The Amazon's Pledge

I had no idea how late it was when Telanya's servants escorted me to my room, but it felt like a week could have passed between now and dinner. The fact that Kaseya and Valuri were both still awake confirmed that I had only been gone a few hours, and the latter's scowl informed me that they hadn't found the evening nearly as entertaining as I had.

"I would ask what happened to you, but thanks to Little Miss Mindlink here, I have a pretty good idea," Valuri grumbled. "She was practically writhing on the floor a few minutes ago."

"Yeah...sorry about that," I murmured. "Telanya wanted to, uh, discuss the details of our arrangement."

Valuri rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable. Is it even possible for you to meet a woman without fucking her?"

"Not in this city, apparently."

She crossed her arms and shook her head. "Well, while you were off pounding his wife, the Archmage gave us a little tour. I don't think his hands left our hips the whole time, other than a few short trips to grab our asses."

"Gods, I'm sorry," I said, rubbing a hand across my face. "I shouldn't have left him alone with you."

"We can take care of ourselves," Valuri said. "The important question is whether or not you learned anything while her legs were wrapped around your waist."

"I learned that she's a screamer. And that she likes being choked."

"How useful," Valuri muttered. "I could have told you that just by looking at her. She dresses like a cunt, she acts like a cunt...women like that always like being treated like a cunt, too."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Kaseya asked.

"Nothing," I replied apologetically. She had every right to be annoyed. "Anyway, I gleaned a few interesting details."

I glanced around the room in search of any more scrying stones, but I didn't see any. Valuri waved her hand dismissively.

"I already checked--this place is clean," she said. "It's almost disappointing."

Kaseya's brow furrowed. "You are disappointed that our hosts have a tiny shred of honor?"

"It's not about honor and it's definitely not about decency. Powerful people have powerful guests. Either they don't think we're important enough to spy on, or they're too incompetent to realize they should be."

The amazon shook her head in disgust. "Of course that is how you would think."

"I'm not going to apologize for living in the real world, Red," Valuri said. "But you're cute when you're indignant."

"Whether our hosts are spying on us or not, their coin is our best chance of getting back on our feet," I interrupted before things got out of hand. I was man enough to admit that I enjoyed their jealous competition for my attention, but I didn't actually want them to fight. I had a feeling that our impending trip south was going to test the limits of our little trio...

"Coin will not help us defeat Ayrael," Kaseya said. "And if these crystals are important, my sister will be there."

"She's right," Valuri said. "Vatari crystals are vital to the Inquisitrix's plans. I guarantee she knows about the mines, and I guarantee she'll send a squad to steal the shipment."

"Which is why I'm glad we won't be facing them alone," I pointed out. "We'll have the Falcon Guard with us."

"You really think a few mercenaries will make a difference?"

"I think we need the silver, and just as importantly we need allies. Having the patronage of the Archmage and his wife will make our lives a lot easier." I sighed and crossed my arms. "Besides, we also have leverage on them now. The Council doesn't know anything about their secret mining operations or their vatari crystal stash. In the worst-case scenario, we could always use that little tidbit against them."

"The Council probably doesn't know their head wizard is a cuckold, either, but that's not going to help us," Valuri said. "Jorem, I know you just fucked her, but you need to think with your head and not your cock for once. Telanya and Beloran

know

we have leverage on them--do you really think they'll just let us walk free?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the instant we do their dirty work for them, they'll slap the manacles back on us and bury us somewhere in the Citadel," she said. "They're not going to take the chance we'll turn against them."

"This isn't Vorsalos, Val."

"They're powerful people, Jorem. And in the end, all that powerful people care about is keeping that power. We're a threat to them, in more ways than one. The instant we're not useful, they'll bury us. Trust me."

I pursed my lips in thought. She was a cynic by nature, but that didn't mean she was necessarily wrong. Quite the opposite, in fact--her suspicious nature had gotten us both out of trouble more times than I could count.

"I do not trust them, either," Kaseya said. "Perhaps we should still consider reaching out to the Black Mistress. Silhouette told you where to meet, yes?"

I nodded. "She did."

"Then we should consider our allegiances carefully. At least you know the Black Mistress will appreciate your sorcerous talents."

Telanya appreciated them pretty well a few minutes ago...

"We don't have any more reason to trust her, though," I said, as much to myself as them. "There are no guarantees here."

"There never are," Valuri replied mildly. "Look, Red and I barely ever agree on anything, so if we're both telling you the same thing, you might want to consider listening. This Headmistress is a bad girl--and not the good kind of bad like me."

"Maybe," I murmured. "Anyway, for now we should try and get some sleep. She wants us to leave first thing in the morning."

"You're lucky the Archmage gave me some baubles to tide me over," Valuri said, pointing to a basket filled with charged vatari crystals. "Because you promised to feed me tonight."

"Maybe tomorrow."

She grunted and sat down on one of the beds. Kaseya joined me on the other one, and as I cradled her naked body in my arms, a fresh wave of guilt washed over me. I could fuck another woman every single night and she would still dutifully crawl into bed with me. It wasn't right--she deserved better.

As I blew out the lantern and closed my eyes, I promised myself I would make all of this up to her in the morning.

***

Against all odds, I slept as lightly as I'd intended, and I woke before Kaseya had a chance to start her morning exercise regimen. It belatedly occurred to me that I had never actually seen her sleeping before, given that she always passed out last and woke up first. I gently ran my fingers through her red hair and smiled. She looked so calm and peaceful that I almost didn't want to disturb her. But if she had taught me anything these last few weeks, it was that waking up didn't always have to be a bad thing.

Grinning, I traced my hands down her smooth olive legs and gently nudged her knees apart. She stirred but didn't wake until my fingertips reached her inner thighs and settled upon her quim.

"Good morning," I whispered.

Her blue eyes fluttered open. "What...?"

I leaned in and kissed her before she could speak, and I had the satisfaction of feeling her folds slicken as I slipped a finger inside her. I activated my bond ring, hoping that it would help guide my movements. Her surprise and grogginess washed over me, but they were quickly replaced by a wave of overwhelming lust. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I began to slowly massage her clit with my thumb.

"Jorem..." she breathed. "I should...I should relieve you."

"Hush," I scolded, kissing the tip of her nose. "I need to eat something first."

I smiled coyly as I nibbled my way down her neck. She moaned when my lips engulfed her nipples, then again when I slipped a second finger inside her. I really had ignored her breasts for far too long, and I spent the next several minutes eagerly correcting my mistake.

When a tiny, preemptive climax shuddered through her, the echo in my ring stiffened my cock and nearly forced me to spill right then and there. But I somehow managed to contain myself even as she lifted her leg and tried to encourage me to slip into her. I was suddenly thankful for all of Valuri's lessons in patience and restraint during our time together. A younger version of myself would have grabbed Kaseya by the waist, flipped her over, and relentlessly pounded away until I exploded deep inside her cunt.

Escar's mercy, that's what the version of you two weeks ago would have done!

Grimacing at my own selfishness, I licked my way down Kaseya's taut stomach, kissed her belly, and then drifted down to her searing, sopping quim. Replacing my finger with my tongue, I lashed at her clit until her back arched like I had just blasted her with a stroke of electricity.

At this point, my cock was so hard I had to grab it with my left hand just to keep it from spearing into her side. I could have stroked myself over the edge in about five seconds flat, and if Valuri had been the one beneath me, I probably would have done just that. Thanks to her unquenchable Senosi hunger, she enjoyed a hot morning bath more than any other woman I had ever met.

But Kaseya wasn't Valuri, and I could feel her yearning for something else entirely. After my tongue drove her to another near climax, I leaned back and finally nudged the rest of my body between her legs. Her ankles locked around my back even before my swollen member pressed against her folds, and when I eased my full length inside her, she clutched my shoulder blades and clawed into my skin.

"Fuck me, Jorem," she begged, her voice a hoarse whisper. "Fuck your amazon!"

I did. The warm walls of her quim welcomed my member like a returning hero, and she cooed into my ear with each and every thrust. I didn't require a magical bond to know how much she wanted this; I didn't have to feel her arousal through our link to know how much she

needed

this. And I was certain she didn't require her collar to know how much I yearned to give it to her.

My thrusts became short and frantic as I pounded into her, but before I could cry out in release, she grabbed the back of my head and pulled our lips together. I flooded her quim the instant our tongues touched. We kissed for so long afterward that I felt the heat of the morning sunlight on my skin before my eyes opened and saw the light.

Kaseya's smile was so bright and earnest it almost brought a tear to my eye. "I am pleased that my body can still bring you relief."

"Always," I assured her. "We were only apart for a day and I thought I might go crazy inside that cell."

"I know. I could feel it, but there was nothing I could to help."

I brushed a strand of sweaty hair from her forehead. If we had more time, I would have been seriously tempted to flip her over and take her ass, but I wanted to get moving as quickly as possible. With luck, we would be able to meet with Silhouette and see if the Black Mistress was willing to offer us a better deal for the cargo. If not...

Well, if not, we would cross that bridge when we needed to. One way or another, I had a feeling that everything was about to change.

I kissed Kaseya again, then reluctantly shifted off her and glanced over to the other bed. I half expected Valuri to be sitting there watching us with her chin propped up on her hands, but she was still doing her best impression of a lotus addict. She was completely sprawled across the bed, her straight black hair plastered across her face.

"We should clean up and get moving," I said. "I suppose I'll poke the bear..."

Val woke easier than I expected, though she still looked like hell for several minutes afterward. "Never feed on strange crystals or strange men," she murmured, pulling back her hair. "You would think I'd have learned to take my own advice by now."

I smiled and kissed her cheek. "I have a trusted source you can feed from later," I told her. "But right now, I just want to get out of here."

Unsurprisingly, the house servants were incredibly helpful, and they drew each of us an individual warm bath and even cooked us a meal. I greedily devoured everything in anticipation of our ration-fueled trek across the grasslands, and Kaseya did the same. Valuri spent most of the meal complaining about being separated from her equipment, which was both reasonable and prophetic--a pair of Citadel guards arrived mere moments after we finished, bearing a crate containing our armor and weapons.

I wasn't particularly attached to my gear, considering I'd had to buy an entire set of new clothes following our first run-in with Ayrael, but the girls cracked open the crate the instant it hit the ground. Kaseya clutched at her sword like it was a lost family member, and Valuri did the same with her crossbows.

"Don't worry, babies, I promise momma will shoot someone for you soon," the Huntress said, kissing the wooden grips. "If one of those bastards so much as scuffed you, I swear I'll burn this whole damn city to the ground..."

I grunted and shook my head. They looked so happy I almost envied them. Still, I was rather fond of the fact I could never truly be disarmed.

Once the girls had donned their armor, we returned to the atrium where our hosts had first greeted us. The Archmage was nowhere in sight, but Telanya finally showed herself. Her fresh, conservative clothing and tightly bound ponytail almost made me forget the rambunctious, borderline-manic woman I had hammered the previous night.

"Horses will be waiting for the three of you at the Whiteoak Stable by the south gate," she explained. "They'll be saddled and equipped with supplies for your journey."

"My lady is most kind," I said, offering her a quick bow.

Telanya nodded to another of her servants. "And here is the advance on your payment. Five hundred silver pieces--more than enough to see you through the next week, I imagine."

I took the offered coin purse and tried not to salivate. I had never been a wealthy man at any point in my life, but it was truly pitiful how quickly I had grown accustomed to poverty since I'd arrived in Highwind. At least things were finally looking up...assuming we made it back to the city in one piece, anyway.

"Once you return, you will be delivering the cargo to Lord Martel's estate just southeast of town," Telanya explained. "Remember, the mercenaries believe they are working for him and him alone. You are not to mention our names to

anyone

."

"We understand," I assured her.

"Good. The Falcon Guard's captain is a man named Romar Koth. He will be expecting reinforcements, but he does not know who you are. You will need to show him this symbol to confirm your allegiance."

I held out my hand and took the small medallion she offered. "The coat of arms is from the Martel family?"

"Very good," Telanya said. "Once you've joined forces, you should make haste north. I'll expect your return by the end of the week."

"You'll get your cargo, don't worry," I promised. "Afterward, I hope we'll be able to discuss our future arrangements. We do have a common enemy, after all."

"That we do." The high elf eyed us all for another moment before she gestured to the door. "I look forward to your return. Do not let me down, Mister Farr."

A few minutes later, we were finally back outside the estate, and once her guards moved out of sight, I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"I still can't believe you fucked that woman," Valuri said. "Actually, scratch that--I can't believe you fucked her and left us with her lecherous husband."

"You're not going to let me live that down for a long time, are you?"

"I wasn't planning on it, no."

I sighed and glanced around the streets. The morning air was even sweeter than normal, and the sun felt surprisingly good on my face. "Her stable boys are probably expecting us," I said. "If we're going to meet with Silhouette, we need to do it quickly."

"I will make certain we are not followed," Kaseya said. "I do not trust that elf to leave us alone."

"You're learning already, Red," Valuri replied, playfully bumping the other woman's arm. "We'll make you into a cynic yet."

"Come on," I said. "I think it's this way."

Moonshadow Plaza wasn't nearly as ominous as it sounded. The area was essentially just a sprawling marketplace nestled between several other districts, and I assumed it was named after the enormous statue of Shalassa the Moonmaiden looming over her considerably more modest temple. In the afternoon, its massive shadow easily shrouded the entire area.

"So I take it this half-elf whore didn't happen to mention what kind of business we're looking for?" Valuri asked when we arrived. "A tavern, a shop...?"

"She only gave me a name," I said. "We didn't have a lot of extra time to chat."

"Perhaps it is another brothel," Kaseya suggested.

"I really hope the

Skittering Spider

isn't the name of a brothel."

"I hope it's not a tavern or an inn, either," Valuri commented. "If she works for the Black Mistress, maybe it's a front business. The horrible name just means customers never stop by."

"Maybe," I murmured, examining the area more closely. Like most places in Highwind, the plaza was bustling with people from all walks of life, but since the girls had both draped cloaks over their shoulders, they weren't drawing nearly as much attention as normal. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched...

"That's it," Valuri said, gesturing across the street to a small building with a rickety placard outside. I could barely make out the engraved letters, though the spider painted on the side was easily recognizable.

"I do not see anyone inside," Kaseya said. "The door may not even open."

I pursed my lips in thought as we approached. "Well, we should probably--"

"Read your fortune, stranger?" a soft, familiar voice asked from behind me. "You look like a man who walks in destiny's shadow."

I turned and glanced behind us. There was an old woman selling knickknacks from a stand on the corner, and she was smiling at me from beneath a dark hood. I probably would have ignored her completely if the voice weren't so familiar...

"That sounds like something an old witch would say, doesn't it?" the woman asked. "I'm really trying to get this character down."

I frowned, confused, until I stretched out through the Aether. I could feel magical currents enshrouding her like a second cloak, masking her true identity beneath a thick veil of illusion magic. The longer I looked at her face, the more its true form took shape. She wasn't an old crone at all; she was a youthful, green-eyed half-elf with lustrous silver-white hair.

"I assume this is your contact," Valuri said, her arms crossed. Thanks to her Senosi powers, she had probably seen through the illusion instantly.

"Yes," I managed, tossing a furtive glance back over my shoulder to make sure no one was watching us. "Nice outfit."

"Believe me, I prefer my other one, too. But in my line of work, I need to wear whatever face needs to be seen." Silhouette turned toward Kaseya and grinned even wider. "Hey, lovely. Nice to see you again."

The amazon nodded. "I am pleased you were not detained in the Citadel."

"They couldn't prove anything," Silhouette said, waving her hand dismissively. "They never can."

"This rendezvous is a little more public than I expected," I said. "Maybe we should head inside and chat for a few minutes?"

"Oh, there's no need for that. Not yet. Just come a bit closer and pull up a seat."

I frowned at the lone wooden stool in front of her stand. "Uh, I really don't think we want anyone else to hear what I have to say."

"That's why you're not going to say it," Silhouette said matter-of-factly. "Please, sit down."

I shrugged and did as she asked. The girls stepped forward and formed a wall behind me just in case.