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Kerik sees Perl take a soft breath.
He doesn’t look at Kerik. Only at the Queen. “As your majesty wishes,” he says. ”My thrall will perform the four tests of devotion to demonstrate his willing obedience to me.”
“Oh yes,” Vane says quietly, “this will be just the entertainment I crave.”
11
PERL
The hall erupts with cheers of excitement, these frustrating developments seem to thrill the fae court as much as they do Vane.
Perl nods and takes up the chain hanging from Kerik’s collar. “Come now, quickly,” he orders. And Kerik has no choice but to stumble to his feet and let Perl lead him from the hall.
Perl does not stop moving until they are in his chamber and the wards are up.
He shoves Kerik towards the bed to sit and then lets himself fall into one of the chairs and rests his elbows on the table, cradling his head in his hands.
Kerik grunts around the bit in his mouth.
Perl lifts his head and waves in the air to release it. It clatters onto the floor. Kerik releases his own wrists and brings a hand to his jaw, massaging his mouth, as he removes the restrictive collar with the other hand.
Perl half-notices how adept Kerik is with unfastening spelled bindings, but mostly, his mind is full of ice.
He should have known it wouldn’t be so easy as asking for a boon and receiving it. How could he forget how this place was? After all the reasons he left Vylenor: the things Vane said and the things he implied. The sight of Seridil between Vane’s spread thighs. The cage and what is inside it. He swallows. “I’m sorry. I should have handled that better,” he says. And considering what has happened he cannot imagine a weaker statement.
“So what happens now? What are the four tests of devotion?”
Perl sighs. Could they do this? Is there even a choice? “We are bound to it now. Exeinil made a bargain with me. And it will not be simple. A lot will be asked of you to perform the four tests. Far more than I anticipated when I agreed to bring you here as thrall.”
“Is it really so hard? What do I have to do?”
“The four tests are designed to prove your obedience to me,” Perl says as if it is truly as simple as that. “They will be set by the Ice Court, in practicality, by Exeinil. They vary in intensity. But they will not be easy for you. The fae enjoy seeing mortals suffer. And I am sorry, truly. This is my fault. I thought it would be simpler than this. I underestimated this place. A mistake that is easy to make, but one I should not have made.”
At this statement Kerik simply smirks. He lifts his chin and puffs out his chest. The jewelled clasps jingle, making the gesture look quite ridiculous. “You think I am not strong enough for these tests of devotion?”
“I think you are strong. I do not know if you are strong enough for what the Ice Court has in store for you.”
Kerik removes the clasps as if the jingling had drawn his attention to them, wincing a little as they pinch coming off. He sets them aside and takes the cage from his cock. “And if I fail them?”
Perl looks at him, naked now, although his body could hardly have been described as clothed before he removed all its jewelled decorations. All that is left of the Silver Ball is Perl’s name written on his chest. “If you fail, you will be sent to the pit.”
“You told me that only you could send me to the pit.”
“If you fail the tests you will no longer belong to me. You will belong to the ice Court. To Exeinil.”
“Then I suppose I will have to ensure I do not fail,” Kerik says, sounding infuriatingly bright about the situation.
Perl tries to push down his feeling of dread. If only he could see the world as Kerik does, as a series of intriguing challenges. He waves towards the bathing chamber door. “You should wash. You can remove all the paint and anything else you feel is tainting you after this evening.”
Kerik moves his tongue pointedly inside his mouth. “Tainting me? Are you talking about us kissing?”
“Yes,” Perl says, feeling odd and slightly ashamed at the thought. Strange to think that wasn’t even the most uncomfortable thing that had happened this evening. In many ways, it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. “I’m sorry that happened. I hoped it would not come to that. But you saw the entertainments this evening. I was well aware that demonstrations of our claimed relationship might be required.”
But it had only been a kiss. A simple thing really in comparison to what is coming.
Kerik makes a scoffing noise. He looks quite amused. “You don’t have to sound so crushed about kissing me. I noticed you going to great lengths so I would not also be required to warm your cock.”
“I will do everything I can to prevent you from being soiled in that way.”
