Sins of Calate: BOOK II OF THE FOUR REALMS SERIES

Part I | Theodan

The Menodice stood in a wide circle before him, silent and unmoving.

They had not moved as he'd brought Nux into land, or when he'd sent her off again to graze in the darkened forest across the breach. They had not moved when he'd walked slowly towards them, or when he'd come to a stop in the centre and stared straight ahead, waiting.

He knew he would not have to wait long. And sure enough, a short time later, the ground began to rumble and shake beneath him as the great stone doors of the Court of the Moon opened slowly.

The Menodice parted to reveal the lone figure of Ismene the Primed standing between the stone gates. She regarded him from where she stood —hands clasped together in front in the traditional stance —before she began to walk toward him, her head held high and proud.

There was the merest suggestion of a smile upon her full mouth, her hair the colour of a raven's wing hanging long and loose past her hips and contrasting starkly with the white gown she wore.

Like the rest of The Twelve, she appeared beautiful; fine features and smooth skin, and a luminous sheen to her marble grey eyes — eyes which would transform to pure white upon her ascendency. Her true form was somewhat less exquisite; his all-sight allowing him a glimpse of it now and then as it flickered and shimmered across her face. Since it took some effort to see past her projected guise however, he simply accepted the pretence she offered him.

She came to a stop a short distance away and drew her eyes over him, and he scented a burst of lust spark from her; potent and sweet as it spread across his tongue. She let the silence stretch on between them and because he knew well the punishment for speaking first, could already feel it pressing against his temples, testing his submission — he held his tongue.

'We have been waiting for you, Theodan of Teredia,' she said after many moments.'You will not cause too much trouble, I hope?' Her voice was soft and sweet and yet it scraped like talons across the inside of his skull. He felt weakened from it.

'I will not,' he replied, flicking his eye to the guard.

She smiled. 'A pity, for I am certain I would enjoy punishing you for such misdeeds.'

He detected a measure of flirtation in her words and tried to measure his response accordingly.

'My misdeeds are yours to judge, Primed.'

Her smile deepened. 'Then perhaps I shall yet have my opportunity?' She gave him a lingering glance before turning on her heel and walking back toward the gates. She did not need to command him to follow behind her, he simply did so. Through the stone doors and up the steps of the great entrance before stopping just inside. 'You will relinquish your weapons before we enter,' she ordered without looking at him. A Menodice stepped forward and he stopped to remove his belt and sword before continuing inside to where she waited just under the canopy for him.

Walking again she turned left and he followed her down the east corridor which took them beyond the judging chamber and toward the quarters of The Twelve. She turned left once more after they passed under The First Arch, and he was soon distracted by the sight and sound of her skirts swishing softly against the polished marble and the silken black of her hair moving to and fro against the smooth pale skin of her back.

His mind filled unbidden with thoughts of Fara, her sweet scent pushing into his mind, the loose sound of pleasure as it pushed from her throat. He imagined tracing his tongue up the ridge of her spine, of plunging his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck as he took her from behind, as she cried out in both pleasure and pain.

'As entertaining as they are, warrior, you may wish to quieten your desires. They are loud enough to waken the Dark One from his slumber.' The Primed did not turn to look at him but there was a smile in her voice.