In the front of the room, at the start of the long table, the oracle stood. Her opaque gaze settled on everyone and no one. Very creepy vibes.
“So be it,” she said, hands rising.
A faint wind blew through the room withno open windowsto blame. The eerie breeze concentrated around the oracle; fluttering her robes and fully freaking me out. Her hands lifted above her shoulders, and then she suddenly collapsed.Poof. Like, just her robes on the floor with… dust in them.
That’s got to be the most disturbing thing I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen some shit.
So fucking gross, Rani confirmed.
The young acolyte stepped over her predecessor to take her place at the head of the table, her eyes now the classic, milky white of a full-fledged oracle. This must be a normal occurrence for them because she wasn’t freaking out about the literal spontaneous disintegration of an entire being.
The new oracle vibrated with power, and when she opened her mouth, it sounded like multiple voices speaking through her at once.
“The tribunal stands united, and what was once forged in blood has now been cast anew. Heed my warning and seek its truth, for as long as peace beckons, magick shall reign.”
CHAPTER HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Two months later
Rani
An early fall breeze danced through the kitchen, tickling the small hairs sticking up around my face. I swiped at them with flour-coated hands and then scowled at the feel of the powder dusted on my cheek. This was supposed to be easy, and Ezra swore it was better than buying it frozen. He was about to get this bowl of goop on his head for the blatant lie.
“My arm hurts,” I whined. “And there’s some perfectly delicious squares in the freezer that I could be halfway to eating by now.”
Ezra came up behind me, chuckling when he noticed that my spoon was stuck. Large hand completely covering mine, he helped mix in the last of the flour.
“It's more authentic this way,” he said, stirring the dough until no white remained. “And besides, break and bake is for quitters and bitter people who lack creativity.”
I gasped. He did not just say that! Iconsidered myself a break-and-bakeconnoisseur, thank you very much. Somehow, another handful of flour found its way between my fingers,where it was cradled like live ammo before being launched over my shoulder and into his face.
All baking operations ceased. Ezra leaned into me, pinning my entire lower half to the counter. The spoon fell into the bowl with aclank.
“T-that was completely unintentional,” I babbled, unable to even turn around and see the damage.
Felt a tad premeditated to me.
I shook my head. “I swear!”
Hmmmm.
My palms began to sweat, but I couldn’t wipe them on my apron, not with Ezra caging me in like he was. One of his hands gathered my wrists and pinned them above my head against the cupboards. With just enough pressure, he slid them up higher until my ass arched out, and I was forced to my toes.
“Ezra,” I panted.
Keep them there.
He nuzzled my neck, and I tilted my head to the side to allow him more room. Teeth sank into my skin in little nips, the sting soothed with the flat of his tongue. Already my calves were burning, but I didn’t dare move. I almost didn’t breathe. Two months of this and I still had no idea what Ezra had planned when he put his hands on me.
I felt him travel down my torso in slow, deliberate movements, until the apron tie on my back loosened. The button to my shorts followed soon after.
“I can take them o—”
A hard smack to my thigh made me yelp.
Move those hands again and this all stops.
I guessed he wanted to do it himself. In a few short tugs, my shorts and panties were on the floor. The apron still hung from my neck, over my shirt, but I’d learned my lesson and left italone. A gentle bump to the inside of my ankle had me spreading my legs so Ezra could kneel between them.
