Sufferance Ch. 04

I would rather have called Gaelan but I didn't know for sure that she could help. And as much as I wanted a good fight before some energetic sex—and Kerse could easily give that to me—I knew it was the biggest mistake I could make at this ball. I had to show D'Shea I took her warnings seriously.

"Sssirranna," the Draegloth said.

"What?" I asked shortly, taking a step back when he stepped forward.

"Sssissssterrr," he rumbled with a smile, staying crouched and ready to spring.

I didn't respond. I wanted to ask what he wanted, or if he knew I'd been watching him screw Curgia, or if he was here by luck or design....but I had to resist directing any conversation at all. Interaction had to be kept minimum or I had no defense when D'Shea eventually found out about this.

"Wanntsssss aggainn."

Tough luck. I shook my head. "No. Return to your Mother."

"SshheBusssy," he grinned.

Meaning he was out here playing. Did this sort of thing happen often?

"Sshhe hhaappy, doyou rrrightt."

He'd been punished for failing to obey her, and for giving his name to me, I guessed. He growled low and his mane raised up some as I drew a dagger and a longer blade from my belt. "Do not attack me," I commanded.

He chuckled and licked his chops, flexing his long fingers.

I narrowed my eyes, locked gazes with him. "Kerse."

He perked up a moment before shaking his head once and growling again.

"Kerse. She will be displeased. She did not command it."

"Yyesss, sshhe diid." Another chuckle and I could see his teeth clearly in the dark as he opened his mouth.

Oh, did she now? Perhaps she had, or... or was he twisting something he'd heard her say in frustration as an excuse to act now? His laughing just now to say she was busy and he wouldn't go back to her didn't quite blend with him being the dutiful son carrying out her exact order. Was Wilsirathon even that stupid to be so direct, to send Kerse alone to attack a new Red Sister at the first opportunity after her trials? I didn't think she was; I'd just witnessed her being far more manipulative and long-term than that with Curgia. What would she get out of it, other than a brief salve to her pride? What would she pay?

D'Shea had said that the opportunistic ones were the Draegloth themselves.

I was guessing he was mostly lying, but either way, it wouldn't matter if he jumped me. He was strong enough to hold me if he got a grip.

Where was Qivni?

"Kerrsse," I drew out his name, mimicking him a little, trying to sound soothing though my heart was pounding and my muscles ached for action. "Not now."

He sniffed the air, looking briefly confused but no less ill-tempered. "Yyouu waannt nnow. Hott cunnt." He gestured as if jamming two clawed fingers in a snatch. "Wanntts itt aggainn."

I believed he could smell my arousal, but that was beside the point.

When his eyes lingered on my drawn blades, I considered something else. I sheathed both of them abruptly. "Kerse. No."

His hackles lowered some when the blades disappeared and he looked confused again. I could almost read his thoughts: "You want to fight but won't?"

The message back had to be clear as crystal.

I turned my back on him and walked away. My heart pounded harder for doing something that was pure agony: knowingly exposing my back to danger in the dark. I had be plain that I didn't want to play, but if his ears were as good as his nose, then he knew I was still keyed up, still expecting to be attacked—

Which, like any of Drow blood, he would interpret as an invitation.

My theory to walk away was sound, but I didn't quite pull off the confidence this time, the will to overwhelm his.

I flung myself to the side at the last second when I sensed him about to collide, and instead of his weight, I felt his claws rake at my torso as I was thrown off balance and he continued forward. I heard his claws skidding on polished stone. The Draegloth and I scrambled to be first back upright; I was a fraction faster but didn't have a planned response against him, so at best it gave me the chance to draw my dagger and to dodge again.

Kerse didn't roar as he had in the candle chamber chasing me; he was amazingly quiet, which was telling of something, whenever I had the chance to think—

He hit me hard on his third try and we slammed to the ground. He had knocked the wind out of me and I couldn't breathe though I still gripped my dagger. I hadn't yet stabbed him but was aiming for something vital when I heard a command in another language, harsh and grating. Kerse flinched and practically threw himself away from me, chuffing in pain.

"Kerser'in'chowcz." Qivni finally stepped into my field of vision, her intense, red eyes burning into the Draegloth and her teeth bared. "Haganidtezj!"

The Draegloth glared balefully at my Collector before he all but vanished from view as his cloak-magic masked his form once again. I could hear his feet padding down one of the smaller halls.

I'd just about regained my breath when Qivni looked down at me with a scowl and knocked the toe of her boot against my ribs. "Get up."

I felt myself smiling as I remained in repose a little longer. "I need to learn... how to do that." I took another breath and looked up at her stern face. "Let me guess, you received my message but were watching for a while first to see how I handled it."

She made a face both sour and smug. "I told you the Priestess wouldn't be happy with you for what you did to her son."

That may be so, but unfortunately I wasn't sure exactly what Kerse had been doing just now, other than wanting to play. At least I was satisfied that Qivni had witnessed my attempt to disengage from the Draegloth, that he had attacked me first.

Qivni might be a tightly-wound, controlling officer at Rausery's left hand, and one who definitely didn't like my more flippant moments, but she was loathe to lie to either Rausery or D'Shea in a report. Or so D'Shea had told me once, that I could count on it.

I shrugged before I finally sat, then stood up. She motioned with her head for me to follow her, and we moved in the opposite direction Kerse had gone. We entered a tunnel where we'd be less likely to run into wandering attendees in the halls.

"So what would you do about this in my situation?" I asked her, and she blinked at me in surprise.

"I wouldn't have tried to overbear the will of a Draegloth on a whim in the first place," she grumbled.

"Don't give me that, Collector. You just commanded him to leave, like you did before."

She huffed a short laugh and shook her head. "No. It's a fail-safe spell we have. It makes them leave under their own power, however they came, and it hurts if they resist. It'll work on any Abyss-blooded creature." When she glanced at me and easily read my next question, she added, "I doubt you can learn the pronunciation. It has to be exactly right, and you do not have the discipline. Few do."

I smirked. "I seem to recall you saying something similar when you couldn't climax from my tongue."

She glared at me. "You were reluctant. I doubt you were trying very hard."

"I was reluctant when you pounded my backhole, too, yet I peaked when you untied one wrist. You just can't let go and relax with me, Qivni."

My Collector hissed. "Jaunda's perfect for you."

"Oh, I don't know; I had a lot of fun straddling Rausery, too, after she squirted all over my face."

Qivni definitely didn't like hearing that. "Liar."

"If it helps you sleep," I teased, noticing my cheeks hurt somewhat from my grin.

What had we been talking about again? Oh, yes.

"So what would you do in my situation?" I asked again, and she gave me an incredulous look that I savored.

"You should offer your gaping netherhole to serve him and his mother permanently," she snapped.

I stopped walking and so did she; our eyes locked. After a beat, I asked, "Did I fuck your brother at Court or something?"

Qivni growled and drew back her hand to strike me. I didn't flinch. She noted it a second before she slapped me anyway.

"You obey only when it suits you," she rumbled. "You are a volatile potion waiting to explode on a selfish whim. I've warned the Elders about you, you learned too young to question things you shouldn't, but they wanted you anyway. If you ever, and I mean *ever,* damage the Sisterhood by using it for your own gain, I'll see you punished in some way you haven't imagined yet."

Well. At least that placed all her cards on the table. Somehow I doubted Qivni would believe me if I said I never intended to betray the Sisterhood; I belonged with them. Not only that, but I believed any of us who did would be hunted down and a very long time dying. It was noteworthy that Qivni protected an ideal in which she saw me as somehow separate, despite the fact that I had as much to lose as she did. Much closer to fanatic zeal than practical cunning, though I knew both had their place in our society.

"What was your initiation like?" I asked curiously, ignoring her warning and my stinging cheek but expecting another.

"Keep talking and I'll convince Elder Rausery your training requires a solitary fight with a Drider," she seethed. "Now let's return to our posts. The ritual ended a while ago but they're still fucking. Soon they'll start stumbling home and we have to make sure they all leave."

My Collector was so much fun.

Gaelan found us quickly; I believe she'd been actively searching for me though she covered any real concern when she saw Qivni. "What happened? Where were you?"

Rausery's officer shook her head and gave me a narrow gaze. "She drew attention she shouldn't have. Be sure to tell D'Shea that she needs lessons on not being cornered."

"Yes, you're right," I grinned, "somehow Rausery and I skipped right to the part about getting out of trouble by calling the right support with those pellets. I don't know why I never thought about avoiding an attack altogether. Thank you, Qivni."

She frowned so hard I thought it might stick, and Gaelan gave us both a look.

"We need to collect before the Valsharess before we can leave. We're waiting on you two," my roommate said.

Qivni immediately fell back into duty mode; we all gathered around her as the ranking Sister and went back out into the Grand Hall where four other Sisters, the invisible ones, stood two to each side of the Valsharess. The seven of us lined up in front of her to bow as Qivni gave her oath of service on all our behalves.

I was still wearing a black belt, even with the red leather, and still stood out in a way I wished I didn't, because the Valsharess looked at me again. The tawny eyes from my dream returned for an instant before I banished it. I would not think about anything but...well...

I pictured Gaelan fucking me with D'Shea's Feldeu; I was on my back this time and my dark, smooth legs were wide open. I was learning to obey. That was alright to think about. It seemed the Valsharess smiled just a bit before she looked away from me and to scan the others as well.

She thanked us for keeping the peace in what was a productive and satisfactory worship ball, and did not ask for a report. I was sort of guessing that it was supposed to come by another route: after D'Shea and Rausery had spoken with us, after the Red Sister Prime had spoken with them, who then came to Her.

It was roundabout but I understood; there were too many possible ways to be observed here, and it wasn't proper or necessary for our Queen to squeeze eleven Red Sisters into her private chambers and waste her time interviewing all of us individually. Much more efficient that there was a chain of command.

I still didn't drop my mental guard, or rather didn't stop enjoying my memories, until we'd been dismissed of our Grand Hall duties and were to return to our Elders.

D'Shea needed her report before we could retire, as the ball had taken most of the cycle and it was getting late. I may have spent more of the time being bored but somehow I was still worn down.

Jaunda was present when we were bid to enter, and she grinned widely at me as if to say, "There you are, how'd it go?" She looked like she'd been having a far more interesting time than us; her armor was soiled with blood and Underdark sludge. She had no marked injuries that I could tell, not even healed ones as there was only minimal damage to her uniform, and I changed my mindset then and there not to expect to retire very soon. Jaunda probably had some extra energy she wanted to work off.

I was actually a little jealous; she'd seen action, maybe a lot of it, and she could come back and fuck the hell out of one of the younger Sisters. Maybe at the least, she could help me get rid of thoughts of Kerse and the Consort as well.

I nodded acknowledgement to D'Shea first, then Jaunda, sighing silently as we got into our places for report: D'Shea sat elegantly, Jaunda standing at her right, Gaelan and I facing them, shoulder-to-shoulder.

For whatever reason, my Elder didn't feel the need for small talk. Maybe she was tired, too. "Your report, Gaelan."

"No incidents in the Grand Hall that required our interference, Elder," she began. "It was a peaceful event, as planned."

D'Shea nodded. "Did the Valsharess speak to either of you?"

Gaelan shook her head. "No, Elder."

"Any of the Priestesses?"

Gaelan said, "Not to me." And looked at me.

They all did.

I cleared my throat. "No Priestesses spoke to me, Elder."

After a beat and with Jaunda smirking, D'Shea asked, "But?"

Here we go. I made my expression suitably serious. "Kerse accosted me while I was on patrol at the fourth end, farthest from the events."

D'Shea tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. "Alone?"

I nodded. "He'd been cloaked with magic. Not invisible as when bending light, or Calling Darkness, but more the dark-vision camouflage that mimics the energy waves around him."

"I'm glad you can recognize the difference. Where was his Mother?"

D'Shea definitely wasn't surprised to hear that Kerse could vanish from view. I wished I knew what else she knew of his abilities.

I considered her question. "I don't know. The last of the Consorts had been awarded already and the Hall was in coitus. At that time, the Priestesses were still present but were no longer confined to the platform. She could have been anywhere and I wouldn't know."

"But you didn't sense another in the hall with you."

I shook my head. "Kerse also said she was busy and he wouldn't return to her as I told him to. He said she would be 'happy' if he 'did me right.'"

My Elder did not look happy. "And what did you say?"

"Nothing. I called Qivni with a message pellet. I remembered she'd dismissed him once before at my trial and thought she could aid me."

Both D'Shea and Jaunda looked pleasantly surprised and I relaxed a bit. My Elder actually smiled. "Good, Sirana. What happened next?"

"Qivni didn't arrive immediately. I stalled a bit and kept distance. I'd drawn weapons to warn Kerse off but it wasn't working. He wanted a fight and to fuck again like before; he said so. So instead...I sheathed them and tried to walk away. He charged me from behind and we did have a very brief fight. That was when Qivni interfered and used the...fail-safe words to get him to leave. He got off me, re-cloaked, and went away."

D'Shea went still when I mentioned "fail-safe" but didn't comment; I wagered she was just filing away what I'd learned. "Anything else?"

"Well, he never roared. Growled and hissed, but he was quieter than before."

"And you find that significant."

I nodded. "He tried to tell me he was acting on his mother's orders, but he was being quiet about it. He didn't want to draw attention."

D'Shea stared hard at me with an unwavering gaze. "Are you saying that you believe he's stalking you free of Wilsira's will, Sirana?"

I stared back. "I'm saying he was quiet, Elder. For whatever purpose."

She nodded, satisfied with the answer. "And Qivni? I don't imagine she was pleased with you."

"Correct...she doesn't like my 'whims' and lack of discipline," I said. "Threatened to see me creatively punished were I ever to 'damage' the Red Sisters."

Jaunda chortled quietly and D'Shea glanced at her, looking amused as well. "Well. Were that the case, she'd have to get in line. But we chose you because you weren't like her, Sirana. Bear that in mind."

"Yes, Elder," I smiled.

"Also remember that she still aided you, in spite of her dislike of you."

"Yes, Elder." I figured a similar and not-too-embellished version of this was being told to Rausery right now.

D'Shea had me recite the encounter to her again from the beginning, getting all the little details and confirming the order of events. Finally she seemed satisfied and looked to Gaelan. "Did you talk to anyone?"

My roommate nodded. "Rowena of House Itlaun. She is the Aunt of Curgia and Tulia, who were awarded a Consort this evening."

My face must have betrayed something because D'Shea's gaze flicked to me and back again. "You spoke to Rowena first?"

Gaelan nodded. "I asked after her Matron, Curgia and Tulia's mother, as she was not present. I was told that she had other pressing matters and sent the three of them in her stead. Not uncommon, of course, but I think their Matron may be ailing. Just a feeling."

I quirked my brow at my roommate. Just a feeling? Surely D'Shea wouldn't let her get away with that.

Except that she did.

"Why did that House draw your attention?" D'Shea asked, watching Gaelan closely.

She grinned. "They were the ones who received Sirana's Consort, Elder."

Jaunda laughed suddenly and D'Shea had to cover her smirk with her hand.

I gave Gaelan a wry look. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

Jaunda and Gaelan both shook their heads and chuckled, but D'Shea waved her hand to quiet them.

"No, no...I like this. That Consort will remember Sirana and Gaelan, and he will be kept close to the Matron and her daughters. We have a way in to that House for the next decade."

Gaelan looked surprised, "Well, I suppose, but...why?"

Which told me that my roommate didn't know about Curgia getting fucked by Kerse.

"This is interesting," Jaunda commented to no one in particular, though she was eyeballing me, and D'Shea nodded in agreement.

"House Itlaun is being favored by Wilsirathon," the Elder filled Gaelan in. "But she is planning to break Curgia eventually to control her, who will control Tulia. The Priestess must already know their Matron is weakening."

"Wilsirathon," Gaelan repeated, looking at me. "Kerse's mother."

"You understand why I'm interested, yes?" D'Shea asked, and her subordinate answered affirmatively. "Good. Curgia is likely pregnant by Kerse, but even though that may not last to term, it is a clear sign Wilsira intends to control her. However, if Kerse took some action against Sirana tonight, then I want Wilsirathon and her most recent House of interest watched where possible. It's fortunate that Curgia got Sirana's Consort; that will only make it easier for us."

*Meaning...* I blinked.

"Yeah, Thall," Jaunda laughed at me. "You'll see him again. We'll need you and Gaelan to talk to him."

I might've been happier about that, but I wasn't. I knew how sexy he could be when he resisted, and I couldn't touch him again without risking severe punishment. Maybe that was why they were laughing at me.

I cleared my throat. "Elder, what if Kerse had been acting on a...misinterpretation of his Mother's desires? Not on his own, but not exactly what his Mother may have planned?"

D'Shea was quiet a moment and nodded. "Possible. I still want to watch Wilsira regardless."

I nodded, satisfied with the acknowledgment. "Of course. It will no doubt reveal other intelligence. But...how often does a member of the Priesthood try to punish a Red Sister for a personal slight?"