Chapter 165: Cadence’s Execution

Nanda stepped forward, her voice steady despite the tension thick in the air. "Sermara, this is my friend Ace. We’re here about the stone."

She didn’t look up, then her tail slipped into her ass and her fingers worked at a frantic pace against her pussy. Her breath hitched, almost there, and she groaned, low and raw. "The stone?" She rasped the words like they were a curse itself. "You still don’t have it. I can sense it."

Nanda shook her head. "No. But I brought someone better."

She gestured at me, and my stomach dropped. Shit. This was awkward.

I swallowed hard, then forced myself to meet Sermara’s eyes as I spoke. "Hey... I’m Ace. Uh... I think I might be able to help you."

"Help me how?" Her voice cracked on the last word, her fingers still moving in a desperate rhythm that never quite reached release. She moaned again, and this time it was almost a plea.

I hesitated, then exhaled sharply. "I’m Ambly-blessed."

Sermara froze mid-motion. Her tail stilled inside her, fingers paused just short of climax. She blinked slowly, as if trying to process something impossible. Then she crawled forward, inching toward the edge of the bed until she was close enough to grab my collar with both hands.

"Ambly?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Really?"

I nodded. Her grip tightened for a moment, I thought she might slam me against the wall or something. But then she let out a ragged breath and released me entirely.

"You’re," she muttered, staring at me like I’d just pulled the moon from the sky. "You’re... you’re Ambly-blessed."

Her fingers twitched where they hovered over herself, as if suddenly aware of how close she’d been to climax and how far away it still was. She turned her face away, jaw clenched. "Impossible..."

I exhaled sharply, then grabbed Sermara’s wrist and yanked her hand away from my collar. She gasped at the sudden loss of contact, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Let’s take the coin beforehand," I said, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart. "Twenty gold, ten for me, ten for Nanda."

Sermara scoffed, pulling back slightly. "How can I trust you? An Ambly-blessed? It’s impossible!"

Nanda smirked, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Come on, do your magic, Ace."

I shook my head and lifted both hands to the sides, palms facing Sermara. She watched me warily, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

"Fine," she muttered. "Fine. Get up, Sermara."

Sermara stood, her naked body on full display. Her curves were accentuated by the dim light filtering through the room’s single window, casting shadows that danced across her skin. I could see the tension in her muscles, the way her breath hitched as she waited for whatever was to come.

I placed my hand on her shoulder, feeling the same strange sensation I had before; a power within me that yearned to flow into her. It was like a dam, holding back a river of energy, and I could control it. I lifted the dam slightly, allowing a trickle of power to seep into her.

Sermara moaned, her legs wobbling beneath her. "It’s... it’s true... you are..." she whispered, her eyes fluttering closed.

But something was wrong. The power hit an invisible barrier, pushing back against me. I could feel the curse, a dark and twisted force that refused to let go of its hold on Sermara. Her body wouldn’t accept the power, fighting it with every ounce of strength it had.

I focused, pushing more power into her. Sermara moaned louder, her knees buckling as she sat back down on the bed, her eyes screwed shut tight. "More... more..." she begged, her voice a ragged plea. "Please..."

I gritted my teeth, shutting my eyes and concentrating harder. The power flowed into her, a steady stream that met resistance at every turn. But I could feel it... the curse weakening, its grip on Sermara loosening ever so slightly.

Her moans filled the room, full of desperation and need. Her tail moved in and out of her ass, slick and glistening with her own fluids. She was fidgety, her body writhing as she tried to find release.

"Come on..." I managed to say. "Come on... fuck..."

And then, suddenly, the dam broke. The power rushed into her, filling every corner of her being. I opened my eyes just in time to see Sermara’s head went back, her mouth opening in a silent scream. And then she gushed... and, oh boy.

She... squirted.

Years of built-up heat and frustration pouring out of her in a torrent that soaked Nanda from head to toe.

Nanda just shrugged, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Well," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "That was... something."

I let go of Sermara’s shoulder, taking a step back as she panted heavily, her body shaking with the aftermath of her release. Her eyes were wide, filled with a mix of shock and gratitude.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "Thank you so much."

"No... uh, no problem." I said, taking a step back. "Now, we should..."

Before I could finish, Sermara lunged at me, her eyes wild and her smile outright damn creepy. She pinned me to the floor, straddling my hips with her powerful thighs. Her hands gripped my wrists tightly, holding them above my head as she leaned in close.

"More," she whispered, her voice a low growl. "I need more."

I struggled beneath her, trying to buck her off, but her grip was like iron. She leaned down, her tongue tracing a wet path up my cheek. I turned my head away, revulsion coursing through me.

"Stop!" I muttered. "Nanda! Stop her!"

Nanda stepped forward, her voice firm. "That’s enough."

But Sermara just moved her tail, striking Nanda across the chest and sending her crashing into the wall. She crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

I redoubled my efforts, fighting against Sermara’s grip. With a grunt of effort, I managed to twist my wrist just enough to cast Shadow Leap. My body dissolved into black smoke, billowing through the air before reforming a few inches away from the crazy woman.

Sermara snarled in frustration, her eyes wild as she lunged for me again. But I was ready this time, willing the dagger from my system inventory. It appeared in my hand with a golden glow.

"Our deal is done," I said, holding the dagger out like a barrier between us. "Now give us what you owe and we’re gone."

Sermara got to her feet, that same eerie smile plastered on her face. "Please..." she begged, taking a step toward me. "Just a little more and I’ll pay doub..."

Nanda moved silently behind Sermara, a thick book held in her hands. I had no idea when she’d gotten up or where she’d found the book, but I was grateful for it nonetheless.

"Fuck you nya," Nanda hissed playfully, bringing the book down on the back of Sermara’s head with a sickening thud. The Night Siren crumpled to the ground, her forehead hitting the floorboards with a loud crack. She was out cold.

Nanda walked over to the bed and opened the nightstand drawer, rummaging through it until she found what she was looking for, a pouch that jingled promisingly when she picked it up.

"Aha," she said, a satisfied smile on her face. "Bingo. Let’s go."

I looked at the unconscious Night Siren, then back to Nanda. "You’ll take the whole pouch? She only owes us twenty gold."

Nanda glanced inside the pouch, counting the coins quickly. "Ten... twenty... twenty-two gold in here," she muttered. "She owes us two more for attacking us. Now let’s go."

I wiped the sweat from my brow, nodding in agreement. "Yeah... let’s get out of here."

ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎

Morning arrived far too quickly.

I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the bottom of the top bunk’s wooden slats for a few moments, not quite ready to get out of bed. Across the room, Ken was already awake. He stood in front of the wardrobe with a small mirror fixed to its door, running a comb through his messy hair while trying to make it look at least somewhat presentable.

I stayed where I was for another few seconds before finally letting out a tired grunt and sitting up.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I yawned. "Morning."

Ken looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Oh, hey. Morning."

"You had breakfast yet?"

He shook his head. "No. I was about to wake you so we could go together."

"Hmm." I stretched my arms over my head. "Let me wash my face first."

Ken slid the comb back into one of the wardrobe’s drawers before turning toward me.

"Today’s the big day."

"Huh?"

He stared at me for a second. "Don’t tell me you forgot."

It took me a moment before it clicked. "Oh." I sighed. "Cadence’s execution."

"Exactly."

Ken grabbed his coat and headed toward the door. "I’ll get in line at the dining hall and save you a place. Just don’t take forever."

"I won’t."

He left the room, and I slipped into my slippers before following a minute later.

The corridor was already beginning to fill with students. Some walked toward breakfast while others chatted sleepily about the day ahead. Everyone seemed unusually awake for this early in the morning, and it wasn’t hard to guess why.

Executions weren’t exactly everyday events.

I followed the corridor until I reached the communal washroom.