Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
“We killed Mercy,” Fenn pointed out.
“To what gain?” the man asked. “I still don’t know the point of that except to agitate a slew of Dellish against us.”
Fenn at first had no response, and Tedrey knew why this was as well.
Mercy’s death was Fenn’s plan.
And if it carried on seeming as it seemed, faulty, it would be Fenn who would have to answer for it.
They couldn’t possibly recruit more followers through assassinations and subsequent executions.
At least, not in Wodell.
Now, in Firenze…
“Mercy’s death was meant to further destabilize that regime,” Fenn muttered, not sounding as keen about that strategy as he once was.
“And instead, our agent was found out, Wilmer has stepped down, and we were counting on him to pave our way with his incompetent rule. Thus, in the end, what we’ve done is put a strong, beloved leader on the throne,” the man pointed out.
“Again, that was unforeseen,” Fenn returned through his teeth.
“A good deal has been unforeseen, Fenn,” the priest retorted. “Too much. Those who follow us will begin to think we’ve no idea what we’re doing. And frankly, I don’t blame them.”
The two men scowled at each other, but Fenn did not deign to reply to the soldier’s last comment.
“I’m on record,” the man repeated.
“So noted,” Fenn sighed.
More scowling was shared before the priest sent them both a dismissive glance, turned and stomped out of the room.
Fenn sighed again.
Tedrey weighed his next words before he stated quietly, “He is not wrong to be angry.”
Fenn’s, “I know,” came out on a resigned breath.
“Mars returns, Lorenz shared that with me,” Tedrey told him something he’d already shared. “He should be home in but weeks. He’s likely already on his way.”
“Yes,” Fenn murmured.
“We need cohesion, Fenn,” Tedrey urged, ever attempting to appear loyal to the cause, but in truth, wishing to delay further offenses in the hopes of saving lives. “Our operations are in disarray. Perhaps a summit? The generals amassing to come to an agreement on a plan that can be carefully crafted before its carried forward?”
He kept his gaze keen on Fenn. His hope, in bringing up what he would say next, Fenn might share some things that Tedrey was not privy to, he dropped his voice and carried on.
“At the very least we need time to allay what are sure to be the fears of our followers, not to mention, recruit more. We’ve lost a good deal. I know not how many we have, but the loss in the attack on Catrame Palace alone numbered at least a hundred. I have heard murmurings about how those losses meant others in Firenze abandoned the cause. And that was before all that happened in Wodell.”
Fenn said nothing for long moments before he replied, “I must send birds. And I must think on what I’ll say in those birds.”
He was not going to share how many followers had been recruited across the realms.
Tedrey felt but hid the frustration that nagged inside him.
Fenn’s eyes were still on the door the priest had closed behind him.
He turned them to Tedrey.
“You may suckle me before you go back to your Trusted,” he declared, saying this like he was bestowing an honor on Tedrey.
This, most of all, took much from Tedrey.
He had no desire to even touch Fenn, much less do that to him.
And this was worse, for the moment Fenn had seen the scars Seph had left on Tedrey, he had not returned the favor of release, further sealing Tedrey’s understanding that he had decided irretrievably wrongly in his chosen one.
He thought Tedrey’s fixation with him was such that he would accept crumbs, when Tedrey had learned that the giving and receiving of true affection was akin to being offered an entire, multi-layered cake.
However, he managed to arrange his face in a semblance of passion that Fenn did not see through before Fenn pushed his chair back and Tedrey took his knees between the man’s legs.
As Fenn liked, Tedrey himself parted Fenn’s robes and exposed his hardened shaft, dipping his head to hide his distaste for it.
He then began to take care of that unpleasant business.
He hoped Fenn would not read his hurry as he performed his task. But he needed to get this done.
He had things to report.
As much as it seemed a desecration, a betrayal, regardless of the fact that Faunus had demanded he do thus, he closed his eyes and thought of Faunus as he did this, for he needed to think of his warrior in order to be able to fake any kind of enjoyment in the duty.
When he was finished, he hid his gag as he swallowed and allowed Fenn to stroke his hair and then his cheek as Tedrey released his cock and looked up at him.
“Such a pity,” Fenn murmured as he stared down at Tedrey.
Tedrey stiffened.