71 Results in the "A Weave of Ambition" category
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Chapter
Chapter 28 – A Friendly Wager
"A bath will do you good," said Lady Celestine, leading Valentina through the steam-filled corridors of the exclusive bathhouse. Granite pillars rose from the hazy clouds and the splashing of water echoed from the vaulted ceilings. "After such an exhausting day at the hospital, you need some relaxation." A servant hurried over and helped them take off their robes. Valentina was grateful for the steam that hid her embarrassment. Despite the increasingly revealing evenings in the duke's inner circle, this…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 57 – Obsession
Valentina watched uncertainly as Faustus tried to regain his composure. His hands were still shaking slightly as he wiped the tears from his face. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I don't know what... that was just... very intense." "Oh, that's delicious," Vyxara purred. "He's apologizing to you because he got emotional, not because he just took you brutally." Valentina ignored the demon and handed Faustus a cloth from the small table next to the bed. "Was it the first time you... lived out such a…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Prologue – The Return
Adeline tried to press Thomas' little face against her shoulder while she hid behind her father's broad back. The two-year-old was restless, whimpering softly and trying to squirm out of her embrace. She could feel his warm breath on her neck as he murmured "Val, Val", which where his favorite word for weeks, ever since her big sister had sent the letter. The wealthy yeoman Aldred Brentwood stood like a looming mountain on the courtyard outside their house. His massive figure was made even more imposing…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 38 – A Perfect Memory
After her last time with the duke for the time being, Valentina couldn't sleep, she still felt far too agitated. She slipped into a silk night robe and slipped out into the palace garden. The moon was high in the sky, its silvery light making the artfully trimmed hedges look like frozen ripples in Essence. "A wonderful night for one last walk," Vyxara murmured in her head. "Though I have to admit, his way of saying goodbye was... interesting." "He really made an effort," whispered Valentina as she…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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The next few days were a heyday for rumors and all the gossips in town were having the time of their lives. Valentina sat silently in the corner of the Burning Quill, sipping her ale as she amplified the hastily whispered conversations around her with her Essence Listening. "I swear by the flame of the Martyr," a market woman hissed to her neighbor, "my brother-in-law saw him. In Golden Fields! The young Boarfend galloped right past his cart, his hair wild in the wind." "It's so fascinating to watch…
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Chapter
Chapter 19 – The Duchess
Valentina stood outside the duchess's chambers, her palms damp with nervousness. She had chosen a simple, dark green dress that was elegant enough for an audience, but again deliberately not in the duke's colors. "Remember," Vyxara whispered, "she's a pragmatic woman. No excuses, no apologies." Lady Beatrice, the duchess's lady-in-waiting, opened the door. The honey-blonde woman eyed Valentina with cool professionalism and led her through an elegantly furnished anteroom. The walls were covered in…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 48 – Winter’s Grip
Icy sleet drove the students into the buildings, where they huddled around fireplaces and stoves, freezing. "Appropriate weather for these gloomy times," Vyxara murmured in Valentina's mind. Valentina pulled her coat tighter around her as she hurried through the cold corridors. Everywhere, students huddled in small groups, seeking warmth in the community. Their muffled conversations echoed off the stone walls. "Did you hear that?" a student whispered to her friend. "Twenty people died of the fever in…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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The first servants were already preparing the palace gardens for the celebration. Valentina watched from her balcony as they set up wooden tables on the lawns and strung garlands between the trees. The rising sun made the complex Essence patterns that impacted the fountain sparkle with color. Master Lucian worked to intensify the patterns in the garden, his hands moving in precisely through the air. The roses in the flower beds seemed to bloom even more intensely, their colors became deeper, their scent…
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424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 58 – Fading Illusions
She sat astride him, his manhood deep inside her, her hands braced on his chest, and when she looked down into his face, she still caught herself thinking about how her life had actually come to this point. "Say it," Faustus gasped beneath her. His hands gripped her hips, pulling her deeper onto him. "Say you're sorry." Valentina bit her lip and tried to concentrate on her role. The scent ofviolets mingled with the smell of sex and sweat as she moved up and down on him. "I'm... I'm sorry," she said, her…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 1 – Home Again
Valentina woke to the creaking of the wooden floorboards beneath the bare feet of her sisters, who were already getting ready. The mattress she had shared with Adeline when Cecily had lived here felt strangely familiar and softer than her hard bed in Bridgewater, but also more confining. "Ah, back in the bosom of the family," Vyxara mocked in her head. "In the rather narrow bosom of the family, if you'll forgive me for saying so. Now I understand better why you were so relieved to finally have a room to…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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