Chapter 21: I promise I won't hurt you

'Disappointed... yes... that's how I feel.' Tristan pondered as he made an effort to ignore the memories of the night before. The intimacy he had with Selkie wasn't as exciting as he had thought. He felt nothing other than a surge in strength; it was just a meaningless repeat of empty physical pleasure that only lasted till it was finished. No matter how many passionate partners he had in the past, it seemed as though there was an emptiness inside him that could never be filled. Whether there was a problem with him was something he couldn't help but think deeply about.

He had barely slept, tossing and turning all night, trying to understand why he couldn't feel anything. It wasn't like he didn't find Selkie attractive; he did. But something was missing, something he couldn't put his finger on.

He frequently caught sight of his victims drifting off with a contented expression on their faces, and he always wondered, 'is this why I want to keep them with that stunning expression forever embellished in death?' He was gazing at Selkie as his fingers were steepled in reflection. With Kryonix, it almost went the same way, and it was only because of her rapid reaction to his movement that she managed to escape. 'Is it unreasonable to want them to be serene and fascinating forever in the hearts of those who loved them so much?'

Selkie's arms wrap around his waist and pulled him back down as he attempted to stand up from the bed. She pressed her naked body into his, purring, "where do you think you're headed?"

'The farther away from you, the better.' He had intended to reply.

Instead, Tristan attempted to wriggle free, but Selkie's hold was too tight, and he would have to use a portion of his strength to succeed. He attempted to sound casual, saying, "I have to get ready for the next task."

Selkie grumbled. She ran her hands down his chest and continued, "but I haven't even had my breakfast yet."

'Then get off your lazy ass, call in some of your servants or something, and have one, you spoiled brat! I'm not an item on the menu.' His lips formed a narrow line as he deadpanned while fighting against the urge to immediately freeze her limbs. Since he still didn't know how well Neriah or Selkie's abilities worked, he forced himself to maintain his composure instead of engaging in conflict. Plus, it could worsen the situation.

"How about we try another position?" Selkie said into Tristan's ear as her hands slipped into his boxer shorts and encircled his cock while stroking him.

Tristan shoved her aside as his muscles stiffened. He gathered his belongings and walked out the door saying, "thanks for the reward, it was a pleasurable dick ride."

As she observed him leave, Selkie's eyes glowed with rage. "You're going to regret this," she mumbled to herself.

*****

Tristan made his way to the starting point for the next task, where he found the other participants already gathered.

When they spotted Tristan coming, Reed mocked him, "it must have been a good fuck you had going on for hours... even with my build, I could only go past two rounds." Hearing those remarks said aloud brought a few chuckles from the others.

'They witnessed that?' The idea of actually conversing casually with his rivals caused Tristan to ponder in silence and furrowed his brows.

Reed chuckled once again and continued, "you should try having multiple orgasms instead of focusing solely on getting hard fast enough to satisfy the princess." A chuckle could be heard once more. While some of them appeared to be really amused, others came off as uneasy and distant. In any case, Tristan was prompted to reflect on it.

"I'm rather shocked that you noticed, but I'm also amused that you could praise my charms. Did your bitch feel that way? Or perhaps you would rather be dominated than take the initiative? Tristan didn't hesitate to respond sarcastically.

He knew he should have held his tongue for just a moment like he had when Reed started, but he couldn't help it. His quick wit had gotten him into trouble more times than he could count while he was imprisoned.

Just that comment made others look his way, and Reed's face started to flush more, making him cough nervously. Tristan's abrupt outburst left the other participants uncertain of how to respond, so they exchanged glances. While some appeared amused, others felt uneasy or irritated.

'You fucking idiots! If we didn't have the 'no-kill except necessary' rule, more than just your self-esteem would be damaged.' Tristan mentally corrected himself as he gave Reed a cold, hard look.

But before anyone could answer, the task's tall, dark-haired host—a man with piercing blue eyes—stepped forward.

The host ignored Tristan's comment and announced, "Welcome, participants, to the next task called the 'Frostfall Frenzy'. Today's task will put your strength, agility, and intellect to the test. Within twelve hours, you must navigate your way through an arctic maze. You won't be by yourself in the maze, though. In the darkness, there will be creatures and sirens attempting to entice you astray. If you want to succeed, you must remain concentrated and avoid their seductive appeals; otherwise, you will be a victim of your wild fantasies."

'Having sex with a siren while the clock is running is one way to be stupid.' Everyone grew pale at the host's suggestion, but Tristan smiled to himself. Because he had already learned his lesson from the previous instance, he specifically intended to avoid indulging. In addition, he had his doubts about Neriah's willingness to take part given her role as empress of Nereid; only then would he be willing to join in the foolishness.

Tristan was left alone as the other participants dashed into the cold pathways without any consideration of a plan or a desire to work in a team. He was hesitant about his next move for a brief period. In the distance, he could faintly hear the songs of the sirens, which were luring him in and tempting him to approach. In an effort to gather his thoughts, he shook his head and chose the only path left–the middle route.

Slam!

Any attempt to avoid the task was thwarted when the large ice-shaped door closed behind him.

'Oh... kay? Given that death is waiting on both ends, it is absurd to think that anyone would desire to return.' He mused mockingly and turned to face his path once more.

The maze was a maze in the truest sense of the word. It was a labyrinth of icy walls, with twists and turns at every corner. Tristan couldn't see more than a few feet in front of him, and the only sound he could hear was the crunching of snow beneath his boots. He wondered how anyone could navigate through such a maze, let alone do it within twelve hours.

As he made his way deeper into the maze, Tristan started to feel a chill in his bones. The icy walls seemed to be closing in on him, and the air was growing colder by the minute. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself and pressed on.

Tristan didn't have to wait long before hearing the first sounds associated with the sirens. He was drawn to them by their voices since they were so enchanting and seductive. His heart began to race, and he realized he needed to maintain his concentration if he was going to escape their trap.

After rounding a bend, he was met by a siren. She had long, flowing hair and eyes that glittered like diamonds, making her much more attractive than he had anticipated. He was drawn in by the sweetness and softness of her voice, which was like honey.

Tristan took a step back because he knew he had to fight the impulse to approach and carve up that gorgeous face from her head.

"Come closer, don't you want any of this?" she muttered while holding out a hand to him. She looked Tristan in the eyes, her hands grabbing hold of her large, scantily clad breasts and fondling them with an ecstatic expression, filling his ears with her horrendous moans.

'I'm sorry, but I would want those juicy fish parts fed to my wolves, I'm sure they would really love those succulent bits if only they were with me. So… does this make me look more serious in my resolve to say no?' Tristan pondered whether his focus on her cleavage gave her the wrong perspective because he could see her grinning gleefully.

To collect his thoughts, he shook his head. However difficult it was, he knew he had to maintain his distance. His determination was weakening by the second, he could feel it.

She muttered, "please," again, her voice getting insistent.

"As much as this is a free zone where I could kill you if I needed to, I'm not ready to soil my hands just yet, and these sleek clothes I was given shouldn't have a pattern just yet." Tristan took another step back, and the siren's face stiffened in rage. Her eyes blazed a vivid blue as she screeched like a banshee, her screaming reverberating throughout the maze.

Tristan cursed his blunder. He should have used more caution when speaking. He could sense his urge to fend off a threat, but her voice inviting him to approach wasn't helping. He clenched his teeth and took another step back, battling the desire to do so.

"Come, Tristan, don't be afraid," the siren called after realizing her mistake, her voice as sweet as honey. "I promise I won't hurt you."

Tristan chuckled bitterly. That was a line he'd heard before. He knew better than to believe what the siren said. He took another step back, mockingly saluting her and saying, "Goodbye!"

Tristan began to sense footsteps above him. He looked up, attempting to find the source of the disturbance, but he couldn't see anything beyond the maze walls.

'Is it a beast? No, it's too agile, and its weight would have crushed the section of the maze it's on. Is it a siren? No, they are only here to entice us if we want to indulge. One of those idiots? No way would they attack me knowing the consequences and the eventual purpose of the task.' Tristan argued in his head, his eyes searching for any hints that may help him locate the intruder.

The footsteps became more audible, and Tristan realized that someone was sprinting along the tops of the walls, swiftly and efficiently.

Tristan's uneasiness intensified as he walked. The footsteps were growing closer, and he had a sense that whoever was up there wasn't one of the other participants. He froze as the footsteps came to a halt. Tactfully creating and hiding in his sleeves, an ice dagger in preparation for a confrontation.

*****

A/N

¶ What do you think he's about to confront?

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