Sex Wizards - Mastery Ch. 05

After breakfast the next morning, Arlon punishes me for cuming without his permission. It's not my place to point out that it's entirely his fault, so I take it in stride. "You could have wasted the conjuration you've been building," he admonishes as he spanks my ass red over his lap.

When he finally finishes - 30 smacks total that he makes me count - I move to get up, but he pushes me back down. "Now that we know you can work yourself to an internal orgasm, I'll just have to block that entrance and use your throat for the rest of the week."

I can't stop a whimper at the heat in his voice. He is in a mood this morning. The day's barely even started, and he's already shot me so hard into a headspace that I'm having trouble thinking straight. He spreads me wide as he pulls out a sizeable glass plug from his desk. I barely get a chance to glimpse it before he slicks it and pushes it into my sore hole. I flush red to the tips of my ears as it settles inside of me, sending fizzles of pleasure through me.

"Just as with the collar, you are not allowed to remove this without permission," he says as he gives the flared base a tug before settling it into me.

"Yes, sir," I gasp, breathless already.

Arlon finally allows me up, and my legs shake as I get to them. I pull my trousers up, feeling full and unsatisfied with the plug in me. It makes my trapped cock ache, my face flushed.

Arlon's smile is pure sadism as he pulls out my spell necklace from the drawer he locked it in yesterday. He hands it back to me and says, "I need you to run some errands for me."

I take my spells from him even as my stomach drops. My eyes are wide as he pulls out a pile of sealed letters. "These need to be delivered to the merchant's guild. You'll need to speak to a woman named Katarine. Tell her these ones are meant for our sister tower on the coast - non urgent, obviously, and these are the remains of our winter requisitions."

He points to two small stacks that are wrapped in twine before pointing to a single letter, written on fancy parchment. "And that needs to go to the Lord Chamberlain at the palace. Do not let one of her attendants take it. This needs to go into her hands only. Now, repeat those instructions back to me."

My mind is still reeling from the fact that he plans on sending me to the fucking palace with a cage around my cock and a plug in my ass. Arlon raises an eyebrow expectantly. "Ah - fuck, sir. Those two to Katarine at the merchant's guild, that one to be sent, that one for them," I say, pointing at each stack as I do. "And that one goes to the palace to the Lord Chamberlain only."

"Good," Arlon says with a smile. "Paulette has come down with a cold or she would normally deliver them herself. Fortunately, you're here, so I told her that it was in capable hands."

My face feels hot enough to catch fire. "Yes, sir."

Arlon grabs a few coins from his pocket and hands them over as he says, "While you are out, you are allowed to speak, eat and do whatever necessary functions you must while you're away. Be sure you stop and grab lunch, and bring me back a meat pie. Not from that place on Hilltop either - get one from Mabel."

I swear under my breath as I take the coins and put them into my own pocket. "What was that, Dominai?"

"I - fuck. Nothing, sir," I say and draw in a breath to try and calm myself down. Of all the things I expected Arlon to put me through this week, leaving the Crux was not one of them. I don't like the city much anyway - it's too loud, too busy. But the idea of going out like this sends a very different kind of dread through me.

Arlon's expression softens. He gets up and takes my spell necklace from my hands before he drapes it around my neck. He puts the letters in my hands before he presses a kiss to the top of my head. "You can do this, Dom," he says gently. "Trust yourself. I would never send you out if I didn't think it was safe to do so. I know you can be polite, and that will be all that's required of you at the palace."

I draw in a breath and let it out like I'm about to go into the silver. I do that a few more times, letting his words sink in. I can do this, right? I can do this. I rub my hand over my face and say, "Yes, sir."

Arlon smiles, and I see something like pride on his face. He presses one more kiss to the top of my head. "Dress warm."

#

I grab my winter cloak, a scarf to cover my collar, and a bag to carry the letters in before I head out. It's dumb luck that I see Galiva walk across the drawbridge just ahead of me. Relief floods me when I realize I won't have to make the trip in alone. I hurry to catch up to her, though it makes the bulb in me shift in a way I can't ignore. I'm happy to walk again as I fall into step beside her.

"Well look who's been let off the leash," she teases.

"No leash yet, though I wouldn't put it past Arlon," I say with a lopsided grin.

"And talking too!"

I lift up the messenger bag. "I'm a delivery boy today," I say. "Though I think I prefer being a fuckboy, honestly."

"You'll do fine," she promises. "I don't know why you make such a big deal out of the city."

"It's big! And loud! And there's, like, five thousand people in it!"

Galiva snorts. "Try forty thousand."

"Not helping!"

Galiva chuckles, and I give a grudging smile. I hadn't realized how much I missed that sound these past few days. "Will it help if I stick with you until we're past the marketplace?" she asks.

The market is always overwhelming, what with folks shouting at me from every angle to buy something. Not to mention, the last time I went into town with Olbric, some urchin swiped my purse. "Yeah, it would," I say through a sigh, though I feel a little silly for admitting it. I'm a grown ass man - it shouldn't be a big deal to go into town. "Where are you headed?"

"To visit Bridgette's apothecary first," she says. "Then I'm picking up another shift at the clinic. Since Garrett's been out east, they're down their only corpimancer, and we're low on some supplies."

"Yeah? I didn't realize you were doing non-magical healing," I say.

Galiva shrugs. "Part of a corpimancy mastery means knowing what natural remedies will work when magical ones can't. Speaking of, what the hell did you do to your hands?"

"Oh." I look down at the neat bandages Arlon had wrapped last night. "Yesterday was a long day of helping Arlon make focuses. It's just a couple of blisters."

Galiva chuckles. "He really is working you to the bone, isn't he?"

"It was fun," I say with a shrug. "Informative." And ended in the most intense orgasm I've ever had, but I don't say that out loud.

"You and I have very different definitions of fun," she chuckles. "I hope he rewarded you well for that."

My finger finds the ring on my collar as I grin. "Oh, he did."

Galiva gives me a sly grin. "So you're enjoying being collared?"

"I am. Quite a lot," I say even though it feels strange to admit. This whole week, I've felt the same surrender of responsibility that abjuration gives me, but amplified tenfold. Never in my life did I expect to be walking towards the palace in Straetham with my cock in a cage and a plug in my ass, but I'm doing it because the decision isn't up to me. "It's... freeing in a twisted sort of way."

Galiva smiles at that. "Arlon collared me for my abjuration mastery so I definitely understand what you mean," she says. "He has a way of empowering you even while he's taken your power away."

I humm thoughtfully even though I'm stuck on the image of Galiva naked and collared. It's a pretty picture. "Do you think it'll help with your casting block?" she asks, snapping me out of it.

"I hope so," I say. "If nothing else, he's certainly given me some ideas."

"I'll bet," Galiva says with a sly grin. "Arlon is nothing if not an efficient and sadistic caster."

The second the words leave her mouth, the bulb inside of me starts to buzz. It catches me so off guard, I nearly trip. I grab Galiva's arm for support. "Shit! Are you alright?"

"Fucking hell," I moan miserably when I realize that the godsdamn plug has a focus sealed in it. It went in so quick I didn't get a chance to see it.

"Ooh," she says in understanding. "He's sent you out with something in you, hasn't he."

"How the hell is it just now buzzing?"

Galiva chuckles. "They can be activated a lot of ways. My guess is he has a linked focus that he touches whenever he wants to turn it on."

"Of course he does," I say, but sigh as the buzzing relents. "Why do I get the feeling he's going to do that at the worst times."

"Oh, you can count on it."

I groan and rub my face but start walking again. The thrum of pleasure starts to subside, but it takes a few long moments before I can think straight again. The ache in my cock never quite goes away. At least it gives me something other than my nerves to focus on.

"Where are you heading?" she asks.

"Taking some letters to the merchant's guild," I say and pat my bag. "Then sir is sending me to the palace to drop off something with the Lord Chamberlain." Galiva gives me a look, and it takes me a long second to realize what I've said. "Fuck - Arlon, I mean."

Galiva chuckles at that. "Gods, you're still half in it, aren't you? The perfect conduit."

I flush and try to snap myself out of it, though Galiva's right. With all that's hidden under my clothes, Arlon's hold is strong, even though he's back at the Crux. That thought alone makes a thrill of pleasure tighten my gut, and I realize just how much I've given to him.

"I'm a little afraid what'll happen once this week is over," I admit.

"What do you mean?"

I sigh and rub the back of my neck. "I just... I've never fallen into it this deep before," I say. "Never given quite as much as I have with him. I'm... afraid I won't know how to bounce back when I'm no longer bound to him."

"Aah," she says in understanding. "Collaring can be pretty emotional. It creates a unique kind of bond between the conduit and their caster. Arlon knows that better than most - it's why he doesn't collar very often and why he's very picky about who he does it with. It's just as emotional and personal for him. He isn't just going to drop you after the week is over."

I let out a long breath, but hearing her say it takes a little bit of the weight off. "Thanks Gal."

"Besides, I'll personally be happy once you're freed," she says. "Olbric's been too busy talking transmutation with Cancassi to cast. I've done some more divination with Margeurite and Allisande, but helping at the clinic has taken most of my time. I'm getting bored and pincushioned just doing corpimancy by myself."

I laugh at that and kiss her cheek. "I miss you, too."

We part ways just past the main marketplace, though Galiva gives me good directions to get me where I need to go. It's never not busy, and I'm left alone to cut through the crowd near the back of the market. Yet even without her, the nerves I had felt about going into the city diminish some.

Fortunately, the merchant's guild isn't easy to miss. It's a large collection of buildings just off the main stretch of the market. I find the red building Galiva had told me about, and just make it to the front door when the bulb starts to buzz again. I swear and let go of the handle to lean against the wall. I bite back a moan as I ride it out, eyes clenched shut. I don't know how long it goes on for, but when it finally stops, I let out a shaking breath and rub the heat from my face before I head inside.

The petite woman behind the desk gives me an odd look. "Are you sick?" she asks, eyeing me warily. It's only then I realize she could see me through the window.

"I-no, I'm fine," I say, even though my ears redden all over again. "Grandmaster Arlon sent me with missives from the Crux."

"Ah," the woman says, as if being a wizard explains away any strangeness. "I'll go get Katarine. Have a seat."

I do as asked and find a seat on the chair in the corner just as the bulb starts up again. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, trying and failing to focus on anything else. It's a few minutes later when I realize someone is talking to me.

"Hey - hey wizard!"

I snap my eyes open to see an older, rather severe woman frowning down at me. Her brown skin is only a little lighter than Galiva's and her arms are crossed over her chest impatiently, one eyebrow reaching up into her curly grey hair. "You've got something you need sent?" she asks.

With the plug still buzzing away, I swear and get to my feet. "Yes, sorry," I say and clear my throat, trying my best to hide the tremor in it. "Here." I reach into the bag and pull out the two letter bundles. It takes me a second to remember which one is which. "These are requisitions for the Crux, and these meant for our sister tower on the coast."

Katarine takes them with a nod, though she's still giving me an odd look out of the corner of her eye. "I've got some for you to take back," she says and goes to an assortment of cubbies behind the desk. She pulls out the stack of letters as, somehow, the buzzing gets more intense. I bite back a whimper as Katarine comes back over.

On top of the stack is a letter that has been marked with a score of red across the front. "This just came in from Cairish on the edge of the Gonia desert. One of our caravans just brought it in today. It's been six months in transit, but the Shykh requested it be sent to the Crux as quick as we could get it here. The rest is the standard incoming."

The plug finally relents, and I let out a long, shaky sigh as I take the letters. "I'll be sure it gets to the grandmaster," I say.

Katarine is already going through the requisitions list. "You can tell Arlon and Paulette my runners will have most of this for them next week," she says.

"Thank you."

Katarine gives me a wan smile, looking me over once more before and says, "Don't let him run you too hard."

I can't stop a lopsided grin and double check that my collar is covered. "Yes, ma'am."

It's a relief to leave, though now I have no choice but to head towards the palace. It's impossible to miss - a stone monolith on top of the hill of Straetham. It's also deceptively far away, and takes me the better part of an hour to get there. The plug goes off three times during the trip, and at one point, it gets so intense that I have to lean against a building and focus on keeping my legs under me until it stops.

So with my cock throbbing in the cage, I walk up to the main gates of the palace. Two guards are posted, but one comes out to meet me, armor gleaming and spear in hand. "What business do you have?" he asks. He somehow manages to sound bored and arrogant at the same time.

"I'm from the Crux," I say and pull out my spell necklace. I regret not wearing my robes, but as nice as they are, they aren't warm. "I have a message from Grandmaster Arlon for the Lord Chamberlain."

The guard smirks as he looks me over, creating a dimple in his cheek to match the one in his chin. "Give it here, thot. I'll take it to her," he says.

I bristle at the slur and stand a little straighter. I'm not about to let this asshole tell me what to do. Arlon had been very specific with his instructions. "I'm to deliver it to her directly," I say. The guard's smirk disappears as his eyes narrow, but I don't back down. I really just want to go home, and this guy's the last thing standing in my way. "Look, I've got nothing left to do today but deliver this message, so you could save us both a lot of time and tongue wagging if you just let me do my job."

I idly toy with a focus on my necklace, and I see something like unease flash across the guard's face. He glances back at his buddy before he gives me a once over, expression bordering on disgust. "Follow me."

I flash my brightest grin and follow him through the gates. He leads me across an expansive courtyard and into a large atrium. If I thought the Crux was lavish, it's got nothing on this place. Marble inlaid with gold vines rest underfoot while lush red curtains frame the glass windows. A large chandelier hangs overhead, and I'm a little surprised to see the same magical globes we use at the Crux inlaid instead of candles.

We cast that spell a couple times throughout the summer, and I can't help but grin at the memory. I bet it'd make this guy's hair curl telling him how we do it. I keep the information to myself as the guard turns to me, still frowning.

"Wait here," he says before he sweeps off down one of the many halls.

I watch him go before letting out a long, low whistle as I look at the grandeur around me. It's a whole lot of money spent on a room that's practically empty. What a fucking waste. There's not even a chair for me to sit in while I wait. Instead, I walk over to the window and glance out.

There's another courtyard, but even more lavish than the one I came through. It's filled with carefully tended trees that have started to shed their red and orange leaves in colorful puddles. I see a group of finely dressed people emerge from the far arch to head down the colorful path, but Arlon chooses that moment to start buzzing again.

I swear and flush hot, stepping out of sight of the window. I bite back a moan and lean my head against the wall, all too aware that anyone could walk from one of these halls and see me. I press my hand over the cage, using my cloak as cover as I vainly try to rub myself for any relief. I can't, obviously, and I groan as I imagine Arlon smiling behind his desk. My cock throbs, and my legs tremble by the time it finally turns off. I swear and straighten up, trying to shake it off, though no matter what I do, I can't get the heat to fade from my face.

Fortunately and unfortunately, the asshole of a guard is in no hurry, because I must wait the better part of an hour. The plug goes off five more times, and I realize that Arlon's little reminders are coming more often. It's past lunch, so I bet he's wondering where the hell I am.

I start to wonder if the guard has abandoned me here when I hear footsteps coming down one of the halls. I turn in time to come face to face with a silver-haired woman, dressed from neck to ankle in blue finery. I look at how stiff she's holding her neck and realize my collar has nothing on that outfit. On her lapel is a gold crest of rearing griffins that I recognize as the King's seal. I clear my throat before I ask, "My Lord Chamberlain?"

"Yes," she says sourly. "And who are you?"

"Master Dominai of the Crux," I say before I pull out Arlon's letter. "Grandmaster Arlon asked me to deliver this to you."

"Something of utmost importance, I'm sure," she says, and sounds none too pleased that I'm here. She snatches the letter out of my hand and pulls the wax seal open. Her eyes scan the page, and her scowl deepens. It just now strikes me that I wish I knew what it said.

I hear others coming down the hall and wonder if some meeting just got finished. Their voices sound like so many clucking hens as they echo off the high walls. They round the corner, but as soon as they catch sight of me, they fall quiet. I look over and my stomach lurches, a cold sweat breaking out on my neck.

I bow low to avoid the eyes of King Thermilious. I've never seen him before, but the thin gold crown that rests on top of his head and the gold embroidered finery he wears makes him impossible to mistake.

"Who is this?" he asks, his voice clipped and cultured.

"Master Dominai of the Crux," the Lord Chamberlain says. "And he brought this."

I straighten and try not to stare as I take the young king in. He's got to be a few years younger than me, but the gold circlet that rests on his dark brown hair seems to add years to him. He's got a pale face that looks like it could be sculpted from marble, and I see echoes of Allisande in his features. I can't help but admit that he's one of the most handsome men I've ever seen.