“That seems highly unethical.”
“Would you rather find out now, or in battle?” she asked. “If you could use magic against the Asarians, many lives would be saved.”
Niv looked to Shareis. “What do you think?”
Cadrin started to stir. He looked to her and groaned. “Back for more?”
“That depends on your cooperation.”
“We’re not here to torture you,” Niv said.
Cadrin’s eyes darted to his hand. “Do you know what your pet Proctor did to me?”
Niv approached him. “I don’t condone her methods. But the information she obtained will likely save many lives.”
“Is an indelible stain on your conscience worth it?”
She stood between Cadrin and her daughter-in-law. “I see no reason to engage him further. He is trying to manipulate you.”
Niv looked again to her wife. “What should I do?”
“Cadrin has blood on his hands,” Shareis replied. “If we hadn’t captured him, he’d have more. His appeal to your good nature is convenient to him.”
Niv gave a timid nod. She stepped aside. The High Priestess opened her palm and summoned a small ball of flame, then propelled it to Cadrin in one swift motion. He grimaced in pain when it hit his knee.
“He felt that,” Shareis said. “But the verdic acid may still be in his bloodstream. How will we know for certain?”
She glared at him. “He may be lying. You could use a bigger fireball.”
“Olivia could charm him,” Niv suggested.
Cadrin scoffed. “That won’t prove a thing.”
“He seems quite vulnerable to Skilla,” Shareis said.
“I cannot believe this continent has survived under such inept leadership,” Cadrin said. He looked to her. “The only one with half a whit about them here is this one, and she’s quite possibly deranged.”
Niv stood over Cadrin. “You’re right. We’re not experts in the things you now hold dear—pain and torture. We would have worked out an agreement for your precious coal. But you didn’t want to trade. You wanted to control us. All this death. All this pain. Just because a scorned shell of a man didn’t get his way.”
“It’s all bluster. You give your speeches, but you, High Priestess, are spineless. You don’t have what it takes to lead a church, let alone a continent.”
Niv gritted her teeth. “You have benefitted from my ability to hold my temper. But I assure you, I will do whatever it takes to keep my people safe.”
Cadrin rolled his eyes. “It is one thing to shoot fire at some nameless soldier. Quite another to kill a man standing before you. Proctor, untie me.”
“Never,” she said.
“Fine. Then take of my shirt. Give the High Priestess a clear shot at me. I want nothing in the way. If your parlor trick works on me, then you can again be the hero.”
“Cadrin, you are a blowhard and a fool,” Shareis said. “Come on, let’s go. He has nothing to offer us.”
Shareis and Niv started to leave.
Cadrin laughed. “Taking Brenloh was satisfying, I’ll admit. The home of the High Priestess herself. But you know... I most enjoyed executing the most useless inhabitants of the Jeweled Woods. We saved the young men, of course. Anyone who could swing a pick or use a shovel, or who had knowledge of mining. But the old and infirm? Well… I did you a favor.”
Niv stood, faced away from him, as he spouted his vile words. Shareis touched her wife’s arm, motioning for them to leave, but Niv remained frozen.
“I’ll never forget ordering the disposal of a particularly ardent red-haired woman. Oh… Her locks were almost as vibrant as that idiot girl you once carried in your little band of vagabonds. You know, she almost burned my house down in thanks for giving her a bow. Well, no matter. She and her large oaf of a husband hung well from the trees.”
Niv walked back to Cadrin and stared at him. “You are lying.”
“Oh no, I assure you, she twisted in the breeze.” Cadrin swayed his head to and fro. “Oh… What was her name. Solvee… Solvi… something like that. After seeing her little jig on the ropes, I regret having to kill her. I’m sure her lively dance skills would have kept our troops entertained.”
Niv’s hand shook, and her pale skin reddened. She opened her palms and conjured an angry fireball in each hand. She brought her arms together, joining the orbs into one gigantic circular flare. Flames licked from its rapidly spinning core, heating the room and sending out a blinding vibrant light.
Shareis stood behind her. “Niv…”
“Go ahead,” Cadrin said. “You know it won’t hurt me.”
Niv pushed the fire toward Cadrin, immediately incinerating him. His body, the chair that bound him, and the rug underneath were completely consumed by flames. The acrid smell of burning hair and flesh filled the room.
Niv, with sweat-drenched skin and eyes full of unbridled rage, looked up at her. “Good news, Lilly. The Amulet of Darkness works.”
Chapter 53
Frasie awoke, snuggled in Aiden’s arms. Bright sunlight streaming in the window told her a fresh blanket of snow had fallen overnight. Despite the cold, she remained perfectly warm against her lover’s body. With some playful teasing, Aiden stirred.
She laid on her stomach and stared into his eyes. “Good morning, love.”
“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Perfectly. And you?”
He grinned. “Never better.” He rubbed his hand across her shoulders and down the small of her back. “I love your curves, Frasie.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t have curves.”
“You can’t see yourself from this angle.”
She laughed. “You can’t see me at all right now for the quilt, silly.”
“Your spine curves to this perfect little spot.” His hand ventured below her waist. “And then we move to the most gorgeous backside in all the Jeweled Woods.”
“There’s not much to it, Aiden. Besides, everyone’s got a butt.”
He gave hers a gentle tap. “But no one has one quite like yours.”
“I think you’re a bit biased.”
“Would it kill you to accept a compliment?” he asked.
“Probably.”
“I’m not making these things up. You really do have an amazing butt.”
“I’m glad you like it,” she said.
He sighed. “Maybe someday I’ll convince you that you’re pretty.”
She turned to him. “Don’t count on it. But…”
He grinned. “Yes…”
She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I kind of like it when you try.”
He laughed. “I thought so!”
She sat upright on the bed. “There’s something I saw in Nivvy’s book.”
“Book? Oh. The one about Proctor reproduction.”
“Yes. Well, it had men in there, too. Did you know human men can impregnate a Proctor?”
“No,” he replied. “But not surprised. Isn’t that how it usually works?”
“No, silly. Nivvy isn’t a man.”
“I never really understood that, but it isn’t my place to question.”
“The book helped,” she said. “But they also explained some things. A magic ritual is involved.”
“Interesting,” he said. “But I prefer our method. Seems a lot more fun.”
“Speaking of that, we need to be more careful,” she said.
“If it happens, it happens.”
She scoffed. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who’s going to have to pass something the size of a watermelon.”
“It’s the nature of things.”
She pointed to him. “I doubt you’d be so eager if the situation were reversed.”
He smiled. “I’m not trying to get you pregnant. But if it happens, it wouldn’t be horrible, would it?”
“No, of course not,” she admitted. “Well, anyway, I saw something in that Proctor book about male humans that migh
t help us out.”
“Alright, what is it?” he asked.
“I only glanced at the picture. And I really have no idea what I’m doing. But I see the point.” She pushed him onto his back “You just relax.”
“And do…what?”
“Nothing.” She took him in his hand and started rubbing him. “And don’t look at it. Or me.”
He turned away.
“And don’t laugh.”
“I’d never laugh at you, Frasie,” he said.
“Yes, you would.” She motioned to him. “Now, turn away!”
He promptly did as she asked. She continued her motions for a moment.
“Why would I ever laugh at this?” he asked.
She shushed him, then leaned over and took him in her mouth. She felt him jump a bit, and he started to say something. She hoped she wouldn’t have to tell him to be quiet again. Her voice now would sound silly. She gripped him firmly and pleasured him with her tongue. He barely maintained his silence.
“Do you like it?”
He started to reply but got all choked up and had to cough to clear his throat. “Yes,” he replied hoarsely. “Completely. Yes. Don’t stop.”
She grinned, then continued. His excitement increased dramatically to the point where his hips gently swayed with her movements. He ran his fingers through her hair and his breathing quickened. His thighs tensed, and he started to groan. She pulled away when he reached his peak. She stopped rubbing him and admired her handiwork.
“Don’t stop!”
She quickly resumed until his last jolt of pleasure rippled through his body.
“Sorry,” she said. “I told you I don’t know what I’m doing.”
He smiled. “You know exactly what you’re doing, Frasie.”
She laid next to him. “If we finish you off like that more often, the chances of me having to carry that watermelon around for nine months won’t be so big.”
“More often?” he asked. “Maybe we should be safe and do it every time.”
She shook her head. “You’re too much.”
“I could do the same for you,” he suggested.
She gasped. “On me? Uh, no. I don’t know about that. I’m not sure I want you down there.”
“I’m down there either way.”
She pointed to him. “Yea, but that thing doesn’t have eyes.” She caught herself. Her face immediately flushed. “Wait. I… Well, you know.” He stared at her, waiting for her to continue. She hated that. “So, maybe sometime, alright? Not now, anyway.”
He chuckled. “There’s no rush.”
She sat upright and rubbed her hand through his chest hair. “There’s one other advantage Nivvy has.”
“What’s that?” he asked.
“A wife.”
“Sorry, I can’t help you there.”
She playfully slapped him in the arm. “You know what I mean.”
Aiden shrugged. “She can fix that for us.”
“Marry us? Now?” she asked.
“Why not?”
Excitement bubbled within her. But something was missing.
“No… I can’t.”
“You suggested it,” he said.
“No, you did. I want to, but…”
He put his hand on her arm. “I understand.”
“It’s not that. I can’t get married without my mom.”
He took her hand, and she started to cry. He leaned up and rocked her in her arms as the tears fell.
Chapter 54
Mauria sat on the bench outside the inn and listened to the snowfall whisper on the grass. The moment of solace brought her an escape from the early morning din of the tavern.
Lilly emerged from the town hall with a disturbed look on her face. She caught sight of her and approached. “Mauria, you’ll catch a cold out here.”
“I’ll be alright.”
Lilly took a step toward the bench. “Mind if I sit next to you?”
She looked up at her. “I want to tell you no. But I can’t.”
“I will stand. You know it’s my preference, anyway.”
“Olivia talked to me,” she said.
“What did she say?”
“That I’m a fool.”
Lilly headed indoors. “I will have words with that Skilla.”
“Come back.”
Lilly stopped. She scooted to the side of the bench and motioned for Lilly to sit.
“She didn’t use those words. She offered me better ones. But the meaning was the same.”
Lilly sighed. “That Skilla…”
“No, she’s right. I think.”
Lilly turned to her and propped her elbow on the back of the bench. “You are no fool, Mauria.”
“I think I am. I let you go, didn’t I?”
“You had your reasons,” Lilly said.
“I did. But they weren’t good reasons.”
“My revenge against the soldier near Masola resulted in a horrific chain of events that you and our daughter suffered from the most.”
“You were a soldier,” she said. “I understand that now. I thought what you did was wrong. And I think what you did to Cadrin was wrong. But I haven’t been in those situations. Yet I judge you anyway.”
“You should never stop judging me,” Lilly said. “But you must remember we come from different cultures. And, as you said, I am a soldier.”
“It’s hard for me to separate that in my mind. But I am trying.” She chuckled. “And that Skilla… Did you know she was admiring your posterior?”
Lilly grinned. “I had a suspicion. She seemed to flirt with me, but she’s a Skilla. How does one tell?”
“She made me think about you as a lover. I hadn’t done that in a long time. I hated you for so long. But it wasn’t you. It was the evil around us, and the evil that caused you to seek revenge. I hated that. As a lover, as a friend, you were everything I wanted.”
“I have not been with anyone since we parted,” Lilly said. “You have never left my mind. As I go to sleep, I imagine holding you. And when I wake, I mourn your absence. It’s been years. It hasn’t gone away.”
Her heart sank when she heard Lilly’s admission. She looked away as she tried not to shed a tear.
“I put that energy into raising our daughter,” Lilly said. “And although I have made so many mistakes, Shareis…” Lilly’s voice broke. She reached for her hand, startled by Lilly’s outpouring of emotion. “Raising Shareis is the best thing I’ve done.”
She sniffed. “You’ve done well. I mean, look at her. She’s smart. Beautiful. Patient. Kind.”
“Most of those traits come from you,” Lilly said.
“I’m jealous of the time you got to spend with our daughter,” she admitted.
“Shareis left the nest at a young age, as Proctors do,” Lilly said. “But the time with her was precious.”
“I never stopped thinking of you, either,” she said. “I covered it up with hate. It was easier. I didn’t have to feel the pain of losing you. I’m a big chicken.”
“And after all these years, here we are. Freezing on a bench in a town at the edge of another horrible war.”
She looked into Lilly’s eyes. “Do you remember that night by the fire?”
“There were many,” Lilly replied.
“The night we first slept together. I don’t mean made love. I mean when you first slept in my bed. Earlier that night, we talked on the couch. My head swam with wine.”
Lilly nodded. “I remember.”
“I looked at your beautiful lips. Your perfect lips. They haven’t changed at all, after all these years. I wanted to kiss you.”
Lilly’s lips parted a bit. “I…”
“I shouldn’t have said that.” She buried her face in her hands. “What am I thinking?”
Lilly’s hand rested on her shoulder. “You are thinking about what we had. I understand.”
She turned to Lilly. “Is what we had gone forever?”
“Oh, love, for me, it neve
r left.”
She moved closer to Lilly. “I’m afraid. Afraid of doing something stupid and losing you. Again.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Lilly said.
“And I’m tired of running.”
Lilly’s hand rested on her cheek. “I have never stopped loving you, Mauria.”
Mauria put her arms around Lilly and kissed her. Her lover’s sweet lips were the same. The passion that surged within her each time they embraced had never left.
Tears began to fall. “Nothing has changed.”
“What?” Lilly asked.
“I told myself for years it was gone. But it was there all along.” She kissed Lilly again, holding her tightly. “I’m not letting you go. Ever.” She could barely catch her breath for crying. “I’ve wasted all these years.”
Lilly rocked her. “None of that matters. We have now.”
A tremendous thunder rumbled through the surrounding forest. The ground shook, and a large tree crashed into the building beside the town hall.
“They’re here!” she cried.
“I’ve got to ready our forces,” Lilly said, then gripped her arm and escorted her to the inn. “You’ll be safe here.”
She touched her face. “I don’t want to lose you.”
Lilly drew a sharp breath. “Go inside.”
Chapter 55
Shareis nearly fell from the violent explosion that rocked the town hall. Windows shattered and a plume of dust billowed through the room. She called out to Niv in the commotion, but she didn’t respond. After she regained her footing, she searched the room but couldn’t find her wife.
The front door was blown off its hinges, and through its teetering frame she caught sight of Niv.
She rushed to her. “Are you alright?”
Niv ignored her. “Lilly, get everyone inside the inn!”
Farius, Maeva, and Olivia emerged from the tavern.
“I will take to the skies and see what we are up against,” Farius said. After a quick nod from Niv, he gracefully transformed into his owl form and flew into the air.
The mayor ran up to them. “High Priestess, we need to get you to safety!”
“Absolutely,” Maeva said.
Niv grunted. “I’m fine.”
Another blast echoed in the distance. Townspeople scurried through the streets with panic in their eyes. Several stopped and asked them what to do. She advised any who weren’t part of the militia to seek shelter in the tavern.
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