Ring of Cren [18+]

Chapter 25

I had imagined my Crows fucking me on my bed. Throwing me down and having their way with me. Instead, our Monster Hunt ends in the Cren's Bath House. The soldiers throw up all their gear and then they bathe in a heated pool.

It's for men, but of course, I join them. This late at night, everyone is asleep or on sentry duty. No one is here except my Crows and I. We had done a lot, slaughtering spiders, burning their remains – we deserved a hot bath.

I had already dipped into the hot spring, and then I wanted to try out the steam room. I had undressed a lot quicker than my Crows, so I was on my own for a short while and just enjoying the feeling of being able to get clean.

I knew what was coming. I knew what they wanted. I was eager for it.

The steam room has a slab of stone to sit. I sit in the fog for just a little while, surrounded by some overhanging vines. A garden blooms just outside a small window. I walk over to lean down and look through the slit to see the lush green had overtaken every cold house, transforming the look of a kingdom that was once just bones, to a paradise made in imagination.

I never believed I'd ever live beyond snow blizzards and sitting in front of raging fires.

To see so much green, beyond the fabric of my dresses, made my eyes swim with tears of happiness. To be able to hear the young crowd at night, laughing and dancing in the streets, sharing ale and breaking out in song – maybe the suffering I'd endure was truly all worth it.

The first Monster Hunt had been fun.

Slaying the spiders had been such an empowering experience. I can see why my Crows enjoy fighting and slaying beasts.

"Anastasia," I hear a whisper from Krystoph behind me. A phantom's whisper. I turn around and I'm shocked to see Krys is now his daemon. I see the white flames curling out of his eyes, the tendrils of souls, "You were so cruel to our hearts," Krystoph speaks as if offended or saddened, "Do you not wish for us anymore?" he watches me with eyes that bring the magic of the Eye.

I notice it now, the way the world starts to shift from colour to grey.

More shadows appear in the archway.

Damion's tall horns appear in shadows along the ground, before he himself appears and his red eyes burn. He takes a seat on the slab within the steam room, watching me.

Rurx comes in next, his curls shining with the humidity, his crimson orbs enflamed with rejection.

I did not call them.

How on Earth did they appear?

Axe is last to show, standing at the only exit.

Is this it? Maybe they decided they wouldn't tolerate me afterall.

"A daemon slayer who enjoys our critters blood?" Rurx asks also, clearly furious. His stride is angry, his voice and even his expression is tense, his jaw hardened into a grit. They are the ones who sent the spiders to me, I don't know why they're angry!

"I don't understand what you want," I hiss, "I did not request your assistance tonight – which means I owe you nothing."

"We haven't consummated anything, Ana," Rurx purrs with malevolence, eyes unblinking as he paces the steam room back and forth, "We haven't even begun to master you. We've been sweetly waiting for you to come to us," Rurx's voice booms louder, "We sent out a call for you last night – and a completely separate woman walks into the Eye, you were meant to take the Key – and since she wandered where she should not, we compromised, with her subsequent hold in our dungeon, you were then meant to seek the lost lady, Ice Seer. Do you find us that distasteful that you would abandon her without seeking?"