CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE #2
There was nothing else to say. Daphne had never seen anything like this before.
Her exposure to magic was extremely limited, if not nonexistent, in the village.
She believed in Kora like everyone else, but this was the first time she had seen her miracles up close.
Below the vials was a long stone basin with what looked like dried blood all over it.
Upon closer inspection, Daphne realized the scrawls were letters.
She leaned in to see names, one under each vial.
“Daphne,” Kronos murmured. For as quietly as he was speaking, his voice seemed to echo in the silent room. “I must add your name.”
It was then that Daphne saw the small stone knife in his hand.
“I will heal you right afterward,” Kronos said. “It will barely hurt.”
Daphne nodded. There was nothing else she could do.
“Where would you prefer it?”
Wordlessly, she held out her hand. Kronos took it in his, placing the tip of the knife on her palm.
With a single, precise motion, he sliced her skin.
Daphne gasped, and his brow furrowed. Then he slashed his own palm, pressed it to hers, and held both of their hands out over the basin.
Daphne watched as their blood pooled in it.
With his other hand, Kronos traced a single word: Daphne.
He let go of her hand, and Daphne looked at her palm in wonder; the cut was already healed.
“That’s amazing,” she whispered.
Kronos set the knife back on the edge of the basin. “It is done,” he said. “You are officially my guest.”
For some reason, a chill ran down her spine. Daphne understood that what they’d just done was bound by the magic of Kora. There would be no changing her mind halfway through the Ranking—no quitting what she’d started. She was in this until the end.
“What happens now?” Daphne asked.
Kronos turned to her. “Now there will be a celebration in the courtyard.”
“Will there be food there?”
He frowned. “Are you hungry?”
“No. Just curious what a basilisk celebration looks like.”
He smiled. “You shall soon see.”
The other basilisks were already filing out of the room.
Slowly, conversation returned to the crowd, and with it, relief.
Daphne did not want to be the center of attention, especially at an event like this.
They followed everyone out into the passageway, and Daphne marveled at just how tall the basilisks were.
Even the women stood at least a head above her.
The men even more. She was suddenly thankful to have Kronos by her side, who towered over everyone.
The courtyard was large—far larger than the room with the vials. It was circular in shape, and at the center was a bubbling fountain filled with shimmering liquid. Basilisks gathered around it, dipping goblets in its contents and drinking from them.
“What’s that?” Daphne pointed at the fountain.
“It is…an elixir.”
“An elixir? What does it do?”
“It…helps you have a good time.”
“In that case,” Daphne said, walking toward it, “can I try it?”
Kronos laughed, holding her back. “I think not.”
“Why not?”
“It is not meant for humans.”
“I want to try it.”
He shook his head. “Daphne. It is not for—”
She cut him off. “I don’t take orders from you, remember?”
Daphne knew they both remembered the crest—how she was beholden to him—how it was his responsibility not to abuse that privilege. Kronos sobered immediately.
“Yes,” he whispered. “I remember.”
For a moment, they simply looked at each other.
Then he nodded and said, “It is up to you.”
A thrill passed through Daphne. Before she could talk herself out of it, she turned and walked toward the fountain.
Basilisks parted for her; not a single person even came close to her vicinity.
Daphne didn’t know whether they were scared or simply cautious.
Kronos followed behind her like a guard dog, staring down anyone who lingered too long.
The fountain was beautiful; Daphne had never seen anything with such otherworldly aura. The liquid was shiny and smooth, tumbling from the top down into subsequent tiers.
“What is it?” she whispered.
Kronos remained silent.
Daphne stepped closer, extending her hand and trailing her fingertips through the liquid.
Kronos watched the motion hungrily, his pupils dilated.
She reached for a goblet, taking it and filling it with liquid.
She raised it to her nose. It had no scent whatsoever.
Daphne turned to Kronos, who was still watching her.
Smoke crawled over his shoulders as she heard the faintest beginnings of a hiss.
This was turning him on. She stepped closer, holding the goblet out to him.
“Drink,” she said.
Kronos smiled. “I do not take orders from you either, mén zeseré.”
Daphne didn’t know what that phrase meant. He had never called her a pet name before, much less even said a word in another language. Despite her curiosity, now didn’t seem like the time to ask about it.
“I think you do,” she whispered.
His pupils dilated even more; his eyes were almost completely black. The scent of smoke overpowered her; Daphne could barely draw a breath. Yet she did not pull away. Instead she stepped even closer, placing her hand on his shoulder. His skin burned beneath her touch.
“Perhaps I do,” he whispered back.
“In that case.” Daphne centered herself in front of him. “Drink.”
She raised the goblet, standing on her tiptoes to do so. Kronos angled his head as she tilted it over his lips and poured the liquid into his mouth. Daphne watched his throat as he swallowed. She smiled, lowering her hand.
“Now me.”
Kronos looked down at her. Slowly, with perfect control, he took the goblet from her hand and lifted it to her lips. Daphne arched her neck.
“Only a taste,” Kronos whispered.
Then he tilted the goblet.
The moment the elixir touched her lips, Daphne felt warm.
She had already been warm to begin with—Kronos’s proximity and the temperature under the mountain guaranteed that.
But now she felt a rush of heat that was undeniably sexual, and before she knew it, she was wet between her legs. Daphne swallowed.
As soon as she did so, Kronos lowered the goblet. Her vision seemed to darken. Her chest was tight; it was as if all the air in the room were moving toward Kronos, pulling her into his body. Daphne closed her eyes, trying to manage the sensation and finding herself wildly unable to do so.
“Daphne.” Kronos’s voice came to her dimly, through a haze of ecstasy. She tried to open her eyes but couldn’t.
“I’m—” she gasped. But she couldn’t finish her sentence. The arousal was almost painful, clenching her center in an all-encompassing ache.
“Daphne,” Kronos said sharply.
Finally, she opened her eyes. He was standing far too close, his beautiful face right in front of hers.
There was only one thing she could do when he was this near.
Without thinking, she pressed her lips to his.
They kissed deeply, drinking each other in, his fingers lacing into her curls.
Dimly, she heard the goblet clatter to the ground.
Then Kronos was lifting her, wrapping her legs around his waist as he pulled them both away from the fountain.
Even through her rush of arousal, Daphne could sense his restraint.
Kronos was still in control, preventing them from going too far.
More than once, his hand caught hers when it wandered too low.
Daphne couldn’t imagine what it was like for him to hold back like this.
She could barely think straight, much less make informed decisions.
The next time she reached for his cock, his hand caught her wrist.
“Stop that,” Daphne said.
“Stop what?”
“Stopping me.”
Kronos smiled against her lips. His grip on her wrist tightened. “Stop stopping you?”
“Yes.”
“You do not understand,” he breathed.
“What?” Daphne kissed down his neck. “What don’t I understand?”
Kronos grabbed her face, holding her in front of him. For an electric moment, there was silence. Out of the corner of her eye, Daphne saw writhing piles of bodies. All around them, basilisks were coming together in pairs and groups, all naked, all touching. The sight made her unspeakably aroused.
“You do not understand how much I want you,” Kronos whispered. “You do not understand the things I wish to do to you. You do not understand how long I have wanted to do them. And you do not understand how unbearable it is to have you this close to my cock but not riding it.”
His eyes burned into hers.
This, finally, was the effect of the elixir on Kronos.
He was used to the sexual urges—he knew how to control them.
But his thoughts and emotions were another thing altogether.
Perhaps it took the influence of a drink that lowered your inhibitions for him to be honest about what he wanted from her.
Even his endless patience must come to an end.
“You cannot know what it is like to be around you but unable to fuck you,” he continued, his hands still on her face. “It is agony. I wish I were a better man—I wish I did not want the things I want. But I do, Daphne. I want everything. And I want it with you.”
“So tell me,” she whispered. “Tell me everything you’ve ever wanted to do to me. Right now.”
“I cannot tell you.” His fingers tightened behind her skull. “It will only make me want to do them more. I do not possess such restraint.”
“Yes you do. I trust you.”
Kronos shook his head. “You should not.”
But Daphne knew she could. Kronos would never hurt her. He would rather die than let anything happen to her. “Just do some of it,” Daphne said.
“Some of what?”
“What you want to do to me.”
“Some of it?”
“Yes. Haven’t you ever heard of moderation?”
Kronos let out a deep laugh. “Basilisks do not practice moderation.”
“They should.”
His hands moved to her hips. From the way he was gripping them, Daphne knew he was already practicing moderation with her. He was always practicing moderation with her. “And what shall I do?” he asked.