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WINNOW

BELLORUM REALM

Closed for the foreseeable future.

Jubilant travels!

- Ginny Codswallow

of Ginny’s Portal Agency

F rustration and despair quickly simmer to a boil in my chest, manifesting in fat, swollen tears. Why couldn’t I have been blessed with portal magic?

With cupped hands, I try to peer into the portal agent’s shop. All the lights are off, and sheets are pulled over desks and counters. “Nooooo, gods-be-damned!”

I take a few steps back to stare up at the yellow-and-white dollhouse-like home above.

Carved wooden archways and vines trail up lattices toward an illuminated window where I see a half-nude silhouette of Ginny herself with her hair loosely piled high atop her head.

The window is open so that I can hear her tinkle of laughter as she brings a delicate hand to her mouth.

The sight draws an envious whimper from my chest.

She looks so happy.

Just as I’m about to shout and beg her to come down, a towering, green, tusked male steps in front of her and sweeps her off her feet.

She gives a squeal of delight, followed by another peal of laughter that seems to echo through the utterly barren chasm that is my chest, causing my tears to spill over.

Well then, go right ahead and poke me in my fucking eyes, why don’t you?

And just when I think the universe couldn’t possibly make a greater mockery of me, another male steps in beside them, capturing her mouth with his as their moans of pleasure fill the air.

My lips and chin quiver beneath the weight of my sorrow, and the final crack in my trembling facade is when yet another male appears, grasping her hair to steal her mouth for himself.

At that, my chin tips toward the skies, and I begin to ugly-cry.

And I don’t care who hears it.

Though Ginny and her many lovers are, apparently, deaf because they don’t even bat an eye in my direction.

Eventually, I manage to pry my eyes away from the porno taking place before me, gradually drifting to the cobblestones beneath the hem of my dress. Thunder rumbles overhead as my tears continue to spill, and the heavens open up for the skies to weep alongside me.

Ginny’s window squeaks shut after I hear one of the handsome orc’s gravelly voices.

“Love, we’re going to pin you to the fucking bed with our cocks, and fill every single one of your pretty little pink holes with our seed.”

Such a sad affair, the realization of everything you didn’t even know you were missing. Never in my life have I experienced such unbridled passion, neither given nor received. Nor have I ever experienced such love and comfort from another as Ginny so clearly is now.

Surely, if Ginny can find three doting males, I can find one.

Some inane voice in the back of my mind decides to chirp in, and so my internal argument begins.

You have responsibilities here.

Lord Evermere is always more than ? —

Lord Evermere can sit on a cock! I don’t want Lord Evermere, I want… I want ? —

“Excuse me, Your Grace?”

My shoulders bunch as I jolt, turning gradually to face the owner of the soft, sultry voice that I’d recognize anywhere. It’s one of several faces that have haunted my dreams.

I spin around to face her. “Violette?”

She blinks at me with beguiling innocence as though surprised I remember her. “Yes, Your Grace. If you’re looking for portal services, I can help you.”

A year’s worth of guilt is stifled as my heart bursts with hope.

“You have portal magic?”

Violette’s lips twitch. “Yes, Your Grace. Among a great many other things.”

I can’t in good conscience pay her out of the royal coffers, and I don’t have any money of my own left, but…

My mind procures the image of my dusty coronet. Even if I only gave her a single diamond from it, even the smallest of them is no smaller than my thumbnail. Perhaps one day, after Reginald works his magic and Cerulia has finally recovered from the war, I can replace it. No one would have to know.

Before I can think better of it…

“I would pay you handsomely.”

Even if Reginald will want to wring my neck.

Violette’s eyes sparkle, and I willfully choose to ignore the flicker of darkness I see lurking in their depths.

It’s not like she’s going to follow me into whatever realm I ask her to bring me just to torture me.

“Are you still working at the brothel?”

Please, say no. Please, please, please ? —

“I am indeed.”

Fuck.

“Well, perhaps now, you won’t have to any longer. I do want to apologize that I wasn’t able to extend that loan last time, and...”

Violette waves me off. “You have absolutely nothing to apologize for, Your Grace. As you said, you’re not a bank. And I’ve nearly saved enough coin to start my matchmaking business on my own.”

I rear back with relief and pleasant surprise. “Oh, Violette, I’m so relieved to hear that! You have no idea how guilty I’ve felt!”

She offers me a small smile. “Not to worry, Your Grace.”

“Well, hopefully, this will give you all that you need and more to make your dreams come true.”