“The wind is blowing in from the east, my king,” Vard offered from somewhere behind me and I sneered, whipping my head towards him as rage coursed through me. I’d had him tortured for his failings, allowing my son and his companions to get into my palace and cut the eye from his worthless face.
“If you cannot offer me a useful prophesy before the week is up, I will have you sent back to the dungeon and you will remain there until my torturer pulls something useful out of your head.”
“A-apologies, sire,” he simpered in fear. “I am still adjusting to The Sight without my shadow eye.”
I turned to face him, letting my arms fall to my sides as I approached this weasel of a man before me. The shadow eye had been of much concern to me. I had no idea why it was worth risking breaking into the palace for. What did my son think he was going to use it for? Vard had assured me they could not use it to predict the future unless someone placed it into their own head. Perhaps that was their plan. My son was heartless enough to force that fate upon someone, and that idea unsettled me. For if my enemies could see the shadows, my movements could be predicted.
“Do you know why you are not dead, Vard?” I asked icily and he started trembling and shaking his head at me. “You are not dead for one reason and one reason only. A more skilled Seer has not yet presented themself to me. But I assure you I am looking, so you’d either better find a way to procure yourself another shadow eye, or become a better Seer without one, because your fate is otherwise decided. And I promise you, you will scream for weeks until I allow you passage beyond the Veil for the problem you have caused me.” I back handed him with heat blazing along my skin and he wailed as the flesh of his right cheek was scalded badly.
I glowered as I stalked out of the conservatory, my new manservant Horace hurrying forward with a glass of whiskey on a golden tray. I accepted it, sweeping past him. He was adequate, but Jenkins had been of a particular calibre that couldn’t be replicated. He had been in ownership of a sadistic soul which had pleased me some, and he had been so in tune with my needs that I had barely noticed them being fulfilled. I had already had Horace punished twice for his errors, but he appeared to be willing to correct himself. Which was a trait I appreciated in my subordinates.
“My King,” Lavinia’s voice carried from the winding stairway to my right which was covered in deep black carpet.
I looked up, finding her draped in shadow and making my skin prickle with the unease of her proximity. One good thing had come out of the Vegas’ attempt to thwart me. They may have taken the shadow eye from the face of my Seer, but when we had returned here to find the monstrous Heir she had provided me with butchered, I had to admit I was relieved. When she had offered me a child, I had assumed it would be Fae, but my blood curdled in disgust at whatever that shadow creature had been. It was no pure blooded Dragon, that was for certain. So good riddance to it.
I had a new plan for an Heir now, one I would not breathe a word of as I conducted what needed to be done. I would have that repugnant girl Mildred Canopus inseminated with my own seed. All I was in need of was a pure blooded Dragon womb to carry my Heir, I did not care for the woman who housed it. And I certainly wouldn’t need to plunge my cock into that vile looking girl to achieve it. I just needed to figure out how to convince my new queen to accept the idea so that I could be certain she wouldn’t kill the owner of the womb I required. There were no alternatives to the Canopus girl after all.
“Come lie with me,” Lavinia commanded, letting her shadow dress fall away to reveal her naked flesh.
I kept my poise, though inside I shuddered. She was of no appeal to me since I had seen that repellent creature crawl from her body into this world. Not to mention the way she had used my flesh for her own pleasure and the agony it had caused me. No. I did not want to risk my cock by driving it into her again, no matter how attractive she might seem at times.
“I have business in the city,” I said firmly, turning my back on her and striding away, leaving her shrieking in anger, but at least she didn’t try to wield my shadow hand against me.
An entourage of FIB agents were waiting for me outside and I drew my air shield tighter around me as I let my gaze dip down to the ass of the beautiful Agent Francesca Sky as she opened the back door of the car for me.
“Good evening, your highness,” she said dutifully as she turned to me, her eyes on the ground and her head bowed. Her dark hair was woven into a braid and I indulged in the image of wrapping it around my fingers as she sucked my cock, wondering if I could steal her away after the interview tonight.