Chapter 11
The mansion was hell.
That’s what Umbrveyl and its undercroft had done to Lesya.
Before she had enrolled at the institute, when her world was confined to Lynsfeld, Lesya would have loved nothing more than this place, a haven atop the hills with airy rooms, broad hallways, and a library bigger than any she’d seen in a house.
The library at Umbrveyl was undoubtedly larger, but its grandness was put to shame by the proportions of the castle itself.
However, this library in a mansion seemed to defy the laws of space.
Larger on the inside than it seemed outside, its aisles unending, twisting staircase leading to upper and lower floors.
And yet, as astonishing as this place was, Lesya hated the mountain air and how it fresh it smelled. The scent lingered in the hallways and rooms—wet grass and pines. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the sunlight that came from the windows at dawn was raw, blinding, and unpleasantly warm.
She missed her dorm, where she had her dark corner with a small window opening in the lake.
Sometimes, she’d watch the kraken’s tentacle rolling along the window, and it’d be like counting sheep, only with the suckers underneath the tentacles.
She’d fall asleep counting them, and dream of swimming naked in the lake, cool, free, safe.
Only here, on the third-floor guest bedroom of the mansion, she woke up to the cruel rays of the sun falling on her face. Suddenly, she could empathize with vampires. They must feel like this, only a few thousand degrees worse. She hissed and pulled the sheets over her face.
She’d slept a dreamless sleep. Sheer exhaustion tended to do that. Sheer fear too. Sheer anything, she’d learned, was the secret ingredient for dreamless sleep. At least for her.
Cassian sat by the window, looking at the hills.
“Did you not sleep at all?” she asked, rubbing her eyes. “Cass?”
Cassian was deep in thought. He didn’t hear her when she called out his name.
She slipped out of bed and went over to where he sat.
He was staring fixatedly at Clive Bane and Elias sparring.
Elias was throwing spell after lethal spell at Clive Bane, who wasn’t even deflecting most of them, just stepping to the side to avoid their trajectory.
The man then raised his quarterstaff and sent a wave toward Elias, knocking him off his feet.
The wave had a wide area of effect as opposed to a straight line.
“That guy’s going to fight the Grath Nomad,” Cassian chuckled at Elias. “Can’t even defend himself against a paralysis spell. Now suppose if some Deathless were to kill him as he lies here, unmoving, how would he be able to defend himself?”
“Isn’t that why Clive’s coming with us tomorrow?” she asked. “I mean, he’s a great battle-mage.”
“The best there is,” Cassian said. “And I’ve asked him to spar with you today. I’m not taking you out there without making sure that you can hold your own.”
“We’ve sparred, you and I.”
“It doesn’t count as sparring if we end up naked in each other’s arms,” Cassian said, grinning at her.
“Cass,” Lesya said, sliding her hand on his shoulder. “I’m still feeling a little uncomfortable that everyone in the Covenant knows that we’re dating.”
“It’s…been a worry on my mind as well,” he said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze. “But given everything that’s happening, our relationship hardly feels like gossip material anymore. Our lives being on the line and all.”
“The fate of an entire country in the balance,” she said.
“Exactly.”
“Still feels weird staying at the headmaster’s house. Let’s not forget, this is the same guy who basically threatened me into joining,” she said, heading over to the washroom to freshen up.
Cassian walked in after her, standing in the doorway. He took in the sight of her naked body as she stood underneath the shower, turning it on. Steaming water fell upon her, quickly obscuring her from view.
He took off his own clothes and joined her, appearing out of the steam, putting his hand around her body, pulling her close. She backed herself into him, rubbing her ass against his stirring cock.
“Looks like someone didn’t get enough of me last night,” she said, turning around, her beautiful breasts pressing against his chest. He ran his finger along her forehead, wiping it clean of her wet hair.
“I could never get enough of you, Lesya,” he said, his finger under her chin lifting her face up. He kissed her, his hands on her shoulders, then trailing down to her ass, pulling her closer.
She climbed him, both legs wound tight around his waist. The stone walls of the bathroom had turned warm from all the steam.
He pinned her against one, the water falling on both of them, and tipped his cock forward.
It came to a stop at her smooth, wet skin, and then with a gentle push, he was back in bliss.
He moaned into her ear as he went deeper, relishing the sensation of her wet and warm vagina and the hot water falling from above.
He thrust slowly, intending to take his time. She moaned softly, her nails digging into the skin of his back. They moved against each other, kissing, thrusting, pulling each other close, not quite wanting to get out of this bathroom.
With one hand, he quickly turned the tap for the bathtub. While it filled with steaming water, he turned her on her back and fucked her from behind. She put her hands on the edge of the bathtub, spreading her legs. In the steam, he could not see her anymore, but he could feel all of her.
Suddenly, he couldn’t even feel her. She was gone.
“Les?” Cassian looked around the bathroom. It should’ve been called a bath hall given how large it was. Tall its walls and broad its length, its fixtures were regal. He squinted to see where Lesya had gone, but could not see beyond the steam.
And then she grabbed his cock, stroking it. Now he could see her outline on her knees in front of him. He closed his eyes against the barrage of pleasure from her soft hands, and then moaned as she took his cock into her mouth, sucking it deep.
He was always gentle with her, always slow and considerate.
He stood there breathing slowly as she sucked him. He could feel her lips along his shaft, traveling down to its very base. He wanted to release himself in her mouth, but then what would he do with the hot tub?
He lifted her in his arms, kissing her wet mouth, tasting his own precum there, and then lowered himself in the tub full of hot water. He lay her on her back on top of him, and guided his penis inside her once more.
They lay submerged in the hot water, moving slowly, letting the hot water enhance each sensation that they felt.
She pushed her hips against him, taking him deeper inside her pussy, and then she braced for pleasure, holding both edges of the tub as her thighs started quivering and her pussy started pulsating.
He came inside her, unable to control himself any longer against the sight of her coming, the sight of her so wet and slender, her hair clinging to her back, her body lying next to his.
She turned around to kiss him, her hand holding his, her breasts floating atop the surface of the water, her pink nipples puffy from arousal.
“What worries you, my love?” she asked.
“Nothing anymore,” he said, taking her in his arms, and then taking her again.
* * *
By the time they got dressed, there was a knock at their door. A maid pushed in a trolley of breakfast for them, then left promptly before either of them could thank her.
After breakfast, they went out in the back gardens where Clive was still sparring with Theo, Freya, and Elias.
Elias frowned as Lesya turned up, but he didn’t say anything. Cassian was not only taller and broader than him, but Elias knew that Cassian was a far more proficient spell-slinger than he was.
“Very well then,” Clive said, sighing, looking at Cassian disgruntledly. “I have three liabilities on my hands, none of whom can even deflect a spell to save their lives. It’s a suicide mission, Cassian. And it appears we have a fourth.”
“She’s no liability, trust me,” Cassian said, letting go of her hand. “As I am sure Mr. Solwyn here can attest. Three against one, wasn’t it, Elias?”
“I wasn’t prepared,” Elias said. His hair was all unkempt, several bruises on his face, and his clothes were creased and dirty.
“He thinks the Deathless will give him prep time.” Clive laughed. “Like they’ll stand around with their hands on their hips as he gets ready.”
“That’s enough,” Elias said.
“You haven’t bested me in combat, boy,” Clive said, pointing his quarterstaff threateningly at Elias.
“What makes you think you’ll survive out there?
It’s not Umbrveyl where people, fearing your grandfather, will get bullied by you.
You carry the air of someone who has never been told no, you spoiled fuck.
If, come tomorrow, you die, the Covenant will not have suffered any loss. ”
Even Lesya found Clive’s words to be a little harsh. She glanced at Cassian, who only shook his head. Leave it. Someone’s got to show his highness his place.
Lesya held back her grin at that remark. But then she saw Freya giving her the side-eye. She, too, like Elias and Theo, was quite beaten up.
“You, girl. Lesya, is it? Are you any good with combat? You have a harness. Since when has that ever helped anyone in a fight?”
Lesya flexed the hand harness and joined Clive on the field. “What are the rules?”
“Don’t let me kill you. Those are the rules,” Clive said. Several of his soldiers now gathered around the field, eager to watch this fight. They all wore Vanguard uniforms and carried a Vanguard-issued wand. Several of them were looking quite amused at these proceedings.
“Fair enough,” Lesya said, nodding at Clive.