Chapter 45 Gentleness #2
"I am glad you’re okay," Sorill said, hand hovering midair as if to test the waters, and when Luella did not flinch, the Fallen Princess touched her shoulder kindly.
Had she been… worried about Luella? She couldn’t fathom it.
"Thank you," Luella answered, her tone unable to hide the shock she felt.
"I, as well, Princess Luella," Queen Samil announced. Her brows were drawn close together, as if all was not as it seemed.
"I can help," Sorill said suddenly, capturing Luella’s attention. The Fallen Princess smiled impishly as Luella tilted her head in question.
Her back twinged as she shifted on the mattress.
Suddenly, Tharen was there, kneeling behind her, careful to keep a proper distance from Sorill, as he began to massage a cool, sticky substance on her exposed shoulder blades, right over the scrapes.
She sighed at his touch, then blushed as she found the Queen staring at her curiously.
"I could not help but hear." Sorill shrugged a shoulder. "It was not my intention to listen in. I apologize."
"You rarely intend to do anything, Sorill," Graves said, but the words held no heat. They were fond.
Sorill’s wings lifted behind her. "I’m sure you’ve noticed," she started, ignoring Graves, "my wings are smaller than most. I was born prematurely, so my wings did not develop until later.
I had to take lessons longer than most." She grew abashed.
"I know what it’s like to be behind. If… Graves teaches you, I can help, also."
The offer was kind, but Luella hated to show such weakness in front of someone she did not trust fully. But did that mean she trusted the others? That made Luella pause. "Thank you, Sorill, for your kindness. I will think about it."
The Queen cleared her throat. "I am truly glad you are here, safe, Princess Luella. As much as I wish I’d come only to see you well, there is another reason…"
"Mother?" Graves prodded.
Vale moved to lean by the wall, arms crossed, green eyes burning. But the line of his shoulders wasn’t as taut as it had been before they had spoken.
"Opulus sent me at the behest of… Azgorath, your demon friend," the Queen shared.
And just like that, the tension returned, and Luella recalled that anger burning inside her—not her own. It had since abated, but that made her question the source.
Where was Az? She hadn’t seen him in the few hours since Graves had brought her back.
She sat up, dislodging Tharen’s hands. She felt his fingertips skim the curve of her backside, hidden by her wings. She shivered. "What? What is it? Is Az alright?"
"He’s fine, lamb," Tharen grumbled from behind her.
"Then"—she looked to Vale and Graves, craning her head to meet Tharen’s guarded eyes—"what are you not telling me?" Because something was being hidden from her.
"We have been… questioning the Fallen who took you," Vale announced, eyes drifting to Luella, then Sorill at her side.
Luella understood what he didn’t say. Torture. "Oh," she said. "And?"
Was it terrible of her that she did not feel disgust?
He swallowed, lips twitching with a snarl. His lids drifted shut, but not before she saw the slits of his pupils.
His dragon.
Luella stood slowly, walking to Vale. When she was before him, she hesitantly touched his clenched fists, her fingers easing some of the tension in his knuckles. His eyes shot open, the slits turning to normal the longer he stared.
They weren’t alone, but she so wished they were.
Vale’s hand fell to her shoulder, just brushing the feathers of her wings. Some intrinsic piece of her, connected to the wings, fluttered at his touch, while a different part of her wished to cower back. She was a mess. The feathers were covered in matted blood.
It was as if she wanted to preen for him.
She eyed his hand and the edges of her wings, shrinking back, throat closing up. What was wrong with her? Torture suddenly did not unsettle her, yet unclean wings did?
"Why don’t you get cleaned up?" Graves spoke up, as if he sensed her turmoil. "We’ll talk later."
Bathing with Az was an act Luella was coming to treasure.
The Queen and Princess Sorill had left, both wishing Luella well, then her demon had come to her, pressing a kiss to her crown. After Vale had helped her to the bath, Az had taken over, pulling the curtain snug; though, that did not do much to block out the sounds of their voices from beyond.
Hushed murmurs and furious whispers drifted through the trickle in the bathing pool, along with Az’s gentle words as he helped her slip her gown off.
She stood nude, and her body listed to the side in weariness.
He picked her up, cradling her against his bare chest like a babe as her arms wrapped around his neck, cheek resting against his hot chest.
Carefully, he entered the water with her in his arms, sitting with her still bundled on his lap. The material of his thin breeches grew soaked, and she felt his hardness poke against her backside where she rested against him, sending a flushed chill throughout her tired body.
It was only after her wings were once more pure and clean that she realized she no longer became paralyzed in the water.
The gentle ripples were soothing to her, as was the heat, as Az dunked a small stone cup beneath the surface, pouring it over her wings.
She felt the water’s warmth in her very soul.
Az rewarded her bravery with soft words of praise, his large fingers delving into the slick warmth between her thighs. Her body fell apart easily.
Holding her against his chest, he pressed wet, messy kisses to her lips and face.
Tired exhalations puffed into the crook of his neck as he rubbed over that spot at the apex of her thighs, thumb circling while his other hand dipped lower and teased her entrance—a place that had remained untouched… so far.
She shifted her hips, curious of what his fingers might feel like there, inside her, but he distracted her with firm pressure as he stroked that mind-numbing spot, and she soon forgot all about her musings.
When her sweet little puffs of air grew louder and her body spasmed, clenching around nothing, he kissed her brow and murmured gentle words.
"My angel. I’m so grateful you’re safe. I’ve not done well by you in upholding my vow of protection. You have every right to be angry with me."
On the heels of her release, she whispered, "I love you. You always keep me safe—I trust you."
Sated, Luella relaxed against him fully, lids threatening to drift shut. Her nose brushed the side of his neck. She inhaled his scent, feeling it chase away the lingering unrest in her gut.
Az took her hand and lifted it from below the water, droplets trickling from her fingertips, as he placed her palm on his chest—right over the small red circle of his vow to her.
Her fingers grazed his flesh, and her wings shivered behind her, pleasantly warm from the water and the glow of her release.
His brown curls tickled her nose as she lifted slightly and kissed his jaw. As she did so, she spotted a tiny fleck of red at his hairline. Splattered droplets of blood, as if the spray had misted his skin and he had not been able to scrub it all off entirely.
In the mellow warmth of the bath, her blood ran cold.