“Does it hurt?” she asked, nodding to my hand.
“Yes,” I answered, not wanting to lie to her, but wincing when I felt emotions spiking around us.
“You never told us that,” Cerdic growled. “How?”
“You know that moment your body realizes it’s injured and that flare of pain?” I waited until they nodded. “That second after, where it hurts, but it’s not the initial depth. That’s what it feels like the whole time I have the cut.”
“Shit, Inez,” Jaxon hissed. “Days of that? That alone is a huge stress on your body.”
I nodded. “And the power is more this time.”
“Oh, we know that,” Kristof drawled. “I was miles away the first time, and I felt the ground move beneath my feet. It’s a good thing Darius designed the castle to not be affected by earthquakes. We had a lot of everything falling off tables and breaking.”
“Crap, I didn’t even think of that,” I groaned.
“Neither did we and we promised to handle it all,” he reminded me. “And we did, so do not feel guilt. I was simply explaining we’ve felt it too, not only you.”
I nodded, moaning as I ate the dumplings. They must have served several different types already as I had half a dozen each of four varieties.
“Fifty of the wild hogs were eaten,” Matilda told me.
My eyes went wide. “Gluttons.”
“Yes, some, but they’ve been without, so it’s understandable, even if valid you’re miffed they invited themselves,” she said. “Forty were delivered to your outposts to share, and the last ten were carved for leftovers so Nick and the staff can have a few days off once the guests leave.”
“That’s perfect, thank you,” I sighed.
“Thank you for trusting me to handle anything after how my family and court have treated you,” she said under her breath. She cleared her throat and went to stand, flinching when I grabbed her hand.
“I’m sorry. I know he did it to me, but I’m sorry you’re going through this. You deserve better, Matilda. You deserve to be happy.”
She gave me a sad smile. “I’ve never known a princess to actually find happiness and do what she should, but I pray you are the first and being leader of a coven doesn’t ruin you.”
I let her pull away, knowing she meant it and to be nice, but my heart hurt. That was such a horrible tradeoff and responsibility left to us. We didn’t ask for this, we were born into it. Granted, I thought many could do better, but I was starting to understand how some could become such bitches and coldhearted.
Then again, some people were just born that way and evil.
I didn’t think I was included in that, and I really hoped being a princess didn’t change me for the worse either… Anymore than maybe it already had.
16
Another round of fun, another seed, and another scoop of gelato, and I was out for a nap. This time when I woke up, I asked for one of my knights, wanting more blood without the fire burning. Kristof gave me a look to warn me something was going on before Trisha came over. She undressed and knelt before me.
And then she kissed me. I mean kissed me, moving my uncut hand to feel her up and everything. I was so shocked, I went with it, but then realized it wasn’t just the princesses who were trying to get in with my knights and offering favors.
No, nobles were probably starting shit with my female knights as Henry had done with me. When I realized that, I got into the ploy too, fisting her hair until she gasped as I bit her hard and massaged her naked ass. She moaned and orgasmed, not even having to fake the show we were putting on as I drank a lot.
“That will have to tide you over until I’m done bleeding and loving on my nobles, but soon we’ll put your tongue to good use again,” I said to her for the ears around us.
She did well hiding her shock as we’d never done anything besides the normal chaste kisses before they shifted. She gave me a very non-chaste kiss before shifting and heading out.
I wasn’t sure why they were doing that, but then Cerdic murmured in my ear that their sense of smell was better in their animal form, and they were doing laps of the expansive party to make sure no one was up to anything bad. So far so good besides someone sharing pot out by the pool.
Yeah, I didn’t care about that. If people wanted to get high in the apocalypse, I couldn’t think of a better time. It wasn’t like there were police to arrest anyone, and even if there were, I couldn’t see them caring anymore.
I made sure to drink from Maggie as well, giving her a bit of TLC, and then I actually felt better, hydrated at least, plus the naps had helped. I went to the bathroom and found Kristof waiting with a large tray of food for us.
And he wasn’t alone.
“May we join you?” a princess asked, gesturing to two nobles I assumed were hers.
It took me a second to catch up but then I nodded. “Sure, Marta.”
Her eyes flashed shock. “I did not think you knew my name.”
I winced. “I don’t know everyone’s, and there have been a lot, plus a lot of my own coven to learn. I heard your name from Nora’s people since you’re working with them and it’s going well.”
“It is, yes, on our end as well.” She waved to the people behind her. “May I present our gift to you to celebrate your receiving oaths
