Fleur replied with a slight smirk, then quickly picked up the crossbow and returned it to the table.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Tess mumbled, looking around for something to distract the lynx and spying twenty pumpkins on pedestals that became increasingly more distant.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the pumpkins?¡±


    ¡°This is an archery range,¡± Fleur said. ¡°It¡¯s simple. You shoot a pumpkin, you win.¡± She pulled the lever back and fit a bolt before handing it off. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel you¡¯ll do better than me.¡±


    Tess did her best to make it look effortless as she grabbed the handle, raised the weapon, and fired one-handed at the nearest pumpkin a dozen feet away. It landed with a solid thunk and knocked the fruit to the ground.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even look!¡± Fleur said indignantly.


    Of course Tess had looked; she just didn¡¯t need to turn her head, but the noble¡¯s pouting brought a smile to her lips. ¡°You didn¡¯t say looking was part of it! You said ¡®shoot a pumpkin!¡¯¡±


    Fleur handed Tess another bolt. ¡°Well, that was the easiest one. Even I could hit that.¡±


    Tess loaded the crossbow, dropped into a firing stance, and thunked the pumpkin thirty feet out. After receiving another bolt, she proceeded to hit the target at sixty feet, then a hundred and fifty.


    This time Fleur had no response. Finally, she shook off her stunned silence and pointed to the furthest pumpkin at about six hundred feet. ¡°Do you think you can hit that one? I¡¯ve taken thousands of shots and I¡¯ve never come close.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Tess consoled, looking the weapon over. ¡°The TG-6 isn¡¯t built to take shots at that kind of distance.¡±


    ¡°So, even you couldn¡¯t hit it?¡±


    ¡°With a single shot? Impossible.¡± Tess smiled as she handed the weapon back.


    Fleur bit her lip and raised her eyebrow, looking down at the offered weapon. ¡°How many would it take?¡±


    Tess hesitated before finally mumbling, "I dunno... Three, maybe? If I¡¯m lucky.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal,¡± Fleur said, eyes once again glittering with predatory curiosity. ¡°My mother brought me back a crossbow bolt made from a spikeback spine from up in The Direwood. They¡¯re strange things. If the spike impacts anything hard enough, it fragments and explodes. Hit that target in three shots... And it¡¯s yours.¡±


    Tess grit her teeth, looking at the three bolts in Fleur¡¯s extended hand. ¡°And what do I lose if I miss?¡±


    Another musical giggle fell from Fleur¡¯s lips. ¡°Oh honestly, what do you take me for? Nothing! We¡¯re just having a bit of fun.¡± With a comforting smile she knelt and retrieved the missing scope from below the table. ¡°Come on, give it a go.¡±


    With a long sigh, Tess took the scope and set it on the table, then struggled to dislodge the scope rail. With a stronger crossbow, she¡¯d have used it, but the weak stopping power of the TG-6 meant she¡¯d need to fire at an arc just to get the range.


    Tess loaded the weapon, waited carefully, then fired wildly into the air, missing the target by more than thirty feet.


    ¡°You¡¯re not even trying!¡± Fleur protested, but Tess only loaded her next shot, then held up a finger to silence her.


    After another long stretch, Tess fired again, missing wildly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to take this seriously¡ª¡±


    Tess grabbed Fleur by the wrist before she could leave. ¡°Shush. I have one more shot.¡± When the girl quieted, Tess loaded the bolt and brought up the weapon. Based on the first shot, she estimated the drop speed of the bolt, leaving her aiming up at an angle. Based on the second shot she guessed the effect wind had at this distance. She stilled, watching the trees intently until the leaves fell still. Finally, the bolt flew. It arced wildly right of the target, then caught a breeze in flight, redirecting it to clip the side of the pumpkin with a glancing blow. ¡°Fuck!¡± she yelled. ¡°I really thought I had that.¡±


    ¡°That was amazing!¡± Fleur gushed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t knock the pumpkin down¡­¡± Tess murmured, face flushing.


    ¡°Yeah, but you hit it! I never even came close!¡± Fleur took the crossbow, returned it to the table, then started toward the palace. ¡°Come on, the bolt¡¯s in my room. There¡¯s no door, since they don¡¯t want any boys catching feelings for me and sneaking in, but it¡¯ll be fine since you¡¯re a girl.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Tess raised her head hopefully. ¡°And¡­ What if a girl catches feelings?¡±


    Another innocent, musical laugh left Fleur. ¡°What? Oh! Don¡¯t worry. My mother has all the demonically corrupted girls on a list. They¡¯re not getting within a kilometre of the palace grounds.¡±


    Tess¡¯s jaw tightened, and her heart sank. ¡°Who¡¯s your mother?¡±


    ¡°Your matron didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Fleur scoffed, grabbing Tess by the wrist and pulling her toward the palace. ¡°She¡¯s Han¡¯s Secretary of Intelligence.¡±


    * * *


    Miyoko¡¯s eyes snapped open in the dark. ¡°Fleur!¡± she gasped, bashing her head against the semisoft earth above and falling back to her bedroll with an irritated groan. Despite her resolution to leave the past in the past, her dreams had yet to get the message. As ethereal memories slipped into oblivion, she sighed. One day they¡¯d stop¡­ Hopefully that dream was one of the pleasant ones. Tess was just a child. She, at least, deserved to be happy. After probing the cool, damp earth with her fingers, she found the gas lamp and switched it on, narrowing her eyes in protest as her burrow lit up.


    After all her time as a ghost, Miyoko learned that step one of any operation was having a reliable spot to rest and recover. In this vein, she owned about a dozen burrows, each stocked with cheap supplies and rudimentary equipment. Unfortunately, most burrows were in the Azure Syndicate, something that hadn¡¯t been a problem before she had an ASN.


    With a grumble and a stretch, Miyoko crawled through the dirt to the chests along the wall. After a moment of digging, she withdrew a small jar of honeyed peach slices. As she slipped on a leather cuirass and black cloak, she savoured each morsel, licking her fingers clean after every bite. There was more food, but after Ashling reported her escape, the metsuke would scour all surrounding towns for her, so the meagre supplies would need to last until she reached Inisheer.


    When it was finally time to leave, Miyoko put on her pack, slipped her tanto into a sheath on her hip, and grabbed the small crossbow. By the time she crawled out, she¡¯d stripped nearly everything of value from the place. After all, whether or not Miyoko succeeded in this final journey, she¡¯d never be coming back.


    The fresh morning air and twitter of birds greeted Miyoko as she moved the makeshift gate aside and crawled into the open. She stretched, eyes sweeping over the untamed wilderness around the unremarkable hole between two roots of a thick tree. Ahead of her, a wide river wound lazily from the Azure Syndicate¡¯s mountains toward the ocean, banks flooding with winter¡¯s melting snow. Despite the indirect path, this waterway would serve as her guide to the coast. Since rabbit-girls had enhanced speed on even ground, those searching would assume she¡¯d move fast. Taking her time and staying near a body of water that could throw off foxhunters was the smarter play.


    Miyoko sighed as she knelt by the edge of the river and splashed water onto her face. The brisk morning air washed over her, sinking into the wet fur and jolting her awake. As she stretched and turned downriver, a stick snapped in the woods. Her vision swiveled, locating a blur of fangs and claws as Khukri burst from a bush.


    A panicked half-step later, and the wolf smashed into her, yanking her from her feet and sending both into a frigid morning bath. Miyoko thrashed as she spun in the water, powerful legs desperately kicking in a blind bid to hit the wolf¡­ Or at least tell her which direction was up.


    She gasped as she broke the surface, eyes swinging wildly to find the wolf breaching behind her. The cold water clung to her cloak and cuirass, coming as high as her chest and preventing her from jumping to safety or picking up speed. Without a chance to run, Miyoko switched tactics in desperation, drawing her knife and swinging for the unarmored face of the hooded monster.


    Her knife could¡¯ve been a feather for all the good it did. Khukri roughly grabbed Miyoko¡¯s wrist, sending pain up her arm as two claws mercilessly pierced her skin. Gone was the forceful, soft woman who brushed her, and in her place, the monster Tsu had declared a threat to all life. The wolf¡¯s teeth clamped down on Miyoko¡¯s arm just above the elbow, forcing a scream of terror and pain from her lungs before she found herself beneath the water once more. Miyoko struggled through the pain, thrashing and kicking as she tried to regain some control, but every time she touched the ground, the wolf simply yanked her off balance and dragged her beneath the surface.


    Fire radiated through Miyoko¡¯s chest, limbs growing weak as the world grew hollow. The cold, dark water embraced her, numbing the pain and promising relief. With a last thought, Miyoko opened her mouth, letting water slip past her lips and fill her lungs as the blade vanished from her limp fingers.


    Light and pain came racing back as her head peeked above the water. A mixture of air and liquid swirled about her lungs, drawing forth pain anew as she violently coughed up fluid.


    Khukri held the wrist firm, but her teeth withdrew, allowing blood seeping from the wounds to mix with water already murky with dislodged mud. The wolf¡¯s other hand grabbed the base of Miyoko¡¯s ears, then the woman¡¯s weight bore down, forcing Miyoko back into the depths.


    Miyoko panicked as she realized she was about to go under once more, but the resistance was barely symbolic. It felt like her first interaction with a repercussion officer, only now the state wasn¡¯t around to stop it from going too far. Her futile thrashing slowed as death approached once more, only for her to break the surface with deep hacking coughs. This time, there couldn¡¯t be any doubt. She hadn¡¯t escaped. Khukri was prolonging her life on a whim.


    When the water came again, Miyoko breathed in as best she could, then went limp in the dark and cold. Just when her burning lungs felt like they¡¯d burst, Khukri pulled the rabbit free, letting her gasp and wheeze in an attempt to expel more water. With another deep breath, Miyoko moved to the surface, but this time, instead of being pushed under she was held in place. The water covered her mouth, but stopped short of her nose, letting her watch helplessly as the blood-tainted water swept downriver.


    A loud snarl an inch from her ear made Miyoko whimper uncontrollably and warmed the water by a few degrees. ¡°I am Master¡¯s will,¡± Khukri said, her voice hard and reverent. ¡°If you want to live: I speak, you listen. Do you want to live, little bunny?¡±


    Miyoko nodded and closed her eyes, shaking uncontrollably.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I can make you live to please Master, but there¡¯s a lot of things people think they¡¯d never do. Every time someone crosses that line, it gets easier to do it again.¡± The wolf released Miyoko¡¯s wrist and pressed into her back, leaving her muzzle so close Miyoko could feel warm breath cut through the soaked fur. It was just enough freedom to resist, as though daring the bunny to try. ¡°Master is a predator, but he doesn¡¯t know he¡¯d hurt us to get what he wants. As soon as he learns to use pain to control us, crossing that line gets easier - and we live in fear, forever. Not just you, not just me, but every girl I bring into my pack. You threaten my haven, little one¡­¡± Sharp teeth danced along Miyoko¡¯s ears, making her shudder in terror for a bite that never came. ¡°Do you want to be a threat to me? Or do you want to be friends?¡±


    Another twinge of pain added to the myriad of wounds as Khukri yanked Miyoko¡¯s mouth above the water by her ears while maintaining a low, threatening growl. ¡°Friends!¡± Miyoko begged, desperate heart pounding as she dared to hope. ¡°Please¡­ Friends¡­¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Khukri whispered, harshness subsiding. ¡°Now¡­ It¡¯s my duty to make sure you behave. When you disobey, it doesn¡¯t just make you look bad, it makes me look bad. So as a friend¡­ don¡¯t make me have this conversation again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Miyoko whimpered, words coming almost by instinct.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± Khukri¡¯s fingers uncurled, allowing Miyoko to slip limply back into the chilling dark.

 Chapter 8: The Azure Syndicate

    Ash stood next one of Eden¡¯s wells, vigorously scrubbing a green blanket against a washboard. With a satisfied smile, he stretched his sore muscles, then wrung the water free. Since Khukri was busy with Miyoko, Ash had a chance to explore all Eden had to offer. As Conall indicated, there was a large off-limits building in an open field surrounded by guard towers. It wasn¡¯t somewhere he intended to go... but that large open field seemed like a perfect place to hang a clothesline.


    As he added his newest blanket to the long line gently flapping in the evening breeze, Conall led a group past him to the mystery building. After dropping them off, he doubled back. The monk adjusted his sash, smiling as he approached. ¡°Very nicely done, Ashling.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until Ash started wearing the monk robes that he noticed how often Connall adjusted them. True, they were a bit revealing on one side. Ash added an unbuttoned shirt to the robes to cover his back for exactly that reason, but it was a far cry from the island wraps... or the nothing most of Eden preferred. ¡°Thanks Conall¡­ hey, I know not to go there, but can you tell me what that building¡¯s for?¡± Ash asked, nodding toward the distant structure.


    ¡°Many things. Some private, some not. I promise, if it ever has anything to do with you, I¡¯ll let you know,¡± Conall said apologetically. ¡°Thank you for your help today. I''ll mark a hundred florins off the cost of your lodging for your efforts¡­ Will you be seeking more chores tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Ash said, brow furrowed. ¡°I need to leave on business as soon as my girls get back¡­ could I let you know in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Conall gave a small, conciliatory bow.


    After thanking his host, Ash retrieved his washbasin and waddled through the compound, giving residents polite smiles as he went. Back on the island, Ash thought he was isolated because he was an outsider, but it seemed that his solitude was a universal constant.


    When he reached the house, a wide grin filled his face. Khukri knelt beside the door, tail thrashing madly as she stared at him, while Miyoko knelt on the other side with downcast eyes. After setting the basin down, he pulled Khukri to her feet and buried himself in her arms, drinking in the feel and smell of the girl he loved nestling eagerly against him.


    When he finally broke away, she beamed, waving a triumphant arm to the cowering girl. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve retrieved Miyoko and explained to her why she was bad. I don¡¯t think any further punishment is necessary, so long as we set proper boundaries.¡±


    Ash grimaced. As much as he didn¡¯t like Khukri¡¯s methods, it was becoming quickly apparent that his own were woefully lacking. He needed to find some kind of compromise¡ªharsh enough to prevent people from taking advantage of him, but without Khukri¡¯s more¡­ eccentric touch.


    ¡°I had the cage delivered while you were gone,¡± Ash said, crouching to look Miyoko over. The poor thing was still emaciated, with the outline of her ribs and collarbone raising the skin from her body. With his permission, Khukri had stopped at a blacksmith and fitted Miyoko with slave bracelets; metal rings around her wrists with a notch for tethering them to something else, or each other. They appeared to be similar to her collar... without the indecipherable markings the Azure Syndicate used in place of letters. His gaze swept along, settling on the girl¡¯s arm. ¡°She¡¯s wounded¡­¡± Ash murmured, gently lifting her wrist to inspect the infected bite just above her elbow.


    ¡°She tried to kill me,¡± Khukri explained apologetically. ¡°She got a knife from a hideout in the woods.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master¡­¡± Miyoko mumbled, keeping her eyes on the ground. Then she flinched as her stomach released a long groan of protest.


    Ash¡¯s horrified eyes jumped back to Khukri. ¡°Have you been feeding her?¡±


    ¡°Food is a privilege for good girls,¡± Khukri said, meeting his gaze without a hint of remorse. ¡°No one is entitled to your kindness. That¡¯s something people need to earn, otherwise they won¡¯t learn respect.¡±


    As much as Ash wanted to argue, this was the second time Khukri had to clean up his mistake. ¡°Maybe you deserve to starve for a few more days,¡± Ash bluffed, glaring at the rabbit. ¡°Maybe then you¡¯ll behave yourself.¡± He grabbed Miyoko¡¯s collar and pulled her forward, forcing the girl to look at him. Her big black eyes trembled, though in fear or rage he couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Convince me I''m wrong,¡± he ordered.


    ¡°Please, Master¡­¡± Miyoko said without hesitation, an edge of desperation in her voice. ¡°Please don¡¯t let me starve, Master. I¡¯m so hungry¡­ I promise I won¡¯t disobey again.¡±


    For a long moment he held her, as though somehow he could discern her sincerity. He couldn¡¯t, of course, but it wouldn¡¯t make a difference if she was lying. A proper knight always showed mercy to those he had power over.


    His fist uncurled, allowing Miyoko¡¯s head to drop. Khukri would likely still think him weak, but hopefully the display was enough to show he understood his failures. Trust and kindness may have convinced Khukri and Issac to back him in his hour of need, but if Issac had been like Rowan, or Khukri like Miyoko, his adventure would¡¯ve ended in The Direwood.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the Petals to make a pot of mushroom broth,¡± Ash announced, rising and turning his attention to Khukri. ¡°Secure her in her cage, water the strawberry bush, then meet me there.¡±


    ¡°She could join us, Master.¡± Khukri offered, dragging Miyoko to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be happy to show you how grateful she is for your forgiveness.¡±


    There was a seductive undertone to Khukri¡¯s voice, one that usually served as an invitation to her body, though Ash could never put his finger on how exactly he sensed it. Hell, maybe it was all in his head, and he was exactly the monster Miyoko feared. It was one thing when he lost control in bed with Khukri. For better or worse, the girl seemed to not only tolerate his inexplicable aggression, but revel in it. Miyoko though¡­ He still remembered her cowering beneath him, requesting gentleness, and the monumental restraint it took to pull back. He¡¯d shivered in anticipation at the time; reveled in her fear and helplessness as he planned to take her however he liked. In hindsight, that lust no longer filled him with delight, but disgust.


    ¡°No,¡± he grumbled, turning to the Petals so he wouldn¡¯t have to see Miyoko. ¡°We¡¯re getting low on money, and we need to be ready for whatever tomorrow throws at us. We¡¯ll handle the food. She¡¯ll rest in her cage.¡± Ash briskly walked away, making it clear his was the final word on the matter.


    * *  *


    The trip through Azure Junction was easier with a guide. Instead of stumbling around looking at everything, Ash kept his head down and followed Miyoko through the crowded streets. Despite his simple travel attire hiding his lupine tail, they still managed to draw attention¡­ or, Khukri did, anyway.


    It was his fault, given that he¡¯d kept Khukri in her expensive armour, while leaving Miyoko in the more discreet black shirt and pants he¡¯d gained from her ¡®burrow.¡¯ Ash inwardly cursed at the turning heads and curious expressions of those he passed. He¡¯d have covered Khukri up more, but in the warming spring air, even Ash¡¯s cotton clothes were enough to make him uncomfortably warm. It made little sense to protect the poor girl from arrows and blades, only to have her drop dead from heatstroke.


    This time, they exited the maze of vendor stalls far from the ARC and made a beeline directly for the city¡¯s edge. Blue roofs towered above the distant fortress wall stretching across the canyon - their target. Ash hurried after Miyoko, eager to see this ¡®Azure Syndicate.¡¯


    Soon they reached the pavilion filled with rabbit-girls dropping off and picking up strange wooden packs. Miyoko stopped and threw a tentative glance his way. ¡°Uh¡­ Master? Did you want me to grab one?¡±


    Ash hesitated, moving closer as he dropped his voice. ¡°Like¡­ Steal one?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Miyoko blinked, pointing to one of the women in white robes behind a table with dozens of packs in a line. As before, the woman stopped another rabbit-girl, looked inside her ear, then scribbled something down. After that, the girl who had her ear checked picked up the next pack in line and rushed out of the pavilion, picking up speed as she zipped toward the gate in the distance. ¡°I have an ASN, they¡¯ll give me a package, then when we get to the gate they¡¯ll give me¡­ They¡¯ll give you ten florins.¡±


    That was what this was? Ash turned in place, jaw falling at the hundreds of tables with packages getting dropped off and picked up. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to use a wagon? You could take fifty packages at a time.¡±


    ¡°They do, sometimes,¡± Miyoko admitted. ¡°In theory, a package could get from here to the Tsu Empire in two days on the backs of forty different girls, but if you want to use a pass big enough for wagons, it¡¯ll take weeks. They built a lot of tunnels and narrow mountain passes as shortcuts during the war, and supply runners started charging for express delivery. At some point an executive company took over, and now anytime someone moves from one checkpoint to another, they can grab a pack for spending money.¡±


    As inviting as ten florins was, Ash had enough new experiences lined up for one day. With a shake of his head, he passed Miyoko and led his girls onto a field, staying on the grass far from the worn dirt paths girls zipped down. ¡°What stops them from just¡­ keeping the package?¡±


    Miyoko hurried to his side. ¡°They match the sending and receiving ASN¡¯s at the end of the night. If you¡¯re on the sending list and not the receiving one, your ASN gets flagged. It only takes a few days before ASN checkpoints start turning you over to metsukes.¡±


    Idly, Ash watched the girls move down the roads in either direction, blurred legs kicking up small clouds of dust as they passed. Despite the speed, it still seemed a waste to have fifty people doing what a single aibax and a sturdy wagon could manage. As the next one flew past, he felt a stab of sympathy for Lenn. No wonder the man had to travel so far to get his own customers.


    It took an hour trailing the dust clouds before Ash reached the gate. It was even more imposing up close. From here, the sapphire-blue roof tiles were propped up too far on the massive wall to see. The fortress blockaded the canyon with a mountainous wall of wood Ash speculated used to populate the empty stretch between here and Azure Junction.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Miyoko forged ahead, leading them to one of the lines of rabbit girls dotting the structure¡¯s base. To Ash¡¯s relief, it didn¡¯t take long, with a girl going through every thirty seconds or so. When it was their turn, Ash stepped through the wooden door into some sort of stone tunnel beneath the fortress. Upon Miyoko¡¯s approach, an elderly rabbit-boy wearing the familiar white robe barely looked up as he grabbed her ear. He expressionlessly flipped through a book, made a note, then waved her through. His hand was already halfway to Ash before he hesitated, then waved them forward. ¡°Go on then, welcome to the Azure Syndicate.¡±


    The tunnel spat them out into a bizarre city beyond the fortress. Mountains to either side were shaved into flat stone walls, providing more room for a forest of square wooden towers that rose three stories before flaring out into blue tiled roofs. The city was a buzz of speech and laughter, with voices talking over each other into a blended cacophony.


    Khukri¡¯s warning growl snapped Ash from his daze and spiked his heart rate, though that settled once he realized it wasn¡¯t for him. Having correctly interpreted the warning, Miyoko scurried back with an irritated grumble. ¡°Sorry¡­ Err, I mean¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Master. I thought you were right behind me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like the strip,¡± Ash muttered, turning his eyes skyward to admire the hundreds of towers blanketing the canyon.


    ¡°The material and construction are better¡­ But otherwise, yeah,¡± Khukri agreed. ¡°Still too many people though.¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes lowered to the street bisected by three railings. On either side, hundreds of rabbits milled about in outfits ranging from brown robes and straw hats to attention-grabbing multicoloured outfits. Some moved with silent purpose, walking briskly past others who lounged on the building¡¯s faces, loudly relaxing with friends. Most barely seemed to notice each other, even when they passed within a few feet. Between the railings, girls zipped down the centre at high speeds, most with a wooden pack in tow.


    ¡°Goddess help me¡­ there¡¯s so many¡­¡± Ash muttered, unconsciously taking a step back. ¡°There must be more rabbits than deer¡­¡±


    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Miyoko said, thoroughly unimpressed and waiting for Ash to stop gawking. ¡°There¡¯s not a lot of places to live, so Azure animals tend to cluster. Tythic, on the other hand? Lots of room to spread out and set up farms.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Ash mumbled, pulling his eyes from the swarm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. Anyone under a mercenary contract can leave, and anyone under an executive contract can cry themselves to sleep on a big pile of money.¡± Miyoko rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not even like I¡¯m attached. I¡¯ve only lived here a few years.¡±


    Ash followed Miyoko through the sea of life, flinching uncomfortably anytime someone drew close. After five minutes a hand fell onto his shoulder and made him jump. ¡°Relax, Master,¡± Khukri assured. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    After another twenty minutes of tense marching down the canyon, Miyoko approached a building with two doors¡ªone normal and one much larger, presumably for carriages¡­ assuming one could safely navigate the tide of fur and flesh.


    Moments before entering, Miyoko hesitated and folded her hands on her stomach. ¡°This is it, Master. I worked with these people for years. Assuming they didn¡¯t leave in the last three months, they can get you anything you need.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­¡± Khukri warned. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this? They might not take kindly to you owning their friend, even if legally you¡¯re in the right.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not friends,¡± Miyoko spat, unconsciously fiddling with an ear. ¡°They were coworkers. You get sentimental here, you¡¯re just asking for trouble. Your money means more to them than my freedom ever would.¡±


    ¡°Relax, Khukri,¡± Ash assured. ¡°We¡¯re not getting very far without a good broker, but if they get hostile, we¡¯ll leave.¡±


    Ash pushed the door aside and escaped from the furry chaos into a far quieter venue. The large room had a long red carpet with a table in the centre, flanked by two couches. On one sat a short, heavyset rabbit-girl with black fur, and on the other, a muscled rabbit-girl with brown fur and giant ears who boasted a build a full head taller.


    The black rabbit was the first to move, hopping to her feet and staring open-mouthed. ¡°Ghost? You¡¯re alive?¡±


    The muscled girl rose to her full height next, sporting a set of leather armour Ash would¡¯ve found impressive before his excursion to The Direwood. Her orange and black eyes swept over them, settling on Khukri for a long moment before she set a hand on the smaller one¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Aoi,¡± she warned, ¡°It appears we have guests.¡±


    Aoi¡¯s gaze settled on Miyoko¡¯s collar, then turned hard as it redirected to Ash. ¡°So we do¡­ what brings you here, Stranger?¡±


    ¡°Business,¡± Ash said quickly. ¡°I need a broker, and Miyoko said you guys got stuff done.¡±


    ¡°Miyoko?¡± Aoi asked, eyes widening in shock.


    The larger, brown rabbit sighed and turned to a set of stairs that led to a small door on the second level. ¡°Say nothing, Aoi. I¡¯ll get Hotaru.¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s ears folded back as she slouched. ¡°Aoi, I¡¯ll explain later, but this is my¡­ master¡­ and he¡¯ll be calling me Miyoko since that¡¯s what my ASN says.¡±


    ¡°Your ASN?¡± A look of confusion and disgust clouded her face. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t get away after all...¡±


    Another voice, an older one filled with authority, rang out from atop the stairs. ¡°If Ghost got caught doing something, we wouldn¡¯t have any idea what that was.¡± The room grew silent and Aoi¡¯s gaze dropped to the floor as her jaw stiffened. The speaker was a rabbit-girl in her twilight years, with messy white and brown fur and ears that hung down to her waist. She leaped from the top stair to the ground floor, suspicious eyes moving from Miyoko to Ash as she rose from a crouch. ¡°Ghost I know, but this is the first time we¡¯ve met.¡±


    ¡°Ashling,¡± Ash said, holding a hand out with a polite smile. ¡°As I¡¯ve said, I¡¯m in need of a broker.¡±


    The woman¡¯s hard eyes bore into him, but when he refused to flinch, she reluctantly shook his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Hotaru¡­ I run this company. We¡¯d be happy to honour any law-abiding request.¡± A strange stipulation to add¡­ not the stipulation itself mind you, just the fact that the woman needed to state it. Hotaru¡¯s gaze drifted back to Miyoko, who cringed slightly at the attention. ¡°I can set you up with a broker immediately, provided you don¡¯t mind if I have a word with your slave in private.¡±


    Khukri growled uneasily, an emotion that rapidly spread throughout the room. ¡°Shush, Khukri,¡± Ash admonished, turning his attention to the rabbit at his side. ¡°Miyoko? Are you alright going with her?¡±


    She turned, looking at him like he was an idiot. Well, at least he was familiar with that one.


    ¡°That¡¯s settled then,¡± Hotaru said, turning to the stairs. ¡°Sean! Get your ass out here! You have a client!¡± As Miyoko and Hotaru made their way up the stairs, another door on the ground floor opened, one that led to the barn doors out front if Ash wasn¡¯t mistaken.


    A male deer about Ash¡¯s age¡­ presumably named Sean, walked through the door and met Ash¡¯s eyes with a surprised, but professional, stare. The man wore a slimming red dress, and unlike most of Miyoko¡¯s old coworkers, had expertly removed his winter coat. He shut the door and sauntered across the room, pausing for a moment to glance at Khukri before offering Ash his hand. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had a deer-boy client. Sean.¡±


    ¡°Ashling.¡± It took a second for Ash to catch up, then he hastily shook the hand and retreated to the couch. ¡°Khukri, sit.¡± His seat rocked slightly as the wolf bounded over the back and landed next to him, eagerly curling into his chest to let him pet her. Ash smiled as his fingers slid possessively through her fur and over her ears. Of the approaches he¡¯d tried, this seemed to be the fastest way to get people to understand Khukri wasn¡¯t going to hurt them. ¡°Good girl,¡± Ash mumbled, eliciting a pleased rumble from her throat.


    ¡°¡­Lovely,¡± Sean said, sitting across from Ash, pointedly ignoring Aoi¡¯s urgent stares. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you tell me what you need a broker for?¡±


    ¡°For starters, I¡¯ve just returned from a season hunting in The Direwood and I have a cargo hold I need to unload.¡±


    Sean¡¯s face became serious. ¡°I see. Aoi, could you grab a paper? I¡¯m going to need to confirm the quantity and quality before I can sell those. Where¡¯s the cargo being stored?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still aboard my ship in Isle Point.¡± Ash hesitated. It occurred to him that with enough time and Khukri¡¯s help, it might be possible to track down his stolen books¡­ but what was the point? He¡¯d read those so many times he could practically recite the issues from memory. ¡°I¡¯d also like issues 92 through 100 of ¡®The Wolf Queen¡¯¡±


    Instantly, Sean¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°And¡­ you¡¯re living in Tythic?¡±


    Khukri turned about in Ash¡¯s lap so her head faced Sean while they spoke, then she stretched and let out a long yawn that revealed all her teeth. With a gentle hand, Ash rubbed the side of her head and beneath her chin, trying to remind her that she could come across as threatening if she wasn¡¯t careful. ¡°Something wrong?¡± he asked.


    ¡°On this side of the border, no,¡± Sean warily admitted. ¡°I¡¯m familiar with the series¡­ and that It¡¯s been banned in Tythic since the coup.¡± At the mention of the book¡¯s dubious legality, both Aoi and her muscled friend¡¯s mood soured.


    ¡°I spent the hunting season up north,¡± Ash explained, patting Khukri¡¯s neck for emphasis. ¡°I made landfall less than a week ago, and spent most of that traveling here. This is the first I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    ¡°The new queen made a few edicts once she was in power. One of them was to ban a bunch of foreign books for the-¡± Sean cleared his throat and straightened his posture for  a moment- ¡°safety and protection of our children, culture, and national identity.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine¡­¡± Ash grumbled absently. While frustrating, this wouldn¡¯t be a major problem. Surely he could find a place on this side of the gate to read them. ¡°It¡¯s allowed in the Azure Syndicate though?¡±


    Sean sighed, accepting a paper from Aoi and smoothing it out on the table. ¡°I know a few people who can get you authenticated fan copies, although the price has risen since the ban.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Well, except for issue 98, obviously.¡±


    From what Ash remembered,  Deianira had said something about issue 99 and 100 being false. It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence that there was a problem with issue 98. ¡°Why not that one?¡±


    ¡°Problems with authentication,¡± Sean said, pressing a quill to the page. ¡°Back when the book came out there was a big stink about it. Every authentication submission got rejected. There was an entire case where a guy with a copy from the publisher and an unbroken seal from the Queen of Sibir was rejected for authentication. Eventually a syndicate lord had to check the authentication copy themselves.¡±


    Ash frowned. There was a concerning amount of drama around this supposed ¡®simple adventure series.¡¯ ¡°How did they know the authentication copy was legitimate?¡±


    ¡°The syndicate lords were accusing a queen of lying; obviously they checked their copy hadn¡¯t been switched.¡± Sean was engrossed in his letter now; quickly scribbling something in that strange Azure alphabet. ¡°Executives have contracts on the first edition of any book from Dusk Empire publishing houses, just like Tythic¡¯s royal library. After a formal request to the royal family, they discovered the two matched.¡±


    ¡°Library?¡± Moments after the words passed Ash¡¯s lips, Khukri¡¯s teeth pinched his thigh through the fabric. Right, right, stop asking questions that everyone knows the answers to. I¡¯m sorry, alright? He stared down suspicious looks from the others, but held firm until they answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s a big repository of books held by the government,¡± Sean finally said, setting his quill back in the inkwell. ¡°People who are authorized can go in and read them for free.¡±


    Ash blinked in disbelief. That¡­ that was exactly what he needed! The Wolf Queen was his holy book, and the only clue to the quest Deianira expected him to accomplish once he became a knight. With stakes that high, any risk of error was too much. If he wanted to know for sure, he¡¯d need to visit the library and read the original. ¡°I know what a library is¡­¡± Ash lied, feigning indignance. ¡°I was wondering if they¡¯d still have a copy, given it was banned.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Sean said, sheepishly retrieving his quill. ¡°Well, the case was a while ago, but the library¡¯s always been pretty independent given how proud the whitetails are of it. Plus, a first edition in pristine condition isn¡¯t cheap, so I can¡¯t see them just burning it. No way to know for sure without checking for yourself, though. Which means us peasants are out of luck unless some royal is willing to lend out their library card."


    A smirk twitched on Ash¡¯s face as a stupid idea came together. ¡°They give library cards to royalty? Like, all royalty? Even the ones pretty far down on the list?¡±


    Sean made a final stroke, then sat back and wiped off the tip of his quill with a small cloth, raising a curious eyebrow. ¡°Yes, why? You know someone in the new government who has a card?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Ash mused, ¡°but I might know where I can find one.¡±

 Chapter 9: Stolen Property

    Miyoko shut the door to Hotaru¡¯s office, relieved to trade Khukri¡¯s ever-present gaze for the familiar sight.


    Hotaru¡¯s office was the same mess it always was¡ªwalls of busted drawers, salvaged and refurbished just well enough to work, each covered in, and likely filled with, piles of junk. Hotaru sighed as she passed the pile of half-used string and boxes of old nails in various sizes. Two sunbeams radiated through horizontal windows, propped open by sticks on the building¡¯s front, and fell lazily across the older woman as she dropped into her seat.


    With a swipe, Hotaru brushed the knickknacks on her desk aside, then turned her expectant gaze on Miyoko.


    ¡°Heeeey, Hotaru,¡± Miyoko folded her arms and gave the older woman a nervous grin. ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever see you again.¡±


    ¡°Bit of an understatement,¡± Hotaru whispered in a bewildered voice, leaning back in her chair. ¡°Since you left¡­¡± For a moment, a painful silence held the room, then Hotaru took a deep breath. ¡°There¡¯s no way this conversation goes well, did you want¡ª¡±


    Miyoko let out a relieved sigh. ¡°Yes, Tsu guide me, it¡¯s been months.¡±


    With a muted smile, Hotaru dug through a drawer, rattling and thumping the contents as she searched. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re not dead, Ghost.¡±


    Ghost; the nickname made Miyoko wince. It was the only way her old crew would ever know her, though she¡¯d never be one again. Still, she could hardly expect them to call her ¡®Miyoko.¡¯ ¡°Look, when I ran off with those jewels¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain.¡± The contents of the drawer clacked and jingled before Hotaru finally withdrew a slender wood and brass pipe. ¡°I mean, when it happened I was ready to strangle you to death¡­ but after we got out of there and heard about the coup¡­ how¡¯d you figure out Fleur set us up?¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s heart sank as Fleur¡¯s name sent a wave of nausea rippling through her stomach. That was one more person best left with Ghost, in the past. ¡°I, uh, saw the ships in the water. It felt like too much of a coincidence that many military ships just so happened to swing by right before we swiped the goods.¡± She looked up with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad you guys made it out.¡±


    Hotaru grimaced, setting a small tin on the desk and flipping it open to showcase a batch of uneven black lumps. ¡°Things have been rough since then. It wasn¡¯t just our crew Fleur betrayed. She set up twenty jobs, all as high-profile as ours, all got busted. It threw Tythic¡¯s military into chaos for a few hours; the exact hours the new queen used to stage her coup. Executives have been breathing down our necks, and every day someone else I knew gets beheaded in Azashi Plaza¡­¡± A visible shiver ran through the older woman, along with a hollow look that accented the wrinkles under her eyes. ¡°I thought for sure I¡¯d see your name one of these days.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I figured things might be a bit tough.¡± Miyoko forced a smile. ¡°Lucky for you, I brought a client, just like the old days.¡±


    Hotaru glanced up, eyes settling on Miyoko¡¯s collar. ¡°With one or two differences.¡± She hastily smeared an opium lump into the pipe and set a match to it. ¡°Who is this guy anyway? Have you been with him the last three months?¡±


    Miyoko extended her hand, raising an eyebrow. When the pipe hit her palm she spun it about, a smile crossing her face at the familiar weight. It was like a welcome from an old friend; the only kind you could really trust. ¡°Ashling. He bought me a few days back. I barely know him. One of those monks from that weird sex cult.¡±


    Another beat of uncomfortable silence passed before Hotaru sunk into her chair. ¡°Is he¡­ are you¡­¡±


    Time seemed to slow for a moment as a wave of tranquillity rolled down Miyoko¡¯s throat and filled her lungs. The stresses of the last three months washed away in a dreamlike haze as her friend lifted the burdens from her shoulder for an instant. A pungent, sweet aroma flooded the room as smoke curled from Miyoko¡¯s lips and danced around her fingers, stretching skyward. Her eyes flicked back, focusing on Hotaru through the haze. ¡°He gets what he paid for, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. Hasn¡¯t hurt me, but that wolf enforcer of his made it pretty clear how bad things get if I don¡¯t behave.¡±


    Hotaru hesitated, waving Miyoko off when she offered to relinquish the pipe. ¡°You know we can¡¯t risk helping you. The metsuke aren¡¯t above turning you against us.¡±


    Tension receded from Miyoko¡¯s muscles as she sauntered to the window, taking another long drag and blowing the smoke outside. ¡°Really? Me? You think I¡¯d work with the executives?¡±


    ¡°You were closer to Fleur than any of us,¡± Hotaru countered, voice poorly concealing anger and fear. ¡°Besides, everyone else who got caught has a date with a headsman in Azashi Plaza, but not you. Can you really blame the crew for being a bit jumpy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a sex slave, Hotaru. It¡¯s not like I got off with a slap on the wrist.¡± Miyoko looked up, smiling as her hand traced a languid line through the smoke illuminated by a sunbeam. ¡°And in case you forgot? It¡¯s a punishment I got keeping you lot off the chopping block.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to help,¡± Hotaru said, ¡°But things are different than last season. Executives are watching every move we make, and a lot of people we used to rely on are dead or turning on their old friends to save their skin.¡±


    That made Miyoko smile more. After everything that happened, they still believed I was doing it for them? It seems even the wise Hotaru couldn¡¯t really see the Ghost. She wiped off the smile as she turned back. ¡°I get it. I didn¡¯t come back from the dead to beg. I came because that cultist insists on making contacts in the Azure Syndicate, and the demon I know beats the demon I don¡¯t. So¡­ let¡¯s talk.¡±


    * * *


    The pine tree¡¯s rough bark pressed into Miyoko¡¯s back, held firmly in place by the rope Khukri used to bind her wrists. Sunset filtered through the trees, competing with a small campfire under a bubbling iron pot to light their campsite. Even this far north, what little cold the winter provided was fast diminishing, so Ashling¡¯s tent mostly existed to sleep without bugs eating them alive.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Miyoko said with a sigh. ¡°Untie me.¡±


    Sean looked up sharply from his seat beside the fire, eyes wide.


    ¡°Calm down; I¡¯m not gonna run,¡± Miyoko rolled her eyes. ¡°That enforcer of his would track me down within a day and make me pay for it. Just remember the knot she used. You can tie me up again before she gets back.¡±


    A rustle from the forest made Sean flinch, then nervously stare into the shadowed wood. ¡°Hotaru said we¡¯re supposed to keep out of trouble.¡±


    ¡°Oh? This is the executives¡¯ master plan to get you?¡± Miyoko mocked. ¡°Hide in a forest in the middle of nowhere so they could jump out and arrest you for untying a slave from a tree?¡±


    Sean¡¯s cheeks puffed up as he looked back. ¡°Well, what if your master comes back and catches us?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We have time,¡± Miyoko said flatly. ¡°Khukri¡¯s not coming back till she gets her fix.¡±


    Following the meeting with Hotaru, Ashling had decided to lead Sean to his boat at Isle Point, the harbour that handled most of the traffic to the islands north of the peninsula. That suited Miyoko just fine, as it put her right on Inisheer¡¯s doorstep. The days of travel between Eden and the coastline were the biggest obstacle to her escape, one these idiots were unknowingly bypassing for her. No matter how good at tracking Khukri was, she couldn¡¯t do it on the ocean. With any luck, Miyoko would be rich beyond measure and sailing south by the end of the week.


    Miyoko offered a grateful smile when Sean reluctantly rose and saw to her bonds. ¡°Thanks,¡± she murmured. ¡°You got any insight on what this guy plans to do after you appraise his cargo?¡±


    The rope went taught, pulling Miyoko¡¯s shoulders against the tree before suddenly loosening as one wrist slipped free. ¡°Believe it or not, he¡¯s taking a trip to the governess¡¯s mansion to request her library card,¡± Sean grumbled, returning to the fire.


    If Ashling had ties to anyone in the new Tythic government, it was news to Miyoko, but that still didn¡¯t explain his goal. ¡°What¡¯s he need a library card for?¡±


    Sean sighed, removing the lid from the pot to give it a slow stir. ¡°He wants an adventure centi-series from way down south, past the Dusk Empire. I can get him fan copies just fine, but he really wants to see the first edition.¡±


    Just a bored, rich boy looking to have his own brand of fun then. Nothing surprising there. The stew¡¯s aroma washed over Miyoko, making her stomach tight and lips moist. Her voice dropped as she rubbed her wrist, following Sean to the fire. ¡°Did Hotaru tell you about the food?¡±


    ¡°She did,¡± Sean said, shifting uncomfortably. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching carefully. He hasn¡¯t added anything suspicious yet, but I¡¯ll signal you if he doses your portion.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Miyoko mumbled. She hadn¡¯t gone into detail, but Sean¡¯s averted eyes let her know he was well aware of her newfound ¡®duties.¡¯ Luckily, Hotaru had chosen their bashful little deer-boy to catalogue Ashling¡¯s hunting spoils. Tsu guide her if Aoi had been her traveling companion. ¡°If he¡¯s thinking he can get a card he must know the new governess pretty well. Did he say-¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A wild, piercing howl cut through the forest, rendering all the birds and bugs silent in its aftermath. Sean scrambled to his feet, fists clenched as he gazed into the night.


    ¡°Damn.¡± Miyoko sighed, stretching as she wandered back to the tree. ¡°Relax, you pampered prince. Believe it or not, that¡¯s her happy noise.¡±


    The deer turned back, shaking slightly. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Miyoko mumbled, irritation touching her tone as a bead of sap stuck her ears together. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be longer. He¡¯s really skimping on the foreplay this time.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said she¡¯s coming, tie me back up,¡± Miyoko grumbled, folding her wrists behind the tree.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the two stumbled back into camp with chipper grins, as though they hadn¡¯t spent the better part of a day in an exhaustive off-road march. Ashling squeezed Khukri¡¯s hand before he broke away, sending her to stir the pot while he approached Miyoko.


    Ugh, my turn then. Hopefully he¡¯ll take me far enough away that Sean won¡¯t hear¡­ ¡°Hello, Master.¡± Miyoko bowed her head, taking notice of the dirt staining Ashling¡¯s knees. ¡°Did you enjoy your walk?¡±


    His shoulders hunched slightly and his lips tightened as he let out a small cough, then knelt to untie her. ¡°Uh, yeah, thanks.¡±


    Embarrassment? Really? Maybe he¡¯ll have the decency to keep Sean from listening in after all. ¡°Is it my turn to ¡®go for a walk?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Not tonight,¡± he mumbled, pulling the knots free and releasing her wrists. ¡°I just¡­ we haven¡¯t talked much since¡­ uh, I just wanted to talk.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯d be good, Master,¡± Miyoko reminded him. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you whatever you want to hear.¡±


    He closed his eyes, sighing as he wound the rope into a coil. ¡°Right¡­ I was curious about the crossbow you brought back.¡±


    My crossbow? The one you stole alongside the rest of my shit? That crossbow?


    Honestly, despite knowing full well the man saw her as his sex toy, the stealing got under her skin more. After all, Ghost had slept with men she had no interest in before, but this was the first time they stole her things afterward; she much preferred it the other way around. ¡°What about it?¡± Miyoko asked through a forced smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a lot smaller than the one I¡¯m used to.¡± Ashling tucked the rope back into his bag, then removed the crossbow to examine. ¡°I was wondering if you could tell me about it.¡±


    Ugh! The stuff he took wasn¡¯t even that expensive, but it was hers, damn it! She¡¯d killed for everything in there! ¡°Oh, um¡­ yeah, there¡¯s different types. That one¡¯s an arcuballista. They¡¯re small and easy to reload so you can use it one handed while mounted.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Ashling smiled, offering her a hand as he stood. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t really need all the gears? Where¡¯s the lever?¡±


    Reluctantly, Miyoko accepted the hand as she rose. ¡°Gears?¡± she asked, trailing him to the fire. ¡°How big is a ¡®normal¡¯ crossbow for you?¡±


    ¡°About¡­ shoulder height?¡±


    ¡°Shoulder height with gears¡­¡± Miyoko glanced at Sean, but the man¡¯s eyes never strayed from Khukri and the food. ¡°Is a ¡®normal¡¯ crossbow a Wolfram mobile scorpio?¡±


    Ashling blinked, removing the weapon from his pack and turning it about. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not familiar with all the different types.¡±


    Miyoko forced a calming breath through her teeth. ¡°Okay, did yours use a bowstring¡­ or a steel cable attached to a portable steam engine?¡±


    Tension flooded Ashling¡¯s face as he looked from the weapon to Khukri, hesitating before he relaxed with an apologetic chuckle. ¡°Oh, a normal crossbow! Yeah, sorry, I got distracted. Obviously the one we used isn¡¯t normal.¡± Ash asserted, reading Miyoko¡¯s reaction carefully.


    ¡°What were you hunting with anti-aircraft field artillery?¡± Miyoko demanded. ¡°A velkammer?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Oof, the velkammer was rough,¡± Khukri chimed in, absently rubbing her arm. ¡°I wasn¡¯t allowed to swim for weeks¡­ but Master was so pleased, he let me wear abyssal scale.¡± As though to show off, Khukri spun away from the fire, letting a rippling iridescent wave shimmer across her flowing scale cloak.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­very pretty,¡± Miyoko said. Okay, the man¡¯s rich, sure. But there¡¯s a massive gap between ¡®I buy sex slaves¡¯ rich and ¡®I play with bleeding-edge Othelan military hardware¡¯ rich.


    They had to be lying. Anyone with that kind of money wouldn¡¯t cook stew out of a secondhand pot in the woods.


    ¡°There was something else,¡± Ashling said, voice becoming softer and more serious. ¡°Why does everyone call you Ghost?¡±


    Sean perked up, finally peeling his eyes from the wolf to view Miyoko curiously. The minute Miyoko decided to get Hotaru¡¯s help, she knew this conversation was coming. ¡°A ¡®ghost¡¯ is what executives call rabbits who don¡¯t have an ASN. My old name let everyone know I was from the Tsu Empire, so I dropped it.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ashling said, setting the weapon down. ¡°So¡­ why did the clerk say your name was Miyoko?¡±


    The camp was still now, with the setting sun¡¯s final gasp rapidly vanishing beneath the horizon and plunging their little camp into firelight. Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on Miyoko as she sat on the ground with a raised eyebrow on Sean.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him anything,¡± Sean said.


    With a sigh, she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her knees. ¡°When I joined Hotaru¡¯s crew, there was a woman named Miyoko who kinda showed me the ropes. We worked together for a while¡­ until one day she, uh, got on the wrong side of the law. Ended up in chains, then a bit later, a burning building.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Ashling said, shifting uncomfortably.


    Miyoko shrugged. ¡°Being a ghost isn¡¯t illegal, it just means you can''t accept executive jobs. But when a ghost becomes a slave, they¡¯re given an ASN anyway. One that tells everyone you used to be a ghost. I figured, since Miyoko¡¯s not using hers¡­¡± Miyoko looked away, rubbing the ear between her fingers with a grimace.


    ¡°Food¡¯s ready,¡± Khukri said, extending a cup of broth, though even her mood had dampened.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Miyoko forced a smile as she took the cup, then caught Sean¡¯s signal that it hadn¡¯t been tampered with before closing her eyes and quietly sipping.


    * * *


    A shiver ran through Ghost¡¯s body as she crouched in the treeline overlooking a vast, lavish estate. Rows of pine trees, stiff with the first chill of winter masked her presence as deer-girls clad in thick furs patrolled the grounds with flickering torches. Clan Inisraighe controlled several islands off the coast of Southern Tythic, where they¡¯d holed up with their kin to ride out the blizzards already ravaging the mainland.


    On any other job, Ghost would¡¯ve been wary of approaching in the dead of night. In the Azure Syndicate, or even Northern Tythic, a place this nice would¡¯ve left night guard duty to a species with night eyes or even foxhunters. Fortunately, the southern clans weren¡¯t as bright as their whitetail sisters to the north. Here, only the deer of their clan could be trusted. If all she had to worry about was deer, then they wouldn¡¯t know she was here until fire kissed the sky.


    When Ghost was satisfied she¡¯d located a blind spot in the guards¡¯ patrol, she shifted her pack, ensuring it was secure before leaning into a full sprint. Once she got up to speed, she turned toward the gate and leaped, easily clearing the wrought iron fencing before rolling into a bush on the other side. Once certain no one noticed, Ghost flitted from one hiding spot to the next as she approached the building.


    With only crickets and her own breathing to keep her company, Ghost crept to the ominous stable beside the estate. After pressing an ear to the door, she pulled it open with a small creak and slipped inside. A gust of cold air swept in with her, stirring dozens of curious drakes. Ghost lit a gas lamp as she hurried down the centre, illuminating bobbing scaled heads from curious beasts trying to discern if this was the kind of guest who fed them, or another, less generous visitor.


    It was unfortunate she was busy with a job. Had she known about this place earlier, she could¡¯ve swiped one of the glorious purebred beasts, but between the snow and her objective, there simply wasn¡¯t time. Instead, Ghost stopped, cracking open the last stall on the left.


    Inside were unremarkable mounds of hay surrounding a central patch of dirt. A massive tabra pelt lay draped over a mound, its thin white stripes catching her lantern and popping against the thick, black fur surrounding them. Finally, there was what Ghost searched for - a battered wooden chest.


    With a deep, steam-filled breath, Miyoko knelt and unslung her pack. A ripple of disgust rolled through her chest as she opened it, making her teeth clench as light fell across the contents. She¡¯d expected the cuffs, skimpy outfits, and riding cane, but the headband with elongated fake rabbit ears? That got to her.


    ¡°Fuckers,¡± Ghost mumbled as she opened her pack. With a held breath, she transferred the heavy steel canister to the chest. Somewhere in the barn, a drake snorted, freezing Ghost as every muscle focused on keeping the weight in her hands. No hesitation, Ghost, no time for second guessing. Her numb fingers moved, setting a spike over the canister¡¯s indented top, then with shaking hands, pressed down. The spike slid into the canister with a soft hiss, but after a moment passed, Ghost once again dared to breathe.


    With motions practiced a hundred times for exactly this night, Ghost secured the canister to the lid with a crimped wire. When the lid clicked shut for the last time, she breathed a sigh of relief and packed up her tools. It was time to go.


    Ghost killed the lantern as she drifted past the drakes to the barn door. Another careful listen later, she stole away into the frigid night, backtracking between hiding spots until she could hop the fence and return to the treeline.


    Back in hiding, Ghost slipped off her gloves and set about filling her pipe with opium. It was unprofessional, getting high before the job was done, but after the nerve-wracking work she needed something to take the edge off. All that was left was to see it through.


    Eventually, the clan leader¡¯s door opened and a deer-boy emerged, followed by a rabbit-girl barely visible under her thick, hooded cloak. The man held a torch aloft, accepting teasing comments from the girls as he led the rabbit to the stable.


    Ghost put the smouldering pipe between her teeth and leaned forward with a steep inhale. Gaseous peace filled her lungs, radiating waves of relaxation over her. The rabbit paused at the stable door to glance into the dark, though from this distance, she¡¯d see little more than a pinprick of light in the shadowy sea of trees. Then, she entered.


    Smoke streamed from Ghost¡¯s lips as she rose and slung her pack on, watching through half-lidded eyes as the barn lit up. Blinding light poured through gaps between logs, then the stable erupted in a magnificent fireball.


    It was some small consolation that none of them felt pain as the barn was consumed in a searing cloud of white-hot magnesium gas. The liquid in the man, woman, and drakes likely vaporized before they even understood the threat, leaving behind nothing but bones. Cinders flew skyward as the structure collapsed, burying even those beneath a massive funeral pyre.


    ¡°Thanks for the burrows, Miyoko,¡± Ghost said, watching chaos unfold as screaming deer streamed from their buildings in a rush to extinguish the blaze. A final sigh left her lungs, sending smoke through her nostrils to mix with the steam of her breath. Then she turned away. It was time to go home.

 Chapter 10: Royal Etiquette

    The docks of Ardmore bustled with islander sailors servicing the many ships visitng their ports. The sights and sounds were familiar, and a wistful smile graced Ash¡¯s lips as he wondered how disappointed his childhood self would be. To think,a quest for knighthood would lead him to nostalgically enjoy the sound of dockworkers and the smell of the sea. Reflexively, he gave Khukri a gentle pet. In fairness, there were plenty of new things he enjoyed too.


    Though the atmosphere felt similar, Ash was quick to console himself that Ardmore was plenty different from Eriskay. His home island was further west in the Firebloom Ocean, surrounded by cliffs that made only a single port accessible. Ardmore, on the other hand, was one of the closest islands to Isle Point, with a shipyard and three ports. Well, technically, two public ports and a private dock at the governor''s mansion, but the point remained. Of the northern isles, Ardmore¡¯s people were furthest from being ¡®islanders¡¯.


    ¡°Do we really need to drag her into this?¡± Ash asked, withdrawing his hand as they sauntered up the dock toward The Ambition.


    ¡°Miyoko is your property,¡± Khukri reminded him, dismissing the objection. ¡°Your problems are her problems, and it¡¯s her duty to help you solve them.¡± Then she sighed, glancing away. ¡°Even if it¡¯s a bad idea.¡±


    Some part of him agreed; it wasn¡¯t the safest option, but this book could be the key to understanding what he was and what he was supposed to do. Khukri agreed to go along with any stupid idea he had and protected him from the consequences without ridicule, so if ¡®bad idea¡¯ was the least of her criticisms, he¡¯d take it.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ash relented, gesturing for her to go on ahead. ¡°Bring her to my quarters.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    After she left, Ash basked in the strange nostalgia. Perhaps he enjoyed the familiar sight so much precisely because he¡¯d changed? In one season, the island docks transitioned from the boundary of his world to a place he chose to visit.


    Satisfied, Ash boarded The Ambition and entered his cabin. For a heartbeat, his breath caught. Khukri had indeed brought Miyoko to his quarters as asked, then proceeded to strip the girl naked and leave her kneeling next to his bed. Beside her, Khukri knelt attentively, holding both their clothes in folded piles. Again, this felt like behaviour he should correct, but his softness had led to betrayal twice. Was it really wise to undermine the one girl actually willing to help him? With a resigned sigh, Ash sat on the bed.


    ¡°Miyoko,¡± Ash started, trying to project an aura of confidence. ¡°In two days we¡¯re going to attend a party at the governor''s¡­ er, governess¡¯s mansion. Our goal is to snag a library card, and I need your help.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Master,¡± Miyoko said, lowering her head.


    Another moment of silence passed as Ash glanced at Khukri with a small smile. This was going far smoother than he¡¯d expected. ¡°Obviously, we shouldn¡¯t put Sean in danger, so I¡¯m setting aside money for a small crew to sail The Ambition back to Isle Point if the worst happens.¡±


    One of Miyoko¡¯s ears twitched up, followed by a confused eyebrow. ¡°How wrong, exactly, could asking for a library card go?¡±


    ¡°He never said we were asking,¡± Khukri clarified.


    ¡°What?¡± Miyoko asked, eyes widening as they snapped back to Ash.


    Ah, that explained the attitude. Ash shrugged sheepishly. ¡°I understand stealing isn¡¯t exactly the most knightly of behaviours. In my defence, Governess Robyn stole... everything from Governor Ruari, like, three months ago. So, I¡¯m thinking, morally speaking, it¡¯s at least in some kind of grey area.¡±


    Miyoko blinked, jaw opening slightly. ¡°You¡¯re breaking into The Governess¡¯s mansion¡­ to steal her library card?¡±


    Khukri let out a low growl.


    With a frustrated sigh, Miyoko turned an irritated glare on Khukri. ¡°I keep telling you, I¡¯m not a dog! I don¡¯t know what that means!¡±


    Strange, that signal came across crystal clear to him. ¡°She¡¯s annoyed you didn¡¯t include yourself,¡± he explained. ¡°We''re breaking into The Governess¡¯s mansion, together, to... recover Governor Ruari¡¯s library card. If he¡¯s alive, we¡¯ll give it back.¡±


    The rabbit¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°Okay, one, bullshit. You¡¯re guessing what¡¯s bothering her and using that to interpret a meaningless noise. And two, how could you possibly know where the old governor¡¯s library card is?¡±


    ¡°The islands have always been a bit... territorial,¡± Ash explained. ¡°Apparently, our first meeting with mainlanders was in the middle of a war between The Crown and the Othelan Republic, and both of them thought our islands were enemy naval bases. Anyway, in order to help Ruari fit in with the islanders, he commissioned a custom boat that was a mix between the islanders¡¯ catamarans and a Tythic sloop.¡±


    The rabbit watched him intently, leaning forward. ¡°Uh huh, and twenty years later... the library card... ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on the boat.¡± Ash sat back, glaring. ¡°In a secret compartment under the bed.¡±


    ¡°We sailed by the mansion¡¯s docks,¡± Khukri reluctantly admitted. ¡°The boat¡¯s still there.¡±


    ¡°We know Ruari didn¡¯t take the card, because if he got to the boat after the coup, he would¡¯ve used it to escape,¡± Ash reasoned. ¡°And we know Governess Robyn didn¡¯t take it, because she wouldn¡¯t have known about the hidden compartments.¡±


    ¡°You still didn¡¯t... hold on-¡± Miyoko twitched, then looked him in the eye. ¡°Why would a man being hunted take a ship custom built to identify him, instead of literally any other ship?¡±


    Khukri turned her head slightly, growling again. This one was a warning for Miyoko to watch her attitude. ¡°Khukri, stop it.¡± Ash chided, ¡°That¡¯s a reasonable question.¡±


    Once Khukri settled, Ash¡¯s attention returned to Miyoko. ¡°I cannot stress to you how awesome this ship is. Rian, one of the carpenters who worked on the project, had his family send in designer timber from the mainland. The stuff rejected for minor defects was enough to build an aibax barn and a two bedroom home. They even shipped in Othelan tech, and the Crown labeled it a class one weapons violation to use without a degree in sailing.¡± He paused, giving her a moment to soak that in. ¡°If he got to it first, he wouldn¡¯t have been caught.¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Oh my god, you¡¯re an idiot...¡±


    The wolf whipped around, arm raised to deliver a strike he¡¯d seen dozens of times, issuing a snarl not of displeasure, but intent.


    Ash slipped between the two, easily knocking the startled wolf¡¯s blow aside. Khukri¡¯s eyes went wild with fury as her lips pulled back and her snarl turned vicious. A challenge. Khukri loved him, and she didn¡¯t mean to get so worked up. She was a good girl, but he knew what happened when she lost control. He swallowed, flashes of Via¡¯s mutilated corpse crossing his memory as the taste of blood filled his mouth. "Bad girl!" He cracked the side of her face with a backhand that knocked her off-balance for a moment¡­ but only a moment.


    Khukri breathed heavily, eyes flaring as her entire body trembled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said, gently touching her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I- I didn¡¯t mean to be bad! I- I- I¡­ You don¡¯t need to¡ª¡±


    By now, Ash was familiar with just about every expression his love could make, from adorable to terrifying. This look, however, he¡¯d only seen once, right after he¡¯d fought her old pack and forced her to decide if her next target was Via, or Ash himself. Khukri tucked her tail between her legs and fell to her knees, trembling hands on the floor. As badly as guilt twisted in his gut, people¡¯s lives depended on de-escalating the situation.


    ¡°Khukri! Cage! Now!¡± he yelled, pointing to the cabin door. She was a good girl, deep down, she really was. She just needed help. Those instincts, those decades of mistreatment and violence, weren¡¯t going to vanish just because he loved her.


    The poor girl flinched, but scrambled to her feet and rushed out the door.


    ¡°She¡¯s not¡­¡± Ash started, then looked down. His hand still stung from the strike. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± unfortunately, the longer he stared, the harder it was to speak.


    It was Miyoko, shifting uncomfortably on her knees, who finally broke the silence. ¡°Can I¡­ sit on the bed? Maybe cover myself?¡± After receiving a nod, she found a comfortable spot and pulled the thin blanket around her torso. ¡°Thanks¡­ uh, Master. Sorry I called you an idiot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Right, there was a problem to solve, and his dad always said to handle one at a time. Khukri would be fine. He¡¯d give her a couple hours to cool off, then smooth things out. He¡¯d taken worse hits while sparring, and if she needed to let off steam she could take it out on him in training. ¡°I get that my knowledge is a bit... lacking. That¡¯s why I need your help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a sex slave,¡± Miyoko reminded him, crossing her arms to secure the blanket. ¡°Stealing from Tythic royalty isn¡¯t exactly what you bought me for.¡±


    Ash¡¯s response was firm. ¡°Khukri says you can¡­ and I trust her,¡± he sighed, sitting on the bed, battling discomfort as he looked into her eyes. Regardless of reason or status, he¡¯d put these girls at his mercy, and the least they deserved was to be seen. ¡°Can you give me three years?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Three years,¡± Ash repeated. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be my slave? Yeah, I get it. I wouldn¡¯t want to be my slave either, but right now, I need you.¡± This was more to make himself feel better, he knew, but he couldn¡¯t imagine Miyoko would complain. ¡°End of hunting season, three years from now. I¡¯ll sign your papers, put you wherever you want, and hand you ten thousand florins to start a new life. Can you give me three years?¡±


    A small snort came from the girl as she raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, I be your good little toy, and in three years, when I still have no leverage, you¡¯ll just¡­ let me go?¡±


    He gave a solemn nod. ¡°You have my word.¡±


    Miyoko rolled her eyes and shook her head with a soft sigh. ¡°I mean, why ask? If I planned on escaping, I¡¯d just pretend I believed you.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Khukri¡¯s a good¡­ person, but she needs practice interacting with people who aren¡¯t me.¡± Ash said, releasing tension he¡¯d been holding since his knuckles connected with Khukri¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m honour-bound to protect you, but I¡¯m not muzzling my girlfriend. People treating her like she¡¯s crazy is what made her this way.¡±


    There was a long pause before Miyoko shrugged and offered a hand. ¡°Honour-bound huh? Alright, three years.¡± After he accepted the handshake, she smirked. ¡°You know, ten grand plus my sale price comes to about seventy thousand a year, the salary for those high-class whores the executives keep on retainer.¡±


    Ash winced. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to imply¡ª¡±


    Another, louder snort filled the cabin. ¡°Are you seriously worried your sex slave might think you¡¯re calling her a whore?¡± Miyoko broke down into a fit of chuckles so infectious Ash couldn¡¯t help but smile. Miyoko threw the sheet aside and slipped a hand between her legs, teasing her lips with a seductive smile. ¡°Okay, Master¡­ You wanna try out your obedient little bunny toy?¡±


    ¡°Miyoko¡­ focus,¡± Ash chided. ¡°We¡¯re going to a royal party in two days and I don¡¯t have anything to wear.¡±


    Her eyes barely moved as her legs slid back together. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a fancy dress¡­ look,¡± Ash lifted his shirt, revealing his lumpy sailor chest. ¡°I look ridiculous! They don¡¯t even make ones that fit me!¡±


    Miyoko let out a long sigh, eyes suddenly very focused as they took him in. ¡°Oh hell, you need a trim, too. How am I supposed to groom you? Khukri doesn¡¯t even let me near the cutlery! She¡¯s going to be up my ass the entire time¡­ can you do your own makeup?¡±


    Ash let his shirt flop back over his chest, then silently motioned to his face.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Miyoko hopped off the bed and grabbed her pants. ¡°Sean! Get your shit! We have a job!¡±


    *    *    *


    A cool breeze rolled over Ardmore, rustling the palm leaves and tall bushes surrounding the governess¡¯s mansion. A brilliant half moon accompanied the stars, slicing through the thin blanket of clouds above as Ash and his two slaves made their way down the dirt road.


    Islanders watched from thatch roof huts with disdain as he passed, briefly visible in the flickering light from torches along the road. Those stares stopped once they passed the iron gates at the governess¡¯s perimeter, replaced by the curiosity of halberd toting guards in leather armour and guests in garments of fine silk.


    Together, his group made quite the impression. Considering what they were here to do, that wasn¡¯t ideal, but there was no way he was getting into this party unnoticed. Miyoko wore a simple blue shirt and loose black pants, proudly flaunting a thin black case. It was fine enough garb for a servant, though amongst the hundreds of deer, her race still made her an oddity.


    Khukri¡¯s attire remained largely unchanged. Her scale armour was expensive enough to show he had money, and bringing a bodyguard alongside a personal attendant was reasonable for someone of status. Essentially, all she needed was a good polish.


    The biggest change, and the most absurd, was Ash himself. He¡¯d taken Via¡¯s cloak and detached the hood to hide his marking behind a shimmering cape of black scales. The top, which Sean worked on up to the last minute, was nothing more than cotton sheets dotted with shiny stones, split into fabric strips that wrapped around him and left his midriff exposed. The lower half was an embroidered, layered dress that dipped low enough no one would see his wolven feet or Via¡¯s footguards. Sean¡¯s embroidery thread was a multitude of colours, depicting symbols that ¡®looked tribal.¡¯


    Any islander could tell the symbols were meaningless nonsense, but as luck would have it, Governess Robyn hadn¡¯t invited any islanders to point that out. There were a few whitetails present, but the vast majority, even of the serving staff, were caribou from down south.


    As Miyoko predicted, Khukri was, in fact, not happy to have Ash immobilized while someone worked on his fur and makeup. She even drew her weapon when gemstone clips were connected to Ash¡¯s ears. All in all, Ash commended their efforts, and could do little more than pray everyone at the party was too polite to point out his obvious faults.


    Ash did his best not to cringe as they passed the ball¡¯s attendees. Other men looked like they belonged at an event like this, with light dresses of silk and velvet that complimented their dainty figures and soft fur. The women looked harder, with vividly coloured suits occasionally accented with ornamental silver pins.


    The snickering behind his back was kept to a minimum, and for once, Ash was happy he didn¡¯t have Khukri¡¯s amazing senses. The last thing he needed right now was the distracting hum of petty gossip deriding his appearance. He supposed his dress was perfect for him, a plain worker¡¯s material like cotton pretending to be something it wasn¡¯t.


    Ash approached the guards at the door with a small bow. ¡°Greetings, my ladies. I am Ashling of Eriskay, and I have come to pay tribute to our illustrious new governess.¡±


    If the women found his appearance amusing, they kept it behind a veneer of professionalism. ¡°Do you have an invitation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the governess doesn¡¯t know I exist, but I wanted to offer my tribute publicly, so my lady¡¯s guests all know the great respect Eriskay has for her office. I represent the interests of the Direwood Syndicate, and I look forward to working with our noble hostess during the next hunting season. If the lady has no interest in seeing me, I will, of course, apologise and remove myself from her estate.¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s eyes widened in alarm as soon as he mentioned the Direwood Syndicate, but now that the act was underway, he didn¡¯t have time to address whatever concerns she had.


    The woman raised a suspicious eye. ¡°You¡¯re a member of the Direwood Syndicate? I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d mind showing the governess your papers?¡±


    With a courteous bow, Ash withdrew his leather folder from a bag beneath his cape and handed it over. After a few awkward minutes of waiting, the guard returned and handed the papers back. ¡°The governess has agreed to meet¡­ though I pray you watch your manners, Sir.¡±


    With the door guards out of the way, Ash strode into the well-lit building. Most of it was constructed from wood, though the central ballroom was one of sanded stone, watched through windows by guests on the second floor. No expense had been spared to make the cavernous room as appealing as possible. Brightly dyed, multicolored carpets covered the underfoot stonework, and similar massive curtains draped from the ceiling above. Guests were everywhere, maintaining pleasant conversations while men in rather revealing outfits drifted past with glass carafes and refilled their cups. Along the walls, men in aprons wearing blacksmith¡¯s gloves stood over flaming pits, cooking vegetables in pans of sizzling oil before transferring them to trays for the servers.


    ¡°What were you thinking?¡± Miyoko hissed in a tone that got her a reproachful glare from Khukri. ¡°I know they probably don¡¯t know what proper paperwork looks like, but what would you have done if they figured out those were forged?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Ash hissed back. ¡°Those aren¡¯t forged papers. I¡¯m a member of the Direwood Syndicate.¡±


    That answer only seemed to make the bunny¡¯s whispers more frantic. ¡°What? You could lose your company doing this!¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Ash said with a smirk. ¡°Not my company, anything but that.¡± He hesitated, then playfully nudged her with his elbow. ¡°Relax. Everything¡¯s going great. I figured we¡¯d have a better chance getting in this way since members of the Direwood Syndicate helped fund the coup.¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s voice dropped to barely audible. ¡°The Direwood Syndicate did what?¡±


    Oh, that¡¯s right. Ash was so used to being the one in the dark that he forgot, in some circles things obvious to him might be considered secrets. ¡°Never mind,¡± he mumbled, waving her off as one of Robyn¡¯s guards signalled him.


    The Governess drank in the attention, wearing a gleaming steel breastplate and leather pants tucked into a set of heavy hoofguards. A red cape fluttered around the claymore on her back as she approached, then shifted as she stood straighter, looking down on Ash. Instinctively, he curled smaller beneath her gaze.


    She smiled, extending a hand. ¡°Hello there, Cutie. I¡¯m Governess Robyn.¡±


    ¡°Greetings, Governess,¡± Ash said, gently squeezing the woman¡¯s hand with both of his. ¡°I am Ashling, of the Direwood Syndicate.¡±


    Her hand fell as she gave a small scoff. ¡°So I¡¯ve heard. You¡¯re interested in using my ports to bring the Othelan¡¯s culture to our shores.¡±


    ¡°Pardon, M¡¯lady,¡± Ash said, raising his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Othelan myself, though I¡¯ve met many from there in my time at the Direwood. I was concerned that our former queen wished to roll over and give the Direwood¡¯s bounty to the dogs, so I¡¯d hoped to change that.¡±


    With a gesture, Ash summoned Miyoko forward and to a kneel, raising the case above her head. After unfastening the latches, he stepped back for Robyn. Inside, four long gleaming mist wraith claws lay in a field of cotton.


    ¡°A gift, M¡¯lady. The mist wraith¡¯s claws are strong, and hold a wicked edge longer than any steel.¡± According to Miyoko, this was all true, though Robyn likely wouldn¡¯t know enough to catch him in a lie. ¡°The wealthy Othelans favour turning them into shortswords, while the Azurite Samurai favour a longer haft to make a bladed polearm they call a naginata.¡±


    Robyn raised an eyebrow at the claws, then grabbed the hilt of the massive sword on her back, scaring several attendees as she easily raised it aloft with a single hand. ¡°Are those tiny blades really so useful for a dog or rabbit?¡± She spun the weapon, then set its point at Ash¡¯s feet with a loud clack, holding it easily by the hilt next to Ash¡¯s nose. ¡°Why would a warrior like me need such a thing?¡±


    A practiced, vacant smile graced Ash¡¯s lips. ¡°I grew up in the north, M¡¯lady. I¡¯ve never met a warrior like you. I only know the claws are pretty¡­ and expensive. I¡¯d hoped to offer a bauble as a trophy of your new position.¡±


    A teasing smile graced Robyn¡¯s lips as she slid the weapon onto her back once more. ¡°I suppose a man of the north wouldn¡¯t know much about a warrior¡¯s needs.¡± She lowered into a small bow. ¡°Your gift is appreciated.¡± As though on cue, one of her guards stepped forward to take the case. After it was gone, Miyoko stood and silently withdrew. ¡°Still¡­¡± Robyn continued. ¡°If the beasts of this Direwood of yours are so ferocious, is it truly a place for a man, given there¡¯s only dogs to protect you?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the dogs have no true warriors,¡± Ash said. ¡°That¡¯s why I bought myself a wolf.¡±


    Robyn tilted her head, looking Khukri over for the first time. ¡°This is her?¡±


    ¡°Khukri, here.¡± Ash snapped his fingers.


    Khukri stepped up, obediently lowering her hood and muzzleguard to expose her head.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Robyn mused, eyes freely roaming the wolf. ¡°Can you get her to¡­¡±


    Khukri¡¯s lips pulled back, stopping Ash¡¯s breath as she mimicked a snarl and exposed her teeth. The tension was short lived. With a chuckle, Robyn moved closer, examining the wicked points. ¡°She¡¯s done this before. Fascinating. Wolf? They say that before The Schism the world belonged to your people. Can you honestly say your warriors are so mighty when they let cats drive them to the point of extinction?¡±


    ¡°I am mighty,¡± Khukri said, standing straight. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you anything about the others. The dogs are too afraid to let us meet.¡±


    Robyn¡¯s chuckle built to a full laugh. ¡°They would be, wouldn¡¯t they? All their pride of being relatives to the once rulers of the Earth, and the filthy cowards flinch when it looks them in the eye.¡± The woman stepped back, turning her attention to Ash once more. ¡°And yet, with all that power, she still obeys a man? I¡¯ve heard wolves are notoriously hard to control.¡±


    ¡°The dogs have no true warriors to keep them in line.¡± Ash smiled derisively. ¡°In the republic, the poor wolves have nothing to truly respect. Luckily, Khukri has plenty of examples.¡±


    ¡°She does now,¡± Robyn said, waving Khukri away. ¡°Off with you, Wolf. Nothing will hurt your master while he¡¯s under my protection.¡±


    Ash followed Robyn to one of the open windows that overlooked the sea. ¡°I have many guests to attend to, so I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t spare you much time. I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯m not the biggest fan of your northern lands. It¡¯s too hot, and the people are disrespectful, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have any problems. Will we?¡±


    ¡°No, Ma¡¯am,¡± Ash said, folding his ears and lowering his head.


    A shiver of fear raced down Ash¡¯s back as powerful fingers braced his chin, tilting it to see her smile. ¡°Relax. Caribou aren¡¯t as bad as you whitetails seem to think. All we need is the respect we deserve. I mean, you came with a gift, while these islanders dare demand tribute.¡±


    Ash breathed a sigh of relief and offered a half-smile. ¡°Please don¡¯t judge the islanders too harshly. They¡¯ve always worried Tythic will overstep its authority, and I imagine any ¡®tribute¡¯ is simply to show that you respect the autonomy they were promised.¡±


    The woman¡¯s fingers fell away as she lifted an eyebrow. ¡°The islanders don¡¯t believe they¡¯re under my authority?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Ash quickly corrected. ¡°I¡¯m certain the islanders see your rule over Tythic as legitimate, but The Crown gave very favorable terms to take their side in the war. They just want to be sure you¡¯re not trying to take that away.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± the woman said, smile returning. ¡°I¡¯ll certainly have to show them what I can do, won¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°As you say, M¡¯lady,¡± Ash said with a bow.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ as I¡¯ve said. I have many guests. Farewell, islander.¡±


    Ash grinned as the woman walked away. Even he was impressed by how expertly he¡¯d nailed that. With a confident chuckle, he grabbed himself a drink and headed out the back door.

 Chapter 11: Fuck The State

    Miyoko swallowed hard as her eyes danced across the line of tables laden with a selection of tasty treats prepared by their host. At each, men wearing revealing black and white uniforms worked diligently to keep the food flowing. On one side, they expertly sliced fruits and berries before arranging them onto beautiful platters. On the other, they maintained a sizzling grill packed with seasoned vegetables.


    It was the kind of hazardous setup that would never be allowed in the east, but Miyoko supposed it suited the island barbarians'' aesthetic.


    Before she¡¯d stolen the gems, such offerings would¡¯ve been tantalizing treats, but after months of starving, they were irresistible. Miyoko brushed her slave collar with a hesitant hand. In the Azure Syndicate, slaves couldn¡¯t eat the same food as their masters, but in Tythic, rules for slaves were far less uniform.


    At a glance, Miyoko didn¡¯t see a separate area for slaves to eat. In fact, she hadn¡¯t seen any slaves since she entered the building. Maybe no one would notice if she grabbed a bite. Actually, what was the worst she¡¯d get, a beating? Yeah... those cherry tomatoes were worth a beating.


    Miyoko maintained a dignified pose as she approached one of the men and gazed upon his selection, swallowing once more. A swathe of tiny tomatoes sat in a dish, skins glistening from the coating of butter used to adhere a variety of dry herbs, disturbed only by the blackened, cracked lines from the grill.


    For a long moment, she and the chef locked eyes, then Miyoko picked up the dish.


    He blinked. ¡°Um...¡±


    Miyoko hastily popped three into her mouth. Her teeth easily snapped through the perfectly charred skin, and the rich, velvety butter melded with the tomato¡¯s sweetness as it crushed between her tongue and the roof of her mouth. She maintained eye contact as the flavours danced about her tongue, savoring the rare treat before swallowing.


    ¡°Do... Do you want carrots?¡± the man asked.


    For a moment Miyoko¡¯s eyes narrowed, wondering if he was making a joke.


    He coughed nervously, then used a slotted spoon to withdraw a stack of carrots, cut into tiny portions, from the heavy metal pan at his side. ¡°Er... baby carrots?¡± Some sort of thin red marinade dripped from the spoon, sizzling as it hit the angry grill.


    Damn it. Miyoko had been defensive for so long it was practically second nature. This stupid deer-boy was probably a skilled chef who got dragged here, dressed in a skimpy outfit for the governess¡¯s pleasure, and offered enough money to make it worth his time. ¡°Please,¡± Miyoko mumbled before popping another tomato into her mouth.


    A spoonful of carrots fell to the grill. The fire hissed hungrily, leaping from the embers to engulf the juices raining down liberally as the chef fanned them out.


    ¡°Careful,¡± Khukri warned, withdrawing from Ashling¡¯s side to join her.


    Miyoko flinched, defensively pulling the bowl against her chest as she swallowed. ¡°Seriously? I need Master¡¯s permission to eat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡± Khukri let out a small sigh. ¡°Recovering from starvation is a difficult process, and we¡¯re just trying to help. We care about you.¡±


    A small snort exited Miyoko¡¯s lungs before she could stop it. Between Khukri''s constant threats and nightly trysts, she was pretty sure she knew all she needed about their priorities. ¡°People who care don¡¯t usually attack each other.¡±


    Khukri gave Miyoko a moment of silence to savour the bliss of squishy tomatoes before finally speaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m still learning to be a Whip and I got emotional. I shouldn¡¯t have challenged Master¡¯s authority.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re sorry for?¡± Miyoko asked. ¡°That you got smacked around by your boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend,¡± Khukri corrected, narrowing her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s my master, and yours too. You¡¯d do well to remember that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Miyoko sighed and set the bowl down. ¡°Well, ¡®Master¡¯ seems to think you¡¯re his girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Of course he does. He¡¯s an idiot.¡±


    The words struck Miyoko dumb, leaving her staring in disbelief.


    ¡°What?¡± The wolf asked, jerking her head toward Ashling and Robyn chatting on the other end of the room. ¡°He¡¯s all the way over there; he can¡¯t hear us.¡±


    ¡°If you think he¡¯s¡­¡± Miyoko couldn¡¯t bring herself to say the words, lest she trigger some sort of trap. ¡°Why are you so interested in obeying him? What¡¯s he got on you?¡±


    ¡°Master makes me good.¡± The line was delivered with the exact mindless devotion it implied. When Miyoko only continued to stare, Khukri sighed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna join your cult. I¡¯ve done that once, it sucks. So, I¡¯m just gonna-¡± Miyoko took a step away.


    Khukri¡¯s ears twitched, then she reached out, roughly pulling Miyoko back in place. ¡°You never got your carrots.¡± she growled.


    The chef swallowed, struggling to maintain a smile as his eyes slid down to the batch searing on his grill.


    ¡°This food is delicious.¡± Khukri said, spearing a cherry tomato on one of her claws. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to cook something like this on your own, and this man is just giving it to you. It would be rude to leave before he¡¯s done.¡±


    With a hard swallow and a glance at the grill, Miyoko settled with a nod. ¡°Yeah... okay, sorry. I¡¯m not running off.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The tomato slid from Khukri¡¯s claw into her mouth, where it was mauled between pointed teeth. ¡°I was free, once, for a few hours. It was... it was the best feeling I¡¯ve ever had in my life. I could think and feel whatever I wanted.¡±


    ¡°Yeeess,¡± Miyoko said encouragingly. ¡°Being free, super great feeling. Liking the story so far.¡±


    ¡°I felt like...¡± Khukri swallowed the tomato¡¯s mangled husk. ¡°In the exchange, they made me hunt beasts they were scared of, and that made me valuable. Outside of it? I¡¯m the thing they¡¯re scared of.¡±


    ¡°So...¡± Miyoko leaned in hopefully. ¡°You listen to him because free wolves get hunted?¡±


    ¡°Oh no...¡±  A wry chuckle fell from Khukri¡¯s lips. ¡°If I was free, I¡¯d still be the one hunting.¡±


    As the implications washed over Miyoko her blood ran cold, making her jump when the chef eagerly dropped a platter of grilled carrots onto the table next to her. When she looked back, Khukri had moved uncomfortably close.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a threat.¡± Khukri¡¯s voice was soothing and apologetic. ¡°I want to be civilized, like Master. He tells me what I can think and feel, he makes me good. Just like I¡¯ll make you good.¡±


    That did nothing to make Miyoko less scared. ¡°Make me good?¡±


    A carrot squelched beneath Khukri¡¯s claw, then drifted up to Miyoko¡¯s lips as the wolf smiled down at her. ¡°You haven¡¯t told Master you and your friends are criminals, and you¡¯ve been looking for a way to escape since we reached Isle Point. A good girl wouldn¡¯t do things like that.¡±


    Those eyes bore into Miyoko... no, through Miyoko and straight into Ghost. This thing, this monstrosity so terrible Tsu issued an Edict of genocide, saw her. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m never letting you go.¡± Khukri smiled, as though the line was meant to be comforting. The carrot pressed against Miyoko¡¯s lips, but when she opened her mouth to accept it, Khukri slid her entire claw inside. The soft vegetable hooked on her teeth, tantalizing her tongue with a mixture of exotic spices and sugar, though her enjoyment was muted somewhat by the claw dragging along her inner cheek as it left.


    ¡°I want to be Master¡¯s girlfriend, but I¡¯m his slave first,¡± Khukri said, claw slipping from Miyoko¡¯s lips and trailing down her chin. ¡°I want to be your friend, but I¡¯m your Whip first.¡± The claw slithered through Miyoko¡¯s fur, coming to a stop at her collar. ¡°Swallow.¡±


    Miyoko had been so transfixed on the psychopath in front of her she hadn¡¯t realized the carrot between her gnashing teeth had turned to paste. With as much dignity as she could manage, she swallowed.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    A predatory grin formed as Khukri let the claw drift away. ¡°I allow you a certain level of disrespect because I value your honesty, but I know you won¡¯t be honest until you accept your place. That¡¯s why I spend my nights memorizing your scent.¡±


    A cold chill ran down Miyoko¡¯s spine. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It takes time, but it¡¯s worth it to know my friend will never get lost.¡± The woman¡¯s teeth peeked out from behind her lips as manic glee swirled behind her eyes. ¡°I already memorized Master¡¯s, but I know I make you uncomfortable, so I¡¯ve been using your winter coat.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you insane?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been telling you¡­¡± Khukri¡¯s ears perked up and she turned her head with a sigh. ¡°Times up. Robyn just sent some of her guards to follow Master to the docks. Set everything on fire and head back to The Ambition. Master and I will meet you at Isle Point.¡±


    Miyoko glanced back at the chef, who met her gaze with a horrified expression. ¡°What? You can¡¯t possibly¡ª¡±


    Khukri pressed forward, pushing Miyoko against the table as she issued a threatening growl. ¡°Why do you fight for the sake of fighting, little bunny? I¡¯m trying to be nice and give you orders you like. Make those a struggle, and I¡¯ll start giving you less enjoyable ones.¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s eyes swept around the room, watching more and more people sidling away. They could all see she was in trouble, but they were the upper crust of society, each only interested in themselves. Despite the changing races, this display of wealth wasn¡¯t any different from those of the east. Deer-girls supervised a group of scantily clad men, setting up their instruments on a makeshift stage. Hundreds of rich jackasses celebrated their power and influence by showing off how they could make others serve. At that moment, she understood what Khukri saw. She didn¡¯t want them to die, but arson? Yeah, arson sounded like a good time.


    ¡°I met you a week ago,¡± Miyoko protested, albeit far weaker. ¡°You have no idea who I am.¡±


    The wolf pressed against her, releasing a soft breath that made Miyoko quiver as Khukri¡¯s muzzle grazed her ear with a whisper. ¡°I know how to make people happy. It¡¯s why I exist. By the time you join my pack, I¡¯m going to make sure you¡¯re very, very happy.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Miyoko put her other hand on Khukri¡¯s chest, gently pushing back, begging for the claustrophobic presence to end. ¡°I get it, back off.¡±


    A small, pleasant smile crossed Khukri¡¯s face as she stood back, giving Miyoko a condescending pet. ¡°See? There¡¯s a good girl.¡± She then turned and made her way toward the back door.


    The most immediate satisfaction would come from simply walking out the front door and leaving the idiots to their fate. Unfortunately, that left her with a whole host of problems, including escaping a goddamn island without getting arrested - again. She didn¡¯t know the first thing about navigation, so stealing a boat was a death sentence. Maybe Sean would help her escape, maybe, but it didn¡¯t get her any closer to those gems. Switching sides was out of the question too; Governess Robyn was from Clan Inisraighe, and Ghost might¡¯ve firebombed her brother¡­ along with the original holder of her current ASN...


    Oops.


    ¡°Fucking asshole idiot rich boy¡­¡± Miyoko grumbled, ripping her shirt open as she stalked toward one of the servers with a crystal decanter of spirits. She hastily unwound the bandage placed across her chest, letting her breasts bounce freely as she wrapped it around her hand.


    The serving boy hesitated upon seeing her, mouth opening as his eyes dropped to her chest. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re tits, grow up,¡± she grumbled, snatching the liquor with her free hand before decking him with the wrapped one. The solid crack of his nose against her knuckles was muffled slightly as he dropped, and she wasn¡¯t waiting to see if he got back up.


    A rich, fruity aroma tinted the overwhelming stench of alcohol as she turned the container onto her hand. People cried out in confusion as fleeing guests ran into each other, though a few smart ones thought to call the guards. Naturally, none bothered to help the wounded server themselves.


    Miyoko ignored their wailing; the guards were too far to stop her, at least the ones who didn¡¯t feel like shooting through a couple people who might sign their paychecks. The wrap slipped from her hand as she forced it into the decanter¡¯s top, apologetic eyes drifting to the chef who¡¯d witnessed Khukri¡¯s insane rambling. He was the only one who understood why things were about to go very, very wrong.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna want to run,¡± Miyoko warned, stopping at his station to snatch the pan filled with oil and marinade. With a displeased sigh, she splattered the mixture over the table in a wide arc. The results were instantaneous. Bright light spilled over the guests as a fireball erupted, making them scream and bump into incoming guards as they scrambled for safety. With a steady hand, Miyoko lowered the bandage into the flame, which instantly caught. Then she turned to the centre of the room and cocked back her arm.


    ¡°Fuck the State!¡± she screamed, scattering panicked guests as she flung the makeshift bomb with as much force as she could muster.


    The bottle exploded against the ceiling, erupting into a rain of flaming liquor and shards of glass. First, the curtains hanging from the ceiling caught, followed closely by the carpet as searing liquid cascaded onto the guests below.


    Robyn¡¯s guards screamed for Miyoko to surrender. Why did they always try that? What possessed a person to see someone ready to burn it all down and think, ¡®Maybe she¡¯ll stop if we yell loud enough?¡¯ The exits clogged as guests crammed together into horrific writhing masses of bodies trying to escape. Incidentally, more people were likely to die being crushed in the escape than the fire itself.


    As guards finally broke through the wave of fleeing guests, Miyoko charged to meet them, waiting just shy of striking distance before coiling her legs and launching into the sky. Her feet slipped over the points of extended halberds and carried her into the burning curtains. The acrid stench of burning cloth flooded her nose as she grabbed an unburnt section of one.


    Miyoko held her breath, smoke stinging her eyes as her momentum pulled the curtain back. She released the pan with everything she had and delivered a vicious kick, allowing the recoil to push her further as the missile streaked into a second story window.


    It crashed through, connecting burning iron, shattered glass, and a very confused woman watching the chaos unfold from the safety of the second floor. Miyoko promptly sailed through after, crashing into the screaming woman and riding her into the ground. Despite the inferno downstairs, there wasn¡¯t much danger of it spreading outside the stone room. Luckily, people weren¡¯t reasonable, a truism that pulled double weight for rich folks. ¡°Fire!¡± Miyoko screamed, snatching up the pan and leaping to an area free of broken glass. ¡°Fire! It¡¯s spreading! If it gets to the stairs we¡¯ll all be trapped!¡±


    The guests closest to her only watched in horror and confusion, but most on this floor hadn¡¯t seen her entrance. A torrent of horrified guests washed down the stairs, sweeping back guards attempting to reach her. Those assigned to watch the second floor were stunned, paralyzed without orders in the sudden chaos. The smarter ones attempted to calm the masses, but their guest list was a who¡¯s who of not listening to peasants. A flash of green silk clouded Miyoko¡¯s sight for a moment, then collided with her. Pain radiated through Miyoko¡¯s shoulder as she hit the floor, though she instinctively rolled to the wall to avoid getting trampled. Chaos leveled the playing field, but by its very nature, damaged all those who lived within it. She rose, screaming as she brought the pan to bear against an exterior window, showering the back deck with broken glass as it bashed through.


    Miyoko leaped from the mindless throng onto a slanted wooden roof outside, frantically scanning the situation on the ground. When it came to wealthy deer-girls, fighting outdoors was far more dangerous than in close quarters. Even at a three hundred feet, a well trained guard with a warbow could end you before you heard the shot.


    Below her, guests screamed as they flooded from the building, so any guards beneath were probably too distracted and disorganized to target her. That left any guards out front, which she couldn¡¯t see, and the guards assigned to the docks which were¡­


    Miyoko blinked in disbelief as the whiplike cracks of warbows resounded through the docks. The dock guards wildly fired into the ocean, screaming for someone to sound the alarm. It didn¡¯t take long for Miyoko to locate their target. Ashling cowered behind a boat¡¯s bulwark as it drifted out to sea, while Khukri stayed low and raised the sails.


    They''re stealing the boat! The idiots are stealing the goddamn boat! Splintered wood showered the deck as blurred arrows smashed into the hull and mast at top speed, ripping apart from the impact.


    If Miyoko fled, she could probably make it back to The Ambition. Unfortunately, right now, fucked up as it was, she was Ashling¡¯s property, and any reputable hired crew would ensure their client¡¯s belongings were properly secured. Furthermore, if Ashling never made it back, then the marina could have his property resold to pay off storage fees. As dumb and crazy as they were, she needed them to survive this.


    ¡°Rabbit!¡± A guardswoman yelled from the manor, setting a hoof on the windowsill as she jumped toward Miyoko¡¯s roof. ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    ¡°Fuck off!¡± Miyoko yelled, flinging the pan. The guard let out a startled cry as the heavy iron mass caught her in the chest, stopping her momentum with a solid thunk and dropping her to the deck below. This new identity of hers made her waste too much time thinking. Ghost was a survivor, and hesitating got you killed. With a deep breath, Miyoko leaped to the ground, then took off running. Guards yelled from above for someone to stop her, but hundreds of fleeing guests made communication next to impossible.


    With another massive leap, Miyoko cleared the iron gate and hit the ground running.


    By now, the boat was at full sail, picking up speed as it hugged the shoreline to break the archers¡¯ line of sight.


    ¡°Khukri! You goddamn psycho! If you can hear me, I¡¯m coming!¡± Miyoko built up speed as she raced up an incline that ended with a steep cliff into the water.


    When she reached the cliff, her speed only gave a fraction of a second to see the ship. She didn¡¯t hesitate. For a moment she was weightless, listening to the cracks of warbows as she streaked over the water. With a terrified squeal, Miyoko tucked in her legs and crashed into the side of the ship. Pain radiated through her hips as a stinging shock rolled through the muscles straining to absorb the impact. Desperately, Miyoko reached for the bulwark, scratching the hull in vain as she slid toward the water.


    Ashling burst over the edge and grabbed her outstretched hand. One perilous second later, she grabbed the other, hind claws scrabbling against the hull as she struggled up the side. An arrow smashed the hull a foot away, making Miyoko scream in pain as splinters scattered across her face and arm.


    Her incoherent screaming continued as Ashling hauled her over the side, calling to Khukri. ¡°I got her!¡±


    The ship lurched, moving down the coast as fewer and fewer arrows reached their target. ¡°It won¡¯t take them long to get the word out!¡± Miyoko warned. ¡°They¡¯ll send ships to catch us!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be gone before then,¡± Ashling assured, leaving Miyoko behind the bulwark as he hurried to a bulky metal contraption in the ship¡¯s centre. ¡°Khukri! Make sure she¡¯s alright, I¡¯m setting a course away from Ardmore.¡± He dramatically slammed a lever down.


    A loud roar made the ship rumble beneath her and pick up speed so fast the sails filled and tilted them backwards. Khukri folded her arms around Miyoko protectively while Ashling yelped in horror. The mast pivoted, bringing the sails in line with the wind, and dropping the boat flat with the ocean where they raced away in a spray of seawater.

 Chapter 12: Aftercare

    The boat rocked gently under a calm, starry night. It¡¯d been hours since their idiotically brazen attack on the governess¡¯s mansion, a display which almost assuredly spelled doom for Ashling¡¯s company. Perhaps that was why he¡¯d locked himself in his room after cutting the engine and lifting the sails. Maybe, just maybe, he was taking a moment to reexamine how reckless he¡¯d been and how lucky he was that his slaves bailed him out. Miyoko wasn¡¯t holding her breath.


    ¡°Stop twitching,¡± Khukri admonished, draping her warm tail over Miyoko¡¯s stomach. ¡°I¡¯m not used to these kinds of wounds.¡±


    Miyoko lay on her back at the wolf¡¯s request, listening to the waves gently rock the boat as she stared into the sky. ¡°Well then stop licking me,¡± she huffed, though she knew the objection went unheard.


    ¡°When Master wants you, you¡¯re handled his way,¡± Khukri reminded her, gently running the flat of her claw down Miyoko¡¯s arm. ¡°When he doesn¡¯t, I decide.¡± She set the limb down, apparently satisfied the splinters were gone.


    Finally. As Miyoko rose, Khukri placed two clawed fingers against her chest and forced her to the deck with a growl. As soon as Miyoko stilled, the wolf¡¯s expression returned to normal. ¡°You caught a handful in the face too.¡±


    ¡°Oh hell no, I¡¯m not letting you lick my- mmph!¡±


    Khukri sighed, covering Miyoko¡¯s mouth with a tired expression. ¡°Please¡­ please reconsider what you¡¯re about to say. If you imply I, or Master, need your permission for anything, I have to remind you of your place. Even if I know it¡¯s just a pointless pissing contest.¡±


    With a wolf bearing down on her, Miyoko could do little more than watch and wait to be released.


    ¡°I like you,¡± Khukri said softly. ¡°You¡¯re the second most important person in the world to me, but the more you struggle, the tighter I have to make your leash.¡±


    It took a fair amount of restraint for Miyoko to keep her composure, but she understood her situation could¡¯ve been worse. It wasn¡¯t good by any stretch, but at least they were taking care of her.


    Khukri resumed hunting splinters, and Miyoko released a resigned sigh. ¡°Do you have any idea how creepy you are? If you want me to change, then you don¡¯t like me.¡±


    Bizarrely, Khukri chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. If you only liked someone for what they were, you could never help your friends get better.¡±


    ¡°And better means, what? More obedient?¡± Miyoko winced as a sliver of wood slid from her cheek.


    ¡°Better means more suited to fulfill their purpose.¡± Khukri said, setting the splinter aside and returning to her search. ¡°Your purpose is to serve Master, but he¡¯s gentle, and sweet. He wants us to be happy.¡±


    ¡°And I suppose being told ¡®I¡¯m a good girl¡¯ is supposed to make me happy?¡±


    Khukri¡¯s wicked grin hovered over the prone bunny. Her claws barely brushed Miyoko¡¯s skin as they slid down her stomach. ¡°You clever girls think too much,¡± Khukri chided, lips almost brushing Miyoko¡¯s. ¡°A happy packmate is a loyal packmate¡­ and I¡¯ll do anything to ensure my pack¡¯s loyalty¡­¡±


    Miyoko held her breath and whimpered as the wolf¡¯s fingers massaged her stomach, trailed past her hips, and stopped just shy of her groin.


    Then, as abruptly as Khukri started, she pulled away apologetically. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± she mumbled, returning to removing splinters. ¡°You¡¯re giving very conflicting signals of what you want from me.¡±


    Oh, fantastic. Her face-licking captor was a psychopath. By now, it was obvious the deer-boy was an easy mark, so to escape, she needed to understand the wolf. Obviously, killing her would be ideal, but that was the kind of thing you only got to try once, and her luck hadn¡¯t been great so far.


    Khukri leaned in, gripping either side of Miyoko¡¯s face. ¡°I think I got them all. Please try to hold still, I¡¯m doing this to remove dirt and help prevent infection. I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s uncomfortable.¡±


    It made sense that all attempts to manipulate the woman had only made things worse. She¡¯d never attempted to trick anyone who didn¡¯t value anything that mattered. Why would she? This one wouldn¡¯t loosen her grip until she was convinced Miyoko was loyal. Luckily, the loyalty game was one Ghost had played before. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    After an uncomfortably long session of licking and drying, Khukri sat back, fishing through her pouch with a small smile. ¡°All done. Here, eat this.¡±


    Miyoko eyed the biscuit warily. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not really hungry; what¡¯s in it?¡±


    ¡°No idea. I just grabbed them off a table at the party,¡± Khukri admitted. ¡°Not eating for long enough can mess with your sense of hunger, so you need to keep to your eating schedule, even if you¡¯re not hungry.¡± She flashed a small smile, wiggling the beige pastry as it moved closer.


    Poison. In all likelihood, Ashling intended to drug and bed her like they did that first day. If she wanted to earn the wolf¡¯s trust and gain an opening, outright refusal was out of the question. ¡°Okay¡­ Thank you.¡± Miyoko took the pastry with a polite smile. ¡°So, you¡¯ve convinced me. Friendship sounds... just swell. Is there anything you could use help with, even if it¡¯s not about Master?¡±


    Khukri¡¯s smile faded as she looked away. ¡°There are¡­ things.¡± Then she shook her head. ¡°But don¡¯t worry about that. I don¡¯t expect you to do anything other than recover and please Master.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Miyoko coaxed, sliding closer to the wolf. ¡°How am I supposed to be your friend if I can¡¯t help you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Khukri conceded. ¡°Master plotted the Ambition¡¯s course, and we¡¯re on an intersecting route. Tomorrow, he¡¯ll drop us off, then we¡¯ll be alone for a week while he sails this one to West Origin for his book. We can talk about it then.¡±


    Miyoko raised an eyebrow. It seemed Ashling wasn¡¯t bluffing about the card. ¡°He¡¯s leaving us behind?¡±


    A displeased grunt and sour look graced her carnivorous companion. ¡°We¡¯re kinda¡­ broke. He¡¯s taking the last of our money south. While he¡¯s gone, he needs you to sell our cargo to pay for everything. Since you¡¯re not in the pack, I¡¯m going to be keeping an eye on you.¡±


    So... if Miyoko was in ¡®the pack,¡¯ Khukri wouldn¡¯t keep an eye on her. That and a fistful of florins was all she¡¯d need.


    ¡°For now¡­ go let Master know you¡¯re okay,¡± Khukri said, rising to her feet and offering a hand. ¡°West Origin¡¯s a few days away, so it¡¯s our last night with him for a while, and he hasn¡¯t had much time alone with you since Sean showed up.¡±


    There it was. A slight grin graced Miyoko¡¯s lips as she accepted the hand up. As she¡¯d predicted, Ashling didn¡¯t want to miss a chance to dose her before he left, so he¡¯d sent his pawn to drug her under the guise of caring about her health. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take care of him.¡±


    *  *  *


    When she cracked the door, Ashling turned over on the bed with an expectant grin. ¡°All done, Princess?¡±


    ¡°Princess is a new one¡­¡± Miyoko said, stifling a grin.


    Ashling jerked upright, pulling the blanket over his waist. ¡°Miyoko?¡± He yelped, swinging his legs over the edge. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    A small glass cylinder ran around the room where the wall met ceiling, filled with dim gaslight and protected by a slotted metal plate. Other than that, the room had been stripped of valuables by the governess, or some enterprising pillager. Likely, the bed only remained due to being built directly into the ship.


    An unusual touch were the various panels hanging from the walls, revealing dozens of storage compartments. While most were empty, the largest compartment beneath the bed held extra blankets and pillows, along with two circular braces. One was empty, and the other held a type 9 magnesium canister. It just... sat there, in the open, like it was nothing.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Magnesium canisters decreased in volume with each type, ranging from 1 to 15. 15 being the standard for loading a commercial gas lamp, and 1 being the standard for unleashing the wrath of an angry god against helpless villages from your military airship. Technically, 9 was the lowest type the Othelan Republic sold, but you¡¯d need some serious connections to make it happen. If this ship¡¯s engine ran on a type 9, it wasn¡¯t surprising Tythic didn¡¯t want inexperienced sailors manning it.


    ¡°Khukri finished fixing me up,¡± Miyoko said, still leaning in the doorway. ¡°I heard you were leaving tomorrow¡­ could I come in?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± His lustful eyes swept over her naked figure, backlit by starlight.


    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Miyoko slid the door shut and sauntered forward, kneeling at his feet. ¡°I¡¯ve heard I¡¯ll be handling the sale with Sean. Is there anything else you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Actually, yeah.¡± Ashling reached out, holding her cheek and shoulder while he examined her. ¡°Is there any way to find out what happened to a broker that used to come to the islands? His name is Lenn. Haven¡¯t seen him in three months.¡±


    Miyoko locked eyes with him as she leaned forward. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± she murmured, slipping Khukri¡¯s pastry into the compartment beneath the bed before gliding her hand up his leg. Coarse fur bristled between her fingers as she squeezed his tense calf. ¡°Master? You¡¯re so tense¡­ I wanted to know if you needed... me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± he mumbled, glancing away. ¡°Before, I had the party to distract me, but now... I need to talk to Khukri tonight. Make sure she¡¯s okay before I leave.¡±


    Miyoko rose from a kneel, threading her hands beneath the blanket and up his thighs. ¡°Well, I can help distract you, if you like.¡± His mouth opened, but said nothing as she pressed her body into his, pushing him back slightly as she set a knee on either side of his hips and crawled onto his lap.


    ¡°I¡­ err,¡± Ashling tensed under her touch. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that.¡±


    The soft, thin blanket around his waist pressed between her thighs as she steadied against him. Her fingers trailed over his back, tracing his shoulder blades as she let her breasts rub against his bare chest. His breath slowed, but his pulse quickened. ¡°I said I¡¯d be your good little bunny toy, didn¡¯t I?¡± Miyoko asked. ¡°Master?¡±


    Ashling swallowed, and the blanket beneath Miyoko stiffened. ¡°Well¡­¡±


    It was almost comical how off-guard her advance made him. Whatever drug he¡¯d planned to get her hooked on, it clearly wasn¡¯t supposed to make her this willing, or at least not yet.


    ¡°Oh, would you prefer I resist like Khukri?¡± Miyoko asked. ¡°I can¡¯t give you the feeling of controlling a wolf. But, if you just like control¡­¡± she leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m much weaker than her¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t make her do that,¡± Ashling grumbled, grabbing her shoulders and moving her so they didn¡¯t touch. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s been through a lot. I don¡¯t know... maybe that¡¯s the only kind of love she understands.¡±


    Oh? He wants to play innocent? ¡°You came to the ARC for a sex slave, Master. You¡¯ve only got three years to enjoy me, right?¡± More importantly, Khukri was almost certainly listening, and displaying obedience here would make earning her trust easier.


    The bulge between his legs pushed up further, causing his arousal to peek from the blanket and press into Miyoko¡¯s stomach. With a playful smile he probably couldn¡¯t make out in the dim light, she reached down, gently stroking the tip. He took a deep breath, the hands on her shoulders relaxing so she could press into him once more. ¡°How¡­ um, how do you prefer¡­¡±


    As much as he pretended to care, somehow she didn¡¯t think the answer ¡®high as fuck and sandwiched between two writhing cat-girls¡¯ was quite what he was looking for. At this point, she¡¯d settle for quick and painless. Her hand drifted lower, wrapping around his shaft to coax him out. ¡°How about¡­ I take care of you?¡±


    As expected, Ashling¡¯s false compassion fell away in light of what he truly wanted. Despite everything, a deer-boy was still a man. Miyoko pressed her lips against his, drawing him in as she stroked him until he was fully ready. Soft hands slowly toyed with his length, coyly, before committing more. Soon, her pace quickened and he breathed in her kisses with needy, shallow breaths.


    His hands began to slide, tracing her ribs as they crept toward her chest. That wasn¡¯t ideal. If he made a show about delving into foreplay, this uncomfortable session of touching and groping would drag on even longer. With a compliant smile, Miyoko leaned back to toss the blanket from his waist onto the floor.


    With his cock freely pressed between them, Miyoko pushed into him again, grinding the underside against her clit. He grunted in pleasure as she started rocking, though after a moment to adjust, his hands started moving again.


    ¡°Relax, Master,¡± Miyoko coaxed, guiding his hands away. ¡°I don¡¯t need that. Just, hold me so I don¡¯t fall.¡±


    He groaned, muscles finally loosening beneath her rocking form. After a minute, she leaned in, faking a pleased moan of her own. If the pulsing of his eager cock was anything to go by, Ashling was the kind of man who enjoyed the sound of a woman as much as the feel of her. At least they had something in common.


    Eager to finish, Miyoko steadied herself on his shoulders and rose up on her knees. ¡°Master¡­ Put it in¡­ please?¡± she moaned, nestling his face between her breasts.


    His hand swept beneath her thighs, fingers sinking through her fur to find her slit. For a moment, he slipped between her lips, exploring her wetness. More foreplay. More time sitting around, uncomfortable. ¡°Master, don¡¯t tease me¡­¡± Her feigned desperation made him chuckle as his hand withdrew, only to return with the tip of his stiff cock.


    After a deep breath, Miyoko slowly sunk onto him, forcing a satisfied groan from his lungs as her hips met his. Ashling was big¡­ honestly, without the drugs, too big. Miyoko wasn¡¯t really a fan of dicks in the first place, but if she had to choose, she¡¯d prefer one that didn¡¯t displace her womb. Still, she was sure it made him feel good about himself.


    Miyoko bounced on his lap, easing him inside as she grew familiar with the new sensation. It was uncomfortable, but she didn¡¯t need a full stroke to get him off. Her movements grew confident, picking up a rhythm as she found a rhythm for her thrusts.


    Then, a flicker of pleasure.


    Her pussy twitched, reacting to a pleasant rolling wave that extended from everywhere he touched inside her. It was subtle at first. The discomfort slowly melted away, then vanished. It wasn¡¯t as though anything had changed, the feeling was the same, but everything she¡¯d found uncomfortable suddenly felt¡­ right. He fit into her perfectly, and her body began to convulse. It was like cramps, but instead of pain, every tightened pulse came with a surge of euphoria.


    His heavy breathing moved to a pant, and his hands slid up her back and onto her shoulders. With a solid grip, he bucked into her, using his hold to ram his entire length inside and forcing the air from her lungs.


    No! Not again! I only had food from the party! There¡¯s no way he could¡¯ve drugged me again! A surge of panic raced up Miyoko¡¯s spine as she recognized the pleasure coursing through her veins. Another moan escaped her, except this time it wasn¡¯t on purpose. With a gasp, she stopped, but it was too late.


    Master held her firmly, and Miyoko could do little more than clench helplessly as he forced her onto his cock, driving her closer to orgasm with each thrust. A weak, mewling cry left her lips as she panted and set her head on his shoulder, too heavy with fuzzy thoughts for her to support. A tear fell from her eye as she braced herself, trying desperately not to think of how badly she craved his release, to feel his warm seed filling her womb again.


    Her body fell back onto him a final time, but he wasn¡¯t finished. For a long, quiet minute he held her, hands sliding down her back. ¡°Miyoko?¡± he finally whispered.


    Pleasure still radiated through her body as she desperately clung to Master, somehow feeling safe and terrified, trembling inside a haze of unfamiliar warm emotions. ¡°Master?¡± she asked, barely able to speak.


    His muscles tensed again, then one of his hands fell to her tail. After gently cupping her  ass, he lifted. Miyoko groaned as his cock slipped free, holding her tail up as he rose stiffly behind her and she lowered to his lap again. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ That¡¯s enough for now. You¡¯re safe.¡±


    The worst part was, despite knowing better, she believed him. For the first time since the hellfire took her parents, Master''s arms made her safe. Tears fell faster as she tried to steady her ever-shaky voice. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m okay, you can finish.¡±


    Master didn¡¯t speak. Instead, he cupped the back of her head and gently pet her. ¡°Shhhh, I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±


    With a grateful shudder, Miyoko¡¯s head lowered to his chest. His fingers grazed her fur as he held her firmly, timing his reassuring caress with the boat¡¯s gentle rocking. As the stress receded she closed her eyes, listening to him breathe. Master was warm. So¡­ so warm.


    They sat like that for a while, with Ashling petting her long after his erection softened and slid back inside. In time, the pleasure faded, leaving her groin wet, cold, and unsatisfied¡­ to Miyoko¡¯s relief.


    ¡°Shhhhhh¡­¡± Ashling cooed. ¡°Shhhh¡­ there¡¯s a good girl.¡±


    A wave of happiness rolled through Miyoko as she basked in his approval, making her curl tighter against his chest.


    Her eyes snapped open as she suddenly remembered where she was; what he¡¯d just done to her. He was her captor, the source of all her problems. She didn¡¯t need praise or help from anyone, and if she did, the man who imprisoned her as a sex slave was the last person she¡¯d ever take it from.


    With a panicked gasp, she shoved away; feet lightly touching the floor as he let her go. Her teeth clenched tightly as she swung an open palm, connecting solidly with his cheek and turning his face aside with a clap.


    Miyoko held her breath as she retreated to the corner, fury burning away as she realized her mistake. A surge of panic welled within her, desperately urging her to apologize; to fall to her knees and beg for forgiveness. For better or worse, that wasn¡¯t her. Miyoko¡¯s arms fell to her sides, fingers tightened into fists. Her jaw set as she defiantly glared and awaited punishment.


    With a twisted mix of rage and disgust, Ashling rose. The deer towered over her, engulfing her in his shadow as he stalked forward. His contemptuous stare slipping over her exposed body as he decided how best to teach her a lesson.


    Unable to stand the crushing, oppressive atmosphere, Miyoko closed her eyes. Terror froze her as he came so close she could feel his heat. Tess flinched as the officer lifted a brass glove and brought it down.


    The light blanket draped over her shoulders and arms, making her twitch. A prickle of terror raced down her back as Ashling leaned close. ¡°Sorry,¡± he whispered. ¡°If Khukri asks what that sound was, lie, okay?¡±


    With a staggered breath and a numb nod, Miyoko fumbled for the door handle and escaped into the night.

 Chapter 13: West Origin Royal Library

    A deep, pained breath left Ash¡¯s lungs as he pushed the blanket aside and struggled to the edge of his bed. He groaned, rubbing his eyes as they swept over Khukri.


    Angry light spilled from beneath the door, making Ash cringe into the little alcove his bed offered. ¡°Khukri?¡± Ash mumbled, pulling the blanket up to cover himself. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    The wolf knelt next to the door, wordlessly watching with hungry eyes.


    ¡°Stop.¡± Ash commanded.


    Her stare had a presence, not something painful, but he could tangibly feel it bore into him. She saw him for what he was: nothing. His weakness and inadequacy lay bare, making it clear to both she was better. How had he kept something like that enslaved? Predators were meant to hunt.


    Ash cried out, jumping to his feet with grit teeth. That thought, that terrible thought left a shuddering echo as he chased it away. ¡°You aren¡¯t a predator, you¡¯re just a girl!¡± Ash told her, falling to his knees so he could look her in the eyes.


    The angry light swept around him, but he refused to retreat to the safety of his bed. ¡°I want to help you!¡± Ash insisted, fingers clenched. ¡°I¡¯m trying to...¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± An unfamiliar voice called from outside his cabin. ¡°Is everything okay in there?¡±


    The door... there¡¯s someone out there. Ash¡¯s breath caught as he stumbled forward, clutching the handle to hold himself up. It rattled, further shaking his trembling hand before he forced the barrier aside, determined on remembering where he was - angry light be damned.


    His eyes constricted on their own, revealing a twisting maelstrom of green strands flowing from the sky and cascading over the other, larger boats in port. They graced his skin as they flowed over the city in a rolling wave, coiling him in their crushing embrace. A deer-girl in black leather armour accented by a white cape turned toward his boat from the dock. ¡°Why¡¯re you yelling?¡± she asked. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    There was another light in that woman, a soothing, pink light that beckoned him. ¡°No,¡± Ash insisted, looking back through the door at his empty room. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just reading a book. Sorry for being so loud.¡±


    ¡°Okay...¡± the woman said doubtfully. ¡°Keep it down, then.¡±


    Ash swallowed, transfixed on the deer-girl passing his boat. That light, that wonderful, soothing light is supposed to be mine... She¡¯s just going to waste it... He staggered back into the room, furious eyes falling on Khukri, who knelt in the shadows, watching him from the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Ash insisted, breathing heavily as he marched up to the wolf. ¡°You¡¯re not real. I left you back at Isle Point.¡± A finger pointed accusingly at the wolf-like shadow, wavering  in the harsh light of day.


    The finger lowered to his side, as he realized words weren¡¯t for her - they were for him. He was alone. He was safe. Whatever this was, this feeling, this need, it was something wrong with him.


    Ash removed the half bottle of whiskey from one of the compartments, untouched since his time with Issac. He made a mental note to thank the man someday. With a last pained gasp, he wrenched the top off and put the bottle to his lips.


    *    *    *


    Ash barely remembered docking at West Origin, and what little there was came in a jumbled haze. From his spot, hanging over the railing and nursing a sore, pounding head, his gaze shifted from the drydock request form to the incomprehensibly vast capital sprawl.


    West Origin consisted of an entire peninsula, constructed into a city that dwarfed even Azure Junction. It was a teeming mass of buildings with sloped roofs covered in white clay shingles, with structures separated by cobblestone roads. The port was roughly the same as Isle Point¡¯s, with wide wooden docks filled with workers and ships. Unlike Isle Point, however, the massive city didn¡¯t have one dock, but dozens, all marked amidst a colourful sea of flags.  Despite the similarities, one difference made it impossible to mistake West Origin for any other city: the royal library.


    Mellow spring air washed over Ash¡¯s face as he leaned back on the ship¡¯s railing, peering over his new mast to truly appreciate the scope of the ancient wonder. The tower dominated the skyline, making other buildings look like boulders at the base of a mountain. Kilometres of weathered stone rose from the earth in a massive multi-sided monolith, stretching higher than Ash thought possible. Each side was decorated with unfamiliar symbols that shimmered with sunlight reflected from inlaid mirrors.


    Ash blinked, tearing his eyes from the ethereal mountain as a wave of vertigo and nausea pulled him back to reality.


    It was hard to imagine a city so staggeringly huge its people needed to coordinate everything from food to waste management. The logistics rapidly outstripped Ash¡¯s meagre understanding, leaving him to file ¡®city management¡¯ in the growing list of things he didn¡¯t understand and hadn¡¯t the time to learn.


    Khukri¡¯s phantom was gone when he¡¯d awakened, banished alongside the terrible thoughts and feelings it brought. He felt... well, not good. Half a bottle of whisky wasn¡¯t about to leave him with sweet dreams. At least he felt like himself. His thoughts were finally clear again, quiet. The worst part was, even if he wanted to figure out what was wrong with him, who could he trust to ask? If it were related to Deianira, a stray word could bring another Via to his doorstep.


    Did Sturm have visions like those? With dangerous feelings that weren¡¯t his? Not in any of the issues he¡¯d read... but if he did, then it was exactly the kind of thing a publisher might remove. Your hero losing their mind wasn¡¯t exactly the most profitable end for a centi-series.


    The capital was massive, and Ash had a lot to do before he could return to Khukri. She¡¯d protect him if he had another vision. He stepped up to the boat¡¯s edge, sighing in relief as his pants fell to his ankles. A stream of urine mixed with the roaring ocean while he enjoyed one final relaxing moment before returning to his mission.


    ¡°Hey! The fuck are you doing?¡± a woman demanded.


    Ash tensed, but now that he¡¯d started, no force on Earth was about to stop the stream. He glanced over his shoulder where a guardswoman in black leather armor and a white cape shouldered a particularly nasty looking hooked halberd. ¡°Um¡­ pissing?¡±


    The woman scowled, obviously displeased with the answer. ¡°We installed toilets on the docks specifically to get you hicks to stop pissing in the ocean!¡± She turned, indicating a building at the end of the docks.


    Well, whatever toilets were, the woman seemed very insistent he should know. Luckily, Ash remembered Khukri¡¯s advice on not making himself a target. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry!¡± he yelled over his shoulder. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had toilets! I¡¯ll use them next time!¡±


    The woman let out an irritated grumble, but relented. By the time Ash pulled his pants back up, she¡¯d already moved on to yell something at a cargo ship one pier over. It didn¡¯t take long to find the dockmaster after that, a rather stern gentleman wearing a green robe and an overly feathered hat. Ash paid for the little vehicle to be moved to drydock for storage, along with minor repairs to the hull and sails, then proceeded into the city. As much as he liked the boat, Robyn was probably spreading a description among the coastal guard. It was safer locked away in some warehouse in the capital, where no one even knew who Ruari was. So long as he kept up on storage fees, he could pick it up after the heat died down.


    For the next several hours, Ash worked off his hangover by wandering aimlessly through the city. One would think moving towards the shiny mountain of stone would¡¯ve been easy, but every step of the way, rows of multi-storied buildings blocked his path. Occasionally, roads led to plazas where buildings boxed him in on all sides and forced him into retreat. Eventually, Ash abandoned his pride and started asking for directions, only to end up even more lost. To his horror, the city boasted four libraries, and no one assumed that he meant the ¡®Royal¡¯ Library.


    Sometime in the afternoon, Ash crossed the main road, drawing the eyes of wealthy citizens and gate guards. Between the spiked iron fence and the building, twenty girls stood at attention in Tythic heavy plate. The thick sheets of metal shrouding their figures turned just enough to remind him he was watched.


    Thick, oaken doors boomed behind Ash as he entered and breathed a sigh of relief, gazing around the cavernous interior. The smooth stone walls surrounding him were dotted with glass lamps, turned up so high they were difficult to look at directly. Another heavy iron gate bisected the room, broken by a closed portcullis, the kind that would deter even female attackers from storming a castle.


    After the crosshatch of metal, a young deer-boy sat behind a long wooden desk. He wore a red robe, cinched shut with a white sash, and watched expectantly as Ash crossed the room. When Ash reached the gate, the man smiled. ¡°Welcome to the Royal Library, sir, what brings you here today?¡±


    Ash slipped the bag from his back and withdrew the golden card, then held it through the bars. ¡°Someone I knew recommended some reading for me. The Wolf Queen, a centi-series by Braith of Sibir.¡±


    The librarian examined his card with a long, purposeful stare, before finally rising to his feet. ¡°Right this way, Your Lordship.¡± The man pulled a lever beneath his desk, causing the portcullis to inch up with loud, mechanical clacks, only to slam shut with an echoing boom once Ash passed the threshold. The librarian smiled, ushering Ash to follow as he turned down a long hallway. ¡°Is this your first time, Sir?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    That was... shockingly easy. It was about time something went right. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The librarian smiled, opening a lavishly decorated room with a mural depicting a bushy-maned lion overlooking a half-constructed spire. Ash entered, selecting a plump leather chair to sink into, one with cushions so comfortable it gave Issac¡¯s bed a run for its money. ¡°Not a problem,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you through how things work. Feel free to get comfortable; you may read in solitude for as long as you like. No drinks or food while handling the books; you¡¯ll be liable for damages, and some of them are quite rare. Let whoever¡¯s at the front desk know what book you want and they¡¯ll have one of our librarians retrieve it from the tower. Which book you requested will be recorded, and you won¡¯t be allowed to leave until it is returned. I believe you asked about a centi-series?¡±


    Ash set his pack on the ground beside the chair. Now, he had to make a minor decision. He¡¯d read issues 1 to 91 of The Wolf Queen, so should he start with issue 92 and read the story as the author intended¡­ or jump directly to the elusive issue 98? ¡°Is there a limit to how long I can stay? Or how many I can read?¡±


    The man blinked. ¡°This is a library, Sir. We didn¡¯t make the rooms so comfortable because we want you to leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take The Wolf Queen, by Braith of Sibir, issue 92, please.¡± Ash held his breath, but the man only bowed. ¡°Please wait here, Sir. It may take a moment to find your book. We have them organized, but the library is vast, and we only have so many on staff.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Suddenly, Ash¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait! What if I need to pee?¡±


    The man paused at the door. ¡°Ah, should you need to relieve yourself, come get me. I¡¯ll hold the book and show you to the toilet.¡±


    Well god damn! A wild grin flooded Ash¡¯s face. ¡°You guys have toilets here too?¡±


    This time Ash only received a blank stare. ¡°The library serves as West Origin¡¯s water tower, Sir. All the toilets in the city only flush because of us. If there was one place in the city that had toilets, we¡¯d be it.¡±


    Ash¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°They¡¯re connected?¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± the man said, his speech becoming clipped, ¡°this is a library. If you wish to learn the intricacies of Othelan plumbing I¡¯m certain I can find you a book. You did come to read, yes?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ yes, thank you,¡± Ash mumbled.


    After his host left, Ash adjusted the lighting and leaned back into the chair with a satisfied grunt. The walk through the city had been overwhelming, with a new experience he wished to share with Khukri around every corner. Both because he missed her, and because he¡¯d forgotten how utterly draining it was to walk all day without a wolf¡¯s endurance.


    The door opened once more, but instead of the man from earlier, a far older one appeared. His skin sagged slightly, and his fur greyed with age, but his dress was one of pure white silk, accented by a golden sash cinched around his waist. He smiled politely as he dragged an old wooden chair across the room and set it opposite Ash¡¯s, before sitting with a pained grunt.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Ash said.


    ¡°Yes, hello. It seems your little plan has worked,¡± the man said with a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ve got my attention.¡±


    Ash looked around, trying to work out how he might pretend he knew what was going on. ¡°Yes¡­ And I¡¯m happy to meet you. Err¡­ so, are you here to read too?¡±


    The older man raised an eyebrow. ¡°Son, I¡¯m too damn old to play games. We both know full well the book you¡¯ve requested has been moved to the restricted section, along with every other book on the banned list.¡±


    Restricted section? Damn it, the stupid book ban even applies to the Royal Library? Still, he said ¡®restricted,¡¯ so someone had to have access, and if it was this man, Ash needed to play along. ¡°You¡¯re right, sorry. Let me introduce myself¡­¡±


    ¡°I know who you are, Governor¡­ or Ex-governor, I should say.¡± The man gave a knowing smile. ¡°We met once. I led the ceremony to present you with your library card. You¡¯ve grown quite a bit since then. It would¡¯ve been nice if it didn¡¯t take a coup to get you down here¡­ I¡¯m High-Librarian Levi.¡±


    Ash, caught completely off guard, decided the capital wasn¡¯t the best place to be mistaken for a threat to the crown. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not Governor Ruari.¡±


    ¡°Must we¡­¡± Levi said with a weary sigh. ¡°In case you¡¯ve forgotten, the symbols on your card are letters in the Tsu alphabet. It literally has your name on it.¡±


    Ash hesitated, wondering if this was a bluff. ¡°Why would a library in Tythic use the Tsu alphabet?¡±


    ¡°Because Tsu, for all his faults, issued the Four Corners of Knowledge Edict.¡± Levi bowed his head respectfully. ¡°We may have separated from the empire, but we honour his commitment to heal the wounds inflicted by The Schism¡­ also, changing the entire filing system to a new alphabet would cost a lot of money, and your family decided our monthly stipend.¡±


    Not bluffing then. ¡°Oh. Yeah¡­ My bad.¡± Ash scratched his head nervously. ¡°I had no idea what was on that card. An acquaintance of mine lent me that so I could read here.¡±


    Levi narrowed his eyes. ¡°Really, so you¡¯re an acquaintance of the ex-governor?¡±


    Before the coup, Ash knew the names of a few people who might have cards, but they were all dead now. Luckily, the one person whom he knew had one was far too distant to call his bluff. ¡°Governess Robyn gave me this actually. Maybe she found Ruari¡¯s card¡ª¡±


    ¡°Governess Robyn!¡± The old man barked out a long harsh laugh. ¡°Governess Robyn of Clan Inisraighe, a royal caribou, gave a man a library card, so he can read a book banned specifically because it gives men the wrong idea about their place?¡±


    Really? Ash assumed the book was banned because someone in a position of power realized it was holy. Apparently they just didn¡¯t like Sturm¡¯s dick.


    The smile slowly faded from the old man¡¯s face. ¡°Boy, I have no interest in telling those southerners you¡¯re here. Now, if you want access to the restricted section, I suggest you stop the games and start negotiating.¡±


    Negotiating? Even if he actually was the ex-governor, what could the librarian expect from him? Ruari lost all power and influence during the coup. After a moment of contemplative silence, Ash shifted forward in his chair. ¡°Okay, how much do you want?¡±


    Another derisive snort. ¡°I¡¯m ninety-two, Lad. I hardly have the time or energy to flee the country weighed down by dirty coin.¡±


    ¡°What do you want then?¡± Ash pressed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Levi raised an eyebrow. ¡°The books, Boy, I want the books.¡±


    ¡°No, I want the books,¡± Ash countered. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re negotiating.¡±


    ¡°Not just your books, all the banned books,¡± Levi said derisively. ¡°Every library in the country is shipping books on the banned list here hoping we can save them. The new queen called for my retirement at the end of spring, with honours, the bitch. I¡¯m sure whoever replaces me will be less adverse to book burning. As stingy as your family was, they respected the library. Hopefully, you do too.¡±


    The end of spring? Between the business with Miyoko and all the traveling, it was already well into the season. That didn¡¯t leave much time before issue 98 was reduced to ashes. ¡°What do you expect me to do?¡± Ash demanded. ¡°Tell the Crown to reverse their policy?¡±


    Levi shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t the foggiest what your capabilities, or those of any benefactors protecting you might be, and I hardly care. There¡¯s thousands of librarians staring down warbows to keep cultural treasures from becoming historical footnotes. I¡¯m not about to put them at risk by letting you pick and choose which ones deserve to survive.¡±


    Despite his age, a passion burned in Levi¡¯s eyes, and Ash could tell this conversation wasn¡¯t going his way. He needed to change tack. Perhaps gathering information would show him some third option. ¡°Why do you care so much?¡±


    The high-librarian didn¡¯t move, save for the single raised eyebrow. ¡°Not a fan of history, are you, boy?¡±


    Ash¡¯s father had plenty of books in his trunk. Each cost a considerable sum, and a history book wouldn¡¯t do much to increase a farm¡¯s profits. ¡°It was never my strongest subject.¡±


    ¡°The cardinal libraries were founded as religious institutions for the Path of Tsu. It was the librarians¡¯ sacred duty to drag us from the shadow cast by The Schism¡­ and they did.¡± A flicker of pride ran across his face. ¡°When the Tsu Empire decreed that the job was important enough that cats should run the libraries, the West Origin Royal Library¡¯s tithe was spent raising a military to liberate the peninsula from the empire. This building¡­¡± Levi leaned forward as his words turned to a hiss, and he tapped the ground with his foot. ¡°This country was founded as a holy sanctum of our world¡¯s knowledge, and has been for centuries. Not one word altered. Not one line removed. The only reason the past is not simply whatever a king, cardinal, or captain claims, is because - we - remember.¡± Levi¡¯s eyes fluttered as he leaned forward, clutching his chest.


    ¡°Hey, you okay?¡± Ash half-stood, holding a hand out to steady the old man before having it gently slapped away.


    ¡°Get! I¡¯m fine¡­ just old.¡± Levi hung his head for a moment, then straightened. ¡°You know¡­ it¡¯s hardly fair. Gavin, the previous High-Librarian, he got old too. But his legs gave out when he was sixty. My first job here was actually rolling the old bastard around everywhere in a wheelchair.¡±


    Ash had a creeping suspicion that ¡®High-Librarian¡¯ might be a more important position than he¡¯d suspected, and that he shouldn¡¯t engage more than necessary. Unfortunately, he was curious. ¡°How isn¡¯t that fair?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ninety two!¡± Levi snapped. ¡°Where¡¯s my wheelchair boy! There¡¯s seventy floors in this blasted building and I have to use my legs for an extra 30 years because I¡¯m too healthy? Does that sound fair to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ guess not?¡± Ash sat back down. Whatever problem the man might¡¯ve had, passed. ¡°How¡¯d you go from wheelchair boy to High-Librarian?¡±


    ¡°I was thirty-five, with eight degrees in information management when I became wheelchair boy.¡±


    Eight degrees in anything was impressive. On Eriskay, Ash¡¯s father was considered well-educated with one degree each in agriculture, animal husbandry, carpentry, and blacksmithing. The way Ash¡¯s father explained it, you paid to become an apprentice for a year, then were tested by some sort of official at the end. The test¡¯s standards rose with each degree, ending at the tenth when you were considered a master in your field.


    ¡°You know what? Add that to my list of demands," Levi said dryly. ¡°All the books, and if your family ever returns to power, add a stipend specifically for a wheelchair boy.¡±


    At this point, it was clear the cost of issue 98 would be more than the 800 florins Ash was used to. ¡°Even if I was Ruari, which I¡¯m not, you can¡¯t expect me to solve something like that in one day.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Levi agreed, rising to his feet. ¡°Officially, I¡¯ve informed you that, while we wish to honour your request, the Queen does not. Now, does the young lord need to dash away and inform his benefactors? Or can I interest you in something else?¡±


    That¡¯s right! Just because the books he needed were off limits, that didn¡¯t mean the trip was a waste. He was in a repository of knowledge reserved for only the upper echelons of society, with a ticket to read anything! ¡°Are toilets banned?¡±


    Levi glared at him.


    ¡°Books about toilets,¡± Ash quickly corrected. ¡°Othelan plumbing, I guess. Are those banned?¡±


    After Ash didn¡¯t back down from the irritated glare, Levi grunted. ¡°Why in Deianira¡¯s name would books about toilets, of all things, be banned?¡±


    Ash shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why anything would be banned, yet here we are...¡±


    Levi hesitated. After a moment of silence, his shoulders sunk slightly. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll inform the librarians you wish for a book on plumbing. When you¡¯re ready to discuss our arrangement, you have my card.¡±

 Chapter 14: Two Point Buck

    Dust swirled through the courtyard, flowing past the myriad of carriages and wagons seeking customers in need of transport. It scattered into the wind as Miyoko cast her scarf aside, catching the evening air and blowing toward port. A deer-boy in his twilight years sat above the dust, bundled in a baggy brown robe, smiling as he looked over a creased paper. Tonight, Becky was going to kill that man. Apparently, when you offered to help a wolf, it wasn¡¯t implied that murder was off the table.


    ¡°Are you sure you wouldn¡¯t rather stay in the cage?¡± Khukri asked.


    ¡°I can do this.¡± Miyoko smiled, checking the fittings on her oversized pack.  ¡°Maybe it¡¯s different since I¡¯m not usually befriended through fear, but usually, you¡¯ve got to show your friends you¡¯ve got their back, right?¡± She checked her collar, pulled her coat tight against her bust, and pressed into the courtyard.


    A mark this easy had no way to check her ASN, so aside from being a slave, Miyoko had free reign to lie about anything. Her face twisted into a dumb smile as she slipped through the crowd and approached the man. ¡°Um? Hello!¡± she said with a bright, perky disposition. ¡°My name¡¯s Rebbecca¡­ but my friends all call me Becky!¡±


    The older man studied her from his carriage with a sweet smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you Becky, I¡¯m Rowan. Are you from around here?¡±


    ¡°No, sir¡­ I¡¯ve been runnin¡¯ up the coast all day since Master sent me. I don¡¯t think he knows rabbit-girls can¡¯t run all day like your girls.¡± Becky held her hood down, coughing as a dusty breeze tried to pull the cloth away. ¡°I¡¯m real tired, and I still got a long way to go. So I¡¯m hoping to get some rest in a wagon like yours! That way I¡¯ll be closer when I wake up, ready to run!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind¡­¡± Rowan sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t exactly let you ride for free¡­ I have a family to feed, you know?¡±


    Becky let out a string of barely suppressed chuckles as she set the giant pack down with a thump. ¡°Oh... I don¡¯t think that¡¯s gonna be a problem... It¡¯s super important I get this where it¡¯s going on time.¡± Rowan climbed down, eying her suspiciously as she looked inside her pack. Hidden from Rowan¡¯s view, it held a small crossbow, a pouch of crowns, and kilos of vaguely coin sized stones. She hastily retrieved the crowns and offered them as she closed the pack.


    Rowan¡¯s eyes swept curiously over the bag, then settled on the fistful of gold. Becky had dramatically overpaid. She was dumb, you see? Dumb and kind, and definitely dragging a massive bag of gold through the forest for a stupid master. ¡°Quite right! This will be plenty Becky, welcome aboard!¡±


    With a relieved sigh, Becky accepted Rowan¡¯s help into the carriage. So oblivious she was to the danger at hand, she¡¯d curled up on the seat with her bag to rest. In fact, she even gave a dramatic stretch and yawn when Rowan was nice enough to check on her. She was so sleepy, and trusting. What a silly girl Becky was. When the carriage lurched forward she sat up, settling in for the ride.


    The road switch was sloppy. The evening light faded as they moved off the patrolled main road into some backwood trail, exactly as Khukri predicted. This ¡®Rowan¡¯ wouldn¡¯t have lasted a day up in the Azure Syndicate. Sure, don¡¯t fix what¡¯s not broken, but robbing random travellers wasn¡¯t exactly foolproof¡­ especially when you had enemies.


    Miyoko opened the pack and retrieved her crossbow, glancing out the window with a sigh. Marbled sunset slipped through the trees in rolling waves, pushed aside by the gaslamp flaring to life near the driver¡¯s seat.


    An angry, rolling growl echoed through the dense foliage ahead.


    The creak of wheels and the thump of drake feet petered out as the carriage slowed to a crawl. ¡°Hello?¡± Rowan yelled.


    It¡¯s time. Miyoko gently eased the door open, then set her hands atop the vehicle and slipped up.


    Rowan stared into the dark down the sights of a crossbow. The drake snorted, shaking its head, leather groaning as the harness strained. After a long deliberation, Rowan shook the reins. They went taught as the drake pulled forward, nervous tongue flicking at every other step, while Rowan jumped at every lurking shadow.


    Miyoko cocked her leg back and plowed into Rowan with all she could bring to bear. A surprised cry escaped him as he shot from his seat, bouncing roughly off the Drake¡¯s back, and toppling to the forest floor. The weapon wrenched free from Rowan¡¯s grasp as the beast panicked, dragging him through a cloud of dirt for dozens of feet before he let go and vanished from the carriage¡¯s lamplight. As soon as she could wrestle them away, Miyoko grabbed the reins and eased the beast to a stop.


    There was no need to run. After a minute of sitting with the drake, Rowan limped into the light towards her, dagger drawn. See? Amateur. Miyoko set the crossbow on her lap, calmly locking in a bolt. Once Rowan was close enough, she hopped down, leveling her weapon.


    Rowan saw the weapon and stopped, tossing the blade aside. ¡°Please... Let¡¯s talk this through... What do you want?¡±


    ¡°You fucked over a man with the money to buy a wolf, idiot,¡± Miyoko chastised. ¡°What did you think was gonna happen?¡±


    Khukri growled as she stalked out of the forest, armour glistening in the gaslight.


    It wasn¡¯t lost on Miyoko that she had a loaded weapon and the one thing stopping her from running away was right there. It was a nice fantasy, but even without that fancy armour, any fight would start with a bolt hitting Khukri, and end with Miyoko hitting the floor.


    ¡°Rowan¡­¡± Khukri showed off her pointed jaws as he cowered in her shadow. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you a question, and if you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯m going to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Wolf?¡± Rowan yelped, transfixed.


    ¡°You took Master¡¯s books,¡± she accused through clenched teeth. ¡°You betrayed his trust and set his training back by weeks... Do you have any idea... No.¡± Khukri collected herself. ¡°I almost wasted my question. Where are Master¡¯s books?¡±


    ¡°Books?¡± Rowan held his hands up defensively. ¡°I- I didn¡¯t even know there were books in the trunk when I took it! B- but I can get them back! We brought them to our broker; she said they were banned so they¡¯d need to keep them across the border! If we go meet her in Azure Junction we can get them back, okay?¡±


    With a triumphant smile, Khukri walked past the man. ¡°See? It¡¯s the same trick and Master still would¡¯ve fallen for it. Could you imagine if we¡¯d brought him along?¡±


    Rowan turned, looking hopefully from Khukri to Miyoko for understanding.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Khukri prompted.


    Becky sighed as she raised the crossbow, only giving the deer a moment to register what was happening.  His face moved from confusion, to shock, to horror. Sorry Rowan, it¡¯s you or me. The bolt slammed into his chest, staining his robe red around the shaft as he fell backwards. A small cloud of dirt kicked up as he crashed to the ground, where he gasped and twitched. ¡°What¡¯s this ¡®training¡¯ Master¡¯s supposed to do, exactly?¡±


    ¡°He needs to learn to fight as well as a knight of Sibir,¡± Khukri mused, dispassionately watching Rowan writhe. ¡°It¡¯s been difficult to get information on what a knight is¡­ but I know he needs to have a lot of money and be really good at killing.¡±


    Ashling didn¡¯t strike Miyoko as a warrior, although she¡¯d admit he was far more built for it than someone like Sean. True, no amount of training would ever let him match a deer-girl¡¯s strength or endurance, but mercenaries of most species didn¡¯t have those either and they got by. The stock pressed into Miyoko¡¯s shoulder as she pulled the bowstring behind the latch. While she faced the downed man, her eyes swiveled behind to watch Khukri, who seemed pleased with the performance. ¡°I think a knight¡¯s like... a samurai, but from way back. They still have those down south?¡±


    Khukri maintained her casual posture, but raised her voice to speak over the man spitting up garbled pleas through a mouthful of blood. ¡°I know as little about samurai as I do knights.¡±


    Another thing: why Sibir? What could anyone from up here get from a distant country that hadn¡¯t been a world power in centuries? ¡°The executives hire security companies to enforce the law. There¡¯s no real standards for those. Some are better, some worse.¡± Becky moved closer, raising her weapon. That robe made it hard to tell exactly where she¡¯d hit Rowan, but based on the gasping, the first shot probably punctured a lung. Without help, he¡¯d die, but it¡¯d be slow and painful. The second bolt thudded into his chest. Hopefully this time she¡¯d hit his heart. ¡°Samurai and metsuke are actually executives, so they get to bend the law. Metsuke mostly do investigative work and recapture slaves. Samurai show up when the executives want you dead. They¡¯re basically rich assholes who spend their time practicing with all the best weapons and armour like it¡¯s some kind of religion¡­ he¡¯s not getting back up.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Rowan wasn¡¯t technically dead, yet. But, as his breathing grew weak and his eyes lost focus, the difference between alive and dead became a matter of patience. Khukri placed a hand on her shoulder with an approving smile. ¡°Good job.¡±


    Good job, really? Miyoko sighed, opening the carriage door. After tossing her crossbow inside, she hauled out her sack of rocks. ¡°I shot an unarmed man at point-blank range. It¡¯s hardly the kind of thing bards sing about.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time bringing you on a hunt,¡± Khukri explained, relieving Rowan¡¯s pockets of the gold he¡¯d died for. ¡°Master¡¯s first hunt was against something weak too.¡±


    Miyoko looked away. She wasn¡¯t about to take the high road here; her hands were far from clean, but at least she saw the dark act for what it was. ¡°I¡¯m not a great driver or anything, but I can get us back to Isle Point. If we load up on sausages at the Ambition, this drake can take us all the way to the Azure Syndicate with those velkammer plates.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± Khukri said, cheerfully slipping the coins into one of her pouches. ¡°Although, this is all the money we have¡­ we probably shouldn¡¯t waste sausages when there¡¯s fresh meat right here.¡±


    Miyoko grimaced. ¡°Feeding a man to his own drake? I mean, I know it¡¯ll save us money, but, you get how that¡¯s kinda messed up, right?¡±


    ¡°And yet¡­¡± Khukri said, drawing one of her knives and running a thumb across its blade. ¡°The lizard hungers...¡±


    *      *      *


    ¡°Here, hold him steady for a sec!¡± Miyoko instructed, handing the reins off to Khukri. Once she was sure the beast would behave, she hopped off the carriage. It was sometime before noon, and the Azure Syndicate¡¯s border city was preparing for a storm surge rolling down the canyon. Rabbits under a dreary sky zipped from building to building on running paths, coats flailing wildly in the wind. There wasn¡¯t any water yet, but the dry spell wouldn¡¯t last. Winter was dead, and spring would have its way.


    Miyoko hurried to the door and cracked it open, finding Aoi sitting on the couch with her face in a book and her feet in the air. ¡°Hey!¡± Miyoko called. ¡°We¡¯ve got cargo out front!¡±


    Aoi glanced over, then returned to her book. ¡°Sean! Ghost¡¯s back! Open the garage!¡±


    The massive barn doors clicked and swung outwards. Sean leaned out, waving them in from beneath a wildly flapping blanket. Miyoko set a hand on the drake¡¯s head and another on its harness, then gently guided the carriage inside.


    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Sean said, half-smile dimming as he watched the carriage roll by. ¡°I¡­ did you buy a carriage?¡±


    ¡°I stole it!¡± Miyoko yelled over the wind, grabbing the door with Sean to pull it back in place. ¡°We¡¯ll need to get Aoi to part it out and sell the drake. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s got people in the central corridor who wouldn¡¯t mind getting materials on the cheap.¡±


    ¡°Hotaru says we¡¯re not supposed to do anything illegal!¡± Sean pulled the bolt shut and stepped back, smoothing out his blanket as Khukri dismounted. ¡°We¡¯re laying low, and we don¡¯t know for sure you¡¯re not working with the executives. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m breaking the law for you.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s not stolen, dumbass,¡± Miyoko said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Just super legally turn it into pieces and sell it without telling anyone where it came from. You¡¯re Ashling¡¯s-¡± A soft growl from Khukri made Miyoko stop and grind her teeth. ¡°You¡¯re Ashling¡¯s-¡±


    Khukri¡¯s growl intensified.


    ¡°Tsu guide me, do you have any idea how stupid I sound to them?¡± Miyoko demanded, tossing down the saddle straps she was working on. ¡°They¡¯re gonna think I forgot the man¡¯s name!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to remember,¡± Khukri said, tapping Miyoko¡¯s collar with one of her claws. ¡°That¡¯s why they wrote it down.¡±


    Okay, fine. The arctic nightmare isn¡¯t budging on this one. Miyoko turned back to Sean with a smile. ¡°My master, Ashling...¡± She paused, holding up her hands while listening for Khukri. ¡°Great. That guy is your client. Anonymously turning the shit he gives you into money is your job.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Sean bit his lip, looking over the plates strapped to the back. ¡°Hotaru knows a guy in Continental Ironways who always needs quality plates to replace the ones that burn in Hell, but we¡¯re competing with the Direwood Syndicate. I¡¯m sure I can get a better deal from the Dusk Empire, but setting that up will take time. My usual contacts don¡¯t do industrial materials.¡±


    ¡°They need money, now,¡± Miyoko said, pulling the drake from its saddle and leading it to a hitching post. ¡°Sell it to the train company.¡±


    Khukri let out a small growl.


    ¡°Sorry... We need money.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Khukri said, loosening a knot tethering the plates to the carriage. ¡°Go talk to Hotaru. Sean and I can manage.¡±


    Sean¡¯s eyes drifted warily to Khukri. ¡°Um¡­ yeah. Yeah, we can handle it.¡±


    With a grateful look to both, Miyoko pulled the tether shut and hurried up to Hotaru¡¯s office.


    Hotaru sat at her desk, mostly hidden behind piles of loose junk. After a quick peek, she rose to her feet and carefully navigated her way through the mess. ¡°Ghost, thank Deianira you¡¯re alive.¡± Funny, she had her new name less than two weeks, but her old handle already felt strange to the ear. ¡°I talked to Sean. If you¡¯re here to try and unload that yacht...¡±


    ¡°No, no, not a yacht,¡± Miyoko grumbled. ¡°So, apparently, Ashling¡¯s an idiot. I mean¡­ eating paste levels of dumb.¡±


    A doubtful look crossed Hotaru¡¯s face. ¡°This is the man who lifted a yacht from a Tythic royal in the middle of her birthday party?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t mastermind some carefully orchestrated ploy, he just flashed his Direwood Syndicate membership papers and grabbed it!¡± Miyoko protested. ¡°There¡¯s no way whatever his business is doesn¡¯t get blowback.¡±


    The doubt stayed as Hotaru opened her drawer, filling the room with clicks and clacks as she sifted through the tide of baubles. ¡°I¡¯m just saying... Man¡¯s got business contacts on the islands, is a member of the Direwood Syndicate, and has a tendency for recklessness with his wolf bodyguard. Sounds like the kind of man I should be able to find information on. You want a hit?¡±


    Miyoko hesitated, then nodded, Rowan¡¯s last gasps running through her mind. ¡°Half my usual, please. All that time without it made me sensitive; coming down was a bit rough.¡± When Hotaru nodded and flipped open the opium box, Miyoko pressed on. ¡°You really think the executives would risk jacking a boat from Tythic royalty just to get your guard down?¡±


    ¡°Not the executives...¡± Hotaru held a lighter over the pipe and clicked the button. A stream of heavy magnesium gas fell straight down, bursting into a shower of sparks above the pipe and igniting its contents. Extra gas flowed around the pipe and fizzled to nothing before reaching the floor. ¡°But Fleur would. She wants to stay on the executives¡¯ good side, and we¡¯re the last loose ends tying her to the coup.¡±


    The handle threaded through Miyoko¡¯s fingers as she pulled back an old wooden chair, sending the sweet, welcoming aroma through the room in wistful curls of smoke. ¡°Really? Last season Fleur betrayed literally everyone we knew. Who in their right mind would ever work with her again?¡±


    Hotaru¡¯s eyebrow raised, then fell as a look of realization crossed her features. ¡°Ah, I assumed one of the other girls would¡¯ve told you... There¡¯s rumours floating around that our old patron¡¯s taken after dear old mum. Got herself a position as Secretary of Intelligence for Han Prefecture.¡±


    With a bitter snort, Miyoko brought the pipe to her lips. ¡°What Han Prefecture?¡±.


    ¡°I know,¡± Hotaru said, rolling her eyes. ¡°But they call a group of cats a ¡®pride¡¯ for a reason. Apparently, it¡¯s not enough to be wealthy and powerful, they want their prefecture back, so they¡¯ve set up a government in exile.¡±


    Smoke curled through Miyoko¡¯s lungs, massaging her muscles loose and dulling the sting of betrayal from her mind. She knew all too well Fleur would choose power over money, but to end up like her mother? Really? Five years ago, Han was severed from the empire, and revolutionaries-turned-executives plundered its resources until it was a crime-ridden shell. And yet, it was somehow enough for Fleur to sentence Miyoko to death, rather than share paradise.


    A swirling cloud billowed from her lips, obscuring Hotaru in the haze. That was the other lesson to remember. Fleur might have been that dumb, idealistic girl who couldn¡¯t let go of her dreams of fixing the State, but Hotaru was practical. It hadn¡¯t been long since Miyoko counted as a loss to be cut, and if she wasn¡¯t careful, she¡¯d become one again. So, maybe portraying her owner as a drooling imbecile wasn¡¯t her best move.


    ¡°I get it,¡± Miyoko said. ¡°You cover your bases, but money¡¯s money, right? You''ll get a cut from unloading that cargo, plus more once he ships in those crops... He¡¯s even willing to pay for information on a broker named Lenn. Some rabbit-boy who worked with him on the islands. Maybe that¡¯ll give you a lead.¡±


    ¡°Lenn, huh?¡±  Hotaru dug through the desk again, then pushed the junk aside to make room for a paper. Several knicknacks clattered to the floor, though Hotaru didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it... oh, and as for your other problem...¡± She leaned forward, setting a small wooden case between them. ¡°This is an alchemical solution from the black markets of the Othelan Republic. The rich folks up there take it to fuck all night. They call it something different than the night girls using it to service extra clients, but it¡¯s the same stuff. Without knowing what aphrodisiac he¡¯s giving you, I can¡¯t say for sure it¡¯s safe, but this junk blocks out most pleasure. Interested?¡±


    Miyoko took another drag as she opened the case, watching a swirling pink mixture dance in ten little glass vials. She much preferred putting her life in the hands of Othelan engineers over underworld alchemists, but... when she closed her eyes, that monster¡¯s insidious lies still roiled inside her. That he cared, that he wanted to protect her, that she could trust him. Dangerous feelings. The kind that got dumb girls arrested.


    Another cloud of smoke passed her lips as the lid snapped shut. ¡°Yeah. Thanks, Hotaru. I¡¯ll take it.¡±

 Chapter 15: A Change Of Heart

    A relieved sigh escaped Ash as the girls at Eden¡¯s gate returned his bag. The vast majority of his two weeks without Khukri he¡¯d spent sailing alone or walking alongside crowded wagons on well-worn roads. As exciting and interesting as the wider world was, it was a lot lonelier without Khukri¡¯s warm arms and reassuring whispers.


    The familiar verdant plants swayed in the spring breeze as Ash marched down the path, casting amused glances at the naked animals meditating in patches of warm sunlight. It was a sharp contrast from the mainlanders he¡¯d met on his march back, who were a bit extreme with their need to cover up. No wonder the monks got seen as a sex cult.


    Back home, his mother and sisters probably already planted this year¡¯s crops, right alongside Dad and his chickens. The aibax... well, his father probably handled them too. Despite his gripes about getting old, Ash¡¯s father had a good decade before the aibax truly became too much. Their work would be harder without the tools he stole, but they¡¯d had the winter to prepare. Surely his sisters dug up their stash and swapped it for new equipment by now. They¡¯d probably told their parents Deianira gave him magic too... the tattletales.


    With a small smile, Ash shifted his eyes to see the light around him. Those meditating radiated green light, each becoming a shining beacon that selflessly blessed everything it touched. It was fascinating to watch. Dozens of animals, undergoing the long tedious process so one day they could wield the light just like him. Deianira said he¡¯d be as good at magic as anyone could be... So in theory, with enough time, any of them could match him one day.


    He let the light fade as he approached his cabin door, eager for the one sight he¡¯d wanted after traveling so long. He wasn¡¯t disappointed.


    The moment the door opened, a flying ball of white fur crashed into him. Ash found himself on the ground, staring into rapturous blue eyes as Khukri¡¯s naked body pressed against him. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh, though that was cut short by her lips pressing into his, exploring as deeply and passionately as her extended jaw would allow. His eyes slid shut as his hands roamed around her side and back, reveling in the feel and smell he¡¯d gone so long without.


    Warm breath washed over Ash¡¯s face as Khukri leaned back from his lips. ¡°Welcome home, Master! I missed you.¡±


    ¡°I can tell,¡± Ash said, squeezing her a moment longer. ¡°But maybe we could talk somewhere a bit more private?¡±


    With an apologetic chuckle, Kukri hurried to her feet, half-dragging Ash as he stumbled into the cabin.


    ¡°Master?¡± Khukri asked, clinging to his arm and nuzzling his shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t you change while I head to the Petals and warm some water?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Miyoko?¡± Ash asked, nodding to the cage in the corner, empty,  save a pile of straw bedding.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Khukri let go, sweeping around him toward the door. ¡°I¡¯m your Whip, Master, I can handle one girl. Just take an evening to relax.¡±


    ¡°Allright...¡± Ash said with a small pout. ¡°But I missed you.¡±


    Khukri¡¯s tail thrashed as she took a few steps away. ¡°It won¡¯t be long, Master. You¡¯ve been traveling for days. You could use a nice hot bath, meal, and... anything else you couldn¡¯t get while away...¡±


    The implication brought a grin to his lips.Two weeks trapped inside his own body reminded him exactly how powerful she was. Khukri was a member of an ancient race that once ruled the earth, bred for hunting, and put through a lifetime of trauma to kill monsters. The only reason a girl like that even looked at him was because he funded that lifetime of trauma by buying her, but she did with such loving eyes.


    The evening sun slowly fell behind Eden¡¯s walls when Ash locked the cabin door behind him. He hopped on bare feet along the path in an island wrap, dancing from hot stone walkways to grass that pricked him with concealed twigs and pebbles. He¡¯d take the discomfort, unwilling to miss the chance to rid himself of the infernal boots and filthy cloak he¡¯d walked all the way from the capital in. Finally, Ash entered The Petals, immediately drawing the gaze of the white wolf standing beside a bath door.


    Before he could speak, Khukri vanished with a playful smirk and a flash of her tail. Warmth flowed through his fur and down his lungs as he trailed after her into the steam. Khukri peeked from the water, making Ash''s lips twitch up as warm puddles soaked his weary feet. Ever eager, that one.


    ¡°I thought about you a lot, while I was gone,¡± Ash said, pulling his clothing off to hang up.


    Khukri smiled playfully, pulling her lips back to reveal a set of wicked jaws as she rose from the water. ¡°I never stop thinking of you, Master.¡±


    Despite his best efforts, Ash¡¯s eyes drifted past the shining collar to the water streaming off her chest. Ever since Khukri¡¯s shadow left him, the craving to harvest another¡¯s inner light grew weaker. Maybe one day it¡¯d be so weak he wouldn¡¯t even notice, but Khukri¡¯s light would fill that craving before then, wouldn¡¯t it?


    A cloud of steam consumed the room as Khukri¡¯s swaying steps splattered hot water over the cool stone floor. She lurched forward, flying at him in a blur of fur and teeth. Ash¡¯s feet swept away and he fell, guided by Khukri to the floor. Droplets echoed off the walls and throughout the room, muddling his yelp as she climbed on his chest.


    Together, they slid across the room. Ash, as a lumbering oaf on his back, and Khukri, gracefully straddling him into the pit. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t until the feel of stone left his back that he realized their destination. He tried to breathe, but warm water crashed around him, cutting him off from the surface.


    Ash flailed, burning lungs urging him to rise, but his limbs were hastily restrained by Khukri. He wriggled in a blind panic, growing weaker until her lips pressed against his, releasing bubbles that tickled his nose. His lips parted, breathing in his wolf¡¯s kisses as she returned him to the surface.


    Warm water showered the walls and floors as they burst through. While Ash gasped, Khukri wrapped her legs around his waist, laughing and clinging to his shoulders. After steadying himself, Ash pulled her close, basking in the warmth of her touch. It was a protective embrace, and when he looked into those bright blue eyes, he knew, knew, she loved him.


    Ash sighed into her neck, letting the aches and pains of the last week leech from his bones. This. He wouldn¡¯t lose sight of this. Whatever phantoms might come, this girl was happy with him. She wanted him to take her light, and if that ever changed he could deal with it then. The edge of an underwater bench hit the backs of Ash¡¯s knees, and he collapsed onto it with a pleased groan.


    Khukri¡¯s legs uncurled, letting her take some of her weight off as she leaned over him with a contented growl. ¡°That¡¯s twice I¡¯ve caught you... You haven¡¯t been practicing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been¡­ distracted,¡± Ash chuckled, closing his eyes and reveling in the weight pinning him down.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Khukri teased. ¡°But Isn¡¯t my master¡¯s purpose to become a powerful knight?¡±


    ¡°I... I know. You¡¯re right. We¡¯ll start training again.¡± He gave her a reassuring squeeze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Things with Via got me really worked up, and I¡¯ve been kind of on edge ever since. I mean, we stole Governor Ruari¡¯s boat!¡± Ash chuckled in disbelief. ¡°I defied the Crown... for books. I think I just needed some time to clear my head.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have my master back.¡± Khukri pecked his cheek, then pushed into the water, releasing rippling waves and steam throughout their pool.


    It felt strange pursuing the majestic animal gliding away. Even when he knew Khukri¡¯s resistance was feigned, and she was very happy relinquishing her light, it felt... weirdly aggressive to demand sex from the girl protecting him.


    The water sloshed as Ash stopped short, allowing her escape while he clung to the bench. ¡°Oh, uh, Khukri? I know you said not to worry about it, but what¡¯s going on with Miyoko? You¡¯ve been treating her well like I asked, right?¡±


    Khukri¡¯s playful expression faded as she settled on the opposite wall. ¡°¡­Yes, Master. Miyoko is returning from a meeting with Sean. She¡¯ll be back tonight.¡± Khukri pushed off again, paddling towards him. ¡°Do you need her for something? We didn¡¯t know when you¡¯d get back... or are you worried I¡¯m not being a good Whip?¡±


    A warm wave of water pushed Ash back as Khukri pressed her head up against him. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± he mumbled, running his fingers along her muzzle. ¡°You¡¯ve already got a fire going to heat up the water, and I bought some nice spices and steak. I was thinking I¡¯d cook a special meal and get to know her now that she¡¯s had some time to settle in.¡±


    The bright, bushy tail swept between her legs as she looked him over doubtfully. ¡°But you just got home. Shouldn¡¯t you relax?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been eating plants I grew out of my backpack for two weeks,¡± Ash insisted. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to having a full kitchen to work with again. Besides, I wanted to give you some real meat.¡±


    ¡°Oh I¡¯ll bet.¡± Khukri said with a smirk.


    * * *


    Faded sunlight leaked in from outside, settling over the dirty pan and dishes strewn about the table. The oven at the side was locked shut and polished clean, a single dish of fried asparagus and mushrooms sitting atop it. Ash sat with his back to the wall, eyes following the dying sunbeam as he considered what he¡¯d do moving forward.


    Miyoko walked through the door, rustling from items stored in her baggy black shirt and pants. ¡°Khukri! Sorry I¡¯m late...¡± She slowed, eyes settling on Ash. ¡°Oh, Ashling, you¡¯re back... I was just getting used to wearing clothes again.¡±


    When the rabbit started pulling her shirt off, Ash grimaced. ¡°Oh! If you want...¡±


    ¡°If you want to pretend you¡¯re not getting off on this, maybe you could look a little less happy?¡± Miyoko held the lump of black cloth across her stomach in both hands, bouncing on her toes to make her little white tits hop.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking healthier,¡± Ash said, smiling as he took her in. The time he¡¯d been away had done wonders, filling in her ribs and thickening her coat. A few more weeks and her gaunt appearance would vanish altogether, letting the girl¡¯s lean frame and muscled legs shine. ¡°I just... want you to enjoy your time with us. I saved you a meal, you want me to throw it in the oven?¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Miyoko tossed her clothes into a ball beside the door, playing with her collar and bracelets as she approached. ¡°Oh... If you order it, Master, but Khukri had me pick up these oat bars ARCs use for recovering weight. I really shouldn¡¯t go off plan. Where is she, anyway? That one-eyed monk said she was up here.¡±


    ¡°Conall,¡± Ash reminded her. ¡°And Khukri¡¯s out searching for you, since you missed dinner.¡±


    A groan slipped from Miyoko as she wandered to the table, tentatively taking the water jug. ¡°Can¡¯t she relax? Things run late sometimes. I can¡¯t just walk out while Sean¡¯s contacting his network.¡±


    ¡°She was worried you might¡¯ve been avoiding me.¡±


    Miyoko gave him a hard look, then swigged something and downed a gulp of water before returning the jug. ¡°I check in with Khukri every night and she¡¯s terrifying. Why would I avoid you?¡±


    ¡°I mean...¡± Ash sat a bit straighter when she approached. ¡°You were pretty upset the last time we talked...¡±


    ¡°I was having a bad day, Master.¡± Miyoko sat, black-ringed eyes lowering to his level. ¡°You think your dick was the hardest thing I had to deal with that night? I almost died! But I remember our deal... I got three years.¡± Her powerful legs extended around him, thumping solidly against the wall and making his back shake. ¡°You got me.¡±


    Why is it so much easier to get along with strangers than the girls I¡¯m responsible for?


    Ash pulled her foot from the wall, setting his palm on the wide pad in the middle and threading his fingers between her toes. They were strange, like Khukri¡¯s, but with a huge flat surface for traction... he worked the muscles loose, probing between her paw pads.


    A groan left Miyoko as she lay back, feet twitching and trying to push him away. ¡°Ah! Easy...¡±


    ¡°Any news on Lenn?¡± Ash asked, massaging tension from each pad until he understood the connections between every muscle and bone.


    ¡°Lenn? I asked, but nothing yet. If it¡¯s any consolation, Sean finished with your orders. The velkammer plates sold for just under thirty-seven thousand marks, and the custom weapon you ordered is ready to be picked up.¡±


    A slight grin crossed Ash¡¯s face as he set one foot in his lap and took the other. He massaged tension away in half the time, applying extra pressure in areas it wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Thirty-seven thousand marks?¡±


    She nodded, shifting awkwardly and staring down at her feet. ¡°It¡¯s not a great price for velkammer plates, but that¡¯s the tradeoff for offloading the stuff so quickly.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ash clarified. ¡°What are marks?¡±


    Miyoko tried to lean in, but fell back when Ash moved to massaging her calf. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a member of the... Marks are the Othelan Republic¡¯s currency. Uh, if you use a currency broker I think you can get a crown for just under two and a half marks, but I haven¡¯t been to town since the last currency update.¡±


    Her calves and thighs were powerful, stacked atop soft joints to deliver devastating kicks... or jumps. ¡°Okay, so florins, crowns, and marks. It¡¯d be a lot easier if they just picked one and stuck with it. I guess we¡¯ll need a currency broker. I need crowns for my boat storage fees, and florins for Eden. I can¡¯t really use marks for anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re paying Sean to help you avoid executive fees,¡± Miyoko explained, grunting as he moved from calf to thigh. ¡°When anyone in Sean¡¯s network needs marks, he¡¯ll swap and add money to your account. There¡¯s a payment from him in my pockets.¡±


    Curiosity sparked inside Ash as his exploration led him to her upper thigh. It took the sunset glistening between her thighs before he realized her light wasn¡¯t calling to him... at all. At some point it just... stopped.


    Ash gave a final squeeze to her thigh, imagining what he could do with gifts like hers. Two fingers slid into the damp fur, making Miyoko bounce.


    ¡°Shit, Ashling! A little warning?¡± she pouted.


    ¡°¡­Uhm, sorry,¡± Ash mumbled, parting the slick, warm fur to reveal the soft pink beneath.


    Her light pulsed.


    The light within Miyoko echoed beneath his fingertips, like tapping a rain barrel after a heavy storm. Ash let out an excited breath as his fingers slid inside her. The friction released light that coiled and snapped around him. It was a chaotic, vast ocean, pressing out in every direction trying to escape its prison. In contrast, the light he¡¯d used to cast Dusk ¡®till now was a puddle.


    The door creaked as Khukri entered.


    Ash¡¯s wet fingers popped from Miyoko with an undignified sucking sound as he jerked back. ¡°Khukri!¡± Ash said, breath catching in his throat. ¡°I- I was- I was just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fingering Miyoko?¡± She smirked, unbuckling her armour. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can wait my turn.¡±


    Right¡­ Khukri was the one who wanted another girl in the first place. He could just...  harvest Miyoko¡¯s light. He¡¯d already decided to continue casting Dusk, so what did he stand to gain by ignoring what he¡¯d felt?


    Miyoko glanced from his engorged length slipping from its sheath and raised an eyebrow, parting her pussy lips to display her dripping entrance. ¡°You done with the medical exam?¡±


    As Ash entered her, the ocean of light flooded into him. Each strand of light wound through his body like threads, weaving a web of understanding at his touch. Each connected to a feeling; an emotion like ¡®love, hate, happy or sad¡¯. No¡­that wasn¡¯t right either. It was more than that. They intertwined into every facet of a person - how hot they were, their heartbeats, the food digesting in their stomach and  how they felt about that. Everything had emotion attached, and the more light he drank, the more he felt.


    The bunny moaned, pressing her warm body against his. ¡°Mmmm. you¡¯re so big, Master...¡±


    Her breasts rose and fell with each eager pant as they locked eyes. ¡°No...¡± Ash said, mulling over the new web of feelings. ¡°I¡¯m too big... you¡¯re in pain.¡±


    It didn¡¯t register on Miyoko¡¯s face, but panic shot through her, making Ash tense and flinch for a moment. But... but he understood! Why couldn¡¯t Deianira simply allow everyone to understand each other like this? It was all so simple now. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be afraid, I¡¯ll show you.¡± Ash cautiously entangled the two webs. Emotions overlapped; his desire to please her painted alongside the rest of the tangle, momentarily visible to the bunny.


    For a moment, Miyoko recoiled like a beast witnessing fire for the first time. Then, the fear in her eyes melted, leaving a curious girl watching him from the floor.


    Ash slowly pulled out, then focused on her light as he started to fuck. Miyoko¡¯s light was chaos. Before, he wielded his magic like a hammer, adding intense arousal to any pleasure his lover received. It was a crude way to cast Dusk, but it worked. As connected as he was to her vast emotional landscape, there was no way to direct Miyoko¡¯s light as he had his own, but maybe some guidance would help.


    Miyoko groaned, submitting to his instruction and bringing order to her own light. Emotions were fickle things. Any song could move a man to tears of joy or boredom, any painting could be considered a masterpiece or trash, but controlling the light inside yourself allowed you to decide. Pleasure was a strong basic stimulus, which made adding arousal to it effective. Luckily, pain was also a strong stimulus.


    ¡°You want to see?¡± Ash said, smiling as he cupped her head in his hands. ¡°Like this.¡± Her breathy gasp filled the room as he directed light to her eyes. ¡°Can you see me?¡±


    For their eyes, her light coursed through his veins, bathing them in a pink glow. ¡°I see you, Master,¡± she said, a hint of reverence in her tone.


    The room cooled as the fires downstairs petered out, highlighting Miyoko¡¯s warmth as she writhed beneath him. Their hips rocked together, with Miyoko trading his pleasure for her pain as they drove each other closer to the edge. Finally, the powerful legs went limp as she screamed in pain and ecstasy, pussy convulsing around him as she came.


    Ash moaned, falling forward for a moment... but she wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    The food¡¯s scent faded with the cold, replaced with a smell of musk and sex so thick it was hard to breathe. The quivering bunny beneath him grabbed a fistful of fur on either side of Ash¡¯s chest, then bucked into him with her powerful legs. Slamming his sensitive cock into herself so hard her stomach bulged.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Ash said.


    Miyoko met his eyes, narrowing them defiantly and bucking into him again.


    ¡°That¡¯s too hard. You¡¯re damaging yourself.¡± The words were stern, but important. Miyoko didn¡¯t feel the light the way he did. For Miyoko, pain was still pain, but the arousal he had encouraged within her made it easy to overlook. The consequences would still be there the next day.


    When Miyoko slammed into him again he stopped directing her light. A small scream escaped her throat as she was plunged into darkness with his cock burrowed into her stomach. Her teeth clenched and her fists formed into balls as she whimpered, trying to crawl away.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re doing.¡± Ash grabbed Miyoko¡¯s collar and pulled her tight against him. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing, and I won¡¯t let you try unless you listen. Understood?¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s irises glowed pink once more, tears peeking from the corners as she met his gaze and nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry, Master.¡±


    Ash resumed his guidance, and relief washed over her face as she remembered to accept the pain once more.


    Time was a blur as warm walls clenched around Ash¡¯s cock. Each thrust was met with the rabbit¡¯s hips, eagerly bucking into him as hard as he¡¯d allow. Her screams of ecstasy echoed with each climax, slowing to grunts as her legs wrapped around his back minutes later. It never took long for her to begin grinding against him, trying desperately to cum again. His hands navigated her body; from long ears to breasts, twisting nipples and thumbing her sensitive clit as his slick cock became familiar with her folds. Below them, the fur under Ash¡¯s knees and Miyoko¡¯s back grew wet from her dripping pussy, unheeded by the two in the throes of passion.


    When Miyoko¡¯s legs untangled from Ash and her arched back settled once more, Ash reached down, putting two fingers in her mouth and pulling them back bloody. ¡°You need to stop screaming,¡± he chided.


    ¡°B-but... I can¡¯t remember when it cums...¡± Miyoko reminded him,trembling thighs rubbing together as she barely restrained herself. Her voice was hoarse, but the pain was masked in layers of arousal.


    Right... he¡¯d had that problem with Khukri too. Ash¡¯s light swept through every muscle and bone, reminding her body who he was, and that she had to listen. ¡°Okay... I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    It took hours, but eventually Miyoko collapsed from exhaustion. Each orgasm had left the rabbit convulsing, her thighs twitching and eyes rolling as her dripping hole clenched around him. Every subsequent one grew that much more painful and intense as her muscles cramped harder in protest. She¡¯d pushed herself as hard as she could just to cum one last time, but his fur slipped from her fingers as she hit the ground, muscles too overtaxed to move.


    Still, Ash held himself back, completely reliant on his light to prevent him from going mad with lust. He slid both arms around her and lifted, leaning her against his chest as he resumed fucking. Those powerful legs flopped uselessly to either side, toes curled as the rabbit watched through grateful, sleep-deprived eyes as drool and tears flowed past her twitching lips.


    Each time her limp body seized around his cock, Miyoko rose, eyes settling on his just long enough to confirm he¡¯d felt her gratitude.


    When the sun rose, Ash sighed, holding the girl¡¯s body in the new light and listening to the birds outside. After edging for the entire night, he¡¯d reached his limit, but he could still feel the fire inside Miyoko. ¡°Look at me.¡±


    Even if Miyoko was too tired to hear, her body understood, moving its eyes to meet his.


    ¡°Cum,¡± Ash ordered.


    The rabbit breathlessly seized again, clenching so tight around him she could barely breathe. When her pussy started to loosen he grabbed her collar, pressing his cock as deep into her as it would go. ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡±


    Every muscle seized around Ash as Miyoko¡¯s mouth opened in a silent scream, drool flowing down her chest and dripping onto her already soaked chest.


    The eager rabbit¡¯s writhing muscles disrupted Ash¡¯s focus on the light and the natural sensations returned, overwhelming his sensitive cock in an instant and releasing a night¡¯s worth of cum into the doll only kept conscious through his will.


    He still wasn¡¯t enough.


    Ash grabbed her head, shuddering with pleasure as he looked into bloodshot eyes that didn¡¯t see. ¡°Why can¡¯t I satisfy you?¡±


    Its lips twitched, understanding only that Ash wanted words, and he was the only thing more important than her pleasure. A flicker of Ash¡¯s approval raced over the bunny, melding into the pleasure of her endless orgasm as she decided to comply. ¡°You¡¯re... terrifying.¡±


    Terrifying? How? Ash had total dominion over her body, and she knew he had no intention of hurting her. Even now, he felt the intense pain radiating from her womb, and stopped things before the damage was permanent.


    ¡°...Stop.¡± The walls around his cock retracted as Miyoko let out a relieved gasp and went limp in his arms once more. Their cum mixed together, gushing out of Miyoko and draining down Ash¡¯s thighs, warming him as it flowed through his fur to the puddle of Miyoko¡¯s juices below.


    Ash groaned, head swimming with exhaustion and post-coital bliss.


    ¡°Master?¡± The body whined as Ash pulled out of her.


    For a moment he hesitated. It lay in his arms, bloodshot eyes focused pleadingly on him. ¡°Good girl.¡± Ash said, slowly stroking her ears.


    The body shivered and smiled, finally drifting off.

 Chapter 16: Effective Interrogation

    A pleasant shiver rolled through Miyoko as she woke in a bed of plush golden straw, sunlight radiating down her legs. Several strands stuck to her fur as she shuffled to the bars, pulling herself up and warming her muscles. It was quiet, peaceful even. Hunger pains raced through her gut, making her groan, which only served to agitate her dry throat. Instinctively, she lifted her head, gasping at the wolf silently watching from outside the bars. ¡°Tsu guide¡­ damn it Khukri! Are you trying to scare me to death?¡±


    The wolf cocked her head. ¡°I¡¯m watching over you while Master is out.¡±


    Memories crept back in, making her stomach twitch and heart race. ¡°Master...Master...what the fuck did he do to me?¡±


    Khukri thumped a pitcher of water and a bowl brimming with fresh fruit onto the ground just outside the cage. ¡°Master rutted you like a wild beast from sundown ¡®till sunup. You said he was terrifying, then he came so hard we¡¯re paying to resurface the floor, told you were a good girl, and left you unconscious for three days.¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s quivering limbs curled around her as she shrank back into the straw. ¡°It... it was like he ripped my heart open and told me what to feel...¡± Even now, shaking with the knowledge of what he¡¯d done, some part of her sought Master¡¯s approval.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t deserve that,¡± Khukri agreed, sitting down outside the cage.


    A strange pull of kinship went out to the wolf behind the bars. Khukri was the one who warned her about what would happen if he needed to control them through pain. That delirious, exquisite pain that never ended. Even thinking about it now made her quiver. Tsu guide me, do I like pain now? Miyoko frantically sunk her teeth into her arm, then jerked back. Okay! Good! Pain sucks! Wait... pain sucks. Was this Miyoko¡¯s life now? Chewing her arm off in an open cage hoping she¡¯d hate the result?


    A dull scraping sound caught Miyoko¡¯s attention as Khukri, still staring, pushed the bowl of fruit to the cage door.


    Miyoko crawled out, then greedily drained the pitcher of water. Gasping, she set it down. ¡°Thank you.¡± As deluded as Khukri was, there weren¡¯t many who understood what Miyoko had gone through. ¡°Does he do this to us a lot?¡±


    A warning growl rolled from Khukri¡¯s throat as she stood. ¡°You¡¯re treading on very dangerous ground, little bunny. You might want to get back in your cage.¡±


    One of Master¡¯s ¡®secrets,¡¯ then, information protected by Master¡¯s Whip. It couldn¡¯t be a drug, he had too much control for that. He just... saw right through me. He saw defiance and crushed it. ¡°I understand.¡±


    The growl grew in intensity as Khukri stalked to the cabin door. ¡°I¡¯m going to go find Master and let him know you¡¯re alright. Expect us to be home late. He¡¯ll probably want to make you something special, again, since you didn¡¯t eat it last time.¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s teeth sunk into the first apple as she sat in self-imposed darkness. One bite after another, she stripped it down to its core. During the second, she savored each bite and collected her thoughts.


    In her years under Fleur¡¯s thumb, the lynx hadn¡¯t used sex to control her, just wealth, status, and apparently an intelligence network. That¡¯s how State officials operated. The Alpine Monks, on the other hand, were a weird sex cult.


    *    *     *


    Miyoko crouched in a green cloak, hiding at the base of one guard tower while throwing uneasy glances at the rest. They were simple wooden boxes on stilts, with a staircase wrapping around the inside to a hatch on top. Sometimes deer-girls with warbows kept watch, but today? Empty. Likely, that meant she¡¯d find nothing, but what would looking cost? She withdrew a bolt from her bag, set it in her crossbow, then darted across the patch of open ground to the front door. A probing push proved the door was unlocked, allowing Miyoko to slip in.


    When she hadn¡¯t seen any windows, Miyoko assumed the interior would be dark, or at least lamp-lit, but she was wrong. The first room took up the width of the building, with the wall behind her covered in canvas tapestries depicting forests from different parts of the world. The wall ahead, however, was filled with doors, each flanked by a set of opaque, sanded windows that cast muted sunlight onto the backdrop.


    Curious, Miyoko crept up to a door and cracked it open. Inside was a room with a bench and a few wicker baskets, along with a glass door to a grassy courtyard that served as its light source. That was it? A courtyard? Unconvinced, Miyoko entered, found the baskets empty, and the courtyard to be a simple patch of grass surrounded by a tall wooden fence. Following her examination, Miyoko moved to the next door, finding yet another empty room and courtyard. On her third, however, a deer sat in the courtyard with his back to her, surrounded by at least a hundred sparrows, his clothes folded in a basket at his side.


    From behind the glass, she watched the man¡¯s naked back as little brown birds paced within arm¡¯s reach and perched on his shoulders. Occasionally, they¡¯d flutter about or vanish into tall grass, but none seemed worried. Well, if she wanted answers, now was her chance. Miyoko stretched a cloth from beneath her cloak over her face, then pushed the door open, sending a brown cloud of feathers racing into the sky. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Miyoko ordered, training her crossbow on the dark green symbol on the man¡¯s back.


    Against her advice, he turned his head, revealing one scarred, blind eye. There were a couple monks that ran things around here, and she recognized this one as the one who accepted their payments. If this man, Conall, handled their money, then he was the man to ask. ¡°Turn around!¡± Miyoko ordered, to which Conall swiftly complied, raising his hands and lowering his head. She took a few cautious steps closer, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Eyes closed, hands up. You¡¯re Conall, right? One of the monks here?¡±


    He took a slow, shaky breath, then nodded. ¡°Yes¡­ did Brooke send you?¡±


    What a surprise. The ¡®innocent¡¯ monk had enemies. ¡°Shut up!¡± Miyoko ordered. ¡°I have the crossbow, so I ask questions, you answer them. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Miyoko dropped a cloth bag over his head and retreated to a safe distance. ¡°First, you¡¯re going to tell me about these ¡®magic lights¡¯ you¡¯re always studying.¡±


    There was a pause, as though the man expected more, but at Miyoko¡¯s angry sigh, he answered. ¡°Oh! Wait, you want me to tell you about my religion?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t hard!¡± Miyoko shouted. ¡°If your sentence ends with a question mark, don¡¯t say it!¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡± Conall said, his voice only slightly trembling. ¡°P... please, I¡¯ll cooperate, just tell me what you want.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Well I¡¯m sure...¡± Words failed Miyoko as she circled the monk. On his left, flesh melded with fur in a grotesque mass. The twisted, blackened marks of long-healed burns spread down his body, engulfing his groin and legs to just below the knees. ¡°Holy shit... Was it¡­ was it hellfire? Er.. a magnesium charge?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Vodka bottle,¡± he said, hands still shaking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put the knife away. Don¡¯t move the bag.¡± Miyoko retreated and returned the blade to her belt. ¡°Now talk. The light.¡±


    ¡°Lights, there¡¯s two,¡± Conall corrected. ¡°The lights are forces of nature that grow inside living things. When those of us with a connection to Deianira draw them to our eyes, we see them as lights.¡±


    ¡°And to the rest of us, they¡¯re invisible?¡± Miyoko checked.


    ¡°...If you doubt they exist, I¡¯m strong enough to let you feel it.¡±


    Miyoko pulled up her crossbow, locking the man in her sights. ¡°You¡¯re about two seconds away from catching a crossbow bolt to the face and that¡¯s your best pickup line?¡±


    ¡°What? No! I practice the light of plants, see?¡± Conall tapped his back. ¡°Green. That¡¯s why I¡¯m meditating in the sunlight, it¡¯s the ritual for outer light.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And the ritual for inner light is...¡± Miyoko hesitated, remembering the red flowers running down Fleur¡¯s back. ¡°Never mind. Get back to the magic.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes, sorry.¡± Conall shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Almost every living thing is infused with light from their parents, which grows over time. It defines them. The light of plants makes them set down roots to spend their lives growing, while the light of beasts makes them travel and consume.¡±


    ¡°And the light of animals?¡± Miyoko asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s what makes us special, we have both. The combination creates something greater than the sum of its parts. The light of beasts calls us to find others like ourselves and control our territory, while the light of plants calls us to build and make our lives better. We can reason.¡±


    ¡°Focus on the inner light, the beast one.¡± Miyoko demanded, dread creeping in her gut. ¡°The ritual. It... what? Bonds them somehow?¡±


    Conall sighed, but thought better of antagonising his captor. ¡°Animals have a replenishing reserve to create children. The animals involved tap into some else¡¯s reserve and consume it to strengthen themselves. They heal from sickness, age slower. That sort of thing. You¡¯d need to talk to one of them to understand more.¡±


    No, Miyoko didn¡¯t need to understand, she¡¯d experienced it. It explained why she worshipped him that night, why remembering the pain made her shiver in anticipation, even now. Whoever this ¡®Ashling¡¯ was, he¡¯d found some way to weaponize this light, manipulating a wolf into his pet killer, and planned to do the same to her. Unfortunately for him, he¡¯d decided to mess with a ghost.


    Bastard twisted me to his whims. Miyoko¡¯s shoulders rose into a shrug, a frown creasing her mouth as the desire to be held and protected lingered in the back of her mind. If he thinks he can fuck me loyal, I¡¯ll give him loyal. Once he thinks I¡¯m broken in, he won¡¯t need to do it again.


    Miyoko picked up her crossbow. ¡°If you leave this room before I¡¯m gone, I¡¯ll kill you. So I suggest you stay a while¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay?¡± Conall slowly returned to the ground. ¡°But, you haven¡¯t asked about anything secret yet. Why didn¡¯t you just schedule a meeting?¡±


    ¡°What did I say about questions!¡± Miyoko snapped, angrily backing out of the room.


    *     *    *


    An evening breeze blew through the cabin as Master entered, a wicker basket of fresh vegetables in his arms. It wound through Miyoko¡¯s fur where she sat on the bed, eyes closed and teeth clenched as she prepared to see Master for the first time since he¡¯d hurt her. Unfamiliar ripples coursed through her, nudging her to submit to his will, to trust and protect him, despite knowing it was a lie.


    ¡°Miyoko...¡± Ash hurried away from Khukri to join Miyoko, setting the huge basket on the bed before sitting. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re up. How¡¯re you feeling?¡±


    Master can¡¯t protect me if I¡¯m dishonest. ¡°My muscles ache, and there¡¯s some bruising, but I¡¯ll live.¡± Miyoko¡¯s ears fell and she folded her legs, stunned at the words coming out of her mouth.


    He grimaced, inspecting the results of his work. ¡°Yeah. I think that night was enough for a while... was it good at least?¡±


    Miyoko shivered and a throb between her legs was followed by a dull ache. ¡°It... It was the most amazing thing I¡¯d ever felt.¡±


    A triumphant grin slipped onto Master¡¯s face. Whatever he¡¯d done to make her say that, it seemed that answer passed inspection.


    ¡°What about you, Master?¡± Miyoko insisted, trembling fingers curled into fists. ¡°I¡¯ve been asleep this whole time, what¡¯ve you been up to since you got back?¡±


    ¡°Actually, there was something I was hoping you could look at while we eat.¡± Master slung his bag around, removing a leather folder. ¡°I¡¯ve been jotting down some ideas I had since I got back. There¡¯s a lot I don¡¯t know, so some of this might seem a bit crazy. Would you mind taking a look and telling me how possible it is?¡±


    Anything! As long as you stop asking questions! ¡°Sounds great!¡± Miyoko grabbed the folder, absently leafing through it as she tried to understand the limits of his control. Then, a stalk of celery poked her nose.


    ¡°Tonight¡¯s not one of Khukri¡¯s eating nights,¡± Master said, the leafy vegetable waving in his hand. ¡°So, I¡¯m just going to eat these raw. You want some? Or do you want me to grab some of those oat bars?¡±


    ¡°I want celery.¡± Miyoko nipped the stalk with her teeth and yanked it out of his hand, letting it fall into her lap. ¡°The oat bars are bland.¡±


    A low growl rolled across the room, but Master stopped it with a look. ¡°Relax, Khukri. She¡¯s looking great, and she handled the fruit this morning just fine.¡±


    Khukri stopped, then climbed the ladder into the loft and laid down, head peeking over the edge to watch. ¡°I¡¯ve already told Master what I think about his plans, but he¡¯d like your input. So, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Right so, I think...¡± Miyoko looked down at whatever page she¡¯d stopped on. ¡°Uh¡­ Master? How many letters does the alphabet have?¡±


    ¡°What? Um¡­ twenty-five, why?¡±


    ¡°This is written in the ancient wolven alphabet.¡± The papers fell below her eyeline so she could stare at him. ¡°Most sex slaves can¡¯t read. I know two alphabets, and as wild as this might seem, neither of them are ancient wolven.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Master said, sheepishly grinning as he took the papers back. ¡°Sorry about that, here, let¡¯s flip to the first page and I¡¯ll walk you through it.¡±


    Over the next hour, with the assistance of lists and crudely drawn pictures, Master proceeded to lay his idiotic plan to steal books from the West Origin Royal Library, going so far as to casually mention that the High-Librarian himself was their inside man. His insane ramblings finally finished, Master set the folder back in his bag. ¡°Okay,¡± He said, watching her hopefully. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Finally able to speak, Miyoko leaned back against the wall. ¡°No. I¡¯m with Khukri on this one. That¡¯s a terrible idea.¡±


    A bark of laughter rang out from above. ¡°Told you.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Okay! I get it, it¡¯s a terrible idea, But I¡¯d like you to walk me through why.¡±


    Miyoko took a deep breath to calm herself, removing her weight from the table. ¡°This isn¡¯t some boat at a governess¡¯s dock, it¡¯s thousands of books in a vault beneath Tythic¡¯s capital,¡± she insisted. ¡°You¡¯re talking construction, mercenaries, ships, equipment¡­ you¡¯d need millions to pull something this insane off.¡±


    Master held up his hands, speaking in a calm, steady voice. ¡°All right... uh, how do we get millions then?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a chest of emeralds in a hidden cache on Inisheer!¡± Miyoko said brightly. Her eyes slowly widened as a soft, horrified squeak rolled from between her lips.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Master looked her over thoughtfully. ¡°What¡¯s stopping us from taking it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing! We can just go pick it up!¡± The moisture drained from Miyoko¡¯s mouth and her teeth ground together as he casually ripped her darkest secrets out and used her to further his plans.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Master smiled, resolutely rising to his feet. ¡°Well¡­ great! We¡¯ll head out first thing tomorrow and go get them.¡±


    ¡°Master?¡± Khukri nervously eased half her body off the loft, hanging down . ¡°You¡¯re getting distracted again¡­¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ but this is important, and it¡¯s just for a week. We¡¯ll train whenever we have time, okay?¡±


    Khukri let out a low whine. ¡°Are you sure you want to pick a fight with the Crown?¡±


    ¡°I thought about that,¡± Master admitted, cracking open the door. ¡°But, you know what? They don¡¯t want my book. I need it. Fuck the Crown.¡±

 Chapter 17: Preternatural Desires

    Ash lay in bed on the Ambition, gritting his teeth as darkness warped and folded around him. If the light shifting beneath the door with each creak was any indication, it was sometime after noon. It touched almost everything, save that thing standing at the foot of his bed, glaring from impossible shadows. Its form matched Miyoko¡¯s, but it wasn¡¯t her, merely another phantom tormentor like the last. With Khukri¡¯s phantom, he struggled with the ever-increasing desire to harvest more light... even from those who didn¡¯t want it. This one was different, with less desire to feed, but far more guilt for wanting it. He didn¡¯t know which was worse.


    Any other day, Ash would¡¯ve left the bed. Despite his aching muscles and pounding heart, some part of him still wanted to, but the light from the door felt worse than the unflinching glare of the phantom rabbit. Tendrils of green light curled under the door, searching for him, trying to stick to his skin and drag him down. Even the thought of leaving bed was tiring, so he lay watching the phantom inch closer with each blink. It didn¡¯t take long until she stood over his bed, staring down from empty sockets where eyes should¡¯ve been.


    If he¡¯d just rejected the goddess¡¯s offer he¡¯d be at home helping his family. Instead, he¡¯d stolen from them, killed two women, and enslaved two more to satisfy his carnal desires. Even knowing the result he didn¡¯t regret making the deal, and the thing beside his bed knew why.


    Ash tore his attention from the spectre to loud bangs and twin shadows rolling across the floor as someone attempted to breach his door. He was cornered. With heaving breaths, Ash gripped his sabre, stumbling from bed through the howling light toward the noise.


    The shadow was trying to keep him here, to make him accept whatever punishment was coming, but he wouldn¡¯t let it win. All he had to do was stay alive and wait. Eventually, it would vanish along with the dark thoughts it brought, just like before. He was sure it would fade if he harvested one of his girls too... but he didn¡¯t want the shadow quiet; he wanted it out! With grit teeth he threw the door aside and raised his weapon with a defiant roar.


    Ahead of him, the naked wolf-girl¡¯s eyes swelled in terror. Almost instantly, she fell to the deck, curling into a ball and covering her head with her arms. Horrified whimpers rippled through Ash¡¯s heart, dissipating the fog from his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± she wailed, eyes clenching as she shuddered.


    The blade clattered from Ash¡¯s fingers as he sank to his knees. ¡°Khukri! Nononono! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m not going to hurt you!¡±


    The reassurances did little to stem the girl¡¯s shaking. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be bad, Master! I¡¯m trying!¡±


    ¡°No! You¡¯re a good girl, Khukri!¡± Ash insisted. She flinched as his arms folded around her. ¡°I just had a bad dream, like when we first met, remember? I didn¡¯t mean it. Shh, good girl¡­ good girl...¡±


    Khukri¡¯s whimpering faded as her head pressed into Ash¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I wasn¡¯t trying to escape punishment. You can hurt me.¡±


    Fucking hell, I need this out, now. Her light burned against his flesh, flooding his mind with terrible desire. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± Ash assured, lifting her.


    As Ash carried the frightened wolf below deck he calmed her with sweet whispers and gentle pets. When they arrived, he forced a smile and set her in the straw-filled cage. ¡°Shhhh¡­ It¡¯s okay, Khukri, the cage is safe, right? Just stay here where it¡¯s safe.¡±


    When the gate clicked shut, she finally opened her eyes. How terrible was Deianira¡¯s magic to reduce a woman who fearlessly charged velkammers to a quivering mess, desperately seeking approval. ¡°Master? Why won¡¯t you tell me what¡¯s wrong? You can. I¡¯ll do literally anything for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Khukri,¡± Ash insisted, wrapping his fingers around the bars. ¡°You¡¯re a good girl and I¡¯m never going to abandon you, understand? No matter what happens, I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    A doubtful whine left her lips as she crawled to the bars and let Ash stroke her head. He didn¡¯t want her hurt¡­ but some part of him wanted to rip the light from the girl and leave her a twitching, mindless mess with two shades of white fur. That it even crossed his mind meant he really shouldn¡¯t be this close to her. ¡°Wait here, okay? Rest for today. Tomorrow, at sunrise, I¡¯ll show you why it¡¯s called the Firebloom Ocean.¡±


    When Ash turned to leave, the spectre glared from atop the stairs, its presence not casting a shadow. One more night. One more night and he¡¯d be okay. Ash ascended the stairs, passing through the shadow into the sun¡¯s warmth, the gentle breeze, and the spray of seawater from waves crashing against the hull.


    Miyoko, the real one, sat against the bulwark with a raised eyebrow. Ever since he¡¯d harvested her light, she¡¯d acted more like Khukri. Miyoko seemed happy and helpful, just... not like Miyoko. Initially, he¡¯d wanted to help, but whatever was wrong, he¡¯d been the cause.


    While infused with light, Ash was certain he wouldn¡¯t hurt her, certain about potential risks, but he was wrong. Physically she¡¯d recovered, but mentally he¡¯d... broken her, and he had no idea how he was supposed to fix that. ¡°Master?¡± Miyoko jerked her thumb over the bulwark. ¡°Did she mention we¡¯re on a collision course with Inisheer?¡±


    Ash squinted, shielding his eyes from the harsh green haze slowly drowning out the world to see a massive, sandy island coastline. Beaches dotted with weathered docks and piers were filled with curious islanders in cotton wraps, watching as their ship barreled toward them without slowing. Behind them, the landscape rose into rolling fields of thick, broad-leaved bushes before climbing up a massive central mountain.


    With a panicked breath, Ash rushed to the helm, spinning the wheel and veering down the coast, searching for a big enough dock to accommodate The Ambition.


    As they sidled up to the pier, Miyoko threw ropes down to a dozen deer-boys who hurried to secure them. Despite the pier¡¯s worn wood, it easily held the gangplank, letting Ash disembark into a crowd of a dozen curious men in island wraps. Each islander¡¯s light called for harvest like Miyoko¡¯s or Khukri¡¯s, a call that grew louder over time. It seemed any of them would do.


    Any of them would do? Are you hearing yourself? They¡¯re people, Ashling! Look them in the eyes, shake their hands, and convince them you¡¯re not an absolute lunatic.


    A cursory glance revealed several women with staves back on shore, tension receding once they saw their visitor was a man clad in only a hastily tied blanket.


    ¡°Hey there!¡± An older man with a pleasant smile stepped forward. ¡°Welcome to Inisheer. Are you a trader from the mainland? It¡¯ll take a few hours to gather the traders.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m actually from Eriskay.¡± Ash said, gaze sweeping over the wide swathe of rolling hills dotted with tents.  ¡°I¡¯m just looking for some dry land to rest my feet for a day or two.¡±


    Unlike Eriskay, which had a trade route close enough to draw ships, Inisheer was far more remote. Most likely, it only used boats to get from point to point on Inisheer, along with a few for trading with neighboring islands. So, why would anything here be valuable enough to help him steal the book? If he was lucky, maybe he¡¯d understand after finding out what emeralds were and wouldn¡¯t have to embarrass himself again. ¡°I¡¯ve got a bunch of ale in the hold I wouldn¡¯t mind parting with if you let us stay for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Nicer than the last offer,¡± one of the younger boys chimed in, earning a chorus of chuckles and nods of agreement from his friends.


    ¡°Chief Clara revoked the Crown¡¯s right to dock until we get a formal apology.¡± The old man shot a look at the boy who¡¯d spoken. ¡°Sorry, the Crown hasn¡¯t paid us a visit since that boy became governor way back, and suddenly some new girl comes barging in here demanding to know if we¡¯re supplying some Direwood company... everyone¡¯s gone crazy with gossip.¡±


    ¡°No worries¡­¡± Ash said, glancing back at the shadowy figure watching from the boat. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go tell your women and I¡¯ll start unloading barrels. I could use a drink myself¡­¡±


    *       *       *


    Dozens of bonfires crackled along the beach, casting bits of burning wood into the night sky. The islanders closest to them ran about theirs, singing and laughing as they drained Master¡¯s kegs. Miyoko sat with Master on the sand by the treeline, inching closer to him while they watched the party. ¡°We should rest, Master. The emeralds will be available for a few hours just after sunrise.¡±


    Master pulled away, swigging from his bottle and wiping his chin. ¡°There¡¯s something... I need to be alone tonight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been alone every night since we left Eden, Master,¡± Miyoko reminded him. ¡°Khukri and I are obedient. We¡¯ll stay in our cages.¡±


    ¡°No... this is...¡± The sand shifted beneath Master as he sighed and rose. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is. But I need to be alone.¡±


    ¡°Master...¡± Miyoko hopped to her feet, giving him her best wide-eyed stare. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    The deer froze, eyes focused on an empty patch of beach. ¡°I¡¯m... no, I¡¯m not okay, but I will be. There¡¯s something...¡± He sighed again, walking towards the mountains. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. There¡¯s no dangerous beasts on this island. I¡¯ll be back in the morning.¡±


    As it stood, Master would steal her emeralds tomorrow, but with Khukri locked up, and the idiot so deep in his cups he was wandering into the forest for the night? It¡¯s like he was asking to be stabbed in the back!


    ¡°Oh, I actually know this island, Master.¡± Miyoko hurried to his side. ¡°I know where there¡¯s a little cave you can rest in.¡±


    He turned, lip quirking up as he patted her shoulder. ¡°Thanks Miyoko.¡±


    Despite his drinking, Master didn¡¯t have much difficulty climbing the slope to one of the little caves she used to hide in to avoid the sun. It wasn¡¯t a big cave, and there wasn¡¯t much here, just a shoddy pile of cushions she¡¯d woven out of grass to pass the time.


    ¡°Thanks, Miyoko...¡± Master repeated, heading right for the pile. ¡°Go back to-¡±


    Miyoko put her foot on Master¡¯s back and shoved, scattering the cushions as he plowed through. A moment later she grabbed his shoulder, turning him over so he could see the shank she held. ¡°Not a word.¡±


    He took a deep breath, lifting his hands slightly in surrender.


    ¡°Good.¡± Miyoko¡¯s eyes narrowed as she put the point of the blade on his chest. ¡°I know this is a difficult concept for you deer-boys, but I ask questions, you answer them. You say anything else, I stab you. Get it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Master agreed, eyes moving from the weapon to Miyoko. ¡°That seems pretty straightforward...¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Miyoko grabbed his shirt to steady herself as she sat on his stomach. ¡°Now, what did you do to me last week?¡±


    ¡°...we had sex?¡±


    ¡°The magic!¡± Miyoko insisted, putting pressure on her uneven wooden spike. ¡°Did you use magic on me? Mess with my inner light?¡±


    When he breathed in, Miyoko rose slightly, then he closed his eyes and exhaled. ¡°Yeah, I used magic to make you feel as good as I safely could.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Miyoko demanded through grit teeth. ¡°To break me? Being able to fuck me whenever you wanted wasn¡¯t good enough? You needed some mindless obedient doll?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! B-because I¡¯m supposed to, I guess?¡± The man stared at her, mouth hanging open. ¡°Khukri does all the girl stuff, and you do all the shopping, I know a man¡¯s the least I can be... but I can at least be that, right?¡±


    Miyoko stared.


    ¡°Like, I can¡¯t make the house better since it¡¯s not ours.¡± Master kept going, the drink causing him to talk so fast he tripped over his words. ¡°Neither of you ever make a mess, and you don¡¯t want anything I cook for you. Like... if I can¡¯t satisfy you, what else is there?¡±


    ¡°Tsu guide me...¡± Miyoko said breathlessly. ¡°You expect me to believe I was supposed to enjoy that? It was the worst pain I¡¯ve ever felt! You tortured me all night!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t-¡± Master swallowed and his eyes went wide. ¡°I was connected to your light! I felt your emotions! I felt you enjoy it! I even checked the next day!¡±


    ¡°I did enjoy it, asshole!¡± Miyoko yelled, relieving some pressure on her shank. ¡°I¡¯ve never wanted anything as much as I wanted you to hurt me! Do you have any idea how that feels?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Master insisted. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but that night I felt everything. I couldn¡¯t... the spell I used doesn¡¯t work unless we¡¯re both satisfied, and every time you came, I felt you want more.¡±


    Miyoko wavered. That night was different? If this wasn¡¯t some deliberate attack on his part, then perhaps it was Hotaru¡¯s drug? She didn¡¯t even know what that stuff was, so how could she know how it would interact with magic? ¡°That¡¯s never happened before?¡± Miyoko demanded. ¡°In all the time you spent learning magic? Not once?¡±


    ¡°Learn...right...¡± Master mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not something I learned. The first time I was with Khukri I just... Look, Miyoko. I¡¯m sorry. When I had all that light it was difficult to remember what was normal. I just felt what you wanted and tried to give it to you.¡±


    The weapon trembled in Miyoko¡¯s hands as her doubts multiplied. It sounded like a lie... but how was she supposed to tell the difference when everything sounded made up! ¡°Well... If you really are just some idiot with a magic dick, what the hell did you come out here to do?¡±


    ¡°I usually just make Khukri enjoy it more.¡± Master admitted. ¡°Until I know what happened, I can¡¯t risk taking someone else¡¯s light, but when I stop casting Dusk, there¡¯s this craving... It¡¯ll pass soon, but I know Khukri would insist on taking the risk, and it¡¯s already so hard just to wait.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re going into withdrawal?¡± Miyoko hesitantly moved the weapon aside, waiting to see if he¡¯d betray her, but the seconds stretched on. He doesn¡¯t know he can control me! Miyoko raised an eyebrow, grinding against him. ¡°Sooo... having my light right up against yours isn¡¯t helping?¡±


    A groan left Master¡¯s lips ¡°Stoooop.¡±


    Miyoko gave a pout and tossed the weapon aside. ¡°Fine...¡± she dismounted, then watched him warily from the ground. ¡°Push those cushions onto that rock there. Then sit down and take your pants off.¡±


    Master scrambled to his feet, pressing his back to the wall. ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because addiction is just a supply problem.¡± Miyoko pointed to the rock. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Don¡¯t make it weird.¡±


    It took a minute for him to catch on. ¡°You... you just threatened to kill me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen your girlfriend.¡± Miyoko rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend I¡¯m too crazy for you.¡±


    ¡°It was specifically because you were pissed off the last time I did this! What changed?¡± Master insisted.


    Miyoko sighed and hopped to her feet. ¡°I realized you¡¯re not evil. You¡¯re just an idiot.¡± Somehow, it took her this long to figure out he wasn¡¯t a rich person who happened to be stupid, he was a stupid person who happened to be rich! She probably could¡¯ve just cut a deal with him from the start and made off with half the emeralds. That ship had literally sailed, but if Miyoko could get on his good side, she could find a way to work this. ¡°There¡¯s a difference between torturing me for fun and because you have absolutely no idea how to please a woman.¡±


    Master scoffed, throwing up his hands. ¡°The only other woman I¡¯ve ever slept with pretends she doesn¡¯t want anything! How the hell am I supposed to know?¡±


    Her shirt pulled over her head, letting her tits bounce as Miyoko strutted to the stone and knelt before it like some sacred altar. ¡°You could try sitting...¡± her tongue flicked out, ¡°right about there?¡±


    A moment passed, where Miyoko knelt, head lowered to the rock while her eyes followed Master. He took a few steps past her, then a few back, standing beside her. When he opened his mouth, she cut him off. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really okay, and the bigger deal you make this, the more uncomfortable it¡¯s gonna get.¡±


    Master nodded, then slipped his pants off and cast them aside before awkwardly setting the cushions on the rock.


    When he sat, Miyoko put a hand on either of his bare thighs, settling between them on her knees. ¡°So... can you gather the light from aaah...?¡± Her mouth opened, letting him peer down her throat.


    His eyes closed as he looked away. ¡°I, um, don¡¯t know.¡±


    A needy, nauseous feeling spread over Miyoko as his eyes closed, like raw eggs running through her fur. She squeezed his thighs, drawing his attention back. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for you. I deserve your attention.¡± Miyoko looked up sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize.¡±


    Master shut his idiot mouth.


    Miyoko leaned forward, looking into his eyes as she ran her hands up his thighs, taking the time to gently cup his balls. She could feel her mouth salivating even now, Tsu be damned. The gentlest flick of her tongue encouraged him and it wasn¡¯t long before his cock slipped from its sheath. Master¡¯s hips rose, cock chasing her tantalizing tongue as it grew, pulsing and twitching eagerly as it hardened.


    It was Miyoko¡¯s first time seeing it since that night, and even being so close made her shiver. She¡¯d seen plenty of dicks before, and she¡¯d never seen the appeal, but Master¡¯s cock... Miyoko swallowed, but saliva quickly pooled below her tongue. Painful memories made her muscles clench and left a rising heat between her legs.


    A small, wet tongue parted Miyoko¡¯s lips as her body leaned in, breathing in Master¡¯s musk. A thick earthy scent that stuck to the insides of her head and made her dizzy. When she breathed out, her lips drew so close she could practically feel it throb back in return. This obelisk to her owner needed to be prepared by her tongue until she knew every inch, so when Master used her throat as his warm fuckhole... What the hell? Stop that!


    Miyoko slapped it.


    Oh! Thank Deianira. It¡¯s just a giant dick. I know how to deal with those.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Master yelled. ¡°What did I do?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, that one was for me.¡± Miyoko admitted, steadying his cock with both hands. Drool slipped from her lips, dribbling onto the head and making his cock slick and shiny in the moonlight. Whether or not he¡¯d made her feel it, this was the first time she¡¯d seen one of these the way Fleur did, the first time she¡¯d had a sexual urge the State wouldn¡¯t classify as ¡®demonically influenced.¡¯ Given what Master was getting from her, the least he owed was to let her explore that.


    Master¡¯s cock pulsed as it slipped past her lips, and his grateful, surprised moan sent pleased twitches through her insides.  Reminders to submit. To be a good girl. That he was her master, and this was her place.


    Miyoko¡¯s head pressed down, and Master moaned louder as he snugly slid into the back of her throat. Before she could assess if she liked it, Miyoko pulled back, breathing heavily and stroking Master with both hands. ¡°Well? Can you feel the light? Is it back to normal?¡±


    Wide eyes stared down at her, blinking several times while Master regained his composure. ¡°Yeah....¡±


    He¡¯s still watching me. Miyoko shivered. ¡°Okay. That seems easy enough.¡± Instead of attacking again, Miyoko took the head in her mouth for a moment, exploring it with her tongue in small circles, starting from the base until it drifted to the top.


    Master gasped as her tongue wriggled at the tip of his head, making precum leak onto her tongue. The warm, salty liquid mixed with her drool, dampening the fur where her fingers held Master¡¯s cock.


    Everything about it felt perfect as it filled her mouth, stretching her jaw as she pushed herself down on it. Muffled moans filled the room as her fingers slipped beneath her waistband, spreading the wetness from her hole to her clit. Master set a hand on her head, pressing lightly against her as a flicker of pleasure made her legs quiver.


    Miyoko yanked her head back, gasping as she slapped his hand aside. ¡°What the hell?¡± she demanded. ¡°I¡¯m already into it, stop messing with my head!¡±


    ¡°I can make it better!¡± Master insisted, holding his hands up defensively. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you want that?¡±


    Her hands glided up his cock, both cupping around the slick head and pulling back down, making him grunt and buck lightly in the air. ¡°Because it¡¯s not about you! You¡¯re not ¡®more of a man¡¯ by making me cum hard enough to forget my name!¡±


    Master swallowed, lowering his hands. ¡°So what do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Miyoko pulled her hands to the top of his cock, positioning her mouth over the head. ¡°I want you to watch me milk you dry, pat me on the head, tell me I¡¯m a good girl, then never mention this to anyone. Especially my friends.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply she pushed down, letting his warm cock fill her mouth and press against the back of her throat. Her head bobbed a few times, fingers slipping on her drool as she stroked him, feeling the blood rush to the tip and pulse deep inside her. It could be deeper though.


    Miyoko¡¯s wet pussy ached as she opened up her throat and pressed her face against his groin, swallowing the engorged shaft whole. Her hands slid down, one rubbing her excess saliva between his legs, the other between hers, excitedly teasing herself as Master¡¯s cock finally returned to her again.


    The bulge in her throat stopped only briefly as it strained against her slave collar, constricting around his cock and cutting off Miyoko¡¯s air. Master¡¯s rapturous groans came faster as she eagerly moved her head, massaging his entire cock with her tight throat. The thought of cum, Master¡¯s cum, flooding and filling her made her burn. Her groans of pleasure reverberated around his cock, adding to the sound of her slick fingers as she drove herself closer.


    It felt right, to be filled, to please Master, to give him her light. Tears rolled down her cheeks to where her lips touched fur as his cock stretched her throat, only pulling back long enough to breathe before filling herself again.


    Master let out a wild cry of ecstasy and bucked into her as they came, her collar squeezing his bulging cock tighter as her throat accepted his load. Miyoko groaned happily, pussy seizing beneath her fingers as Master watched her drink his cum, one pump down her willing throat at a time. When the world started to go dark she finally pulled back, gasping for breath as drool and Master¡¯s fluids flowed from her lips and spattered onto her tits.


    Miyoko panted as she leaned over his cock, dripping cum back onto him as she looked up, deliriously seeking Master¡¯s approval. Unfortunately, he lay on the rock, cock twitching and spasming as it oozed cum.


    ¡°Master?¡± Miyoko asked, hesitating when there was no response.


    Well... if he doesn¡¯t know...


    Miyoko placed her lips on his cock, licking and suckling his warm cum as it flowed out of him. She was a good girl for satisfying Master, she deserved to have all his warm cum inside her. As her tongue ran up the underside of his cock, savoring the salty, sweet mixture, a stick snapped outside the cave, making Miyoko sink to the ground and turn.


    The wolf stared at her from outside, issuing a growl.


    ¡°Oh... Hi, Khukri...¡± Miyoko said, letting Master¡¯s cock go as she tried to maintain some sort of dignity. ¡°What¡¯re you doing out here? Didn¡¯t Master put you in your cage for the night?¡±


    ¡°He did.¡± Khukri said, gripping one of her knives as she approached, sending a wave of light around the room as moonlight caught her scaled armour. ¡°I was worried. Master¡¯s usually a light drinker.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Miyoko agreed. ¡°Me too-¡±


    Khukri grabbed Miyoko¡¯s collar and hauled her away from Master, pressing her up against the wall with a harsh glare. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± The wolf demanded, spinning her knife to a reverse grip and letting it hover overhead. ¡°Was it ether?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Miyoko demanded, covering her breasts and squirming uncomfortably as her juices began sliding down her pant leg. ¡°Look at me! I¡¯m actually doing the thing I was bought to do for once! Why are you threatening me now?¡±


    Master shuddered as he rolled off the stone. ¡°Khukri, stop, she¡¯s a good girl.¡± He rose, took two awkward steps, then collapsed.


    Miyoko hit the ground as Khukri rushed to Master¡¯s side. Her head swam as she stumbled away, flinching as a gust of wind left her damp chest chilled. ¡°Oh... oh, ew. Why did I want this?¡± Miyoko grabbed his pants off the ground, soiling them as she scrubbed Master¡¯s seed from her fur. The buck might¡¯ve been an idiot, but that magic of his was something else. She turned, cloth tumbling from her fingers as she finally understood why Master fell. ¡°...Tsu guide me... What happened to Master¡¯s feet?¡±

 Chapter 18: Deep Cuts

    Miyoko lay on the sand, yawning as she stared out into the rolling waves crashing peacefully on the shore. There wasn¡¯t much to see, not yet. The horizon was buried beneath the night¡¯s cloak, leaving only a gaping abyss broken by the foamy white spray from each wave¡¯s impact.


    Khukri sat in the sand too, gently cradling a still sleepy Master in her arms. Their ¡®conversation¡¯ was mostly Khukri talking about how Master¡¯s magic was their secret¡­ along with a few veiled threats about what might happen should she tell anyone.


    Miyoko¡¯s fingers slipped between Master¡¯s paw pads as she examined his feet. Though she¡¯d already felt his magic firsthand, it was nice to hold physical proof it was real. It was a little reassurance she wasn¡¯t going insane. The foot twitched as Master turned in Khukri¡¯s arms, letting Miyoko examine it from another angle. The fur was still coarse, brown, deer fur, but everything else about it was clearly a female rabbit¡¯s foot ¡ª no, not just any female rabbit, hers. When she set them together, the differences were negligible.


    ¡°You know¡­¡± Miyoko¡¯s words were almost immediately interrupted by a low growl from Khukri, who folded one of Master¡¯s ears over and pressed him deeper into her breasts. ¡°You know,¡± Miyoko tried again, only softer. ¡°The noble prides of the Tsu Empire all claim to have magic¡­ and that makes sense, right? Rich kids get the best toys¡­ but how does he? I mean, Fleur¡¯s a Lynx, learning magic passed down from generations, and if she could do this...¡± Miyoko poked a spot on Master¡¯s foot that she found ticklish, making it writhe about and curl up to protect itself. ¡°I would¡¯ve believed her.¡±


    ¡°Master is special,¡± Khukri said, a slight smile forming as she gently caressed his face. ¡°But until you¡¯re part of the pack, that¡¯s all you need to know.¡±


    Special? Well, Miyoko supposed he¡¯d have to be, given he managed to go into light withdrawal while leading around two sex slaves. When it got to the point where you legitimately weren¡¯t sure if someone would starve to death in a pile of food, they had to be a special breed of idiot.


    Master¡¯s foot hit the sand as Miyoko pulled away, leaving a trail as she dragged herself next to Khukri to watch the ocean. A dot of light pierced the horizon, growing in intensity as it lit up the trees and gave the distant water texture. ¡°Here it comes,¡± Miyoko warned. ¡°You might want to wake him up.¡±


    After a gentle shake, Master grumbled and crawled up Khukri, folding her into a hug as he gazed over the ocean. A smile formed on his face as Khukri gasped, watching first tens, then hundreds, then millions of flowers breach the ocean¡¯s surface, fanning out their bright red petals to catch the sunlight.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Master murmured sleepily, eyes sliding shut as he leaned on Khukri¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The Firebloom Ocean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Wide-eyed, the wolf tore her sight away to look at Miyoko. ¡°Have you ever seen it before?¡±


    Absently, Miyoko stared out into the rolling field of lilies as she pulled her knees in with a low sigh. ¡°Yeah¡­ Yeah, I¡¯ve seen it before.¡±


    * * *


    Ghost yawned as she leaned against the mountainside, watching the ocean bleed as the first light coaxed flowers from the depths. Bits of wilting carrots and stale bread sat in a cloth on her palm, taunting her as she savoured each morsel. Quarter-rations would only last so long, and the end of winter meant rising temperatures. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem for the native deer, of course, but it¡¯d dramatically limit the time outside her burrow. If this kept up, she¡¯d need to make a night run to steal the natives¡¯ food again. It was a risk, though. One word to the governor''s people about a rabbit-girl hiding on their island, and Ghost could expect metsuke to come knocking.


    After popping another carrot coin into her mouth, Ghost set the bundle down beside her bag and withdrew a spyglass. From up here, she could see the natives foraging in the fields, gathering various roots and edible grasses that they stored in large wicker baskets. Unlike the more developed farming islands, the natives on Inisheer didn¡¯t have much in the way of private property. Sure, they had their own tents that others weren¡¯t supposed to go in, but then they just... stored everything else in warehouses. It made it really convenient to steal everything in one place.


    Her gaze moved to the beaches, where several of the younger deer played in the sand, watched over by men to ensure the girls stayed clear of the tide. Then, Ghost¡¯s breath caught. With shaky hands, she lowered the spyglass and wiped her eyes. Finally, after three months of waiting, a ship boasting the Tsu flag headed toward a dock. She hastily looked through the spyglass again, but found no sign of the occupants.


    With a brief sigh, Ghost packed everything into her bag and carefully jumped from perch to perch, descending the mountain. It wasn¡¯t time to celebrate yet; a Tsu ship didn¡¯t necessarily mean it was Fleur. The State had influence everywhere, but there was room to hope. Hope that her nightmarish isolation here was over; that she¡¯d spend tonight in a warm bed with a full belly in Fleur¡¯s arms.


    Over the next hour, Ghost hopped from perch to perch down the mountain, picking a trail that avoided any foragers she¡¯d seen. After getting as close as she dared to the small cargo ship, she found a tall patch of grass and climbed inside. Ghost brought out the spyglass again, ignoring the shooting pain in her stomach as she settled in to watch the ship.


    As afternoon stretched into evening, Ghost lay in the grass, removing everything but her pants to keep cool in the island heat. A streak of purple cut across the dull wooden ship as the lynx stepped out of her room in a flowing silken dress. Light shimmered off Fleur as she leaned on the prow, bringing a steaming cup to her lips while observing the natives'' beach bonfire.


    Fleur! Of course she came! It probably just took time to get her pride to stop watching. Ghost staggered to her feet and slipped on her shirt. After a minute of wiping dirt from her face, she bolted from hiding, sending up a spray of sand as she dashed along the beach and launched into the air.


    Ghost hit the deck, rolled to a stop, then turned to Fleur. ¡°Hey,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°Took you long enough.¡±


    The lynx swept forward, setting her tea down and grabbing Ghost with a small frustrated breath. ¡°Tsu guide me, Tess! What were you thinking, running off like that!¡± Fleur hovered over Tess for a moment, as though afraid she might break from a simple touch, then wrapped the girl in her arms.


    A cloud of cloves and vanilla enveloped Ghost as she leaned into the hug, burying her face in Fleur¡¯s soft, tan fur. Right now, Ghost was aware of what a mess she was. Three months of hiding in a cave and scrounging for food on a remote island left her with an unkempt winter coat and a smell like a wild beast¡­ but in Fleur¡¯s arms, it was worth it. Ghost¡¯s eyes squeezed tightly shut as she sniffed. ¡°I told you that¡¯s not my name anymore, stupid¡­¡±


    ¡°I remember,¡± Fleur murmured, squeezing her tighter for a moment before pulling away.


    Ghost¡¯s heart raced as Fleur moved, and it took everything she had to let go. Once she did, she smiled, looking into Fleur¡¯s eyes.


    Those eyes¡­ those eyes didn¡¯t look as happy as Ghost had hoped. Well, that was partially Ghost¡¯s fault. She let out a long, steady breath as she took Fleur¡¯s hands and lowered her head. ¡°I know, I just didn¡¯t want to risk this coming back on you if I failed. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking?¡± Fleur repeated words sounded like reproach, but there was no anger in her voice, just sadness. ¡°Your whole operation fell apart. Hotaru¡¯s got my pride¡¯s emeralds stashed away somewhere, but Azure executives are watching her too closely for us to approach.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got them,¡± Ghost said, urgently squeezing Fleur¡¯s hands. ¡°I have them¡­ Fleur, we don¡¯t need your pride¡¯s manipulative claws digging into our lives anymore.¡± The lynx¡¯s mouth twitched to a deeper frown, but Ghost pushed forward urgently. ¡°We can have literally anything¡­ We can take your boat south, past Tythic, past the Sharkfin Coast, all the way to the Dusk Empire.¡±


    ¡°Tess¡­¡± Fleur chided. ¡°We can¡¯t just run.¡±


    ¡°Of course we can!¡± Tess insisted, moving to catch Fleur¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you have any idea how fucking rich we are? Miyoko always said the last job for girls like us was when we died; that no score would ever be enough to convince us to walk away. She was wrong, Fleur. Your family¡¯s a bunch of racist assholes. You know that! You don¡¯t owe them anything!¡± Ghost hesitated when Fleur flinched, but knew she needed to be clear for Fleur to understand. ¡°I¡­ I know you can¡¯t like me the way I¡­ I¡¯m not asking you to be my girlfriend here. Fleur, you¡¯re brilliant. With a haul like this and a fresh start down south? You can have anything¡ª¡±


    The slender fingers slipped from between Ghost¡¯s as Fleur retracted, eyes downcast. ¡°You¡¯re one of my attendants, Tess, an easy life was always waiting for you if you wanted it, but you¡¯re making that difficult. You know how my pride felt about you before this incident.¡±


    ¡°Who gives a shit what they think?¡± Ghost protested. ¡°All the connections you¡¯ve made, any property you own, anything that gives them any leverage over you? It¡¯s nothing compared to those gems! You don¡¯t need their approval, we can do anything you want without their manipulative brass paws pulling our strings!¡±


    Fleur only sighed. ¡°Tess... stop. I¡¯m usually very understanding of your nature, but you¡¯ve gone too far this time. Please don¡¯t resist. I¡¯ll be as gentle as I can, but the only way I can help you is if you trust me and cooperate, and we both know that¡¯s not in your nature.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t resist?¡± Ghost asked, looking up as several metsuke positioned themselves at either end of the boat, katanas resting at their hips and their postures loose. ¡°You¡¯re turning me in? I¡¯m offering you literally everything you could ever want! Would you prefer to hold them first? Maybe they¡¯ll go up in value and change your mind?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Like a flash, Fleur crossed the small distance between them, clamping a hand over Ghost¡¯s muzzle and leaning over her threateningly. ¡°I am doing this for you, Tess. If you don¡¯t resist, and don¡¯t say anything to anyone, I¡¯ll get you a sentence in my custody.¡± she whispered. ¡°Let me help you, Tess, please.¡±


    Ghost shoved her away, taking a few steps as the metsuke took their cue to move in. This was what she got for trusting a lynx. ¡°You¡¯d rather listen to your pride and kill Hotaru¡¯s crew, than walk away with everything anyone could ever offer you? Really?¡±


    Fleur winced, but raised her hands defensively. ¡°Tess...¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me Tess, you manipulative cunt!¡± Ghost shouted, leg muscles constricting as the metsuke advanced. ¡°You¡¯d better watch your back, lynx. The next time I see you, I¡¯ll finish what Elizabeth started.¡± After a harsh glare, Ghost pivoted, then vaulted over the bulwark to land in a spray of sand. She took off down the beach, rushing past startled islanders as she sped away. Her heart pounded as metsuke burst through her sand cloud, kicking up more as they closed the gap. These girls were professionals; they could probably keep up with her before she spent three months starving herself¡­ now?


    Ghost grabbed an oblong lump of wax from the pouch at her hip, a hidden lockpick and tension wire specifically to evade being searched¡­ a piece of equipment she always carried and hoped to never need. She fell to her knees, curling over and swallowing as she was engulfed in a cloud of sand.


    When the dust cleared, she looked to each of the four girls surrounding her in white flowing clothes, clutching the weapons at their hips. Ghost nodded, raising her hands and staring at the fading sunset. The lilies retreated into the depths for the night. It wasn¡¯t all at once or anything, each lilly would sit on the surface for a while before deciding to sink. But there were millions of lilies. Every second, huge swathes disappeared beneath the waves. In the time she¡¯d had before being tackled, Tess must have seen tens of thousands fall, and then, so did she.


    *   *   *


    ¡°Just stay here till we get back,¡± Master told Khukri, leaving a trail as he dragged the little dinghy from the bushes and across the sand.


    The wolf whined as she padded after him. The rowboat Miyoko used to access this burrow was made for one¡­ two was already pushing it.


    ¡°We won¡¯t be long,¡± Master insisted plodding through the water to pull the boat in. ¡°You can take a bit of time to swim¡­¡± a concerned look flooded his face as he circled the floating boat to approach Khukri. ¡°If you see a giant grey fish, leave it alone. Dolphins save little deer-girls from drowning sometimes, so they¡¯re kinda sacred to islanders¡­ They¡¯ve never hurt anyone, but they¡¯re smart enough to know we need to breathe and fight in groups.¡±


    The wolf turned her head up with an indignant sniff. ¡°I¡¯m a premium hunter. I don¡¯t hunt fishies.¡±


    His fingers laced through her fur, pushing her ears back as he leaned in to give her a kiss. ¡°I know, you¡¯re the best.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Miyoko rolled her eyes and shouldered her oar, then leaped from the beach, landing in the boat with a solid thud. ¡°Oh come on! You¡¯ll see each other in an hour! Let¡¯s go! The tide¡¯s already rising!¡±


    After helping Master onto the boat, the two took off, circling the island to a section filled with rocky crags and perilous cliffs. The waves grew dangerous here, crashing into the cliff face and obscuring rows of sinister rocks that would ruin larger vessels¡­ or even this one, had the tide been a touch lower.


    The burrow¡¯s entrance was a jagged hole in the cliff face, barely tall enough for Miyoko and Master to duck through on their dinghy. At low tide, the hole rested too high for a boat to get in, and at high tide, the cavern submerged, trapping everyone inside until the next tidal shift. Miyoko¡¯s eyes slid over the tiny burrow as their boat thunked onto the dry cave inside, grimacing at the long-legged cave crickets covering her dirty bedroll. Sunlight flowed through the opening, illuminating the rising water and sending shimmering ripples of light across the entire cavern.


    The uneven stone was cool on her paw pads, providing relief from the ever-encroaching heat that came with spring. Miyoko dejectedly approached her old, tally-mark covered crates and motioned to the far wall with her head. ¡°The emeralds are in the only nice box, Master.¡±


    Separate from her living space sat a box of polished, lacquered wood and a coat of glossy black paint, broken by a depiction of a silver cherry tree. Silver petals scattered across the front stack of drawers as though caught in a breeze. It rose to her waist, propped up on four curved legs. Like a little shrine to her delusions that any lynx would choose her.


    ¡°Woah! Pretty,¡± Master hurried over to the box. ¡°There¡¯s like, ten different drawers in this thing! We could store cutlery in it, or¡ª¡±


    ¡°Or two hundred million worth of emeralds?¡± Miyoko muttered, raising an irritated eyebrow.


    Master¡¯s smile turned sheepish as he reached for the box. ¡°Right, right.¡± The top drawer slid out, revealing five rows of emeralds on pink velvet, each shining with a perfect rectangular cut. ¡°Ah, yes, emeralds,¡± the deer gave a satisfied nod as he picked one up, turned it over, then set it back in its row. ¡°They¡¯re exactly what I was hoping for. Very shiny.¡± After that, he closed the top drawer, sliding the second open to continue his inspection.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Master asked, glancing her way as he raised a worn leather book. The thing was a relic, a tome so old its pages were made of parchment rather than proper paper, with a chain=wrapped heart on its front.


    Instantly, Miyoko¡¯s heart froze. Despite herself, the truth came unbidden to her tongue once more. ¡°That¡¯s a book about the Demon King of Hearts¡­ it was the holy book of the orphanage I grew up in, but the State restricted it for being blasphemous.¡± Stupid book¡­ she¡¯d tucked it away the day she went into hiding and hadn¡¯t thought about it since.


    ¡°What¡¯s the Demon King of Hearts?¡± Master flipped through the ancient pages, chuckling at himself. ¡°Oh¡­ I don¡¯t know why I expected anything other than the Tsu alphabet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an unholy monster that corrupts its victims hearts and twists them into thralls that do his bidding¡­¡± Miyoko¡¯s mouth ran dry as she stared in horror, listening to him wring Elizabeth¡¯s doctrine from her throat. ¡°It¡¯s destined to return, destroy the world as we know it, and we¡¯re called to resist the corruption.¡±


    A concerned look filled Master¡¯s face as he closed the book and took a step toward her. ¡°This is your faith?¡±


    Miyoko¡¯s lip quivered. For her entire life, she¡¯d assumed everyone¡¯s supernatural claims were nothing more than that, claims. One more tool for those with power to control people too dumb to ask questions¡­ and likely there was still some truth to that. She hadn¡¯t so much found religion as had it thrust upon her. Magic was real, and this man¡­ this idiot demon had her in his clutches.


    But the demon had failed, at least somewhat. Clearly she wasn¡¯t his total thrall. Maybe his magic wasn¡¯t as powerful as the legends told, or maybe this manifestation hadn¡¯t the time to practice. That didn¡¯t change the fact that the demon¡¯s nature was to twist, corrupt, and control. ¡°Yes,¡± Miyoko mumbled, lowering her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, handing her the book. ¡°I never meant to disrespect your faith. Here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you... Master.¡± Miyoko¡¯s numb fingers grasped the old book, and the demon turned away, leaving her lost in thought as he pilfered her gems. Elizabeth was right all along. The demon was real, he¡¯d returned, and every second she let it live the closer the world came to annihilation.


    The demon made a mistake enslaving her. If he¡¯d picked up some desperate slave girl as he¡¯d intended, he¡¯d have already won¡­ but inside Miyoko¡¯s head wasn¡¯t some wilting flower to pluck, there was Ghost. Despite her sins, Ghost had one conviction even a demon king couldn¡¯t control: being told what to do just really, really pissed her off.


    It was too late to escape; too late to find some clever way to part from Khukri and escape with her gems. It wasn¡¯t too late to resist the corruption.


    Ghost set her book down and cracked open the familiar chest. Inside, the small crossbow and tanto stared back. Without hesitation, she pulled the bowstring back and fitted a bolt. Then she turned, leveling the weapon between his shoulder blades.


    Master cares about you, you shouldn¡¯t hurt him.


    Miyoko¡¯s eyes widened in horror as she realized she was about to hurt Master. There was a chance to make it out of here with millions, and she wanted to throw that away on some nonsense from the cult that turned her into a child soldier?


    Miyoko lowered the weapon, then grit her teeth in annoyance. He wasn¡¯t just a demon, damn it! He was the Demon! Not only had his magic forcibly enslaved her mind, he was literally prophesied to bring about the end of days! If anyone counted as her enemy, it was him! In fact, the more she didn¡¯t want to kill him, the more proof that¡¯s what he was. Ghost raised the weapon again.


    Master isn¡¯t trying to hurt anyone yet. You can just talk to him.


    She already understood how much control he had over her, and was willing to live with it. Maybe using revelations from people incentivised to brainwash her to justify a murder-suicide pact via wolf was worth more than a trigger¡¯s pull worth of thought. Her fingers trembled as she tossed the weapon aside, where it clattered along the cave floor and plopped into the water.


    Master whipped around, abandoning the gems as he rushed to the water¡¯s edge. ¡°Deianira, no! Did you drop your book?¡±


    Damn it! Ghost ground her teeth in frustration. Every time she got up the nerve to cut the demon down his will slithered into the hesitation between thoughts. He¡¯d already seized her with thoughts to protect him, ones that gripped her so firmly in the moment she second guessed herself each time. ¡°No, I dropped my crossbow.¡± It was too late to turn back now; if the demon questioned her he¡¯d know she was still dangerous. If she wanted to live as anything other than a slave she couldn¡¯t dare hesitate. She grabbed the knife and turned towards him.


    You¡¯re a bad girl for trying to hurt Master, and you deserve to bleed.


    Miyoko set the blade on her wrist and swiped down. Pain instantly seized her, making every muscle tense and drawing a small whimper to her lips. The fur on her arm turned a bright red and drops spilled onto the uneven stone, echoing in the cavern as they landed. When Master turned, Miyoko quickly discarded the bloody blade behind the chest.


    ¡°Oh crap! Miyoko, sit down!¡± Master ordered as he rushed to his pack.


    Miyoko gasped in surprise as her legs gave out, dropping her onto the chest and clicking the lid shut. Blood pooled in her lap, soaking through her pants and collecting in the fur along her thighs.


    A moment later Master pulled her arm away, tightly wrapping the limb with a clean bandage. ¡°I¡¯ve got you,¡± he said softly, as though she was a beast with a wounded paw he could tame. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll be okay. We¡¯ll need to see how deep the cut is, but I¡¯ve got enough silk to stitch you up if it¡¯s really bad. What happened?¡±


    ¡°I cut myself,¡± she admitted, desperately trying to stop the words. ¡°I¡­¡± It hit her then, if she couldn¡¯t fight the impulse to answer truthfully, perhaps she could take a lesson from Fleur. ¡°There might have been a sharp edge on my crossbow, I dropped it into the water and cut myself really bad. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he assured, tightening the reddening bandage with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to get the gems and book secure. Then we¡¯ll get you back to the Ambition for a closer look at it and a clean bandage, okay?¡±


    Miyoko closed her eyes and leaned against the wall, cradling the stinging wound. It seemed the demon¡¯s chains had already burrowed deep, and a direct attack was off the table. That only meant Ghost needed to be smart about this. The demon king was powerful on his terms, but emotion was his weapon. A soft smile touched her lips. What she needed was a plan of attack, one where he couldn¡¯t yank her string back at the last minute. A last job where her heart wasn¡¯t a factor and she¡¯d burn her name into the demon¡¯s memory forever.

 Chapter 19: The Crew

    Chapter 19: The Crew


    Miyoko grumbled, pulling her cloak tighter as she glared at the wolf next to her. Endless raindrops echoed off the canyon walls as another spring storm crashed into the Azure border, filling the air with a deafening patter and soaking chill. As miserable as it was, Khukri didn¡¯t seem to mind, watching Master intently as water slipped through her armour and drenched her fur.


    Rabbit-girls zoomed between the street rails in leather raincoats, ears flailing wildly from their hoods and ribbons of water fragmenting in their wake.


    Master sighed, pulling aside the door to Hotaru¡¯s brokerage. Miyoko slipped in first. The thunderous downpour shifted to a hollow roar as warmth tugged at the edges of her cloak. Buildings this far north didn¡¯t bother with a fireplace. Even in the winter, there was little risk of freezing, and the spring passed easily so long as you kept dry.


    Sean entered from the warehouse in a hooded turquoise dress, tucking in a speckled white and grey fur shawl to ward off the chill. ¡°Oh! Ashling, you¡¯re back!¡± He reached out, catching the door before it closed behind him. ¡°Go ahead and get settled, your order¡¯s in!¡±


    Water flowed through Master¡¯s fingers as he knelt and fiddled with his boot laces, but stopped when Miyoko rested her hand on his shoulder. ¡°Master? You should leave your boots on. The gals here¡­ well, they don¡¯t really know you, yet. So, they¡¯re gonna need some convincing before they do anything illegal. It¡¯s probably better for you to grab lunch with Khukri while I sort out the details.¡±


    Sean returned with a smile, shouldering a long naginata. The weapon was clearly custom built, with a handle made of some type of bone and a curved semi-translucent claw for a blade. He flinched as Khukri darted forward, trailing water onto the worn wood before reaching out with an excited whine.


    Once Khukri retrieved the weapon, she hopped back, lashing out three times in quick succession at the air and showering the lobby in rain. ¡°It¡¯s so light!¡± she gushed, rushing back to embrace Master.


    His arm curled around her, pulling her close. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it¡­ sorry it took so long. We¡¯ll test it out when we have a chance, okay?¡± Then, his attention returned to Sean. ¡°Hey, Miyoko filled me in on how the other stuff sold¡­ but I was wondering if I could hire you guys to do something¡­ less legal?¡±


    Instantly, Sean¡¯s back straightened and his mood soured. ¡°Absolutely not. We¡¯re an upstanding, legal brokerage and we¡¯d never¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay! Okay!¡± Miyoko yelled, waving him away. Then, after throwing her best ¡®I told you so¡¯ look at Master, she started towards the stairs. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with them, Master. There¡¯s a grill just down the street. They take florins and have meat options, I¡¯m sure Khukri can smell it from here. Grab a bite and I¡¯ll come get you after I convince them.¡±


    ¡°No. No, we¡¯re not doing anything illegal!¡± Sean protested, chasing Miyoko up the stairs. ¡°We told you that. It was our one condition!¡±


    Khukri hesitated at the doorway, casting a suspicious glare up the stairs, but ceded control and let Master drag her back into the rain. Good. There was little chance of the wolf hearing her now, freakishly good ears or not.


    The door to Hotaru¡¯s office swung open, revealing her leaning back in a chair, a smoldering pipe between her lips. Hotaru sighed, removing the pipe and looking over the bickering duo. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± for a moment she rubbed her eyes, as though considering whether or not she was ready, but ultimately fixed Miyoko with a stare. ¡°Fine. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want the network contact for that drug you gave me.¡±


    Hotaru scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you more, you paranoid whelp. I¡¯m not helping you for leverage. Besides, you know what kind of damage leaking a contact would do to my reputation.¡±


    Miyoko fell into the seat across the desk with a smirk. ¡°I also want the rest of your network, the brokerage, basically everything.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re just telling jokes now?¡± Hotaru asked, leaning back with her brow furrowed and her arms crossed. ¡°No.¡±


    Miyoko held up her hands. ¡°Okay... counterpoint. Magic is real, and I¡¯ve learned to control it. Watch as I magically transform that no...¡± Miyoko reached forward with a flourish, opening a pouch and letting a sea of emeralds clatter out onto her desk. ¡°Into a ¡®what the fuck!¡¯¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing with those!¡± Sean squeaked, clamping his hand to his chest as he staggered back and fell into a chair. ¡°We¡¯re not getting involved in this! We escaped beheading by this much, and they¡¯re dangling the exact same bait trying to get us to do it again!¡±


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re not getting involved?¡± Miyoko raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, I¡¯m so terribly sorry, let me just turn myself in. Hey! Any executives listening? I¡¯m in Hotaru¡¯s office with something you¡¯re looking for!¡±


    Sean raised his hands defensively, bursting into hysterics. ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Hotaru snapped, gently lifting one of the gleaming hunks. ¡°Are you bringing me these as Ghost... or as Ashling¡¯s surrogate?¡±


    ¡°M- Ashling has an insane plan to clear out the restricted section in the West Origin Royal Library. He has a high ranking librarian as an inside man. One who wouldn¡¯t cooperate with executives, not to catch a bunch of Azure criminals. Ashling wants us to meet him to make sure he¡¯s comfortable with you accepting the job.¡±


    ¡°And who, exactly, is this mysterious librarian?¡± Hotaru asked.


    ¡°The High-Librarian of the West.¡±


    Both went dead silent as they stared, eyes wide and mouths open as they realized she wasn¡¯t joking.


    The door cracked open again, and Aoi stuck her head in the room, raising a curious eye. ¡°Hey, Sora and I can hear you yelling from our rooms. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Ghost¡¯s trying to trick us into stealing for that sketchy guy!¡± Sean blurted.


    Miyoko waved her in. ¡°Aoi! Get in here! We¡¯re meeting the High-Librarian of the West!¡±


    Aoi paused, then looked to Hotaru for some sort of clarity.


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated¡­¡± Hotaru mumbled, waving her smoking pipe over the glistening Tsu treasures.


    ¡°Sora!¡± Aoi yelled down the stairs. ¡°Get your ass up here!¡± Then, she rushed over, knocking over a pile of junk as she stopped at Hotaru¡¯s desk.¡°What the hell?¡± Aoi demanded. ¡°You still have the gems?¡±


    ¡°Had,¡± Miyoko corrected. ¡°They¡¯re Ashling¡¯s gems now.¡±


    ¡°Why!¡± Aoi yelped, staring at the glittering rocks open-mouthed. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you come to us!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ let¡¯s see¡­¡± Miyoko held up her hand, ticking off the reasons on her fingers. ¡°You¡¯re being watched by executives, you constantly think I¡¯m scheming against you, and¡­ oh, right. I wanted to be on the good side of the man who can legally fuck me to death.¡± She dropped her hand with a harsh, accusatory glare at Aoi. ¡°So maybe instead of getting on my case, how about you appreciate me trying to cut you in?¡±


    Almost everyone had the decency to look away to hide their guilt, but Aoi¡¯s pudgy cheeks only swelled up. ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s just kill him and take the gems!¡± She gestured to the fortune glittering on the table between them. ¡°No job, we get all the money...¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Miyoko asked, raising an eyebrow at the stubborn woman. ¡°Your construction buddies gonna help you fence millions in stolen emeralds?¡±


    ¡°Hotaru can¡ª¡±


    Aoi flinched back when Hotaru cracked a chair on the ground next to her. ¡°If your plan is contingent on my networks... then sit down and let me finish my conversation.¡±


    With a creak, the door popped open once more, and Sora entered wearing a woolen poncho and a tired expression. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Ghost gave all our emeralds to Ashling!¡± Aoi complained.


    ¡°And she¡¯s tricking Hotaru into breaking the law again!¡± Sean added.


    Sora¡¯s eyes swept over the group, lingering for a moment on the jewel covered table. ¡°And¡­ we¡¯re getting involved?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you two million florins each and approve every ridiculous expense for the job.¡± Miyoko motioned to the chairs along the wall. ¡°Grab a seat.¡±


    After a glance to Hotaru, Sora sighed. The chair scraped along the ground as she dragged it to the table, kicking aside debris from toppled piles. ¡°Keep talking. I¡¯ll catch up.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say I trust you,¡± Hotaru continued. ¡°You¡¯ll need actual money to back up that offer. I can¡¯t move something this hot with executives breathing down my neck.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why, officially, we don¡¯t operate as an Azure company¡­ we operate as Othelan.¡± Miyoko smirked, letting that sink in before pressing on. ¡°Ashling¡¯s a member of the Direwood Syndicate. With assets this valuable he can get a business account at the Othelan National Bank to run all our transactions through.¡±


    ¡°Are you all insane?¡± Sean demanded. ¡°The executives will see what¡¯s going on. If we get involved in this we¡¯re gonna end up losing our heads!¡±


    The air crackled loudly, sparking from the heavy burn at the end of Hotaru¡¯s pipe. It briefly outshone the candle, drawing all eyes her way. ¡°Sit down, Sean.¡± A cloud of smoke billowed out from her as Sean grimly returned to his chair. ¡°I¡¯m not saying we¡¯ll do it. We could make a lot of transactions very quickly with a clean account, but It will get flagged in a season or two. This Ashling of yours will be burning all his assets.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it!¡± Miyoko snatched an emerald off the table and gestured with it. ¡°We turn Tsu treasures into cold hard florins, then bill him for whatever the hell we want. After the job, you run off and leave his company holding the bag! It¡¯s perfect!¡±


    Hotaru sighed, exhaling a cloud of sweet smoke and rubbing her eyes. ¡°So this¡­ monk no one¡¯s ever heard of lucked into gems worth millions, and he¡¯s willing to burn everything he owns to rob the royal library¡¯s restricted section? Can you guess why?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy,¡± Miyoko told them. ¡°He¡¯s an idiot.¡±


    With a knowing smile, Hotaru leaned back in her chair, opened a tin, and started repacking her pipe with another hit. ¡°Are you really so sure it¡¯s that simple?¡±


    Miyoko rolled her eyes. ¡°If the world¡¯s dumbest fish swam through a portal in time where it found and fucked its own granddaughter, who happened to be an even dumber fish, their retarded inbred fish baby could still trick this man into buying farmland on the bottom of the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Or¡­ he¡¯s after something irreplaceable,¡± Hotaru countered, smirking as she snapped the tin shut. ¡°You¡¯re thinking like a broker, but there are things money and connections can¡¯t buy. Did you wonder what was in the restricted section, even before the book ban?¡±


    ¡°Their most expensive books?¡± Miyoko guessed.


    ¡°Their most important books,¡± Hotaru corrected. ¡°The librarians of the royal library issue tests for getting degrees. They give the test taker a physical before sketching a portrait, that way they know the person coming in for a second degree is the same as the person who got the first.¡±


    ¡°The library is storing records?¡± Miyoko mumbled. Records meant different things from country to country, and they always played favourites. Miyoko¡¯s¡­ no, Tess¡¯s permanent record in the Tsu Empire determined every aspect of her life, right up ¡®till Elizabeth: what room she stayed in, what food she got, what weight she was allowed to be, how much she got per silver. It wasn¡¯t much better in the Azure Syndicate, with thousands of clerks wasting their time logging every movement you made. To add insult to injury, those useless clerks lived like queens compared to the people on the streets actually doing something worthwhile.


    Hotaru¡¯s smirk never faltered. ¡°Information. The only product so valuable you can¡¯t just buy it. Considering the timing, I think our mysterious monk¡¯s motives likely lie in the recent regicide. Think about it. If you¡¯re a foreign power, and some royal comes running to you asking for asylum¡­ if they¡¯re the queen or something, great.¡± To illustrate her point, Hotaru held up a golden coin, showing the face of the recently departed queen. ¡°If it¡¯s someone people don¡¯t know¡­ then they¡¯re not really a useful pawn, are they? Unless you¡¯ve got proof.¡±


    The breath seized in Miyoko¡¯s lungs as the implications settled in.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Sora cut in, ¡°You¡¯re saying he¡¯s like a spy?¡±


    ¡°A foreign agent,¡± Hotaru concluded, flipping the coin into the air. ¡°The Othelan Republic got a royal refugee and they want the degree books to prove legitimacy. The Direwood Syndicate is technically independent, so they¡¯ll take the hit to get a usable royal pawn.¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    No¡­ no. Hotaru¡¯s bias drew her to the wrong conclusion. She assumed a member of Tythic royalty would need another country to get involved¡­ but an idiot who just lost his kingdom, willing to sell himself to the Demon King of Hearts could manipulate anyone he got his hands on. He¡¯d twist them to his will, just like he¡¯d done to Khukri¡­ just like he¡¯d eventually do to her if she lost sight of her goal.


    As Hotaru caught the coin, Sean scoffed. ¡°Parliament voted. Queen Fearne is the new queen. Everyone wants Tythic stable and farming right now.¡±


    ¡°Anything that easily changed, can be changed back,¡± Hotaru countered, fixing Sean with a glare.


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to push a claim that they should give Tythic to some guy they¡¯ve never heard of?¡± Sean asked, ignoring Hotaru¡¯s hostility. ¡°Prices on everything have been rising since the Dusk Emperor died last year. The value of Tythic¡¯s farms is on the rise, and it¡¯s only going up. Parliament voted for peace because they¡¯d rather be swimming in money than burn it all fighting to decide who sits on the fancy chair.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna start a famine¡­¡± Miyoko muttered, fists clenching so hard they started to hurt. The truth was laid bare before her now, separating the smokescreen of the bumbling idiot from his malicious demonic puppeteer. In hindsight it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out how Master had business connections on the islands or knew so much about the old governor¡¯s boat. His real name wasn¡¯t Ashling¡­ it was Ruari.


    He¡¯d even mentioned that his fancy boat needed a sailing degree, so Ruari definitely had a one somewhere... It was almost poetic, imagining that idiot approached by the demon after the coup, falling for promises of power and revenge as his world burned.


    ¡°Are you even listening?¡± Sean asked. ¡°That¡¯s the exact opposite of what I¡¯m saying! Even if some other nation¡¯s got an ex-royal hiding under a rock, they¡¯re not going to push that claim specifically because no one wants a famine!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Hotaru¡¯s call silenced the room. After a long sigh, her eyes swiveled back to Miyoko. ¡°I¡¯m not saying we¡¯re going to agree¡­ but no broker worth her salt would pass up a chance to meet the High-Librarian. What can you tell us about the job?¡±


    Right¡­ right. Now wasn¡¯t the time for Miyoko to get distracted. She already knew the demon had to die. The fact she got to rub out a smug little royal was just icing on the cake. ¡°It¡¯s not complicated. The man¡¯s a blunt instrument. The High-Librarian has some guys pack all the books into chests, then, at midnight, we make a distraction to lure the guards away. We load the books onto a fleet of ships, and we send them off to The Direwood.¡±


    ¡°A night job?¡± Sora asked, brow furrowing. ¡°West Origin¡¯s a capital city. They¡¯ll probably have foxhunters on duty, or at least girls with night-eyes. We¡¯ll be at a disadvantage.¡±


    ¡°The southern clans are about three hundred years behind the rest of us,¡± Miyoko said. ¡°They might keep foxhunters near the palace, but they¡¯re staunch traditionalists. They¡¯ll have deer-girls guarding the capital. No men. No species with night-eyes.¡±


    Sora grunted, crossing her arms as she ceded the point, then her ears popped straight up and she leaned in. ¡°What about vampires?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Huh. Maybe,¡± Miyoko admitted, looking to her other crewmembers for help. ¡°Does anyone know if the vampires came north with the caribou?¡±


    With a tight jaw, Sean set the gem he was examining back on the table. ¡°Okay, can you not call them that? The water clans are respected members of Tythic. They¡¯ve got seven seats in parliament, and their outreach to the nocturnal community¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sean!¡± Hotaru yelled, making the boy flinch. ¡°No one thinks water deer are actual blood-sucking monsters, okay? And normally, I have a deep respect for deer culture, you know that. It¡¯s why nobody¡¯s going to make fun of you for being an overly sensitive little bitch, right girls?¡±


    Everyone around the table nodded solemnly.


    ¡°That said¡­¡± Hotaru continued, leaning in so their faces almost touched. ¡°If we¡¯re pulling a job at night and there¡¯s a chance we¡¯re gonna run into vampires, you need to tell me right the fuck now.¡±


    With an exasperated sigh, Sean returned everyone¡¯s gaze with a flat look. ¡°No. The water clans didn¡¯t back the coup.¡±


    ¡°If budget¡¯s no issue then we¡¯re going in with enough firepower to fight our way out if we need to,¡± Miyoko said, affixing Sora with an appreciative stare. ¡°That¡¯s why I want a thousand mercenaries with night-eyes for this.¡±


    ¡°A thousand?¡± Sora demanded through grit teeth. ¡°Most of the regulars got spooked or captured when Fleur dropped the hammer on us, and the rest know the executives are watching. You¡¯ll be lucky if I can come up with a hundred, and only a handful with night-eyes.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the Orphans of Han?¡± Miyoko asked, steadying her breath.


    Sora¡¯s eyes widened and her tightened scowl turned soft. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah, actually. They¡¯re a crew of cats, but they never do any work this far west. I¡¯ve heard about them, but it¡¯s not like they¡¯re in my network. Do you know them?¡±


    The girl who could answer that question died five years ago, but maybe that innocent girl wouldn¡¯t mind if Miyoko wore her mask one last time. After all, this time she¡¯d wear it for the reasons they always wanted. ¡°Here¡¯s your in. Tell them Tess has their book, and she wants to talk about Elizabeth.¡±


    *      *      *


    Khukri¡¯s dour expression bored into Ash¡¯s heart as he pulled the laces tight on his boot. ¡°It¡¯s only for a few hours. Just relax here for a bit, and I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of relaxing lately,¡± Khukri complained, eyes sliding over to Miyoko waiting by the door. ¡°I thought you wanted to get strong, become a knight¡­ how are you supposed to do that if you spend all your time traveling and sitting in meetings?¡±


    It¡¯s not like Ash couldn¡¯t appreciate where she was coming from, but the girl¡¯s approach was too single-minded. By design, every problem in her life had one solution: violence. He¡¯d bought her as a weapon, after all. It didn¡¯t help that she wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. He was weak. He did need to train. However, something happened to Sturm, something bad enough one book was altered and the remaining two were fabricated. If his purpose was to carry on where even a hero like Sturm failed, rushing ahead would only grant him a similar fate. He needed this book.


    ¡°We¡¯ll practice with your new spear out in the woods tonight,¡± Ash promised, scratching behind her ears. He spent time training each night after they¡¯d set up camp, so it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d given up on getting better. It was a far cry from the full day workouts from back in the Direwood, but it was the best compromise he could make.


    A lump formed in Ash¡¯s stomach as he exited the inn, though he threw on a confident smile as Miyoko took his arm. Morning sunlight was a funny thing in West Origin. It came first for the Royal Library, slowly turning the mirrored symbols into shiny beacons from top to bottom. Then it illuminated the red shingled rooftops, but the labyrinth of stone buildings held it back for hours before the cobblestone streets would glow.


    The rest of Miyoko¡¯s crew waited by the royal library¡¯s front gate, all in strange mainlander clothes. Sean, in a flowing silken gown covered in floral patterns, and the girls in intricate overcoats that hid their thick, muscled legs.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Sora complained, glowering at Ash. ¡°Hotaru, I thought you said we had to dress up!¡±


    ¡°We do!¡± Sean insisted. ¡°We¡¯re meeting the High-Librarian! Ash, you need to go change.¡±


    Sean¡¯s head snapped forward, reeling from where Hotaru clapped him. ¡°Sean¡­¡± Hotaru said, an underlying aura of menace in her voice. ¡°Don¡¯t tell the client what to do.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    She smacked the back of his head once more, leaving him to sulk.


    This time, the librarian at the front gave Ash a group room. The walls were decorated with black tapestries, depicting bright white silhouettes that popped in the gaslight. This room boasted a long table, surrounded by multiple plush leather chairs. At first, the librarian was concerned, since only one book per card was allowed to be viewed, but she settled when Miyoko stepped in to explain her ¡®noble master deigned it a community service to read to the uneducated commoners.¡¯ It was a bit much, but Miyoko seemed to know what she was doing.


    Half an hour after they settled in, Levi returned, still wearing his white robe and golden sash. His face wrinkled further as it swept around the room, viewing each animal in turn before settling on Ash. ¡°You¡¯ve brought guests this time. Can I assume they¡¯re also friends with your benefactors?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re a brokerage that works directly for our clients.¡± Hotaru hopped to her feet, lowering her head respectfully. ¡°We specialize in the anonymous transfer of rare items, your holiness. Ashling, here, attempted to hire us, however, the items he wanted us to acquire¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand your confusion.¡± Levi lowered into a chair with a grunt. ¡°To steal any book from the Royal Library would¡¯ve been unthinkable¡­ should be. Unfortunately, my honourable retirement is fast approaching, and with it, the end of my duty to curate our history¡­¡±


    Sean shifted forward uncomfortably. ¡°Surely, parliament¡ª¡±


    ¡°Parliament¡¯s ire is the only thing stopping her from kicking in the door and setting the whole library to the torch.¡± Levi¡¯s words hung heavy on the air. ¡°There are many lords sympathetic to the library, but they¡¯re not ready to start a civil war to protect a bunch of books they¡¯ve never heard of. Apparently a few fires is an acceptable compromise to anarchy.¡±


    ¡°You said there¡¯s a bunch of librarians risking their lives getting the books to you, right?¡± Ash took a deep breath, ready for the pushback. ¡°If this is going to happen. I need about a hundred of them to help.¡±


    Levi scoffed. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! These are men who¡¯ve spent their lives storing and restoring books. If you expect them to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not to steal the books!¡± Ash clarified. ¡°Any criminal can steal. I need someone to take care of the books after they¡¯re ours.¡± Ash removed a small stack of papers from his satchel and pushed them to the black bunny across from him. ¡°Aoi here can use these diagrams to handle construction in the capital and hire people to convert a building in the Direwood Outpost¡¯s District 4 to a massive brewery. When we get the books, we¡¯ll disguise it as a shipment of raw materials. Your librarians can pose as brewers, and secretly store the books on-site.¡±


    ¡°In The Direwood?¡± Levi grumbled. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the place is rather¡­ dangerous?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be protected,¡± Ash assured, gesturing to another of his compatriots. ¡°This is Sora. She¡¯ll be hiring and directing mercenaries to defend workers both during construction and after the brewery starts operating.¡±


    Sora glanced up with her arms crossed, giving the High-Librarian a respectful nod.


    ¡°Sean here is going to make sure we look the part.¡± Ash drew another two sheets and pushed them across the table to the distressed deer-boy. Finally, he turned his gaze on Hotaru. ¡°And Hotaru here will coordinate the money and paperwork. She¡¯ll buy everything we need and make sure the guards don¡¯t bother us.¡±


    Levi¡¯s mouth tightened to a line as he hunched over the table, eyes warily slipping from person to person before settling on Hotaru. ¡°You can actually do this?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re professionals, your holiness,¡± Hotaru said solemnly.


    With a final nod, Levi turned his attention back to Ash. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll talk to them. It¡¯s a big country, and I¡¯m sure some would be willing¡­¡± he stood, eyes hardening to a glare. ¡°But your book? I¡¯ll personally ensure it¡¯s the last one out. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Ash bowed his head respectfully as the High-Librarian shuffled out the door and shut it behind him.


    As soon as he left, Sora glanced over at Hotaru. ¡°We doin¡¯ this?¡± After receiving confirmation, she rose, stretching her back and heading for the door. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve got some cats in a different hemisphere to meet... I¡¯ll see you guys back In Azure when I¡¯ve got a representative.¡±


    Ash smiled, clapping his hands together. Honestly, this was all going way better than he expected. ¡°Great¡­ if no one¡¯s got any questions¡ª¡±


    The pudgy black bunny¡¯s hand shot up. ¡°Hold up, I didn¡¯t say anything before because the High-Librarian seemed to be falling for it, but the notes are all in some foreign alphabet. I¡¯ve got no idea what I¡¯m looking at. I don¡¯t even recognize what units these measurements are in. Are these Othelan diagrams?¡±


    Ooh, right. In hindsight, it made sense that mainlanders had their own standards for building diagrams. The system he¡¯d come up with for his little projects worked when it was just him¡­ but if he wanted others to understand, he¡¯d need to communicate it their way. Then again, Aoi was a professional, it was probably better just to let her handle it. ¡°Oh¡­ yeah,¡± Ash mused. ¡°You know what? You don¡¯t have to follow mine. Just turn the ruin into a giant brewery with a secret underground level for storing books.¡±


    ¡°Okaaay¡­¡± Aoi checked the papers. ¡°And the unit of measurement? I can¡¯t order materials for this place unless I know what these numbers represent.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I actually brought that with me!¡± Ash said, proudly digging through his bag. When the bunny leaned over the table to get a better look, Ash retrieved a stick and set it down. It was a particularly straight piece of driftwood, one he¡¯d found as a child and used to keep his construction even ever since.


    Aoi stared silently for a good ten seconds before taking a deep breath. ¡°Could... could I have the stick?¡±


    Hesitantly, Ash held it out. ¡°Just¡­ make sure you give it back. I need it to keep my planters the same size.¡±


    The blank stare continued, even after Aoi set the stick on the papers ahead of her.


    Around the time the silence was moving from awkward to suffocating, Ash turned his attention to Sean. ¡°How about you Sean? Are the uniforms confusing too?¡±


    Sean fanned the papers out below a sour expression. ¡°I grew up reading ancient wolven, and this doesn¡¯t seem impossible¡­ I¡¯ve got two concerns, though.¡±


    ¡°Shoot.¡±


    ¡°The first design is hideous.¡± Sean grimaced, moving his index finger from one paper to the next. ¡°The second might be considered a war crime.¡±


    Ash offered the man a sheepish smile. ¡°I mean, is the specific type of crime important?¡±


    Sean kept glaring, but after Ash refused to take the bait he turned his attention to Hotaru. ¡°Do I seriously have to make these?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll give us each two million, and keep Miyoko as our broker to explain what expenses are and aren¡¯t allowed for the job?¡± Hotaru confirmed. So far as Ash could tell, the woman hadn¡¯t looked away from him once.


    Ash nodded.


    This time, she said nothing, only shifting her concentrated stare to Sean, who sighed and snatched up the papers. ¡°Unbelievable. Fine, but if you want these by the end of the season it¡¯ll be a rush job. We¡¯re clothing a thousand, right? So, what? Five hundred of each?¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Ash clarified. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need one thousand hideous ones, and ten thousand war crimes.¡±


    ¡°Ten thousand!¡± Sean demanded through clenched teeth, leaning on the desk as he rose. When Hotaru cleared her throat Sean went still, crinkling the papers in his fists. ¡°Right¡­ Ten thousand by the end of the season. I¡¯ll reach out to my contacts and see who wants to make some money.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Hotaru said, eyes falling like axes on each of her subordinates. ¡°Now, get started. I want a word with the client, alone.¡±


    When everyone stood to leave, Ash rolled his eyes and grabbed Miyoko¡¯s wrist before she could get away. ¡°C¡¯mon Miyoko, sit down, she didn¡¯t mean you.¡± He¡¯d meant it playfully, but the girl visibly shuddered as she sank back into her seat.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take the job,¡± Hotaru said, leaning on the table with a glare. ¡°But I want you to give us Ghost.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Ash replied instantly. ¡°I gave Miyoko my word I¡¯d free her in three years.¡±


    Hotaru rubbed her eyes. ¡°No¡­ Not as a slave. I want you to free her.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ash glanced at Miyoko, who was staring straight ahead, wide-eyed. Apparently, this was a shock to her too. Still¡­ this might be for the best, even if it¡¯ll upset Khukri, he reasoned. Miyoko hated being his slave, and with Hotaru¡¯s brokerage as an asset he could anonymously access Azure markets without her. Considering what she¡¯d given, her freedom was a bargain. ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± Hotaru said, eyes twinkling as she reached out. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve got work to do, boss.¡±


    Ash grinned, clasping her outstretched hand in a firm shake.