Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Clearly his obeisance to his Mistress had pleased Mistress Trembledamp because she nodded regally at Serenai.
“So, my dear—I understand you have some jewelry you inherited from your mother that you wish me to appraise?” she murmured, raising an eyebrow at Serenai, who was shifting nervously on the moss carpet.
“Uh, yes, Mistress Trembledamp,” she said, her voice coming out rather high and uncertain.
Sensing her nervousness, Brax put a discrete hand on her lower back. Since he was standing at her side and a little behind her, he knew no one would be able to see his touch. But Serenai could feel it and it clearly calmed her down. She took a deep breath and started again.
“I do have some jewelry I got from my mother,” she said in a stronger voice.
”Or rather, I found it in her bedroom—her closet to be exact. It was hidden in the baseboard, as though someone wanted to keep it a secret.”
“Oh? Well now you have piqued my curiosity, my dear.” Mistress Trembledamp leaned forward on her throne-like chair. “Pray, do show it to me.”
Serenai turned to Brax.
“Would you show Mistress Trembledamp the bloodstone necklace we found?”
“Of course, Mistress.” He nodded respectfully and withdrew the box that held the necklace. He stepped forward and offered it to Mistress Trembledamp, who took it from his hands.
“Hmm, yes. These are indeed, bloodstones,” she said, nodding at the necklace. “But what’s this?”
She plucked out the little piece of parchment Serenai had found folded in the box and read it rapidly aloud.
“See it once
Or see it twice
You must beware—
You’re on thin ice!
See it thrice,
Four times or more,
Pack your bags,
Look for the door.
See it seven,
Watch your breath.
Forget your name
Or face your death.”
“Oh, I found that in the box,” Serenai explained. “We thought—I mean, I thought—maybe it had to do with this strange, red-eyed apparition I keep seeing in my mother’s bedroom. It…why Mistress Trembledamp—are you all right?”
Brax could see why she asked—the older woman’s eyes had grown wide with fright and the corners of her mouth were drawn down in a trembling rictus of fear.
“Cursed stones? You brought me cursed stones?” she demanded, her voice shrill with terror.
“Well, I—” Serenai began, a bewildered expression on her lovely face.
“Get these away from me!” Mistress Trembledamp shoved the box with the necklace hastily back into Brax’s hands. “And punish your bodyslave for giving them to me in the first place!” she demanded, pointing at him.
“I…what?” Serenai shook her head, clearly at a loss.
“Do it!” Mistress Trembledamp demanded. “Punish him—quickly! The cursed being attached to the necklace must not think I am its new owner! Punish your bodyslave so that it knows the bloodstones were given to me in error!”
“I…I can’t…” Serenai shook her head but Brax turned to her.
“It’s all right, Mistress,” he murmured. “Just use your remote on me.” He nodded at the remote to his pain collar, which still hung around her neck. “Do it—you have to,” he urged.
“I don’t want to hurt you!” Her large, dark eyes were anguished.
Brax shrugged stoically.
“You can’t hurt me more than I’ve been hurt in the ring,” he pointed out. “A little shock from the pain collar is nothing. Do it, Mistress—we need her help,” he added, nodding at Mistress Trembledamp who was still staring at them with wide, frightened eyes.
“Well…all right.” Hesitantly, Serenai lifted the remote which hung around her neck and pointed it at him. Then, wincing as though she was anticipating experiencing the pain herself, she pressed the button.
Nothing happened.
Brax frowned.
“Er, Mistress—are you sure you’re pressing the right button?” he asked. “Because I don’t feel anything.”
“I think so. Let me try again.” Serenai pushed the pain button on the remote again but again, there was nothing. She frowned at Brax. “Anything?”
“No—not a single twinge.” He shrugged. “I wonder what’s wrong with it?”
“I don’t kn—” Serenai started to say but she was interrupted by Mistress Trembledamp.
“Punish him! If his pain collar doesn’t work, you must punish him some other way! I will call for a pain lash!”
“No, no!” Serenai put up a hand quickly to stop her. “No, I have the, er, the fire dust on my…on my nipples.” She swallowed hard and nodded down at her lovely, full breasts. “I can punish him that way.”
“Good.” Mistress Trembledamp nodded. “And be sure you rebuke him as you do—tell him that he never should have handed me that box of cursed bloodstones! Do it—do it, now before the curse attaches itself to me!”
“Brax, kneel and taste the fire,” Serenai told him, her voice shaking only a little.
Brax was proud of her—this was what they had practiced in case she had to “punish” him.
“Yes, Mistress.” He knelt before her, which put his mouth even with her tight nipples.
“Good, now taste the fire,” she repeated. “Because it was very wrong of you to give Mistress Trembledamp those bloodstones,” she went on. “Since they are clearly not hers.”