Chapter 26
Kassiel
The chittering of the raven called Oak wakes me from my slumber. My eyes opened suddenly, expecting that I had been lost to the dreamland again, except I wasn’t. Alora’s small form is tucked under my arm.
Her face is hidden by brown cascading hair and I push some of the locks out of her face, revealing the smatter of freckles along her cheeks.
I had thought the fates to be cruel long ago, but if you had asked me now, with my arms around the very image of hope, I’d fall on a pitchfork before such lies could escape my lips. If this was cruelty, to be in one another's arms, I would hate to see how the fates would punish me.
Dropping my chin to her forehead, I inhale her scent. The warm feminine aroma practically has my cock screaming to life again.
Through the window, low light threads into her home from the cave village. River’s End has been a surprise to say the least. It’s taken on its own governing though it literally sits below Noxia’s soil. I’d never heard of underground cities, not even whispers of it from lifetimes ago.
The tenacity of the residents here to stay away from King Euron was admirable. Gods if I could hide away as well I would.
Alora’s soft snoring fills my ears as I look from the corners of the room that lays in shambles now. The table had toppled over during our coupling last night. My lips slowly form a half smile reimagining how surprised she was when the wobbly thing finally gave out from our combined weight.
I’d promised to get her a new one as we continued our romp on the fallen table, the whispers of mundane projects made more sensual with each thrust into her until I spilled my seed.
Her home, though small, is comforting and decorated with oddities and books strewn haphazardly around the space. It’s quirky but more real than I’ve seen in a long time. Though it may be a cluttered mess right now, I’d gladly take it over my lonesome quarters back in Ezmelir.
The room back in the capital is neat, orderly, where nothing significant about me or my life can be studied and taken from me.
I watch Oak hop from the back of a chair to her little perch and observe the way she practically studies me. Very unusual indeed.
She caws, loud enough to stir Alora.
Damned bird, if she kept this up then I wouldn’t be able to linger in this blissfulness any longer.
I shift Alora’s head to the crumpled pillow and slowly slide out from the sheets.
The cool floor creaks under my weight and I wince, prepared for Alora to bolt awake.
I look over my shoulder and see her form still curled into the ball I left her in.
Sauntering over to where the raven is perched, I pick up a stray fruit that's fallen from the table and bite a piece off for the bird. Oak eagerly accepts it and quickly swallows the small bit.
Seeing a creature as magnificent as this up close is another thing I couldn’t have hoped to do since her.
The funny thing is, I don’t think Alora knows how truly unique her white feathered companion is.
A gift from the gods, a messenger.
An omen.
I scratch the top of the bird's head and Oak presses into my hand while making clicking noises.
“She likes you,” Alora says sleepily.
I chuckle, “Something must be wrong with her then.”
Alora’s smile spreads wider as she watches me.
Laughter fills her voice, “Does that mean you think something must be wrong with me?”
“Definitely.”
A pillow is hurled across the room and smacks against the wall.
I watch it as it falls into a heap. Tucking my grin away, I saunter towards the thing before picking it up.
The soft linen fluffs beneath my massaging.
In my best effort to remain serious, I turn back to her and stalk towards the bed.
Coyly I whisper, “You, I’m afraid, have the worst aim imaginable.”
I launch the thing at her and a shriek of laughter fills the small cottage before being muffled as the pillow collides with her face.
She pulls the thing off and her curls gather over her eyes. She quickly swipes the offending tresses back and narrows her eyes at me.
“That’s unfair,” she protests, unconvincingly.
I lean against the wall to the side of the bed and relish in the vision.
Her curls that form a frizzy halo, sleep riddled eyes that make her look softer, and her wicked little lip that currently is held between her teeth.
“You make me want to do unmentionable things to you when you glare at me like that, little warrior.”
She scoffs and rolls over, her words floating out from the sheets, “You’re insatiable.”
“I’m a starved man—famished. And I fear I only have an appetite for you.”
She peeks out from her cocoon of sheets.
I move my hand to remove the white barrier and she lays there, smiling up at me.
Quickly, I peck her lips and linger there before kissing her more deeply.
With a sigh, I pull back from her.
She nods slightly and blinks before her smile flickers, tightening in the corners.
I squeeze her hand and say, “I would linger here until the veil called us home, but unfortunately, we don’t have that luxury.”
She brings my hand to her cheek. “It’s alright, Kassiel. One day the realm will give us back more than it takes. For now, we have much to talk about.”
I turn to grab my clothing that’s been stripped off but Alora’s voice stops me mid air.
“Actually, I have an idea. The council can wait a little longer. I want to show you something.”
We walk with our hands intertwined as she leads me down a muddy path between tall grasses.
“This one is my favorite, you’ll see why!”
She rushes ahead of me as we pop out of the dense, meadowy greensward.
It’s unbelievable how clear the pool of water is, taking on an aqua hue. I edge closer to the embankment and peer over. The sand is coarse, a red clay color.
Alora splashes in and water flings at me as she jumps and submerges herself.
She’s so carefree, my heart soars witnessing her like this.
She bobs underwater with her chin lowered, only letting her eyes peer above the rippling pool.
If she were a siren, I’d gladly drown with her song if it promised an eternity with her arms around me.
Her eyes sharpen with mischief as she begins to swim closer to me. As soon as she’s within an arms length, she launches herself forward and spews water from her mouth at me, soaking my shirt.
I stand, stunned—too shocked to move or speak. It’s not that it’s offensive, it’s just that it feels so playful when I’ve known nothing but severity for too many turns.
Finally words bubble up, “You wretched little sprite!” The jest is playful.
She cackles, loudly as she makes for the other side of the pool. It shouldn’t be a pleasant sound but her full body laugh teases me enough to indulge her.
As soon as she’s farther away from me, she turns to look over her shoulder, her pale nude skin concealed by the shimmering surface in a way that makes me want to tear her from its watery grasp.
A darkened memory pushes to the surface.
“Promise not to let yourself be hardened by your magic.”
It’s as if Eiliorah knew I’d find myself again at the waters edge with the one I hold most dear.
“Join me, Kassiel.” The kittenish voice calls from the opposite end.
She would not have known how much I needed this, but gods if I really think about it, seeing her swim playfully, well it heals a little part of me.
I jump in then, fully clothed, surprised to find the pool comfortably warm and swim powerfully through the water until I reach the little siren.
Wrapping my arms around her, I lift her to my body. She wraps her legs around me and I’m very aware of her core pressing against my abs. If I look down, I’d even see her plump flesh peeking out below her delicate curls.
She smiles at me, her eyes bouncing between mine.
Without hesitation, I bring my mouth to hers and kiss her tenderly, letting my kisses roam over her lips.
We break apart and I really wish we could take our time here, but an unsettling feeling grows in the back of my mind.
“I long for the days where there aren't looming threats over us.” I confess quietly.
Her cerulean blue eyes widen and they fall to where my tattoo is.
“Does he…the king?” her voice laces with worry.
“No,” I answer, “but I know that he’s likely infuriated by my absence. Especially as he has already summoned me once. It’ll likely happen again.”
Her face falls, the intimate moment between us fleeting.
“How will you ever be free? Where do we go from here?”
The question I’ve been asking myself for hundreds of turns, voiced by the woman my heart longs for.
I pause before answering, and slowly walk us both back towards the bank of the warm pool.
“All I know is that oracle magic, combined with Rune’s ability to bind someone’s soul, imparted this damned collar around my neck. The Siorai Ban, the eternal tie, has no way of being broken that I know of, it’s only weakened during the Blood Moons.”
She pulls her lip into her mouth and bites it, lost in thought.
I continue to wade through the water, jealous of the waves that caress her as we get to the more shallow depth.
Suddenly she nearly scrambles off me. Her words rush out, “We need to go talk to Jessamine and Helena, now. I just had an idea but I don’t know for sure, it’s just a feeling.”
I nearly stumble while getting my bearings from her sudden movement as I step out of the warmed pool.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
She slides out of my grasp without answering and quickly grabs her clothes before running down the trail, leaving me alone in confusion as her pale form flashes through the tall grass.
“Alora!” I shout, confusion twisting my brows.
“Hurry up you oaf!” She yells back at me through the dense foliage.
I chuckle to myself as I exit the water and look down at my drenched clothes.
With a sigh, I silently kick myself for not taking my clothes off before, as now my clothes cling tightly to my body as I follow the bare sprite back to her home.
Finally catching back up to her, she runs inside the house and just as quickly comes out with a simple white billowy blouse and a brown pinafore style skirt.