“Of course, ma’am.” Sophie smiled and continued serving beers behind the bar, as Mistress Blossom walked toward our table.
“I do apologize for my absence,” the Mistress said as she walked up to our table and leaned against it with her elbows, pressing her voluptuous breasts against the seams of her dress. “I have to consistently offer these services to the scumbags as well as the good customers. Business wouldn’t be the same without them.”
“Not at all, Mistress Blossom,” Jacques replied with a wave of his hand. “We’ve been amply entertained in your absence. William and I are old friends, and we had some catching up to do. Please, sit down and join us.” He patted the bench next to him.
“Actually,” Mistress Blossom began as she fixed me with a stare. “I had something else in mind.”
I felt myself involuntarily grow hard as she stared at me. What did she have in mind? She was an attractive woman, I wouldn’t deny that, but this was all a little sudden. It was a different matter with Amelia and Katlyn; I had a close bond with them. But I wasn’t about to whore myself out.
“I want to see you draw a tattoo,” the Mistress said.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Mistress Blossom narrowed her eyes. “What else would I have meant?” She put her hand to mouth and gasped, exaggeratedly, her eyes wide. “My, you do have a dirty mind. I can’t believe you would insinuate such things.”
Jacques and Veronica burst out laughing. I felt my cheeks prickle with heat.
“Of course, I’ve nothing against a bit of a romp, but I see you’re already taken.” Mistress Blossom indicated Amelia, next to me. “No, the only thing I want you to show me right now is the tattoos you can draw. I have some Beast Cores, so you wouldn’t have to use your own. I’ve been saving them for a special purpose for a long time.”
“What affinity are they?” I asked.
“They are the Nature affinity, the affinity which allows the Mage to cast spells of growth and renewal. My affinity.”
“Nature affinity Cores?” Amelia said excitedly. “They’re very rare!”
“As is the Nature affinity,” Veronica put in.
The Mistress looked at me. “If you can give me a tattoo like the ones I already use, I’m sure I can work out how to power them, just like I do with these stockings already.”
I thought for a moment. I’d only ever drawn a tattoo on myself, Amelia, and Katlyn. But Mistress Blossom had an affinity, and she said she had the right Beast Cores. It was an exciting opportunity.
“I can do it,” I said. “If you can give me the design, I’ll be able to replicate it.”
“That won’t be a problem. Let’s go then,” the Mistress said as she stood up to leave.
I was surprised. Of course, it probably did make more sense not to perform this in front of a crowd of strangers, but what did the Mistress have in mind?
“Uh, go where?” I asked.
“Silly me.” Mistress Blossom slapped her forehead. “I should have explained. We’ll go to my dungeon.”
“Dungeon?” I asked, feeling unsure.
She laughed. “Did I say dungeon? I meant to say cellar. I call it my dungeon among my special friends.” She gave me another look that made my balls ache. “We will be undisturbed there. Please, follow me.”
Chapter Fifteen
I stood, lifting my pack which contained Amelia’s spellbook and slinging it over my shoulder. Amelia, Veronica, and Jacques all fell in behind me as I followed Mistress Blossom toward a door out of the back of the bar. I was excited about the prospect of using my Ink Mage abilities to give her a new tattoo.
“Sophie,” Mistress Blossom said to the barmaid in a quiet voice, “do make sure we are undisturbed, would you? We’re going to the dungeon.” She whispered the last bit to the barmaid, who nodded confidentially.
The Mistress opened the door behind the bar and led us into the hallway to the kitchens. The hallway was quite clean and bare, and the sound of the noisy bar quietened as the door swung closed again. The walls were made of the same wood as the rest of the tavern, but there were only a couple of candles in sconces, lighting the way for kitchen staff bringing meals out to the guests.
The only decoration was the skull of a boar on the wall, mounted at shoulder height. The boar must have been a magical monster when it was alive, because my Elemental Sensitivity was drawn to the bones. Mistress Blossom stopped in front of the boar’s skull.
“What are we doing in the middle of the hallway?” Amelia asked.
“Just you wait and see,” Jacques interrupted before the Mistress could respond.
“How do you know what we’re doing here, Jacques?” I asked. “Just what kind of relationship do you have with Mistress Blossom?”
“A close one,” Jacques said.
Amelia smiled. “Is that so?”
“Not the kind you’re thinking of. Don’t forget, the little fellow downstairs doesn’t work.” Jacques laughed.
“Quiet, all of you,” the Mistress muttered. “I need to concentrate.”
She put her hands on the giant tusks of the boar skull and pulled it gently toward her. There was a clicking sound, like gears working, and the skull came out from the wall a short way. It was mounted on a polished, circular wooden beam, reaching back into the wall.
Mistress Blossom used the tusks to rotate the skull to the left. Then she rotated it to the right. I heard another click, then a rumbling in the wall behind. She rotated the skull back to the left again, carefully, as if she knew exactly how far to turn it.
This time, she turned it further. I heard a loud thump in the wall, then there was a rumbling and clacking and the outline of a doorway appeared as a section of the wall drew backward into the recess, leaving a gap wide enough to pass through.
The Mistress stepped to the side and extended a hand. “Please, be my guests.”
I could
