Vision Voyage (The Weatherblight Saga Book 2)

by Edmund Hughes

  The dress was sewn from red and white fabric, and it had a plunging neckline that certainly did a good job of showing off her cleavage. Ari felt an odd, unnecessary stab of jealousy at the fact that the other men in the tavern room were also being treated to such a tantalizing sight.

  “He’s thinking that it looks a bit too good on you, if I’m reading his face right,” said Durrien with a laugh. “Don’t worry, lad. I’ll keep an eye on her. Why don’t you take some time off and enjoy yourself here at the bar with me, Kerys? Now that most of the regulars are settled, they can come up front to get their drinks themselves.”

  Durrien procured two mugs from under the counter and filled them both up, setting one in front of Ari and one in front of Kerys. Ari took a sip and was treated to a strong, hoppy beer that managed to be sweet and bitter at the same time.

  “By the way, your companions wanted to see you upstairs,” said Durrien. “They’re working on your letter of introduction.”

  Ari nodded. “I’ll head on up, then. Kerys, will you be alright down here on your own?”

  “Of course,” said Kerys. She took a big sip of her beer and coughed, bringing a hand to her nose as a few drops came up along the wrong channel. Ari chuckled as he saw a deep flush come over her face.

  He made his way upstairs and found Rin and Leyehl crowded around a desk in a surprisingly spacious rental room. Rin flashed a mischievous smile on her face as he approached.

  “We’re almost done, chala,” she said. “All it needs is your signature.”

  Ari reached for the quill in her hand, but she pulled it out of reach.

  “I was going to do that, too,” said Rin. “Your handwriting is probably—ah, what’s the word? Atrocious?”

  “Oh please,” said Ari, rolling his eyes. “As though you had proper lessons writing on the back of tree bark and hanging from branches.”

  He snatched the quill from her and scanned his eyes across the letter, frowning at the tone of it.

  “This is a little pompous,” said Ari. “It also says my holdings stretch ‘across land and sea’ and include several communities within their borders.”

  “The hollows, chala,” said Rin. “Why not include them within ‘Etheria,’ as you’ve decided to call your extensive province? Along with this mysterious ocean spire you spoke of?”

  “Because neither of them actually belong to me?” said Ari.

  “Ownership is a matter of perception,” said Rin. “This paints a far more impressive picture, especially given that Etheria and Varnas-Rav have already established trade relations.”

  “Well, I guess that one is at least partially true,” said Ari. “I sold your Vereshi a Feathercloak in exchange for, you know, not imprisoning or murdering me and my friends.”

  “My sister wouldn’t have done that,” said Rin. “Most likely.”

  Ari shrugged, shelving his other minor complaints about the letter. He signed at the bottom in the most elegant, flowing script he could manage and then passed it back to Rin. She carefully tied it with a ribbon and then gestured with her hand.

  “The coins as well,” said Rin. “A hundred gold tips should suffice.”

  “That’s basically half the wealth of Etheria’s treasury,” sighed Ari. “Is it really necessary to give so much?”

  “If you want the Baron to take you seriously, absolutely,” said Rin. “Durrien will bring both the letter and the money to a courier later tonight, and the courier will arrive at Baron Ogwell’s court tomorrow morning and await his response.”

  “Fine,” said Ari. He took off his pack, pulled out the coins, and dumped them into the bag that Rin held open for him.

  “Durrien set up rooms for you and your companion outside of this one,” said Rin. “Don’t stay up too late, chala.”

  Ari nodded and took his leave. He left his pack in the room across from Rin’s and headed down to find Kerys in the tavern room. She was still at the bar, and it didn’t look as though any additional men had decided to make themselves a bother to her.

  “Aristial!” called Kerys, as he stepped off the last stair. “Ari… Aristial… Stoneblood!”

  Her face was flushed, and Ari judged from the way she was holding her mug that it wasn’t her first beer. Or her second. He smiled and took the stool next to her, raising an eyebrow in Durrien’s direction.

  “The girl wanted to drink,” said Durrien, unapologetically. “I run an inn and tend a tavern. It’s what this place is for.”

  “Uh-huh,” said Ari.

  “Aristial…” said Kerys, slurring the s in his name. “Guess what?”

  “What?”

  “I like beer,” she whispered. “The beer here is better than the stuff we had down in the Hollow.”

  “We made beer from fermented radishes,” said Ari. “I’m not really surprised by that.”

  “Guess what else?” asked Kerys.

  Ari smiled, despite himself. He glanced around the tavern and saw a couple of men watching the two of them with disappointed looks on their face. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who’d noticed her inebriated state.

  “What,” he said.

  “I like you,” said Kerys. “I like how strong you are. I like your haaaair.”

  She ran a hand through his hair. Ari chuckled and took hold of her wrist, planting a kiss just behind her fingers.

  “I think you’ve had enough to drink for tonight,” said Ari.

  “Noooooo,” said Kerys. “Just one more, please? Drink with me! When was the last time we’ve been able to relax like this?”

  It was a good question. They’d had a few easy nights camping in the wild, and they’d been able to get a decent amount of rest back during their time in the tower. But it wasn’t as though they’d ever been able to really let their guard down. Even in Varnas-Rav, there’d been a sense of tension and potential for danger that didn’t seem to be present in Cliffhaven.

  “One more beer,” said Ari. “Though I think it would suit you best to be drinking water at this time of night.”

  He winked in Durrien’s direction and the old man gave him a slow nod. Ari made sure Kerys’ eyes were on him as Durrien poured their refills, taking care to heavily water hers down.

  “There’s so many people here, Ari,” said Kerys. “I think I met more people tonight than I have ever, ever, ever met in a single day. Like, ever.”

  “Like ever, huh?” said Ari. “Yeah, Cliffhaven is certainly bigger than what we’re used to.”

  “Do you like it here?” asked Kerys.

  “Yeah,” he said. “I honestly do. It’s nice, being able to just walk around outside. Not having to worry about what might happen constantly.”

  He took a sip of his beer, and a bit of tension he’d been carrying on his shoulders without realizing it melted away.

  “You promised me you’d take me somewhere safe,” said Kerys. “I’m really proud of you.”

  She rested her head on her arms and smiled at him adoringly. Ari gently pushed her mug out of her reach and then helped her to her feet.

  “Come on,” he said. “I think it’s time for bed.”

  “I… was thinking that too,” said Kerys. “For us to go to bed, Aristial.”

  “Kerys, you’re drunk,” he said.

  “Ari…” said Kerys. “I love you.”

  CHAPTER 49

  He wasn’t even halfway up the stairs when Kerys began kissing him. Clumsy kisses, made even more sloppy by her inebriated state, but they still stirred the heat within him as he felt her lips against his cheek and neck.

  “Easy, Kerys,” said Ari. “You’re really drunk.”

  “Noooo…” said Kerys. She spoke the word in a low purr as she began grinding into him from the side, rubbing her breasts against his shoulder and one of her thighs against his leg.

  “Apparently alcohol makes you frisky,” said Ari. “That’s not uncommon.”

  “We have real beds to sleep in tonight,” said Kerys. “Come tuck me into mine.”

  “
Kerys…” said Ari.

  “I have something special I want to give you,” she said, whispering the words as her hand slid over his crotch.

  “Look, for as long as I’ve been aiming to take your virginity for, I’d feel a little unsatisfied if it happened while you were this drunk,” he said.

  Kerys laughed. “No, you silly man. Not that! Something else. Something that I think you’ll like.”

  She gave him another clumsy kiss. Ari cupped her cheek and tried for what had to have been the thousandth time over the course of their relationship to get her lips to respond and dance a bit more elegantly. No such luck.

  He let Kerys lead him by the hand, feeling his horniness get the better of him, to the edge of her door. He was just about to step through the threshold into her room when a flash of light came from directly behind him.

  Right, he thought. He’d still had Azurelight sheathed across his back. Meaning that Eva, up until that instant, had been along for the ride.

  “Milord,” said Eva. She averted her gaze from him and Kerys and coughed politely. “I should also be getting to bed.”

  “Oh,” said Ari. “Right. Are you, uh, all set? Do you need anything?”

  Eva gave him a fond, understanding smile. “I’m fine. We can speak in the morning.”

  “Thank you, Evaaaaa,” said Kerys. “You’re the best.”

  Eva’s smile widened slightly upon hearing the drunkenness in Kerys’ voice. She turned to leave and then hesitated, looking at the two of them over her shoulder.

  “It is nice to see you both like this,” she said.

  She didn’t sound sad, or jealous, or even emotionally conflicted, but Ari still suddenly felt like she needed a moment of attention, and a moment of intimacy. He reached out, grabbing her hand before she could disappear into her own room and pulled her close, a gesture made slightly cumbersome by Kerys still clinging to his side.

  He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Good night, Eva.”

  “Good night.” Her smile blossomed, despite her obvious efforts to keep it small and contained. She turned and walked off to her room, and Ari wasn’t sure if he imagined the extra bounce in her step and sway in her hips.

  “You dolt,” said Kerys. “You don’t kiss another woman when you’re already taking one to her bed! Aristial Stoneblood, you can be so—”

  He pressed his lips against hers, cutting her off, and then he kissed her again as soon as that one ended before she could speak a second time. Closing the door behind them, Ari playfully tossed Kerys onto the bed and pulled his tunic up and over her shoulders.

  It was only then, with her blonde hair splayed across the pillow and back flat on the mattress, that Ari realized how scandalous the dress Durrien had given her to wear actually was. The low cut of the front left her big breasts free to shift as they pleased, and one of them had nearly escaped the fabric, flashing an edge of pink nipple.

  The bottom hem of the dress slid up to reveal Kerys’ thighs, and if she shifted her legs open an inch or two, Ari was sure he’d catch a glimpse of her silkweave panties. At least, he was expecting to catch a glimpse of them, rather than bare, lewd nudity of what lay underneath.

  “You mentioned giving me something I’d like?” said Ari.

  Kerys waggled a finger at him. “I’m not sure you deserve it after kissing another woman in front of me.”

  “Even if I give you a better kiss than I gave her?” asked Ari.

  He slid onto the bed next to Kerys and gave her a long, soft kiss. Kerys let out a tiny, satisfied sigh when he finished.

  “You’re lucky the beer put me in the mood,” said Kerys.

  She ran her hands across his bare chest before undoing his belt and pulling his trousers down. Ari leaned back on his elbows, watching Kerys as she slowly began massaging his cock through his underwear.

  “Rin taught me something on the way to Cliffhaven,” she said. “While we were on the galleon. I never got a chance to try it out.”

  Ari chuckled. “Rin taught you something? I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

  “I bet you’ll like the feel of it, though,” whispered Kerys. “It’s your reward. For doing what you said you’d do. For bringing me to Cliffhaven, and for being, well, for being you.”

  Ari smiled at that. He reached down, wanting to touch her in a similar way to how she was touching him, but Kerys pushed his hand away.

  “Just lean back,” she said. “I want your focus to be on enjoying my new trick.”

  Her tone of voice sounded innocent and straightforward, and for some weird reason, he found that incredibly seductive and dirty. Ari felt a shiver run through him as Kerys pulled his underwear down and began to run her hands over the bare skin of his shaft.

  She brought her mouth down and engulfed the tip of his cock. Her blonde bangs fell forward, obscuring her eyes, but Ari could still sense the concentration she was approaching the task with. She pulled back and began licking with her tongue.

  “Rin says…” she said, pausing to give him another torturously slow and pleasurable lick. “That the secret is to make sure… it’s nice and wet.”

  “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Ari said, unable to resist teasing her a little.

  “I’ve done it before,” said Kerys.

  “…What?”

  “Rin made me… try it on a banana,” said Kerys.

  She leaned her head forward, and Ari finally understood what she’d been preparing him for. Kerys slowly sucked his length beyond the threshold of her lips, inch by inch, until he could feel the head of his cock pushing against the back of her throat.

  She looked at him then, holding his gaze with eyes that looked to be on the verge of tears as she somehow brought her head even farther forward. Ari felt his cock sliding into the depths of her throat, and he saw the tension in Kerys’ expression as she struggled with the lewd trick.

  He wanted to stop her, to let her know that it wasn’t necessary for her to go to such great lengths just for the sake of impressing him. He reached a hand out, getting ready to gently push her back. Kerys slapped it away and leaned in even farther.

  It was at that instant that the sensation hit Ari in its full, blissful glory. Kerys was still licking with her tongue and moving her lips. The tip of his shaft was held in a tight, wet squeeze, but the experience extended along his entire length.

  “Mud and blood, Kerys,” muttered Ari. “That’s… quite the trick.”

  Her eyes flashed with delight. She pulled back, breaking out into a cough as her mouth pulled free and she attempted to take a breath. Ari cupped her cheek and tried to pull her toward him to engage with her in a more standard fashion, but she stopped him again.

  “I’m not finished,” whispered Kerys.

  She began to lick and suck again, this time with focused intent and confidence. Ari briefly wondered how it was that she could have her lips so coordinated during a lewd sex act while still missing the point of kissing. The thought vanished into the mist of pure, unadulterated pleasure as Kerys began bobbing her head.

  “Kerys,” he whispered. “I’m… not going to last long if you keep that up.”

  She somehow managed to smile with his tool still in her mouth. That was her goal, was what the smile seemed to say.

  Ari ran his hands through her hair, losing himself in sensation as Kerys slowly began drawing his cock into her throat again. She gagged slightly but stayed focused, rubbing her hands across his chest and stomach. Ari felt himself reaching his limit and flying across it.

  He groaned as he released, unloading his seed into Kerys in a manner that very nearly skipped her mouth completely. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged, her lips pressed up against the base of his shaft, her eyes blinking rapidly at what must have been a very peculiar sensation.

  “Did that feel gooood?” whispered Kerys, still very much inebriated.

  “Good would be an understatement,” said Ari. “Though there’s always room for improvement. You should
practice on me again tomorrow night to hone your technique.”

  Kerys giggled. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

  “So very much.”

  CHAPTER 50

  “The response came earlier this morning,” said Durrien. “Baron Ogwell has issued an official audience to Lord Aristial Stoneblood, along with his close entourage and Ravarian allies.”

  “I didn’t realize a courier stopped back by,” said Rin. “I was up quite early as well.”

  They sat downstairs in the now empty tavern room. Ari was surprised by how messy it still remained from the night before, with half empty plates of food and unfinished mugs of ale scattered through the room. He figured that the job was usually left to one of the helpers that Durrien had given time off for the sake of secrecy.

  “I met the courier down the street from here,” said Durrien. “The Baron hasn’t always been my biggest fan in the past. I didn’t want my association with you folks to color his decision, which is why I also am having the carriage pick the three of them up at the corner.”

  “What carriage?” asked Ari.

  “You’ll need nicer clothing if you’re to be taken seriously by the Baron and his court,” said Durrien. “Far nicer clothing.”

  “Is that really necessary?” asked Ari. “I’m not interested in spending my hard-earned gold so frivolously.”

  “Absolutely, chala,” said Rin. “Leyehl and I brought suitable gowns of our own for this very circumstance. It would be quite shameful for us to come all this way only to be turned away from our goal due to poor grooming.”

  “I’m not poorly groomed,” said Ari. “I’m ruggedly handsome.”

  The silence that followed seemed to disagree. In the end, Ari resigned himself to heading out of the tavern and down to the corner with Kerys and Eva to wait for their escort to one of the clothing stores in the area.

  The carriage driver appeared to recognize them and didn’t ask any questions, merely stopping to let them climb in through the back door. There was a musky scent inside, the overlapping remnants of the old perfume of a hundred different noblewoman.