by Eric Vall
I knew that look though. Nia had often given me the same look when I first started at the Academy. It was the same look that was full of silent disapproval.
“What are you doing here?” Nia asked, her tone dangerously close to a full-on growl.
Her father remained silent for a moment before he cleared his throat again and straightened his tie. He looked down his nose at us and squared his shoulders as he spoke.
“I awaited you outside of the girls' dormitories once the Magicae Nito concluded for a time. I had been hoping to have a word with you, but you never returned. I was off to see myself to sleep when, lo and behold, I find you here.” His tone was pompous, deep, and demanded one's full attention without ever actually making said demand. It was the kind of authoritarian voice that made people feel small even if they had more than enough ground to stand on their own in a conversation, and I was suddenly very aware of why Nia felt the need to push herself constantly and to be better.
He looked past her and over to me, and I felt the sharpness of his gaze pierce me under his scrutiny. Nia only stepped in front of me more.
“You have no business with him,” she told him bluntly.
“Of course not,” he agreed with a chuckle, though his gaze lingered on me for a single moment longer before it drifted back to Nia. “You, however, are my business, dear daughter.”
Nia snarled under her breath, but she didn’t back down from him even as he took several steps closer. Her grip tightened on me, and I felt her pulse jump.
I didn’t know what came over me. I didn’t think Mr. Kenefick would actually hurt his daughter. In fact, Nia had said when we spent detention together that he was a kind man, but his expectations of her made their relationship distant despite how much she loved him. My knee-jerk reaction was to step in front of her and protect her, though, and so, I did. In a fluid motion, our positions were switched, and I looked up at Nia’s father with the biggest grin I could muster.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized unnecessarily, “I just had to introduce myself to someone as great as you.”
Gallahar Kenefick stopped just short of me and chuckled. I wasn’t sure if it was out of good nature or if I was about to draw my last breath, but I stood my ground all the same.
“I am well aware of who you are, Gryff of Njordenfalls.” He smiled, and I felt uneasy with the gesture. “I’ve heard much about you.”
He extended his hand in greeting, and I took it in mine firmly. Handshakes were a friendly gesture, right? I definitely didn’t feel any ill intentions in his grip. You could just tell those sorts of things from handshakes.
I grinned wider, mostly to myself. It was nice to know that my own reputation preceded me, though what that reputation was, I had yet to determine.
“Have you?” I asked to keep the conversation light. Behind me, Nia stiffened.
“Nothing but good things, I assure you.” He dropped my hand and returned to his proper, upright stance.
“We were actually on our way to bed ourselves, sir.” I tried to steer him away as quickly as I could for Nia’s sake. I could have talked around him all night, but I grew increasingly aware of how uncomfortable Nia was, and I still had Sleet’s warning lingering in the back of my mind.
He raised an eyebrow as though he were shocked, and it wasn’t until Nia scoffed loudly and stepped up beside me that I realized that what I had said in the context of how he had discovered us might have been entirely misconstrued.
“Not like that, Father,” Nia covered and rolled her eyes. “My round in the Magicae Nito is tomorrow, and I would rather like to get a full night of rest beforehand.”
He considered this for a moment before he settled again, seemingly pleased with his daughter’s prompt response. He also seemed to catch the hint that Nia didn’t have anything to say to him, at least while I was there. To be fair, he didn’t look as though he particularly wanted to speak to either of us while we were in the company of one another. Fine by me. I was more than happy to save it for another time. I was exhausted as it was, and I didn’t want to add a confrontation with Nia’s dad on top of all the other things that weighed on me, nor did I want to be in the middle of a confrontation between the two of them.
“I simply wanted to wish you the best of luck tomorrow,” he stated. “Your time on a squad will give you an upper hand.”
“Yes, that is what I am hoping for,” Nia replied sharply.
There was another moment of uncomfortable silence before Mr. Kenefick bowed his head.
“Have a good night, Nia.” He then turned to me. “Gryff, let us speak again some other time.”
“Yes, sir. I look forward to it.” I kept my cool as I bid him goodnight. It wasn’t a lie. I wouldn’t mind having a proper conversation with Nia’s father, but not when there was an exam on the horizon.
Mr. Kenefick took his leave, and Nia and I walked alongside one another again. She was quiet, and her head was bowed in contemplation. I wanted to ask if she was all right, but it seemed like the answer was obvious.
“Do you want me to stay with you tonight?” I asked instead. Even if nothing came of the night and we simply slept, I’d be okay with that, but I wanted to give her the option.
She exhaled slowly, then shook her head. “Thank you for offering, Gryff, but I want to be alone in my thoughts tonight.”
“Are you sure?” I frowned and searched her face. She looked genuinely torn as though she were in a battle with herself and she was losing. “You don’t have to deal with this by yourself, Nia.”
“I’m sure.” She smiled, and it actually didn’t seem forced. If anything, it was tired. She must have sensed that I was unsure because she stopped and kissed me again once we reached the split between the girls and the guys dorms. “I mean it. I’ll be fine. Promise.”
I sighed against her lips and conceded. I wasn’t going to force her if she truly didn’t want any company. Besides, I knew that she could handle herself, even if I wanted to be there to protect her.
“Sweet dreams, Gryff,” she whispered, and I stood in the hallway until she disappeared around the corner to her room.
“Goodnight, Nia,” I muttered back to myself.
Chapter 9
When I woke up the next morning, it was well before the sun had risen. The sleep I had gotten was fitful at best, and the events of yesterday seemed to weigh heavily on me.
Layla’s round in the Magicae Nito had landed her in the infirmary. Sleet had told me that Councilwoman Miriam Sharpay had it out for me for seemingly no reason outside of her prejudice for a magical practice that she herself was unable to perform, but for some reason was the figurehead of.
Then there was the encounter with Nia’s father last night. That had been something. I had to admit, my hands up his daughter’s shirt and my tongue down her throat wasn’t the way I had hoped to meet the esteemed General, but I was glad that he didn’t make a bigger deal out of it as he could have.
Nia herself was also a concern on my mind for multiple reasons. For one, her round in the Magicae Nito was today. I knew she could handle herself. I’d fought alongside her and sparred against her enough to know that she was more than ready for the exam. Hell, she might have even been ready to be a squad leader, but that was my opinion, and that didn’t hold much weight in the magical community. At least not yet.
Like with Layla, though, it didn’t stop me from worrying. Nia had been known to overdo things from my experience. She’d nearly died of mana depletion earlier in the year. Granted, she had gotten better about managing her mana, but I didn’t want to see her in a state like that again. Once had been more than enough.
I sighed. Life had been much simpler when my main worry was where my next meal and bed were going to come from. Those days seemed so far away now, especially now that Maelor was regularly in Varle for one reason or another, it seemed.
I sat up and noticed Braden was still fast asleep. A glance at the clock told me it was only six in the morning. With a groan, I got out
of bed and grabbed my bath stuff. Might as well clean myself up before I started the day.
When I arrived at the bathhouse and found it empty, I was relieved. Not that I was known for small talk, but I had really wanted the time to soak in the silence.
The warmth of the water on my skin almost lured me back to sleep as I rested my head against the edge. I wondered if I did fall asleep there how long I could get away with it before I was interrupted. Maybe that would be something to try some time on a night that I couldn’t sleep, but I was content to close my eyes and enjoy what I could for now.
I wasn’t sure how long I had zoned out. It hadn’t felt long at all, but the dawn had begun to settle in the sky. Pinks and oranges decorated the clouds as the sun rose on another day.
“It sure is pretty,” a feminine voice whimsically said behind me.
I whirled around, ready to cover myself, not that I was ashamed of what I had, but I wanted to maintain some level of decency in front of a lady. This wasn’t just any lady, however. Layla smirked at me from the outside of the pool, infirmary gown still on.
I laughed incredulously. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”
Layla shrugged and sat at the edge of the pool. Her feet dangled in the water, and I waded back to her. She sighed when my hands crept up her legs, and her fingers tangled into my hair.
“I was bored,” she replied quietly. There was an easy smile on her face as she looked at me.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, still concerned about her well-being.
“Fine,” she answered softly. “Like nothing ever happened.”
Silence fell between us again, and she reached for my shampoo. She poured a generous amount into the palm of her hand and motioned for me to turn around.
I complied without question, and in seconds, I felt her hands back in my hair as she massaged my scalp and worked the soap into my roots. A low moan escaped my lips. Never in my life did I imagine that someone else washing my hair would feel this wonderful. It was such a simple activity, and a gesture that I never would have thought could feel so intimate, but I soon found myself nothing more than melted bone and flesh as Layla touched me.
“I’ve had some time to think,” she whispered finally, and I hummed in acknowledgment that she had spoken. “I think I want to open myself up to more missions.”
I raised my brow though she couldn’t see it. “What made you change your mind?”
Layla remained silent for a moment as she contemplated her words.
“I think I want to be part of what makes a difference in the world,” she began. “There is so much I want to see, want to do, and living the life I was before the Academy is no way to live at all.”
I’d been to the slum where Layla had spent her time before she had been recruited to the Academy, and I didn’t blame her for not wanting to go back. She might have had family there, but they weren’t really family, not in the sense she had wanted them to be.
“I want to spend as much time as I can by your side, Gryff.” Layla’s voice was quiet but firm, and I finally turned to face her.
“Layla…” I trailed off as I drank in the sight of her like it was the first time I’d ever seen her. Her eyes glittered in the dawn light, and it bathed her skin in a golden glow that gave her the look of a goddess. I couldn’t recall a time I’d ever seen her look so serene. I’d been used to mischievous Layla who tempted me with seductive winks and accentuated crooks of her finger. This Layla was different, more adult, and I found myself just as attracted to her as her troublemaker side.
She smiled at me then, an innocent smile that seemed so far from her usual smirk, and my heart skipped a beat. My eyes followed her as she stood, and my throat tightened as the hospital gown fell from her shoulders and was tossed aside. The morning sunlight shined on Layla in all of her nude glory, and I licked my lips.
As she climbed in, I dipped my head beneath the surface of the water and rinsed my hair. When I reemerged, she beckoned me with open arms that I gladly swam to. I pulled her close until her small breasts were pressed against my chest, and my hands settled on the supple curves of her ass. I squeezed her cheeks, and she giggled into my neck. It reminded me of the first time I’d made love to her, right here in the middle of the night.
We really should find other places to fool around than the bathhouse, but at that moment, all that mattered to me was that Layla was in my arms, and her lips were parted expectantly.
I didn’t make her wait, and I kissed her hard and deep. Our tongues danced, and teeth dragged along the others’ lips with a hunger that hadn’t been satiated for a long time. I backed her against the wall and lifted her legs over my hips.
“I’ve missed this,” she moaned into my mouth, and I nodded dumbly.
I had, too.
My lips caressed every inch of her neck and collar. Any skin that was exposed above the surface of the water was mine for the taking, and I worshipped every part of her I could. Her hips rolled, and she ground herself against my stiff cock. She was ready for more, and I was more than willing to give it to her. My name slid off her tongue like a song as I slid myself inside of her.
Our sweet noises quietly flitted around the bathhouse, and our bodies moved together as one. There was something incredibly intimate about how Layla’s nails lightly scored my neck and shoulders, and how her breath hitched in my ear when she finally came undone. My own breath stuttered when she tightened around me, and I leaned heavily into her as my cock spasmed and filled her petite body with my seed.
We remained silent for a time, with nothing but the sounds of our ragged breaths slowing to quiet hums and purrs as we kissed lazily. The last shred of the night sky soon gave way to a new day, and with it, the ambiance of sweet dawn kisses.
“I should make myself scarce before we both get in trouble,” Layla whispered against my neck, and I nodded, reluctant to let her go. I did, though, and she hopped out of the water with a splash. I watched her as she hastily put the infirmary gown back over her damp body and cringed at how it clung to her.
“See you soon?” she asked and kneeled at the edge of the pool.
“Yeah, see you soon.” I smiled and leaned up to kiss her one more time. Her lips lingered on mine for a second longer, then just as quickly and quietly as she came, she disappeared through the bathhouse before anyone could catch her.
I finished washing up quickly, happily satiated, and made my way back to my room.
“You’re up early,” Braden commented as he sat up in his bed and eyed me, “or are you just coming in again?”
I laughed as I closed the door and moved to my bed. I spread out across it and relished in the refreshing feeling of familiar sheets against clean skin.
“Had a lot on my mind. Figured a bath would help clear it up,” I answered, then rolled to my side. I could easily go back to sleep until it was time for lunch, and I definitely considered it as I rolled my face into the pillow. Damn, I was comfy.
“Did it help?” he asked as he laid back down himself.
I nodded as I answered him. “It did.”
He hummed quietly but said nothing else. Something was off. I propped my head up and faced him.
“How are you holding up?” I asked him, and Braden shrugged a little.
“I’m good,” he replied, but it felt like there was more to it. I didn’t want to press him if he didn’t want to talk about it, but I didn’t want him to feel like he couldn’t talk to me either.
“You know you can talk to me, right?” I assured him.
Even with our room being as dark as it was, I saw a glimmer of a smile on his lips as he yawned. “I know, Gryff. I appreciate it.”
“No problem, man.” I sniffed and stretched out my legs. The longer I stayed in this bed, the more comfortable I was.
“You going to go to breakfast?” I mumbled at Braden.
“Nah.” He laughed and pulled the blanket further up his body.
I frowned. I knew something wasn’t right, and I
felt bad that I couldn’t do anything to help, but Braden was a grown man. He could handle himself, and he knew he had friends to fall back on. When he was ready to talk about whatever was on his mind, I’d be here.
“Me neither,” I replied with a short laugh, and Braden snorted.
“Damn, we’re lazy.” He took a jab at our lack of motivation, but I didn’t respond. I just wanted to sleep.
When next I woke, it was well into the morning, quite possibly already afternoon. I pulled myself to the side and eyed the clock. It was nearly one in the afternoon, but I felt refreshed, so I didn’t feel bad about having slept as long as I had.
I sat up and noticed Braden had left sometime between the time I fell asleep and now. I hoped whatever was on his mind hadn’t kept him awake like mine had. I stretched and stood. It was time to properly, finally, start my day.
When I strolled into the dining hall, Nia and Layla were seated in our usual spot. Braden was nowhere to be seen. I plopped beside Nia and hijacked one of her potatoes before she could argue.
“Sleep well?” she asked with a smirk, and I wondered if she knew what Layla and I had been up to earlier.
“I did,” I admitted without shame and moved to take another potato from her plate. She caught my hand, though, and pinched my skin between her thumb and forefinger.
“Ow ow ow… stop,” I laughed, and the girls giggled at my expense. I deserved as much for taking her food, and I retracted my hand.
Layla, meanwhile, looked about fit to burst with excitement, so I turned my eyes to her. Before I could get a word out though, she grabbed my hand and squeezed it hard.
“I got my grades!” she squealed happily. “I got an E! E for everything and E for awesome!”
“I don’t think E stands for awesome,” I quipped as Layla leaned on me, “but I knew you could do it. You really carried your team there!” I arched an eyebrow curiously. “Any idea how that ass John did?”
