He was tempted to dive right into those new builds, but he restrained himself and instead had the goblins work on a carpentry workshop and a tannery first. That took the better part of three days, all told, and Keaton spent that time making plans for everything they’d need. Weapons. Armor. Stronger defenses. More furniture, since this place was… bare.
“If I’m going to start production on all these things, I probably need more minions, huh?”
Keaton sat back in his chair, pushing away from the stone table he’d had the drones create in what was essentially now the war room he shared with Adriana.
“You will, and soon. The goblins are being worked to capacity, my lord.”
His brow furrowed. He’d noticed that, too. Around the time they finished the carpentry workshop, they started getting sluggish.
“It’s not in a minion’s best interest to work on so many different tasks. You have all of the goblins building with various materials, scouting the tunnels for resources with the drones, scouring the swamps above us for anything salvageable… it’s too much.”
Keaton let himself indulge in a full frown then, but that unfortunately seemed to send the wrong message.
“I apologize, Lord Keaton. I shouldn’t speak out of turn, I—”
“No, I value your opinion. You’re my right-hand woman right now,” he said with a chuckle. “I couldn’t do this without you.”
“But I’m not a lieutenant,” she muttered quietly.
He just scoffed. “Who says you aren’t? You’re helping me manage my troops. That seems pretty lieutenant-y to me.”
She looked at him with wide, hopeful eyes. The instant she blinked, though, that hope was gone. “No, you do not understand. A lieutenant is… something special. Someone who brings certain powers to you and is given powers in return. They must be officially recognized as such, and I am not a lieutenant.”
He nearly suggested just making her one but closed his mouth before that level of idiocy left him. If it were that easy, she would have said so. It occurred to him, too, that she might not want to be one. Maybe there was a cost associated with it. Maybe that’s what she’d been so upset about when they first met.
“…Is that what Lord Havron wanted to do with you? Make you his lieutenant?”
She let out such a dry, bitter laugh that for a moment, Keaton wasn’t even sure the sound was coming from her.
“No, of course not. I am not fit to be a lieutenant.”
“Why not?”
She must not have expected the question, because she looked at him as if she intended to stare right through his soul. It made Keaton squirm a little, and not in a good way.
“A lieutenant is someone who is strong. Someone who has a specialty the dungeon lord can rely on. Someone who can lead forces of her own and give commands under his rule. I am not that person, Lord Keaton, and I never will be.”
“I think you could, if you wanted to.” Her laughter followed, and Keaton was quick to say, “I’m serious! You’re smart, Adriana. This dungeon has been your home inside and out, so you know it better than any upstart lord is ever going to know it. And maybe you’re lacking in confidence right now, but you’ve already come out of your shell a little. I think you could lead.”
“If I have come out of my shell it is only because of you.”
Her eyes met his and Keaton felt that strange thump again, as if his heart had tripped over a beat. There was something there, that same thread of electricity that sparked between them when they touched.
She broke that current by looking away, and Keaton felt… cold, all of a sudden, as if all the warmth had been stolen from the room.
“I… thank you for the compliments, Lord Keaton, but you must trust me.” She stood from the table, the stone chair scraping out behind her. “I think I will… go check on the minions.”
He watched her go, confusion his only real basis for how to feel about all of this. Something was going on with her, but she wasn’t ready to talk about it yet.
That’s fine. It’s none of my business anyway.
True, but a weak reassurance. He wanted to know, and if she ever trusted him enough to tell him he’d gladly listen.
For now, though, he needed to make a plan to get some more minions. Then he could assign specific jobs, and everything could function like a well-oiled machine.
Hopefully.
That night, Keaton fell into bed to the sound of Adriana already asleep and softly snoring. It was cute, honestly. Just a little rumble that sounded almost like a growl. Or a baby dragon testing out its roar. Occasionally she hit a stride that started to wreak havoc on his eardrums, but she always went back down to cute. At this point, it was what replaced the sounds of the city to help him fall asleep.
His eyes were closed, and he felt himself on the cusp of doing so when he noticed another presence in the room. He pinpointed it immediately, that ethereal yet distinctly ominous energy he’d only experienced from one person.
“What do you want,” he murmured, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Adriana.
If she could even hear him. For all he knew, the daemon put some kind of enchantment around them when she visited.
“Is that any way to speak to your patron, Lord Keaton? Especially when I only want what any lonely girl wants.”
Her voice was husky; silky smooth and poured like warm honey over his senses. He could feel his body respond, especially when she materialized right in front of him wearing nothing at all. Her golden skin absolutely flawless, glistening with what looked to be oil in the torch light. Pert, round breasts bounced as she prowled closer to him, her nipples pebbled into firm peaks. He wanted to roll one between his fingers, wanted to close his lips around one and suck.
Gods, he hadn’t been in the mood before, but as soon as the daemon showed up, he felt this undeniable urge, like a thirst he’d been denying for ages. His cock did more than stir. He was already firming up in his trousers, tenting the loose fabric.
That drew her attention, and she licked her lips.
“Mm. You do know how to provide, don’t you?”
“What are you—”
A futile question, even before she knelt at the side of his bed and placed her hand over his bulge, long fingers squeezing around his shaft. Keaton shuddered, biting back a groan.
“Did you just come here to—”
She reached into his trousers and pulled out his aching cock, giving him a firm stroke from base to tip.
“To what, darling? Use your words.”
“I’m sure you have better things to do than satisfy your lust,” he managed, breathless.
“What could be better than this?” she purred, applying pressure with her thumb and forefinger as she stroked him again. “Sensuality is core to my being. I am not beyond indulging in the flesh, and you should be grateful I’ve chosen to indulge in yours.”
Her laugh was low and seductive as she eyed his cock. Fully hard now, the girth of it large in her hand. Her thumb followed the thick vein underneath, then traveled up to the crown, swiping a drop of precum from his slit.
She lifted it to her lips and hummed her approval. Keaton bit back a moan, his body feeling as if it was on fire. He wasn’t so far gone as to not be aware of his surroundings, though. Glancing over to Adriana’s bed, he tried to focus enough to hear her snoring again. An inexplicable pang of guilt hit him.
The daemon just laughed again.
“Oh? What’s this? Does my dungeon lord want another?”
She pulled away from him and a sudden panic gripped Keaton as she glided to where Adriana slept. She wouldn’t… hurt her, would she? She couldn’t. Gods, he hoped she couldn’t. He wasn’t equipped to fight a daemon.