Mastery (Sex Wizards, #2)

by Alethea Faust

Her arms are folded and tied behind her back, but I was careful when I did it. I made sure not to tie the ropes over any pressure points or put any undue stress on her shoulders. All the ropes attach to two sturdy metal rings that I used to cinch her up about three feet off of the ground. I reach up with my foot and give her a gentle nudge to get her swaying again. Her brown eyes open and meet mine, a contented haze relaxing her face. I smile at her obvious enjoyment. “Having fun?” I ask as I continue to rock her.

She feels incredible, yet when I hear her quiet gag, I immediately draw back out. “Alright?” I ask. “Did you see any thumbs going up?” she asks, wiggling her fingers at me. “No.” “And did you hear me stop?” “No.” “Then hurry up and face-fuck me already.” “Fuck - alright, alright! Impatient conduit!”

“Oh, so you’re fine to cast it with me, but not with him?” I chuckle. “Arlon is intimidating to cast with! You got lucky getting around it for your divination mastery,” he says. “You, though - you’re easy to debase.” I laugh and grab one of his pillows to chuck at his head. “Rude!”

“I can’t talk to Arlon about this.” Olbric catches my lips. “Dom, I went to Arlon my first month here after I lost a focus in me,” he says. “Your casting block has got nothing on that.”

“I can come back,” I offer. “No, it’s fine. So long as you’re not here to talk about committing potentially treasonous acts.” He sighs and waves me further in. I close the door behind me and can’t help but chuckle. “No, sir. No treason today.”

“You need to go easy on him tonight.” She locks eyes with me and adds, “Believe me, you’ll be grateful tomorrow.” My reply is cut off when Olbric tightens his grip on my throat. “I promise, I’ll only go as hard as Dom lets me,” Olbric says. “And with how hard Dom lets you go, that’s not reassuring!” Galiva calls back as she heads towards the stairs. “Go easy, both of you!”

Before I can even clean myself up, he drags me fully onto his bed, his arms wrapping around my waist. I pull my underthings from my mouth and toss them back at him. He dodges them easily even as he presses a kiss to my shoulders. “Are you going to miss me this week?” he purrs as he spoons up behind me. I stifle a yawn as I sink against him. “My ass won’t be able to forget you.”

“Aah. That’s right - Olbric mentioned that Arlon had collared you for the week. How does it feel being the Grandmaster’s bitch?” Ever since Cancassi decided to work towards an enchantment mastery, they’ve started saying shit like that to make me blush. Truth be told, they’re getting rather good at the humiliation aspect of it. I flush, and the heat of the baths does nothing to hide it. The Maeve laughs before they catch sight of the cage through the water. “Gods, and a chastity cage?” They tsk and sink back into the water. “I do not envy your week.”

“Do you remember how to stop around a gag, Dominai?” he asks. I look up at him as I say, “Thumbs out, sir.” “Good boy,” he says. “I’m going to give you one more distraction, but if you bite me, I’ll have Orabelle put the clothespins back on.”

“Ready for the last ones?” she asks. I glance down and see that there are still two rows of ten on either side of my chest. Then I notice the small string that’s been pinched under each pin, and Orabelle holds the string ends in her hand. Fuck all the way off with that. I whimper and shake my head. I war with myself - I don’t want to stop, but those pins scare the hell out of me. “Give me a second. Please, ma’am” I say, voice strained.

“Oh hell, I missed one,” Orabelle says, and I yelp as the last clothespin under my arm comes off. Relief washes the sting away. I bury my face against my arm and start to laugh even as tears leak from the corner of my eyes. It’s backwards, but it’s not the first time I’ve cracked up after evocation, and I doubt it’ll be the last. Arlon’s fingers are gentle as they stroke through my hair. “Are you alright, Dominai?” It’s an unstoppable, aching kind of laugh. It takes a moment, but I finally manage to get out one weak little word. “Ow.”

“Have you ever had an internal orgasm before?” I give a small, exhausted laugh and sink bonelessly against his chest. “No, sir. But you may have ruined regular ones for me.”

“I’m from the Crux,” I say and pull my spell necklace out from under my shirt. I regret not wearing my robes, but as nice as they are, they aren’t warm. “I have a message from Grandmaster Arlon for the Lord Chamberlain.” The guard smirks as he looks me over, creating a dimple on his cheek to match the one on his chin. “Give it here, thot. I’ll take it to her.”

“Yet another threat from the Cairish Shykh claiming I have corrupted his son. Every time a caravan passes by the desert, he sends an urgent missive to remind me.” “To be fair, sir. If they’re at the Crux, you probably have.” Arlon snorts. “No more than you, I’m sure.” At my questioning look, he says, “The Shykh’s son is Olbric.”

You... are truly beautiful in your submission, but the moment I got a good look at your face, I knew I’d gone too far with you.” It’s a bit of a jolt to realize that he’s right. It’s only as I start to come up that I feel how deep in it I was. I truly would have let him do anything. A shiver of unease rushes through me. “I kept thinking that I deserved it,” I say after a moment. “I... think I forgot I could stop.”

“And how’s your head?” “Haven’t had any complaints yet,” I say with a smirk and am rewarded with Arlon’s snort.

I try not to hurry out of his office, but this is the longest I’ve gone without talking to Olbric since he was nabbed by Diran. I make my way up to the evocation tower, hoping I can catch him. He’s not usually an early riser, so there’s a chance he might still be getting up. I’m just in time though - he’s about to close his door but stops when he sees me. “You’re free!” he crows, and I smile as I throw my arms around him. He catches me and gives me a spin even as his kiss steals my breath away.

“And I have this for you,” I say and hold out the opened letter for him. Olbric groans the second he sees it. “Goddammit, of course you do,” he says, snatching it from me with a sigh. His eyes skim the letter, and he makes a sound of disgust. “Blah blah blah, ‘corruption of my son’s eternal soul, God weeps at the magic you weave, the punishment for kidnapping is death.’ He’s gotten so dramatic.”

We follow a very different religion than you all have on this part of the continent and sex is... complicated.” “How so?” “So, it’s forbidden unless you’re married and definitely forbidden if you happen to have the same parts,” Olbric says. “I think the greatest insult to my father is the thought of me being fucked by a man. Joke’s on him though - even outside of casting, it’s my preference.”

Arlon said no casting, but he, ah, gave permission for you to keep me warm for him. His words.” Olbric turns to look at me slow, one dark eyebrow raising. “Oh, has he now?” A smirk spreads over his face. “How very generous of him.” Olbric’s hand slides up under my shirt, and I yelp and flinch away. “Why the fuck are your hands ice!”

I haven’t considered conjuration because I can’t go more than a couple of days in a cage before I get downright testy.” “You would, you addict,” I tease and am rewarded with Olbric tickling me until I shriek. “No! I take it back! Have mercy!”

I shudder and swallow what he gives me, realizing I like the taste of him better than I like Arlon. I decide to keep that fact to myself as I suck him clean.

Spell notes are turned in even when the spell is botched or when a stop is issued, and for most newcomers to the Crux, I see a number of stops in their first six months. Do you know how many I’ve seen with you?” Suddenly I understand where this is going. Even that one time with Olbric and the canes, he’d been the one to stop when he noticed I wasn’t enjoying it. I clear my throat. “None, sir.” “That’s right,” Arlon says. “And do you know what that says to me?” My grin is crooked. “That I’m a wizard who’s open to new experiences?”

“What keeps you from stopping?” he asks gently. My thoughts swirl even as the knot tightens. “I-I don’t know, sir.” Arlon hums, his gentle caress never stopping. “Then come on, sweet boy. We need to find out.”

The quiet words seem to open a hole in me. A realization fills the pit as I shout, “STOP!” Arlon immediately lets up. He gets off my hips and sits on the ground beside me before he pulls me against him, his arms wrapping protectively around me. “Thank you, Dom,” he says, lips murmuring against my shoulder. “Thank you for stopping.” The cuffs come off my wrists, and I can’t stop my eyes from spilling over as I bury my face against his neck. I cling to him, hiccuping over my words as I say, “I just don’t want to let you down.”

“Is that why you have a hard time stopping? You don’t want to disappoint your caster?”

So, as a final trial, once you can satisfy me with your mouth without gagging, I’ll take your cage off. Acceptable?” “Yes, sir,” I say even as a nagging thought comes up to bite me. “What happens if I can’t do it?”

No one warned me that being collared would tire me out mind, body, hole, and soul.

I shiver and try to decide if I’m still asleep. But the longer I kneel, the more my knees ache, so I must be awake. Coming to blindfolded, bound, and half in conspace is proving to be a bigger mindfuck than I could have imagined. And I get the feeling that’s exactly what Arlon intended.

“Gods, you’re even younger than I thought. I was an adult before you were even a twinkle in your father’s eye.” I scowl at that. “So what?” Arlon raises an eyebrow and says, “I usually have a rule against casting with anyone who’s less than half my age.

“Unlearning what we’ve been taught to expect from ourselves is no small task, but I can promise you that the work is worth it.” I draw in a deep breath and let it out. “I know. I’m... trying.” “That’s all I ask,” Arlon says. “But don’t do it for me or anyone else. Do it for yourself, Dom. You’re worth it.”

“Olbric, I don’t want you to collar me,” I say. “Everything I did with Arlon was for casting, but what we do together - it goes beyond that. I want to laugh with you, and spend time with you, and... be with you.” I can’t stop a small laugh. “You make me feel like no one else can. Seeing you only one day a week would be unbearable.”

“Are you asking me if I think it’s possible or if you can try it?” Allisande smiles sweetly. “I’m hoping the answer for both is yes.”

“He told me that you’ve never been able to collar him.” “Not for lack of want,” Arlon says through a sigh. “Olbric is so godsdamn beautiful it takes my breath away sometimes.” I chuckle at that.

Cast with Olbric and pay attention to the type of conduit he is. Learn what makes him tick when he’s in that position. Talk to him. Negotiations are important with collaring.

“Arlon truly has made you his bitch.” I kiss their cheek and say, “But right now he’s lent me out to be yours.

“What happened when you tried it?” Olbric gives a wry grin. “Learned I’m afraid of confined spaces and got a muscle cramp all at once. Was not my proudest moment.” “Really? You’re an abjurer and evoker. Being confined is what you do.” “At least let a man squirm!”

His enjoyment is obvious, and for an evoker like him, this amount of pain is probably just a warm up. Good thing this is just the warm up. After his back gets a good sprinkling of white, I grab the black candle. It’s got a good puddle of melted wax built up, and I hold it about a foot over Olbric before I drip it onto his shoulders. He gasps, arching off of the mat. “I tested these, and the black burns hotter,” I say. “No shit,” Olbric says and buries his face against his arm.

I pull his hair over his shoulder before pressing a kiss against his neck. My heart beats heavy in my chest. This is the part that scares me, but it’s like he reads my mind. He opens his eyes and smiles at me over his shoulder. “You won’t hurt me. I mean - you will, but I promise I’ll forgive you.”

“Can I touch you?” Alix gives a small laugh that sounds like gratitude. “Yes, you can.” I close my arms around him in a tight embrace. “Thank you. Seriously.” He sighs against my shoulder, and a bit of the tension leaks out of him. “You’re welcome. I’d monitor again if you’d like.” I draw back a bit to look at the shorter man. “You’re sure?” “Positive,” he says. “This was... good for me to watch from a safe place.”

“Was that an acceptable level of hurting?” Olbric pushes his hair behind his ear. “That was an exceptional level of hurting,” he says. “I feel warm all over.” “Maybe it’ll finally help those icicles you call hands.” “Rude.”

“Is there anything in particular you want out of collaring?” I ask. Olbric seems like he’s thought about this a lot. “I know myself well enough to know that I’m not going to be the obedient, demure kind of conduit,” he admits. “I know I’m going to be a challenge.”

Enchantment plays on our internalized shame and turns it into something productive.

“Spread your cheeks, piglet.” Ambra keeps her face against the pillow but reaches back to grab the mounds of her ass. She spreads them wide to let me see the pucker of her hole. And I have to admit - piglet’s a fine descriptor. She’s all cream and pink now, but I wonder how dirty I can get her.

“It’s been enlightening, but I’m ready for a break from corpimancy and the clinic. Today’s the first full day off I’ve had in weeks.” “How many holes you got in you?” Olbric teases. Galiva laughs. “None of your business!”

“Enjoy your tea first.” “Did the kitchens do all this?” Margeurite asks. “They were kind enough to provide the food and tea set,” Cancassi says, “But the tea is some I brought from home.” “It’s lovely,” Margeurite says, and I’m a bit jealous. Apparently tables don’t get to try Cancassi’s special tea.

“So what you’re saying is I’m mixing casting methods.” “Exactly,” Cancassi says. “Damn, I didn’t even notice.” Cancassi chuckles. “Neither did I until the last spell we tried. With how absorbed I’ve been studying enchantment, I thought I was skewing to that headspace automatically. Then I realized you weren’t helping me by praising my cock like you were.” “Well excuse me for being polite,” Olbric shoots back, and I let out a snort of a laugh that Galiva and Alix echo.

“He managed to charge all of them, and we’ve barely touched him.” “Intercourse and orgasm aren’t required for a spell to be successful,” Alix points out. “I’m living proof of that.” “No, I know,” Olbric says. “I am just... not that wizard. I have to orgasm if I want to charge more than two.” “We know,” Cancassi teases

Behind me, Olbric spreads my cheeks before I feel the familiar prod of his cock. I strain against the straps, but I can’t even push back. It’s enough to drive me mad. “Seems strange to fuck a table,” Olbric teases. “I swear to my gods and yours, Olbric.” “To do what?” he says slyly. “Doesn’t seem like you’re in much of a position to be making threats.” I whimper and wag my hips as much as I can. “Fucking hell Olbric, please.”

“You cannot leave the mat. No strikes to the head or neck. Try not to aim for testicles, though accidents do happen,” he says.