Page 15 of Rise of the Gods: Vardor’s Destiny (Time for Monsters)

T he food was bad, but it was better than nothing. It had been a while since I had eaten, but the comfort food usually brought me didn't come. Something I couldn't entirely blame on what was served. The reason for my discontent was the sound of splashing in the water behind me. She was trying to be quiet, but every time she moved, I heard the sound of rushing water. In my mind, I could see her raising one of her alabaster legs out of the tub and gently moving a washcloth over it, and it was making my mouth water for other things than food.

How often had I kissed those legs? From the tips of her toes all the way down to her womanly folds? Vaelora taught me things I had never done before. Before Vaelora, I rutted women; with her, it was an art. She showed me what she enjoyed, and before long, her pleasure was mine. Without her, I would have never known about the delicious ambrosia waiting between her legs. Or the feeling of full breasts under my hands, not to knead them hard—well, she had enjoyed that too, every now and then—but to fully experience the silkiness of flesh beneath my palm. The way her nipples puckered and tasted. Only after her did I realize how rough I had been with the other women. Not that they had ever complained, but a small feeling of guilt nagged at me. I had never taken a woman against her will. They all had come to me willingly, even before I became High Warlord of Orasis. Still, Vaelora had changed me. She taught me the fine arts of fucking, arts I hadn't known existed, and I had been an eager pupil.

All those lessons came back to me now as I washed a piece of cheese down with bitter wine. My cock, which had been resting for so long, hardened in anticipation of the woman we both so craved, who was right behind us. Only a few paces away, and naked. But it wasn't her. I reminded myself. It was Roweena, not Vaelora, sitting there in the tub. Deeply frustrated, I slammed the goblet of wine back down on the table, rattling the dishes on it and causing Roweena to let out a choked cry.

Of all the punishments Vaelora could have come up with, this was the worst. She was right there. Right behind me, and yet she was further away than any time during the past ten thousand years.

Take her , a voice tempted. Take her out of the tub, throw her on the bed, and maybe she'll remember you with your cock inside her .

This time it was my fist slamming hard on the table. "No!" I shouted.

The sound of splashing water indicated that Roweena must have jumped out of the tub. I would never force myself on her. Not even if that was the only way to make her remember. Never! She was my goddess, and I wouldn't do that to her. Not because I knew she would have me castrated for it when she finally did remember me, but because there were lines I would never cross.

There were other ways to make her remember. Many other ways.

"Are you done?" I asked more harshly than I meant to. Without waiting for her answer, I turned. Unprepared for the sight of her.

Clad in a linen towel that clung to her body like a wet skin, with her black hair cascading down, she looked just like the goddess she was. Her features were set in alarm, her eyes wide as if she could read my thoughts.

"Put that on." I pointed at the black cape she had worn earlier. I didn't like what I had to do next, but with her running earlier, she wasn't giving me a choice.

Obediently, she did what I told her, letting the wet towel fall to the floor underneath the cloak. "Get on the bed," I demanded.

Her eyes grew even wider, and the fear I had read on her face deepened as she slowly shook her head left to right.

"For the love of the gods, I'm not going to touch or dishonor you, woman," I pressed out between clenched teeth. I grabbed a sheet and ripped it into ribbons. First tying her hands, then her feet.

"I'm sorry, but you’ve left me no choice," I mumbled all the while.

Lastly, I gagged her. I put a pillow under her head and pulled the comforter up.

"I will be back soon," I promised.

She glared after me, but when I turned at the door, her glare turned into fear again. I closed my eyes. "I'm sorry."

I felt like the lowest of the lowest when I left her there like that. But she hadn't left me with any other choice. I couldn't take her with me either. With her ruined dress, it wouldn't have taken much for a tailor or seamstress to get suspicious. At least I wore a pair of old leather breeches and the cloak. I could explain my lack of clothing away. But both of us? I didn't fear a battle, but getting clothes would bring us one step closer to leaving this city, and drawing more attention to ourselves would defeat that purpose.

Her memories would never return here. Only when she felt the warm sand between her toes and looked at the palm trees under the hot sun would there be a chance of her remembering. I would take her to the forgotten temple, where I was sure she had resided these past many years, where there would be some of her followers and mine. Enough to keep us alive. There had to be, it was the only explanation for us not having vanished into oblivion.

I entered the first store I could find to make my purchases. One dress for Roweena would suffice for now. Tomorrow, I would take her to another tailor and order more.

"Does your lady need a chemise, stockings, and corset as well?" The seamstress who handled Roweena's dress asked.

I had no idea what she was talking about but agreed, "Anything you think she might need."

As quickly as possible, I made my way back to the inn, where I found Roweena asleep on the bed. I stopped and stared at her for a moment. It had been so long since I had seen her, truly seen her, not the images of my dreams. They had helped pass the time, but they were nothing compared to seeing her here—living, breathing.

The water in the tub had long cooled down, but it wasn't yet freezing. I decided to take advantage of it while it was here. It smelled of lavender and roses, but I didn't mind. It smelled of her, that was all that mattered. Naturally, the tub was too small for me, I couldn't even stretch my legs, but at least I was clean.

"Hmm, hmm," her mumbles through her gag alerted me that she was awake. I grabbed a linen, put it around my waist, and moved to the bed.

I removed the gag first, followed by the ties. As soon as she could move, she scooted back on the bed, glaring at me.

"I brought you some clothes." I pointed at the packages I carried in.

When she was scooted all the way against the headboard, she took me in. "What do you want from me? When will you let me go?"

I ran my hand through my still-wet hair. "You won't believe me, but you are the goddess Vaelora. You entered a mortal form to wake me from the slumber you put me under."

"Why would I have done that?" She regarded me mistrustingly.

She was talking to me though, so I took that as a win. "Because in your mind, I betrayed you."

"In my mind?" She pulled her knees up to her chest.

How had the conversation turned to the worst part of our lives together? There were so many other things we could have talked about; instead, it was this.

"I was trying to keep you safe," I explained. "I had some guards take you aboard a ship to have you moved from Orasis in case your brother won the war."

"If I was a goddess, how could men take me aboard a ship?"

Damn her.

I hung my head, "I had a crate made that you couldn't escape."

"A crate?" she scoffed.