Instead of answering him, she reached up and undid her robe, letting it fall to the floor at her feet. Hal could barely make out her silhouette in the dark, but it was enough for him to see that she was naked underneath.
She had the body of a girl who could have chosen many lives for herself, beyond the Temple. Large breasts, a slender waist, and hips with the right kind of curve to them. She closed the door solidly behind her and slipped into Hal’s bed next to him.
The blankets had been thick enough for him to opt to sleep naked, and seeing Syler make his entrance had been enough to spark his arousal. And on top of that, Hal could still feel the secondary seduction of the pull of the leftover emotions of his ruby trance he’d entered earlier in the day.
Syler straddled him, pulling the blankets back over their forms slightly as though to hide what they were doing from Lyris herself. Hal’s heartgem had slid around under his neck, but he could feel its warmth and knew that he’d doing himself a favor by bedding the girl with all the passion he could muster.
He took Syler by the hips and pulled her down onto his hardening cock. She let a slow, satisfied breath as he plunged into her, allowing his hands to run over her body. Hal cupped her breasts, his thumbs running over her nipples. He groped her buttocks and felt his passion surge for control of him as he sank her lower onto his shaft.
Syler let out a small, girlish noise, and then began to move. She started off by grinding back and forth, as though testing the bend of his shaft. Hal cupped her cheek in her hand and kissed her. She pushed her tongue into his mouth and, surprisingly, found his hands to pin them over his head.
She was stronger than she looked, and there was something deliriously erotic about having her take control like that. Hal resolved not to fight back, at least for the moment, as he watched Syler slowly begin to bounce up and down on his rock hard erection.
He started to wonder what the consequences would be, if they were caught. His thoughts didn’t go far before the fog of passion and lust pushed them out in favor of his immediate sensations.
Syler was slowly lifting and dropping herself on him, using her body as a tool for pleasure in the manner that only an attractive young woman can. Hal finally got his hands free and proceeded to grip her buttocks for leverage, lifting his hips and taking a bit of control back.
She buried her face in the pillow next to his head and let out a surprisingly guilty sounding moan of pleasure. Hal let himself stop moving for an instant, teasing her a little bit. She tried to slide herself down, to take more of him into her hot, wet lane. He held her where she was, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.
Then, with sudden intensity, Hal began to thrust upward, pulling Syler down onto him at the same time. She let out a passionate cry and slapped her hands against his chest. They kissed again, Hal continuing his thrusting onslaught.
They were both young and eager, and their bodies fell into an easy harmony as they continued their rhythm. The bed creaked underneath them, and Syler made only a halfhearted attempt at staying quiet. Hal again wondered what the consequences would be if they really were discovered, but he’d barely considered the thought before Syler’s breasts were back in his face. He kissed one of her nipples and ran his hands across her taut stomach.
They reached a wild, passionate crescendo together, both of them bucking their bodies in the desperate chase of release. And as luck would have it, they found it together. Hal felt Syler shiver, and heard her let out a tiny, satisfied squeal. A few moments later, he felt himself pass over his own limit. He squeezed her butt and pulled her down onto him as he unloaded, careless and distracted by the powerful fog of his desires.
CHAPTER 35
“I brought a bottle of wine with me,” whispered Syler. “Though I suppose it wasn’t truly needed, in the end. Would you like a nightcap?”
Hal smiled. He watched as Syler used a small, carefully controlled ruby spell to light the torch on the table, and then proceeded to uncork a bottle of wine.
“Sure,” he said.
“I didn’t bring glasses, so we’ll have to drink it straight from the bottle,” she said, smiling conspiratorial. “Like the heathens we are.”
“That’s fine by me,” said Hal.
He accepted the bottle from her and took a long sip. The wine was delicious, with a hint of rose along with something he couldn’t identify. He passed it back to Syler.
“Doesn’t the Temple frown on this sort of thing?” asked Hal. “What would happen to you if we got caught?”
Syler smiled and gave a small shrug. She passed the bottle back to him, and Hal took another sip. He licked his lips as he went to hand it back to her, and realized that they were numb.
A sudden, sickening suspicion took hold inside his chest. Hal tried to stand, but his legs were numb, too. Syler was watching him carefully, her expression suddenly cold. She pulled on her robe and adjusted the blankets so that Hal's nudity wasn't as visible.
“Was this… poison?” Hal muttered. Syler shook her head.
“Were that it be that easy,” she said. “No, Halrin. You have not been poisoned. Just drugged.”
She left his small room for a moment. Hal gritted his teeth and made a concerted effort to get himself up and into the act of escaping. It was useless. His body felt numb, and moreover, his will was stunted. He felt totally fine with just lying there, even knowing that it might lead to his own demise.
I’m so comfortable…
The door opened again after a few minutes. Keeper Rodani entered, with Syler following directly behind. Keeper Rodani had a sad smile on her face, and shook her head in disappointment when she saw him.
“I apologize for this deception, Halrin,” said the Keeper. “But it was necessary to confirm that you walk the False Path. Syler is one of my trusted inquisitors. She seduced you on my order, not out of lust or attraction, as you probably assumed, but to confirm that you can fill your gemstone through such base, forbidden methods.”
“Seduced… me…” mumbled Hal. He let out a small, stupid chuckle. He didn’t mind that she’d seduced him. He couldn’t make himself feel betrayed, not with his head and body free floating as they were.
“You can relax,” said Keeper Rodani. “The wine you drank had a tenser weed extraction mixed in with it. What that means is that you will find it extremely hard to lie to us, for the next few minutes.”
“The Keeper doesn’t intend to hurt you, Halrin,” offered Syler. “Not without good reason, at least. You have the Maxim’s favor. You won’t come to harm as long as you cooperate.”
“No…” muttered Hal. “Piss… off.”
The two women frowned at each other. Keeper Rodani crouched down at Hal’s bedside, putting her face level with his.
“Halrin,” she said. “Who taught you what you know about your gemstone?”
Hal felt a numb, stunted sense of dread as the answer came to his mouth.
“Cadrian,” he muttered.
No… I can’t reveal this!
“We expected as much, given the rumors of your time on the edge of the southern desert,” said Keeper Rodani. “Just to verify, why don’t you tell us what she looks like?
“Black hair,” said Hal. “Missing one eye. Beautiful. Strong. Intelligent.”
Keeper Rodani and Syler glanced at each other.
“I seduced him easily enough,” said Syler. “It stands to reason that others would have no more trouble accomplishing it.”
The Keeper nodded slowly, a hint of annoyance entering her expression.
“How long have you been her student for?” she asked.
“Two… months,” muttered Hal.
“Two months?” said Syler. “That can’t be right. I saw him go into a Ruby Trance during one of his bouts. There’s no possible way he could have reached that level of ability in two months.”
“Don’t assume that he didn’t have some basic training before that,” said Keeper Rodani. “Halrin. Has Cadrian killed anyone in the time that she’s b
een your master?”
The question made the part of Hal’s mind that was still aware of the situation flutter with curiosity.
“No,” he said. “I don’t think so.”
“Has she been with you for the entire duration of your training?” asked the Keeper.
“No,” said Hal.
“Have you ever seen her meet with anyone unusual? Or mention any groups that she may be aligned with?”
“No,” said Hal.
Keeper Rodani scowled and exhaled through her nose.
“We know for a fact that Cadrian isn’t acting alone,” said Syler. “She must not have brought him into her full confidence.”
“That might be something we can exploit,” said Keeper Rodani. She looked at Hal again. “Tell us about yourself, Halrin. Who were you before you became Cadrian’s apprentice?”
Hal felt his mind heading back to a place where he rarely let it go anymore.
“I was… Karnas Kentar’s son,” he said. “The voiceman.”
Keeper Rodani and Syler both gave each other an odd look.
“Where did you grow up?” asked the Keeper. “And have you always been aligned with Great House Wilde?”
“The Collected Provinces,” muttered Hal.
Keeper Rodani shot Syler an annoyed look.
“You gave him too much,” she said.
“I gave him the standard dose,” said Syler. “I have no idea where this is coming from.”
“Halrin,” said Keeper Rodani. “Did Cadrian give you your gemstone? Or was it someone else?”
“Lilith…” said Hal.
“Who is Lilith?”
Hal felt a sudden surge of emotion. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes. The memories of Lilith, and of her tragic death, were as sharp as they’d ever been, if not even more so due to the effects of the drug.
“My sister,” he whispered. “She gave me the heartgem.”
Both Keeper Rodani and Syler froze at the mention of the heartgem. Hal’s palms started sweating, and his stomach twisted into a knot.
“You definitely gave him too much,” said Keeper Rodani. “Next he’s going to start claiming to have spoken to Lyris, herself.”
“I guess I might have,” said Syler. “He did take a few heavy sips of the wine.”
Keeper Rodani licked her lips. She brought her face in close to Hal, her expression cold and unreadable.
“Just one more question, Halrin,” she said. “Do you know where Cadrian is right now?”
For the first time during the interrogation, he found the answer come willingly to his lips.
“No,” he said.
Keeper Rodani sword under her breath and crossed her arms. Syler shot her an apologetic look.
“We could hold him for another night,” she said. “Try again with a lower dose.”
“We’d be pushing it too far,” said Keeper Rodani. “The Maxim is already going to be annoyed when he hears of this.”
Syler shrugged. “Well, then there isn’t much else we can do then, is there?”
Keeper Rodani gave a slow nod. After snuffing out the lantern, both women left the room. Hal tried again to rise from his bed and found it impossible. Eventually, he fell asleep.
CHAPTER 36
Hal awoke with a splitting headache the next morning. His memory was fuzzy, but he remembered enough to know that the interrogation had taken place, and wasn’t just something he’d dreamed.
He left his room as soon as he’d dressed, finding it strange that his sword, pistol, and heartgem were all still in his possession. A black robed guard was waiting outside his door, and immediately gestured for him to follow.
Hal was lead down to the tower’s bottom floor, and then outside to the docks. He almost couldn’t believe that they were letting him go so easily, and searched his recollection for anything compromising he might have told them the night before.
They were asking about Cadrian. What could I have told them that would have mattered?
He rode across Lake Krestia on a different boat than he’d taken the night before, turning over the past night’s experience in his head. He felt foolish, primarily for how easily they’d led him into their trap, but also for what it had made him realize about his situation.
He’d learned more about Cadrian from the Keeper’s vague questions than Cadrian herself had told him in all the time they’d spent together. Hal had given her his trust out of desperation, his need to learn how to use the heartgem and chase his revenge clouding his judgment. Who was his master, and what were her real motives for taking him on as an apprentice?
It was late morning when he arrived back in Meldence. Heavy clouds obscured the sun overhead, and the air had a heavy, humid quality. Hal headed straight for the guest lodge, walking down the center of Meldence’s street and paying little mind to the glances the nobles gave him.
Laurel and Yua were in the sitting room, both of them reading books and relaxing. Laurel smiled when she saw Hal, but her expression dimmed as she recognized the intensity of his eyes.
“What is it?” she asked. “Did something happen?”
“I need to find Cadrian,” said Hal. “I’ll explain later.”
“She was just here,” said Yua. “She said she needed to run some errands in the market.”
Hal nodded and quickly hurried back outside. There was only one main street that led to the market ward, and he sprinted down out with reckless speed.
He spotted Cadrian after a few minutes. She was dressed in a tight green robe, her black hair twisted into its usual intricate braid. She wore her sword openly and kept one hand on the hilt, as though she suspected that trouble could arrive at any time.
“Cadrian!” Hal grabbed her arm as he came up behind her. Cadrian reflexively twisted out of his grasp, drawing a few inches of steel before recognizing her apprentice and relaxing.
“Ah,” she said. “What is it, Halrin? Has something happened?”
Hal took her hand and pulled her toward a secluded side alley. He was a little surprised that she followed him so willingly. He waited until they were far enough from the main street to have privacy, and then met her gaze.
“I had an audience with the Keeper last night,” he said.
Cadrian nodded, her face showing no visible reaction.
“Laurel told me you’d been summoned by her,” she said.
“She drugged me,” said Hal. “And then forced me to answer her questions. Most of them were about you.”
He felt a sudden stab of guilt over having been tricked by the Keeper’s hospitality, but it was offset by his annoyance of how much Cadrian had kept from him.
“I’m not surprised,” said Cadrian. “I have a… complicated relationship with the Temple of Lyris.”
“How about you explain it to me?” asked Hal. “In fact, how about you explain everything to me? Cadrian, you’ve told me almost nothing about yourself. I… don’t know who you are.”
“And did that not work in your advantage here?” asked Cadrian. “How would you have felt had you given them useful information, Halrin? If you’d had secrets of mine to forsake, secrets that might have put me in danger?”
“I’m your apprentice!” snapped Hal. “And I thought… I was your friend.”
He felt emotion swell inside his chest. They’d trained together, and shared each other’s bodies time and time again. Even with the distance Cadrian forced between them, Hal had developed a fond affection for her, and possibly even more than just that.
“Halrin,” whispered Cadrian. “I care for you more deeply than I think you know. And that’s why I don’t force my secrets onto you.”
“I want the truth, Cadrian.”
“There is a difference between wanting the truth and needing the truth,” she said. “And I suspect that what divides the two, in this instance, is much more than you could imagine.”
“Vague as always,” said Hal, an edge of spite entering his voice. “Maybe I should have expected as much.”
> Cadrian opened her mouth to reply, and then hesitated. She glanced over her shoulder and then back at Hal.
“You came straight to me after leaving the Matron’s Tower, didn’t you?” she asked.
“I… stopped by the guest lodge, first,” he said.
Cadrian’s expression turned hard, and she drew her sword. Hal looked behind him and saw a figure approaching from one end of the alleyway. Blocking them in on the other side was Syler, still dressed in a white robe, but now with the addition of a sword at her waist.
“Surrender, Cadrian,” said Syler. “Or we’ll kill your apprentice.”
Hal drew his sword and took a step toward the man blocking the alleyway on his side. He was tall and bald, and wore the same white robe as Syler. Cadrian gripped his shoulder before he could attack.
“Hold, Halrin,” she said. “Let me take care of these two.”
“You can’t take them on your own,” said Hal. “They’ll surround you.”
“Halrin!” hissed Cadrian. Hal had already shrugged her hand off his shoulder and charged forward. He felt his emotions flare as he channeled his heartgem, entering a Ruby Trance on reflex, rather than out of strategy.
He pulled his pistol from his belt and cocked it, casting Flame Shot as he pulled the trigger. The projectile of fire that shot forward made it within a few feet of his opponent before snuffing out against a thick shield of water.
The bald man’s eyes were glowing bright blue. It was the first time Hal had ever seen someone enter a Sapphire Trance, and he was so caught off guard by it that he didn’t think about how much danger it presented.
A lance of water shot forth from the bald man’s hand. Hal moved to spin out of the way, but unlike his own Wave Blast spell, the man’s intention wasn’t to use the force of the water as a weapon. Instead, he kept it in his control, targeting Hal’s mouth and nose and forcing the liquid into a mask over his face.
What? He’s… drowning me!
Hal panicked, dropping both of his weapons and clawing frantically at his face, but it accomplished nothing. Dimly, he was aware of the sound of sword striking upon sword. Syler had told him that she was a ruby mage, the same as Cadrian, meaning their spells would have little effect against each other.
Harvest Tournament (Sexcraft Chronicles Book 2) Page 20