Chapter 23
The Pandora sailed at dawn, rays of sunshine making the sails glow yellow.
Riella busied herself with the rigging while Jarin steered from the helm. She was avoiding the rest of the crew, whose disgust toward her had only grown since Mareen, Galeil, and Thera visited. She had to swallow her rage whenever any of the pirates spat on the deck while glaring at her, because without a crew, the Pandora would not sail. And without the Pandora, she’d be marooned on Hieros Isle until the day of her death.
After tying off the last of the rigging, she hauled herself into the crow’s nest. Standing at the top of the main sail felt akin to flying. The ship cut through the clear blue water at speed, buoying Riella’s mood. Although she could not swim anymore, this was perhaps the next best thing.
She wore a loose white blouse and women’s trews, given to her by Kohara, with her leather boots, and a knife strapped to her thigh. Kohara had also braided her hair in three sections and pinned the braids to her head. The new style was a revelation to Riella, whose long, fine strands kept getting tangled.
Her tender sex ached whenever she moved, and even sometimes when she was stationary. It was a sweet and spearing feeling, almost as though the phantom of Jarin’s cock remained inside of her. Her entire being glowed from the intensity and pleasure of having sex with him.
As the Pandora progressed toward the Black Cliffs and the sun climbed higher in the sky, Riella couldn’t help glancing down at Jarin periodically. Often, she’d feel him looking up at her, and they’d share a long gaze full of meaning. It was the strangest thing—the way he made her feel both excited and calm at the same time.
Her sense of calm would surely be short-lived. That night, she and Jarin planned to storm Polinth’s workshop on the cliffs. She would kill the sorcerer and rescue Seraphine. Not an easy mission, but a simple one.
Land came into view, green and mountainous and wild, and Jarin steered the ship toward a secluded bay several leagues from the Black Cliffs. After dropping anchor, the pirates and Riella climbed ropes onto wooden boats and rowed ashore.
The bank was rocky, fronting a dense forest of pine trees. Riella and Jarin headed north through the trees, while the rest of the crew traveled southward along the rocky bank toward the slaver’s stronghold. They were all to meet back at the Pandora the next morning to return to their island hideout. The pirates hoped to have a cache of weapons and gold with them, while Riella would return bearing Seraphine, and Polinth’s blood under her talons.
At the edge of the forest, Jarin pointed to a farm across the dirt road. “We’ll take a horse to ride the rest of the way.”
Riella narrowed her eyes. “Take? You mean steal?”
“Do you object?” He raised his dark brows at her. “Should a horse really be locked up in a paddock like that, anyway? Don’t they deserve to run free, with us?”
“You’re making fun of me.”
“You stole from the Count.”
“Well, he was a man.”
Jarin laughed. “The farmer’s probably a man, if that makes you feel any better. Look, we can return the horse in the morning on our way back through, alright? So it’s not really stealing at all. We’re borrowing.” He shook his head. “Gods, Riella, the things you have me doing. Who ever heard of a pirate borrowing?”
He climbed the low fence into the field, while Riella kept lookout on the road. Minutes later, he returned with a huge black horse, urging the equine to jump the fence with ease. Jarin pulled the horse to a stop in front of her and she fought to appear unfazed. She’d never seen a horse up close before, and the idea of riding the beast was daunting.
“I couldn’t find a saddle, only reins and a bridle,” said Jarin, the leather straps wound around one hand. “But with two of us, a saddle would’ve been uncomfortable anyway.”
She hung back, unsure. “Well, I do sometimes ride with whales. But if you lose your hold in the water, all that happens is that you float away. If I fall off the horse, I’ll break my neck.”
Jarin leaned down, offering his hand to her. “I won’t let you fall. I promise.”
With a steadying breath, she took his hand and let him haul her onto the horse’s back, awkwardly swinging her leg over. Jarin sat flush behind her, for which she was grateful, because he provided a reassuring stability. And also because his hard, hot body felt very nice against hers.
“Now, press your knees into his flank,” he said, adjusting her leg to show her. “Do it firmly, but not too tight. And give him a pat on the neck, so he knows you’re a friend.”
Riella followed his instructions. But then, she glanced down at the pebbly road, which made her stomach swoop. The distance seemed far greater now than from her vantage point on the ground.
“Ready?” asked Jarin.
She nodded, not really feeling ready at all, but knowing she likely never would.
Jarin twitched his heels and the horse lurched forward. Riella swallowed the urge to yelp, threading her fingers through the horse’s tufty mane to have something to hold onto.
“Don’t worry,” murmured Jarin into her ear. “I’ve got you.” He wrapped one strong arm around her waist. “This is called trotting, but to get there faster, we’ll need to canter, alright? The gait is quicker, but smoother, too.”
“Fine,” said Riella in a tight voice. “It’s all terrifying. Just get us there, please.”
Jarin twitched his heels again, and the pace increased.
“Don’t fight the movement,” he said. “Try to feel the rhythm. And stop looking at the ground.”
She exhaled, lifting her chin to look straight ahead. At first, it was even scarier, to see the green and brown woods flying past. But soon, her body instinctively moved with the flow of the horse. It was not unlike the undulations of a siren’s tail when swimming.
After some time, when they’d passed a handful of small settlements, she even began to enjoy the ride. If Jarin removed his arm from around her waist, she still would’ve shrieked, but it was a little bit fun. And, true to his word, he didn’t let her fall.
The Black Cliffs came into view when the sun shone directly overhead. To reach Polinth’s workshop, they’d need to climb the mountainous ridge leading to the cliffs. A thrill of anticipation rippled through Riella. She was close to the sorcerer, she could feel it.
Jarin tugged the reins as they approached the next settlement, which was little more than a tavern and stables and a few cottages.
“We should dismount now that we’re close to the base of the mountain,” said Jarin as the horse slowed to a walk. “Our friend here will need a break, and we should lie low until the sun begins to set.”
Riella was all too pleased with this plan, because her legs and core ached from the ride.
Jarin directed the horse to the stables. A ruddy-faced young man wearing overalls was sticking hay with a pitchfork out the front. The stables were modest, with room to house a handful of horses. Most of the stalls were occupied, the horses poking their heads out to look at Jarin and Riella and their steed.
“Afternoon,” said Jarin to the young man.
The stablehand rested his pitchfork on the side of a stall and eyed the pirate in silence, taking in Jarin’s tattoos, cutlass, and formidable build. While voices were audible from within the tavern, the stablehand was the only person outside.
“Can you feed and water our horse?” Jarin dismounted while keeping one hand on Riella. “Swing your leg up high,” he said as she tried to mimic his movement. “Higher than you think you’ll need to.”
Even heeding his words, she barely cleared the stallion’s rump. She landed on the ground lightly with Jarin’s help, but staggered from the stiffness in her legs. Seeming to anticipate this, he held her arm until she regained her balance.
“Walk around a little,” he said. “It’s the best thing to get the feeling back.”
Wincing, she took a few tentative steps while Jarin handed the reins to the stablehand, along with a solid gold coin. The boy, who’d been solemn and nervy before, suddenly relaxed.
“I’ll take good care of him,” he said with a nod at Jarin.
He led the horse to the water trough and Jarin turned to Riella.
“You did great.” He drew her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. “Come, let’s walk in the forest until you have feeling back in your legs. Then we’ll go to the tavern and coax whatever information we can from the local folk about the defenses of Polinth’s workshop.”
She took his hand and followed him past the tree line. The forest was verdant, with velvety moss growing on damp boulders and tree trunks. “By coax, do you mean torture?”
“Ha. Gold and mead are usually encouragement enough, I find.”
They walked until the blood flow returned to Riella’s legs and she ceased hobbling.
“How on earth do people ride horses all the time?” she asked. “It’s unnatural.”
“You get used to it.”
She stopped under a huge fir tree, gazing up at the branches. “The land really is more varied and lovely than I’d supposed.”
“No doubt the same is true of the ocean. I’ve mostly only seen the surface. What lies beneath is always far more interesting.”
As he spoke, he traced one fingertip over her cheek, then he leaned in to kiss her on the lips. Riella smiled and kissed him back. His fingertips progressed down the side of her neck, over her clothed breasts and stomach, coming to a rest on the tender, flaming spot between her legs. At his touch, desire ignited in her stomach.
“Turn around, my siren,” he murmured. “I’m going to make you feel better.”
Heart thudding, she faced the tree trunk. She placed her palms on its rough bark to steady herself while he tugged down her trews. He knelt and placed his huge hands on her bare cheeks, easing them apart to expose her raw pinkness from behind.
He ran his tongue from her pearl, over her flushed folds, and dipped it into her aching slit, which was swollen and tight from Jarin pounding it the night before. Riella inhaled sharply, her spine tingling. The sensation of his smooth, insistent tongue against her inner walls made her feel better indeed.
Her hands gripped the tree bark. The pressure inside her core grew, begging for release. Jarin stood up, towering over her from behind. He undid his pants and she felt his rock-hard shaft spring against her back.
Sighing in anticipation, she let him position the head of his cock against her slick opening. He wrapped one arm around her waist and the other across the front of her shoulders, her head falling gently back onto his muscle-bound chest. He jerked his hips to snatch her off the ground and plunge himself into her tight depths, clamping his hand over her mouth to stifle the cry she let out.
He held her in place with his steel-threaded arms as he thrust himself in and out of her with relentless strength, her feet dangling in midair. His strokes were frantic and fast and Riella could hardly catch her breath, moaning into the palm of his hand and gripping his wrist with both hands as she bounced up and down on his cock. As he pumped against her taut interior, he snaked his fingers down to caress her aching clit.
His direct touch pushed her over the edge. Her body shuddered on his cock as she climaxed, more powerfully than she had before. A moment later, the pirate groaned as he filled her core with his hot surges, holding her upright with only his massive erection and his arms.
As the final waves moved through their bodies, he leaned in and pressed his lips to her neck. She tilted her head to the side, wanting his tongue in her mouth.
He obliged, and they kissed feverishly while the trees of the forest whispered around them.