Chapter 3 — Chapter 3

Valentos splashed water on me as he approached. Driven by excitement, I leaped onto him. The man jumped up, pushing me out of the water, and I flew back with a squeal. Surfacing, I swam up to him and exclaimed,

"Dare me again!"

"Dare you!" Valentos offered me his hands, and when I stepped on them, he tossed me up. I flew into the water again, laughing like a child.

We swam until I literally turned blue. Laess scooped me up and carried me to the shore. Wrapping me in fabric and covering me with a blanket, Anris carried me to the cart.

"I want to free all of you right now. That's my wish," I declared firmly, warming up in the man's arms.

I held out my palm under the dagger Tantris offered me, and he carefully pricked my finger. One by one, I freed everyone else.

"This is the right thing to do."

"Shall we go?" Tantris asked, picking me up after I nodded.

Tantris carried me away from our clearing and, laying me on a blanket, began to undress. I admired his sculpted body, greedily tracing his muscles and his rather impressive attribute with my eyes. He sat beside me and started to touch me slowly, removing my excess clothing and gently caressing me with his tanned hands. My body responded with pleasure. Suddenly, a primal urge awoke within me, wanting to claim this large male for myself... A sense of possession.

He kissed me tenderly. Without stopping his kisses, he moved down and licked my tiny nipple, nibbling it lightly. I moaned and grabbed his head, urging him to continue. Tantris slowly circled my hardened nipples with his tongue, then trailed kisses down my stomach, lingering in the hollow of my navel. He moved along my inner thigh and parted the folds of my sex with his fingers, outlining the little bud hidden within. Then he pressed his lips to it, sucking and playing with it with his tongue. His fingers ventured lower into the hot, narrow depths. Tantris started to move slowly inside me first with one finger, then adding a second, stretching my sex.

An orgasm soon overwhelmed me, and the heat of passion spread from my core throughout my body. I cried out, arching in pleasure. Tantris loomed over me, kissing and capturing my moans as he pushed inside me. Reaching my hymen, he broke it with one thrust. I felt no pain: my body was in ecstasy. He prolonged the pleasure, slowly filling me and whispering something in my ear. I felt us flare up in a bright flame, caressing me as if we were one. Tantris moved inside me, seemingly absorbing my fire, which gradually subsided, leaving a pleasant warmth in my body. One last thrust, and the man groaned as he finished. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him close.

As he pulled out of me, Tantris moved away and almost collapsed beside me, exhausted.

"You have a very powerful gift. Your mother deceived you. I barely managed to handle it when I took it in—others would have simply burned up."

"Is that bad?"

"It's good, but it requires training. It won't harm you, but others..." Tantris made a significant pause.

"I understand." I snuggled up to him, trying to process everything.

Still, if I have magic within me, I'm not as weak as I thought. I need to find a place to start training and live as I see fit: not dictated by my strange mother or the temple.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice the night had fallen, and Tantris was asleep. I quietly got up, gathered my clothes, and went to the river to wash. There was a soreness between my legs, and a sweet languor still lingering in my belly. Illuminated by the night light, I looked at my reflection in the water: nothing had changed.

Sighing in disappointment, I got dressed and quietly returned to the camp. I packed my belongings and blanket, wrapped some food in my clothes. I found the dagger stuck in the cart and silently sneaked towards the road. Thankfully, I had asked which path led to my mother's house and the temple. At the fork, I chose the one heading towards the city. There, I could surely disappear.

On the way, I listened to every sound. I had been blessed with sharp hearing: I could hear small animals and even birds in their nests. I walked confidently almost until dawn, but as the first rays of the pink sun hit me, I felt hot, and suddenly a weakness spread through my body as if I were sick and had a fever. I veered towards the river, stripped off my clothes, and plunged in, trying to cool down.

My body was burning... Literally burning! I burst into flames, writhing and screaming in pain—my bones were breaking. Suddenly, I began to transform... Blinking, I found myself on the ground. My vision was sharper, and my range of hearing had expanded. But I couldn't feel my legs and arms anymore... I turned around—there was a... snake's body behind me! To my amazement, I realized that I was the snake! I slithered to the water, trying to see myself: black as coal scales, bright green eyes, three red stripes on my head, and a hood like a cobra's. Impressive!...

Overcome by weakness, I retreated into a cave above the water. I tried to return to my human form, but the snake inside me hissed and refused. Coiling into a spring, I rested my head on my coils and fell asleep.

***

I woke up well-rested, comfortably positioned on the men I had seemingly escaped from...

"Why did you do that?! You're free now!" I exclaimed, rolling over and propping myself up over Laess.

"We don't want freedom without you! Take us with you!" He tried to look me in the eye, but his gaze kept slipping lower.

I lowered my head and, to my astonishment, examined my... yes... my beautiful breasts, definitely a third or maybe even a fourth size! I noticed my skin had darkened, and streaks of black hair fell onto Laess. The realization that I was lying naked among four barely clothed men came too late. Squeaking, I covered myself with my hands and curled up.

"You... you..." I was at a loss for words.

"Out, all of you! You're embarrassing the girl!" Anris commanded as he appeared.

The men obediently stood up and, without a shred of embarrassment, left the cave.

"My girl, you're so beautiful! Could I have ever imagined you'd turn into a rare black cobra?" Anris enthused, quickly helping me get dressed.

"Why did you stay? I'm not her..."

"I don't think so. You have my blood in you. I talk to you more than I do to her! The mother forbade her from talking to me as a father - only as a servant..." he said with sadness in his voice. "Marie didn't hurt me, but she didn't share much either. She was afraid of her mother's judgment."

"And what should I do with you all? I could have managed on my own, found a place for myself, but you... Such a crowd can't be hidden."

Already dressed, I stepped out of the cave. The unusual sun was setting on the horizon. Nearby, a fire was burning - something was cooking on it, emitting appetizing aromas.

First off, I leaned over the water, trying to see my reflection. But today the element was restless, and I could only catch small "touches" in it. Yes, there were changes...

Tantris looked at me with unhidden delight.

"Better look in the mirror," he said and waved his hand - a full-length mirror surface appeared in front of me.

I curiously examined myself. The gods kept their promise to help me: I wanted my body back. The resemblance wasn't perfect, but there was a lot in common: a thick dark braid now with three red strands, skin covered with a luxurious tan, rounded hips, slender legs with tiny feet. My gaze moved up, past a flat stomach, a beautiful high chest, and stopped at a chiseled face. My plump cherry lips were slightly parted in surprise, and my straight eyebrows were raised, emphasizing the shine of my green eyes.

Anris looked at me with fatherly love, Tantris - with adoration, Valentos - with delight, Laess - with interest, and Otris - with as much surprise as I had for myself. I felt embarrassed and, wrapping my arms around my body, turned away.

"Don't be shy, you're beautiful! Won't you let us stay with you?" Tantris turned me around and held me close.

"Stay. But tell me, what awaits me there, in the city?" I asked and pensively added, "And one more thing... I need to change my appearance. It's better if no one knows I'm a woman. I don't want unnecessary attention."

"Let's eat. The girl needs strength for transformations." Anris led me to the fire.

He made me sit on a mat, handed me a bowl of soup and a piece of flatbread. Before I knew it, I had eaten everything down to the last crumb. They immediately served me hot pieces of meat, and I devoured the whole bowl. I was so full it was hard to breathe. Looking at everyone, I sighed and said:

"Let's discuss right away how I should behave."

"If you stay in your female form, you'll be allowed everything, as any woman is, and a lot will be forgiven. But they'll still try to force you into marriage. But if you act as a free man..." Otris suddenly sat cross-legged next to me and paused for a moment. "No one will care about you. But you must cover your face. They will certainly start looking for us." Leaning his hands on his knees, he looked at me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.

"You intrigue me..." Otris seemed embarrassed. "You came from another world, transformed into a royal cobra, of which there are only... two in our world. Including you."

"And who's the other one?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Little is known about him. No one has seen him for a hundred years. A former royal interrogator. He was absent when the royal couple was killed. It's said he blames himself for their death." Otris didn't take his eyes off me.

"And who rules now? The same murderers?"

"No. The interrogator found them all and punished them: he killed them himself. Then he established a ruling council and declared that the throne would accept no one but the blood heir."

We all looked at Tantris simultaneously.

"No and no!" the man exclaimed. "I don't want to! I prefer to live in freedom! The ruling power won't give up their seats easily!" He crossed his arms in protest.

"So, you're okay with what's happening in the world? Slavery... Girls giving their gifts and virginity to some unknown temple..." I looked at him in bewilderment.

"Do you think I can change anything? Doubtful..."

"It's strange... I'm planning to devise a plan to prevent this from happening again. The thought of being assaulted by some old snake on an altar... Ugh..." I shuddered in disgust.

"Actually, it's a demon. And he does it with a special scepter that collects the girls' gifts. It leaves only crumbs - not even enough for a transformation."

Otris suddenly took my feet in his hands and began to massage them. I closed my eyes, enjoying the pleasant procedure.

"Still, it's wrong! You're deprived of transformations because of the collars, and your women lose their magic, their gifts... and can't transform either. Your World is dying! Do you understand that?" I wanted to say it with condemnation, but it came out as a purr. Valentos had already started working on my shoulders with expertise.