Chapter 30
Sir Keyon
Elpis was a swirl of emotions for several hours following the Sun God’s departure. She told me about the history of her people and how absolute dominants came to be. The despair I felt from her made stomaching the story a challenge. I tried not to feel guilty about my ancestors killing hers, but it weighed heavily upon my conscience. She tried to comfort me when she noticed, and soon we were simply wrapped up in each other’s hugs, trying to come to terms with all we’ve learned.
When we went to the dining room later, Leofwine and Adelais were there like before, but we were also joined by Tesni and Arevik. I squeezed Elpis’s hand when I felt her anxiety spike and tried to calm her. She was radiating embarrassment, nervousness, and anticipation, and I was pretty sure I knew why.
Elpis cleared her throat when she sat down, trying to seem put together by sitting straighter than normal. “Everyone…” she called softly to get the table’s attention. The mellow chatter stopped, and the table turned to listen to what she had to say. “I wanted to apologize for my outburst earlier… outside. I’m… r-rath er embarrassed, and”—she took a deep breath, trying to blink away fresh tears—“I said things that were a little extreme. I’m r-really sorry.” She sniffed and looked down at her hands when she could no longer stand holding anyone’s gaze.
Adelais raced around the table and wrapped her arms around a lightly crying Elpis. Arevik placed her fork down and said, “No apology is needed, sweet one. You let out a lot of poison in your own heart by doing that, I believe. I was glad to see it.”
“That’s an intriguing perspective, Arevik,” Leofwine mused. “Don’t worry over it, Elpis. I would have been a blubbering mess if that’d been me. Probably would have pissed myself too.”
Elpis choked on a laugh, and I felt her unease decrease a little.
“It’s true,” I disclosed, gesturing to him with my cup. “Leof has a very weak bladder. Pees himself constantly.”
“It’s a problem when I’m on the job.” Leofwine nodded solemnly as we passed each other our bullshit story. “I’ll be doing surveillance, and if a spider comes out of nowhere—bam! I’m wetting my pants, and my hideout is completely compromised. It’s a wonder I’m still the spymaster.”
“Those cellar spiders, I tell ya,” I muttered the inside joke to Leofwine, who grinned devilishly.
Elpis had come down with a case of the nervous giggles, and Adelais was pulled along into it. Tesni sniffed and said, “If we’re done talking about urination at the table…”
Leofwine and I snickered like two impetuous fledglings. Tesni didn’t look very upset, though; I could tell the coven mother was holding back a smile. Gunel would have had a fit.
“So, for those who don’t know, Leofwine and I discussed the next stage of our plan,” I said and took a small bite of food so I could keep talking. “You’re going to take a team to free my Inferno?” I asked again, just to hear him expound his plan at the table.
“I have a handful of my best in mind. A small team is preferable for this particular extrication, but I will inform the rest of my official spies—obviously after Keyon’s Inferno’s release—that they are welcome to join us. If they don’t, I’ll harbor no ill will. Choosing between your king and your country is not an easy decision, especially for those with family in the capital. We’ll be escorting the Inferno to Keyon’s cabin, where we can patch them up and prepare for our first raid.”
“Astertrove?” Elpis asked eagerly, and Leofwine nodded, taking the moment to shovel some food into his mouth.
“When do you think you’ll be back?” I asked.
“Probably by tomorrow evening if all goes well. It’s a short enough flight, and I don’t want to stay a second longer at the castle than necessary.”
“And you’re certain you don’t need me to come along?” I pressed, and my friend snorted.
“You? I don’t want a one-male parade coming along on my extrication.” He laughed, and I balled up my napkin to throw at him, but then I remembered where I was, so I settled for gesturing a vague death threat.
“So, what do we do in the meantime?” Elpis inquired, looking up at me with her soft, parted lips and her large, brown-sugar eyes.
Sex! my brain said impulsively, but that was not leaving my mouth. Gods, she was distracting. I tucked a rogue strand of her shimmery hair behind her ear.
“I think we need to figure out your blessing and get Rein and Toast more comfortable around each other. The road ahead will likely get pretty rocky, and we need them to be able to work together,” I replied, feeling really proud of myself for not saying sex. What was wrong with me today? Focus!
Is it me or does Elpis smell better today? I asked Toast.
Mate always smells perfect, but today she is more, he replied, seemingly unconcerned.
Huh. Must be the tail end of her heat or something. Toast huffed at my unintentional joke.
“Also, when you’re there, Leof,” I said, pointing to him with my fork, “keep in mind that potion might actually work, but we don’t know if Cyneric has already taken it. I expect Franco will also be sculking about. ”
“Right-o,” Leofwine acknowledged, nodding. “Adelais and I will leave after we finish up eating here.”
“Be careful…” Elpis said with a worried frown, but the mated pair just flashed a couple of feral grins. They’d be just fine.
I woke holding Elpis from behind. When we’d gone to sleep early last night, she’d turned to face away for a very specific reason this time; she was extremely paranoid about injuring me with her horn in the middle of the night. I admit that having a dagger in the bed was useful but not necessarily when it was attached to my mate’s face.
I wrapped my arms tighter around her waist and buried my nose into her neck to take a deep breath of her scent. Still sweet and earthy, but something was different. Maybe I just didn’t remember what she used to smell like before her heat. Her heat scent was intoxicating and arousing, but this one was calming and satisfying. She still smelled absolutely amazing, though.
I felt her wake before she stretched her arms and legs, and I kissed her neck in greeting. “Good morning, moonflower.” Happiness radiated from her at my words. Unfortunately, she arched into another stretch, and her pleasing, round rump discovered my ‘happiness’ on accident.
“We should get up,” I mumbled into her ear, but she yawned, shook her head, and reached between her legs to pull the front of my pants down, letting my cock spring free. Oh… if the lady insisted…
Always give mate what she wants, Toast said tiredly. Interesting.
You sticking around for this, Toast? I asked, moaning slightly when Elpis hiked up her nightgown and tucked my cock between her thighs. No underwear? What a naughty unicorn.
Just… thinking about things. I wonder if things would be easier with Rein if we were the same species. Sex seems to be… a good icebreaker, Toast answered. He seemed lost in his thoughts, like he was totally unaware that I was thrusting my cock between Elpis’s now-wet thighs.
Love is love, Toast. You can very well have that without sex, I replied distractedly, sliding Elpis’s nightgown up to use her generous breasts as handholds. I gritted my teeth and held back an orgasm when she tightened her thighs. Sex can bring two together, but love is what keeps two together, I said, feeling like my activity wasn’t really adding to my point; I was currently busy sliding my erection against my mate’s sex, rubbing across her primed folds.
I guess… I don’t know what to say when I see her today. How does a beast court without sex? She’s Elpis, but she’s not. What do I say?
Whatever comes naturally… females like compliments. Compliment her, I answered. In a very strategic, smooth move, Elpis lifted her thigh and tilted her hips back so the head of my cock caught on the front of her sex’s opening and redirected my length to her heat. I gasped and shuddered in surprise. Electricity burst from my chest and trickled down into my abdomen to feed my thrusting. Tell her, I said, barely able to think while I pumped to squeeze inside her, that her mane is pretty, or —I grunted and started bucking my hips into my moaning mate— you know what, Toast? I can’t think right now. Can we talk about this in a little bit? I almost laughed out loud; the conversation was poorly timed.
Sure… he said a bit sullenly.
I slid one hand back up to her breast while the other slid down between her legs. “This is a pretty convenient position, moonflower,” I groaned into her ear. “Look at how easy it is to finger you while I fuck you.”
She was surprisingly easy to finish this morning. Already pretty wound up, Elpis bloomed into a climax and spasmed against me. I moved my hands to her hips to find my own release and slammed wildly against her soft bottom. With the erotic sounds coming from her throat and her smooth channel kneading my length, it only took several more slides into her brutally clenching sex to explode.
We were a tangle of bedsheets, limbs, moans, and thrusting until I was spent. My mate hummed in satisfaction, and the head of my cock rested happily against her cervix, pleased it’d done its duty in the service of the knight general.
“If that’s how you say ‘good morning,’ moonflower,” I mumbled into the back of her head, “I could definitely get used to that.” She laughed, and I dragged her out of bed to start our day.
“He wasn’t very specific when he said Rein could fly…” Elpis lamented as we stood at the edge of coven territory by a cliffside.
I guess let me out and we’ll see… Rein said through our bond’s open mind-link.
I’d already shifted and let Toast out, who was pacing anxiously in front of the western-facing cliff. It looked like he was there to keep them from trying to fly rather than the opposite. He was very nervous.
Elpis shifted and let Rein out to properly meet Toast for the first time. The mare—I assumed you’d call a female unicorn a mare—stared up at Toast with the same brown-sugar eye color as Elpis.
Remember Toast, I said privately to him, this is Elpis, just a different side of her. They even have the same color eyes.
Toast didn’t reply and merely stared down at the mare, who also said nothing.
Say hi, T— I began.
Hi mate, Toast said, and I breathed a sigh of relief. How are you today?
I am fine… Toast. How are you? she replied, also nervous.
You remembered my name… Toast said, surprised, and I could feel warmth in his heart .
I am sorry for that. I’m not done catching up with Elpis’s memories, and some words confuse me.
Why is that? It didn’t take me nearly as long, Toast asked, and I cringed.
Rein’s ears pinned back, and her shimmery tail swished in the sunlight. We could feel her annoyance, and though Toast’s question was innocent, I couldn’t blame her for being offended.
Excuse me for not having it easy like you! Rein snapped.
I-I didn’t s-say I d— Toast stammered, thrown by the smaller angry mammal.
I’m trying to get through years of memories of Elpis choking on people’s c— Rein shouted.
Woah! Rein. That is enough! Elpis interrupted. That was uncalled for! Toast, you have to tell her your story yourself. She hasn’t gotten that far in my memories.
Before that, I said, fixated on what everyone seemed to have forgotten. Where are your wings, Rein? Didn’t the Sun God mention flight?
Rein turned her head to the side and let out a dismayed squeal. I don’t seem to have any, she replied, sounding a bit lost.
Maybe she doesn’t need them. Maybe it is more magical than that? Maybe she can run in the air? Toast suggested, but Rein took one peek over the edge of the cliff and stepped back, looking more than dubious. There is only one way to find out.
The mare’s head snapped up to gawk at him, and she groaned loudly. Wh-what? You mean jump?
I will catch you, Toast said firmly, sounding more like himself now. You won’t get hurt.
It was Rein’s turn to pace anxiously now. Her stress was coming in pretty strong across the bond, and her rippling, equine muscles were beginning to shake. Before I could suggest anything, Toast leaned forward and clamped his jaws delicately around Rein’s neck to stop her from moving.
Calm down, mate, he said soothingly. We won’t try until you’re ready .
Instead of fighting him, she relaxed and bemoaned. And today had started so well too…
Toast released his gentle grip on Rein and moved to the edge of the cliff. Rein backed up a bit more and bobbed her head as she took in the distance to what probably seemed like certain death. She side-stepped nervously and swished her tail in agitation.
I don’t know if I can do this. My cloven hooves are meant for the ground, Toast! Rein whimpered.
Have I told you that you look pretty today, mate? Toast asked, and I perked up in surprise.
Rein quivered with a bout of flustered, nervous giggles as she side-stepped. Her movements had a bit more of a prance now, though it was subtle. He used my compliment idea but did it to destabilize her anxiety. Smart strategy.
Thank y-you, Rein said. O-ok… I’m ready to try! You’re going to catch me, right? You swear?
If you don’t sky-run, I will catch you. Just think of it as jumping into my hug, Toast rumbled and backed up a bit more, angling his wings to prepare to follow her. Shit… It turned out my Toast did have a tiny bit of game in him. Maybe I needed to stop giving him advice and let him do his thing. This was going to be fun to watch.
Rein reared onto her hind legs several times—as though fighting her own survival instincts—and raced toward the cliff. She got within four feet of it when she squealed, dug all her hooves in, and came to a panting stop.
Try again, mate. You can do this. You’re a warrior, Toast encouraged. With her shimmery, lion-like tail tucked in shame, Rein retreated some distance to try again. She walked anxiously in a circle before facing the cliff again.
Come on! Attack the sky! Charge! Toast ordered and spat a blue flame over the threshold.
I felt Rein’s anger, though not aimed at Toast, spur her into action, and she charged as my dragon ordered. She even pointed her horn toward her goal, and all her muscles rippled with power as she leaped off the cliff .
Then she fell.
Fuck!
Toast slid off the cliff, falling like a rock with his wings folded. He propelled himself with ease until he maneuvered under her, turned on his back, and caught her. He rotated and glided away before returning to the top of the cliff, gently petting Rein’s mane with a couple claws. She was a squirming, wriggling mess of nerves.
That was a wonderful first try. Very brave! he praised, putting her down gently. She walked away on trembling legs, looking mildly traumatized with her wild eyes and heaving sides.
What a time the Sun God must be having, watching this ground-born creature try to fly, Rein said while trying to catch her breath.
You are as much a child of the sun as I am, fated mate. You belong up there with me now, Toast reminded her, and I felt a flush of pleasure bloom from Rein’s emotions. They both knew they could never join like Elpis and me, but that didn’t stop affection from growing. I was glad to see some kind of start to that.
I will try again… she said and charged off the cliff.
She fell… again.
Toast caught her, brought her back up, and she tried a third time. She failed once more, but she seemed to get more of a thrill from falling than last time, knowing she’d be gently caught by him.
Alright mate, we are taking a break. Let’s go flying, Toast said, opening his arms for Rein to come closer. She trotted toward him, her emotions swaying between disappointment and curiosity. I will fly low so it will be less scary.
He launched off the cliff and headed to the northeast side of the mountains, where there was more grassland than trees. He kept Rein secure in his grip as he glided down the cliff face. When he leveled out over a grassy field, Rein felt safe enough to pop her head out between his claws. Her white gold mane fluttered in the breeze and danced around her horn as she looked down at the weeds and meadow flowers. She was feeling joy, which made both Toast and me swell with warmth. Elpis was quietly observing everything, but she was happy too.
Toast adjusted his grip, making Rein squeal with fright, but he held her so that she was hovering upright over the plains with her hooves dangling mere feet from the ground. She relaxed once she realized he wasn’t going to drop her; he was simply holding her like a parent would a hatchling over water for a first swim. Her legs broke into a run instinctively, and I imagined that it must seem pretty wild for her to be moving that fast over the ground without actually running.
Yes, mate, Toast said, sounding like he was smiling, feel what it’s like to fly.
Rein released a giggle through the mind-link, and her emotions flooded with hyperactive glee. She was thrilled!
There is a lake. We will rest there. You like grass to eat? There is plenty, Toast said and secured Rein in his claws again before he landed on the soft ground. He released Rein, who trotted around, adrenalized and curious about what could be edible around the lush lake bed.
Toast moved to drink some water, but Rein said, Toast, wait. I will fix it. She lowered her horn into the water, and the lake became crystal clear after a minute. The change was surreal, and though I’d seen it before, it was still hard to process. Never had we seen water this pristine outside a mountain spring. Ok, good to drink now.
Toast took a long drink, and his gaze shot to her in surprise. You are remarkable. This is the best water this dragon has tasted… he said. We felt Rein preen as she pranced off to graze.
You are welcome… mate.
Progress. I loved to see it.
Toast lounged lazily on the grass while he waited for Rein to finish eating. She came over, and Toast said, I must tell you my and Keyon’s story now, mate. I need you to hear it.
Rein nervously lay across from him in the soft grass to listen, her slightly longer ears facing forward like an attentive rabbit. Toast started from the very beginning. He told of how he woke within me and watched the hidden memory. He explained how it traumatized him and how he wished he’d watched my memories in the correct order, that perhaps he wouldn’t have been so shaken if he’d done that.
He detailed how his developed phobia had negatively impacted my life and nearly cost us our fated mate. He fervently expressed how he’d worked extremely hard to get past his fears, and it was all for me and Elpis. He still struggled to be near any other female, but he didn’t really care because all he needed was his unicorn and her Elpis.
I had to hand it to Toast; he’d spun that pretty romantically, and I definitely decided to stop any advice-giving. My hands were officially off the reins at this point. He could handle his own Rein now.
Rein was a blubbering mess after his story was over, and she leaned against him in despair. Rein… he said, trying to get her to stop mourning, I am better now. I am happy. You need to face your challenge now.
I was expecting her to bite back on that one, but she didn’t. I don’t know how! Watching her suffer is unbearable! The things they’ve done to her…
I learned a trick from growing up around the scholars, Toast said, and that caught my attention. I didn’t know about any tricks. The scholars at the castle told of a practice called speed-reading. I learned to apply the skill when I had to watch any of Keyon’s uncomfortable memories. If I hibernated to avoid an interaction Keyon had with Elpis, for example, I could get a sense of what happened without having to relive every second of it. I can’t avoid things entirely, but I could speed up the process, which made it more palatable.
Flaming shit, I had no idea. What else had my dragon not told me?
That’s really clever… Rein said. You think I could use this to get through Elpis’s memories? It’s taking me forever. I often need to take breaks, and I just end up becoming a crumbling mess …
I know you can. We can do it right here, right now. Lie down, mate.
Rein settled in the grass, and Toast circled to curl protectively around her. Look at the next memory, but instead of zeroing in and picking up at the start, try to get a bird’s-eye view of the entire memory. Like reading… oh right, Elpis and you don’t completely know how to read yet. Um… Just stay pulled back and drift through conversations instead of listening to them word for word. For activities, it’s like peeking through a door to see what happened in there instead of going through every movement that every person makes. The point is to get an idea of what happened without subjecting yourself to the most painful details.
I’ll give it a try… Rein said uneasily, and Toast lowered his head next to her, showing he’d be there while she went inside Elpis’s mind. He even spread his colossal wing to umbrella them both and keep away distractions.
Elpis, I said privately to my fated mate.
Yes? she replied, sounding as emotional as she felt.
Let Rein do this. We can figure out flying another time if it gets late. We won’t need her to fly tomorrow anyway since Astertrove is practically around the corner.
Ok… I think that’s a good idea. They seem to be doing better, don’t they? she asked fondly.
I’m just discovering that my Toast has pretty decent game! I’m thrilled. Elpis laughed, and we waited patiently to see how Rein did processing her human’s memories.
Hours passed, and Toast never moved a muscle. You would have thought he was a statue in his sentineling. This was a good spot for them both right now, and it was nice to just rest outside. The sun was on Toast’s back, and the air swirled lazily under the smallest breeze. I could forget, even if it was just for a moment, every trouble we were facing. This could be any moment in the future. Perhaps the next time we did something like this, the kingdom would be sorted, and we’d have a home of our own. Perhaps Elpis would be pregnant with hatchlings by then. That’d be nice .
Rein finally stirred just as the sun was kissing the western mountain ridge. I’m done… she said. I could feel her colossal relief flow through the bond, followed by an intense burst of love and gratitude. She leaned a cheek against Toast’s snout and nuzzled affectionately. It was a struggle, but you helped me. I couldn’t have done it without you. You are the best dragon.
Yes, you could have, but yes… I am the best dragon anyway, Toast replied, preening.
I owe you, Rein said sadly. But I don’t know how to repay you.
Just keep calling me the best dragon. I like that, Toast said simply. Best dragon mate. Best provider. Best snuggler. I accept all as currency. Was Toast flirting? I held back a laugh, pleased beyond words.
I’m sorry your baguette won’t fit in my oven. I regret we are different species, Rein said. Toast burst into raucous laughter, which really surprised me. I thought he’d be flustered at best. Seemed like Rein still enjoyed word play, even after being fully educated with Elpis’s vocabulary. Perhaps that would be their inside joke now.
We don’t need mating. Keyon said that love is what keeps two together. That is what’s important, Toast replied with a shrug. That was my big guy.
Then it’s good I am growing to love you, then, Rein said decisively. Toast was finally thrown a little off his game, standing and nervously flapping his wings back into place.
Well… m-maybe I am t-too. Let’s go back n-now. It is getting dark, mate.
Ok!