Out of the Shadows, Part 21


Verika matches your gaze, your faces tantalizingly close. There is a desperate sensuality in her bearing, as she tries to convince you to settle for taking her soul, and leaving the others alone. You drop your guard for a moment, allowing her to see the true intensity of your lust, of your desire for her. She doesn't look away. In fact, she moves slightly closer, waiting for your reply.

"I have no intention of abandoning Khaytala," you tell her. "Especially considering how much she's looking forward to when you finally give in."

Then, with a sudden movement, you pull her in, kissing her fiercely. She moans into you, a noise of mingled anger and fear and desire, as her body squirms against yours. Struggling... but not quite desperately enough to break free. You both know she could kill you a hundred different ways, if only she could summon the will.

But she doesn't.

You deepen the kiss, your aphrodisiac saliva mingling with hers as your tongue invades her mouth. Her moans become more desperate, more plaintive, as your arms slide up behind her, crushing her body tight against yours. You can feel her curves against you as she strains, her hands gripping at your tunic.

And then, for just a moment, you feel her start to relax into your arms. You feel her start to submit.

Her eyes shoot open as she realizes it herself, and with a burst of willpower she shoves you away, stumbling back. Her hair is disheveled, and she's panting for breath, her expression stricken. Conflicted. Scared at the desire raging like a tempest within her.

The smile you gave her before was calculated to leave her in doubt about the game of cat and mouse you're playing, wondering which of you was which. But the smile you give her now leaves no such ambiguity.

She knows that she's the mouse.

"Come on, then," you say as you turn back toward your camp. "We need to decide what we're going to do tomorrow if we're going to save the hostages. And you all need to hear what I learned at the shrine. There's even more at stake than you realize."

You make you way back, followed not long after by a far more hesitant Verika. Before long your group is gathered around Belan's glowing spell-light, deep in conversation. Verika keeps shooting you conflicted looks... but she knows she has no choice but to play this out to the end.

Or at least, that's what she's telling herself is the reason she hasn't retaliated.

First, you give an overview of the events at the Shrine, though you obviously don't tell them the true content of your consultation with Melca. The others are particularly distressed to learn of the impending riot, and how Lady Eshosi plans to crush the slaves once it's done. "Is there any way to stop it?" Khaytala asks.

"The key would be this 'Albain' dwarf that Eshosi has working for her," says Verika. The gravity of this new revelation helps to center her a bit, as she focuses on the new threat. "Whatever she has planned, she wouldn't want to risk it going off too early. So there must be some key trigger her agent is planning to use. If we can kill him discreetly, that could be enough."

From there, the discussion moves to the elf that Khaytala, Relis and Belan broke out of confinement at Eselvar Manor. From Khaytala's description, it sounds as though the raid went off without a hitch: Khaytala crashed through the guards, nigh-invisible thanks to Belan's spell, while Relis provided covering fire. They were in and out again before anyone had a chance to react. Though you're certain this will cause Lady Mykra to pull in a great deal more guards to her estate, making it a significantly harder target tomorrow.

It'll probably also be much the same at the shrine, considering all the chaos you caused there.

The rescued elf responds to your questions readily enough, but as to why he was held prisoner, he seems as confused as you are. You continue to inquire, trying to figure out how he could be used as leverage against House Cendiath.

"My name is Erev," he says slowly, staring off into the distance. "I... did serve House Cendiath... a long, long time ago... I was a favorite of Lady Xenca. She... doted on me, in a way." The expression on his face, however, does not suggest that it was an experience he remembers fondly.

You glance over at Verika, who leans in and murmurs to you. "Lady Pheshera's great-grandmother. Known for her... instability. Some say she was outright mad."

The elf is lost in thought for a while, before shaking himself and continuing. "After she was killed, her instructions made sure that I was provided for. Sent away. To a lesser branch family. I was passed around from place to place. Surviving. Always just... surviving."

The others continue to ask questions, trying to figure out what leverage this unremarkable slave might hold over a drow noble, but none of them meet with any success. You, however, think back to that brief moment where you saw Lady Pheshera on the balcony of the fortress. Furiously haranguing her troops about the superiority of the drow, and the inferiority of the lesser races.

And interjecting, you pose one simple question. "Did this Lady Xenca ever take you into her bed?"

Erev looks down, not meeting any of your eyes, which is answer enough. Verika sucks in a quick breath, immediately seeing where you're going. "Wait, that... can't be it," she says. "That sort of tryst happens all the time, true, but... there are spells for that. Lady Xenca would have..."

But then she pauses, thinking it through more. Reflecting on just how much lines up. And when she speaks again, it's much less certain. "I'm... sure she would have..."

"It's the closest theory that fits," you say. "He doesn't know anything else. By his own admission his captors never asked him for any information. It's something about him. And I'm sure that there's magic that can determine if there's a blood connection between two individuals."

Belan's face scrunches in confusion. "But... didn't you say Lady Pheshera hated non-drow?" he asks. "Why would she be so against them if she knew that she wasn't entirely drow herself?"

"Sometimes, the thing you're hiding from the world can make you hate it all the more in others, even as you harbor it in yourself," you explain to the boy. Certainly the Second Circle has never seen a shortage of clergy and demagogues who spent their entire lives raving against whatever form of licentiousness they were themselves drowning in.

You turn to back Verika. "If Lady Mykra could prove that he was Lady Pheshera's ancestor... how much of a disgrace would it be?"

Verika shakes her head. "Disgrace...?" she asks. "It wouldn't be disgrace, it would be a purge. For one of the high noble houses to be contaminated by non-drow blood... they'd exterminate that entire wing of the family, down to the smallest child."

"Ah," you say. "Now that is blackmail."

It also opens new possibilities. If you sent someone to Lady Pheshera, you could probably force a degree of cooperation from her. And if you installed her as the Matriarch, you'd have this knowledge hanging over her head. Still, just going on your read of her, you doubt it would be stable. Someone as proud as that... even if it meant risking everything, she wouldn't stay under your thumb forever. Sooner or later, she would make a play against you.

Of course, you could always use the leverage to get her alone, and fuck her into an even more secure subordination. Though that would require your personal attention... and you only have one more day to set things up. On the other hand, even if you didn't have the chance to blackmail her during the rescue, if she did end up as Matriarch you could always send Rysanial or one of your other agents to deliver the terms of the blackmail later on, if there was something you wanted the drow nation to do.

Finally, you listen as Verika describes what she learned from her investigation of the war room in the Cendiath fortress. "She's planning to make an assassination attempt as well," Verika says grimly. "It's more focused that the riot... but still twisted."

"The gnomes had a trick they used when fighting the drow. A way to use alchemy to turn their very bodies into incredibly devastating bombs. Lady Pheshera has a whole family of them stashed away in a secret laboratory. She forced the process on one of them. And she's holding the rest hostage so he'll attack the Festival in a way that will be blamed on the Resistance."

"Does this gnome really think playing along will get his family released?" asked Relis, frowning. "If the point is to disguise this as an attack by the gnomes... then don't they already know too much to be let go?"

Verika's lip twists. "That probably isn't even their deal," she says. "Probably... he's doing it so they only kill his family. So they don't have any reason to draw it out."

Khaytala, Relis and Belan flinch, while you speak up. "I wouldn't enjoy the thought of anyone left at Lady Pheshera's tender mercies," you say. "Not to mention that I'd also prefer to avoid getting caught in a huge alchemical explosion. I suspect that might cause difficulties for our rescue efforts."

"The laboratory isn't large," Verika says. "Only a handful of guards, since Lady Pheshera wanted to keep it secret. But there's a problem. At this point, their living bomb will be far along in the process. Undoing it now would be... difficult."

All eyes turn to Belan, who looks down. "It... doesn't sound like something I could handle," he admits, shamefaced. "I could try! But... I think my teacher would be the only one who might have a chance to reverse something like that."

Khaytala frowns. "That... can still work, though!" she urges. "Tomorrow, Talavar could go to Lady Pheshera and deliver an ultimatum. Release the gnomes—and their prisoner—or we reveal her secret."

The old elf looks up, fearful, since proving the charge means handing him back over to the drow as evidence. "We wouldn't actually do it!" Khaytala assures him hurriedly. "It'd just be a bluff. But if Talavar can pull it off, then Relis, Belan and I can rescue whoever is still in the Shrine. Even with all the extra guards, the three of us together should still be more than enough to handle it. And Verika can hunt the drow agent to stop the riot."

"But if we focus only on that, we still won't have any idea what kind of trap the Matriarch is planning for the festival," says Verika. "And her plans will be the most deadly of all, because she's known this was coming. She's been preparing all this time. And tomorrow will be our last chance to figure out what she has up her sleeve."

"What do you suggest?" you ask.

Verika stares at the ground. "The same thing I suggested yesterday," she says, quietly. "We need to investigate the Imperial Palace... and we don't have time to lead with scouting anymore. If we want to do something to get ahead of the Matriarch's plan, we'll need to go straight in. But... they wouldn't be prepared for someone with Talavar's powers. And I know that place. I know the Matriarch, how she thinks. I don't think I could do it alone, but... if we worked together, I think we could pull it off."

While it might be the same thing she suggested yesterday, her demeanor in doing so could hardly be more different. Yesterday she was confrontational, clearly intending to get you alone and interrogate you. But today she knows all too well how dangerous you are, and she knows the terrible risk she's taking. Placing herself at the mercy of the demon whose temptation is even now gnawing at her.

She just doesn't feel she has a choice. That's how worried she is about the Matriarch's unknown plans, and the threat they pose to the lives of her friends.

"Khaytala could attack the laboratory and rescue the gnomish family," she continues. "And Relis could go after the dwarf who's going to instigate the riot, with Belan's help.

"But what about the gnome who's been turned into a bomb?" Khaytala protests. "If we don't rescue Syvel beforehand..."

"Even in the best case, it's still only a two in three chance," replies Verika quietly, still looking at the ground. "For all we know, Syvel could be the one held in the palace. We could run ourselves ragged and still not be able to disable the bomb. And the Matriarch's trap might kill even more of us if we aren't ready for it. At least this way... he'll know his family is safe. We can't save everyone down here, Khay. There will always be more slaves, more victims."

Khaytala looks away, her expression pained, and a silence falls over your group. Finally, you speak up. "Perhaps we should sleep on it," you offer. "With some rest, things may look clearer in the morning."

You all agree, and you adjourn the discussion to eat a somber meal, each of you mulling over the choices in your head as you pick away at the rations. Soon you start to turn in, and before long Belan extinguishes his spell-light, leaving the cave in utter darkness that only you and Verika have the night vision to see through. You can feel her intense gaze on you even now.

But for all that, your rest is peaceful... until the quiet of slumber is broken by an anguished cry from the Oracle. Ioni thrashes in her sleep, twisting and panicking, her breath coming in ragged sobs. Even blind, the unfamiliar sense of her new environment has set off her trauma, her body unsure of how to react to the unfamiliar situation it has been placed in.

You roll over, about to get to your feet and do something... but someone even closer acts first. Belan had been sleeping near his patient, and even in the darkness he crawls over to find her, holding her hand tight in his own as he tries to calm her down, gently wrapping his other arm around her.

Ioni's struggles begin to slow, as she awakens from her nightmare to find herself in the arms of her comforter. Belan continues to rock her, murmuring soothing words into her ear, promises that it's going to be alright. She nestles back against him, fairly burrowing into his chest as her body trembles against him, desperate for the reassurance of his touch.

For a while they remain like that. However... it can't stay quite so innocent for long. These aren't just two horny young adolescents; they've also both had their libidos cranked up to supernatural heights by the corruptive effects of the boon you imparted to each of them. Slowly, the way they nestle against each other starts to take on a more insistent quality, as they shift—clumsily, nervously—to feel each other more. Ioni lets out a needy little moan, and in response, Belan's hand starts to slide up her stomach, savoring the feel of her skin against his, their rationality lost in a haze of lust.

Their petting gradually starts to increase in daring, though it's still painfully inexperienced and shy. There's only one place it can go, however. You surreptitiously glance over at Verika, who is watching the progression in shock. Then she turns to you, no doubt suspecting that you had something to do with this. As well as wondering how you will respond.

The answer to that, of course, depends on exactly how much pressure you want to put on Verika.

If you wanted to calm some of her fears and make yourself seem more responsible, you could—in theory—do something to distract them and break up the tryst, having them wait for a more appropriate time. The very nature of your being recoils at such an awful thought, however.

Alternatively, you could simply watch them as they figure it out for themselves, muddling through as best they can, putting on a show for the already-horny Verika. You might even be able to nibble a few secondhand scraps of stray pleasure, though at this distance it will most likely be next to nothing.

You could also go over there, not to break them up but to guide them through their first experience together. Carefully instructing them, not with an aim toward your own pleasure, but simply making it inhumanly exquisite for both of them. You wonder what Verika would make of such a perverse violation of ordinary mortal taboos... but one that was turned toward that end. You could probably also feed on quite a bit more pleasure in that case, though still nowhere near a full fucking.

Though if you did want to go all the way, you could join in by having sex with Khaytala again, this time completely out in the open, without even the pretense that Verika isn't watching. Or... if you truly wanted to give a crushing display of dominance, you could fuck Relis in front of Verika. It would show the ranger that you've even taken her own surrogate sister, and make her realize how outnumbered and alone she truly is in this situation you've crafted.