Chapter Twenty
Ty
After parting ways with Steig, Lara, and Turner, Ty led Ena through the dark undercaves to a smaller, less-traveled staircase at the other end.
It was adorable how she clung close to him, as if the oppressive darkness both frightened and enchanted her.
He’d grown up in these caves, constantly in and out of the blackness, so he didn’t even think about it anymore.
But seeing them now through her eyes made it feel special again—and it was just one more way that being with her made him feel so much more alive than he’d felt in years.
For so long, he’d just been going through the motions—surviving, meeting his responsibilities, and shoving down his anger—but not really living.
Now, he felt like he was finally, truly living again. And he didn’t want to stop. He wanted to show her everything wonderful about his home.
He reached for her hand as they ascended the stairs, holding the darkrock lantern in front of them. The closer they got to the top, the warmer and more humid the air became again, and he felt Ena breathe a sigh of relief next to him.
He glanced over at her to see that her face was pensive. Even in the dim light he could see that something was on her mind.
“Are you alright?” he asked, breaking the silence of their hike up the rough stone staircase. “Is the allucinae still affecting you?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t think so, it’s just… I heard Greya when I was in the peak of it. She called to me.”
“Oh,” Ty said, understanding dawning. “You miss your sister.”
Ena nodded, a small sad smile on her face.
“I’m sorry if you didn’t enjoy it, the allucinae. I never would’ve made you do it if I thought the hallucinations would turn on you,” Ty said, guilt washing over him.
“No, no,” she said, squeezing his hand in reassurance. “I did enjoy it. It was fun, and different. And the hallucination wasn’t all bad…it was actually so nice to hear her voice. I just feel so guilty about how we left things, and yes, I do miss her. I wish I could make things right again.”
“Ena,” Ty said, turning to her as they reached the top of the staircase.
“I want you to know I’ll do everything in my power to reunite you with her once we break the bond.
” He paused, hoping she could hear in his voice how much he meant it.
“I know you made the decision to come with me, and I’m so glad you did, but I never want you to have to sacrifice what makes you who you are just to help me. I know what that feels like.”
He’d spent his entire life sacrificing half of himself to make his uncle and the rest of his people happy, to fit fully as a daemon and ignore what else he could be, so he knew firsthand some of the divided feelings she must have.
Ena released his hand, bringing her own up to stroke his arm, running it down his shoulder gently.
“I know you will,” she said. “And I won’t deny that I’m a bit sad, but lately…
I feel hopeful. Hopeful that if we break the bond, she’ll understand.
That Heran and the rest of my Coven might come to understand, too, and that maybe…
you and I could still be together. And we wouldn’t have to hide. ”
Ty’s heart swelled. He had the same hope. He wanted so badly for that to be true, his mind refused to accept any other option.
He reached out, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him to brush a kiss against her soft, plump lips.
She smelled like blackberries and it instantly made him hard, but that wasn’t the point of this kiss.
He wanted her to feel how deeply he wanted that too.
Could she sense it? The hope that she kindled inside him?
“I want that too,” he said simply, pulling back. “Now come on, beautiful. We’re almost there.”
As they emerged from the staircase, the sound of rushing water became unmistakable, and he heard Ena gasp in realization.
“Are we…?” Her voice trailed off as they entered the wide, intricately carved archway that led into the hot springs.
The cavern was huge, almost as big as the Great Antre, and filled with a vast lake that took up over half of the space.
The water was a murky teal, and it seemed to glow in the blue light of the darkrock lanterns that illuminated the walls of the cave and the narrow rocky pathway that surrounded it.
The steam coming from the lake visibly swirled through the air as the water bubbled gently—pockets of air bursting to the surface as the groundwater flowed naturally upwards, filling the lake.
The light bubbling sound was complemented by the sound of water rushing through several strategically placed aqueducts, carrying the warm water away from the lake into the pipelines Imbued with Jyn’s Power and throughout the rest of the Underworld.
He watched as Ena took in the space, her eyes roaming over the steaming lake in awe. “This is…” She trailed off, seeming at a loss for words.
“You like it?” Ty asked, feeling a smile come over him at her wonder.
“It’s absolutely incredible,” she said in disbelief.
Despite still being shirtless, Ty instantly began to sweat again, reminding him of the reason he didn’t usually come here—it was too damn hot for him. But seeing the wonder in her reaction made it well worth it. And he wasn’t done yet.
“You know, I was thinking,” Ty began, leading her closer to the wide, beautifully carved staircase that led down into the lake.
“I know you struggled to swim in the River Wry because of your Knowing, and the water’s intentions feeling so overwhelming, but I thought, maybe, this would feel different. ”
Ena was quiet for a minute as she watched the water, her eyes skimming over it.
“Can you feel it with your Knowing?” he asked. There was something about her magic that had always fascinated him, from the very first day they met. Being half-witch hadn’t given him a Knowing, and part of him had always been curious about it. It was always impressive what she Knew.
“I can,” she said, a smile gracing her beautiful face. “And you’re right, it’s so different from the River Wry. It’s not rushing towards the ocean, it’s…already achieved its purpose, rising to the surface. It’s content here. With the stone. I’ve never Known water this calm.”
“So, what do you think?” Ty asked her, holding out his hand to her in offering. “Will you swim with me again?”
She gave him a skeptical look, but the delight in her eyes was impossible to miss. “Why are you always making me swim?” she asked teasingly.
Ty shrugged. “Because you look fucking fantastic when you’re wet.”
Ena laughed, her joy bursting out of her in such a carefree expression of emotion that it made Ty laugh too.
“But who knows,” he added, stepping closer to her. “Learning to swim could save your life one day. Just like learning to fight with the daggers. It’s a necessary skill, viper.”
Ena sighed, and he knew he’d won. Her practical side always won out.
“Alright,” she said, starting to untie her leather corset.
Ty found himself watching her, unable to look away as she removed her layers of clothing.
She was so absolutely intoxicating she felt almost unattainable sometimes.
Maybe it was because, for the last nine years, she literally had been unattainable to him, and his mind was still trying to catch up.
But either way, somehow, his entire being was drawn to her, wanting to capture her like smoke on the wind.
She caught him staring as she stood only in her shirt now, which ended at mid-thigh, covering her most intimate parts, and raised a brow. “Your turn,” she said, looking pointedly down at his pants.
Ty unbuttoned them slowly, maintaining eye contact as she watched him. He could feel his cock already half hard from the tension of the situation as he pulled them down over his hips, then he kicked them off to the side so he stood before her, fully nude.
“Now take it off,” he said, using that tone of voice he knew made her wet, nodding at the shirt she still wore.
She pulled it off over her head, dropping it to the side so she was fully nude too.
Ty sighed as his eyes roamed over her rosy nipples and full, heavy breasts, down to her soft stomach and the curve of her hips. His eyes lingered at the apex of her thighs, covered in a dusting of dark hair that hid that delicious pussy he loved so fucking much.
“I thought you brought me here to swim,” Ena said, a teasing smile on her face as she glanced pointedly down at his erect cock.
“I did, and we will, but maybe if you’re a good girl for me, I’ll let you come on my cock after.”
Ena laughed again, low and sultry this time. “You’re a cocky bastard, you know that? What makes you think I want to?”
“So you’re telling me that smell I smell, that”—Ty inhaled deeply, getting a whiff of her in the air as he let out a low hum in the back of his throat—“sweet blackberry musk, is just my imagination?”
Ena blushed, and he had to actively work to calm his body and not pounce on her like a triumphant wolf claiming its prey.
“Fine,” she replied, not letting him get to her. “Then maybe if you’re good, I’ll let you lick my cunt, since you seem to love the smell of it so much.”
Fuck. Just when he thought he had the upper hand, she pushed him again—challenging him right back with those filthy words. Suddenly, he found it so goddamn hard to focus on swimming.
He clenched his jaw and rubbed his hand down his beard as he willed himself to calm. “Come on, viper,” he said, gesturing at the water, “before you lose your chance to swim altogether.”
She smiled, looking very pleased with herself, before turning and descending down the smooth, carved staircase that led into the water as Ty followed her.
The cave floor was rocky and sloped once they entered the pool of steaming water, and Ty reached out to steady her, taking her hand as they both stepped into the warm water.