The Black Mistress (The Amazon's Pledge Book 3) Read online

  “The people don’t need convincing,” Telanya replied. “The rabble is easily roused and frightened. The more difficult task will be persuading the Highwind Council to take action. They are so distracted by local politics that they refuse to see the true threat on the horizon.”

  “We know more about that threat than anyone,” I said, an excited flutter in my stomach. It seemed like there was an opportunity here, assuming we didn’t fuck it up. “I’ve spent my whole life avoiding the Senosi. Valuri knows the workings of the Vorsalosian elite than anyone. And Kaseya…well, she’s personally acquainted with the Inquisitrix’s new right-hand woman.”

  Telanya swept her eyes over us one by one. I couldn’t help but wonder how powerful of a channeler she was…or if she had the same attitude towards sorcerers that her husband did. The elves of Nelu’Thalas were far more accepting of all kinds of magic—perhaps that was why she was willing to speak with me.

  I also couldn’t help but wonder what she looked like naked, but I did my best to bury that particular question before it got me into trouble.

  “You have made some serious mistakes, Jorem Farr,” she said after a moment. “Using the Aether to manipulate the minds and memories of Highwind citizens is a serious crime. The Highwind Council will demand that my husband judge you harshly.”

  “But they don’t know anything about me just yet, do they?” I asked, sensing where she might be going with this. “And you want to make me an offer to keep it that way.”

  Her eyes focused upon me. “I am concerned about the safety of this city. As you said, the Senosi are a grave threat—one that many of my colleagues refuse to see. I think you may possess useful information on their strategy and capabilities.” She took a step closer to the bars. “I also think there may be something else you can do for me.”

  I smiled. “We’re listening.”

  “I’m afraid I cannot discuss it here,” she said. “The three of you will be released into my custody, and you will attend a dinner at our estate this evening. Once there, you will tell my husband and I everything you know about the Inquisitrix.”

  “I would be happy to,” I told her, and meant it. My heart had started racing with in my chest. Fate, it seemed, hadn’t completely abandoned me just yet.

  “Good,” Telanya said. “The warden will release you shortly. My associates will meet you outside and make sure you are properly dressed for the occasion tonight.” She started to turn away but then pivoted back towards us a second later. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that I am taking a significant risk by clearing your name in this way. If you don’t end want to spend the rest of your lives rotting in a cell, I suggest you do exactly as I say from this point onward.”

  “We understand,” I assured her. “And we won’t disappoint you.”

  “We shall see.”

  Telanya turned and left the room, the clicking of her heels echoing through the stone corridor. When she started whispering something to the guards outside, I ran a hand across my face and glanced back to the girls.

  “That was…unexpected.”

  “She’s desperate,” Valuri said, a dark smile on her lips. “I could see it in her face and hear it in her voice.”

  “She must be if she’s reaching out to a group of total strangers from a rival city-state,” I said. “What could the wife of the Archmage and the Headmistress of the Highwind Academy possibly want from us?”

  “I don’t know,” Valuri said. “But I can’t wait to find out.”

  ***

  The guard eventually introduced us to Telanya’s “associates” outside the Grey Citadel, and it was immediately clear that we were simply being handed off from one set of guards to another. Two of the men were Guild wizards, judging from their robes, and the third was a genuine servant who seemed positively giddy at the prospect of getting the three of us ready for the night’s festivities.

  The girls reacted more or less exactly how I had expected: Kaseya was a good sport but found whole thing frivolous; Valuri griped constantly despite the fact she was clearly enjoying every minute of it. By the time we finished it was only an hour or so before nightfall, and the servant quickly bought us a carriage and pointed us toward the Archmage’s estate.

  “I’m still not completely clear what you wish to accomplish,” Kaseya said once we finally had a modicum of privacy inside the carriage.

  “Getting us out of a prison was a good start,” I said. “Getting you into that dress was a nice bonus.”

  Both women were undeniably radiant in their new attire. Kaseya had traded her red armor for a red dress, and the design had made my cock stir the moment I’d laid eyes on it. The long slit on the side of the floor-length skirt showed off her shapely legs, and the crisscrossing halter top gently cradled her breasts while leaving her back and navel exposed. She was even wearing heels, thanks to Valuri’s endless taunts.

  The Huntress was wearing heels too, of course, but I honestly couldn’t imagine her feet without them. She had chosen a black dress with a much shorter skirt, and the way the fabric hugged her cleavage made it almost impossible for me to look at anything else.

  “We have some privacy now,” Kaseya said, placing her hand in my lap. “Should I relieve you before we reach the estate?”

  I wish.

  I would have given just about anything for ten minutes alone with her right now. I’d spent half my time in that cell worrying that the gods had only given her to me so that they could brutally steal her away a few weeks later.

  “He’ll be fine,” Valuri said, scoffing and crossing her arms. “If anyone needs relief, it’s me. I haven’t fed in almost two days…”

  “Well, you’re not taking my blood,” I told her.

  “It’s not your blood I want.”

  Kaseya glanced between us. “I can help you both, then. This won’t take long…”

  She began to reach into my trousers, but I grabbed her wrist and stopped her. “I’ll be fine,” I soothed. “We need to keep our heads here. I have no idea what kind of job Telanya plans on offering us, but we weren’t in any position to turn her down. She has gold and power. We could use both.”

  “Does this change your plan to try and work with the Black Mistress?” Kaseya asked.

  I pursed my lips. “I bumped into Silhouette when I was being escorted up to the holding cell. She said that she had delivered our message and that the Black Mistress would contact us soon.”

  “Interesting,” Valuri said, her eyes lightning up. “Maybe we’ll get the chance to play these fools off each other.”

  “Maybe, but at the moment I think we just need to wait and see what Telanya has to offer us.” I paused and thought back to our brief meeting in the dungeon. “You knew who she was from the moment she walked up to our cell. I assume that means the Senosi have some kind of dirt on the Headmistress?”

  “The Inquisitrix has dirt on everyone,” Valuri said matter-of-factly. “All I know about Telanya is that she hasn’t been in Highwind all that long, and no one seems to know why a gorgeous highborne elf would marry a geriatric Archmage—other than the obvious, anyway. Being his trophy wife has given her a tremendous amount of power and influence with the Council. I assume she’s angling to become the new Archmage when the old man finally dies.”

  “Is the title hereditary?” I asked.

  “Most powerful offices in Highwind are appointed by the Council, who are in turn appointed by the various noble families in the city. One can only assume she’s been building relationships to try and make herself the logical choice.”

  I nodded. “Interesting, though that doesn’t explain why she would want to hire us. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

  “You say that this city is different than Vorsalos,” Kaseya said, “yet all I see is scheming and posturing by small-minded people.”

  “Welcome to civilization, honey,” Valuri said, patting the amazon on the leg. “You’re a long way from Nol Krovos.”

  We arrived at our des
tination a few minutes later, and our Guild escorts helped us out of the carriage and led us across a winding sidewalk to the Archmage’s estate. Having seen the wealth and decadence of the Vorsalosian elite first-hand many times, I wasn’t sure precisely what to expect here. The Inquisitrix had lavishly rewarded the nobles who’d supported her rise to power—their estates were filled with massive statues, gold-plated furniture, and scores of slaves. What they lacked, for obvious ideological reasons, was magic. And as it turned out, that made an enormous difference.

  “Saarash,” Kaseya whispered. “Even our moshalim do not live like this…”

  “No one does,” I murmured. The path leading up to the estate was surrounded on all sides by a lush, kaleidoscopic flower garden that looked more like a painting than real-life…and that wasn’t far from the truth. I could feel the Aetheric currents rippling through air like static electricity, nourishing the plants and enhancing the colors of their petals. The garden wasn’t an illusion, but it wasn’t quite real, either. I had never seen or felt anything like it.

  The small statues and fountains spread throughout the carefully-cultivated labyrinth were all carved from the pristine white stone common in the Shattered Peaks to the west. No one had used a chisel and hammer here, however; the craftsmanship was far too smooth and perfect for rough tools. Only the Aether could sculpt stone so precisely.

  “I feel tingly just walking through here,” Valuri said. Her head was flicking back and forth like an addict who had just stumbled into new lotus den. “I could stand here and feed for hours…”

  “Try and contain yourself,” I warned, keeping my voice as low as possible. “The last thing we need is for your eyes and tattoos to start glowing.”

  “Maybe the old man will find it as sexy as you do.”

  “Maybe the old man will have you thrown back in the dungeon or burned at the stake,” I countered. “You of all people should understand how important this is.”

  “You don’t know what it’s like, Jorem. You’ve never had the hunger.”

  “I’ve known you long enough to understand,” I soothed, taking her hand. “Don’t worry—I’ll feed you when we’re out of here.”

  Valuri flashed me a coy grin. “Promise?”

  “As much as you want. Just try and hold yourself together until then.”

  We reached the entry foyer a minute later, and another set of guards opened the door for us. I wasn’t the least bit surprised to see that the interior of the estate was every bit as ostentatious as the garden. Everything inside, from the silver-plated bannisters to the pristine marble furniture, practically glowed with a latent Aetheric aura. The tingle in the air was even more concentrated in here. I was genuinely worried about Valuri—at this point her green eyes were completely dilated. She was even starting to wobble on her heels.

  Thankfully, our hosts didn’t give us time to wander; Telanya and Archmage Beloran appeared just a few moments after we entered. The highborne Headmistress had wrapped herself in a flowing, sleeveless dress, and I had to consciously force myself not to leer at her perfect body. Her husband didn’t return the favor. The old man’s gray eyes locked onto Kaseya, and I wanted to vomit at the thought of his withered pecker stirring to life at the sight of her.

  “Archmage,” I said, offering the man a short bow. “We are honored by presence.”

  “You should be thanking my wife,” he said. “I’m not in the habit of inviting wanted criminals into my home, let alone men who waste their gift on whores.”

  I forced myself to smile rather than scowl. The man was taller than expected—though still several inches shorter than his wife thanks to her ludicrous heels—and his clothes remarkably plain for a man of his power and authority. He wore nearly the same gray-blue robe as the other Guild wizards I had seen in the city, though I could feel the power radiating from the enchantments woven into the fabric.

  “I’m very thankful for her willingness to hear me out,” I said, nodding at Telanya. “I know you are wary of sorcerers, and for good reason. But I hope we can—”

  “I do not blame you for what you are,” Beloran interrupted. “You did not choose to be born with the Aether in your veins, and it’s not your fault that you can wield its power with the flick of your wrist. Do you blame the bear when it mauls a man in the woods?”

  “Uh, well, I suppose—”

  “Of course you wouldn’t,” the Archmage went on, flicking his hand dismissively. “You accept that the bear is as the gods made him. And that is exactly how I look at you and the rest of your ilk, Mister Farr. You are what you are, and we should not blame or shun you because of it.”

  I paused and let him speak. I had dealt with enough old, ostensibly “wizened” people to know when they were about to unleash a bitter tirade, and in my experience it was generally best to just relax and brace yourself for the inevitable.

  “That said, the danger you represent cannot be ignored,” he continued. “Just as we would not allow bears to rampage through our city, we cannot allow men who conjure flame from their fingertips to roam our streets without supervision. Every man and woman who wishes to learn the secrets of the Aether is welcome at our Academy, but those who are deemed unfit are forbidden to practice their craft until they complete their trials. We don’t teach them anything truly dangerous until we are certain they can be trusted. Your kind, unfortunately, cannot be restrained so easily.”

  Beloran eyed me up and down. “If you had grown up here, the Guild may have been able to teach you how to channel properly at a young age. You might have even been a licensed wizard by now. Unfortunately, I’m sure the Inquisitrix has filled your mind with propaganda. We are not tyrants or monsters. One of the main purposes of the Highwind Academy is to shield channelers from their own stupidity. Knowledge can be a terrible thing in the hands of a fool, and the Aether is greatest force multiplier in the multiverse. Without the Guild to temper the worst of our students’ impulses, this city would be a crater…or a graveyard.”

  “Nol Krovos has been ruled by sorcerers for centuries,” Kaseya said. “We do not kill each other, and they have not destroyed our island.”

  I grimaced, wondering if her bluntness would get us into trouble yet again. But instead the Archmage simply looked at her and smiled.

  “I envy your people’s restraint, my dear,” he said, “but your island and its wonderful people aren’t like the rest of the world. Out here, men quickly become monsters without a steady hand to guide them.”

  “I see,” Kaseya replied. “Well, you can be assured that Jorem is not a monster. The first time I met him, he saved my sword-sister’s life with restorative magic.”

  “How kind of him,” Telanya said, an odd glint in her eye.

  “Since then, he has only used his powers responsibly,” Kaseya added. “He has not harmed anyone outside of self-defense.”

  “Does that include the whores whose minds he manipulated?” Telanya asked. “Or the city guards he tricked into believing they were his friends?”

  “He did not inflict any permanent harm.”

  “Only because he was lucky—sorcery is inherently unstable,” Beloran said. “But even if it weren’t, he committed a very serious crime. If the rest of the Council were to learn what happened, they would promptly sentence him to many years in the dark solitude of the Vault.”

  “But they don’t know, and I assume that’s the reason we’re here,” Valuri put in. “You wouldn’t have invited us to dinner if you didn’t another offer to make.”

  Telanya smiled at the Senosi. “You’re right, of course. There are many things we need to discuss.”

  “But first, we have prepared some entertainment,” the Archmage said, his eyes still glued to Kaseya. He offered her his arm and gestured into the next room. “I think you’ll find it most enjoyable.”

  I held my breath, wondering if she might say or do something incredibly earnest and offensive, but instead she smiled pleasantly, took his arm, and followed him into the next room. The st
rangest part of all, however, was the fact that Telanya didn’t scowl at her husband for touching another woman. Instead she shuffled forward and took my arm as we strolled into the adjacent dining hall.

  I put on my own pleasant smile and tried to ignore the warning bells ringing in my head. In my experience, the rich and powerful were almost always disturbed in one way or another, and it was already abundantly clear that there was something seriously wrong with these people.

  Still, I enjoyed the sweet scent of Telanya’s perfume, and the warmth of her touch was enough to stoke the seemingly unquenchable fire in my loins. I needed to sit down as quickly as possible before the growing tent in my trousers became a problem…

  The dining hall was grand and sprawling, and the table at the center was large enough to accommodate several dozen guests. Telanya gestured for the three of us to sit down one side while she and her husband slid into chairs on the other. Servants appeared with trays a few seconds later, and I struggled to keep my mouth from visibly watering at the sight and smell of actual cooked food. I hadn’t eaten a legitimate meal in days.

  “Open one of the bottles from my collection,” Telanya said to one of the servants just before he poured wine into our glasses. “This is a special occasion, after all.”

  The servant’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t tell whether this was a test or not. “Uh…yes, yes, of course, mistress,” he blubbered. “W-which bottle?”

  “I assume you can’t read Elven.”

  “N-no, mistress.”

  Telanya sighed. “Then just pick one of the blue ones. Use your best judgment.”

  The servant nodded and swallowed. He had the distinct look of a man who feared being transformed into a toad if he misbehaved.

  “Please, eat as much as you like,” Telanya said. “The Citadel isn’t known for its wholesome meals.”

  “Definitely not,” I said, plucking a stuffed scallop from the plate and resisting the urge to unceremoniously shovel it into my mouth. I had always been a fast eater, and the gnawing hunger in my gut wasn’t helping any.