Trinket (Reverse Harem)

Murder-Dragon: SUMMONED!

Ormiss did not seem amused at having the vast apartments full of warm bodies. Well, technically, Ethat was outside in the twilight garden inspecting the plants.

"I believed you would require apartments this large because you would bring me many children," Ormiss said, tone dry, "and not many cocks to compete with."

I tried not to smile.

"Don't discount your wish for children yet," Assund said from where he lounged on a couch, dressed in some hippocamp attire, which looked absurdly good on him. He had his head up on the arm of the couch, one arm dangling lazily off the side, with just the hippocamp skirt twisted about his hips and thighs, all his scars and muscle on carless no-fucks-given display. "There is still room for plenty of youngsters to be underfoot."

Itek said, "So this is what it will be like with all of us in one space."

Hard to tell from his tone how he felt about that. If I had to guess: less than enthusiastic. My stomach knotted and unknotted. Once Korr was better, he could hopefully help negotiate something with the Queen and something with Ormiss. I had my consorts out of the dungeon, but frying pan and fire and all that.

I touched the three thick scars on my cheek. The restless boredom in the quarters were almost as thick.

The doors to the apartment shuddered.

Asund and Itek instantly tensed, but Ormiss just rolled his eyes towards the sound. The doors shuddered again, then fell open as the guards outside the door collapsed uselessly under the pressure of some more guards wearing different, darker colors and between them was another hippocamp male with long, dark hair and pale eyes of some ocean-like shade, and wearing a mixture of shades of blue.

Asund and Itek rolled to their feet.

"We're sorry, Lord-Regent," the guards at the door panted as they stumbled through. That's when I noticed they were wearing some purple and reddish-purple accents on their necklaces and skirts and such, while the others were wearing pale blues. I should have noticed that before.

Idiot. Why hadn't I noticed something so obvious before? It would have saved me a lot of grief with Piama.

Ormiss held up a hand to silence the guards from babbling and got to his feet, albeit slowly. "Cousin, what are you doing barging into my apartments with a dozen guards?"

Just how many cousins did this guy have? And were they all salty horse-fish? Must run in the family.

"Why are they out of the dungeon?!" the other hippocamp demanded, pointing at Assund and Itek. He was a little paler than Ormiss, with bluish-blonde hair and pinkish patches across his shoulders, and his hair arranged in a tangle of intricate braids and pinned with delicate bits of coral. Reminded me instantly of the Queen.

Despite his attire, there was also nothing about this particular horse-fish that made me think he wasn't trouble. There were pale cuts and scars on his body, and it looked like something tried to take a few bites out of him at some point, and deep welts cut into his side that made me instantly think of a squid's tentacles. I glanced at Asund, who had a look on his face like this guy is trouble.

Sir Trouble-Horse-Fish told Ormiss, "The Queen is furious."

Ormiss sighed tolerantly, but magic crackled over his fingers. "You mean your mother? Tell her she can be furious at me. I don't need you coming in here like her guard-pus, unless you happen to be trying to do me a favor warning me of the obvious."

Oh it was one of these cousins. One of the brothers to the lost princess, and probably king, except Ormiss was now the better candidate for the job.