CHAPTER 280: DESERT QUEEN’S DOMINION

The centipede-hybrids blistered. The Twins of Unmaking screeched as their undead flesh began to heat up to unbearable levels. The Knight-Caste monstrosity stumbled.

The battlefield turned.

Bastet’s whole tanned body began glistening with sweat. Her chest rose and fell in strained gasps. "Every minute the domain is active, my mana is drained. I can’t keep it up for longer than five minutes... We have to cull their numbers in that time frame or it’ll be over."

The massacre was swift and merciless.

Within the [Desert Queen’s Dominion], the monsters could do little but scream. Their flesh blackened. Their bones seared. They retreated to the edges of the radiant dome, seeking shelter in the darkness, desperate to escape the cleansing wrath of solar punishment.

But Bastet wasn’t such an easy woman to run away from.

Despite the sweat that poured from her skin and the tremble in her steps, she moved forward.

And the domain moved with her.

Golden light spilled across the desecrated floor, peeling back corruption with every inch. Her breathing came in shallow gasps, but she refused to yield.

"Bastet!" Aria moved in, slipping her arm around the feline mage’s waist to support her. "You’re super amazing, you know that?"

Bastet gave a strained chuckle in response right before her full lips curled into a tired smirk. "What’s this? Is your yandere heart... truly okay praising another woman who belongs to our Master?"

Aria scoffed. "Kaiden is my lover. Not my Master."

But after a brief pause, she softened. "Still... yes. I’m okay with it. I might get possessive fast, but... I accept all three of you as family now. Your happiness is my happiness. Just don’t even dare to think of alienating Kai from me, and we’re good."

"Lucky for you, I’m a magnanimous woman."

"Is that so? I remember you clinging to him as if your life depended on it. You refused to let us enjoy his affection."

"... That was right after I was subjugated."

Aria’s eyes squinted with suspicion. "Hmm..."

Bastet’s smile lingered for a second longer.

Then she turned away.

Just enough to hide the change in her expression.

When she had first been subjugated, Kaiden had become her entire world while the others had felt like nothing but grating noise. Distractions, annoyances. She was the one who was bound to him. She was the one reborn for him. As such, she couldn’t care less about anyone or anything else but her beloved Master.

But something had changed since then.

Slowly, steadily, as the days passed, the annoyance faded. Then came a weak feeling of camaraderie, especially when they worked together to drain Kaiden dry.

But now?

She could feel it.

Her truth became bare before her searching eyes. She didn’t just care about Kaiden anymore.

She cared about all of them.

This was a reality the Ra-Blessed Felinid struggled to acclimate to, as it went against her nature, both as a subjugated monster and the Solar Empress.

But in this moment, she decided she’d try her best to open her heart to them. Her Master would be beyond elated to see this, she thought with a giddy inner laugh.

Yes... The tanned feline’s world still revolved around the man called Kaiden Grey. She was just willing to expand her world to include others... At its edges.

The massacre concluded as swiftly as it began.

Under the relentless blaze of [Desert Queen’s Dominion], the battlefield became a scorched graveyard of horrors. The Broodspitter Matron burst under concentrated fire from Aria, Nyx, and Sasha. The Twins of Unmaking screamed like infants torn from the womb as Kaiden, Luna, Diaz, and Leon executed synchronized strikes, severing their shared spine.

Dozens of lesser beasts fell as well, withered, burned, torn apart by Vaelira’s controlled puppets.

The golden light dimmed.

Bastet’s knees buckled as the spell finally expired. Aria caught her, using both hands now to support her awesome friend.

"Perfect timing... Good job holding out this long, Bastet," Luna panted while wiping her forehead.

*Skrrt... click... clickclickclick...*

A high-speed sound broke the pause.

Too fast.

The [Weaver of the Crownless Nest] dove from the ceiling, using the perfect moment to make its presence known at long last.

However, it didn’t lunge for anyone’s vitals.

It went for the bags.

Its claws sliced through the air toward Kaiden’s pack.

Kaiden forced his body to move with every ounce of his remaining strength, dodging to the side just in time. A single strap was torn loose, but the pack held.

Jack wasn’t so quick.

*SHRRRIP!*

The Weaver’s claws shredded the leather pack on his back. The sound of tearing fabric and shattering container seals rang louder than any spell. The beast’s acidic tongue coiled once and slapped across the now-exposed supplies.

A hiss. A bubbling pop.

Every ration, every flask, every bar inside the pack corroded instantly.

"NO!" Jack roared, swinging his hammer in desperate rage.

But the creature had already leapt for the shadows.

Only...

*THWIP! THWIP!*

Two enchanted daggers controlled by telekinetic precision slammed through its carapace, pinning it to the stone.

Nyx lowered her hand while staring at Jack’s now-empty, melted pack.

A second silence passed.

Then came a grumble.

Kaiden’s stomach.

Followed by Aria’s. Then Leon’s. Even Vaelira tried to hide hers, but the curse wouldn’t allow it.

They’d burned calories like wildfire in that battle. Their reserves were almost gone. Sweat drenched their bodies.

And now... only one food pack remained.

"They were after the rations once again..." Diaz whispered.

"We should’ve known it would be like this... What a rookie mistake, giving the pack to the slow tank!" Nyx growled. "As Luna said, we should’ve considered this as part of the boss battle... And realize that the boss is this cowardly creature who likely watches us from some hidden crevice or something. The glutton countess sent them to finish the job of destroying our supplies..."

Vaelira scowled. "Cowardly parasite..."

Kaiden clenched his hands into fists. They were out of time. Out of options.

... Almost.

A dangerous idea was forming in his head.

None of his girls would like hearing this one.