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The Best Lesson

Chapter 72

After hearing Connell's story, Etienne was glad to see Judith and Connell getting along again. Judith took him aside and spoke to him for a long time, and when they returned to the fire, Connell was back to his jovial self. Etienne was relieved, and not wanting to destroy this newly found peace, he didn't pry or inquire.

They spent the next three days in the ruins, waiting for the demigoddesses to return Reed. Etienne was starting to get worried: could a male have sex for three days straight and survive? Too much of a good thing could be a bad thing. He said so around the fire one evening and Judith laughed.

"Don't you ever sleep?" Etienne asked Judith.

It was dusk, and campfires glowed against the falling darkness throughout the ruin. Most of Kutre's clan had long ago returned to their burrows hidden deep in the forest, but Seretse, her son, and a few others remained. If not for Etienne's sake. Seretse said she was afraid to leave Etienne and his company alone in the forest. Being so near the busy capital, the forest was home to many bandits and thieves, and while Etienne's escort was very capable, Seretse still felt it her duty to look after them, for Etienne was a child of First Light.

Etienne thanked Seretse, but he knew better: Seretse only lingered because she wanted Kesuk. She cast him several longing looks as she sat around a separate fire with her clan, but Kesuk ignored her and never met her gaze, and Etienne knew he was trying to avoid starting something that could only end in disappointment and pain.

"I don't sleep, actually," Judith admitted. "I only pretend."

Etienne glanced at her uncertainly. "What? Why?" He poked the fire with a stick and glanced at the others. Crawley, Connell, and Kesuk were all sleeping on the ground. The foxes had offered them blankets, and they stretched across them near the fire. Crawley was snoring on his back, Kesuk was on his side, and Connell was on his belly with his cheek on his arm, moaning softly as he dreamt.

"I don't need to sleep," Judith said. "Does water sleep?"

"What?" Etienne frowned. "Speakie plainie for five seconds."

Judith was sitting beside Etienne with her chin on her fists, her long veil of black hair falling smooth over her eyes. Her messenger bag was on the ground near her foot, and one of her father's journals poked from it.

"When I gave myself to Ti'uu," Judith explained patiently, "I lost the need to sleep. I pretend so that others are not disturbed by the fact."

". . . Ah." So that meant she had heard him and Brooke that night. Oh god. "So . . . Giving yourself to Ti'uu . . ." he said to change the subject. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Yes," Judith said calmly. "Ti'uu taught me many things about cock."

Etienne stared at her. "You realize I was joking, right?"

"Yes."

Etienne stared again. "Don't tell me you fucked Ti'uu. He's like . . ." Etienne stared into the distance. "My father-in-law. Or something."

Judith laughed softly. "I couldn't have slept with him in person. I am mortal. I have no magic. Just to stand in his presence would kill me."

"So . . . I'm afraid to ask but . . . how did he . . .? I mean, what does giving yourself to a god _entail_exactly? This is weird."

Judith smiled. "I offered myself in his service, to be his servant and move where he could not move: among the dogs. I became his eyes and ears -- literally. What I see, he sees. What I hear . . . he hears."

"How long has this been going for you?" Etienne wondered in amazement.

"When I was sixteen, I walked naked into the forest," Judith said, and Etienne's brows went up. "A male fox met me under the trees, in the sunlight. He bent me over a tree stump and fucked me until I screamed," she said matter-o-factly.

Etienne coughed awkwardly.

"In my face, between my tits, in my pussy, and in my ass," she went on calmly and seemed unaware of Etienne's growing discomfort. Her chin was still on her fists, and Etienne thought she sounded almost dreamy. "I sucked his heavy sack. I slobbered his dick until it choked me, and he came down my throat --"

"J-Judith!"

Judith fell silent and turned her face to Etienne. He could practically feel her struggling to understand why he was so horrified.

"Your majesty . . ." Judith began uncertainly. "Have you not done these same things to Brooke? To Azrian? I also sat on his massive cock, until I felt it stabbing my womb --"

"Ah!" Etienne cried and pushed a paw back through his mane. "Judith, stop for god's sake. You're like a sister to me."

Judith slowly smiled. "Really, your majesty?"

Etienne poked the fire again. "Yeah. So . . . cut it out." He shivered in disgust.

Judith laughed and turned her face to the fire. "You are like a sister to me as well, your majesty."

Etienne smiled. "Funny."

They sat in happy silence for a moment before Etienne spoke again.

"So . . . what was the point? You just wandered into the forest and screwed some random fox, and that made you Ti'uu's servant?"

"The fox was possessed by Ti'uu. He is like most of the gods: he has an insatiable hunger for mortal flesh. When he lusts for me, I give myself over to his will. And the surrender . . . is so sweet."

"So those foxes you were with the other night . . ."

"Possessed by my god."

"And . . . aha," Etienne laughed weakly. "Connell was okay with this?"

"Yes, actually," Judith said calmly. "Albert told me he loved me, that he had loved me for years and had suffered because I never noticed him. And all he wanted was to be with me and protect me the rest of my life. He agreed that the next time Ti'uu wanted me, he would let himself be possessed."

". . . Ah. And he'll be fully conscious during the whole thing?"

"Correct. But not in control. He will enjoy it. I know in his old age he has problems with erectile dysfunction. Ti'uu will make him hard and strong for hours --"

"Alright," Etienne said over her.

Judith laughed softly.

"I'm happy for him, though," Etienne said sincerely. "He's had a hard life. He deserves to be happy. Even for a moment."

"Not for a moment. He has asked me to marry him."

"Wow. What did you say? You said yes?"

"Yes."

"And I get to come to the wedding, right? We could have it at Wychowl. Or Howlester, if you prefer --"

"Your majesty . . . listen carefully to me," Judith said, and Etienne paused to hear the grim tone in her voice. "Great Ti'uu showed me something in the water as I was bathing this morning. I've been meaning to tell you all day."

"I'm listening."

"When we arrive at Wychowl, you will be attacked by a black creature. A fox with --"

"Wings?" Etienne sighed.

Judith paused. "Yes. How did you know?"

Etienne glowered as he thought of the mural under Howlester. "I had a feeling. So is he gonna kill me? What can I expect? You're telling me this because I won't live to see your wedding, right?"

"I don't know if you'll live or die, only that he'll attack you. And you must be prepared. Ti'uu gifted you with magic for a reason. You know Hellene is god-touched like Azrian. You know she was sent to kill her."

"Yes."

"So that's two demigods you may have to fight. You should have been prepared long before now," she scolded.

"I've been reading Fassil's journals," Etienne said sheepishly. "Magic is too complicated. Maybe I'll just get a rifle and blow Hellene away. She'd deserve it."

Judith shook her head disapprovingly.

"What?" Etienne demanded irritably.

"How do you know what she deserves?" Judith softly scolded.

Etienne scowled. "I _know_Hellene. I've known her all my life. I know what she is capable of."

"Do you? Mogethis did unspeakable things to your subjects, and yet you showed her mercy not once but twice."

"And now she's dead," Etienne said grimly.

"You didn't kill her," Judith said reassuringly.

Etienne shook his head. "It sure feels like I did."

Judith touched his shoulder, and he looked at her with flat ears. "It is not for you to save everyone. There are some who can not be saved. There are others who must save themselves. You will be king of Varimore, but everything should not rest on your shoulders alone. Mogethis is responsible for herself. And so is Hellene."

"She's a _danger_to Azrian," Etienne said resolutely. "If she's at Wychowl when I arrive, I'll banish her, send her packing back to Curith with the threat that she will never return on pain of death. It will cause tension between Curith and Varimore, but open warfare is a risk I'm willing to take. And I think Donica had Azrian thrown in a cell, in which case I might send her packing to Curith with her tart niece."

"But you'd need a feasible reason, your majesty. The public won't take lightly to you defending a fox against the queen. In fact, they'll be angry."

"I'll send Donica away because she killed my father."

Judith gasped.

"Is that _feasible_enough?" Etienne said bitterly to the fire.

Judith didn't have a chance to respond. A shadow passed over the moon, and one of the foxes at the other fires shouted. Judith lifted her face to the sky, and Etienne followed her gaze. The silhouettes of the demigoddesses circled low, and between them, a third silhouette hung like a rag doll.

"Finally," Judith breathed.

"What did they do to him?" Etienne wondered in amazement. "Is he moving?"

The foxes fell to their knees and touched their foreheads to the dirt as the winged vixens landed lightly in the swirling dust. Their manes fluttered about them from the beat of their wings, and hanging between them was Reed, sagging on his knees as they clutched his arms. His mane was in his face, his pants were undone, his penis was hanging out, and his breastplate was hanging half-off. He lifted his wobbling head and his eyes were bleary, hooded, and content. His tongue was hanging out. The sleeve of his jacked was torn. And his pants were stained. His sword and scabbard had been clumsily fastened on and looked like they were going to fall off. The vixens let him drop like a used kercheif, and he fell on his face in a cloud of dust. They heard his happy moan as he wheezed into the earth.

"Holy shit," Etienne heard Connell whisper. He glanced over to see the other males had come awake. Crawley was sitting up with his mouth hanging open. Kesuk was lying on his blanket and had gone completely still as he watched what was happening. Connell slowly sat up, his eyes fixed in amazement on the tattered heap that was Reed.

He should be fully functional,_said the vixens in unison, _in a few days' time.

Judith sank to her knees before them. "Thank you, Most High Ones."

Etienne held back a laugh. It was Reed who should have been thanking them.

The vixens were turning away when Etienne leapt from his seat. "Wait!" he called, running over to them. They watched as he fell to his knees before them, and they smiled in slow unison.

Shall we teach you the ways of lovemaking as well, Child of First Light?

Etienne smiled sheepishly. "Could you . . . teach me to fight?"