Chapter Thirty-Four
Loreleivnna
The flashing light behind my eyelids slowly fades, but my body is still twitching when his stream finally slows to a dribble.
Strange noises continue seeping from my lips as Pikr’s hooves clatter to either side of my head.
He steps back, slowly. A waterfall of cum gushes from my used pussy following his departure, and I moan at the waves of liquid that surge for the exit, my belly rippling.
“You did so well, little mouse. Incredible.” Pikr lowers to the ground next to the stump where I lay, my muscles still twitching. With two steady hands under my arms, he hoists me back against his side, and I snuggle against his chest. “How do you feel?”
“Like a nodding snowdrop.” My lower abdomen contracts, and another glob of sticky seed plops into the mess between my legs to run down the side of the tree stump.
Pikr chuckles. “We’ll rest here until you’re able to move. Are you sore?”
I consider the question. My pussy feels worked from the inside out, but no soreness has set in yet. My nipples feel a little tingly from my harsh treatment, but the sensation is withering down, and I’m sure it won’t last.
“No, I’m fine.” I tilt my head on his shoulder to meet his gaze, which looks as dreamy as I feel. “How did you know of this place?”
“I helped carve it down with my father. Aevumoon Iris pith mixes easily with most metals, and holds enchantments like no other material, even gemstones.”
“Yet another incredible use of the Nocturn Aevumdivus’s gift,” I chuckle. “Why don’t more Aevumoon Irises get chopped down?”
“They may not seem it, but Aevumoon Irises are more alive than most plants in Eldrunna. They don’t often decide to lay down their lives for our use.”
“That’s incredible.” I trace little circles on Pikr’s chest. He must’ve seen thousands of living plants and magic flora during his travels. “I knew they were special, but I suppose I romanticize places I’ve never been.”
“You are nurtured by the Wise Ones. Have you ever sensed a presence in this field, something beyond what others describe?”
I think for a moment. I’d always assumed everyone felt the power in the Spiritgrove so deeply that it drew them closer. The thought that I was special never occurred to me. Being near the Aevumoon Iris field settles my heart.
“There was one thing, but I never attributed it to anything extraordinary.” I tap my chin as I recall one of my cherished memories.
“It was springtime, and I was gathering hyacinth and swanflower for my crowns. Usually I don’t wander past the ridge, but that day, I spied a luminberry petal.
There was a whole trail of them leading to the grove. ”
“Unusual.”
“Yes, and what’s more,” I press my palm against his chest, my words spilling forth in excitement. “When I reached the hill, there was a brightbloom deer, right there, in the Spiritgrove!”
Pikr’s brows rise. He places a hand over mine. “Very few are granted the honor of seeing the creature who heralds good omens.”
“Her branches were lush with pink blossoms and glowing luminberries. She had a baby with her. They stood at the edge, watching me. I dared not move!” I laugh, recalling the way my heart had thundered, our staring match lasting a full minute. “Then she shook her branches and ran off with her baby.”
“Incredible.” He places a hand over mine on his chest. “What did you do?”
“I waited until I knew they were far enough away not to perceive me as a threat, then gathered all the blossoms!” I laugh.
Pikr laughs along, releasing my hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Braver than a volcano diver. Not many would risk getting close.”
“What was I to do? Leave the petals? They were perfect for my debut gown.” His eyes widen at the realization that my gown’s blossoms were real. I shrug. “She wouldn’t have left them if she didn’t want me to have them, right?”
“Right.” Pikr chuckles again, shaking his head. “I cannot believe I didn’t make the connection sooner.”
“You’re a dull-brained barbarian. It’s in your nature,” I tease. He gives me a scalding glare askance, and I giggle. I turn my gaze to the stars that twinkle with mischief between frilled iris petals. “Are there many places between Svitaeryl and Ashfall Valley with rare magical ingredients?”
“Oh yes, and many I’ve yet to explore.”
“Does your sensitivity to magic help you locate them?”
“Mhmm.” He snakes an arm around me, running the backs of his nails up and down my arm. “Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” I fib. “I imagine there are mesmerizing plants and exotic flowers that would make lovely crowns.”
“There are many plants with such potential. I have some books at the forge that may interest you.”
“Oh! You said this sensitivity I have is helpful with enchantments?” I ask. He nods. “I wonder if I could use it to make a difference to someone, somewhere. Like you do with the weapons you forge for portal-watchers.”
“A beautiful idea.” He kisses my forehead. “Although, my enchantments usually lead to bloodshed.”
“Not all. Some provide food for hungry bellies, or defense for the underprivileged.”
Pikr smiles, and for some reason the intensity in his gaze makes my cheeks warm. “You’ve always seen the best in people.”
“Well, I was right about you, once you withdrew your dense head from your arse.” I shrug. A breeze sends a chill over my skin, and I snuggle into his warmth. “Otherwise we wouldn’t be here, with your seed spilling from me like an overstuffed cream horn pastry.”
Pikr bursts out with laughter, his chest reverberating against my cheek. “Your wisdom is beyond your years.”
“It’s odd. My whole life, I questioned Mother’s mad ramblings, and now, I find them to be true.”
Pikr hums contemplatively. “Queen Soreivsanna was wise before we ever discovered her connection to the roots. I vow to heed her word more closely in the future.”
“I will as well.”
“But it isn’t only your mother who possesses a gift.” He goes quiet for a moment, then asks, “Do you know that the peridot gem is very rare?”
“Hmm,” I reply sleepily. “I did not.”
“It forms in molten rock and only rises to the surface during volcanic activity.”
He pets my hair as he muses, and my heart swells to see this soft, vulnerable side of him. I could listen to him speak about his passions for hours, be it spellcarving or traveling. “Really?”
“Yes, but that’s not all. Peridots also fall to the ground in chunks of rock, like the Fallen Stars themselves.”
I nuzzle closer, the mess beneath me mostly forgotten. He pulls me tight, his strong arm holding me secure. With his worn leather and smoldering amber scent surrounding me, I drift into a state between waking and sleeping, the most content I’ve ever felt, like all of my worries are far, far away.
In my half-awake state, I hear him add softly, “Your eyes are the most beautiful shade of peridot I’ve ever seen.”
After some time, Pikr lifts my limp body, cradling me close. He drapes my dress over me like a blanket and carries me in a bundle to his lodgings, where he cleans me gently and I fall asleep safely in his arms.