Mage And Wolf
Chapter 140

Chapter 140: Chapter 140

I wake up, not in the beanbag chair I’m getting used to, and not from meditation. I guess I actually fell asleep. It was bound to happen eventually, meditation doesn’t quite replace one hundred percent of your sleep needs.

It’s warm here, and heavy. Oh, Karl is holding me, and his skin is warm against my back. I shift a bit, getting my head into a more comfortable position and notice that I am definitely not in my pajamas. I’m in a very sheer black silk nightie and Karl is in just his pajama bottoms.

How did we even end up in this position? Last thing I remember is getting undressed when we got to the room, then nothing. I feel great though. Better than great. Did I break through again? Yes, twice as a matter of fact. I made Condensation 10 in my sleep, take that puny Mortal cultivators.

Shifting to check my condition makes another condition very obvious. Karl’s sleeping body does not at all object to our closeness, I can feel him through his silk trousers against my core. I suppose I could just... No, wait until he’s at least awake. What is up with me today?

That’s when I notice the smell of arousal. I’m in heat. The once a year affliction of all adult female Lycans. I hope I have ingredients for the pill to stop it early, or this is going to be an awkward morning.

I’m doing my very best not to jump Karl’s bone when he finally wakes up.

"You’re wiggly this morning. Didn’t have enough fun yesterday?" He mumbles, sleep in his voice.

No, no I didn’t. At least not enough of the kind of fun I need right now. Inventory, inventory, nope not a single bit of wolfsbane in my storage rings. I thought I had something?

"Seriously, what’s up? You don’t look alright." Karl says now awake. "Oh, but we broke though last night. In our sleep? That’s practically unheard of."

This closeness isn’t helping, plus, Karl is pretty good looking to start with, and that body. Now, that thought isn’t helping the situation.

"I seem to be in a bit of a predicament" I admit to Karl, who pulls me close into a hug, trying to ease my tension but having an opposite effect this time.

I wrap my legs around him and wriggle a bit, making him groan. "You see, I might have gone into heat and forgotten the wolfsbane pills somewhere."

Karl removes one hand from my back to slap his forehead, realizing what predicament I’m in.

"Will you even be able to cook tonight?" he asks

"Yes, if we can take care of things thoroughly, it shouldn’t be an issue to be up and about tonight." I assure him. It won’t be easy, the usual is a wolfsbane pill an hour for two days if you’re not going to take care of the heat the traditional way for ten or twelve hours a day. Something most Lycan males, humans either I suppose, simply don’t have the stamina for.

"Care to try this dual cultivation technique I know?" Karl grins. That might be the cheesiest pickup line ever, but today it’s going to work.

We’re barely in time to get showered and dressed and run down to the kitchens to start cooking. The entire staff is there concerned and waiting for me to arrive.

"Sorry everyone, lost track of time cultivating" I tell them. "But don’t worry, we’ve still got plenty of time." I am just in my High Priestess robes, they were the quickest thing to put on properly in my wardrobe. I’ll have to change later for dinner.

"Karl, you did make something to wear for tonight’s dinner, right?" I ask hopeful that I won’t have to pick something.

"Don’t worry, I’ve got something for dinner and then something for the reception afterwards. It’s noted as Royal Court formal attire as the dress code."

It’s a good thing he’s on this, I missed that vital bit of information.

Dinner is easy, Crispy Duck with all the trimmings and a hot and sour soup. We’ll be finishing it off with mooncakes as I’m told they’re traditional to this festival. I’ve got 8 different flavors listed in the mystic cooking book, so Elder Song must like them too.

The outfit Karl picked for dinner is questionable at best. A short red corset dress with black lace and fishnet stockings. Paired with black and red, lace cuffed ankle boots and a short black leather coat.

"You’re sure this is suitable for dinner?" I ask him, suspicious.

"It makes me want to eat you." He shrugs. "Now get out there or you’ll be late."

They’re looking at me like I should be on the menu. But the conversation is all on business and the arrangement they’ve just secured. Sect Master Qin got the head position of the alliance like he wanted, and a few others got amendments that helped their Sects.

After the meal is more chatting and flirting before its time to go change for the final reception. Bit of a shame I missed the second day of the festival, but no regrets on my part.

"Alright Karl, what have you got for me that screams Suitable For The Royal Court?" I ask when I return to our room.

This dress is amazing. It took the three female assistants half an hour to get me ready though. It’s 5 layers thick, all silk. Starting at the base layer with black, then gold, purple, red, then white on top with red and gold embroidery. Each layer a few centimeters shorter than the last, and folded more openly at the waist and collar, save for the black and gold base layers, so all are clearly visible.

There’s a thin black and gold split cloak at the back, starting under the large purple and gold mantle and collar, but they’ve tucked it up under my arms and stitched it draped over my sleeves. The outfit finishes with a gold silk waistband and some hidden stitches to hold all those complex layers in their proper place, plus a black Jade necklace and golden hairpiece that Karl created.

I look like an Empress, and the outfit is just as impractical. Even with soft soled silk slippers on, my range of movement is seriously hindered.

"Keep your hands folded in front of you, or extended, it will keep things from shifting before I enchant them." Karl insists, coming in once I’m dressed.

He drapes lengths of gold chains with red and purple Jade balls from my waist over the cloak on my sleeves and more hanging down at the front of my dress beside a red tassel trimmed in real gold Dragon ornaments. Then he gets to enchanting.

No longer does it feel like half my body weight in silk draped over me, it feels like an extension of me. I can move the dangling ornaments and cloak wrapped around and over my arms with a thought, and know they’ll stay in place now, even if I move my arms freely.

"One last thing and we’re ready to go" he informs me. There’s more to this? I’m not sure you can add more without it beginning to look tacky. It’s the perfect blend of luxurious silk and decoration right now.

He holds a spell scroll to my necklace and chants for a minute or so. I can feel divine energy pour over the outfit and into the necklace as he does. That’s something I’m sure even Elder Song hasn’t seen.

"Done. It’s blessed like your robes, so you can make it appear and disappear at will. You can also create an illusion of black and white ethereal Dragons circling around yourself, both courtesy of the totem at the cathedral."

"You gained an ability when you broke through while we slept?" I ask shocked.

"I did. I’m surprised you didn’t, but perhaps it wants to grant you something at a higher power level than Divine Vestments"

I take a step and realize I’m not actually touching the ground. "Karl, was that you? I seem to be floating"

"It’s an effect of the vestments spell. You will levitate a few inches from the ground to keep them clean, though they are self cleaning. Don’t worry about traction, I think it will hold you in place as you desire."

"The perfect assassins clothes, you know, if you couldn’t see them from miles away" I joke.

"I’d have created something more your style, but there’s only two new options. This or a male version. The rest of the options are the Priestess Robes we already know."

The ones Karl got are a bit more simple. The same folded across the front robes basic style, but in black under red with white robes worn loose as a coat and a small golden headband. The long tassel at the Golden waistband is white trimmed in gold and there is gold embroidery with red Jade ornaments on gold chains around his neck and waist.

"The only odd bit about this spell is that it doesn’t displace clothes worn under it, so you can’t be dressed first and you’ll need to switch to your formal robes when you change out of it, unless you’re undressing entirely."

"Ancient version of the spell maybe?" I ask "But they are lovely, for the rare instance we need to actually look like royalty"