sovereign_of_wrath

Sovereign of Wrath Ch184: Flying by Zarenna

I went looking for Paladin Warren first, reasoning both that he’d be up earlier, and that I’d have more difficulty finding him. On the first count, I was right.

On the second count…

Shyll told me where to find him, unprompted, before I’d even had a chance to ask anyone else. Apparently the lust demon disguised as a lupael had been acting as a personal maid for the Paladin—and observing him. In the process of said observations, I came to know a fair bit more than I needed...

Scales & Shadows Ch59: Out of Light

I’ve never had the temperament to truly understand betrayal. Only to know its pain.

—Jii’Hssen Ssyii Ssyri’Jiilits

Huddled together, we floated with arms and tails held together against a frigid void. A pressure mounted, a presence I knew all too well loomed, and then…

A light.

And another.

Ssiina and Kyrae mumbled, and familiar glowing sigils blinked to life in the darkness. Protection, warmth, focus, and more. Dissolving a...

Sovereign of Wrath Interlude: Monster

A/N: Volume 1 (updated) and 2 pdfs will go up this coming week. I was hoping to have more time to edit them, but I'd want to do more than I should, especially for volume 1, and I don't want to go down the rewriting rabbit hole (I also just can't seem to find the time).

Mordwell had been furious. Their attack on Astrye had failed; the ritual would be slowed. Deliverance couldn’t remember a time when her master had shown more emotion—or another time when h...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch183: Whichever Came First

Seyari woke up mid-way through the long night, and I looked up from the farming ledger I was going over at a table across the room. Behind it sat a stack of notices; sitting prominently on top was the notice of Nadya’s death.

She’d died fighting for her city, and I felt callous for sorrow being overtaken by concern over who would take her place—and if they would cooperate with me. Her role had been unofficial, but important—a liaison I desperately needed as I grew into ...

Scales & Shadows Ch58: Crossed Tails pt. 2

The moment my aunt looked at me, the entire room seemed to shrink down until it was only me and her, bound up in coils of emptiness. I felt myself shaking, remembering that night on the Jii’Hssen’s private terrace.

“Issa,” Hssen Zaiia hissed my name, voice saccharine in a way that made my stomach twist and the shadows roil. “It is good that you are returned to us, unfortunate and preventable as your awful childhood was. Would that you had only been discovered whilst living in ...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch182: New Tricks

“Don’t forget my book.”

I glanced over at Sey, who was getting dressed despite the setting sun casting long shadows across our room. “Won’t that take extra time?”

My wife rolled her eyes. “You’ll need to stop by the Gelles Company to ask after what they’ve said and to whom anyway.”

“Fair. I suppose I should inform the duchess we’ll leave at first light, then take a flight around the city and outlying farms.”

“You should. I’ll also need to ...

Scales & Shadows Ch57: Crossed Tails pt. 1

A/N: A sneks n sneks chapter? Yep! It's been absolutely kicking my butt, but it's finally taking shape. This scene, that is. I'm not intending there to be more than 2 parts to this chapter, but my guess is 3-4 chapters for this big scene as we move toward the end of V2 (short volume!)

“Do nobles ever have parties just to have fun?”

—Uru Farlight

Sire was announced first, and s...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch181: Cottage Fantasy

It took me all of a minute to realize I had no idea where my wife was, and a few moments more to decide to risk scaring one of the people running around the place. Some were servants, but we’d not done much to set that up yet; hiring was supposed to happen en masse when I returned.

All the death and food loss made me think we’d need to postpone. Perhaps until spring, as Sey and I could get by easily enough on our own until then.

After scaring someone only a little, I found whe...

Sovereign of Wrath Interlude: Shooting Star pt. 4

A/N: Hi all! last post of the year! I was hoping to get the next S&S chapter finished, but it's a monster and repeatedly stymieing me. Expect it nebulously next week sometime, around the next SoW post. 

In the next few weeks, I'll be putting together proofed V1 and V2 pdfs and epubs (and clean ones with only title and author name at the start and no page numbers), though the latter will have minimal QoL formatting as I am ...

2023-12-31 04:13:40 +0000 UTC View Post

Sovereign of Wrath Ch180: Post Script

The demon whom Nelys had been fighting was the last of the greater demons involved with the assault. No Lorelei. Mordwell wasn’t directly involved either, but that was no surprise. I learned all this on the walk back through the city, aided by my friends and… citizens (that was still going to take some getting used to) alike.

I’d been forced into a bath the moment I’d stepped a bloody foot into the castle. Still unable to relax my mind even as my body heated and seeming...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch179: Sunrise

Blood had spattered across Kartania’s amulet, dulling its shine. More had spilled down the front of Countess Elstein’s meticulously-tailored dress, the torn and battered garment now sticky and heavy. When I’d crashed through the wall, the amulet had gone with me, and even now it was somehow still attached to the chain, its clasp mangled together. Wiping at it, I stood up and shook my head.

Going through the wall had definitely hurt, and the half-demolished chimney I saw in the hol...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch178: Hole in the Wall

Seyari felt the castle shake. Without hesitation, she changed course toward it and sped up, wishing her wings could open in the cramped hallway.

This is bad. We’ve been compromised.

Already, she’d passed several corpses; faces that she’d begun to grow familiar with.

Seyari was relatively certain there’d been no spy—at least none who could report easily. But this kind of quiet efficiency spoke of either Envy or Lust demons, and Seyari didn’t think Lillith...

Scales & Shadows Ch56: Prelude to a Dance

A/N: I finished it by the end of the weekend in my time zone! Quarter to midnight!

The next two weeks passed with agonizing slowness, as we were confined strictly to routine. The tutors we were given over to, loyals of our sire and the Jii’Hssen, were strict and harried. While Phaeliisthia’s lessons were often obtuse, overlong, or staggeringly difficult, nothing could have prepared me for the sheer exhaustion of mind and body through rote repetition.

Sovereign of Wrath Ch177: Marvelous

A/N: Hiiiii! Sorry for the sudden hiatus. FlitterPuff and I got an apartment at what seemed like mach speed and a pretty normal week ended in a big move. Add a busy work week into that and I haven't had as much time to write as I'd hoped. Still, I should have posted a status update, but by the time I thought of that, the chapter was nearly done. Then it got mostly rewritten... Regardless! We're back, and expect an S&S chapter this weekend and another chapter of e...

2023-12-16 04:07:11 +0000 UTC View Post

Scales & Shadows Ch55: Sundial

For one strange, incomparable evening, we were a family without station. Word spread, certainly, and Ynna ended the evening out of food far before the crowd dispersed, but we were together and I didn’t care if people came for us or the food.

With help from Sire and Dyni, I managed to slip the crowd and leave for the back of Ynna’s shop. I found her in the overgrown garden, staring at a large lump of vines where the sundial used to be. She turned as I reached the doorway.

Her s...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch176: Flare in the Night

I flew so fast that the air felt thick against me, and the bubble of wind I’d created heated of its own accord. Astrye at night looked peaceful, almost cozy. From within nearby trees, I could see the lights of new watchtowers, and the castle had a scaffold near the hole I’d punched in its outer wall.

Duchess Kapel had grown colder over the remarkably short flight, but Paladin Warren hadn’t stopped his ministrations, head firmly tilted away from the terrain rushing by.

Sovereign of Wrath Interlude: Shooting Star pt. 3

Kartania glanced up at the sky just in time to see a crimson comet streaking across the sky low and to the west. It’s the same color as Zarenna’s fire, she thought wistfully.

A warm hand on her shoulder urged her forward wordlessly, and Kartania continued across the Academy of Dhias’s courtyard. Around her were training equipment; acolytes out training despite the night’s chill; aged, well-trimmed trees; and familiar stone walls topped with familiar engraved crenellatio...

Scales & Shadows Interlude 7: An Evening's Read

Ussen Ysta Ssyt’s life had taken an impossible twist. She’d come to Uzh in the hopes of meeting the Guardian’s students, of brushing shoulders with knowledge she could use to arm herself. She’d thought her efforts to play the factions within her family off each other would have afforded her a reprieve, would have made any attempts against her on distant, neutral, holy ground not worth the effort. She’d thought her bodyguards and friends would have been enough.

Sovereign of Wrath Interlude: Shooting Star pt. 2

“What are you thinking about?” Inva asked, standing up from getting the evening’s fire going. “And you still look cold. Should I get a blanket from the cart?”

“No, I’m fine,” Sonia said slowly, even though the bases of her horns were cold enough to give her a headache. “I’m thinking about Gedon. About the Ordian Civil War. Back in Cavenze, the war had been so far away, even though I was just a kid.”

Inva plopped down next to Sonia and tossed the other woman�...

Scales & Shadows Ch54: Royally Served

My plan had a fatal flaw. Something that all my life experience couldn’t have prepared me for—could have prepared none of us for: waiting busy tables. Ssiina and me, specifically, as Kyrae’s sharp mind went to work putting everything together as the go-between of cook and waitstaff.

Ynna only had a few things she made, but remembering them all, and then remembering how much someone had, and who had what, and then getting called over and talked to or yelled at by other customers…...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch175: Shooting Star

Dignity didn’t get considered. Decorum couldn’t get a word in edgewise. I scooped Paladin Warren up into a princess carry and darted with him out into the hallway.

“Close your eyes and hold your breath. I’ve been told it helps.”

Before he could respond, I dashed for the source of the smoke. The smell was all around us, coming from multiple fires.

“B-ballroom!” Paladin Warren coughed.

I turned quickly, stockinged feet skidding on carpet until my claws tore...

Scales & Shadows Ch53: Around Again

A/N: Wow sorry for the hiatus! Life and writer's block hit me hard, and I was struggling to find mental energy and motivation to write S&S. This story's a lot more involved, and often harder than SoW, which isn't an excuse, but it does make it draining from time to time. Regardless, here's a chapter finally, and I am working on the next one to be out on time. And more importantly, I am enjoying writing S&S again.

The market around us buzzed with acti...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch174: Smoke

“Duchess Kapel!” Paladin Warren was the first to react, turning from me to dash toward the duchess.

Duke Reynard moved next, catching her arm just as Duchess Kapel fell to her knees, pale and shaking. Her eyes were wide, staring past and through me, and her mouth moved soundlessly.

Paladin Warren swept an arm at the crowd. “Give her space!” Holy magic radiated from his hands, and he ran them along her forehead and her abdomen, almost touching her russet dress.

Duke R...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch173: Winter Ball pt.2

Seyari had taught me basic spellwork, Tren had expanded upon that with theory, and Seyari had returned with practical application. Even Tania had given me a few pointers. Lilly as well, while never having given me a formal lesson, had taught me the application of magic in combat.

All that’s to say, pretty displays were something I wasn’t particularly used to. Still, I remembered pages from Tren’s favorite book, encouraging words from my wife, and focused it around the idea that I ...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch172: Winter Ball pt. 1

The rest of the week wasn’t a blur. It was a moment-by-moment, hour-by-hour effort of concentrated focus. By the end, I’d hardly noticed a difference other than knowing more potentially-useless names than I ever imagined I could; but I was told I walked a different way and had a different bearing about me—a scarier one. Part of the mask certainly, but I hoped the confidence was real. Apparently I’d also learned to make use of my villainous face. That, at least, was only the m...

That Time I Summoned A Demon From Another World: A Succubus Tail/Sovereign of Wrath Crossover

A/N: Hi all! Here's a crossover for Halloween! And yes, this unfortunately means the regularly-scheduled SoW chapter for tonight is delayed. It's a pretty complex one, and this week's been busy with people over and prepping to move (which will be ongoing this next month) and all that.

Oh, and this takes place between chapters 155 and 156, right before the wedding vows :P

Ruby POV

Smoke wisped around the room, snaking up from the summon...

Scales & Shadows Ch52: Fried Rat

Under Dyni’s “lack” of guidance, we stole out of the Emerald Palace under cover of the morning sun. That our bodyguard had acquired ssen’iir clothing for us, instead of Ssiina, was a boon: we didn’t look quite so much like a group of ussen trying to act humble. Rather, the scratchy, ill-fitting garb reminded me of the childhood Kyrae and I shared. It hadn’t been so long that I’d forgotten how clothes like these felt to wear. Each of us also carried a small pack stuffed ...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch171: Etiquette Lessons

Tina looked almost disappointed that I was awake and ready in the morning. In truth, I’d finished the novel mere minutes before she’d intruded on my peace to have her and Mary run me through an overlong cleaning routine.

In truth, the only victory I had was that only my clothes would fit me—or so I’d thought. While my dress hadn’t yet been prepared, someone had also stayed up modifying a man’s suit by Countess Elstein’s measurements.

Part of me, an old part,...

Sovereign of Wrath Ch170: Winter Moon

Seyari pulled her wings closer against the chill of the night’s wind. She stood alone on the highest balcony of Castle Astrye, the room that would be come her and her wife’s behind her. Down below, in the valley, Astrye lay sleeping, some few flickering glows in windows as smoke rose skyward from hearths.

Somewhere out there, beyond the hills, Mordwell was plotting. Envy and Styrix, Avarice, were also out there making plans for war. The city here had no wall, and it was very 2023-10-22 04:29:51 +0000 UTC View Post