Page 48

That... was a bad idea.

The sex was great but she was right about the pain.

I tried not to cringe as I sat in a chair of Noviana's... I actually don't even know what this room is.

Looking around there's shelves and shelves of jars, bags, and boxes filled with fuck knows what; the labels seemingly written in another language.

The rest of the room consisted of a cauldron over a fireplace, the table I'm currently seated at, and a long counter.

Nova was at the counter grinding something and putting it in a miniature of the cauldron. "Nova... where did I follow you?"

She didn't even glance my direction, flipping a page in her book, "my workroom. I have orders to fill."

"Ah." I replied, taking a closer look at the shelves, "so these are all ingredients for spells?"

"Yes."

"Whats that language?" I asked.

She didn't reply.

"Nova?" I turned to look at her, only to find her staring at me blankly. "What?"

"why do you wish to know?"

I shifted, slightly uncomfortable under her unwavering gaze, "well we decided to become mates right? So I might as well learn a little about what you do..."

Try and figure out how to explain to my entire race that the murderess I was going to mark wasn't so bad and no we shouldn't have an uprising and no I wasn't going to behead her.

"It is in common tongue among other languages, simply in code."

"Oh. Uh why?"

"If i am robbed it will be difficult to tell what's valuable and whats not as well as whats legal and what is not." Her gaze turned cold, "seeing as the wolves deem what is okay for other beings."

"We only ban the murder and harm of hu- fucking hell Nova how much of this is human?"

No reply, she just started chopping something.

"What are you making?" I tried again.

"A potion."

Okay...thats not too bad, "for what?"

"To increase the vitality of ogre sperm, I was hired to do such for an arachnid woman who wishes to experiment with crossbreeding as a means for powerful soldiers. Ogres are strong but have notoriously weak potency."

I shouldn't let her do that.

That would cause someone harm not to mention breed more monsters in this world.

Every instinct I had told me not to let her finish that spell.

I forced them back, "...interesting."

"It will not work."

"Oh?" I felt slightly better about that, "are you sure?"

Noviana looked at me like I was a fool for even questioning her. "Yes."

"How?"

"That would require me to divulge the workings of magi to a wolf."

Right. Okay then, "if we have a spirit witch for a daughter are you going to teach her the sex spells?"

"Procreation spells." She corrected.

Potato potahto. "Right. Will you?"

"Yes."

"When she's older."

"When she's ready magically, age matters not."

I grinned a bit, "so then you will tell me how old you are?"

She froze.

I smiled a bit, watching her work through this, "I don't care you know Nova. I'm just playing with you."

"For a witch of my caliber... age holds power."

Oh. "How so?"

"Knowing our age is crucial for a spell or two that can do us harm."

"I wouldn't hurt you."

She continued her work.

But someone might figure it out if someone else knows.

"You are not close to dying?"

She scoffed a bit.

"Then thats fine. You said around my age so that good enough give or take a hundred years or so. Do you age like a wolf? If not our mating may change your aging timeframe."

"I do."

"Perfect." I nodded, "so... what are most of your orders for?"

"Deadly and or nearly impossible to create spells."

"Nothing that endangers you?"

She tossed more stuff in the cauldron, "some. Why are you asking questions?"

"To get to know you, and what you do."

She seemed taken aback, "for what purpose?"

"...to be a mate?" I sighed a bit, "I may not agree with what you do, we will likely fight over it often but I want you."

She seemed to contemplate this as she turned to face me, hip resting on the counter, "I do not mind arguing with you wolf king. I find our passions stir when we do."

"Thats not exactly healthy," I laughed.

"Nor are you." She eyed me careful, "how long until death?"

Less than a month, I would deteriorate rapidly now.

I shrugged in response.

"When are we to complete the mating?"

I debated this, "well I should probably inform my people of my decision to be with you.."

"And that I shall hold no power as queen." She pointed out.

"...yes," I grumbled quietly, "it is necessary that I lay the cards on the table. My people must trust my choices. As must the humans who rely on our people for safety."

She said nothing.

Before she said she had no interest in being queen, was that true?

Is she offended I would not even consider it? "Being Queen..." I carefully began.

"Holds no interest to me." She murmured palms cupping my face, "why would it when the alternative is to do nothing but simply keep a beautiful beast of a man to warm my bed."

I chuckled a bit, "when you put it like that-"

Her full lips fluttered over mine.

Nova and I didn't often kiss, not while we were dressed.

And certainly not in the languid way we were now.

Even as I deepened the kiss it was softer, warmer than before, our tongues meeting in a caress rather than their normal war for dominance.

Then...

She pulled away and spat into the cauldron, "there, the mixed oral fluids of two beings with high sexual compatibility should make this work."

I stared blankly at her back as she scribbled something in her book. "Nova..."

"Hmmm?"

"I can't allow you to help a spider woman make ogre-spider hybrid soldiers of mass destruction."

"It is not your choice. Consider it population control."

...population control.

"Nova."

"Bash."

I fought a smile at the rare use of my nickname, "wouldn't it be more interesting to, I don't know, make the pregnancy not stick? Then blame it on her bodys weakness."

"I dont lie."

"It could probably get you some spider legs for spells."

"You are correct that would be much more interesting."

She kissed me again as she made her way to another shelf.

"Speaking of dead children."

Things I never thought I would hear and yet noviana says...

"I have located the woman I will sacrifice so your betas child may live."

I grinned, picking up the thin woman, kissing her deeply, "thank you Noviana. They will be pleased."

"There will be a price." She stated still in my arm.

"Right. Yes. What is it?"

"Not from you." Her lips curled up, from them.

"Right, I thought about that, Mason and I had a few ideas-"

"I will meet with them to discuss terms."

"Don't you want to know?" I asked, brows furrowed in confusion. She always likes to bargain...

"This.." she began, "is not your bargain Sebastian. You cannot be the one who fixes another's destiny for them, try as you always might."

"But..."

"Was this not your idea?"

"Yes."

"And did you not present it to them?"

"I did."

"And now you bargain for them?"

I was quite.

"It is not your child. Nor is it your responsibility."

"They are my friends." I protested.

"And you are my lover." I replied, "I cannot have your entire kingdom thinking you can broker deals with me for them. They will appeal to your sense of duty and it will be a disaster."

"My people.."

"Grow desperate like any other. Half my business is built on desperation.

I will not have the majority of our conversations be you attempting to persuade me on behalf of those who were not brave enough to do so themselves.

Nor will I have my current clients thinking I am at your beck and call.

This... mating will already be bad for business. "

"Fine." I consented, "you have a point. I will set up a meeting."

She looked exasperated, "Sebastian."

"What?"

"No." She stated firmly, "you may offer your support but you will not participate in this."

"I'm not!"

"You are. No one else in my life has simply set up meeting with me that is not how it works."

I wanted to ask why not but I had a feeling that it wouldn't end well, "fine." I changed the subject, "when I was killing that demon for you, I tripped it over a broken tomb I noticed Before. Do you want help fixing it?"

Her entire form went rigid, "that tomb stays destroyed. Was there anything... peculiar about it that makes you wish for it to be rebuilt?"

Translation: did you see my name on it? Are we about to have a problem?

"No." I replied smoothly, "not particularly. I just wanted to help out."

"I see.." she murmured, "thank you but no, that particular plot shall remain rubble. It was an eyesore."

I waited for an elaboration.

There was none.

"Should I tell Mason what he needs to do?"

"Sebastian." She stated my name as if scolding me.

So that was a no.

I was probably going to anyways.