“As this knot is tied, our lives are now bound. We are linked in unity, brother-to-brother. We vow to share our seed and our souls. These gifts we share willingly.”
“Bless-ed is the seed”,
My new brothers crawled closer on their knees to surround me, and the pure horror at the sudden proximity made my skin burn in a way I was sure I could not stand for much longer. I was trapped, tied by my manhood and the hands of devilry that caressed my burning skin. This predicament was my idea of hell on earth. I was certain that I was to be devoured, body, and soul. A man I believed to be Charles Ashe thrust his hand into my hair and groaned with pleasure as he pulled my head back. He moved in to kiss my throat. I did not want this, no, not at all.
A sharp knocking on the door made all action cease as if a switch was flicked.
“WHO IS IT?” Blake roared.
“I’m sorry sirs, it is Monkman sirs.” The simpering voice said.
“Damn it! What the devil does he want?” Ashe harrumphed, breaking the near otherworldly spell the ritual had cast. The acolytes moved back and I took deep breaths to try and calm my fear.
“Hush,” Blake instructed. He untied his prick, stood, and strode to the door. He opened it a crack and I heard the harried voice of Monkman but could not discern what he said.
“What do you mean he’s not arrived?” Blake’s voice was sharp and echoed with frustration. There was a murmured response and then Blake closed the door.
“Brother Ashe, you said Leo would be along soon, but Monkman said he hasn’t arrived?”
“Oh, I assumed it would be so. Brother Hannan said the boy was traveling alone.”
I had not said those words, Ashe had made an assumption. I was for it now. All eyes turned to me. The prisoner tied to the pommel horse, the man we had ignored for some time let out a muted sob at hearing my name.
“You were his bed partner on the night of the ball.”
“I was, yes”, I lied and noted that lying was becoming all too easy for me since partnering with a master thief!
“You took him to your home afterward, is that correct?”
“No. That wasn’t the case.”
“What, where is he?”
“I don’t know. His friend, Mademoiselle d’Harcourt was with us at the ball. She was extremely drunk and fell asleep on the settee in our bedroom at Devonshire House. After we had… engaged in congress, Leopold suggested that we take Evie home. He didn’t want to leave a lady in such a condition. And so, we carried the woman to a carriage, and then to her lodgings, just off Oxford Street, if I remember correctly. The carriage took us to my home, but Leopold refused to come in.”
“What?” All of the men said in unison.
“He told me he had another engagement. He is a very special young man. I did not want to force unwanted affections on him and make him unhappy.” I said with fake sheepishness and hoped they would believe my lies.
“I bloody knew it was a mistake to bring him down to London!” A voice I recognized as Cavendish roared, he untied his prick and stood, then began to pace agitatedly. All of the men untied their pricks and the rope fell to the floor. I did the same and with relief, stood up stepped from the circle.
“His appetites are out of control, I tell you. He must only engage in fornication within the brotherhood. Consuming other men taints the potency of the magic.” Another man blustered.
“Brother Ashe, tell Monkman to pay visits to all of the Molly Houses we frequent and ask about our boy,” Blake ordered.
“Leopold expressed a desire to visit Aunt Sally’s and The Woodhorn Inn. I will recommend Monkman visits those establishments first.” Brother Ashe informed and rushed from the room.
The hooded man whimpered again, and this time Blake’s attention was caught. He growled as he turned and strode angrily to halt in front of the man he called the betrayer. He untied the broom separating the prisoner’s legs and then unfastened the belts that secured his arms to the leather pommel horse, and with the help of two of the acolytes, pulled the betrayer to sit on the rug as we circled him.
“Now, my Lord. I hope this was a lesson and your memory has been jogged. You made us a promise and then you broke your word.” Blake pulled the hood off the man to display a bowed head of unkempt silver hair. He dragged down the kerchief that had prevented the betrayer from speaking. He unceremoniously grabbed the prisoner by his hair, dragged his head back, and roughly demanded.
“Where in damnation is the Staff of Asklepios?”
I was glad of the mask I wore and for the ambient lighting in the room; as I was sure at that moment I became as transparent as a ghost. It all made sense now. To my bone-chilling horror, I looked upon the tear strewn face of my former paramour—Lord Euan Ardmillan.
How could I have believed things between us were over at Dunecht Hall? I was a damnable fool! Euan seduced me at the hall because he had planned this all along. He was trying to have his cake and eat it!
