“The sky is still clear,” said Kerys. “It doesn’t seem like it’s going to rain tonight.”
“It’ll be nice to finally be able to sleep without running for our lives,” said Ari. “We should probably turn in soon and take advantage of it.”
“Agreed,” said Kerys. “I can barely keep my eyes open.”
Kerys slowly stood up in front of the dimming fire, brushing her hands off on her dress.
“Lord Stoneblood,” said Eva. “Before you retire tonight, may we continue our discussion from earlier concerning our bond?”
“Of course,” said Ari.
“I think I’ll head to bed,” said Kerys, with a yawn. “Don’t do anything stupid, Aristial.”
“Kerys, Kerys,” he said. “The only reason I do stupid things in the first place is because you make for such a reactive audience.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Goodnight, Eva. It was nice to make your acquaintance today.”
“And you as well, Lady Kerys,” said Eva.
Kerys headed into the tower, closing the door behind her. The tension Ari had felt before returned instantly as soon as he and Eva were alone again.
“I must confess that I have not been entirely forthcoming with you,” she said.
“You don’t say.” Ari smiled a little at that. “This is about the means through which we do the ‘bond building,’ or whatever you called it?”
“Indeed,” said Eva. “For your essence to flow freely into me and allow for me to reach my full strength, we must share a close relationship. There must be intimacy between us to establish and maintain the bond. I apologize for not disclosing this earlier, but I wished for you to grow comfortable with me first.”
“That was probably for the best,” said Ari. “It’s fine. I don’t mind, Eva, if it will help make you stronger.”
Eva smiled at him. “Then we should not wait. The strength of our bond will determine much in the coming days.”
“Of course,” said Ari.
He stood up, and so did Eva. She looked beautiful in front of the fire, the light playing across her pale face and silver-blue bangs, emphasizing the shape and size of her lips. Ari took her hands into his for a moment, then pulled her into a soft hug.
“There,” he said. “So how long do we have to stay like this?”
Eva pulled back and stared at him with a quizzical expression.
“When I spoke of intimacy, I meant a form of it with a little more… contact,” she said. “While small gestures such as hugs could theoretically build our bond over time, it would make more sense for us to go… a little further than that.”
“Oh,” said Ari. “Oh!”
He felt his face heat up as he realized how oblivious he’d been to her hints. Eva had a coy smile on her face, and she held eye contact with him in a manner that made Ari’s heart feel like it was going to race out of his chest.
“Are you a virgin, milord?” asked Eva.
“No!” said Ari. “Well, I mean, technically yes, but I’ve… done other stuff. It’s not like I don’t know what I’m doing, or anything. I totally do!”
Eva’s smile widened even further. She brought a hand up and ran it across his cheek, and then gently through his hair.
“Of course,” said Eva.
It wasn’t just Ari’s general lack of experience slowing him up. He thought of Kerys, and of how they’d come so close to being each other’s first that night in the kellowack. He thought of his feelings for her, how he’d told her he’d loved her and heard nothing back.
He also thought of what would happen to her if the fishers came again and he and Eva weren’t prepared to defend her. He reached his hand out to squeeze Eva’s and nodded slowly, his heart still pounding like a well-played drum.
She brought her lips forward, and gave him a slow, precise kiss. It was so different from the way kissing Kerys had been. Ari felt himself melting from the intensity of it as she pushed her tongue into his mouth and brought her body into contact with his.
It wouldn’t have mattered if he’d bedded all of the attractive women down in the Hollow. Ari got the sense that no amount of sexual experience or erotic practice would have prepared him for this. She was sensual and intense, and she knew exactly what she was doing.
Ari had left one of the newly made leather blankets out by the fire to finish drying off, and he took hold of Eva’s hand and pulled her over to it. She let him lead her, though there was a slow, patient confidence in the way she moved that still made it seem like she was the one in control.
“I never asked you about your clothing,” said Ari. “It can be taken off, can’t it? It’s not fused onto you or anything, right?”
Eva laughed. “Indeed, it can come off. I’m as naked as the day I was born underneath.”
She sat down next to Ari on the leather blanket. He kissed her, trying to make his lips match the perfect elegance and shape of hers. He let one of his hands run up the back of her shirt, his fingers dancing across what felt like a dozen different ties. He pulled one loose, and then another, and then another. After a few seconds, he felt it come free, falling forward off Eva’s body and revealing her chest to him.
Her breasts were amazing. They were small, barely more than a handful each, but perfectly suited for her slender, lithe body. Eva took hold of Ari’s hands and pulled them to her chest, smiling at his reaction.
“I’ll be cold without that on,” she whispered. “Perhaps you can warm me up?”
Her tone of voice had a seductive, teasing quality to it that was so outside of how she’d presented herself earlier during the day. Ari kissed her with all the passion he had in him, rolling her underneath him on the leather blanket and grinding his erection into her through his pants.
Eva wrapped her legs around him and kissed him three times in quick succession, letting out soft, playful moans after each one. She had on a pair of panties underneath her armored skirt, and it was unreal how soft they were. Ari ran his fingers over them before sliding a finger into the waist tie and pulling them down. Eva didn’t stop him.
She pulled his shirt off, and then his pants down. She leaned back her elbows on the blanket, keeping her legs crossed and smiling in a manner that seemed like a dare to take things further. Ari let his cock stand to attention as he pulled his underwear off, the tip of it pointed directly at her.
“Are you in need of a sheath for that, milord?” she said, nodding at his arousal. Ari was blown away at how confident and comfortable she seemed. He wondered if the way she was expressing herself now was her true self, and if perhaps that was what needed for their bond to grow properly.
“Indeed I am,” said Ari. “A nice, tight sheath.”
He positioned himself over her, pulling her thighs apart. Eva gave him a kiss with so much passion that it made him wonder what else she could do with her mouth. Her body was surprisingly light, and he shifted her back a little so that her head stayed on the blanket as he sought the right angle with his tool.
It took a couple of tries, the last of which she helped him with, guiding his cock into her with soft fingers. Ari let out a groan of pleasure as he discovered that her “sheath” was far hotter and tighter than he ever could have imagined.
He couldn’t push the entirety of his length into her right away and spent a minute teasing himself in, inch by inch. Eva was biting her lower lip and moaning softly, running a hand through his hair and urging him on.
Ari had a single, fleeting thought about the fact that there was still enough light from the fire for both of them to be visible from any of the tower’s windows. And they weren’t exactly being quiet, either.
Eva kissed him again, and his concern faded like dust in the wind as he pressed his body down on hers.
It was a world of pleasure beyond what Ari had known existed. He pumped into her at a rapidly building rhythm, finding that his hips had taken on a mind of their own. It felt a little too good, actually, and after less than a minute of it, he felt himself staring
down the same problem he’d had while fooling around with Kerys. He was already on the brink, and he needed to calm himself down if he didn’t want to blow his seed early.
Ari pulled out, letting his cock rest against Eva’s crotch, which had a thin, neatly trimmed collection of soft, silver-blue hairs. Even that almost felt good enough to push him over the line, especially as Eva lifted her hips, urging him to push back inside.
“Are you not enjoying yourself?” she whispered.
“I just… need a second,” he said. “You’ve gotten me all worked up.”
“That was my intention,” said Eva, in a teasing voice.
She let her finger dance across his tool, which throbbed and almost exploded in response.
“Easy,” said Ari. “If you do that—”
“If I do what?” Eva wrapped her entire hand around his shaft and gave it a squeeze. Ari shuddered at the pleasure of it. He was about to tell her to stop again when she made a sudden movement, grabbing his shoulder and rolling so that she was the one on top and he was underneath.
“What if I do this?” She took his cock in her fingers and carefully positioned herself over it. Ari stared up at her and let out a sharp breath as she lowered herself halfway down on his tool in a single, smooth motion.
She leaned forward and gave him a hot, breathy kiss, and then she started to move. Ari groped her buttocks, knowing that his time was limited. He began thrusting upward, meeting each of her movements with as much strength as he could muster. Eva’s tiny breasts bounced in time with their exertions, and tiny, pleasured gasps escaped her lips.
“Milord,” moaned Eva. “Oh!”
An intense shudder ran through her, and she fell forward onto him. Ari gripped her by the waist and bounced her up and down hard on his cock, losing all control. He pushed his shaft as deep as it would go as he unloaded his hot seed inside of her, dazed by the pleasure of it.
They were both sweaty and breathing hard. Eva stayed where she was, gently kissing his lips and cheek as they enjoyed their mutual afterglow. Ari held her against him, feeling more satisfied than he could ever remember feeling before.
“Hey, quick question,” he said. “Can swords get pregnant?”
Eva lifted her head up. He couldn’t see her expression, now that the fire was almost out, but he didn’t think he needed to.
“Truly, Lord Aristial, you ask me the most insightful things,” she said.
CHAPTER 19
“Did it work?” asked Ari. “Is our bond stronger now?”
Eva had pulled her top back on, and Ari was slowly helping her lace it up. She gave him a small nod and set her hand on top of his, squeezing.
“It is stronger,” said Eva. “But not as strong as it could be. We will need to maintain a regular routine.”
A routine of hot sex with a beautiful, silver haired woman. Ari could think of worse things to commit to for the sake of their survival.
“Is there any way I can tell the current strength of our bond?” asked Ari.
“It is a subtle thing, but you may be able to notice it the next time you wield me as a sword,” said Eva. “There are a few small abilities that will also develop in strength, over time. Ways of communicating and summoning me at a distance.”
“Interesting…” said Ari. “Let’s keep at it, then.”
Eva bowed her head to him slightly. They finished getting dressed and headed back into the tower. Kerys was waiting in the common room, leaning against the stone table in the center of the floor. The expression on her face was conflicted and more than a little suspicious, and Ari couldn’t look her in the eyes without feeling a similar mixture of emotions.
“Aristial,” said Kerys. “Eva. The two of you were out there for quite some time.”
“It took longer than I expected it to,” muttered Ari.
He found the tense moment of silence that followed to be borderline unbearable.
“Lord Stoneblood,” said Eva. “With your permission, I shall head to bed.”
“Of course,” said Ari. “Go ahead.”
She set a hand on his shoulder and then went upstairs, leaving him and Kerys alone. He’d already decided that he wasn’t going to lie to her. Finding a way to tell her, however, still required some delicate phrasing.
“Kerys,” he said. “In order for me to help Eva become more powerful as a sword, I have to strengthen my bond with her over time. It’s kind of… an intimate process. If you catch my meaning.”
“An intimate process?” repeated Kerys, in a sharp tone. “Would you care to enlighten me as to what it involves, Aristial?”
“Kerys,” he said, wincing. “I think you know what I’m saying.”
“Of course I do,” said Kerys. “Oh, I get it, Aristial. You were just so desperate to find a place to sheathe your sword, so to speak.”
Ari started to reply, and then frowned, considering her phrasing.
“Were you spying on us?” he asked.
Kerys flinched, and her cheeks flushed bright red.
“What?” she said. “No! I mean, I was just confused about what was going on. The two of you were rather loud, and…”
There was an odd gleam in her eyes, and Ari couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to her flushed face than just simple embarrassment.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” said Ari.
“Who said I was upset?” snapped Kerys. “We slept in a kellowack once together, Ari. It’s not like we’re married to each other. And it’s not like I’d consider an orphan like you that way, either.”
There was a surprising, but not unwarranted, amount of venom in her tone. Ari wanted to point out that there was no reason for her to be reacting so emotionally if she really wasn’t interested in him, but suspected she’d blow up on him if he did.
“Is that really how you feel?” he asked.
“Aristial Stoneblood, how I feel is none of your business!” she snapped.
Her words stung him. He had to turn away from her as he thought back to how he’d confessed his love to her and gotten silence in return. Maybe Kerys really didn’t care about him like that. But if that was the case, then why was she so upset?
Ari didn’t get a chance to delve for answers. Kerys stomped away from him, and he let her go, hoping that a full night’s sleep might help her cool off.
***
“Lord Stoneblood,” said Eva. “The sun is up. We should begin our day if you plan on exploring the ruins I pointed out to you last night.”
Ari yawned and sat up. He’d slept in one of the bedrooms, lying on top of his makeshift pillow and blanket. Comfortable wasn’t the word he’d use for it, but the fact that he’d been undisturbed and able to stretch out had done wonders for his physical state.
“Right,” said Ari. “Is Kerys up already, too?”
“She’s in the common room, I believe,” said Eva.
Ari pulled on his shoes and headed downstairs. Kerys was sitting at the table, and already hard at work. She’d gathered more of the red berries that they’d eaten with the fish the previous night, along with a few currently unidentified fruits and berries. There was a yellow fruit about the size of a cave grape sliced in half, probably so she could use it for the rash test she’d taught him about, and also a purple, oblong shaped fruit.
“Morning Kerys,” he said. It was surprisingly challenging to keep the tension out of his voice as he remembered her words from the previous night.
“Good morning, Aristial,” said Kerys.
He waited out an awkward silence that seemed to stretch on for far too long as Eva moved to stand next to him.
“Milord,” she said. “We should get moving.”
“Kerys, Eva saw some ruins in the distance yesterday,” said Ari. “It’s a little complicated to explain, but it might hold the key to our continued survival.”
“Okay,” said Kerys. “Have fun.”
“I… had assumed that you’d come with us,” said Ari. “It isn’t safe for us to split up. If it start
s raining, and you’re the only one here…”
“Look at the sky, Ari,” said Kerys. “It isn’t going to rain today.”
“You can’t be sure about that,” said Ari.
“I’m as sure about it as I am of the fact that I’m not going with you,” said Kerys. “There’s work to be done here. I plan on spending my day gathering fruits and vegetables and possibly taking a look at the library upstairs, if I get the chance.”
“Kerys…” said Ari. Eva set a hand on his shoulder and gave a small shake of her head. “Fine,” he said.
Ari tried not to fume as he and Eva headed north from the tower, traveling quickly as the trees of the surrounding forest began to thin out. He knew that he’d made a mistake leaving Kerys behind, but it wasn’t as though he could have forced her to come along. He resolved to be back from the ruins by midday to minimize the chance of anything unexpected happening.
“I do not think you need to worry about her,” said Eva, as though she could sense what was on his mind. “She has a point. It is unlikely that it will rain with skies this clear.”
“It’s when she has a point that she’s at her most unbearable,” said Ari. “She was upset last night. By the, uh, bond building that we did.”
“Is she your woman?” asked Eva. “Does your culture have reservations about this sort of thing?”
“She’s not my woman,” he said, quickly. “But we do care for each other. She’s the reason why I came to the surface. Protecting her matters to me more than anything else.”
Eva seemed to consider his words before nodding. “In that case, you should consider just what protecting her means. Physical violence isn’t the only means through which she can be harmed.”
“Evastria, you are wise beyond your years,” he said.
“I’m far older than I think you realize,” said Eva.
“How old, exactly?” he asked.
Eva gave a small sigh, and Ari looked over in time to see her rolling her eyes.
“Will you tell me if I guess correctly?” he asked.
“No,” said Eva.
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