After a long and tiring week, I wandered toward my bedroom in a daze, only to find Era and Lavendu arguing in the hall.

  Once she saw me, Era pushed Lavendu aside and hopped up to me. “Jethro, Li and I need you tonight. We barely ever get any time with you,” she said, eyes wide with pleading desperation.

  Lavendu scoffed, a deep frustration shadowing her usually cheerful face. “We haven’t fucked all week, Master. My body literally aches without you,” she said, her voice shaking as she clung to my shirt.

  “You shouldn’t neglect your pets, Master.” Vio's sultry voice whispered, her embrace tight and possessive. “You know how much it hurts when you ignore us.”

  “It's not fair,” Li compined, her voice strained with jealousy as she bounced out of her room. “You spend every night with them and all day with Saoirse. When is it our turn?”

  “But we’ve just been sleeping,” Lavendu interrupted, nudging Era aside with her elbow. “My pussy needs you, Master. Please, fuck me.”

  “No! Fuck me!” Era said, squeezing herself against me.

  “Fuck me, Master,” Li said leaning over the others.

  “Who’s it going to be?” Vio whispered.

  “Ladies please,” I said. “I’d love nothing more than to fuck each and every one of you right now, but I am exhausted. Saoirse and I are doing important work.”

  They all whined and compined over each other.

  “Alright!” I shouted. “Here’s how it’s going to be. Tonight I’ll sleep with Li and Era—just sleep and cuddle. Then I’ll take the day after tomorrow off and fuck you all until you can't see straight. How’s that sound?”

  “Oh alright,” Era said, pouting up at me.

  Lavendu crossed her arms.

  “I can hardly wait,” Vio said, licking my ear.

  “In the meantime,” I continued, “I have orders for you. My bed is far too small for seven. Tomorrow, work together to set up a bed rge enough for all of us—actually, even bigger. It should fit over a dozen comfortably. And make sure it’s soft and luxurious.”

  “But that would barely fit in your room,” Li said.

  “Then put it in your room.”

  “Our room?”

  “Yes, you’re part of my harem now, aren’t you? If we’re all going to be sharing a room it might as well be the biggest and nicest one. We can keep my old room and Brinna’s avaible for whenever someone wants to sleep alone. Understood?”

  “Yes, Master,” they all said in unison.

  I felt guilty for being curt with them. I really had been neglecting them. Some of them I still barely knew. I’d make it up to them—but not tonight. I was far too exhausted; all I wanted was to y my head down on a soft pillow.

  Fortunately, I found just that in Li and Era’s bed. As suspected, their sheets were silky soft and their mattress was the perfect bance between firm and yielding. The warm air smelled faintly of chamomile.

  I let Li and Era kiss and stroke me with their hands as I dozed off. Li rubbed my cock while Era massaged my balls. I fell asleep as soon as I came, nestled comfortably between their warm bosoms.

  ***

  The next day I told Saoirse we had to take it easy. We patrolled the Lonrach, but didn’t encounter any of the enshrouded. My excitement grew as the day rolled on. Tomorrow would be my first time with all my thralls at once. I wished Meliss? was awake, but that day would come. I’d just have to do my best to enjoy myself in the meantime.

  ***

  When I awoke I walked to the window. It was barely dawn, but I was so excited I couldn’t sleep any longer. It was hard to believe I was about to spend the day pying with six of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. And they were all mine, my thralls, my harem.

  I gazed into the deep blue morning with an irrepressible grin. Something green caught my eye. It was Meliss?’s wavy hair, she sat alone in the empty market. She was awake—suddenly, the perfect day felt within reach.

  I grabbed a colr, hurried down the stairs, and dashed out onto the cobbles.

  “Jethro!” Meliss? called, her eyes lifting up as she ran to me. She jumped into my arms.

  I took a deep breath and sighed, savoring the lemony scent of her hair—simply refreshing.

  “I’m so gd you’re awake,” I said. “How do you feel?”

  “I feel great actually,” she said as she looked up at me, her rge green eyes glistening. “Astrid told me you saved me? Not only from a troll, but also the shroud itself?”

  “We got lucky,” I said with a shrug.

  “Don’t be modest now, Jethro,” she said, giving me a kiss. “You’re my hero.”

  She looked at the colr in my hand. “What’s that?”

  “So,” I said, “I’ve been busy while you slept. I’ve built up a little harem and was hoping you’d like to join.” I offered her the colr, it had a simple leaf engraved on it, along with the usual knot of submission.

  She raised her eyebrows. “A harem? How long was I out?”

  “I think it’s been about ten days.”

  “Ten days! And you already have a harem! How can that be? You can’t even flirt!”

  “It seems the women of Itán are starved for dominant men such as myself.”

  “Dominant? You?” Meliss? ughed.

  I wrapped my fingers around her neck and squeezed.

  She took a sharp breath, giving me a surprised smile. She drew her hands to mine, but didn’t try to pry them off.

  “I see,” she said with a gasp after I loosened my grip. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you. So, who else is in this harem?”

  “Vio,” I replied.

  Meliss?’s eyes softened, her face suddenly vulnerable.

  “She was so moved by the fact that I rescued you, she devoted herself to me before we even met.”

  “Vio,” she whispered.

  A frisky smile appeared on her face. “Well I guess I can’t resist you and Vio.” She gently pulled my hand off her neck. “I’ll join your harem, but only under one condition.” She hopped back, her bee-like wings unfolding. “You have to catch me!”

  And she was off, wings buzzing as she flew into the woods.

  ***

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