Dance of the Damned

Seventy

"Where is Kalyani's army located?" Zeddicus inquired once more, his gun pressed firmly against the general's thigh. Despite his attempts to beat the information out of him, the man remained defiant.

"You and your whore can rot in hell," the general spat in Zeddicus's face. Reacting swiftly, Zeddicus covered his mouth, silencing any potential screams, before pulling the trigger and firing a shot. General Crypt winced in pain.

"Tell me the location, or I will shoot your other leg. It would be unfortunate if you were rendered immobile for the upcoming battle," Zeddicus threatened, repositioning the gun on the man's other thigh.

"Go ahead. My queen has skilled healers. I'll recover," the general boldly retorted, as Zeddicus fired two additional bullets into his remaining leg.

"It's amusing that you believe you'll escape this alive," Zeddicus remarked, observing the general's perspiration. The agony caused by the three bullet wounds must have been excruciating.

"Perhaps a couple of shots to his cock would teach him a lesson," I suggested with a sweet grin directed at General Crypt.

"Shut your vulgar mouth, you whore," he bitterly replied to me.

Zeddicus shifted the gun between the general's legs, prompting him to freeze. "That's not how you address a lady. Insult her again, and I'll remove your dick, slowly with my knife. Now, where is her army located?"

"Three miles south of Brimham, nestled between two towering mountains in a clearing," the general pleaded. "Just don't touch my dick."

"And what about her secret weapon?" Zeddicus inquired.

"I have no knowledge of any such thing," the general responded.

Zeddicus increased the pressure of the gun against the man's groin, causing him to flinch. "As the head general, you must possess some information."

"There is a secluded chamber within the dungeon beneath the castle. It is heavily guarded. I do not know its contents, but occasionally, the corpses of Grims are taken there. I swear, I have no idea why," the man trembled uncontrollably.

"And what is the total number of her army?" Zeddicus questioned further.

"Approximately a hundred and fifty thousand, give or take," the general replied.

"By the mother of hell," Zeddicus muttered under his breath. "Where did she get such a massive force? How did she recruit so many?"

"I truly don't know! They simply appear at our camps in large groups. They keep to themselves and show no interaction with my soldiers from Benevol. Please, sir, I have a wife and two young children," the general pleaded.

"Then why are you visiting a brothel? Have you no sense of honor?" Zeddicus taunted, receiving no response. "Do you swear that you have no further knowledge?"

"I swear on my mother's grave," General Crypt said. In an instant, Zeddicus pulled the trigger on the man's groin then lifted the gun to his head and pulled the trigger again, ending his life.

After disposing of the body in a nearby dumpster, he hurriedly took my hand and led us away from the alley. "Let's get to the inn and leave first thing in the morning," he said.

He guided me to a large and luxurious hotel, a significant upgrade from the one we stayed in the previous night. Inside, he managed to secure two adjacent rooms for us. We grabbed some stew for dinner before heading upstairs. Just as I was about to enter my room, he stopped me. "If you had fun earlier, you know where to find me," he said with a suggestive smile.

"That was purely business. It won't happen again," I replied, feeling my face flush.

"Perhaps not, but just know that I'll be in my bed, completely naked, imagining the taste of you in my mouth," he muttered in a low voice, winking at me before disappearing into his room. My own room was cozy, complete with a fireplace to keep me warm. I sat down and slowly savored the stew, trying to process the events that unfolded at the brothel. I berated myself for letting things escalate, yet a part of me wished it had gone further. I couldn't stop replaying it in my mind.

As I settled into bed, the warmth of the fire next to me, my thoughts kept drifting back to our encounter at the whore house. I couldn't help but wonder if he was pleasuring himself at that very moment, consumed by thoughts of our shared intimacy. I knew I shouldn't indulge in such fantasies, but I found my fingers lingering on the edge of my gown, my legs parting slightly as I let myself imagine his touch.

I pictured his lips on mine and the hardness I had felt beneath his pants, as desire surged through me. I imagined his hand in place of mine, and with each gentle movement, I grew wetter with anticipation. In my mind, I could see his intense gaze, watching my face as I succumbed to a powerful climax. Overwhelmed, I drifted into a deep sleep afterward, hoping to escape the tumultuous thoughts that consumed me and wondering if he felt the same.

The following morning, I once again threw on the simple gray peasant dress and black apron, neatly braiding my hair away from my face. A knock at my door signaled the arrival of Zeddicus.

"We should leave before anyone discovers the general's body," he said, grabbing the backpack and motioning for me to follow him outside the inn.

We chose a different path, avoiding the brothel, and headed out of town. In a nearby pasture, a few horses grazed, and Zeddicus gave me a mischievous smile. "Want to get back to Ardor a little faster?"

"You've got to be kidding," I replied, surprised. "I haven't ridden a horse since I was thirteen. I'd probably break my neck."

"Then ride with me," he suggested, placing down his bag and pulling out a rope. "I'm a skilled horseback rider."

"Well, you're a king, it would be embarrassing if you weren't," I remarked, taking a seat beside him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making a bridle," he explained, deftly tying a few more knots before proudly displaying it to me, like a child showing off their artwork.

He stood up and slowly approached a majestic all-black mare who didn't seem the least bit bothered. These horses were clearly tamed. Zeddicus effortlessly slipped the rope bridle on her and lifted me onto the mare's back, joining me by taking control of the reins. With a gentle kick to the horse's sides, she took off into a gallop. Gripping onto her mane for dear life, I wrapped my legs tightly around her torso.

Zeddicus chuckled from behind me. "Don't worry, love. I won't let you fall."

I was too scared to reply, so we continued riding farther from the town in silence. We made a few brief stops to feed and water the mare and allow her to rest. By nightfall, we found ourselves back at the same cave where we had spent the first night.

Zeddicus tied the mare to a sturdy tree branch just outside the cave and joined me inside, taking a seat next to me. "I think we could use some whiskey," he suggested.

"Great idea," I quickly replied. Things had been awkward between us ever since our encounter at the brothel the previous day, and we had hardly spoken today. Plus, my legs were aching from riding bareback all day.

He handed me the canteen along with an apple. I took a hearty swig of whiskey before passing it back to him.

"Are we okay after yesterday?" he asked, after taking a sip himself.

"Yeah, it was just business," I reassured him.

"So you didn't feel anything?" he pressed.

"Of course not. It was simply our body's natural reaction," I replied. "You didn't feel anything either, did you?"

"Of course not," he echoed my words.

"Then there's no reason to make it awkward. We did what we had to do to blend in," I said, pulling out the blankets to make my bed. He didn't respond as he settled on the other side of the small cave. That night, we slept as far apart from each other as physically possible. A small part of me wished that he would come over and hold me, but he never did. It was a ridiculous thought anyway and I quickly pushed it from my thoughts as I fell asleep.