27. The Point of No Return
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Since we were in no hurry to head back to the castle, we decided to spend one more day in the city. I wanted to take the opportunity to learn as much as I could, so we returned to Seersthri’s clinic. Riel and Seersthri both forbade me from helping, which was fine, since the menders had everything under control.
Just by observing the other healers at work, I was able to pick up a few fun facts. For example, most healers found external, physical injuries easier to mend than internal ones or illnesses. Apparently, the process was considered to be more straightforward. Some more serious cases required multiple sessions, like the people I’d helped the day before.
Also, healing usually took longer than it felt like. Sometimes, the healers would sit still for several minutes as they worked on a patient. When I asked Seersthri if that was normal, she told me that the same thing had happened when I healed the pixie queen. That came as a surprise to me, since it had only felt like a few seconds on my end. Riel explained that I was already faster than most when it came to channeling mana , and with practice, I’d probably be able to improve even more. The thought thrilled me .
Seersthri also explained, with some help from Riel, that mending magic couldn’t always help someone who is born with a condition, because sometimes there was technically nothing to be fixed. Thinking back, I couldn’t remember if I had ever tried to heal someone with a congenital disorder. I wasn’t privy to my patients’ medical history, but to the best of my knowledge, most of the people who came to me had some kind of terminal illness, cancer being chief among them.
In addition to the specifics of mending, being in the clinic gave me the opportunity to ask questions about aspects of fae culture. What I found out was incredibly confusing.
A majority of Miderrum’s residents appeared to be the same race as Riel and his family, but the way I understood it, that didn’t automatically mean they were Ishameti . Rather than a single race, the Ishameti were more a social group made up of people from various backgrounds who were united under Riel’s family and lived in harmony through a shared culture, which included a common religion and language.
As if that wasn’t enough, while Riel’s family did have some kind of blood claim to their position, it was a bit more complex than that. This side of The Rift was separated into twelve distinct countries, each known by the name of their “leading family,” or royal house. Riel’s immediate family wasn’t all of House Wysalar, and other members were spread throughout the country with their own smaller territories.
Thankfully, Riel was patient with me while I digested all of this.
He and I joined Seersthri and the other menders for their late morning meal, where we also took the time to say our goodbyes. Afterward, we spent the afternoon touring Main Street, and Riel insisted I get a few souvenirs. Despite my protests, he helped me pick out a pretty vest with delicate silver details for Chris and a ceremonial knife for Devon. After multiple assurances that money was no object, I also tentatively selected hair ornaments for Vivian and my stylist and a handbound journal for George.
I was learning that just because magic existed didn’t mean that there was a magic solution for everything, and although most people could use magic, not everyone could use it to the same degree. As a result, everyone here had jobs just like anywhere else, and the economy was built on a system that relied on both money and trading skills or products.
By the time we returned to our room in the boarding house, my head spun from all the new information. As soon as I entered, I untied my cloak, let it fall to the ground, and collapsed on the bed with a long, weary sigh.
“I guess this kind of thing is obvious for most people,” I said into the duvet, “but it’s so crazy how different other parts of the world are. It’s like, the more I see, the more I realize I’ve seen so little, and the more I learn, the more I realize I don’t really know anything.”
“Ah, my eseri is becoming educated,” Riel commented in a teasing tone as he crossed the room. “Be careful not to give it too much thought. Your little human brain might pop like a kainna that’s had too much nectar.”
“Hey!” I made a face and sat up, supporting myself on my elbows. “We don’t all have stupidly long lives and the means to travel freely. Good for you that you can cram your old man brain with all this knowledge. Assuming you also have a brain, and not, I don’t know, a network of little ants crawling through your body to deliver information.”
“Yes, I also have a brain.” Riel’s amused reply came from the direction of the bathroom, along with the sound of running water. He emerged from behind the screen with the first few buttons on his shirt undone and the sleeves folded back. “I’m preparing a bath,” he stated. “If you would like to bathe as well, you’re welcome to go first.”
“Oh, thank you, but you can go ahead. I’ll wait,” I responded absently .
The glimpse of bare chest and sculpted forearms caught my attention. I attempted to avert my eyes, but they made a roundabout journey to end up right back where they started.
“Or, maybe you’d like to share.”
I heard the words, but it took a moment for them to register. “Pardon?”
Riel gave me a patient smile, but something besides patience simmered behind his eyes. “The bath has plenty of space for two. Of course, only if you would be comfortable.”
My brain short-circuited, producing an image of Riel and a few artfully arranged bubbles that I would never admit to seeing, not even under torture, but would be sure to file away for later. I took a deep breath before responding, taking the extra seconds to consider my options. I wasn’t stupid—if we got into a bath naked together, things would go further than that. And… I wanted that. I wanted this with him.
This is it, I told myself. The point of no return.
“Sure,” I whispered. Cleared my throat. “Sure,” I repeated, my voice a little stronger. “Yeah. Save water and all that.”
But when I got up and locked eyes with Riel, the length of the room felt insurmountable. Flustered, I bought another moment by leaning against the bedpost to remove my shoes. As the second shoe hit the floor, I straightened up and made my way to where Riel waited by the privacy screen.
“You can change your mind at any time,” he said when I came to a stop in front of him.
“I know,” I responded quietly, my hands going to the hem of my blouse. I drew it over my head and let it drop to the floor. My pants followed with a bit less grace. Standing before him in my underwear, I exhaled slowly, willing my anxiety to leave my body in the same breath. Riel made no comment, but his hands came up to unfasten the remaining buttons on his shirt.
The garment joined my clothes on the floor. The sound of the bath filling behind him pounded in my ears, an exhilarating rush of noise that blended with my quickening pulse. When his hands went to the ties of his pants, I reached out to stop him.
“Let me do it.” The words tumbled out.
Riel paused and let his hands fall to his sides. “So be it.”
A little awkwardly, I settled on my knees in front of him. As I started undressing him, a thought occurred to me. “Um…” I tried to think of the best way to say it. “So, I know you look pretty human, but… should I prepare for any… that is, your, um… it’s not weird, is it?”
“How so?” His brows furrowed.
“Like, your… penis, you can wiggle it independently, or it has scales or something?”
“Nothing like that.”
His voice came out strained. I glanced up to see that he struggled to hold back laughter, and my cheeks flushed pink. Well, so much for trying not to be self-conscious. With a determined nod, I tackled the ties of his pants with renewed enthusiasm.
“Unless the second one counts,” he amended.
My hands fumbled with the string, causing it to slip from my fingers.
“Just kidding.” Riel gave me a cheeky wink.
I released an exasperated huff of breath and hid a smile. With a shake of my head, I finished undoing the laces and slipped my fingers into the waistband. The fabric came down inch by inch, revealing pale, creamy flesh. This close, I could make out a light dusting of fair hair that started under his belly button and showed no signs of faltering on the way down. I also couldn’t help but notice the sizable lump that formed in my line of sight.
Swallowing my nerves, I let go, allowing his pants to fall the rest of the way.
I wasn’t sure if I was disappointed or relieved to see that there were, in fact, no piercings along the length or head of his sex. I was glad to see that there was nothing out of the ordinary about it, at least not that I noticed. It wasn’t weirdly shaped or unmanageably large, and it was framed by trimmed honey-blond hair. It was a handsome example of male anatomy that, under my scrutinizing gaze, was rapidly reaching its full potential.
I got to my feet before I did something weird, like compliment him on his penis.
“May I?” Riel asked in a low voice, extending a hand. I felt his fingers graze against the band of my bra and nodded my permission. He reached around me to feel for the clasp. The seconds dragged on until I reached back to help. When the elastic gave, I slipped my arms out and let the garment fall. My underwear joined the growing pile of clothing at our feet.
It didn’t feel as weird as I thought it would to be naked before a man. I supposed it helped that he was naked, too. It was impossible not to feel at least a little self-conscious—all the fae I’d seen were pretty much perfect, after all. Could he see the ingrown hairs along my bikini line from his vantage point? What did he think of the freckles that covered most of my body? He’d already seen my breasts, but… were they too small? Too big? Was he a boob or an ass guy?
Riel’s expression didn’t reveal much as we studied each other, but I appreciated having the chance to look my fill regardless. Eventually, I forced my gaze past him, to where water still gushed into the massive tub in the middle of the room.
“The bath is probably getting full,” I whispered.
Blinking as if coming out of a daze, Riel pivoted on his heel and went to investigate. I followed, taking the opportunity to admire his backside as it moved away from me. It was shapely, toned almost to a fault, and followed by muscular thighs and calves that flexed with power as he walked.
The Goddess must really like me after all.
The bath was about three-quarters full, even with the time we’d spent getting each other naked. Riel leaned over with a little bottle in his hand to add something to the water, and the air filled with the fresh and crisp scent I always associated with him. I breathed it in with a sigh of pleasure. Straightening, Riel met my eyes before giving my body a languid, head-to-toe sweep. My toes curled into the floor as I resisted the urge to cover myself.
“You can get in now, if you like,” he offered, putting the bottle of bath oil down.
I approached the tub and dipped a hand in to test the temperature. It was sufficiently warm, though not quite as hot as I usually liked it. Riel helped me in, and I settled into the contoured groove against one side, submerged up to my breasts in the water.
He kneeled by the edge of the bath and hovered over me, his hands coming around to start kneading the tension from my shoulders and neck with slow and steady pressure.
“Ohh, that’s nice,” I moaned, closing my eyes and letting my head fall back. I basked in the attention, especially as he ran shampoo through my hair and began massaging my scalp. His nails scraped along my hairline with aching gentleness, his fingertips melting away any dirt and oil along with the hot water. He drew away, and I dipped my head to rinse.
“Don’t you want to get in, too?” I asked, angling my body toward Riel as I wiped water from my face with both hands. He responded by leaning in to skim the line of my neck with his lips. I shivered at the light contact, goosebumps breaking out across my arms.
“I’m just savoring the moment,” he told me, taking one of my hands from the water and brushing his lips against the side of my wrist. He kept going, visiting each finger on my left hand before returning to my shoulder to place a lingering kiss there.
“The water’s going to get cold,” I pointed out, my voice coming out a bit breathless.
With a knowing chuckle, Riel released my arm and climbed in beside me. I kept my gaze directed at the water before me rather than helping myself to another eyeful of his manhood.
“I’ll do your hair too,” I offered, turning to examine the bottles lined up by the tub.
“You can use the oil.”
He pointed to the same bottle he’d used for the water.
I grabbed it and poured a modest amount into my hands, breathing in the scent once more. As I massaged it into his scalp, I couldn’t help but appreciate the silkiness of his hair.
“Your hair is so beautiful,” I marveled, unable to keep the envy from my tone as I admired the way the strands slipped through my fingers. How every single one of the long-haired fae managed to avoid frizz and split ends was a mystery to me, but I supposed it was just proof that they were chosen by the Goddess. That or the magic bath oil.
We both rinsed for a final time in the scented water. I got out first, going for one of the folded linens by the bath. As I wrapped it around myself, I felt a presence at my back, and the next thing I knew, I was being swept off my feet—literally.
“What—” I trailed off in a squeal as I found myself held against a very wet, very firm male body. Riel crossed the room in a few long strides and deposited me onto his side of the bed, caging me in with his arms. I froze underneath him like a deer in headlights, clutching my towel to my chest and blinking up at him with wide eyes.
Without breaking eye contact, he eased backward to stand in front of my bare legs, and his hands came down to settle on my knees. Every line of his body was tense, yet he still hesitated there, perhaps knowing that there was no going back once this line was crossed. I appreciated the courtesy of giving me a moment, but I’d already made my decision a long time ago. I forced my body to relax against the bed.
“Please,” I said simply, shaking off the towel to bare myself to him. My permission was all Riel needed. As his body lowered to kneel before me, my core clenched in anticipation. The moment his mouth made contact with my skin, sensations traveled up my spine like a bolt of lightning. Rather than going straight for the prize, he took his time, starting at my inner thigh and lining a path to my pubic mound with sensual, open-mouthed kisses.
When he finally got to my clit, he drew a lazy circle around that sensitive nub with his dexterous tongue. My hands scrambled for something to ground me, finding only rough linen and silky duvet. Riel responded to my reaction with a pleased grunt and repeated the motion, testing the waters with a little more pressure. My hips shifted in encouragement. Somehow, he knew exactly what I asked for. A stifled moan escaped me as he licked, nipped, and suckled flesh that grew increasingly sensitive under his careful ministrations.
Once he found a technique he was happy with, Riel surprised me by hefting my thighs over his shoulders and pulling me all the way to the edge of the bed. Having put me where he wanted me, he settled in and found a rhythm. I let myself fall back and relax, closing my eyes to lose myself in the sensations I was feeling—the cold air against my peaked nipples, the warmth of his hands squeezing my flesh, his wet hair tickling my inner thighs. I wanted to provide direction, but all I could manage was a series of breathless noises.
The lack of a verbal response didn’t faze the prince. He feasted on me with a single-minded dedication, neither slowing nor rushing. At some point, my legs tensed around his head, and my fingers tangled themselves in his hair for better control. His hands tightened where they gripped my thighs, but he made no protest. Emboldened, I became more daring, shifting my hips upward to grind against his face. He let me, waiting patiently as I found the right spot and demonstrated the ideal level of pressure.
When the movement of my hips faltered, he didn’t hesitate, taking over the proper rhythm with renewed enthusiasm. After a few more minutes of that, I could no longer draw in enough oxygen. A sound that vaguely resembled his name escaped me, along with a string of pleading words even I didn’t recognize. I was scarcely lucid enough to realize that something wonderful was near. His talented tongue, better than any toy, continued its hot, slick, and insistent worship of my clit.
Then, all at once, the tension crested and snapped in a flurry of slickness and heat, and I was done for. My head went back, mouth open in a soundless cry as fireworks burst in every synapse. Riel gripped me closer to ride out my orgasm, his tongue demanding every bit of my pleasure. My legs started shaking of their own accord, but he didn't stop until my trembling ceased and I sagged against the bed. It took me several moments before I could collect my thoughts enough to manage words again.
“Fuck,” I whispered.
“That comes next,” Riel responded with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, rising to his feet. His tongue flicked out to taste what was left of me on his lips. Captivated by the motion, I jumped a little when I felt fingers graze against my entrance. He set his thumb against my still-tender clit with a light touch as he tested my wetness with two of his fingers. Almost immediately, they found a spot that had me shuddering in pleasure, and the muscles in my lower abdomen clenched in anticipation of round two.
“So responsive,” he murmured, transfixed by what lay between my legs. Despite being completely naked and spread open before him, I couldn’t bring myself to feel embarrassed. He dragged his eyes up to meet mine and the heat in his gaze was stunning.
“Goddess, you’re perfect,” he said, his tone reverent. That did cause my cheeks to warm. He cocked his head as he took in my naked form from head to toe.
When Riel made no move to continue, I grew concerned. “What is it? Everything okay?”
“Everything is much, much more than okay, eseri ,” he said, reaching out a hand to stop me as I started to get up. “Just trying to decide how I want you.”
He gave me another leisurely once-over before making up his mind. He delivered his demand in a voice like a sensual purr: “Turn over, my beautiful Avery.”
Heart pounding in my ears, I moved my hands underneath me to carry out the request. I turned onto my hands and knees, facing the head of the bed, and felt Riel’s warmth as he leaned over me, his fingers trailing down my arm. He picked up my hand and placed it on the headboard.
“Hold on,” he murmured, his low voice eliciting a shiver from me as it caressed my ear. I obediently brought my other hand up to grip the headboard alongside the first.
When he drew away, I opened my mouth to protest. But it only took a moment before his weight settled on the bed behind me, and he began trailing sensual, unhurried kisses down the length of my spine. By the time he’d made it to my tailbone, my back was arching up to meet him. I felt his fingers testing my entrance again. I didn’t need to tell him I was ready—I was pretty sure I’d never been this wet in my entire life.
As I felt the tip of him tease my sex, I held my breath and squeezed my eyes shut, expecting him to invade me with one thrust. But Riel surprised me by taking his time yet again, easing just the tip inside before withdrawing and repeating the process to coat his length in my wetness. On his third or fourth repetition, he finally moved forward all the way, sinking into me with a harsh exhale. My inner walls fluttered around him, adjusting to the intrusion.
Without further delay, his hands gripped my hips almost to the point of pain, and he began to thrust into me with a punishing intensity. I gripped the headboard for dear life.
“A little… softer,” I gasped, barely able to form a coherent thought in between harsh strokes. His hips slowed, which also allowed for his thrusts to become deeper, so that I could feel every inch of him and the delicious friction that came with it. I ma de a sound of approval somewhere between a gasp and a moan. A pleasant ache deep inside came and went each time he bottomed out, and my muscles squeezed like a vise, not wanting to let him go.
“ Isha ,” Riel hissed. “Just like that. Ahh, eseri , you feel magnificent .”
A string of fae words fell from his lips, spoken with a mix of reverence and desperation. Warmth bloomed in my chest—although I didn’t know what the words meant, I could hear the affection in them. I was glad to know that this was more than just sex for both of us.
Riel bent over me then, bringing one hand up to grasp the nape of my neck and angling his hips ever-so-slightly. With the adjustment, he ground against my G-spot on every instroke. My body arched into him automatically, craving more contact, more pressure, just more . Skin against skin wasn’t enough—I needed us to be soul to soul.
“Ohh, yes,” I breathed, the words on the edge of a whine. One of my hands lifted off the headboard and started to reach back as if intending to pull him deeper inside me. I caught myself and returned it to its spot with difficulty.
“More, please. Please, more,” I begged.
Without saying a word, he responded to my pleas, picking up a harsher rhythm once more. The man moved like a machine, all strength and efficiency. This time, I met his intensity as best I could. Our movements began to blend together so that all I knew was pressure, friction, heat, and pleasure. The room filled with our combined breaths, grunts, and moans, along with the indecent sounds of skin slicked with sweat and other fluids.
“So good. So good,” I bit out, on the verge of babbling incoherently as I started to feel a second orgasm approaching. I let go of the headboard to roll a nipple between my fingers, desperate for the thing that would push me over the edge.
But before I could reach the pinnacle I climbed toward, Riel halted and withdrew from me. I keened over the loss, my body bowing forward.
“Why?” I practically shrieked, whirling on him. Without missing a beat, his hands came up to caress my arms and ease me down against the pillows.
“My sweet Avery,” Riel crooned—only mildly breathless, damn him. “Have faith. I won’t leave you wanting.”
Motion drew my gaze to where he fisted his cock in his hand and my eyes widened. With his other hand, he pulled one of my legs to the side to give himself access. He entered me again with a rough thrust, greeting the deepest parts of me. Anything I might have said dissolved into a hiss and a groan as the sensation rippled through my core.
“God, fuck,” I managed, frantically scrabbling for his arm, for the blankets, for anything to hold onto. I was forced to settle for raising my hands to the headboard again, and Riel took the opportunity to clutch my hip bone for better leverage. The heat from his hand was scorching.
“I’m sorry,” Riel panted, not sounding sorry in the slightest, “but I wanted to see your face.”
He softened the rocking of his hips to lean forward and take my chin with his other hand. Tilting my head ever-so-gently upward, he scanned my face before going in for a kiss. I threaded my fingers in his hair and let myself relax into his touch. His tongue met mine briefly before he nipped my bottom lip and began making his way down the side of my neck.
As his breath warmed the curve where my shoulder began, a full-body shudder rocked through me. “You… like doing stuff with your mouth, huh?” I mused absently, closing my eyes and angling my head back to give him better access.
“How do you feel about teeth?” came the response, muffled against my shoulder in between alternating kisses and nips. My eyes popped open in surprise.
“Do it,” I said quickly, breathlessly.
Riel bit down, the motion of his hips stuttering as he did. His teeth were sharper than I had expected, but I didn’t mind the pressure and the pinch. In fact, something about the animalistic nature of the action did it for me. I gasped, clutching him closer to me with one hand and snaking the other in between our bodies to seek out my clit.
Riel soothed the spot he’d bitten with his tongue, leaving an echo of an ache behind. To my delight, he wasn’t done. He went to another spot and repeated the action, making a desperate sound against my flesh, as if his instincts were telling him that he needed to be deeper inside me. I found myself strangely tempted to bite him back.
My eyelids fluttered closed, and I distracted myself by focusing on the sensations—the pleasurable pain of his bite, the heat of his body above mine, the weight of him between my legs, the length of him inside me. I rubbed my clit faster and canted my hips upward in demand.
Drawing back, Riel gave me what I was pleading for, returning his hands to my hip and leg and picking up the pace. He met my gaze and held it, and I watched with fascination as the color of his irises seemed to swirl and ripple like ink in water. He was truly a beautiful creature, even more so with his skin glowing from the barest sheen of sweat. But the thought struck me then that he was as much something else as he was a man.
“I’m going to come,” I gasped as the realization of how close I was hit me with the force of a truck.
“That’s my girl,” Riel murmured, still holding my gaze. “Come for me, eseri .”
Before he’d finished speaking the words, I was coming apart underneath him. I cried out in abandon as the pleasure crested, and he closed his mouth over mine, swallowing the sound. I made another sound that may have been a moan, may have been a sob, and squirmed against him in an attempt to magnify the aftershocks and wring out every last ounce of pleasure.
Riel broke off the kiss and made a similar sound. I felt him twitch inside me like a second heartbeat as he came, bathing my insides in warmth. We stayed there for a while longer, holding onto each other to catch our breaths and bask in the afterglow. Sweat plastered my hair to the back of my neck, but I couldn’t summon the energy to care.
The moment was ruined when I felt the barest trickle of something down below, drawing my attention to more practical matters. Reluctantly, I sat up and began to untangle myself from Riel, nodding toward the bathroom with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I just need to…”
“Of course.” He moved aside to let me go.
I slid off the bed to do my business. Legs still weak from two fantastic, consecutive orgasms, I stumbled a bit. Riel jumped up to help me, but I waved him away. Flushing with embarrassment, I hurried to the bathroom to wash up.
When I returned, he waited for me in bed, reclining with the blankets pulled up to his waist. I ducked my head, hesitant to meet his eyes as I climbed in under the covers beside him. He lifted the blanket in invitation and I eagerly snuggled up to him.
Our bodies fit together like they were made for each other. Although I tried not to take it as some kind of sign, I hummed in pleasure and closed my eyes to savor the feeling. I was safe, warm, and surrounded by my lover. Nothing could be more perfect.