CHAPTER 23
Kerys came back into the tree hut a few minutes later carrying a basket laden with bread and fruits.
“Courtesy of the Vereshi,” said Kerys. “Honestly, I’m a little thrilled to be able to have the night off from cooking.”
There wasn’t much room in the tree hut, given how the cloth futon and hammock took up most of the space, so the three of them ate outside, sitting on the grass. The sun had set, and small fireflies glided through the air in a variety of different colors. Red, green, and blue, each sticking to spherical clumps that only occasionally intermingled.
Kerys passed Ari a slice of bread that was fresh enough to still be warm on the inside, along with a maroon, pear-shaped fruit. He looked at her expectantly and then shot a glance at the basket.
“No meat?” he asked. “Are they trying to starve us?”
“Grow up, Aristial,” said Kerys. “If I had to guess, I’d say they weren’t sure about our diet.”
“That is likely it,” said Eva. “We saw some of them eating meat raw when we were first captured at the tower. Perhaps that’s their preference, and they were opting not to force it upon us?”
“I’ll eat raw meat over just bread and fruit,” said Ari.
“You’ll end up sick, you oaf,” said Kerys. She gave him a playful slap on the shoulder and finished the piece of bread she’d been nibbling on. “So. I’m feeling pretty tired. I thought I’d head to bed.”
“Sure,” said Ari. “We should probably discuss our sleeping arrangements.”
“I’ll take the hammock,” Kerys said quickly. “That is, if the two of you don’t mind sharing the bed?”
Her tone of voice combined with the knowing in her eyes told Ari that she’d probably overheard at least part of his conversation with Eva. He looked back and forth between the two women, seeing the delicate balance that Eva had mentioned almost as though it was on visible strings.
“I do not mind,” said Eva. “I appreciate the gesture, Lady Kerys.”
Kerys grinned at Eva and pulled her into a quick side hug. She slid over to Ari next, giving him a quick kiss before disappearing through the leather flap of the hut and retiring for the night.
Neither Ari nor Eva said anything for a time. The city of Varnas-Rav was remarkably similar to any forest at night, with only the occasional sound of Ravarian wings flapping overhead interspersed with the ambient background noise of rustling trees and chirping insects.
“It is beautiful out tonight,” said Eva.
“It is.” He reached over and took her hand into his, letting his eyes settle purposefully on hers.
“We should… find somewhere private to disappear to,” she said.
“That’s going to be a challenge,” said Ari with a chuckle. He nodded to the side, where the same Ravarian who’d been tailing him for most of the day was watching from afar.
“Ah,” said Eva. “He isn’t being very discreet, is he?”
“I’m sure he was ordered by the Vereshi to be somewhat obvious about it,” said Ari. “I think she wants us to remember that we’re basically in her power.”
He waited a few more minutes before giving Eva’s hand a squeeze, standing up, and nodding toward the tree hut.
“We should not,” said Eva. “We would be flaunting our intimacy right under Lady Kerys’ nose.”
“We’ll be quiet,” said Ari. “Unless you think that will be difficult for you?”
He asked the question in a challenging tone, and instantly saw Eva’s lips twitch into a mischievous smile.
“For me, no,” she said. “For you, on the other hand…”
“You think I’ll be the loud one?” asked Ari. “Careful, Eva. You sound like you want to turn this into a contest.”
“There is no need, milord,” she said. “As we both know who would win.”
Ari pulled her close, giving her a deep, passionate kiss. Eva’s lips were intense against his and expert in their movements. He set his hands on her waist and let his growing arousal press against her stomach. Eva ran her hands through his hair and leaned her head back as Ari’s kisses shifted to her neck.
“Really, though,” she whispered. “It would be for the best if we went slow and stayed quiet. Out of respect.”
“Kerys knew what she was doing when she offered us the bed,” whispered Ari. “But I don’t mind going slow.”
He slid his hand in between Eva’s thighs. She was wearing the simple dress she’d tailored for herself while they’d been back on Deepwater Spire, and Ari pulled up the bottom hem and began running his fingers across her panties underneath.
Eva slapped his hand away, glancing in the direction of their Ravarian watcher. Ari gave her another soft kiss on the lips and slowly began pulling her toward the tree hut.
“She might not be asleep yet,” whispered Eva.
“I’m sure she is,” lied Ari.
Eva reached the cloth door flap first, and Ari let his hands trail over her body and butt as she bent over to slip through. He followed her into the dark, quiet confines of the hut, kicking his shoes off as he joined her on the futon.
The knowledge that Kerys was not only in the room with them but hanging from the hammock just a few feet overhead added a layer of tension to each action and movement. Ari pulled Eva’s dress up and over her head, feeling another surge of arousal as the silhouette of her small breasts and nipples came into view.
She let out a tiny, stifled moan as he kissed her and let his fingers run across her chest. Eva gently pushed him back on the bed, and Ari could tell that she’d decided that it would be easier for both of them to stay quiet if she took control.
He was alright with that, at least for the time being. Eva slowly undressed him, taking his tunic off before his pants. His cock bounced loose as she pulled his underwear off, and Ari stared at her in darkness as she took hold of his shaft in both hands.
He couldn’t see her face, but he could still tell that she was smiling as she slowly began to stroke her fingers along his length. He watched her for a few seconds before caressing her cheek and gently drawing her head in closer.
Eva let her hot breath tickle the tip of his cock, holding her lips less than an inch away from it. Ari pushed his hips upward, and she drew back, maintaining that tiny margin of distance that was separating him from the hot, wet confines of her lips and mouth.
She continued like that for what felt like an agonizing length of time to Ari before finally leaning forward and nuzzling her cheek against the tip of his tool. She started planting hot, wet kisses up the length of it, and Ari began to wonder if she really was trying to prove that she could draw noise out of him first.
Ari lost himself in pure, blissful sensation as Eva slowly began to suck. She moved her head slowly, taking great care to keep a consistent seal and contact to avoid making any obviously lewd noises. It felt incredible, and he let himself savor the moment for as long as he could without risking a premature end to their encounter.
A single, wet popping noise filled the air as Ari gently guided Eva’s face back from his cock. They both froze, listening for any sign of Kerys having woken up. Her breathing was still slow and consistent, and Eva relaxed after a moment.
She moved to straddle him, carefully guiding the tip of his shaft into herself. Ari squeezed her buttocks and stared up at her as she planted her hands on his chest and gingerly lowered her down.
They would have to do this more and more often if what she’d told him was true, and that simple fact filled Ari with a flutter of hot excitement and anticipation. He loved experiencing her like this, as a woman instead of as a companion or a servant. There was so much more to her than she showed in their everyday interactions, and he loved seeing it.
He loved her. Ari ran his hands up the sides of her body as she slowly began to ride, letting the thought echo in his head. He loved her, and he wanted to do everything he could for her. Including making sure that he didn’t drag her down with him when his time eventually ran out
.
“Oh,” said Eva, in a faint, almost inaudible voice.
Ari grinned, though he knew she couldn’t see it. He wanted to flaunt the fact that he’d made her make a noise first, but of course, he couldn’t risk speaking aloud. Instead, Ari drew her face in closer to his, kissing her more aggressively and taking control.
Another faint noise, this time a whimper, floated across the air. It took Ari a second to realize that it hadn’t come from Eva. He looked over Eva’s shoulder at the hammock above him, and saw Kerys’ silhouette, specifically her arm and hand, shifting in the darkness.
Eva hadn’t seemed to notice, and she was riding faster now. The sounds of what they were doing would be impossible to hide from anyone who was awake. This led Ari to the unavoidable conclusion that Kerys had returned to her peeping ways, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
He hugged Eva close to him and rolled over, taking a dominant position on top of her. It left Eva with a clear view of Kerys in the hammock, which Ari hoped would be enough to dissuade Kerys from being quite so obvious about what she’d been doing.
He started thrusting, holding Eva tight underneath him, like a wrestler in the process of finding a pin on their opponent. She let out tiny gasps each time he thrust his cock deep, as though the movement was forcing the air out of her lungs.
“Ah,” moaned Eva, slightly louder than before. “I—”
Her body tensed underneath him, fingers digging into the futon.
“We have to be quiet,” Ari whispered. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t make you come.”
He thrust into her hard, and a soft squeal escaped Eva’s lips.
“Aristial!” she said, losing any ability to modulate her voice. Ari lost control in a different, though related way, pumping into her loud enough for the sounds of their bodies moving together to create a rhythm.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw Kerys in the hammock overhead, doing her best to disguise her shuddering pleasure. He felt more aroused than he had in a very long time, and it only took a few more deep pushes into Eva’s hot, tight body to completely lose himself.
She hugged her arms around him as he unloaded within her. Each burst sent a jolt of pleasure through him, and Eva’s hands running through his hair and along his neck and back made it easy to completely melt into the comfort of her arms and the futon.
They stayed like that for some time, naked and content. Ari listened to Kerys’ breathing, waiting for it to return to a regular sleeping rhythm.
“Did that help you at all?” Ari whispered to Eva. “Is our bond strong enough for you to stay manifested in your normal body?”
“I think so,” whispered Eva. “Though we will need to do this more often.”
“I don’t have a problem with that,” said Ari.
“Lady Kerys—”
“I somehow think she’ll understand,” said Ari.
CHAPTER 24
“It fits you fine, Lady Kerys,” said Eva. “I believe that is the way the garment was designed to hang.”
Ari grinned and resisted the urge to peek into the tree hut. Eva and Kerys had evicted him earlier that morning when one of their Ravarian hosts had come by to drop off breakfast and several changes of clothes for each of them.
His own had consisted of a simple tunic of greenish tan leather and a pair of brown slacks. Eva and Kerys had been given similarly practical clothing along with one of the interesting toga-style dresses that many of the female Ravarians seemed to favor.
“It shows too much,” said Kerys. “I almost feel as though my breasts are hanging out in the open.”
The urge to peek became almost overwhelming for Ari. His imagination was doing a great job of painting a picture of the scene in his head, with Eva lounging naked and Kerys alternating between clothed and unclothed as she attempted to find the right fit.
“As I said, I believed it was designed to hang that way,” said Eva. “You should be proud of your assets and take pleasure in showing them off.”
“I guess,” said Kerys. “What about you? If you loosened this upper strap—”
“Ah, no, I do not think—”
“And then let it hang a little lower on this side,” said Kerys. “Oh, that’s perfect! Any man who saw you in this state would fall over themselves.”
Ari was already moving toward the tree hut’s entrance, having lost the battle against his willpower and better judgement, when he noticed a number of Ravarians overhead flying toward a singular point. A small crowd had formed on the ground near the center of the city, not far from the tree stump meeting hall where Ari and the others had first been taken.
“Hey, if you two are finished ogling each other’s bodies, there’s something going on out here,” he called.
Eva and Kerys emerged one after another, and Ari had to pick his jaw up off the grass in order to bring his attention back to the crowd. They both wore togas, and both wore them well.
Kerys’ hung in a manner that left her left breast nearly exposed and threatening to burst out of the edge of the fabric. Eva’s clung to her like a thin veil, showing off her lean, slender body and making her seem elegant and supernal, coupled with her silver-blue hair.
“Who is ogling now?” asked Kerys with a smirk.
Ari’s witty comeback died on his lips as the crowd ahead of them began clapping their hands in a deliberate, steady rhythm. The three of them hurried over to the edge of the gathering, which easily numbered in the hundreds of people. Ari spotted Rin and made his way over to stand next to her.
“Morning, chala,” she said. “You picked a fine time to arrive.”
Ari nodded slowly, his gaze following the sound of the clapping hands. There were Ravarians up in the trees as well, and everyone’s focus seemed to be on a singular point directly above.
There was one unusual tree which only had a single thick branch, and the Vereshi stood upon it, wearing a very familiar-looking silken cloak. The rhythm of the clapping hastened, until the rapport between people’s hands finally broke, and the noise of it overlapped.
Ari watched as she stepped off the branch, fell a few dozen feet, and then began to fly for the very first time. Cheers and whoops came from the crowd, and more than a few people fell to their knees, weeping openly.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” said Rin. “Tialese has been the leader of our people for more than a decade, young as she still is, and it’s all been on the strength of her word and the power of her voice. Many of these people will view what just happened as a miracle.”
“A miracle brought about by an enchantment,” said Ari. “Not even all that powerful of one.”
He watched as the Vereshi circled overhead, now joined by several dozen other Ravarians eager to share in her first flight. Her enchanted cloak fluttered behind her with more presence than either of her undersized wings, which flapped at a furious rate compared to the others around her.
“She’ll offer you a reward for this,” said Rin. “Think carefully before you accept it, chala.”
She rested her hand on Ari’s face, tilting his head slightly so that he was looking at her. Rin seemed worried, though perhaps it was just the way the earnest morning light emphasized her violet eyes and dark, glossy hair.
She gave Ari a quick kiss on the cheek and then leapt upward, flapping her wings and taking flight. She headed off in her own direction rather than joining the procession following her sister.
“What was that about?” asked Kerys, as she and Eva finally caught up.
“Just Rin being Rin,” said Ari.
Kerys made a face, and Ari poked her in the cheek, not wanting her to make a bigger deal of the moment than needed. He watched the Vereshi and the Ravarians flying overhead for a few more minutes until the Vereshi finally landed on the grass and most of the crowd began to disperse.
Ari was on his way back to the tree hut with Eva and Kerys when Tialese caught up with them. The Vereshi of the Ravarians offered no greeting, instead merely looping her arm throug
h his and gently guiding him away from his friends. Ari gave Eva and Kerys an apologetic shrug as he was led away in the opposite direction, into a thick patch of heavily foliaged trees.
“I owe you thanks, Lord Stoneblood,” said the Vereshi. “What you just witnessed is a much more meaningful moment than I suspect you understand.”
“The bird queen spreading her wings and finally proving she can leave the nest,” said Ari. “I think I get it.”
“You either make jest, or you show your ignorance,” said the Vereshi. “But I shall let it go, this time. You will be given no further enchanting work for today, as it is, in fact, a holiday. The Perfect Day of our Ancestors.”
“The perfect day?” asked Ari. “That’s quite the proclamation.”
“Imperfect translation,” said the Vereshi. “Similar confusion might arise from the name of our city. Varnas-Rav would be called the Perfect Nest of the Ravarians, if we chose to phrase it within the limitations of Subvios.”
“What happens when the Weatherblight attack your ‘perfect nest?’” asked Ari.
The question ended up coming out with more of an edge than he’d intended, but it was what had been on his mind since he’d first arrived. The outer stone wall and the trees overhead seemed like they would be more helpful in the way they might modulate the intensity of the weather rather than offering any real defense against the monsters that came with it.
“We fight,” said the Vereshi. “We defend ourselves. The location of Varnas-Rav blesses us with an unusually placid climate, but we are not immune to the rain, or the gusts, or even the occasional bout of snow.”
“You defend yourselves,” said Ari. “What does that mean? How effective is your strategy?”
“In a good year, we only lose a few,” said the Vereshi. “Perhaps four or five Ravarians total, mostly warriors, to the direct attacks of the Weatherblight.”
“In a bad year?” asked Ari.
The Vereshi gave him a sad, somewhat tired smile, and he decided he didn’t really need the answer.
Vision Voyage (The Weatherblight Saga Book 2) Page 14
