Chapter 65: Blindfolded Beastmen and Questionable Thoughts

Silas stood before Mirabelle at the edge of the training grounds.

The light of the setting sun cast a golden shimmer across his dark skin. He had rolled the sleeves of his black shirt up to his elbows and the fabric stretched tightly across his biceps. The black tattoos winding along his arms almost seemed to move whenever his muscles shifted beneath them.

The shirt had originally been laced closed near the collar.

At some point during the day, however, the knot had loosened.

Now the dark fabric had fallen apart in a dangerously distracting way, exposing much of his chest and even more tattoos beneath.

He stood there in dark suede trousers with his boots discarded beside him, his bare feet pressed firmly into the warm arena sand.

His toes curled slightly into the grains for balance.

He had beautiful feet.

Mirabelle blinked.

She wasn’t entirely sure she had ever thought that about a man before.

Or about feet in general.

’Does this body secretly have a foot fetish?’

For one dangerous moment her thoughts drifted once again into highly questionable territory.

Then Mirabelle forcefully focused back on the Beastman standing in front of her.

Silas’ expression remained as stoically calm as always.

Not the slightest emotion showed on his face.

His hands rested folded behind his back and anyone looking at him immediately understood:

This male was the perfect soldier.

Only the silky blindfold softened the otherwise severe military image slightly.

Without the intense sharpness of his eyes, something unexpectedly gentle emerged in his features.

The long black cloth had been tied carefully over his eyes by one of the servants, though his dark curls had already partially escaped and now fell rebelliously into his face.

Mirabelle’s fingers twitched at the sight of his hair.

She suddenly wanted to push her hands into those curls.

Unfortunately, combining that thought with the blindfold immediately sent her imagination spiraling into deeply dangerous directions.

Thankfully, another Beastman stepped forward at that exact moment to explain the rules of the trial.

Mirabelle became painfully aware of where she was again.

And the fact that several other blindfolded Beastmen stood nearby as well.

"Now we begin the ballroom endurance trials," the official announced loudly.

His voice carried easily across the massive arena where Beastfolk gathered along elevated wooden platforms to watch.

"These are called trials because multiple routes exist through the obstacle labyrinth. The purpose is to test whether the male trusts his chosen female."

Warm evening wind moved through the arena carrying the scent of dust, sweat, leather, and distant flowers from the upper garden terraces.

"He must safely bring her across the finish line inside the ballroom. Because the male cannot see, the female must provide clear instructions."

The official gestured toward the enormous maze-like structure built across the training grounds.

Tall walls divided countless pathways while ropes, wooden beams, hanging obstacles, sand pits, and narrow platforms could already be seen from the spectators above.

"It does not matter how you carry the female. The only important rule is this: her feet may not touch the ground."

A mouse female immediately raised her hand.

"Does only reaching the goal matter? Or does speed matter too?"

A pleased smile spread across the official’s face.

"The female who reaches the goal in the shortest time may request one favor from the Duchess."

Excited whispering immediately spread through the gathered crowd.

Silas subtly tensed.

For him, the decision became instant.

He would win that prize for Mirabelle.

The lynx female glanced sideways toward Elowen and Lysandra standing nearby.

In front of Lysandra stood Valerian, the jaguar Beastman, wearing a deep blood-red blindfold while the fox female shamelessly used the opportunity to visually undress him.

Meanwhile Elowen had chosen an enormous rhinoceros Beastman for the final challenge. He towered over her easily — one and a half times her height and probably three times as broad.

The rabbit female, however, appeared completely unbothered by his terrifying size.

"Please approach your partners now."

Mirabelle obeyed.

The panther’s nostrils flared slightly.

His hands moved forward until they rested against her shoulders as though he could still somehow see exactly where she stood.

"How would you like to be carried?" His deep melodic voice held something dangerously sensual beneath it.

Or maybe she only imagined that.

Because of the blindfold.

You know...

"Hmmm..." Mirabelle hesitated. "I think piggyback would probably be smartest, but with my dress..."

Helplessly she glanced down at the flowing fabric.

Silas immediately lowered himself onto one knee.

The other remained bent while he extended both arms slightly behind himself.

"Step very close to my back and hold your dress on both sides."

Mirabelle followed his instructions without fully understanding what he intended to do.

But after today with Kaelith, she had learned something important:

These Beastmen possessed absurdly good body awareness.

He probably knew exactly what he was doing.

The moment she stood behind him, Silas reached backward and carefully gathered both her legs together while simultaneously adjusting the dress fabric so everything remained securely in place.

Not even the most unfortunate movement would accidentally expose her.

"Put your arms around my neck."

Mirabelle’s nose ended up directly beside his throat.

His scent felt heavy and grounding, like standing barefoot inside a dark forest while rain rolled through ancient trees overhead.

Black pepper hid beneath the scent of wet pinewood, dark smoke, and rain-soaked wilderness.

His scent was wild.

Territorial.

With something dangerously untamed beneath it all.

It made her heart beat faster immediately.

Suddenly Mirabelle became competitive.

She studied the other pairs carefully while analyzing their chemistry and trying to identify strengths and weaknesses.

"When it starts," she whispered softly against the panther’s ear, "begin slower."

Silas nodded immediately.

The soles of his feet practically vibrated with restrained energy, but he wanted to prove something to her now.

After his emotional outburst yesterday — and her very direct slap to his head — he wanted to show her that he could respect her wishes and follow her lead.

So when the signal finally came, Silas intentionally held himself back.

Which turned out to be the correct decision.

The training grounds immediately dissolved into chaos.

Because the maze possessed only a single entrance multiple couples collided instantly while trying to squeeze through together.

Females gasped as Beastmen stumbled against one another.

And every female whose feet touched the ground was immediately eliminated.

By the time the others reorganized themselves, Silas simply jogged calmly past the chaos with Mirabelle secure on his back without bumping into anyone at all.

He maintained a smooth relaxed pace that barely jostled her despite his complete lack of sight.

She felt disturbingly comfortable.

They reached the first intersection where the maze split into three separate pathways.

Mirabelle immediately chose the route the fewest couples had taken.

Less crowding.

Less chance of collisions.

And the others ahead would accidentally test future obstacles for them first.

Silas reacted to every one of her instructions with precise controlled movements.

It almost felt as though she controlled the body herself.

All uncertainty slowly disappeared from Mirabelle.

In its place—

her ambition returned.

Because as a team this strangely functional...

maybe they really could win?