59 Results in the "A Thread of Corruption" category
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Chapter
Chapter 23 – Climbing a Tower
The Tower immediately spun around and his hand shot to his belt, where a knife hung. The speed with which he moved was frightening for a man of his size. For a heartbeat, he stood there, tense as a bowstring and ready to strike. Then she could see from his amazingly expressive eyebrows that he was making one realization after another about what he was seeing. A small woman. Alone. In a cloak, her hood still covering her face. His hand relaxed. He straightened up, and his expression changed from…-
459.3 K • Ongoing
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The sunlight seeping through the curtains gently awakened Valentina from a deep, dreamless sleep. She stretched slowly under the sheets, and a pleasant tingling sensation ran through her muscles. There was still a pleasant heaviness in her limbs. A smile stole across her lips before she could stop it. "Good morning, little Weaver," Vyxara purred in her head. "No regrets?" "Not a trace," Valentina thought back, rolling onto her side. Her body felt pleasantly exhausted, as if she had spent a whole…
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459.3 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 57 – Old Enemies
It took about an hour for Faustus to return. There was a soft knock on the front door a few times. Valentina stood up, went to the front door, and pressed her ear against the wood. "It's me," said Faustus' muffled voice from outside. She opened the door, let him in, looked around again, and then locked it. Faustus looked even more exhausted than before, which she would hardly have thought even possible. He was carrying a bundle under his arm. "Your things from his bedroom," he said, setting the…-
459.3 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 4 – Heart of the Realm
On the morning of the opening of Parliament, the Greystone townhouse had been bustling with activity since dawn. Valentina stood in her slip in front of the large mirror while two maids bustled around her, helping her get ready. "Arms a little higher, milady," murmured the older of the two, a wiry woman named Margaret, as she pulled the heavy court dress over Valentina's head. The fabric was a muted blue-grey with silver embroidery and rustled like water as it draped around her body. "Don't lace it…-
459.3 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 15 – Violent Desires
They arrived at the tournament field slightly late. Duke Cosimo and Lorenzo were already present when they took their seats in the noble gallery. The duke was a few rows ahead, engaged in an intense conversation with the gruesome Duke of Mirkshire and several other lords. Lorenzo was with a group of young nobles his age, who were lively discussing the upcoming fights. As the women sat down, they exchanged brief glances with the men. Cosimo nodded to his wife and gave Valentina a fleeting smile that.…-
459.3 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 26 – What Are We
They sank onto the bed, Innogen on her back, Valentina on top of her, their bodies entwining into a tangle of limbs and kisses. Valentina slid her hand lower, stroking the blonde triangle between Innogen's legs and playing tenderly with the soft hair. Innogen gasped softly, a stifled sound that made Valentina laugh, a quiet, joyful laugh that drowned in a kiss. Her fingers slid deeper, circling the sensitive bud, feeling the wetness that gathered invitingly below there. Innogen arched her back as…-
459.3 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 58 – Breaks
When Valentina woke up, Innogen had already propped herself up in bed with pillows behind her back and was repeatedly flexing the fingers of her left hand. The swelling had already gone down significantly, but her skin was still covered in multicolored bruises. "Does it still hurt a lot?" Valentina asked cautiously. "It should actually be better by now." "It just aches a little still. And my fingers feel like I borrowed them from someone else." Innogen let her hand drop. Her eyes were still red, but…-
459.3 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 27 – Fallen Woman
A week later, Valentina sat in the large parliamentary structure on the palace grounds, squeezed between the duchess and Lady Beatrice in the rows reserved for the magnates' companions. High wooden beams supported the linen roofs, which softened the bright summer light into a warm glow, and cooling Essence patterns ensured that the heat remained bearable. Nevertheless, there was a strong smell of sweat and perfume from the spectators. Today, there was no debate on the agenda, but rather petitions and…-
459.3 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 17 – Tournament Finale
The sun was already high in the sky when the Greystone carriage came to a halt in front of the tournament grounds, and the air was filled with the smell of roasted meat, sweat, horses and the excited anticipation of thousands of people. "Finally, the last day," sighed Duchess Rosalind as they stepped out of the carriage and made their way through the crowd toward the grandstand. "Oh, I think it's a shame it's already over," said Beatrice. "But I can't wait to see who triumphs in the final. The last…-
459.3 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 7 – Entanglement
There. There she was. On the other side of the gathering, partially hidden behind a wooden pillar, stood Innogen. She wore a deep sapphire blue dress that made her golden hair shine. It was artfully pinned up, with small pearls glistening in it like dewdrops. She stood with two other young ladies, a Montfort and a Farnsworth, Valentina thought, and nodded politely to their conversation. But the tension in her shoulders gave her away. The way her fingers played with the fabric of her dress. It was…-
459.3 K • Ongoing
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