Dungeon Deposed: Book 2 Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Book listing

  Chp.1

  Chp.2

  Chp.3

  Chp.4

  Chp.5

  Chp.6

  Chp.7

  Chp.8

  Chp.9

  Chp.10

  Chp.11

  Chp.12

  Chp.13

  Chp.14

  Chp.15

  Chp.16

  Chp.17

  Chp.18

  Chp.19

  Chp.20

  Chp.21

  Chp.22

  Chp.23

  Chp.24

  Chp.25

  Chp.26

  Chp.27

  Chp.28

  Chp.29

  Chp.30

  Chp.31

  Chp.32

  Chp.33

  Chp.34

  Chp.35

  Chp.36

  Epilogue

  Authors Note

  Dungeon Deposed 2

  By William D. Arand

  Copyright © 2018 William D. Arand

  Cover design © 2018 William D. Arand

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by an electronic or mechanical means - except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews - without written permission from its publisher.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Copyright © 2018 William D. Arand

  All rights reserved.

  Dedicated:

  To my wife, Kristin, who encouraged me in all things.

  To my son, Harrison, who now lets me type, but only when he isn’t yelling at me that he needs to go peepee under the door.

  To my family, who always told me I could write a book if I sat down and tried. I’ve now written quite a few.

  Special Thanks to:

  Niusha Gutierrez

  Caleb Shortcliffe

  Michael Haglund

  Eric Leaf

  Thanks to my Beta Readers:

  Robert Hammack

  Zach Johnson

  Caleb Morris

  Bill Brush

  Brian Walker

  I appreciate you reading through an unedited nightmare

  Books in the VeilVerse-

  Cultivating Chaos: By William D. Arand

  Asgard Awakening: By Blaise Corvin

  Books by William D. Arand-

  The Selfless Hero Trilogy:

  Otherlife Dreams

  Otherlife Nightmares

  Otherlife Awakenings

  Omnibus Edition(All Three)

  Super Sales on Super Heroes Trilogy:

  Super Sales on Super Heroes 1

  Super Sales on Super Heroes 2

  Super Sales on Super Heroes 3

  Omnibus Edition(All Three)

  Dungeon Deposed Trilogy:

  Dungeon Deposed

  Dungeon Deposed 3 (To be released 2019)

  Books by Randi Darren-

  Wild Wastes Trilogy:

  Wild Wastes

  Wild Wastes: Eastern Expansion

  Wild Wastes: Southern Storm

  Omnibus Edition(All Three)

  Fostering Faust Trilogy:

  Fostering Faust

  Fostering Faust 2

  Fostering Faust 3 ( To be Released 2019)

  Chapter 1 - Reliving It -

  Ryker woke up slowly. He hurt. Hurt all over. Every part of his body seemed to at least have an ache.

  And some had more than just an ache.

  Groaning, he began to slowly stretch himself out where he lay. His body refused his commands at first, screeching at him and his attempts.

  Telling him to stop.

  Especially his side where Claire had stabbed him. That was an especially tender point for him right now. For reasons not entirely focused on the wound and the pain itself.

  He squeezed his eyes shut, really not wanting to think on the fact that Claire was pregnant with his child on top of everything else.

  Except, shying away from Claire and all she represented only brought him closer to the other gargantuan problems he had.

  They were named Adele and Diane. They were also both aware of the full extent of what Dungeon, the county, and the dungeon were for him.

  They hadn’t spoken to him since yesterday when he’d given them the whole rundown. Sparing them absolutely no part of the story he had to tell them.

  Part of why they didn’t talk to me was that they fell asleep afterward though, right? Then I was working, and then I fell asleep, too.

  They’re not avoiding me… right?

  I guess we’ll find out today.

  Opening his eyes, Ryker saw that he was going to have to deal with a different problem already, though.

  With the fall of Dungeon the city and its rebuilding as Dungeon the dungeon-city, Ryker had been forced to accept some changes.

  And a slew of things that had happened at the same time.

  The first was that the Dark Lord of the North wanted to speak with him.

  Him personally.

  Ryker would have to do everything in his power to absolutely avoid ever having that meeting.

  Second was that the Queendom of Dale was in a spot where it didn’t seem possible for them to survive or make it through intact.

  Except Ryker had formally thrown in his lot with Lauren, the rightful queen.

  Third, Wynne had clearly been hiding some things from him. Rules for the dungeon that were clearly much more important than she’d made them out to be. They’d almost lost the dungeon core itself for that lack of information. Now, he needed to run her down and find out what that meant, and what had been hidden.

  On top of that, the trio of Fairies he trusted the most hadn’t checked in with him for a while.

  And the last new problem was a big, naked minotaur in his bed. She’d been tasked with being his personal guard. Somewhat of a surprise at the moment, though, was her joining him in his bed. Last he remembered, she had been standing watch over him.

  Lifting his head up, he looked around his private bedroom. No one else was here. Looking back at the Minotaur, he laid his head back down on the pillow.

  She was as big as ever. Probably close to seven feet tall, if he had to guess. Her chest was massive, both outside her armor and in it. Her black horns pointed upward and away from her head. Very fine, short fur covered her entirely, as she was more a monster than humanoid. Even her face was much more creature like than most people would be comfortable with.

  To Ryker, though, she was cute. Like a puppy.

  He’d just never tell her that again.

  Not to mention her personality was growing on him.

  And her boobs are bigger than Marybelle’s. Damn.

  “I’m awake, and on duty,” Meino said, her voice a soft rumble. “I grew tired, and you looked cold.”

  Her eyelids slid open and she looked at him with her pale, almost colorless eyes.

  Then he realized he was actually rather warm. Comfortable.

  Normally the room felt cold. Going with it, he pushed up into Meino and stuck his head under her chin.

  In all the insanity and with everyone running around in every direction, Meino had stood by him. Stood by him and was prepared to remain.

  “You make an amazing body pillow, Meino. Hell of a heater too,” Ryker said, snuggling into her.

  “That… tickles,” said the Minotaur, one big hand coming to rest on the back of his head. “I’m glad you seem more cheerful this morning. You were very sad yesterday.”

  “Ye
ah. Long day. Lost a city. The mother of my unborn child tried to kill me and I told two women I’m in love with I’ve been sleeping with Fairies the entire time, my queen Fairy has been lying to me as far back as I think we’ve known each other, and I revealed that I am essentially the dungeon to the Dark Lord of the North, and probably both pantheons,” Ryker said in a rush.

  “Mm. I’ll groom you now. It’s a bit before dawn. I’ll finish before the sun rises. Your Fairies have come to the door throughout the night, but none knocked or entered.

  “Your enemy wife also stood outside your door for ten minutes,” Meino said. Then she eased Ryker deeper into the bed and moved closer to him, one of her arms draped across his naked middle.

  Grooming him seemed to be something she wanted to do constantly. Especially when he showed any distress at all.

  In some strange way, though, he’d started to enjoy it.

  “Thanks, Meino,” Ryker said, closing his eyes and laying a hand on the side of her big head.

  At this moment in time, he could use some attention. He was feeling pretty mentally weak right now.

  ***

  When the sun had officially risen, Ryker headed to what he considered his “throne room” to start the day.

  He still felt a little funny from being given a bath from head to toe by Meino, but he did seem rather clean for it.

  Clean and feeling better.

  There’d only been a little bit of awkwardness for about ten minutes when she’d refused to skip a certain area.

  Yanking his mind back from that weird encounter, he sat down on the chair Meino had brought for him from his old study. Sitting in front of it was his old work table.

  Then he felt Meino practically materialize next to his chair.

  A single finger pushed through his hair, as if moving a stray lock around.

  “There,” said the Minotaur. “I smell your enemy wife and your ally wife. They’re waiting in the other room.”

  Ryker nodded at that. He was glad they wanted to talk to him, but also slightly nervous that they hadn’t told him so.

  Then again, Arria the will-o’-the-wisp Fairy wasn’t working out as a personal secretary. Wynne had already said she was replacing her.

  Maybe this was a transition period?

  Before he could call up his dungeon and set to work for the day, the doors from the common areas opened. Adele and Diane walked in unannounced, the doors closing on their own behind them.

  Adele was dressed in what looked like riding gear mixed with leather armor. It reminded him of when he’d seen her the first time.

  Her black ringlets were a bit longer now, though they were arranged prettily. Her bright blue eyes were locked on him even as she approached.

  Pretty, self-aware, and with an athletic grace that gave her some serious sexual appeal. Which clashed whenever Ryker caught her picking her nose.

  Walking next to her was Diane, the daughter of the pretender queen. Who’d given Adele and Claire to Ryker as toys practically so he wouldn’t pitch a fit about Dungeon being taken over.

  Diane was beautifully put together again today. Dressed in a sleek black dress that hung perfectly on her. Her dark-brown hair that bordered on black was gathered behind her head in a braid. With dark-brown eyes and a face that had won the genetic lottery, she looked like what any noblewoman would strive to look like. On top of that, she was young, not even twenty yet, and had a full figure in an hourglass to boot.

  Immediately getting up, Ryker walked over to stand before them.

  They both looked upset and tired.

  Hurt.

  Knowing he was the cause, Ryker felt true remorse and regret.

  Rather than apologize, argue, or say anything, he fell to his knees in front of them.

  “I can’t say anything more that I haven’t already said yesterday,” he said honestly. He’d wrung himself out to them already. Told them the truth in all things and laid it all bare. “I love you both. I love Lauren, the queen. I’m pretty sure I love those four silly Fairies as well.

  “I betrayed both of you in different ways. And I… don’t know what to do. I know I want to work through this, though, and somehow fix… all of this. I just don’t know how, or if you’ll let me even try to do so.”

  Adele looked confused. Though also happy at the same time. Of the two of them, he’d done significantly less damage to her. He imagined she would be likely to forgive him, and rather quickly. So long as she didn’t take too much umbrage at the fact that he’d been dallying with his Fairies.

  Diane on the other hand looked angry, hurt, and confused. There was no warmth in her at all.

  “Give me your soul card,” she said suddenly.

  Ryker blinked once at that, considering her demand.

  His soul card was the quick and easy way to his deepest, darkest secrets. It was the cheat sheet for everything about him.

  Soul cards weren’t given up lightly, or to just anyone.

  Often, even husbands and wives didn’t share them. It was simply too much information. It might be shared perhaps once in a lifetime.

  Truth be told, he couldn’t even view his own card. If he was willing to give it to her, she’d be able to read everything about him at any level of detail she wanted.

  Looking to his wrist, he casually peeled his soul card out and sent it to Diane.

  “Of course,” he said simply.

  There was a moment of shock on Diane’s face, followed by a twitch of a smile, and then she was reading his card. She held it in one hand, using the other to make more information appear as she went.

  Thirty seconds in, Adele sighed and came over to Ryker.

  She got down on one knee in front of him, staring into his eyes.

  “Do you love me?” Adele asked.

  Ryker snorted at that and nodded.

  “I do, Adele. For all your nose picking, ass scratching, masturbating in public, farting, burping, cursing, and general lack of courtesies. I love you,” Ryker said with a smirk.

  “I only did that… that in front of you at the inn because you were watching,” Adele said, her cheeks turning red. “It was a fun thought, and I wanted to see what you would do.”

  “Really? That was before we were wed, though. Were you trying to get my attention?” Ryker asked, curious.

  “A little. Maybe I’m more adventurous than you thought,” she said with a grin, which then faded slowly. “The Fairies… were you sleeping with them before me?”

  “Yes. I was. Before I even went to the capital,” Ryker admitted.

  “Alright. A bit better that they were before me. And if you admitted you’d been sleeping with them, you’d have had to admit to a whole lot more about the dungeon,” Adele said.

  “Yeah. It would have all come apart. You were already the most knowledgeable about it all there at the end,” Ryker said.

  “More than Lauren?” she asked suddenly.

  “Yeah. You knew more about it all in the end than Lauren,” Ryker said.

  Adele nodded slowly.

  Then she slapped him with what seemed like all the strength she could put into it. The smack of her hand on his face was loud like a whip-crack. Ryker felt like his head was ringing, and his entire body hurt with that hit.

  “I’m sorry,” Adele said, both of her hands holding his face gently. “But you deserved that. Don’t ever lie to me again. We’re going to talk more about the Fairies. It’s just Tris, Marybelle, Charlotte, and Wynne, right?”

  Ryker nodded.

  “Good. I like all of them. I’m going to start talking to them about proper etiquette and how to be in a royal marriage, though,” Adele said, stroking the cheek she had struck with gentle fingertips. “Lie to me again and I’ll leave you. Sleep with anyone else at all and I’ll kill you. Do you understand?”

  Ryker nodded his head. “Yes. I understand.”

  “Good,” Adele said, and then she sighed. She gave him a warm smile and kissed him quickly. Then she looked up to Diane standing ne
xt to her. The woman was still engrossed in Ryker’s soul card.

  Leaning in close to him, Adele hugged Ryker tightly.

  “Be honest with her. Tell her everything, hold nothing back. She loves you far more deeply than you think,” whispered the royal cousin in his ear. “Now kiss and make up. The quicker you do that, the quicker I can jump your bones. I just had my monthly time pass by, and I’m kinda feeling needy.”

  Getting up to her feet, Adele patted Diane on the shoulder and then just left.

  I… ok? Ok. Adele and I am… ok. We’re ok.

  Almost right where we were? Yeah.

  Wait, did she just say she wanted sex?

  Feeling his heart unclench somewhat, Ryker looked up to Diane and waited. He dared not move or say anything. He would give her all the time she needed, and then more if that was what she wanted.

  The very idea of her possibly leaving him caused him considerable distress. She’d done nothing but good by him, and he’d betrayed her.

  Finally, after perhaps ten minutes, Diane looked up from his soul card, but she didn’t let it go.

  “Everything you said yesterday was the truth,” she said.

  “Yes.”

  “The Fairies came first,” she said.

  “Yes.”

  Diane brushed her thumb back and forth across his card. While she held it, any answer he gave her or thought would reveal everything of himself to her at the same time.

  “I want to ask you questions,” Diane said. “I want to ask them while holding your card. I’m hurting… Ryker. I love you.

  “I love you, I’m hurting, and I’m angry. I’m so angry that I need to understand. I don’t know what’s going on anymore.

  “Can I ask you questions and hold your card?”

  “Of course, Diane,” Ryker said. “I said I want to make this work. I do. I—”

  Ryker paused and looked away, then back up to Diane. “I love you. I truly do. I don’t know… how it hap—No, I do know how it happened. It was when a young woman who’d just become a wife decided she wanted to learn how to farm with her husband. That was the moment it changed for me.”