Chapter Thirty-Five – Interrupted Confessions
~Likosa~
I spent hours with Ashanu, learning as much as I could about her, until she had to leave me. There was more that needed to be handled outside of bonding with my daughter. There would be plenty of time for that.
Moments after she left, the council sent for me.
I’d expected it. They’d want to pick my mind about where I’d been, and even though I’d fought to get back home, I was still a flight risk.
At any moment, I could leave Kinasha behind, another reason they’d offer to give the girls a tour.
What I wouldn’t do was leave without them.
I entered the council chamber, a room I’d spent much time in when developing my outreach plans.
Every step had to be approved. It looked the same, curved walls reaching up to a crown of windows.
Chairs lined the far wall where the council members sat, and there was only just enough seating at the center for whoever was scheduled to appear.
There was just one.
“Likosa, thank you for joining us.” Farada sat in the center of the line of elders.
She looked like she belonged there, each one a woman of grace and power.
All had served their communities well. At one time, I had goals of joining them.
Shortly before Niukshi betrayed me, Farada started her campaign to take the head of table. I was glad she succeeded.
“Of course.” I nodded, taking the seat in the center of the room.
“I know this is sudden, but we wanted to speak to you as soon as possible,” Farada spoke again. The others likely wouldn’t unless tension arose.
“I understand. Things move quickly.” I smiled. “What would you like to know?”
“First, I want to make it clear that you are welcome here whenever you choose.”
“I appreciate that clarification,” I said.
“How was it outside of our world?” That inquisitive spark lit up Farada’s eyes. “You had such imaginings of what you would find. Did it live up to your expectations?”
“Yes, and it far surpassed them.” I kept my answer short. It was the safest way to move until I knew what they wanted.
“I will be direct.” Farada picked up on my intention quickly. “We want you to continue the project you designed. Others have tried in your absence and failed. Is this something you would be interested in?”
“Once, I would have jumped at the opportunity to continue, but during my absence, I’ve learned that it is not my place to intervene in the way I hoped.
That would have been playing goddess. Worlds are like any other form of life.
They live, they grow, they evolve, and then, at some point, they die.
Hoping to stop that death was a selfish cause.
Now, my explorations are of wonder, of understanding, not of intervening,” I explained.
“What of the health of our world?” Farada asked.
“Kinasha’s ehkunilke is just fine.” I smiled.
“Ehkunilke?” She frowned, glancing at the others, who were also confused about the word.
“It is the spirit of this world. Each one has one. As long as the world’s spirit is in good health, so is the world.” I smiled. “I can teach you the understandings of the ehkunilke to make sure Kinasha remains healthy, but that is all I can do.”
“And that is what we will accept.” Farada smiled. “I’m glad your journey, however unexpected, was a fruitful one.”
“As am I.”
“Now, I suppose you want to get back to your friends. They should be returning from their tour soon.” Farada stood, and so did I.
“Likosa, I truly am sorry we didn’t look further into this.
We’ve welcomed you home, but I do hope you can forgive us all for failing you.
I hope you can learn to trust us here in Kinasha again. ”
As I left the chamber, I felt renewed in my position.
Farada’s offer came as I’d once hoped, but my instinct was clear.
That was not the goal for me anymore. Making it back to the bedroom assigned to me until I could find new permanent dwellings in Kinasha, I thought about my conversation with Windsor.
She was right—I needed to take stock and figure out what I wanted in life.
I was watching the sun drop in the horizon when I saw the others returning. They rode the rictees like professionals, their laughter ringing out across the sky. I waited just a while before heading to Shontae’s room.
I had to work to keep my nerves hidden, or she’d be able to tell how I felt before I got the chance to say it myself.
I wanted to be with Shontae.
She needed to know how I felt. I wouldn’t make it sound as if it would be easy, but I would tell her the truth.
Leaving Kinasha permanently wasn’t an option, because I was determined to have a relationship with Ashanu.
But Ashanu was older, and during our talks, she already expressed going away for her studies.
She had an independent spirit I admired.
While she was away at school, I could be on Earth, and when she was home, I could commute. It would be a lot, but it would be worth it. If Shontae and I could survive the tight schedule for a few years, we would have much more time together. I still hadn’t explained her extended life expectancy.
I took a deep breath before knocking on her door. A moment later, she opened it, and my heart sang.
“Likosa!” She sounded shocked to see me.
“Did you have fun?” I asked. “I saw you riding the rictee. You’re a natural.”
“Once I got used to it, it was pretty intuitive. Yes, your world is so beautiful.” She smiled and stepped aside for me to enter her room. “Are you okay?”
“I should be asking you that.” I chuckled, trying to keep my nerves suppressed. “This is a lot for anyone to take on. You came to a new world, battled the locals, and then watched one of the sacred practices.”
“I’m a big girl.” She flexed her arm. “I can handle myself.”
“I know you can.” I grabbed her bicep and squeezed. “Put the guns away, ma’am.”
“As long as you know what I’m capable of.” She laughed.
“Shontae—” I was about to tell her my idea of how we could make things work when she cut me off.
“I understand why you fought so hard to get back here. It's so beautiful, and your daughter is the spitting image of you.”
“You think so?”
“She is.” Shontae’s smile softened. “I wanted to be upset about how you kept that to yourself, but I know I’m not owed your secrets.
I’m just so glad I got to see you here, where you really belong.
Your people adore you. Everywhere we went today, they all spoke so highly of you, and they took great care of us because we were your friends. ”
“That’s good.” I inhaled deeply. I could already tell where she was going with her words.
“I just want to thank you for letting me help you, and to let you know I’ll miss you, but I understand. Your place is here.”
Looking at her, my heart ached just a little. However, I accepted what she said. I knew it would be a lot to ask of her, having to wait for me while I split my time between two worlds.
“I would like to spend the night with you, if you would allow it.” My eyes fell to her lips, and I pulled her to me. “You’ll go home in the morning, but we could have one last night together.”
Her chest rose slowly as she leaned in and kissed me.
We moved to the bed as the gentle breeze came through the window.
I glanced over at the view of the distant mountains.
As I kissed her, I opened the threads of my power and used the energy of the world to transport us.
One moment, we were on her bed, and the next, we lay in a field of grass at the top of Mount Gialo.
“Oh, my God,” she gasped. “This is beautiful.”
“I wanted to make sure I had you all to myself.” I kissed her neck.
“Well, Likosa, have your way with me.” Shontae licked her lips as she encouraged me. The light of the moon highlighted the contours of her body, and I used those highlights as a map, following them with my hands and tongue.
We stripped, and I laid my robe out on the ground before lowering Shontae on top of it. Shontae’s head fell back as my kisses traveled from her lips, over her chin, down her neck, between her breasts. By the time I reached her belly button, I could feel the wetness of her pussy against my chest.
She opened her legs wider as I lowered myself into position. Thoughts of this being the last time I tasted her flooded my mind, and instead of going quickly, I savored every lick. I drew slow circles around her clit before dipping the tip of my tongue inside her.
Shontae lifted her hips and moaned.
“Please, Likosa.” She begged for me to do more, move faster, but I couldn’t. I had to take my time.
And I did. I pushed Shontae to the edge over and over, each time stopping just before she climaxed.
If it were the last time, I would make it one to remember.
After her fifth orgasm, I took us back to the room, where Shontae quickly fell asleep in my arms.