Chapter 46: Chapter 46

Raven

Raven tossed the hefty list onto the nightstand, nearly toppling the lamp in the process. If they thought she was going to memorize all of this, they were in for a surprise.

She skimmed the important parts, like the rule about no sex before getting a brand, and even then, the guy had to make a formal request.

No talking back, obey every command from your handler, and so on. Punishments varied from confinement to flogging.

She crumpled the kink list into a ball and lobbed it across the room. It hit Captain Oito in the stomach just as he walked in.

He raised an eyebrow and said, “Studying hard, I see.” He picked up the crumpled paper.

“With all my might,” she replied, sinking back onto her pillow.

“You’ve been summoned.”

“By who?” She yawned.

“The king.”

“Why? I attended the classes he insisted on.”

“You seemed to enjoy yourself, if I recall correctly,” he said, tilting his head to the side.

Goosebumps prickled her skin, and she sprang up from the bed.

“Are we going or not?” she asked, brushing past him.

They walked in silence until they reached the sitting room. This wasn’t the room where she’d first met the king. She wished he’d thought to put some music in the waiting area.

It would have helped drown out the moaning and wall-banging from the next room.

After a final loud bang and a few minutes, the massive wooden doors swung open. A woman walked out, looking surprised to see them waiting.

“Come in,” he called out.

His desk was a mess, but he looked immaculate. The king leaned back in his chair and tied his hair up. He seemed more relaxed than the last time they’d spoken.

“You’ve received glowing reviews from your instructor and Captain Oito. You’re dressed appropriately. Well done. What will you be performing tonight?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” she admitted.

His expression hardened, making her shiver. His jaw clenched, and he rubbed his knuckles. The king’s gaze flicked to Captain Oito, then back to her.

“Why is that?”

“Everything’s pretty much taken. I’ll do a drinking contest or something. Don’t worry. Go have another fuck,” she said, laughing.

“Have you forgotten our last conversation?” His voice echoed through the room.

She huffed and shook her head.

“You won’t like what happens if you embarrass me tonight.”

“I saw the list; I might like a few things,” she said.

“Your grace period ends when you receive a brand, so get this out of your system now,” he said, his gaze flat.

“Will do. What symbol will I receive?”

He smiled. “It’s a surprise.”

***

The dress laid out for her was similar to the one she’d worn that night at the lake. This one was bright red, and they’d requested all the women wear their hair up.

The banquet hall was packed as they filed in. Two long tables were laden with food, and another was covered in drinks. Raven headed straight for the last table.

A few drinks might spark her creativity, she hoped. Worst case scenario, she’d be drunk for whatever punishment came her way. She still didn’t know what to do for her special skill.

There were already plenty of people singing, dancing, and doing all sorts of feminine things.

She watched the room as the crowd moved around. Some people stopped to stare at her. By now, she was used to it. It was easy to tell the different countries apart.

Just like Earth, they had different skin tones and cultures too. This was so much better than reading about it in books. As she lifted her eighth cup to her lips, a heavy hand landed on her shoulder.

“You’re up next,” Captain Oito said. “Are you ready?”

She sighed and grabbed another cup. “Let’s do this.”

Raven racked her brain for something, anything that would work. As she raised her cup, it hit her. She knew what she had to do.

“I’ll perform my skill right here with this,” she said, taking a sip.

Captain Oito’s face was priceless as he made his way to the king and informed him of the venue change. He signaled the musicians, and the instruments fell silent. If the king was upset, he hid it well.

The chatter in the crowd continued, but she didn’t mind. Raven cleared her throat and caught the attention of a few people passing by.

“Do you know why alcohol was created?” Raven asked, scanning the faces in the crowd.

“Bored gods,” a man called out.

The crowd chuckled.

“With your luxuries, I can see why you’d think that,” Raven said. “Where I’m from, in the old days, it was a way to connect with the spirits. You take on another spirit in a mutual exchange, they live a day in a physical body, and you gain knowledge.

“It got to a point where one man learned the sacred art of the spirits to defeat his enemies. The art of drunken fist. Those enemies doubted the spirits, asking, how can he beat me like that? One by one, their kingdoms fell, and he became the Drunken King.”

The crowd burst into laughter, and Raven smiled.

“Imagine my surprise when I read that there are sacred styles here. Tonight I’m going to create a new style that combines both our worlds.”

From their faces, she could tell they were skeptical and probably thought she was drunk off her ass. Well, she was, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t pull this off.

“Who wants a demonstration?” she asked, tilting her cup back.

A smattering of applause broke out.

“Perfect. I need a volunteer to spar with me. Any takers?”

She downed another cup as she waited to see if anyone would step forward. If no one did, it would make her night a lot easier.

A man with purple-toned skin stepped forward. “You seem quite confident. What does the winner get?”

She smiled. “Anything within the loser’s power to give.”