Hi, all! Annabelle Hawthorne here to sell you some makeup and knives! How would you like to be your own boss?
That's what I would be probably be saying if I wasn't actually here to deliver the next chapter in my fantasy epic "How many myths can I lewd before my family organizes an intervention?"
(Let's be honest, though, if I was a hot goth girl selling makeup and knives, I'd be making BANK)
New reader? Welcome to the madness! If you've already got your pants down and are hoping for a quick wank on your work break, you should probably be aware that this is not the story for you five-minute warriors out there. Unless you are super into edging, you may experience significant genital chaffing during the plot breaks we have between sex scenes. You should probably work the rest of your shift and then go home, start at Chapter 001 (that's right, two zeros!) and make sure to have some coconut oil on hand to work your way all the way back here. I promise, the journey will be worth it (unless your hand cramps, then maybe not).
Returning reader? It's so good to see you! This book feels like I've been writing it forever, but I'm afraid my full-time writer status means that I now work on multiple projects at once, which means I have to divide time between here and everywhere else. I'm still trying to stick to my release dates (which are always in my bio) and will likely be taking a small break this summer to go outside and touch some grass. We're approaching eight years of constant shenanigans here on Literotica, and as much as the mind is willing, the body is spongy and bruised.
(In short, I've developed carpal tunnel and need a vacation, lol)
Anyway, thank you so so so much for being here once again. Thank you for your letters, your comments, and for dropping some stars on this silly tale of mine. The Radley-verse expands faster than my imagination can keep up, but as long as you all keep showing up for me, I'll do my best to show up for you.
You should also know that you can't trust people who come to your door selling makeup, knives, or business opportunities. While it may be fun to run around with sharp objects, most of those people just want your money and will absolutely utilize
Deceptive Practices
The people of Avalon were naive at best. Nyx didn't even bother considering them fools. Their complete lack of common sense was a result of the environment they had been bred for. A proper warrior didn't laud their own strength over that of a child, after all.
However, their lack of intellect did not spare them from her schemes. Finley had been the first, owing her for the apple she had handed him. She had come upon him in the midst of a meal with his family, excitedly chattering about the newcomers to the island.
To Nyx's displeasure, the family had been fantastic hosts. They had offered her food, drink, and even allowed her to sit where the family head usually did. She had been unable to find fault with their actions, but soon discovered that the simple act of helping pass around the food put them greatly in her debt. It had been a lesson in efficiency, one that she had taken with her after leaving. In fact, she had been so grateful to Finley and his family for this knowledge that she declared to them that their debts were paid in exchange for some food to take with her.
The other people in the village, however, were fair game. All it took was handing someone a piece of bread, an apple, or anything else they may take interest in, and they would immediately thank her for it. She started by asking for the stories of their elders and was more than a little bothered when she learned there weren't any. The oldest people in the village were near the end of their third decade, which was cause enough for suspicion. Nyx already knew why these people were being kept here, but that didn't require culling them back so far.
A bit of digging was all it took to find some answers. Though the people couldn't remember anything on their own, that was hardly enough to stop the Fae. After all, they had thanked her for a service, and she required payment. Memories were much like currency for her, easily extracted and perused at her leisure. The oldest people in the village had some that intrigued her, an incident from many years back that involved a visit from another outsider, a woman with black hair and a smile that could steal the heart from any man or woman.
Her name was Natalie. She had come to this place with stories of a magical home full of mythical creatures and had used that smile to win over the people of the village. She had stayed for nearly a month, captured the same way that Mike had been. The mirror was controlled somehow by Vincentius, that much Nyx had gathered on her own.
As to how Natalie escaped and what came next, Nyx had no idea of knowing. The people who remembered the woman had been sheltered from the fallout by Lady Charlotte, who kept the children locked up in her school. She and Sir Galahad had protected them from Vincentius' rage, which was likely the only reason there were still any humans on the island at all.
When the people of Avalon ran out of memories that held any value, Nyx extracted promises from them instead. They didn't fear her yet, and all promised her a favor at a later time. The thing about promises to the Fae was that they were magically enforceable, and Nyx wasn't entirely certain what she intended to do with them yet. When the time came, nearly a third of the village would obey her commands should she give them.
The story of the nymph in the fountain was likely a hold over from Natalie's visit many years ago. That much she had admitted to Mike, as it pertained to their agreement. She could have told him about Natalie, but that connection wasn't yet clear, so she wasn't required to share.
Mike Radley fascinated her. Even now, the sky rumbled in response to his current state of mind, to which Nyx hoped she had contributed. The primary reason for her visit yesterday had been to vex him. Though he couldn't see it from the outside as she did, his soul was in turmoil, like a pot ready to boil over. Something he would do in the future would change everything for the Fae, and she sometimes wondered if her presence alone wouldn't be the catalyst for change. If that was the case, perhaps it was something she could use to her advantage.
If Mike were about to do something that would directly harm her people, she would stop it and take full credit. It didn't matter if her behavior was somehow the cause, they would grant her a higher standing for saving their way of life.
However, if that harm were to somehow put the Seelie Court or her own family in a better position, she would stand back and allow it to happen first. She would still punish him later for any harm caused, of course. Her discretion in such a matter would yield her a place of power among the Seelie.
On the odd chance that he did something that would result in the elimination of the Queen, Nyx would do everything in her power to step over others and into that role. Whether that meant a negotiation of peace with the Caretaker, or even a declaration of war, it would not matter. Ruling over the Fae was never meant to be a job for only one being, and the King's absence had driven a wedge between the Queen and her people.
Nyx sneered at the memory of the King. He had become enraptured by the worship of the mortals and fallen victim to it. The Queen was now in a similar position, and it would be far better for the Fae if they could depose her long before she abandoned them.
