Chapter 9 #2
The heat of his lips on her skin rekindled her desire and she clung to him with a moan, wanting him to both stop and continue. Riftan shifted her to his lap and began nibbling at her collarbone. A pleasure akin to pain prickled her spine.
Riftan cupped her breast. “You want me, too, don’t you?”
Maxi’s face went beet-red, but that was sufficient response for Riftan.
Intense emotions stirred within his dark eyes—contentment, desire, and something else she could not decipher.
Capturing her mouth in a hungry kiss, he opened her legs around his hips and entered her, and Maxi melted into him once more.
—
Maxi did not have a moment of respite from Riftan’s insatiable desire.
No part of her could escape his wandering hands; he kissed, nibbled, and stroked until her flesh was tender.
After teasing her unbearably, he would push himself inside of her and thrust until she unraveled into an endless series of climaxes.
When Riftan finally slumped onto the bed, content, Maxi was so relieved that she could have thanked the heavens. Exhausted, she rested her head on his shoulder.
“A-Aren’t you tired, R-Riftan?”
He sighed, stroking her back with light fingertips. “Imagine that you’ve prepared a feast for a man who has starved for days. What do you think he would do?”
Maxi blinked at him.
Riftan pressed his lips to her shoulder. “He would devour the food in front of him, even if he was on the verge of losing consciousness.”
He nibbled at the flesh between her neck and shoulder, and Maxi squirmed away from his wandering mouth.
“I-I am not your feast,” she said, glowering at him.
“But you are so sumptuous.”
He trailed his lips along her shoulder, and stroked the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck.
It sent a shock of pleasure down her spine, and she dove under the blankets to escape him.
Chuckling, Riftan drew her into his arms, blankets and all.
A pleasant warmth swelled in her chest at the sound of his laughter.
Content, Maxi buried her face in his chest. To be sharing such an intimate moment with another person felt like a miracle to her.
“The knights and I dealt with all the goblins on the mountain,” Riftan said, stroking her hair. “So there shouldn’t be any more raids until winter is over. Once it gets warmer, we can go riding again, or maybe visit the lake to the west of here. It’s beautiful, even in winter.”
“I-I would l-love that.”
“Then I’ll take you when it gets warmer.” His had voice softened under the weight of his fatigue.
Maxi waited for him to fall asleep before gently hugging his waist, and Riftan’s own arm wrapped around her in response. She was so hungry for affection, but she had never noticed it until now. When his warmth filled her, she became aware of the vast void inside her.
The realization terrified her. Riftan had come to occupy the deepest recesses of her heart; he had the power to shatter her, to crush her will to live.
If his devotion to her withered, Maxi was certain her future would hold nothing but utter desolation.
She watched his sleeping face, fearful of that future.
This was a different sort of fear than what her father had instilled in her.
Somehow, it could hurt her more for the simple fact that Riftan had become so dear.
Despite her exhaustion, sleep did not come easily.
—
Riftan rose early the next morning to make his rounds while Maxi stayed in bed until noon. With the distribution of the winter garments complete, there was little left for her to do in Calypse Castle.
After washing and dressing, Maxi walked over to her desk, deciding to spend the day reading the books that Ruth had given her. Soon, Ludis entered the room with a breakfast tray.
“I prepared food for you, my lady,” she said as she placed the tray next to Maxi’s stack of books. “You can enjoy it while reading.”
On the tray was a delectable meal—crepe with grape jam, walnut oat cake, and warm honeyed milk. Maxi smiled and thanked Ludis before taking a bite of the delicate walnut cake, slowly turning pages while she chewed.
This time, Maxi understood the contents of the book with ease. Perhaps Ruth had taken extra care in choosing texts suited to her level of knowledge. She wrote notes on a piece of parchment, diligently etching the concepts into her mind.
Despite using up several sheaves of parchment in her studies, Maxi felt no closer to becoming a mage than she had before starting. Could poring over these books really teach her magic? As her eyes narrowed on the page before her, there was a knock at the door.
She closed the book and looked up. “Wh-Who is it?”
“It’s me. I’m coming in.”
Maxi hastily put away her books and rolls of parchments as Riftan strode in, dressed in a knee-length black tunic. It was unusual for her to see him during the day, even when they were both in the castle, so Maxi was pleased to see him.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked, planting a kiss on her forehead.
Maxi nodded shyly. “F-Forgive me for waking up s-so late.”
“You should have stayed in bed.”
“B-But how could I have s-stayed in bed when y-you had already risen?”
“There’s no need for you to follow my schedule.”
Riftan seemed to be drawing a line between them with these words, but Maxi shook her head against the gnawing worry, reassuring herself that he was only being considerate. Riftan wrapped an arm around her shoulders and slid his hand along the fabric of her dress.
“Isn’t this dress too thin?”
“I-I’m wearing more l-layers underneath.”
“Come here.” He pulled her to her feet and led her by the hand to a wooden chest. Taking out a velvet cloak, he draped it around her shoulders.
Maxi looked up at him in surprise. “W-Where are we g-going?”
“There’s something I want to show you. We won’t be leaving the castle.”
With her hand in his, Maxi followed Riftan out of their chambers and down the stairs toward the kitchen. They arrived at a small side door and, seeing Maxi shiver when an icy draft blew inside, Riftan threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head.
“I know, it’s cold,” he said. “This won’t take long.”
Maxi looked ahead, perplexed. All she could see were bare trees and a frozen untended path. Stifling her curiosity, she continued to follow Riftan.
After a short walk, he turned toward the large stable behind the castle. Warm air greeted her as Riftan led her inside, and Maxi lowered her hood. Though the stench of horses pervaded the air, the stable was clean and protected from the wind. In fact, it was rather cozy.
“A-Are we here t-to see the h-horses?”
“Shh.” Riftan put a finger to her lips.
Maxi pressed her lips together and looked around as Riftan gently pulled at her arm to lead her deeper into the stables.
Horses pricked up their ears as they passed the stalls.
When they reached the innermost stall, Riftan’s intimidating stallion, Talon, snorted at them.
Maxi shied away from the warhorse, staying close to Riftan.
He patted Maxi’s back soothingly before stepping into the stall.
Maxi hesitantly moved closer, and her eyes grew wide. In a pile of hay next to Talon, three tiny kittens squirmed and mewed.
“I found them this morning,” Riftan whispered.
Maxi stared, transfixed by the kittens curled up in the hay. Riftan crouched down in front of them.
“I noticed Talon was agitated and found them after rummaging through the hay. No signs of the mother, though.”
“D-Do you think th-they were a-abandoned?”
“It seems like it. The stableboy hasn’t seen any cats around. A stray must have snuck in to give birth. What a shock for Talon to come home and find these trespassers.” Riftan gently patted the horse, and the stallion scratched nervously at the ground.
Maxi was amazed that Talon, a proud and ferocious warhorse, had not immediately trampled the kittens. She eyed the horse dubiously, worried that he might change his mind, before crouching down by Riftan and the kittens.
Each one had a different coat—white with gray stripes, ink black, and pure white. Resisting the urge to scoop them all up in her arms, she looked up at Riftan.
“C-Can I t-touch them?”
“Do as you please.” Riftan smiled and stood, leaning against the wall dividing the stalls.
Maxi reached out to gently stroke one of the kittens and frowned. Its frame was delicate and thin beneath its downy fur. All three kittens looked malnourished.
“Th-They must have g-gone days without f-food.”
“Shall we take them back? Give them some milk?”
“C-Can we?” Maxi looked up at him hopefully.
Riftan grinned and bent down to kiss her cheek. “You’re free to do as you wish. You don’t need my permission.”
“Th-Then I’d like t-to bring them b-back.”
Maxi’s voice shook as she cautiously picked up a kitten, afraid that the slightest pressure might crush the tiny creature’s bones. The kitten wriggled helplessly as Maxi carefully placed it inside her cloak.
“We’ll need to find a basket for them to sleep in,” Riftan said as he scooped up the last two kittens, depositing them into Maxi’s arms.
“L-Ludis will f-find us one i-if we ask.”
Maxi clutched the kittens to her chest to shield them from the biting wind as she and Riftan left the stable. Feeling the small warmth of their tiny bodies in her arms, her heart clenched with pity.
“I-I’ve n-never had cats b-before.”
“Really?”
“M-My father w-wasn’t f-fond of animals. E-Even his hunting dogs w-weren’t allowed in th-the castle, so I often s-snuck into the b-back garden t-to play with them.”
Riftan glanced at her, but she was too exhilarated to notice the subtle look in his eyes.
“Shall I get you a hunting dog as well?”
Maxi’s eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head. “Th-These kittens are m-more than enough.”
“If there’s anything you ever want, you can tell me,” Riftan said, a sharp edge in his words.
Maxi studied his face, trying to determine what had displeased him.