Valve’s appreciation for her own kind bore deep—Akhal-Tekes had always been crafty, ambitious and supremely intelligent. Her bloodline extended back thousands upon thousands of years, and with each generation that passed these were the qualities that allowed for their continued success. Nyazik, as she was called, was a great deal younger than Valve, but it pleased her to see the golden filly displaying these traits already. If she could help it, she would ensure that their reputation would continue to stand the test of time—she was not immortal and thus she was compelled to maintain what her ancestors had worked so hard to cultivate.

“You will be,” Valve asserted, a similar glint of devious boldness in her eye. “If you know who to trust.”

Indeed, trust and loyalty were mostly what mattered in this world. Nothing could be accomplished with just one soul—the sands were many, and together they made up the spectacular dunes upon which they stood now. One small grain raised no one up.

Of course, despite the black mare’s preference for her breed, she did not disparage others. They were an important part of the equation as well—they simply had to work harder to establish that trust and loyalty with her. The exception was Yusuf—the blind bastard that threatened to ruin her entire bloodline. He could not be allowed to continue, and she hoped that somewhere, Maslakhat was seeing to that task.

“I am Valve,” she offered. “And I believe you and I could be very useful to each other, Nyazik.”

VALVE
slenderman x black heart machine