by Aaron Crash
That shocked Ziziva. “No, Ymir, don’t even do that. We Fayee are very fertile, and I don’t want a baby. You know which hole I want filled. Please. Fill me. I want to feel you fill me.”
Ymir was slick and ready, his own pre-cum helping grease the slide. He thought her little pucker looked far too small until he pressed the helmet of his uht into her rosebud. She opened up and the head of his cock was in her. She’d obviously done this before.
Jenny was bent over, watching. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open, as her big tits dangled.
The fairy was gasping and sighing and grunting.
Between Ziziva’s sounds and Jenny’s scorching gaze, Ymir was having trouble not spilling himself into the fairy. Her back hole was tight, slippery, and warm. Every bit of her clung to him, and she clearly loved it. He was giving her inch after inch while she was sliding back until he was in her fully.
He had his hands resting on her hips. Her wings were moving slowly, very slowly, only a little.
“Does it feel good?” Jenny asked. “Is he too big?”
Ziziva whimpered. “He’s big. He’s the biggest. But I can take him. He’s so big in my little dirt box.”
“I’m in you,” Ymir gasped. “But can you take it if I fuck you?”
“I’ll take it and I’ll love it. Please, Ymir, fuck me as long as you can. Please, last as long as you can.”
It was a good thing that she’d sucked him off, or he would’ve already been thrown into orgasm. He withdrew, and her pucker withdrew a little with him. He eased himself back into her, gently at first, until he started up a rhythm. Then, like Jenny had, the fairy fucked him back, her tits swinging. He almost slipped out of her completely, but she could feel it, and she pounded back into him.
“Let’s make this little fairy come her head off.” Jenny leaned over Ziziva, one hand on the fairy’s tit, the other rubbing the girl’s clit.
Ymir could feel Jenny’s fingers brush him, and he felt the tight hole get tighter.
Ziziva was silent. Her wings fluttered. He felt her orgasm, every inch of her butter hole clutching and releasing him, matching the spasms of her bliss.
It was too much. Ymir couldn’t help it. She accepted his full length one last time, and each of her contractions gripped him. No man on Thera would’ve been able to hold back from the erotic feelings of the horny woman sucking on him.
He let out a final grunt as the pleasure took hold, so many waves of bliss, so much heaven as he spurted his seed into the woman.
He withdrew and had to sit down. He’d been dizzy before, but now it felt like he’d been hit with a hammer. He found himself under a shower, which had plenty of hot water still since it was the holidays and it wasn’t used much. He found himself laughing, and he wasn’t sure why. Was this the magic? Would he forget?
No, he would remember. He was laughing because however unsure his life was, however strange, however in danger he was, there were moments that were worth everything. He was glad he was there, loving the women at Old Ironbound, the old and the new.
Jenny was lying on the tiles, sleeping in the splash of hot water.
Ziziva rose. She retrieved her little dress, and then came to him to kiss his head tenderly. When she pulled back, she smiled, her hair wet and adorable. “Thank you, Ymir. There might be a time when I restore this memory, but most likely, I can’t. You say you can’t trust me? Well, I can’t trust you, or any of you big people. But you’ve given me so much pleasure tonight, you and your girl.”
He didn’t ask any questions right then. He didn’t need to. Ziziva hadn’t wanted business from them, only pleasure. Nevertheless, she was worried about her xoca powder connection, and he could help with that.
He played the part of the lovesick fool and looked up at her, putting a dizzy smile on his face.
She smiled back and then offered a single, cryptic sentence. “The merfolk will be back for the Fractal Clock, and if things don’t go right, our little business won’t survive. If only there was more love in this world, more love, more money, less fighting, and less fear. If only it were business and not battle, you and I—and all your women—could have so much fun together.”
She kissed his forehead a final time before turning. Her wings blurred, and a fresh cloud of glowing dust swirled out from her. A flash of light later, she was twelve inches tall again, clutching her dress as she zoomed out of the shower room.
Ymir turned off the water and collected Jenny from the floor. He gathered their clothes and took her back to his cell. It was like she was very drunk, and though she was awake enough to walk, she passed out again the minute he laid her on a big sack of beet sprinkles in his cell. He got her shirt on, and pulled on her pants, and covered her in a cloak.
He dressed, thinking that Ziziva must be sad, living without love and having to pretend to be something and someone she wasn’t.
He remembered it all, every single thing she’d said, especially about the Fractal Clock. He’d heard about this magic item before, from Salt Love and Sambal, and it seemed important. The artifact was something else he had study. He exhaled. One piece of good news: he didn’t think the fairies were involved in the secret plot to assassinate him.
He thought of the likely candidates. The fire shower incident happened after the arrival of the new Moons professors: the Ironcoats and Linnylynn Albatross. But he also had to consider the mermaid Beryl Delphino. It was interesting the archway trap had been set the same day the wave hit.
His mind was grinding away furiously. When the Lover Moons filled the sky, the merfolk would attack. He hadn’t seen anything to stop his vision from coming true. Using the Veil Tear Ring, they could investigate the professors, the mermaids, even the fairies. He couldn’t use the ring, but Tori could. But he didn’t like the idea of involving her.
On his way back to the annex, he passed The Paradise Tree. Every light was out. Ziziva would be sleeping inside, and most likely, she’d be sleeping alone.
Chapter Twenty-Five
DELLA PENNEZ HAD LOOKED forward to a Solstice morning alone, just herself and her thoughts. She’d do a little reading, drink her kaif in peace, and perhaps smoke some kharo. Just one little stick to celebrate the holiday. What could be the harm?
That evening, those faculty and staff who had remained at the Majestrial would gather in the Reception Room at the Imperial Palace for a Solstice dinner. Beryl Delphino would be there, and Della didn’t masturbate that morning to save some of her lust for the mermaid queen that night.
The Princept’s peaceful plans were dashed during her first cup of kaif. The knock on her door came while she was sipping her coffee and reading Magius Artium Odditia by Beecusli, which had a very liberal view of ancient artifacts. The windy tome thought the Akkiric Rings were harmless Focus rings. It did mention that one of the rings, the Veil Tear Ring, could be dangerous if one weren’t careful and overused it.
As for who had worn the Akkiric Rings? Beecusli posited that Aegel Akkridor’s Corvidae guard wore them until that fateful night when the vempor was killed. The Corvidae were seven soldiers who served Aegel faithfully. The rings were destroyed in the fire that consumed Castle SkyReach. It wasn’t normal fire, though. Some called it ShadowFlame. Some believed it was a dragon who had killed the vempor and his guards.
Della thought a savior dragon sounded like a fairy tale. The so-called Night of Fire was far less about stories and far more about the realities of war, conquest, and mortal fallibility.
Like her current life. Who was disturbing her holiday morning? She couldn’t believe she had to suffer through such an intrusion.
She threw on her Sunfire robes, just to be sure, and stomped down the steps to the door on the sixth level of the Coruscation Shelves. She ripped open the door. There stood Gharam Ssornap and a most unexpected companion: Ymir, son of Ymok.
Della blinked, surprised, before gathering up the last scraps of her patience to rein in her anger. “Wonderful. You two, standing together, means something terrible is happening. What is it
?”
Gharam growled, “Your asshole barbarian said it was critical he see you right away. No one wanted to deal with the asshole, so I figured it was up to me to handle his shit.” The orc slurped in saliva and couldn’t even bring himself to look at the clansman.
Ymir stood in his customized Flow robes, part magical cloth, part leather. The clothes were as savage as every other part of him. The man’s eyes were brown...for now.
“What is this about?” Della asked.
The barbarian got right to it. “I’m glad Gharam is dealing with my shit because, since he’s in charge of security, he needs to hear this. The merfolk will be coming for the Fractal Clock. Your friend, Beryl Delphino, is still around, I noticed. And Tori told me that Marrib Delphino will be coming to visit his niece.”
Della locked eyes with the troublesome barbarian. “And how did you come by this information?”
Ymir’s smirk showed his dimple. “Fucking magic.”
Gharam shoved the clansman. “You will respect the Honored Princept, you little asshole.”
Asshole or not, his smirk had weakened Della’s knees a bit. If she’d masturbated that morning, it wouldn’t have happened. As it was, she had to sigh. “Don’t, Gharam. Ymir has helped us before with certain things. He might be able to help us again.”
The last thing she wanted was Ymir in her chambers, especially after he’d stolen that book. The secret door into her apartment had been sealed with magic only she could break. For now, the Illuminates Spire was safe.
She stepped out of her doorway and shoved her way through the two big men. She motioned for them to follow her. “Close the door and follow me. I set up an alcove over here for meetings.”
After her quick semi-public sex with Beryl, Della needed a place where she could go. With Brodor Bootblack’s help, they’d adjusted the shelves on the sixth floor and created a nice little room. There was a couch, two chairs, a lamp, a little table perfect for kaif cups, and a few large bookcases.
The Princept took the seat on the left, while Ymir sat on the couch. Gharam marched to the right chair and sat down. The wood creaked under his considerable bulk. “I’m assuming you want me here. If we have to defend this place, we’ll need a plan. I still want to know how the asshole knows about the Fractal Clock.”
Ymir lifted a hand. “There are a lot of books here, and I’m friends with a certain librarian that you respect.”
“I can’t believe you beat Gatha in a fight,” the professor snarled. “I think it’s all lies.”
Ymir shrugged. “Ask Gatha yourself.”
“I have, asshole, but I still can’t believe it.”
“Enough,” Della said sharply. “Gharam, if you could refrain from referring to one of our scholars as an asshole, I’d appreciate it.”
The Gruul professor sucked in spit and chuckled. “He won’t be one of our scholars much longer, I don’t think. He doesn’t understand the need for rules or the chaos that comes when they are ignored. A barbarian with a dusza is a fucking joke.”
The Princept silenced the orc with a stare.
He dipped his head. “I apologize, Princept.”
Ymir saw the interaction. “I understand the rules. I simply follow the ones that make sense for me, and for what I want.”
“And in this case, what do you want?” Della asked. And so it would begin again, their never-ending game of cat and mouse. For the life of her, she didn’t know if she was predator or prey with this young man.
“If the school is destroyed then I won’t get to see how the Vempor Aegel Akkridor died. I’m curious. From the little I know, I think I agree with you. I think a clansman from the north came down. On the Night of Fire, he murdered Aegel and his Corvidae, and you Fallen Fruit people didn’t give this nameless hero any of the credit.” Another smirk. “Tell me about the Fractal Clock. I’ve seen references to it in the Keez Forta Index, but of course the real information is kept in the Illuminates Spire.”
Della debated on what to say next. It could be that Ymir had been given a vision; he’d had them before, and they’d discussed the errant flying magic that plagued him. He had found some control over his considerable power, but he was still learning.
Ymir saw her indecision. “Things I know. Aegel Akkridor built this fortress as his western home. Most of the time, he ruled from Castle SkyReach in Four Roads. The merfolk attacked this, his western fortress, twice. Once, Aegel repelled them. The other? They won the citadel because the vempor wasn’t here. However, when he finally returned, he found this castle full of corpses. Or so he said. He didn’t know what had killed them. I’m not sure I believe that, but I do think that first time, he used the Fractal Clock. Now, if I could guess, I would think it was some kind of powerful Flow magic item. Fractals are geometric patterns in the natural world, like the spirals on a snail’s shell or the swirl of a whirlpool. Or snowflakes. Could the Fractal Clock be used to manipulate the ocean in some manner? Is that why it’s so dangerous for the merfolk?”
In his typical fashion, Ymir had attacked the problem directly and his research showed. “You’ve been reading up on it.”
“Only a bit this morning. I have incomplete information, however.” His eyes didn’t leave her face. “For example, I don’t know the nature of your relationship with Beryl Delphino.”
The eyes turned blue. For him, this had become a battle for the truth. He wanted to know if Beryl would betray her like Hayleesia Heenn had. He was smart to consider that as an option.
The Princept didn’t give him any kind of emotional reaction. He was an adept card player, a master of Seven Devils, and he would be able to sense if anything was out of order in her life. “Beryl Delphino came here as a consultant. She has a daughter here. We have become friends. She has not been in my chambers, and I have not been in her room.”
That was true, but Della had spent many nights with her legs spread on the couch where Ymir sat while Beryl licked her to climax after climax. The Princept had returned the favor, though she still hadn’t tried Beryl in her other forms. Their relationship was exciting and loving, and Della trusted the mermaid—well, as much as she trusted anyone.
Ymir had lapsed into silence. Gharam growled. “You are an uppity little bastard, aren’t you? We don’t need to tell you shit.”
“I thought I was an asshole.” Ymir grinned.
“The Princept didn’t want me to call you that, you little bastard.” The orc slurped.
“I have both mother and father, or had, before my mother died and my father disowned me.” Ymir stared at Della. “This fucking school is my home now. I defend my home. You are strangely quiet, Della. What have you to hide?”
“It’s Princept to you!” Gharam rose to strike Ymir.
“Sit,” Della warned. “And yes, Ymir, you and I aren’t on a first-name basis, nor will we ever be. Beryl and I are friends. I’ve had Flow visions of the merfolk attack as well. Now, it makes sense they will come for the Fractal Clock. We could move it, though that would be equally dangerous, but it makes sense. If we sent it to the Kifu Yun Lirum University in Four Roads, they have their own locked facility.”
Gharam slurped. “It would be nearer to Gulnash the Betrayer. If he heard such a powerful weapon were on hand, he might come for it. Already, it has been said he’s delving into artifacts that might help him conquer the entire Blood Steppes.”
“So Gulnash is important enough to have a title. Who did he betray?” Ymir asked.
“He betrayed the laws of our people and the laws of the Pits. He is a rogue dog that needs to be put down.” Gharam’s fury was so savage, he came close to snarling.
The clansman listened carefully, soaking up the information. Ymir’s cunning mind put her on edge. If the merfolk did attack, she would put him on the front lines. He might make the difference between life and death. She had a heady sense of excitement fill her, part panic, part longing for battle.
Ymir nodded. “Then we don’t want the Fractal Clock anywhere near Four Roads. To mov
e it to another stronghold on the coast would be equally foolish. However, we should tell everyone that we are moving it. We make a big show of the Fractal Clock leaving this college, but we keep it here. And we wait. We prepare. When the attack does come, we gather our warriors and we strike. They will come up the Sea Stair to the Flow courtyard. We’ll have a strike team, me and my princesses, in the Librarium Annex. We’ll hit the merfolk from behind. Gharam, his guards, and the faculty who can fight will hold the Librarium Citadel. The rest of the students and staff will move to the Form housing in the northern part of the campus. That would be the safest option.”
Della smiled.
Gharam let out an appreciative grunt that turned to laughter. “Asshole, bastard, or ahmer fucker, you are a wily fiend, you are, Ymir, son of Ymok. It makes me almost wish I didn’t hate you.”
The clansman laughed a little at that. He kept his eyes on Della. “Can we get help from the Sorrow Coast Kingdom?”
She let out a tense breath. “If we did that, we would be jeopardizing the trade agreements they have with the merfolk. No, I like your plan. I can’t ask you and your women to risk yourselves like that.”
“We’ve risked ourselves for less, I assure you,” he said. “I will get their consent.”
The big orc guffawed. “All you’ll need is Gatha. She’ll kill a hundred mermen if only to limber her muscles up for the real fight.”
Della wasn’t sure if he was joking or not. She furrowed her brow. “When do we think they’ll attack?”
Ymir had the answer. “When the Lover Moons are in the sky, the Warrior and the Artist, kissing each other’s bellies. That will be the week of the Third Exam. That’s good, because there won’t be any classes. I would request you move my exam to the next week. You don’t want me trapped in the Flow dungeon when the battle breaks out.”
“We might push out the exams for everyone.” Della frowned. “I will not discuss this with Beryl. I will warn Marrib Delphino, when he visits his niece, that he would be foolish to attack our school. We have powerful sorcerers here.”