The Wicked Tower - Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Good gods. Cassia had already allowed two deposits deep in her butt, and Vel worked his way to a third. Her son’s curse was strong. She now gave herself to him like a dog, on her hands and knees. Cassia’s ass should have been destroyed by now, but instead, joyful heat spread all through her body. The four-poster bed bucked and squeaked under them. How many climaxes did she have already? Too many to count.

“Oh, Vel, I’ve never … never …” Cassia squealed as another orgasm rocked her sense of being. When she recovered, she found that his hands had tightened their grip on her cheeks, taking big handfuls of flesh and pulling her back onto him again and again. Why had she come in person to his room? Had she wanted this? She could have written a letter to her son and slipped it under the door. She had given Vel the opening, practically inviting him to make his move. And now … and now … she gripped the rumpled bedsheet with her fingers. She prayed to Juno that he would stay happy with her breasts, mouth, and butt. But she knew men rarely looked at the horizon without wanting to take it. Lost to Cassia, was the implied admission to herself that her newly discovered pleasures would not end on that day.

“I … did not … dare … dream this … Mother.” Vel’s hips went out of rhythm. “But … your … ass … is … perfection.”

“Yesssssssss,” Cassia hissed. Her back arched and her boobs swung wildly under her. “I … will … take … uuugggghhhhhhhh.” The now familiar warm jetty pushed into her guts. She heard him bellow behind her and she let out her own scream. There were few paths forward from this that didn’t end in catastrophe. But the chaotic ecstasy that clouded her mind didn’t let her care. Bring on disorder and ruin. If it felt like this, she would welcome it with open arms. Or at least, that’s what she vowed in the moment.

Later, as she lay on her belly on Vel’s bed, she had second thoughts about so willingly accepting Discordia into her home. Vel kissed and playfully bit her butt and caressed the backs of her thighs. His enthusiasm for her body seemed to know no bounds. It had been such a long time since a man had taken to her so. Cassia thought about how to proceed. If Pax and Discordia could come to agreement to make magic, surly she could let some chaos in without inviting utter disaster. But Gallio would outsmart the queens regent eventually and return home. He was a shrewd man and would not miss what was sure to continue between mother and son. What would she do?

“So … perfect.” Vel kissed her curving supple cheek, moving his head to give his eyes different angles to admire those half-globes. He could see the cum running consistently out of her ass. He hoped it wasn’t bad for a woman’s health to take such a deluge up there. “I can see my stuff running out of you.” He bent a little and gently bit her soft flesh, just to feel its give and resilience. “Are you okay back there? I mean …”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same. And I’m certainly not looking forward to sitting down.” Her voice was muffled as she talked into the mattress. His playful bites stopped and she heard him draw in his breath in alarm. “But I think your curse must have spared me the full devastation that your big thing would otherwise have caused. In fact, I feel no pain at all.” She didn’t want to admit that a lingering haze of pleasure still moved through her. And while it was ghastly to be so on display for him, it was at the same time thrilling to know he could see her stretched hole cough up his seed. Thrilling and wicked.

Mollified, Vel went back to his bites and kisses. “So … perfect … Mother.”

“So you keep saying.” She moved her arms from her sides and folded them under her head, resting her cheek on the back of her feverish forearm. “A nobleman does not repeat himself, Vel. He must command his audience and convey his meaning – ouch.” She was cut off by a light, but surprising, smack on her butt. No one had ever hit her, a lady and a duchess, like that before. Her eyes widened in shock and she looked over her shoulder at her son sitting by her hip.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Vel’s smile was mischievous. He was testing her boundaries, and so far, he liked what he’d discovered. “You deserved a little spank. I can’t believe you, Mother, lecturing me at a time like this.” He smacked her again.

“Stop it, Vel.” Cassia sat up and crossed her arms over her bare breasts. “You cannot lose respect for me as your mother and your duchess because of what we’ve done. It was the curse.”

“I have a mountain of respect for you and your station.” Vel reached in and tickled her soft stomach, and moved his fingers to her sides.

“Stop.” Cassia pushed at his persistent hands and giggled despite herself. She tried to recover and keep her face solemn, but he tickled her again and a peal of laughter escaped her.

“My respect does not exclude my affection, however.” She tried to move away from him, but in a playful way, allowing him to catch her on the end of the bed and tickle her some more. The room echoed with her laughter. How rarely in life had he been the cause of his mother’s outward mirth? “And my affection will at times win out.”

They both tumbled off the bed laughing, Cassia landing on top of her son. A knock on the door quieted them both instantly.

“Who is it?” A wild look passed over Cassia’s face. She jumped to her feet and raced across the floor to retrieve her mantle.

“I don’t know.” Vel stood. He wrapped himself in a sheet and moved cautiously to the door. At least he wasn’t hard anymore. The sheet was not tented. “Yes?” He called at the door.

“It’s me, Vel. Let me in.” Naevia’s muffled voice came through the door.

Vel paused a few paces from the door. He looked over at his mother as she frantically flung the mantle over her nakedness. She shook her head at him and gestured for him to shoo his sister away. He sighed. He wanted nothing more than to let her in, but he knew better. “Meet me in the library in an hour,” he shouted.

“Can you leave your room?” Came back Naevia’s voice.

“Can I?” Vel looked over at his mother.

Cassia sighed. Her plan to contain Vel had failed. She needed him as a duke and partner now in a myriad of interlocking ways. They would find a way through this, but not while he was locked up. She nodded at him.

“Yes. I can leave now,” Vel said to the door.

“See you soon.” Naevia’s voice faded on the last word.

Vel could hear the ear-to-ear grin in his sister’s voice, even through the door. It was clear she knew that her plan had worked.

“You cannot sleep with your sister anymore.” Cassia frowned at the smile on his face.

“Normally, I would lie to you, and promise that I wouldn’t, and then run to her arms.” Vel spoke slowly, carefully weighing each word. “But I no longer care to deceive you, Mother.” He watched her face soften and then harden at the implication of his words.

“It is for both your sakes that I ask, Vel. Don’t you see? Our family will not survive if you get your sister with child, or if you’re discovered.” This was, of course, rank hypocrisy. But sometimes life’s challenges called for hypocrisy.

“And what of us then? Are we to stop after today?” Vel could sense he had his mother on a hook. If he did not reel her in, she might slip away. But if he pulled too hard, he would lose her just as surely.

“No, we can continue past today if you wish it,” She said in a whisper, looking down at the floor. Cassia was abashed. Her cheeks darkened. “But your sister is different.”

“How so?” Vel let the sheet fall and stepped toward her. His cock rose with each step, her admission raising the pressure of his blood.

“She is eighteen, I … am not.” Cassia’s eyes moved from the floor to the growing, oncoming penis. “I have experience with the world. As a duchess, I have a lifetime of learned restraint. I can help you with this curse until we can unbind you. Until then I will keep us in check. I can keep us safe. If left to your own devises, you and Naevia will make a mistake.” Her gaze ran up his long body until it locked on his blue eyes. He stood right before her now.

“I will go to Naevia in an hour. Do you understand?” Vel swung his dick sideways and it knocked her boob hidden underneath the mantle. He watched an uncontrollable shiver run through his mother.

Cassia swallowed and nodded up at her son.

 “But we have time. Perhaps if I was emptied in the next hour, I would be able to think more clearly with my sister?” Vel smiled as the mantle fell from his mother’s shoulders. What restraint did she really think she had? He was now beyond Naevia’s plan and he should show some restraint himself. But he was hopelessly smitten by his mother’s beauty, and her reticent but willing sexuality.

“Another one? Three wasn’t enough for you?” A lopsided smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. He was like any teenage man, but only a thousand times more so. There weren’t many other nineteen-year-olds with his gifts. “Okay, fine. But with my mouth this time.” She took hold of him and bent to lick the head. Goodness, the pre-seed already flowed from him. “And we must be careful not to get your stuff on me. I can’t go wandering the halls covered in semen.” She dropped her mouth onto him.

Forty minutes later, a somewhat defeated looking Cassia left her son’s room wrapped tight in her mantle. She had wiped most of her son’s sperm from her hair and face, but the smell of it floated around her like a rich, pungent cloud. She headed straight for the baths.

---

“Cesphea, Sister?” Valeria knew her twin was somewhere in her quarters in the blessed tower, but where? Normally, it would not be wise to occupy a building under construction. But the queens regent had never done things according to others’ rules. Besides, the tower was nearly complete. “Cesphea?”

Moving from one lavish room to the next, Valeria found no one. She came to the study and opened the heavy door. She heard the familiar slap of skin and grunting. Valeria clucked to herself. Her sister had such appetites that she was never fully satisfied. Valeria, not for the first time, thanked the gods that she had been split into the human one. She enjoyed a toss with her husband now and again, but she wasn’t ruled by her concupiscence, which allowed her a more rounded life than her sister. She found them in the back of the study. That poor servant girl rode Cesphea’s long cock facing away from her conqueror. Merope’s hands were on her growing belly, and her ass definitely looked larger as it rippled and shook. Another royal bastard. Valeria sighed, moved over to a nearby table, and started reading an open book. Her sister had been researching the reanimated relic tower before taking a break. The book didn’t seem to shed much light on this new threat, however. She read on.

“And now … ugh … do you wish to return to Ostia Novus?” She slapped Merope’s wide ass when her only response was a series of squeals. “Answer me … pet. I could open the door for you. Would you … ugh … fly away?”

“No.” Merope’s mind reeled, as it always did when her pussy was stuffed with the queen’s cock.

“No, what?” Cesphea slapped Merope’s olive-skinned ass hard enough to leave a handprint. Her pet didn’t mind. “Bark it out. Don’t say it.”

“I … ruff, ruff … never … want to … ruff, ruff … go back to my … husband.” It wasn’t totally true, of course. But Merope had learned what pleased her new master. At any rate, Nicias would never have her back. Not when she was carrying the child of a cruel queen. All Merope could do was try and please this woman and hope that she never grew tired of her servant. Merope did not want to fall on the wrong side of Cesphea’s wrath. And … she also couldn’t bear to think about being separated from that evil and beguiling cock.

“That’s my … uh … uh … good bitch. Are you … ready?” Cesphea didn’t want or wait for a reply, she pulled the woman’s hips to impale her completely and added more cargo to the woman’s insides. When she was done, she carelessly pushed the woman off her cock and let her fall in a heap on the woolly rhino skin rug. “Don’t stain it.” She chuckled to herself as the woman weakly crawled onto the bare stone floor and lay on her side, convulsing every ten seconds or so.

“Are you done?” Valeria glanced up from her book. Her sister was still hard. Valeria scrunched her face so that the other queen regent would know that Valeria did not like the view.

“Yes, yes. I’m done for now.” Cesphea stared down at her cock and willed it to subside. After a few seconds, it started its long deflation. She stood, picked up her informal stola from the couch’s arm, and stepped over the still mewling pet. She stopped next to Valeria and wiggled into her clothes. “Gallio Tullius is behind that relic tower, I’m sure of it. He’s conjured back some magic into the world. And I think he’s had help.” Cesphea looked over at her pet. “Leave us now, this is not for your ears.”

The pregnant woman wobbled as she stood, her legs not quite under her. Clutching her vagina with one hand, so as not to spill and anger the queens, she hurried as fast as she could out of the room.

“You do not have to torment her so.” Valeria looked up at the duplicate of her own pretty face twisted in a leering smile.

“You are seldom wrong, Sister. But you are far off the mark there.” Once the door was shut, Cesphea turned to a nearby shelf and pulled a thinly bound sheaf of parchment. She placed it on the table in front of Valeria and opened it. “There. This is the help that the Tullius traitor received.”

“I don’t …” Valeria placed her finger on the page and traced with it as she read. “I don’t understand. Hekate? This goddess is barely a shadow. Bound to the underworld when the moon is dark.”

“That is the goddess Trivia. You are not the first to be confused. Hekate was the keeper of magic when it was a stunted, pathetic thing. Back in the early days of Hellus.” Cesphea placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder and enjoyed the way she recoiled at the touch. “Look here. Her magic was …” She pointed and read a passage out loud, “always accompanied by the ghostly glow of Pluto’s realm.”

“The blue light described by those in Kart Hadasht.” Valeria forgot her discomfort at her sister’s touch. This was something. Cesphea had found something quite solid. “But her magic could not have raised that tower.”

“Yes, but Discordia and Pax could quite easily.”

“And they are both defeated.” Valeria’s skin prickled at the thought of their return. “They are gone.”

“Uncle may have turned them against each other, and captured what he could of their power.” Cesphea had a tremor in her voice. “But can the eternals be so easily bested? Any dragon or mage capable of raising that tower would need a source of power. They would need to combine chaos and order. And they would be dangerous. But a small, ambitious man like Gallio would be a more suitable puppet for the gods. I’m afraid that it falls on our family again to tangle with Olympos.”

“When the tower is built, none shall stand –”

“That is just the thing. Why has this magic resurfaced when we are so close to realizing our power?” Cesphea turned and paced the room, careful to step around a small pool of cum her pet had left on the stone. “Discordia and Pax, risk much in their weakened state. They strike using Hekate now. To end us before the era of the blessed tower.”

“This is thin, Sister.” Valeria looked down and read to herself a passage about how Hekate would appear to men as a breath of fleeting wind. She pushed the paper away and looked over at her sister. “Do you know that Discordia and Pax marshal this attack?”  

“No, but –”

“Then we assume this Hekate goddess, who is buried in the pantheon, is up to mischief on her own.” She saw the sour expression on Cesphea’s face. “We cannot go chasing every ghost in the graveyard. If Discordia has come back from the dead, then we will deal with her. But first, we must find the truth of it. To find who is pulling Hekate’s strings, we must find who is using Gallio. If you’re right about our enemies, he will confirm it. If you’re wrong, he will put us on the right scent.”

“We’ve been trying to catch him, Valeria.” Cesphea rolled her eyes.

“Yes, but I give my permission now to use the Tullius clan as bait.”

Cesphea clapped her hands in giddy surprise. “I thought, they are innocent and an attack on such a powerful family might give other fiefdoms cause for rebellion.” There was heavy sarcasm in her voice.

“Both are as true as when I said them first. But we must adapt to new threats.” Valeria stood, her back straight and regal. She adjusted her crown. “We must make bigger sacrifices in the face of such enemies. And we are close enough now that we can afford some disobedience among the fiefdoms.”

“I will devise a plan.” Cesphea turned toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Valeria had assumed they would plan together.

“To find my pet.”

“I thought you were making plans,” Valeria said.

“You know I think better when I fuck.” Cesphea left the room, her stola trailing behind her.

“Gods, why was I stuck with such a creature?” Valeria sat back down and returned to reading the parchment. She wanted to know everything she could about Hekate.

---

Both Vel’s cousin and his sister sat on the edge of the sofa, their mouths hanging open as he regaled them with what had happened after they had vanished from the wardrobe. Looking at the awe in their faces roused something in him. He had never thought he would elicit such looks. But he had earned them. Well, he and his gift anyway. He finished his story.

“I always wondered what rod Duchess Cassia Tullius had up her butt.” Dellia grinned. “Now I know.”

“Hey.” Naevia punched her cousin on the arm without much force. “That’s my mother you’re talking about.”

“And your mother had that great, long cock up her ass.” Dellia was not happy they’d had to share stories before she got her turn with Vel. But maybe the buildup was worth it. After that story, she was wetter than the Inland Sea. “Were you not listening to Vel’s words?”

“Gods.” Naevia’s eyes glossed over. “Three times, Vel?”

“And a fourth all over her face.” Vel nodded. He could tell from the way Dellia rubbed her legs together that she was anxious to move on to the next phase of their meeting in the library. But he had to know how they escaped. “And what on Earth happened to you two?”

“The blue light again.” Naevia glanced quickly at her cousin and back to her brother.

“You used it again?” Vel wondered in what strange world his sister was suddenly a mighty sorceress.

“Not me, her.” Naevia nodded at Dellia.

“You used the blue light?” Vel was incredulous. He watched his cousin closely and thought back to her undulating body on top of that tower. She now wore what had to be a very tight chest band, a loose tunic, and a fat belt for her dagger. No sword was needed for the library, apparently. It was hard to reconcile that this was the same person as that insatiable, feminine animal from Kart Hadasht.

“I didn’t mean to.” The seriousness of the question quelled Dellia’s otherwise salacious thoughts. “One second your mother was near to discovering us, the next, we were falling through blackness. And we arrived in your sister’s room.”

“What next?” He watched the women exchange another glance. “What? What is it? What did you two do?” There was something going on there.

“Perhaps, dear Brother, it would be best if we told you while your mind was otherwise occupied?” Naevia stood and pulled Dellia to her feet. Her cousin got the idea and they both undressed quickly.

“You did something bad then? You think your duke will be angry?” Vel stood. Their eyes told him to undress with them, and he wasn’t about to disobey such lovely eyes. He dropped his robes and pulled his tunic over his head. Despite his mother’s best efforts to completely drain him earlier, his cock stood about three-quarters full and gaining. He tried to politely watch them both as more and more skin bared itself, but his eyes drank them in voraciously. Especially his sister’s curves. “So, tell me. What did you do?”

Naked now, Naevia reached for the growing cock. That delicious warmth spread through her fingers. She stroked him gently. “Remember how I said I wouldn’t be jealous of you? And I wasn’t. Right?”

“Yes.” He stared into Naevia’s green eyes. “And?”

“And …” Naevia paused, looking for the right words.

Dellia watched the connection the two had. She hadn’t made Vel any promise not to be jealous. She found that she was. “And we fucked, Vel. Your sister and I fucked.” Dellia grabbed his cock, too. It was almost long enough to accommodate all four hands.

“You … what?” Vel looked from one to the other. First at their eyes, and then to the four wobbling breasts as their arms worked him.

“I’ve been waiting weeks for you to fill me up, Vel. Do you think my husband can do anything for me after what you’ve done to my pussy?” Dellia felt the heat. She wanted him inside her. She turned around and presented him her backside. “And also, the magic did something to me. It pressed some button. And your sister was there, looking quite lovely, and well, we fucked.” She put her hands on the sofa and looked back over her shoulder at him.

“Oh …” Vel spread his feet to lower himself to the right level as Naevia guided him into their cousin’s waiting pussy. “I see.”

“Are you angry?” Naevia looked up into his face anxiously. She slid him into Dellia, and that did seem to take the edge off his expression.

“No … I mean … how did you do it?” He was more confused than anything. There were no penises involved. He had heard about goddesses making love in stories, but hadn’t considered the mechanics until just now.

“Would … ugh … you like us … uh … uh … to draw you a diagram?” Dellia pushed back at him. He spread her out beautifully. Better than she remembered. If he’d only shut up, the moment would be perfection. Soon his hands were on her hips and they were banging away.

“I’ll explain it to you, Vel.” Naevia grasped his right butt check, enjoying the way it tensed with each thrust. She told him all about how Dellia had taken her, going into as much detail as possible. Based on his expressions and grunts, she thought he enjoyed her description.

“I … am not … angry.” Vel slammed into his cousin hard, listening to what happened between the two women. “I … uh … uh … actually … like it.”

“Thank the gods.” Naevia gave his tight butt a grateful spank. She continued her narrative, speaking loudly over her cousin’s babbling. 

“You’ve … fucking … got … me … eeeeiiiiiiiiiii … gods damn … it’s in … my … ugh … ugh … fucking … belly.” Dellia writhed on that great invader. In all her battles, she had never surrendered to a man until now. Over the final few minutes of Naevia’s story, it seemed that Dellia went from one climax right into the next.

“Where … should … I?” Vel was close, but mindful that after some time away, his cousin might want him to leave his cum outside her pussy.

“Fill me … I want … to … fucking … feel it.” Under Dellia’s grip, the sofa cushions gave a faint tearing sound.

Naevia stood silent next to them. She was the only one to hear the ripping fabric, but she wasn’t that concerned. She was more interested in whether her brother would be willing to meet Dellia’s request. His body went violently out of sync, like broken clockwork, and his yell of triumph filled the library. Naevia was quite happy to see Vel seed their cousin. Soon it would be her turn.

Much to everyone’s surprise, however, once Vel separated from Dellia he found that his body was done with sex for the day. So, there was an upper limit on what his cock could accomplish.

But Naevia didn’t mind. She would give him a night’s rest and she would catch him before any other woman in the morning.

The three slowly dressed and sat around the half crescent table reading up on all they could about magic connected to blue light. Eventually, finding nothing helpful, they left and headed for the kitchens. The day’s labor had produced quite an appetite in all three.

---

“That’s right. I know how you can take her back from the queens regent.” Brynhild eyed the men in the scullery. Not the elite squad of hardened fighters she would have preferred. But they had passion. And they would be easy to steer. “Do any of you have contacts with the servants of Accipiter Cubitum Palace?”

Nicias raised his small hand.

“Other than Merope, I mean. She will not be in a position to aid in your entry.” Brynhild frowned at the poor man. If he was that dense, had she any right sending him? Well, the stakes were high enough. The means accuse, the ends excuse.

Several of the other nine men raised their hands.

“You are a stable hand?” The sorceress pointed to a taller man. “Is your contact in the palace proper?”

The man dropped his hand.

“You. What is your contact?” She eyed another man, cleaner and shorter than the first.

“I know a footman in the palace,” the man replied. “He’s my cousin.”

“Excellent. You will ask him to open the door leading to the scorpion trail on the eastern cliffs.” Brynhild caught the man looking at how the wind had swollen her breasts. She thought about chastising him, but instead folded her arms over her chest.

“I will ask him that, yes. I’ll send a pigeon now.” The man spoke in a bit of a monotone.

“No! Heavens. We must not be discovered.” Brynhild wiped sweat from her brow. She stood very close to a giant pot of boiling water and it was not in the least bit comfortable. Her new body detested heat. The worst was when sweat collected under her breasts. She’d lived centuries without knowing that this was a problem buxom women faced. She would be happy when she got the wind to reverse this spell. “You will send him a pigeon asking him to meet you somewhere outside the palace for a drink. There you will ask for the door. You must bribe him if necessary.”

“I have no money.” The man’s face sank, as if it was a great displeasure to fail the sorceress.

“Here.” With her left hand she conjured out of nothing a small leather sack. She smiled at the gasps in the room. It was nice to be able to perform real magic again. She tossed the sack to the man. It jingled as he caught it. “Use that, but do not think of stealing.” She looked around the room. “And secrecy is of the upmost importance.” She pushed at each one of their minds. “You may not tell anyone outside the plan of our efforts to rescue the good Merope. Not your wives. Not your employer. Not even the duke himself.”

The men in the room all nodded.

“I am very grateful for your help, Mistress.” Nicias spoke up, his voice quavering. “But is this not treason? I mean, is there another way to bring home my wife? You know … without … without … going against the queens?”

“There is no other way.” Brynhild turned her whole attention to the little husband. “And you are eager to show your gratitude to me.”

“I am eager. We all are.” Nicias looked around and the men all nodded and grunted their assent. “How can we show our gratitude?”

“The hour draws late, I fear, for the princess.” Brynhild spoke with deliberation. This was the important part. “She is kept in the same tower as Merope. I will get you the exact room. You must free Minicia and bring her back to Ostia Novus with you. Do you understand?”

“We understand,” the whole room said together.

“Very good.” Brynhild smiled warmly. “Off you all go now. Let us prepare.” She shooed them out of the scullery and followed them out into the kitchen just as Vel, Naevia, and Dellia entered. “Good afternoon, Your Grace.” She did not curtsy, but instead stood tall.

“What are you doing in here?” Vel eyed the ten men as they all filed past. None of them made eye contact, but that wasn’t especially strange.

“You asked me to take care of the staff when the queens regent were here. I am following up.” Brynhild eyed the women with Vel. His sister had somehow acquired crude, but powerful magic. Brynhild had not yet figured out how. That was an urgent task before her.

“Speaking of following up …” Naevia looked around the room. Both the scullery and kitchen were empty of staff. That was very odd, but helpful at the moment. No need for inquisitive ears. “What have you learned about the queens?”

“Well, quite a bit. The queens regent have an older brother.”

“Everyone knows that.” Naevia rolled her eyes.

Brynhild continued, undaunted. “He lives in Antibynium. He is next in line for the throne after Minicia. So, between the princess and the queens. That seems of note.”

“Of note, and well known.” Vel wondered again why he put up with the sorceress. Whenever she seemed about to be useful, her help dissipated like a vapor. “What have you found about them from before the accident with the falling tower?”

“The queens are not close to their brother. In fact, there seems to be some animosity between them.” Brynhild persisted.

“Enough about the brother. He’s not important.” Vel’s cheeks flushed with frustration.

“Of course, Your Grace.” Brynhild nodded her head and smiled. Vel was quite wrong about that, but she didn’t feel like correcting his misapprehensions. “I will continue my research. Rest assured, I will find the information you seek.”

“Fine, just go.” He waved her by and watched her leave the kitchen. When she was well gone, he turned to his sister. “Why did father and grandfather keep her all these years?”

Naevia shrugged. “I’m hungry. Shall we get some food?”

“I’m on it.” Dellia rang the tarnished bell by the kitchen door. “That should bring them back. Venison and potatoes? What do you all think?” Her womb was quite full at the moment, it was time her stomach caught up. Thinking on it, with a little food Dellia decided she might find herself more satisfied than she’d ever been.

---

Late that evening, freshly bathed, Dellia crawled into bed with her husband. She put her hand on her belly. How odd that she should be here with Spurrius, while a bit of Vel still lingered inside her. “So, what did you find in your reconnoiter?”

“Nothing useful to the queens.” Spurrius watched his wife’s fine, feminine form slide under the covers. “Cassia spent time on her daughter’s wedding dress, dealing with some small crisis. Then she went to her son’s chambers. There was a guard there at first, I suppose for the sickness. But she went in without a mask covering as one would expect if the duke had a chill.”

“Oh?” Dellia almost winced. Shit! She had sent him on a diversion which had led back to the main event. She prayed he had not heard anything. “And was there anything to discover there?”

“The duchess sent away the guard after a time.” Spurrius smiled. He liked to boast of his skills as a spy. “That let me get quite close unobserved. I did listen. No clear words made it through the duke’s door, but I did her Cassia Tullius screaming and yelling at her son.”

“They must have some disagreement.” Dellia said the words very slowly, forcing herself to make eye contact with her husband. She could see from his docile expression that he did not suspect. “I will enquire.”

“Yes, let’s find out what that’s about,” Spurrius agreed. “It seems quite out of character for Cassia Tullius to go screaming about.” He reached out and lifted the covers so that he could see his wife’s boobs. He loved the way they splayed when she lay on her back. “The rest of the day was quite boring. She went to the baths. Performed several dull errands about the castle and … well … this last bit is interesting.”

“Yes?” She could tell the bastard was being coy. Whatever it was it was good, and he relished the telling.

“She received a message from Lady Bantia’s husband-to-be.” Spurrius nearly chuckled at the bit of gossip. “By order of the queens, the wedding has been moved up by more than a month to next week. Preparations are to start immediately. The duchess seemed quite upset by the imposition.”

“That is interesting.” Dellia had no idea what it meant.

“And what is my reward for such interesting news?” Spurrius slid closer and kissed her. He could tell she was tired that night, because she didn’t put her all into their lovemaking. But that was okay. It was still a lovely few minutes to end the day.

Continued in Chapter 14

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