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brAX

“You see, the necklace that you showed to me is cursed,” Mistress Trembledamp said.

Brax straightened up and tried to listen. The Thirst was still roaring inside him, demanding that he finish what he had started. He had only begun to taste his Mistress’s sweet pussy—had only gotten the barest flavor of her sweet honey when he’d been forced to stop.

But this was important, he reminded himself. He forced himself to pay attention.

“Cursed in what way?” Serenai asked, frowning.

“In the only way that bloodstones are ever cursed—the creature whose blood was used to dye the stones is still haunting them,” Mistress Trembledamp answered.

“ And if the prophecy that comes with them is correct, the curse is deadly.” She leaned forward again, eyeing Serenai .

“ Tell me, my dear, how many times have you seen this ‘red-eyed apparition’ you spoke of?”

“Oh, um…” Serenai frowned, clearly doing a bit of mental calculation. “ I think it’s been four—no, five times I’ve seen it by now.”

“And I’ve seen it twice,” Brax put in.

Mistress Trembledamp spared him a frown for speaking out of turn but she didn’t seem to be inclined to ask Serenai to punish him again.

“Very well—then according to the prophecy, if you see it twice more, you will die.”

“What?” Serenai and Brax exclaimed at once.

“Don’t look so shocked,” Mistress Trembledamp said curtly. “ Didn’t your robot butler tell my robot butler that your mother died just a week after receiving this necklace?”

“Well…yes, she did.” Serenai nodded. She looked shaky, Brax thought. He wanted badly to put an arm around her and comfort her but he knew that wasn’t proper in a formal Yonnite setting. So he stepped closer to her instead, letting her feel the heat from his body at her back.

“It makes sense then, to conclude that she must have seen the apparition seven times,” Mistress Trembledamp concluded. “ And it killed her during its last appearance.”

“But how did it kill her?” Serenai demanded. “ There was no sign of foul play according to my Aunt Nibblegrim .”

“It probably reached into her chest and stopped her heart,” Mistress Trembledamp said matter-of-factly. “ I do not claim to understand the powers of these cursed creatures, but it is said that they are able to do such things.”

“But how do we break the curse?” Brax asked, speaking up again because he was so worried that he no longer cared that it wasn’t proper for a bodyslave to be part of the conversation between two Mistresses . “ How do I save my Mistress ?” he said.

Mistress Trembledamp gave him a sharp look.

“I will excuse your impertinence only because I can tell you care deeply for your little Mistress , slave,” she said to him.

“ And while I cannot tell you how to break the curse yourself, I can direct you to one who might be able to help you. He is the only person I know who willingly deals in cursed jewelry.”

“Who is it?” Serenai asked anxiously. “ If what you say is true, we don’t have much time!”

“No, you certainly don’t,” Mistress Trembledamp said curtly. “ His name is Jacobim O’Teribrux and he lives on the far side of Zantha — Yonnie Six’s fourth moon.”

“But I thought Yonnie Six only had two moons,” Serenai protested.

“Only two acknowledged moons—the only two that have atmospheres.” Mistress Trembledamp waved one beringed hand in a dismissive gesture.

“ The other two are more like large asteroids but Jacobim has built himself a climate controlled lair inside the smaller one—which is Zantha , as I said. I have had dealings with him before when I needed to get rid of troublesome items.” She raised her eyebrows at Serenai .

“ Do you wish me to call him on your behalf? I warn you—he may charge a significant fee to help you.”

“Please call him!” Serenai exclaimed. “ I’ll pay the fee— I just want to get rid of the curse before that red-eyed thing gets me like…like it got my mother.” She swallowed hard and put a hand to her throat.

Brax hated how frightened she looked.

“Don’t worry, little Mistress ,” he murmured. “ We’ll get this taken care of. And in the meantime, I’ll protect you.”

“You cannot, bodyslave,” Mistress Trembledamp contradicted him.

“ If this curse is allowed to run its course, there’s nothing you can do to stop your Mistress from dying.

Even if you step between her and the evil one, it will simply reach through you and stop both your hearts at once.

The only way to help her is to break the curse. ”

“Then let’s hope this Jacobim person you’re sending us to can help us,” Brax said grimly. He put an arm around Serenai’s shoulders, heedless of protocol. She was shivering and needed to feel protected.

“I hope so too—for your sake.” Mistress Trembledamp looked at Serenai . “ I never approved of your mother much, my dear, but it’s clear you don’t take after her. I hope you can survive this curse which was clearly meant for her. It is no fault of yours that you inherited it.”

“I… I hope so too,” Serenai said faintly. “ And thank you, Mistress Trembledamp .”

Brax drew her closer, feeling her soft, curvy body tremble against his own. He didn’t care what the other Mistress said—he swore to the Goddess that he would keep Serenai safe—no matter what it cost him.