Page 19 of Shadowbound

“I don’t go around dirty—I wash every morning,” I tell her, frowning.

“Well here we take our baths at night. It’s so much more relaxing.” She smiles at me. “For now, we’re finished. Are you ready to take your oath?”

I nod grimly. After everything I let her put me through so far tonight, taking an oath of loyalty seems small in comparison.

“Yes, Mistress,” I tell her.

“Good. Then let’s get out and dry off.”

9

Sylvanna

I wasn’t sure at first if he would let me enter his rosebud. Some men are reluctant to submit that part of themselves, even to a Mistress they have faith in and I’m well aware that I haven’t earned Alaric’s trust yet. But in the end, his deep need to submit and his desire to feel my hands on him overcame his reservations.

I’m glad, because it’s difficult to train a Blood-servant who doesn’t want to submit. A proper Blood-servant must wear a tail and of course, at times I’ll need to fuck him, as I told him earlier. But that would only be to raise a ridiculous amount of power or to bring him closer to me in a very intimate way. I don’t punish my servants with the pleasure rod when I strap it on—I use it as a way to bring them closer.

And now he’s ready for my service. I lead him back into the bedroom when we’re both dry and show him the wooden wardrobe where I store my nighttime robes. I have some that are quite thick, for winter wear, but it’s early summertime now so I select a black lace robe that ties with a silken sash and instruct Alaric to put it on me.

He helps me into it, holding it open like a coat, and then I direct him to the drawer where I keep my panties, garter belts, and corsets. I don’t intend to put on the latter tonight, but I select a pair of open-crotch lace panties that match my robe and frame my pussy nicely.

Without being asked, Alaric kneels before me and holds the panties open. He really is a natural at this. I hold onto his broad shoulder for balance as I step into the lacy underthings and watch as he draws them up my legs until they’re in place. This action puts his face near my pussy again and I can feel his warm breath stirring my curls as he breathes me in.

“Gods, Mistress…your scent. You smell so fucking good,” he rumbles, his voice low with need.

“That’s a lovely compliment, my Paladin.” I stroke his still-damp hair.

When he finishes smoothing the sides of the lace and sits back on his heels, I notice that his cock is leaking precum freely. He’s really worked up—I’ll need to let him cum at least once tonight but after that, his pleasure will be mine to control.

However, before I allow him to reach the peak, I’ll need to take precautions. I can’t have him blowing a hole in the side of my tower with his “Celestial Fire” as he calls his Light magic.

“Come here,” I tell him and he follows me willingly to my Ritual room. It’s a small, round room off of my bed chamber that I keep for special spells.

At the far end of the room is an altar, already draped in the sacred purple cloth. On it is laid the Dagger of Wisdom and the Chalice of Deepening, which is carved from purest silver and filled with spiced red wine brewed with Dreamroot. Beside that is a small golden pot filled with Black Binding Honey—it’s actually deep purple—made by the sacred bees I keep in my garden.

The bees drink only from the Holy Blessing flowers and the Dreamroot vines that I grow around my tower and produce a honey that I use in all my binding spells. I also use their wax in the tapers that sit in silver holders on either side of the altar. I light the dark purple candles with a snap of my fingers and the room begins to fill with the heavy, sweet smell of honey.

“I want you to kneel here,” I say to Alaric, pointing to a red velvet pillow in the center of the room. “I must retrieve a few things from my collection in order to Bind you to me.”

“So you want me to just kneel here and wait?” he asks, frowning at me.

“When I ask you to do something, I expect obedience, not questions,” I tell him, letting a stern note creep into my voice. “If you misbehave, I’ll have to punish you. Is that what you want?”

Since I am still wearing the Jewel of Knowing, I hear him thinking again about how Priestess Beatrice used to “punish” him with the Grip of Chastisement but he shakes his head and murmurs,

“No, Mistress.”

I can see the fire in his eyes as he speaks—his desire is to be “punished” in ways that will make his cock even harder. I’ll be happy to play those games with him, but tonight is sacred and serious.

“Kneel for me, Paladin and while you wait for me to return, learn your oath,” I command him.

“What oath?” he asks, looking mystified.

Walking to the altar, I take up the Dagger and use it to write in the air. The words float like smoke before him.

“You can read, can’t you?” I ask. Not all the barbarians in Solaris think that learning to read and write is a worthwhile pastime. But Alaric gives me a scornful look.

“Of course I can read! I was trained at the Citadel of the GodKing.”

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