I spent the ride back to the palace lost in thought. Zi's naked body still burned in my mind, the alchemist's knowing grin, and most of all, the cursed mark throbbing above my cock. At least now I had a lead. Adam's knowledge might be the key to breaking this thing before it destroyed everything.
When the carriage stopped, Maria was waiting outside the palace doors, arms crossed, looking worried in the moonlight.
"Maria? Waiting for me? Can't sleep without your prince?" I teased, climbing down.
Her cheeks went scarlet. She spun away, but I caught the red tips of her ears.
"Alex! Dinner's ready… I was just… worried," she mumbled, hurrying inside.
I followed, smiling. "Did Mia get home safe?"
"Yes, I saw her earlier."
Relief washed over me as we entered the dining hall. The table was set for one.
"Mother and the girls already ate?" I asked.
Maria nodded, taking the seat beside me with her own plate. "Everyone's finished. Just you left."
"Thank you, Maria. You're the best." I never treated her like a servant. She was more like family — the kind, caring older sister I never had.
She beamed, that beautiful smile lighting up her whole face.
We ate in comfortable silence for a while.
"Mother still in the study?" I asked.
"Yes."
I finished quickly. "Can you warm some milk for her? I'll take it."
Maria raised an eyebrow at my sudden helpfulness but nodded and left for the kitchen. When she returned with the glass, I thanked her again and sent her to bed.
Then I headed to the study.
Mother was exactly where I expected — buried in scrolls under candlelight, her long silver hair cascading over her shoulders.
I knocked lightly.
"Come in, Alex."
I entered, heart pounding, and set the milk on her desk.
"You didn't have to bring this yourself," she said warmly, eyes still on her scroll.
"Just looking out for you, Mother." I smiled.
She took a long drink without looking, then another.
We talked briefly about Adam, the mark, the possibility of peace with the Iron Nation. She finished the milk, unaware of anything different.
I made my excuses and left, the weight of what came next settling in my chest.
Later that night…
Maria slipped from her bed, heart racing. She knew it was wrong. She knew she was only a maid. But every night since his birthday, the need became unbearable.
Quiet as a shadow, she crept to Alex's room and eased the door open. Moonlight spilled across the bed. There he was — her prince — sleeping deeply on his side, naked as always, his cock hanging soft and heavy off the edge of the mattress.
"Alex…" she whispered, just to be sure.
No response. He slept like the dead.
She sank to her knees on the floor, face level with his manhood. Her breath trembled.
"I'm sorry… I know I shouldn't… but I love you so much…"
Leaning in, she pressed a soft kiss to the tip. Then another. And another.
She felt him twitch, harden. Her own hand slipped beneath her nightdress, fingers finding her aching wetness as she took him into her mouth — slow, reverent, worshipful.
She could feel his cock was now rock hard so she started to move her head back and forth, doing her best to make the man she loved feel good. Her finger slipped inside her wet pussy as his cock's tip hit the back of her mouth. She leaned even more until her lips touched the base of Alex's cock. She then slipped her tongue out to rub the balls, giving the apex pleasure to the man she love.
She let his cock rest inside her mouth until she couldn't take it anymore and slipped it out. Resting a bit, She gulped his cock again and started giving him a proper head.
She worked him with everything she had: lips, tongue, throat — until he moaned in his sleep and filled her mouth with thick, hot ropes of cum.
She happily took every last drop of the cum until his cock was clean once more. She kept on cleaning his cock using her tongue and finally let go when it went back to limping.
She licked her lips as she watched the Prince's naked body once more, she leaned toward his face and planted a deep kiss on his lips.
"I love you, my prince… even if you never know."
Then she slipped away, thighs slick, heart full.
Back in the study, unnoticed by anyone, the empty glass of milk sat on the desk… and Queen Elara's body began to warm in ways she couldn't yet explain.