Chapter 1: Mother-in-Law Delight

Thanks to b0b for beta reading this!

Xerathalasia – Mount Peritito Caldera, The Island of Birds

“Oh, yes,” moaned Minx as she masturbated furiously, pumping four fingers in and out of her cunt. The halfling humped, oblivious to the words Angela read from the letter found on the dead gnome who attacked us with alchemy. Minx frigged her cunt because of a lust bomb, the spicy substance itching my nose and tingling my pussy and nipples. “Come fuck me, Xera. I’ll rub the cream on your clit, then you can ram that huge elf-dick into me.”

I ignored her, my hands prying at the hardened foam trapping my legs. The gnome had thrown sticky bombs at us. Thrak and Angela had hacked their way free, and Minx nimbleness allowed her to escape, but Sophia, Xandra, Faoril, Chaun, and myself were stuck. And it wasn’t a good place to be trapped. We were in the caldera of Mount Peritito on a constructed, stone bridge over a churning lava lake. Gases bleached from the glowing pool below, reeking of rotten eggs. My keen, elven senses were blunted by the odor, dense gas, and cacophony of orgiastic imps.

The imps had me as worried as the proclamation Angela found on the dead gnome. No, they had me more worried. So there was a price on my head and unscrupulous people would try to kill or capture me? That was the future. The present was far more threatening. The sex-obsessed imps—small, red, horned things constantly stroking their dicks, eager to fuck us to death—were in a damiana-fueled orgy. Eventually, they would snap out of it and turn their attention on us.

Worse, our magic users were depowered by another of the gnome’s alchemical concoctions.

“We need to be freed,” I said. “Before the imps recover.”

“No, you need to fuck me!” moaned Minx, her metallic-bronze face contorting in bliss. “Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me.”

“Yes, Angela,” Sophia called out, fear tinging her voice. The slim priestess’s white robes pulled tight against her legs by the foam. Her green eyes sparkled with fright. “I don’t want to be raped by the imps. I’m not Faoril.”

“Hey,” the mage gasped, her silver nose piercing almost entirely red in the magma’s glow. Her short, brown hair framed her indignant face. “I needed cum for my magic. It was just a coincidence I enjoyed the imp’s cock.”

“Not the time, ladies,” Chaun said, a hint of fear in the changeling’s voice. “I’m with Sophia on the no imp rape.”

Xandra—the young avian who married Chaun last night, much to the philandering changeling’s shock—nodded her head in agreement. “Chaun...” Fear stained her melodic voice, her bright-sapphire eyes gazing up at Chaun.

“We’ll be fine,” he reassured her, the cadence of his voice changing. The look he gave his avian wife was gentle. He reached out and brushed back a light-blue lock of her hair, his midnight-black skin stark against her pale flesh. The marriage may have been a shock to Chaun, but he harbored true feelings for the trembling girl.

“They’re right, Angela,” Thrak said. The swarthy orc gave the knight a comforting pat on the shoulder.

“Hurry, Thrak,” Faoril said. “I feel so naked without my magic.”

Thrak hefted his two-handed ax and walked with long strides down the bridge. Minx reached for him with her free hand, begging for Thrak’s “big, thick, amazing cock” to fuck her hard. The orc ignored her and swung his weapon. Hardened foam flew in all directions, and a crack raced toward my legs.

Movement caught my eye. I stared at the caldera wall above the tunnel which led back to the avian’s barrier and Black Glass Aerie. I stared at the black basalt. Did I see red? It was hard to tell through the rising fumes. My pointed ears twitched as I studied the rocks.

Lady Delilah

My heart hammered in my chest. The elf’s senses were far too sharp. I pressed my cheek against the volcanic rock and hunched my body down. How could I escape if the elf investigated? Above, the walls of the caldera sloped inward to a roughly circular opening. All the fumes bellowed out of it.

I would have to reveal my true form to fly up there. They would all see me. I couldn’t have that. I should have just killed Fredagest and damned the consequences. I probably could have controlled myself.

Probably.

I listened. My elvish form gave me keen senses. That’s ax thwunked over and over into the foam while Minx moaned and gasped, still gripped by the damiana. The imps howled and chittered as they fucked each other. Angela and her companions were worried. Without Faoril’s magic, they could be cut off by the imps from the tunnel.

I hoped that would temper Xera’s inquisitiveness.

“Saphique’s generous milk,” panted Sophia. “Can we go?”

“Please,” the sing-song voice of Xandra said.

“Xera,” Angela asked, “what are you looking at?”

“I thought I saw something.”

I tensed.

“Fuck me, Xera,” moaned Minx. “My pussy needs your elf-cock.”

“Is it important?” asked Angela. “The imps can stop fucking at any moment.”

“No, no,” the elf answered. “Just be ready.”

“I always am.”

I had never been so happy about degenerate imps lurking near me. Angela’s chainmail rattled as she led the way. Her and her companions’ boots and shoes thundered across the bridge and raced to the tunnel. Minx moaned the entire way, her fingers making wet squelches as she frigged her cunt.

Then they entered the tunnel.

I sighed in relief. It was dangerous getting this close to Angela. It wasn’t time to reveal myself. She didn’t have all the sword pieces yet. She was skilled. I could be comfortable in her handling the next threats. She had to be strong. So I should return to Shesax and learn what new mischief King Edward had embarked upon to hinder Angela.

My fingers flexed. The sounds of Angela and her companions dwindled. I transformed and flew towards the opening above.

Knight-Errant Angela – Black Glass Aerie, the Island of Birds

The barrier wavered and rippled before me, a wall of water trapping us inside the caldera. Xandra had used her shaman magics to control the water elemental that formed the barrier and let us through. A chill shuddered down my spine.

“Xandra, can you use your magic?” I asked.

“Oh, no,” she gasped, her voice echoing down the tunnel. “We’re stuck.”

The orgy of the imps echoed down the tunnels. They still fucked each other, but how long would that last? What would wear off first: the damiana or the antimagic compound? Minx still shuddered and gasped in Thrak’s arms. He held her small form easily despite her contortions and constant begging for his cock.

“No, there is someone on the other side of the barrier,” Xera said.

I peered at the rippling water. It distorted so much, but there did appear to be shadowy forms on the other side of the barrier. Hope surged in me. I waved my arms and shouted. Everyone else joined me, a chorus of “Help,” “Let us out,” and “Open the barrier” echoed down the tunnel.

I threw a look over my shoulder. I didn’t see any imps at the tunnel’s mouth. But they could come any moment. I felt so helpless. My sword couldn’t cut water. Thrak and I could hold off the imps for a while, but for how long?

Long enough for Xandra to regain her powers?

The water rippled and parted. A group of avians stood on the other side. I recognized two: Shaman Farsight, who forbade us entry last night, and Chief Flint, his hard eyes on us. The other two were male and female, middle years, the woman beautiful and delicate, with the same shade of sky-blue hair as Xandra. The man stood tall, though he was slim like all of his race, his eyes a bright sapphire and his hair crimson.

“Xani,” the pair said together in relief, their voices as singsong as Xandra’s.

Xandra squeaked out, “Hi.”

“Xandra Sky,” the elderly Farsight clucked, his skin paper-thin showing off the veins beneath his face as he scowled. “You were forbidden from allowing these outsiders to enter.”

Xandra stepped beside me, her head raised though she trembled. Chaun moved up behind her, his black hand resting on her pale shoulder. She spoke, her voice trembling, “I believed her to be the chosen one we have protected the piece of the sword for. She is the High King’s descendant and already possesses two other pieces of the sword.”

The elderly avian’s eyes narrowed. “And the opinion of a flightless woman should hold any weight?”

Xandra flinched. Avians possessed the ability to transform into a bird and fly. It was supposed to mark the transition between adolescence and adulthood. But Xandra couldn’t change. From what I gathered, she still had her adolescent name and had never been allowed to choose her adult name despite her age. As the prophecy said, she was the nameless shaman. And it was clear she found her heart in Chaun.

I never expected that to happen. But even the changeling appeared in love with his new mate. He had lost his heart and she had found it, as the Lesbius Oracle predicted.

“It doesn’t matter,” Xandra said. “She has the piece. Since I am no longer of Black Glass Aerie and have joined with my mate, I have not violated your commands because you have no authority over me.”

She trembled. Chaun squeezed her shoulder. She seemed to draw strength from him. Farsight let out a harrumphing snort, his jaw working. Had Xandra never stood up against his authority? It left the older shaman speechless.

“It is done,” Flint spoke. “The piece is hers. They have claimed it. We were never supposed to guard it forever.”

“The wind has willed it,” Farsight nodded. “The outsiders passed the test. They have achieved it. Xandra has served them well.”

I furrowed my brow. What was he doing? Trying to save himself more embarrassment by lying.

“Thank you, Shaman Farsight,” Xandra said.

“Xandra,” her mother said, a big smile on her face. “You have found such a strong mate, and I know you shall find honors with him that you can’t here.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

“I’m honored to be her mate, Madam,” Chaun said, his voice honey-smooth.

I gave him a look. His violet eyes had that charming, interesting look he got when he saw a beautiful woman. His ebony ears twitched above his silver hair. He couldn’t help himself. Color blossomed in his mother-in-law’s cheeks as he gave her that dazzling smile.

I hoped he wouldn’t get us in trouble. Avians were monogamous. Strictly so. And Chaun might be the first changeling to ever marry. His kind were birthed by the God Las, and they carried his lusts in their veins. Their powers let them assume the form of a woman’s lover or husband so they could seduce her and impregnate her.

And Chaun was skilled at seduction.

Beside me, Sophia let out a pleased sighed. I glanced at her and arched an eyebrow.v “Nothing,” she whispered.

“We had begun preparing the feast for you and Raincloud’s departure,” Xandra’s father said, “before we realized you had left.”

“For me?” Xandra said. “But I’m not leaving to go join another aerie like Raincloud is.”

“No, but you’re leaving with your mate. And that should be celebrated.” Her father nodded at her.

Xandra beamed.

I wasn’t so excited. I wanted to leave Black Glass Aerie and get back to the Golden Hunger. We had to sail south to Hargone and find our way to the Mirage Gardens in the Halani Desert. A feast sounded like it would take the day.

Bounty hunters pursued us. The reward Doge Aurelius placed on us staggered me. 5000 gold dupondius for each of us and another 10,000 for the pommel of the High King’s sword. Every sellsword, bounty hunter, mercenary, and adventurer would come after us for that.

Maybe even Captain Thyrna, the pirate who owned the Golden Hunger. She had smuggled us to the Island of Birds and agreed to sail us across the Nimborgoth as we pursued our quest. What if she found the prospect of so much gold to outweigh the treasure we had paid her?

Or maybe she would betray us. She was a pirate.

Chieftain Flint fell in beside me. “So ... what became of the two bounty hunters?”

“Two?” I asked.

“There was only one,” Sophia said. She leaned out to peer around me at the chieftain. “The gnome.”

“You did not see the red-haired elf?” The chief’s large eyes blinked. “I assure you, Shaman Farsight let in two.”

“No elf has red hair,” Xera said. “Our hair comes in various hues of green.”

“We saw that redheaded elf the day we met you,” Sophia said. “Remember.”

I nodded my head, remembering that day months ago. “Yes. She ran and led us right to you. If she hadn’t, we never would have rescued you from the basilisk.”

Xera frowned. “Yes, yes. I remember that. My hunters never located her. No one knew of a red-haired elf.”

“Strange,” I frowned. “And now another red-haired elf has appeared here.”

“What does that mean?” Sophia asked.

I glanced over my shoulder at the rippling barrier. “I don’t know. Whoever this elf is, I don’t think she’s getting out of there.”

I bit my lip. So much strange things had happened since I left Shesax. Someone hired the warlock Fireeyes to kill me. And that warlock had an amulet that was twin of the garnet pendant that I wore, a gift from Lady Delilah. But then Chaun was hired by Lady Delilah to aid me.

Why would she help Fireeyes then help me?

I pictured the flaming-haired woman, a knight like me. She was beautiful, my first girlhood crush. I could still remember perfectly the first time I saw her. She was riding up to my family’s manor on her horse, looking so beautiful and strong and glamorous. At that moment, I wanted to be a Knight Deute, too.

Could Lady Delilah be the elf... ?

No, that was ridiculous. Lady Delilah was as human as Sophia, Faoril, or me. It was impossible for her to change forms.

Chaun

My fingers danced on the lyre as I sang with Xandra. She sat beside me on her knees, her voice providing a beautiful counter harmony to my melody. She had never heard the song and yet created a complimentary, and complex, melody on the spot.

The musical talents of the avians were astounding. All my years of training at the College of Az to do what her race naturally did. They only lacked my ability to manipulate with song, to influence emotions, to enthrall and terrify, to inspire true grief or burning lust. The final magics of a bard.

She was a wonderful girl.

I glanced at her. She shone with the the white aura of a married woman, a beacon that shone to any changeling. We were drawn to married women most, to seduce and impregnate them. When I looked at any woman, the image of their lover or spouse would rise in my mind. I could assume the form, mimic him, and then seduce her. It was how my kind bred. Only in a married woman would my seed find fertile soil.

And only if I appeared as her husband.

When I looked at Xandra, my own form rose in my mind. I was the man she loved and was married to. When I made love to her, I cuckolded myself. I could feel it. It was amazing, remarkable. I think I was falling in love with her.

But I loved someone else. It tore my heart. Princess Adelaide, my married lover, was out there. I yearned for her as much as Xandra. I was banished from her husband’s court after I was caught in her bed. At the time, I wore the form of her husband, so she was able to feign innocent.

I fled with a bounty on my head and my reputation as a bard ruined. I lost my princess. I should forget her, but it was hard. Golden-locks, bountiful breasts. The opposite of slim, petite Xandra in every way.

I tore my eyes from Xandra and looked out at the dancing avians. The feast was underway, the aerie full of songs, dancing, and food. In the air, avians transformed into birds wheeled and soared, creating complex dances impossible on the ground.

And everywhere I looked was a married woman. Their auras all shone so bright, showing their commitment. I had never seen like it. Human women were rarely monogamous, even if they vowed to be when they married. Some husbands had no fear of their women straying, but others, like Prince Kivnar, were jealous and possessive.

But here, no woman strayed. They embraced monogamy.

My dick ached. I had to violate a marriage. I had to seduce a woman into infidelity even if she didn’t know she broke her vows. I yearned to transform into an avian and cuckold. And my eyes kept falling on the beautiful Shathil.

Xandra’s mother.

My cock raged in my pants, pressing against my codpiece. I wanted her. My mother-in-law. It would be the most delicious seduction. She was Xandra matured into Princess Adelaide’s beauty. Round breasts, curvy hips, and flashing, ruby eyes. There was a sensuous twist to those lips. And only one man had kissed them.

I wanted to be the second.

The song ended and those listening clapped. I set my lyre down and took a quick bow. Xandra gave me a questioning look as I stretched. I needed to slip away. “Just need to relieve myself,” I told her and gave her a kiss.

“Oh, yes, hurry back,” she said.

Xandra was clingy. I didn’t mind. It was wonderful to be around her. She was nubile in bed, eager to learn everything I could teach her. I loved how she smelled, how she kissed, how she felt sitting next to me.

But I couldn’t seduce her mother if she wouldn’t give me a moment’s space.

Sophia stood, smoothing her white robes before walking to join me. I frowned at the acolyte. She usually avoided me. She was the only woman in the group that didn’t throw herself at me. I could see it in her eyes—she was attracted to me, if ever so slightly, and that annoyed the lesbian. She was sworn to Saphique, vowed to never touch a man sexually, and she took that seriously.

“Yes?” I asked.

“You keep staring at Xandra’s mother with interest.”

I tensed. “And?”

“Are you looking to enjoy a married avian?”

“You are reading too much into simple glances,” I laughed. “I am just being polite. She is, after all, my mother-in-law.”

“And very beautiful.” A grin crossed her lips. “Like her daughter. Just delicious.”

“Maybe it’s you that is looking too much at Shathil.”

“I’ve been looking at Xandra.”

I paused, peering at her. “Do you want to sleep with my wife?”

Her grin was impish, her green eyes sparkling. “It would keep her away from you. I notice how ... close she’s been. I keep your wife busy, and you can have your vulgar fun with the mother. Everyone wins.”

“And do you think you’re going to continue a relationship with Xandra?”

“Hopefully.”

“I get to watch if you do.”

Sophia worked her lips, some of the excitement fading from her eyes. “Fine. She is your wife. But no joining in. You want a threesome with Xandra, you’ll have to find someone else.”

“It’s a deal,” I nodded.

“Good.” Sophia let out a squeal and then gave me a brief hug. She turned and rushed back to Xandra, her robes flapping about her legs, suddenly so girlish.

I paused to watch Sophia fall to her knees beside Xandra and whisper in my wife’s ear. Xandra’s sapphire eyes found mine. They were so large and round on her face, making her appear even more innocent. She licked her lips and nodded. She stood, smoothing her colorful skirt, and let Sophia lead her off to one of the caves.

I grinned. It was time to seduce my mother-in-law. I slipped into an unused cave, stole a loincloth not unlike the one Thunderhead, my father-in-law, wore. I changed. My body flowed, growing lighter as my bones hollowed. I slimmed, my skin growing pale, my hair turning crimson.

Acolyte Sophia

Xandra gave me a questioning look as I yanked closed the curtains. The avians lived in caves and used curtains to give themselves privacy. Xandra sat on her bed, a bower made of soft animal skins. She had her hands folded before her. So submissive while her large eyes stared up at me.

“What do you need to talk to me about?”

“Chaun asked me to speak to you about what traveling will be like,” I said. “We’ll be leaving tomorrow, and you’re going to be in for a shock, I think.”

“Oh? I can sleep outdoors. And I spend a lot of time climbing, so I am in good shape. I will not slow the party down.”

I flopped down beside her and rested my left hand on her knee. She was so warm. I caressed her, brushing the hem of her skirt. It covered most of her thigh, which was a pity. She glanced down but didn’t say anything.

“That’s not what he’s worried about. Avians are a ... prudish race.”

“Prudish?” She blinked. “What do you mean? I ... I did everything Chaun wanted. I sucked his cock and let him lick my pussy. I’ll do anything in bed to please him.” Her cheeks had such a rosy blush to them. “I enjoyed it all so much. Even his cum.”

I did not need to hear that.

“We’ll be moving through human lands. And humans are, well, far more openly sexual. You’re going to see things.”

“Oh.”

“I’m Angela’s lover. You know that?”

She nodded. “Isn’t it ... strange to make love to a woman? It doesn’t seem right.”

“Oh, it is very right,” I purred, letting my hand slide up her thigh a little higher, my fingers dipping beneath the hem of her skirt. I savored the warm feel of her silky leg. “Trust me. It is a beautiful thing.”

“Okay,” she said, shifting.

“But I also make love to Faoril and Xera. Well, Xera when she doesn’t have her cock.”

“Make love...” Her eyes widened. “You and Angela are not ... mates?”

“No. Women can’t marry.” I shook my head at the mirth of it. “But we’re lovers. We’re committed. But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy others outside of our relationships.”

Her eyes widened. I would have to go so slow with her.

“Angela ... cheats on you.”

“Not cheats. I am okay with her enjoying Chaun or Thrak or any other man or woman she wants. Sometimes we enjoy our lovers together.”