Damn – if my friends could see where my mind’s going now, they’d call me a massive nerd. And I’d agree. But right now, being a massive nerd is saving me more than my former life. I don’t have makeup, or friends, in the same way, to talk to, and Tia doesn’t have the time or cares for my school girl shit.
If I go back to earth, who will I be? Will I revert back to who I was before, even if my friends have moved on? Or am I changed forever, and it won’t go away?
I can’t know until it happens, I guess.
The final trial takes place not so long afterward. I can’t speak to the competitors without showing favor, so I can’t pep talk Reon and tell him he’s awesome and no matter what, I’m proud of him. Ikkard and Narl sort out food and drink for me again, and I munch through the goods. It’s the same dark brown substance trapped in bread, and crumbs fall from my hands onto my lap as I eat. Again, there’s the cramp in my leg, and the uncomfortable heat bearing down, so I need to retreat away from the light. The tower box provides shade, with the roof extending over my chair, but the sunlight’s groping at an irritating angle, obscuring my vision to the left.
Mini golf. Archery and sword fighting. Puzzle solving and… what? I can see, vaguely, that there’s a balance of activities. Testing problem solving, physical prowess, skill, control. So, though the tasks seem trivial and, well, shit – I suppose they make sense.
The announcer steps onto the stage. “The last trial will be taking place just over the green here. Behind that wall.” The announcer jabs a yellow finger towards the left of my vision, where the sunlight’s assaulting me. There, beyond the green, is a fenced off area which reaches the same height as the building it’s attached to, which appears like a wooden office block. The crowd begins murmuring in excitement, and I’m led down from the box and escorted just behind the competitors to the final testing area.
My feet sink into the grass. It tickles my ankles past the skinsuit. I feel conscious of the way my ass snags on the material, and know I’m probably giving an impressive display to anyone behind me. God, I can’t believe I was so obsessed with Kim Kardashian at one point, and all my friends persuaded me to go for the bubble butt phenomenon. “You can rest a wine glass on your ass!”
I stopped when I realized how fucking stupid I looked, but now it’s coming back to haunt me. I inhale the aroma of grass, closing my eyes. It has that severed, mown smell to it, which reminds me intensely of the start of spring at school. My friends complained about the smell, but I secretly liked it.
At the end of the day, most of us are too afraid to admit what we like and why, for fear of lowering ourselves in our friend’s eyes.
The wooden wall leads out of the main sprawl of the tournament grounds, where I glimpse other activities – including jousting, where the mounts look, uh, odd. They’re hybridizations of animals I know. If you could put a tiger and a rhino and elephant together, you might come closer to the animals the jousters rode. But even then, I’m only grasping at similarities. There’s the big, papery ears which are tucked backward, the flat, rounded faces which bear jagged teeth from withered, rough skin. Their muscles taper into short, thick necks, and they balance on tree trunk legs which can gain power and traction in a charge. Each limb hosts pads and claws underneath. They have swishing, spiky tails with a puff of black at the end. Narl helpfully informs me that it’s a Jogun or a classic tournament mount. Reliable and good for war, and can travel across tricky terrain with their fantastic grip strength.
I nod, and my attention finally turns back to the wall. We pass it and go into a small dome. The same one I saw from the hotel. It looks like a bloated piece of tarpaulin, and I hear the hum of engines which inflate the material, keeping it intact.
Striding through the main entrance, two sets of doors that swing inward, revealed is an obstacle course.
My eyes pop at the course’s length, which completes one full oblong circle. In it is an array of challenges. From rope strung walls, water flooded jumps, mesh wiring, hurdles stumps to balance on that rise higher and higher until curling downwards in what looks like a demon drop, it looks physically demanding. It’s a mix of balance and endurance, and I’m exhausted just from looking at it. I tried an obstacle once at school, where you needed to cling onto monkey bars and swing over ropes, and I failed miserably. I don’t have the arm strength to do such a feat.
The crowd, muttering in excitement, along with others that are pouring in, keen to see the final event of the Five Trials, line themselves over the grandstands. I don’t have a box this time, but I have a huge space cleared around me as I go to the ringside display. Narl and Ikkard sit on either side of me, and some additional guards protect me from behind.
“Three rounds,” the announcer says, a rather wicked grin upon his face. Dark eyes glint upon his yellow face. “The first of our brave Yaru to complete three rounds of this course will win double points. It’ll be tough… but now is your chance to race for the ultimate prize…” his eyes sweep over me. “This red tentacled humong, who must surely be a flame of desire and passion! A boon to any who would win!”
Oh. Nice. Now everyone’s staring at me. I ignore the gazes, even as my cheeks flush from the attention, and focus on the competitors now lining up.
It looks so damn challenging. I know for a fact that such an obstacle course would be demanding, even for the toughest of humans.
I lean my arms on the wooden barrier that separates the spectators from the action, and examine the purely white track underneath, with black lines running over it in five segments.
When the announcer takes out an odd object – perhaps an instrument – places it to his lips, and blows – the Yaru are off. The crowd starts cheering as ten pairs of feet stampede along to the first obstacle – the rope wall climb. Tusken launches himself up to it, rapidly followed by four others – including Reon. Tusken’s fast, which disappoints me. Reon’s nimble, though. I instantly see he’ll need to make up for Tusken’s speed by completing the obstacles faster – if he can’t outrun Tusken in the sprints. I also notice the bottom dwelling Yaru not putting as much effort into it. They know they’ve lost. They’re not charged with desperation.
I start tapping my palms against the barrier to help distill my nerves. Reon has to win this. If he doesn’t, he won’t obtain me. I’m so nervous that bile rises into my throat, along with the urge to be sick. I don’t want him to lose.
I’ve not entertained the idea of his loss well enough in my mind. Even though I knew he had such little chance, I still hung to the possibility, shoving the other, insidious thoughts out of mind before they dug their claws in.
Fuck. I should have prepared myself better.
From the rope climb comes a steep ramp, which leads into hurdles. One of the Yaru is unable to readjust his gait from the ramp and smashes into the first hurdle, destroying the little lead he had. I hear him screaming in anger as the others overtake. He clutches his ankle before getting back up.
He tries to go on, but that ankle’s having none of it. One competitor out. He was in the sixth position, one of the people who could have contended for the top prize.
The tenth hurdle contains a water pit to jump over, so it changes the way they stride. At least four of the Yaru misjudge it and get their feet splashed. The skinsuits look water resistant, but if it soaks through the material, their tasks will be hindered from then on.
From that, it’s mesh wiring. From that, a climbing wall. Then monkey bars and a zip wire. Then the stumps and demon drop. Then several balance beams which shake and sway over water. Falling means getting drenched in waist deep water. After these are the monkey bars sloping upward, and a jump onto soft, foam like material. Last are two walls which they can leap to grab the top, without rope – then it's rinsed and repeated.
My eyes are on Reon the whole time. His balance is superb. He struggles on the monkey bars but excels with balance and anything that focuses more on leg strength. He’s in the front runners. The top four. But the one ahead o
f everyone else is still Tusken. It’s almost unfair how he’s so good at everything he does.
I just want him to have an accident and get written out of the race.
My eyes shift from Reon to Tusken for a moment as he vaults over the second challenge wall, completing the first lap. The crowd screams him on. Second is Gerran, huffing, and puffing. The third is a yellow skinned Yaru, who stumbles awkwardly. Reon’s hot on his heels.
By the second lap, the yellow skinned Yaru is unable to power anymore. He’s burned all his energy on the first lap. Gerran looks like the next to go, but he pushes on stolidly, narrowing Tusken’s lead. Reon feels too far away to make an impact, but I silently cheer him on anyway, crossing my fingers. Praying to whatever Gods they have on this planet.
Fuck Tusken, though. At least he’s not brimming with confidence and smiling smugly – he’s pushing himself to the limits as well. Aware that one wrong step might lose him the race. Gerran glances back to see Reon eating up the distance with the stumps, followed by the balance beam. Tusken’s on the bars, hauling himself energetically up them. Reon struggled here and lost ground last lap. I imagine the same will happen again. Gerran hangs on and swings after the green Yaru. Reon approaches – leaps up to the bars – then takes a few seconds to swing himself on top of the bars.
Now the crowd screams at Reon, as he dashes over the top of the bars, his balance perfect. He thumps the foam just behind Gerran, and overtakes him just before they reach the wall. Reon takes a running leap up and hurdles himself over, to spot Tusken just leaping off the second wall. Reon pauses a moment before accelerating again. It’s less effective but still gets him over just as Gerran starts to climb the second.
Tusken enters the final lap. Reon does so a few seconds later. Fuck. Gerran’s still trying to cover the distance, but it’s clear he’s expended too much energy. The fall into the water from the start of the second lap weighed him down. By now, everyone seems to know it’s between these two.
Four of the runners have given up. One still plugs gamely on, though he’ll never catch up with Gerran, unless Gerran stands still. Tusken storms ahead, his exhaustion starting to show. It shows on Reon as well. They’re running on empty now. Forcing themselves through the final lap.
I hold my breath as Tusken seems to fall wrong from the demon drop. He spins at the bottom and takes a moment to pull himself up. But when he powers on without any visible limp, disappointment surges. Reon’s right behind him. His arms swing heavy, weighing him down, but he’s bursting his heart out to overtake Tusken. The prince sees his opponent near, and that triggers an additional burst of speed that makes me groan.
On the balance beam, Tusken plays it safe and crawls along. Reon doesn’t. He charges ahead at last, but slips into the water, and has to wade the final few centimeters. He’s ahead – which I’m ecstatic about – but he’s drenched, which must surely put him at a disadvantage.
Reon reaches the bars. If he swings up again, he’ll likely make it ahead of Tusken on his section. Reon, however, slippery, loses his grip on the first swing.
Oh, fuck. He was too hasty, wasn’t he? He should have played it safe and waited to cover the ground with the bars. Tusken reaches the bars, glances at Reon – then pulls himself up and over the bars like Reon did the lap before.
Oh no. Tusken doesn’t run as gracefully, but he crawls, and it’s a damn sight less stressing on the muscles to crawl along the top. Reon finally manages to swing himself up – but he must crawl as well. Running with his wet suit risks slipping him off entirely.
Oh no.
Tusken finishes first, though Reon thumps down a mere second after. Reon bursts at the wall, and manages to hurdle over it before Tusken. The crowd’s going hysterical now because it’s neck and neck. They’re standing on their feet and roaring. Tusken’s over and dashing to the second wall, just as Reon gets his hands on the top. He slips – water covers the wood, forming dark patches. Tusken hauls himself up – they both manage to land on the other side at the same time.
Both sprint with the last vestiges of their energy for the finish line – but I know, my heart twitching horribly, that Tuskan’s faster. Sure enough, he pulls ahead. By an arm’s length, he finishes the course first.
Reon’s right behind him, and, unable to stop, he crashes into Tuskan’s back, and they both fall hard onto the ground.
It doesn’t matter, though. The crowd’s gone berserk. Tuskan and Reon just lie on the ground, utterly spent.
It doesn’t matter. Reon lost.
It’s over.
It’s fucking over.
Chapter Seven
The despair eats into me, even as I go back to the hotel. The rewards ceremony is tomorrow. I have one night left with him, and I don’t plan to waste it by moping around. The moment we’re back there, I drag him to my room and lock the door. I don’t want to see Tusken, who might be gloating, looking to claim his reward early.
I just want Reon.
He appears utterly dejected, and apologizes to me, over and over again.
“Don’t,” I say. “You did well. I saw how hard you worked. You were… amazing to watch.”
“I messed up!” He thumps his fist against the wall, distraught. “I was too hasty with the balance beam! I might have won if I didn’t do that!”
“Don’t. It’s over. It’s done.” I grab his cheek in my hand, forcing him to gaze into my eyes. “We likely don’t have long together, and I want to spend this time with you.”
Reon groans. “Ah, curse it. I’m so sorry.” I silence his next sorry with a kiss. We’ve wasted enough time. I want once more to feel that passion kindling, that burn of desire, that consumption of every atom within my body.
I don’t want to think about anything else. Not my home, not Tusken, not the onslaught of an alien world – just Reon.
There’s a lethargic weight to his limbs, and I know he’s still tired from before. So, I’ll treat him this time. I’ll let him go through the gamut of emotions, and bring him to ecstasy. I peel off his skinsuit and stare at his naked body, and the disappointment’s even weighing down his erection. He might get aroused at the sight of me, but he obviously can’t get that disappointment out of his soul.
I’m struggling to, as well. Naked, I crouch between his legs, face to face with his organ.
“What are you doing?”
“Just wait. Relax. And let it happen,” I whisper. I begin to stroke him there along with his smooth length. I liked how it slid inside me before, how it filled up the empty space there. With a few caresses, I watch as it unfurls into action. Along from his balls and all the way to his tip, he shivers as my hands fully close around the length and massage him. He squeezes his eyes shut and groans.
His hips sometimes twitch forward involuntarily, as the pleasure consumes him. I’m not done yet, though. I lean forward and let my lips kiss the side of his dick. I smirk when his eyes shoot open. I kiss the end, where the most sensitive skin is, like my clit, and roll my mouth over it, taking him inside. Reon inhales sharply. My mouth’s warm and wet, just like below, and I’m careful with my teeth as I take him in. I massage his balls, even as I slide back and forth along his length. I have to do it slowly, because my gag reflex isn’t the best, but I make up for it by curling my tongue around him. By sucking, by huffing hot air, by flicking the tip.
I taste what I presume is his precum, and the flavor is… strange. Not bitter, like human come, but, uh, I suppose it could be a little bit of air, like a cloud, and something of desire, with that hot musk scent. Something of the color red, if red had a taste.
Yes. I suppose that’s the closest I can compare it to. My English and Yarussian struggle for the concept, but I do know I enjoy it nonetheless. Seeing him vulnerable and at my mercy invigorates my nerves. It conveys power. And it ignites the emotions inside me. I’m shivering in excitement, ignoring the dull ache of my knees as I feel him shudder, hear him groan and watch him throw his head back, fingers tangling in my hair. He comes shortly a
fter that, his balls contracting, hot fluid rushing into my mouth. I withdraw from him and swallow the fluid, before grinning up at him.
“That was…” he says, eyes dazed, his chest pumping fast from the pleasure I’d dosed him in. “I’ve never had that happen to me before. And you swallowed?”
I grin. The act burned away most of my sadness, though it’s still there in the back of my mind. I think it’s the same for him. He asks if he can do the same to me. If he can place his mouth against my core.
I shiver. “Only if you’re gentle,” I whisper, standing up to kiss him. My knees creak, though he appears not to notice. Gently, he lifts me up, carries me to the bed and sets me down.
“Tell me if I’m doing it wrong, Esther,” he says, before kissing my neck.
“You can kiss all the way down my body,” I advise, sighing as he does so. His kisses are feathery, delicate, and he leaves a trail from my neck to my collarbone. He dips further then, lured to my pebbling nipples. His lips caress them softly, and I let out sighs of happiness, sinking into the covers. Just for tonight, I’ll forget. Tomorrow will be the end of hope. Today will be a memory. A good one salvaged from ruin, with any luck. I breathe in his scent, and watch as he moves down my body, exploring the contours there, the differences in shape and texture from his own.
“I love how smooth you are, Esther,” he whispers. “You’re so beautiful.”
Uh huh. When he finally reaches my nether regions, he spends longer looking at my parts down there than I think is exactly appropriate. Just before I tell him so, he makes a move, his hot breath hovering over my slit, and his fingers delicately parting the folds. He first tries placing his tongue on me, but I stop him.
“No. That’s not so good. It’s better if you use your tongue on my, uh, button. Your fingers are better going inside. Start with one.” My words come out breathless, as my heart continues to pulse blood rapidly through me, making it hard to inhale and exhale without getting seriously dizzy.
The Lost Seal: A Seal Romance Page 35
