11. Isabella

Iscrewed up so badly.

The Shadow Guild is a criminal syndicate spanning dozens of planets, controlling all facets of crime: extortion, smuggling, drugs, slavery, assassinations, you name it.

The Celestia Prime chapter is led by Darius Blackthorn; the most ruthless man in the known universe.

And now those bastards are coming here. To Minos. To this beautiful, peaceful city, to rob it blind and probably kidnap Asterion.

All because of me and my constant screw-ups.

Emma told me the delivery job sounded fishy. Anatolian eels? Come on. I just needed the money so badly that I didn't listen to my gut, and followed my heart.

It's gotten me into loads of trouble, but now I ruined the one good thing I had going for me: Asterion.

The Minotaur King is the only man who has ever looked at me like I'm worth a damn. That's a rare thing in this universe. With his big paws and rough tongue he's worshiped every inch of my body, making my pleasure his highest priority.

And I fucked it all up. I lied to him, I brought a criminal syndicate to his doorstep, and now I ruined what chance the Minotaur Kingdom ever had of flourishing again.

He has every right to throw me in a cell and throw away the key.

The Guild will tear this place apart, brick by brick, and sell every inch of it to the highest bidder. All the tech will end up in the wrong hands. The more I think about it, the more I realize this might be one of the biggest mistakes in human history. To give such priceless artifacts and technology to the Guild…

Asterion launches himself out of his chair. His chair topples over backwards, and his red eyes are ablaze with anger.

The Minotaur is furious.

His big, hulking body heaves up and down as he breathes heavily. For a second I'm afraid he's going to rampage through his room like a crazy bull, smashing everything to bits — but instead he crosses the room in two quick steps and stands directly in front of me.

I look down at his hooves, too scared to face him, feeling his hot breath on me.

He tilts my chin up and forces me to look directly into his fiery red eyes. His voice is a low, angry roar.

"You, my little one… have made a great, great mistake, but you have done so out of love for family. I will forgive you for this transgression… after you've received your punishment."

I swallow the lump in my throat.

Punishment?

Oh boy.