Page 197 of Kneel Before Me

“You cannot truly believe that.”

“She knows our father has put pressure on you. She has sympathy for your plight.”

The concept was so ludicrous that Caspen almost laughed. “I require no sympathy. From her or anyone else. It is you who was begging, Brother.”

“I am not afraid to ask for what I want.”

“Clearly.”

“I am not afraid of you either.”

Caspen sighed, turning to face him. “Is it perhaps enough, Brother?”

Darkness passed over Apollo’s face. He stepped closer. “It will be enough when I become king.”

Caspen scoffed.

Apollo could not become king; it was not an option. Of all the Drakon siblings, he was by far the least suited to rule. He was impulsive and irrational, self-centered at best, narcissistic at worst.

“You will never be king as long as I live.”

Apollo’s eyes hardened. Knowing him, he would take it as a challenge. But Caspen had far bigger concerns than the vindictiveness of his brother. He carried an enormous responsibility on his shoulders; he could not let his quiver down. He could not let himself down.

Before Apollo could reply, Caspen left him. He had barely made it halfway around the courtyard when Harmony blocked his path.

“Caspenon,” she said. “Shall we discuss what happened?”

There was no point in discussing anything with Harmony. There was nothing to discuss. Caspen thought of Kronos—how he had forfeited the entire challenge in order to remain faithful to Daphne. Harmony could not even sit on Caspen’s cock in a timely manner in order to give him a chance at winning the Ranking. There were never any consequences for her insolence. Perhaps there should be.

Harmony stepped closer, pressing her warm body against his. “Do you not wish to fuck me again?”

“No,” Caspen said simply. He walked away without another word.

Immediately, Harmony entered his mind. What is the meaning of this, Caspenon?

He did not answer.

You won the challenge. You should be proud.

Caspen almost laughed. He was anything but proud. He had only won the challenge because Harmony had deigned to mount him at the last possible second. If she had made a different decision, she would be hounding Apollo right now instead of him.

And you should be ashamed.

Why?

You are a woman without a conscience.

You like me without one.

I used to.

Before Harmony could reply, he slammed the corridor between them shut. Caspen was done with pain for the night. Now he sought only pleasure.

He slid his cock into pussy after pussy, unrelenting, thrusting only once or twice before sliding inside another. Harmony’s rage pressed insistently against the edges of his mind. Caspen did not care; he was no longer playing her game. With each woman he fucked, he only felt lighter and lighter. He sought freedom in his conquests. If Harmony wanted to play him against his brother, he would remove himself as her pawn.

Sometime before dawn, a commotion occurred at the other end of the courtyard. A small group of basilisks was forming a circle—all male—with a female kneeling in the middle. Caspen recognized the formation; the circle was a classic basilisk activity, one he had participated in many times before. Caspen considered joining this one, if only to spite Harmony further. It was not until he got closer to the circle that he saw who was kneeling in the center.

Daphne.