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The pain burns in my chest again, and I curse under my breath.

“Castor?” she panics.

“I said I’m fine.” I force myself to keep walking. “It’s nothing.” I’ll see a healer tomorrow. Whatever this stupid pain is, it can wait until after the party.

Music and golden light weaves through the hallway. As we pass through the door that leads to the garden, Eden gasps.

It’s hard not to smile at her reaction. Especially after I spent all day turning the once-plain clearing outside the manor into what I hoped would be the cosiest Spirits’ Night party she’s ever seen.

Golden string lights drape through the trees. A band in skeleton costumes plays music for an orange confetti-covered dance floor. Long tables of treats in carved pumpkin bowls have been set up off to the side.

In the centre of the party, a dozen hay bales surround a crackling campfire. Lux sits on one of the bales, sipping from a black goblet while he listens to Father drone on about something.

When his gaze catches on Eden, he passes his goblet to Father and marches towards us.

Eden falters. “Maybe I should…” But Lux reaches us before she can run, his silver crown glowing under the lights.

“That’s quite the alteration.” His gaze falls down her body.

Desire shoots low inside me. I love it when he watches the women I play with. When I can feel his gaze on what’s mine for now, his later. When he toys with her pussy while I shove my cock between her puffy li⁠—

Clearing my throat, I thrust Eden into his arms. “She’s all yours.”

He slides me a confused look, but doesn’t argue, leading her instead to an empty hay bale around the fire.

I’ll call everyone for the mallow toasting soon.

We like to start our parties with something adventurous so everyone realises what they’re in for. No point giving people the wrong impression that this’ll be a normal Spirits’ Night party. Far fucking from it.

Scanning the crowd, I spot one of the whores Father brought with him. I don’t know her name and I don’t care, but I do care that she has the same soft curves and blonde curly hair as a certain princess here tonight. She’s definitely not as pretty, but if I squint she’ll do the job.

Minutes later, I’m stood by the firepit while Poppy, I think, watches me from our hay bale.

Apparently, she’s dressed as a fox. But with her short, orange gown she looks more like a squashed pumpkin. I don’t care, though. It’ll come off soon enough anyway.

Someone probably should’ve warned Eden about that before she spent all afternoon making her costume.

Oh well…

“Good evening, dear guests and wicked spirits alike,” I call out to the party while pacing around the campfire. The music has quietened to something more sensual, the type of thing I’d have played at my club. “We’ll begin with our mallowberry toasting game to get the night started. For those of you who haven’t played our version before I shall explain the rules with the help of my lovely assistant.” I crook my finger at Poppy, who practically skips over to me.

Seated on the bale beside mine, Lux holds Eden in his lap. The rest of the bales are filled with couples made up of Father’s whores, both male and female, while Father himself is sprawled across the bale opposite mine. Two female whores dressed as cats kiss softly on top of him while he watches them both. Normally, I’d be just as transfixed as him, but tonight all I can think about is Eden as I push a pink fist-sized mallowberry onto the end of a stick.

Keeping her in the corner of my vision, I pass the stick to Poppy, who takes it with a sickly smile.

“The rules are simple,” I call out. “We’ll go around the fire, and each couple will send someone up to toast their mallowberry over the flames. If you toast it successfully, as in the pink mallow puffs up and turns golden white,” I add for Eden’s benefit, “you get to return to your hay bale and enjoy the toasted mallowberry together. But if you overcook it, and be careful because mallowberries burn quickly,” I wink at Poppy, “then the other person at your bale gives you the choice between two dares, of which you must pick one and perform it in front of everyone.”

“What if I don’t want to?” I hear Eden ask Lux.

I answer before he can. “If you refuse, dear princess, then you must forfeit the game and you let me, your games master, choose a suitable punishment for you. But be careful, princess, because I would so love to see you naked on all fours for the rest of the night,” I taunt as laughter ripples over the group.

Eden blushes, burrowing deeper into Lux’s lap. I’d worry that I’d just pushed her too far if my brother’s feral smirk didn’t match mine. His hands slide possessively around her.

“Poppy.” I turn back to the whore as her face falls a little.

Guess her name isn’t Poppy, but who gives a shit.

“Why don’t you go first? Be careful, though. The mallows burn easily.” When my hand squeezes her backside, her eager smile returns and she steps towards the fire.