The Masked Minotaur

By Chace Verity

Odelia Aster runs her confectionery store with pride, even though profits are now practically non-existent. The hundred-year-old store has been in Odelia's family from the invention of steamboats to the exile of magical creatures. She would do anything to protect her store and its famous candy geode recipe from the bandits now raiding the kingdom.

Five years ago, Odelia married a nice noblewoman to keep the shop from going under. She cares for her wife, but it's hard to feel there is something real between them when Charlotte keeps her distance, taking naps all day and getting plastered at fancy parties. Charlotte is nothing like the alleged Masked Minotaur vanquishing the bandits across the nation. The idea of a Masked Minotaur keeping humans safe at the risk of certain punishment from the king excites Odelia in ways her wife does not.

When Odelia finds herself held up by a most unexpected bandit, she has to figure out how far she'll go to protect her family's legacy, even though all she wants is to be rescued by the Masked Minotaur.

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The Masked Minotaur is a complete, standalone short story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chace Verity
• Release date: Jul 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201789633

Book preview

The Masked Minotaur

The Masked Minotaur

Chace Verity

Contents

Author’s Note

Content Notes

The Masked Minotaur

Prequel short - Purpose

About the Author

Also by Chace Verity

Copyright © 2018 by Chace Verity. Print edition © 2021 Chace Verity.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Author’s Note

Dearest readers,

This wasn’t a planned project, not by a long shot. But The Masked Minotaur sprung to life so swiftly and demanded all of my attention. 2018 is my Year of Recklessness, so I decided to roll with it. It has been a blast to take everything I love about stories like The Scarlet Pimpernel or Batman and make it queerer. Everyone deserves to see themselves in all kinds of fun stories, including masked vigilante tales.

Best,

Chace never won an arm wrestling match Verity

Content Notes

The Masked Minotaur contains:

violence, including someone being threatened with a blade to their neck

references to heavy drinking

explicit sexual content

The Masked Minotaur

Odelia glared at the golden flowers painted on the white door. They rested so innocently on the other side of the never-ending hallway, protecting their lady.

Her wife was on the other side of the door, but Odelia couldn’t get near that end of the manor. Only Charlotte and the maids had permission to enter. The rest of the manor with its hauntingly tall ceilings and excessively wide doorways was free for Odelia to do what she wanted with, but Charlotte’s bedroom was off limits.

It was tempting to break the rule and ask Charlotte why, exactly, she had to make such a fool of herself at Lady Yvonne’s birthday gala last night.

Charlotte was always reckless at parties, but it was a sort of chaos Odelia could somewhat keep under control. Sometimes Odelia even liked the disarray her wife could cause among nobles by challenging them to arm wrestling. However, last night had been too much. Charlotte had consumed enough alcohol to the point of passing out and had to be carried to the carriage well before dinner could be served.

The door creaked open. Odelia held her hands together over her stomach and pressed her lips into a thin line.

A gush of messy red hair fell out of the shadows of the room. Odelia couldn’t discern the expression on Charlotte’s face, but even with this distance between them, she could spy her wife’s signature septum piercing—a glittery gold hoop with rubies embedded in it.

Uh, good evening, Charlotte croaked. I thought I heard someone out here. Nice to see you.

Odelia sighed. It’s morning. There was no use in hiding the irritation in her voice.

Forgive me, my dear. I got a little carried away last night.

I know.

A moment of silence passed. Charlotte didn’t make an effort to lessen the gap, and neither did Ophelia.

Can you get Tilde or Lily? Charlotte finally asked. I have a, uh, headache.

Yes, I will.

Thank you. You’re always so good to me.

Part of Odelia was tempted to ask Charlotte if she would be joining her for breakfast today, but she knew the answer. After five years of an awkward marriage, Odelia had figured out when to save her breath. Charlotte and breakfast simply didn’t go together.

Without another word, Charlotte disappeared into whatever paradise she kept hidden behind that decorative door.

Odelia supposed there was no point in fuming any longer. She