For sensitive, young Virgil, Ari could make an exception. He could allow the boy a dance with Kerys, maybe even two or three. No more than a dance, of course. He doubted that Virgil would try to push for more just as much as he doubted that Kerys would allow it.
Ari wondered if that was the essence of trust in relationships, and on the other side of the thought, he began to wonder if Kerys had that same trust in him. He felt suddenly ashamed of himself, ashamed at how often he’d strayed from her even when the situation hadn’t called for it. Sex and intimacy with Eva was one thing, but he’d been with Rin how many times over the past few days? And Kerys had basically accepted it, beyond her initial irritation.
He realized that he’d fallen off rhythm on the drum and turned his attention away from the dancing couples and back toward the task at hand. Selene’s song came to an end after another minute, and Ari watched Virgil looking unsure about what to do next as he stood there with Kerys.
“Good job, lad,” said Durrien. “Better than I could have done myself with my old joints.”
Durrien had his arm around Grena, and Lady Prestia was standing at his side. Ari couldn’t help but smile at the scene, and he stood up and gestured to the drum.
“We should put the music on hold for now,” said Ari. “I get the sense we both have other things to attend to.”
Ari stood up and scanned the area around the fire. He didn’t see Kerys anywhere, or Virgil, though Selene had also slipped out of view. He resisted the urge to let his imagination run wild, and set off toward the tunnel, wondering if she’d slipped back inside. He heard a feminine laugh as he made his way through the tree fence, followed by Kerys’ voice.
“Aristiaaaaal!” she called, running up to him. “Hey! Good drumming!”
She was alone, and she was carrying the jug of Drakeplum wine from earlier. Ari couldn’t help but smile as she took an off-balance step while simultaneously downing another swig.
“Thanks,” he said. “Did you enjoy your dance?”
“I did,” said Kerys. “Virgil is sooooo sweet.”
She pulled Ari into a hug from the side, and he took the jug from her. He sipped at it, appreciating both the taste of the wine and the crush of Kerys’ breasts against his shoulder.
“You don’t mind me dancing with other men,” said Kerys.
“The key word there is ‘dancing’,” said Ari. “Just dancing. Besides, Virgil is on the fresher side of what can be called a man.”
“He was so nervous,” said Kerys. “He didn’t really know what to do with my injured arm. He kept apologizing, like it was his fault. I did think you’d be a bit more jealous, though.”
“You want me to be jealous?” asked Ari. “Trust me, if he’d tried to do more with you, you’d have gotten your wish.”
“I just want…” Kerys let out an exaggerated, drunken sigh. “I want you to feel like the way I do, sometimes.”
Ari reached his free hand out and caressed her cheek.
“I know you get jealous when I’m, uh, dancing with other women,” said Ari. “It’s not like I ever mean to hurt you, Kerys. Honestly… I don’t have a good excuse for my behavior. I deserve more of your ire than I feel like I get.”
“At least you admit it.” Kerys pulled the jug from his hand and took another sip. “Do you know why I put up with you?”
“Why?”
“Because you kept your promise,” said Kerys. “You kept me safe and you always… come back to me. Maybe I’m stupid, and it’s just wishful thinking, but… I still see us together, someday.”
“Kerys,” said Ari. “You know I want that, too.”
“Then let’s just keep loving each other, for now,” said Kerys.
She leaned forward and gave him a very messy, drunken kiss. They were still right outside Etheria’s entrance tunnel, in full view of anyone who decided to approach from either direction. Ari set the jug down against the wall and shifted Kerys so they were on the far side of the tunnel, away from the campfire, with only the light of the moons and stars to see by.
“I wanted to dance with you,” whispered Kerys. “Mmmm… I was hoping the music would go on for a little longer.”
“So was I.” Ari let his hand settle on one of Kerys’ breasts.
“Maybe we can dance out here,” she whispered.
Her hand caressed between his legs, and Ari felt himself getting hard at her touch. He pushed her backward, pressing her against the outer wall of the tunnel, and began grinding into her.
“Oh…” she whispered. “Aristial.”
He kissed her and let his hand find its way under her dress. Kerys was wearing panties, but they were only a temporary barrier, one that his fingers easily found their way around.
“I think we can dance out here tonight, Kerys,” he whispered.
He let his index finger slip into her and very gently began curling upward. Kerys melted forward against him and her hips began bucking in time with his movements, as though he’d enslaved her body with a single finger.
“Maybe… we can,” she whispered. “Just for tonight. One time.”
She was drunk. She was really drunk. Ari felt her fumbling with his belt, and though she did manage to get his cock free, he hesitated. He couldn’t take Kerys’ virginity, or what was left of it, at least, with her in this kind of state.
“Aristial,” she whispered, in a teasing voice. “Dance with me.”
She turned around and adopted the lewdest pose Ari had ever seen her take, leaning against the wall and pushing her butt out. He slid her skirt up and tried to think clearly as his erection rubbed in between her thighs. She was drunk, but maybe…
“You might regret this if you let me do it, Kerys,” he said. “Maybe even as much as I already regret pointing this out.”
“What if you…” She wiggled her butt against him. “…just put it in for a few seconds? I just want to feel it again. You’ve done that much before.”
It was a bad idea, and Ari knew it. It was a bad idea, and he did it anyway, pushing his cock into Kerys’ folds and almost gasping from the pleasure as he penetrated her. She was hot and tight. She was everything he’d dreamed about for so long, years, since before ever leaving the Hollow. He reached around to grope her breasts and slowly began to dirty her with rhythmic, purposeful thrusts.
And then came the shouts. Not from Kerys, and not even from nearby. It was enough to bring Ari back to his senses, and the ensuing sound of pounding footsteps headed toward his tunnel was enough to encourage him to pull his pants back up and abort the encounter.
“Lord Stoneblood!” shouted Virgil. “Hurry!”
Kerys fixed her skirts and gave him a worried look. Ari squeezed her hand as they came around to the front of the tunnel. Virgil spared the time to give them both a curious, back and forth look before waving a hand in the direction of the bonfire.
“Rin came back,” he said. “She wouldn’t tell me what was going on until I found you.”
Ari could already see Rin approaching, with Eva, apparently now off watch, walking alongside her. He let out a frustrated hiss through his teeth, knowing that the two of them together meant that whatever news he was about to receive was not going to be fun.
CHAPTER 23
“What’s going on?” he asked, as Rin and Eva came within earshot.
“There’s a scouting party a few miles to the south of here,” said Rin. “They’re in a clearing hidden within a small cluster of trees, nestled away from view.”
“Are they my people?” asked Virgil. “The Sai?”
The way he phrased it made Ari stifle a wince. That was still how Virgil, and perhaps Lady Prestia as well, viewed themselves, and rightly so, no less. The violence was already done in the world they’d left behind centuries back, while in Ari’s time, it was just getting started.
“It’s the Sai,” said Rin. “Of that, I have no doubt, chala. I saw one of them use their mystica while on patrol.”
“They may already know that we’re here
,” said Eva.
They were standing in a circle, and Ari felt as though everyone’s eyes were on him. He ran a hand through his hair, wishing that he could go back to drinking wine and kissing Kerys.
“Let me talk to them,” said Virgil. “We might not have to fight. If I explain who I am, and what’s going on, they’ll listen. My parents were fairly well known in the Central Dominion. We could bring Lady Prestia with us, too, I’m sure they’d listen to her!”
“Virgil…” said Ari. “I appreciate your optimism, but you’re assuming too much. It’s very unlikely that these scouts can decide their orders on a whim. We also can’t trust that they’ll act in good faith, even if they do seem like they might listen.”
Virgil looked like he had more to say, but he hesitated. His expression took on a more serious and mature appearance, and he gave Ari a slow nod.
“Very well,” he said. “I should still go with you, though. Rin just said they’re in the trees. That’s my specialty.”
“Lord Stoneblood, we don’t have time for this,” said Eva.
“She’s right,” said Rin.
“Virgil, you have to stay here,” said Ari. “I need someone I can trust who can effectively defend Etheria if any of these scouts get by us. That’s you.”
“That’s a Trium-damned lie!” snapped Virgil. “You don’t trust me! That’s why you’re leaving me here, and why you’ll say anything to avoid considering my ideas!”
“Enough, Virgil,” said Ari.
“I’m not a child!” shouted Virgil, in an even louder voice. “You can’t just—”
“Virgil!” Kerys stomped her foot as she said his name and folded her arms as she glared at him. “I have to get back into the arena so I can make sure everyone is inside and safe. Can I trust you to use your trees to guard the door? Because I swear, if I can’t…”
“I…” Virgil blinked. “Of course, Lady Kerys. I… can do that.”
Ari clapped Virgil on the shoulder and then turned to Eva and Rin. They were both already equipped for whatever might happen, Rin with Varnasaria, the stunning silver spear, and Eva with the Feathermace.
“We’ll take my rune sled,” said Ari. “It’s silent, and with Eva in sword form, we can all fit.”
“Be careful, Ari,” said Kerys.
“I will be,” he said.
They headed out immediately. Rin sat directly behind Ari on the rune sled holding onto him, and she gestured with her arm in the direction they needed to travel in. It was helpful, given that the night was dark enough to make navigating into an otherwise treacherous affair.
He kept a tight hold on the sled’s handle bar. Between his Feathercloak and Rin’s wings, launching off hills at high speed posed no real challenge for them, and they spent as much of the journey traveling through the air as they did along the ground.
“There!” said Rin, pointing to a line of trees in the distance. “They should be within those woods.”
Ari brought the rune sled to a stop in a spot where it would be hidden by a grouping of rocks. He climbed off and stood looking at their target with Rin, considering what would be the best approach.
“Did you get an idea of their numbers?” asked Ari.
“Seven,” said Rin. “At least one with a mystica. Probably more.”
“Not the best odds for us to be picking a fight with,” said Ari.
“Not the worst either, chala,” said Rin in a cold voice.
“Were they vulnerable in any way?” asked Ari. “Were some of them sleeping or drinking around the fire?”
“If they had been, I would have dealt with them before bringing word of the threat,” said Rin.
“You would have gotten yourself killed, you mean,” said Ari. “We need to be smart about this. If they’re awake and alert, it’s going to be hard for us to get the element of surprise.”
“I can attack from above,” said Rin.
“I said us, not you,” said Ari. “Here’s what we’re going to do…”
***
Ari pushed through bushes and branches, making no effort to hide his approach. He could see the camp of the Saidican scouts ahead of him, a simple fire with a few supply packs, and more tantalizingly, a few rune sleds lying around it.
“Hello?” called Ari. “Might I ask what you fine travelers are doing out here, on my lands?”
The scouts had already begun moving to identify the disturbance. Ari saw their attention focus on him and watched as a few of them drew their weapons. They looked much like the other Sai that he’d encountered, with tall, slim physiques, and wearing tight tunics made from stretchy fabric in dark colors, green and black.
“We’re the ones who will be asking the questions, slave.” The man at the front of the group slowly unsheathed a longsword and took a step toward Ari. He was older than the rest of them, with blond hair, a wrinkled face, and a scar that made one side of his mouth sag ever so slightly.
“Well, feel free to ask away,” said Ari. “I came here to talk, after all.”
He raised his hands and gestured to the lack of any weapon on his belt or hanging from his back. He hadn’t needed Azurelight for the part he’d decided to play.
“Who are you?” asked the blond man.
“I am Lord Aristial Stoneblood,” said Ari. “Master of Etheria and the Draketongue Steppe. That’s here, by the way. These are my lands, and you and your men are trespassing.”
There was a pause before the men burst out into laughter. Ari flashed a good-natured smile and couldn’t resist joining in after a few seconds, though his good humor came from a different source.
“You’ve done us a favor, slave,” said the blond man. “Walking straight into our camp. Announcing your full title. I almost cannot believe you’d be so brazen.”
“I see no issue with telling you my name, since I’m not planning on letting any of you report back,” said Ari.
He whistled, and two of the Saidican scouts died in as many seconds. Rin had been circling above, carrying Azurelight with her. The sound of her wings would have drawn the attention of the scouts, if not for Ari’s rather bold intrusion into their camp.
She dropped onto them alongside Eva, who shifted out of her sword form and landed on the back of one of the scouts, crushing his skull with the mace. Rin impaled another one with her spear. The five left let out shouts of surprise, but Ari was already moving.
He caught a short sword that Eva had liberated from her fallen opponent and put it to good use, slashing at the blond man while he was still distracted. He was fast, and he dodged easily enough, but he hesitated before pushing forward and countering.
Rin and Eva had immediately found new opponents. Eva fought against a man wielding a large greatsword, and the difference in maneuverability between his weapon and Eva’s Feathermace was clearly enough to unbalance him.
Rin was taking on two at once. One of them was fighting from a distance with a ranged mystica, flinging glowing red spheres at her that she had to work to dodge. Each of the magic missiles let out a high-pitched whine, along with a flash of crimson light, as it struck, though all of them hit the ground or the trees.
The other Sai attacking her had dual daggers and was doing the exact opposite, attempting to get as close to Rin as possible. She warded off both attackers with Varnasaria and clever wing work, using the spear’s enchantment to distract them while she juggled their attacks.
Ari’s sword duel against the blond man was relatively even, until another scout decided to join in. The new arrival had a longbow that launched arrows longer than Ari’s forearm, a few of which passed close enough by his head to tease the tiny hairs on his neck.
A heavy, thumping noise came from Eva’s direction, and he saw her pulling the mace free from her opponent out of the corner of his eye. She was behind the bowman, but he saw her coming, spinning and switching to a curved sword as she closed on him. A nimbus of translucent blue energy shimmered to life around him, and Eva’s first blow from the mace bounced harmlessly a
side.
He drew his attention back to his own fight as the blond man slashed downward and nearly sliced into his shoulder. Ari spun but caught his weight on the back foot, parrying the next few sword strikes.
“Give up!” shouted the man. “You can’t win!”
Ari caught the man’s next strike on the short sword, summoned Eva from her fight to his free hand as Azurelight, and slammed the point of the blade through the blond man’s abdomen. It wasn’t a fatal injury, but it was a fight-ending one, and Ari kicked the man’s sword out of reach as he fell to the ground.
Rin had taken care of one of the opponents and was in the process of drawing near to the second one, who continued to fling magic missiles at her without much success. Ari closed on the scout with the energy shield, tossing the short sword aside and taking hold of Azurelight with both hands.
“You can’t hurt me!” shouted the scout. “My shield will deflect your weapons!”
Ari rolled his eyes. He attacked, knocking aside the scout’s curved sword before slashing a fatal cut into the scout’s neck. Azurelight had a magical absorption rune socketed into it that made short work of most forms of magic. The blue energy shield flickered as the essence fueling it transferred through the sword and into Ari. The scout didn’t even have time to scream before he was on the ground, bleeding out.
Rin finished off the final enemy, dropping from the air down on him and driving her spear through one of his eye sockets. A low, pained moan came from the direction of the blond man, who was injured but still alive.
“You’ll die for this!” shouted the man. “Emperor Diya will kill all of you!”
“Hopefully he sends more capable opponents next time,” said Ari, as he moved to stand over the downed man.
The Sai let out a pained laugh and glared at him. “He will send more! He knows where you are now. Even if I die, your life will be short, slave!”
Rin dropped to a crouch next to the man and slapped him hard across the face. The man groaned, and then spat blood at her.
“You’re pretty feisty for a bird whore,” said the man. “You should see what we’ve done to some of the little Ravarian girls we enslaved after torching your city. Oh, we’ve had so much fun, and we’ll have fun with you, too, eventually.”
Reborn Raiders (The Weatherblight Saga Book 4) Page 14