Azara turned her full attention to what her mouth was doing. She bobbed her head farther down his length, moving her hand in time with her movements. Jin shuddered, one of his hands hovering over her head as she continued her movements, moving her tongue around as she went, sometimes teasing his head, sometimes running it down his shaft.
It didn’t take long before Jin’s breathing became laboured. Azara made a little sound of pleasure which elicited another moan from Jin. Encouraged, she moved faster, her hand twisting up and down his base. “Azara.” He said her name in a guttural voice that bordered on sounding like he was in pain.
She didn’t slow, he was close. His hand gently touched her head as he let out a long, low groan. Azara felt the twitch a moment before the milk of him hit the back of her throat. She waited for him to finish before she swallowed.
Azara straightened and licked her lips. She grinned at the dazed-looking Jin. “Now, it won’t be fair for only you to enjoy yourself.”
“What?”
Chuckling, she slid half off his lap and grabbed one of his hands. Holding his eyes with hers, she drew it towards where she most ached. With her other hand, she threw her skirts up, and spread her legs apart. Jin predictably flushed. She smiled reassuringly as she brought his hand to where her legs met.
The soft touch had her breath coming harder. “Please,” she whispered.
He stared then nodded. Holding his hand, she gently ran it over the length of her gully, the brush against the soaked fabric only making the throb worse. She needed this release.
After a moment, she let his hand go and gave him a look that was half-expectant, half-pleading. Jin bit his lip before he carefully ran his fingers over her again. She let out a little noise of pleasure so he knew he was doing the right thing. Emboldened, he moved faster, increasing the pressure.
Azara reached up to cup her breasts, squeezing them, as he continued. It was good, but she needed something more. As much as she wanted to sit there and let him figure it out, she was also too close to wait much longer. She leaned forward and took his hand again. Jin froze.
Grabbing his first two fingers, she moved them inside her underwear, so he could touch her slick desire directly. Jin didn’t need much instruction, doing the same thing. A flare of pain had her hissing and catching his hand. “Don’t curl your fingers,” she whispered. “Flat fingers or you’ll catch me with your nails.”
His shoulders hunched up. “I’m sorry—”
She cut him off with a headshake. “Don’t be. You’re doing very well. You can put them inside too. I would very much like that.”
Jin nodded, forehead wrinkled in concentration as he went back to work. Mindful of her instructions, he kept the pads of his fingers touching her, making her shiver in delight. He moved his hand and more fingers joined, his thumb actually entering her honeyhole. Azara moaned at that.
His movements surer and faster, she could feel herself edging closer and closer. His thumb moved in and out rhythmically while his fingers kept running across her pleasure bead in a way that was pushing her towards the end. Like he’d just discovered it, Jin pressed two fingers against that place and shoved her over the edge.
She cried out, her whole body shuddering as waves of pleasure ran the length of her. Jin pulled his hand away, but used his other arm to steady her. It took her a few moments before she could speak but when she could, she smiled at him. “That is something I have been looking forward to for a long while. And in case you’re wondering, it feels much better when we join together.”
He blushed but still, daringly for him, leaned forward and kissed her.
Chapter Twenty-Five: Decisions
The creak of the wood and the rhythmic movement of the wheels was almost hypnotic. If it hadn’t been for the frequent pits and gouges in the road, Jin might have fallen asleep. Then a particularly large one had Azara pressing against him and he thought maybe not.
He glanced at her, but she was taking her duty seriously, staring out into the darkness, the countryside they rolled through lit by an almost full moon overhead. In the silver light he could see the lines of her face and the way it reflected off her hair. He swallowed hard and went back to his own job, keeping an eye out for any approaching magic or magical traps laid for them.
It was harder to concentrate than he’d thought it would be, especially with her right beside him. She was so...forward. There had been no hesitation with her, no embarrassment, just what she wanted out of both of them. He’d appreciated the direction even though he’d felt a bit of shame over needing it. Being this old and having had no experience with women...
She hadn’t seemed to mind, practically purring as they’d walked to camp. She’d made sure they’d lain down beside each other, not touching, but enough that either of them could have without needing to stretch. He wondered what she thought of him. She’d admitted to liking him, and he got the feeling that in itself was high praise from her, but Jin wasn’t sure that would be enough. Not for him.
The longer they were together, the more he imagined a future with Azara in it. He wasn’t sure she would be willing to stay in the Empire. Or anywhere, for that matter. At times she reminded him of a wild hawk, free to fly where she would, and hunt what she’d like. And he would be the jesses binding her, something he wasn’t sure he was willing to do.
She’d been through more than he had, and deserved a chance at happiness as much as any of the fire mages. He would like to be the one to help her with that. He wasn’t sure he could. Still, Jin intended to continue to treat her properly, so that she would know he was serious and not looking for a temporary arrangement.
Jin glanced at her, before sweeping their surroundings again. Nothing in front except their road and a distant farmhouse. A look behind showed a few trees, a small stream that crossed below the road, and a flicker of light. That made him frown and concentrate harder on it. The flicker grew brighter, a shimmering white that split apart before joining together again.
Realizing what he was seeing, Jin grabbed Azara’s shoulder. She jerked her head to stare at him. “We have pursuit. There are people behind us with some kind of magic, shielding would be my guess but I won’t know until they’re closer.”
The other fire mages in their wagon stared at them, while Azara hissed. “I’ll tell my father. I’ll have him stay with the rest. Will you fall back with me?”
As if there was any question. “I’ll have two riders take our places.”
She hopped out of the wagon and hurried to the one driven by her father. Jin followed, waving down two of the riders. It was a matter of moments to get them to dismount and offer him the reins of their horses.
Hurrying to Azara, he arrived in time to hear the end of a hissed argument between her and Rohan. When he fell into step beside the wagon, Rohan sighed. “Please, be careful. If something were to happen...”
“That’s why there are two of us.”
Her father looked to Jin. “Please watch over her.”
“Always.”
Azara made a face, but didn’t protest. “Keep going, we’ll rejoin you when we can. I imagine it won’t take us too long.”
Rohan grimaced. “Don’t underestimate your enemies.”
“I won’t.” Azara turned away from her father and took one set of reins from Jin. “The faster we get this sorted, the faster everyone can stop worrying.”
Jin followed her lead, nodding one last time at Rohan whose face was a mass of lines. He did wave at Jin when he caught his gaze. Feeling a bit better with Rohan’s approval, Jin clumsily got onto his horse and trotted a short ways down the road after Azara.
She brought them to a stop where the creek was, her eyes locked on to the road in front of them. “Any ideas?”
Frowning, Jin’s eyes lit on the stream. “I may be able to redirect the water enough to soak the gro
und and create enough mud to slow any charge of theirs down. I can’t guarantee that will work.”
“Try it. I won’t be able to do anything until they get close.”
Jin didn’t waste more time, dismounting to draw sigils in the ground. It was a relatively simple spell to redirect the water from its current route, causing it to cross over the road and flood the area. The ground darkened and mud formed, but Jin didn’t think it was going to be deep enough. At most, it would be an annoyance.
He wasn’t finished yet. The mud might not have worked, but he could create additional holes in the road, the kind that would trip the unwary. He felt bad for the horses this would cripple, but they needed to be safe from pursuit.
Another quick spell, and Jin felt more confident. Which was just as well. When he looked up, he noticed that the magic he’d seen earlier was closer, the circles of white moving away and back together in a way that was a bit dizzying. He counted at least ten independent sparks but couldn’t be sure of exact numbers.
He remounted and moved his horse so it stood behind Azara and hers. He needed to stick close to her if bullets or the like started to fall. He would leave the front line to her as he concentrated on his next spell, and already Jin was considering which option would work quickest against their pursuers.
He assumed it was pursuit. He couldn’t imagine why else so many people would have similar magic cast upon them, especially out here in the countryside in the middle of the night. When the riders came into view, Jin was relieved to see the Nalbinian uniforms.
As they got closer, the man in the lead waved his hand at them. “Clear the road! We’re chasing dangerous, escaped criminals.”
Smiling, Azara met his gaze. “Funnily enough, we’re dangerous, escaped criminals.”
The man choked before he drew his saber. “Charge!” he called to his men, kicking his own horse into a canter.
Jin winced before the first horse even hit the holes. The screams of horses and men shattered the air as half a dozen horses went down, some on top of their riders, others managing to jump free. The remaining men split, avoiding the road. The splash of the hooves in the muddy water was swallowed by the moans and cries of animals and humans alike.
Once they’d closed half the distance between them, several of the soldiers lifted bayonets and aimed. Jin shifted farther behind Azara as cracks and smoke erupted from both sides. The bullets slammed harmlessly into the crystal shield Azara had angled to cover both of them.
Knowing the faster they finished this, the safer they would both be, Jin began a quick chant, hands moving as he drew sigils in the air. His magic bubbled up to his hands as he finished both symbols and words. He threw his arms out to each side, well away from Azara’s shield. Lightning crackled out of each palm, to strike the first few men in the lead on either side.
One managed a scream while the others shuddered violently before they fell, their horses starting at the shock and bolting. Jin would have liked to stop them but had more important things to worry about. Like the fact the other riders were pressing forward.
Azara kicked her mount into a canter, arms lashing out, crystal glittering on each arm as she raced towards the group on their right, the ones who’d been less affected by Jin’s attack. He turned his attention to the left, where they were struggling to get around the fallen bodies that hemmed them in between the road and rocky stream.
Without Azara to shield him, Jin reverted to fast chants. His hands moved rapidly as sweat began sliding down his back and forehead. He finished the first spell and immediately went on to the next without waiting for the first to go into effect. Rocks from the stream exploded outwards, slamming into men, knocking two from their horses.
From Azara’s side screams were erupting, and the scent of blood rose in the air. Jin didn’t risk a glance towards her, eyes narrowed in concentration while finishing the last few lines of the symbols with each hand. He slashed both hands out towards the handful of men struggling forward in front of him.
His spell hit their saddles and ate into the leather, until their girths snapped, causing the saddles to slip. One man caught himself, the others weren’t so lucky, falling from their horses. Breathing becoming laboured, Jin considered his next spell when Azara’s form rode into view.
She wasted no time, cutting through the remaining men like a knife through butter on a hot day, leaving sprays of red, body parts, and death in her wake. Finished with those trying to attack them, she turned her attention to those still alive but partially crushed or injured. There was no quarter here.
Azara also took pity on those horses too injured to be saved. The two nearby who were unharmed, she caught the reins of and tied to her saddle. Only then did she remount. Her fine clothes were now permanently stained with blood, what remained of them between the fires and her crystal. Her bare arms shone palely in the moonlight between the splatters of blood. To Jin, she looked like some ancient goddess of war.
“Shall we head back?” she asked, eyes flickering to the corpses behind them. “I don’t think they’ll be pursuing us any longer.”
Jin nodded, feeling weakness set in, and followed her to their convoy thinking that for once, he might actually sleep in the wagon.
* * *
Stopped at a crossroad, the sun’s descent having dyed the sky red, orange and yellow, Azara watched Jin. He was staring up at the sign someone had thoughtfully put up, the faded paint visible. The point that listed Lound with the distance wasn’t as interesting as the one pointing in the opposite direction. The direction they were headed. Azara didn’t recognize the town’s name.
Finally he turned back to them. “If I remember correctly, this indicates we’re a day’s ride from the border. If we push ourselves, we should be able to cross over by midmorning.”
Whispers sprang up among the fire mages, hope lit painfully in their eyes as they exchanged glances. Azara could feel her own face relax, grinning at Jin. They were close. So close. Once they were across, they would be safe, would have the emperor’s protection, as well as Jin’s. She imagined he could command local troops if they needed support. And it would be a relaxed journey to the capital and her siblings.
They had another day to go, and the last group had been nearly double the size of the previous one, which worried her. There had been a mage too, not that he’d lasted long. He’d barely managed one attack before she’d cut his throat out.
“Ride out,” her father called, gesturing towards their path. “No sense in wasting time when we’re this close.”
He didn’t need to tell anyone more than once. With creaks, snorts of the horses, and the crunch of the odd rock under wheel, they continued their plodding pace. Azara resettled herself in her saddle and kept her eyes sharp. Jin rode close behind. They’d switched to the mounts after the addition of the two horses from the night, and none of the other fire mages were as comfortable riding as they were.
It was also because she and Jin were the most versatile in case of danger, something everyone understood. She fell back until the two of them were in the rear.
It was a peaceful area, the kind that reminded her of the village they’d had in Pocale. There had been more forest, but the surrounding region had looked not too much different than here, with plenty of goats and sheep, and in general, the quiet countryside life. It was gone now. Azara wondered if they wouldn’t create something similar. Maybe the emperor would offer his protection, give them a place they could build a village. It would be worth it to him to have loyal fire mages, she imagined. As long as he wouldn’t force them to fight, and allowed them to live in peace if they chose, she didn’t think many of them would reject the offer. Not when they had a real chance at safety.
She glanced at Jin. He was looking around, having reset his magic sight shortly before they’d departed. He said it dried out his eyes if he left it on too long, and if he were to look
at powerful magic too closely, could temporarily blind him. He’d toned down its reaction to fire magic as well.
He was a powerful ally. She hoped that wouldn’t change once they were in the Empire. Jin had to be a different person at court, had to show no weakness. The chief magus was a position coveted by many. He needed to protect it and his reputation, which might mean he couldn’t help as much as he might wish.
That she’d understand. He’d done more than enough. She could handle the rest. She and her father, and she was sure Anali and Aviur would support them as well. With their combined voices, they could get the emperor to listen. He had seemed reasonable enough as rulers went.
They were close enough she could practically taste the sweet air of safety. They couldn’t risk the horses by pushing them too much, in case they were slowed down or something unexpected happened, but Azara wanted to set off at a breakneck pace, wanted to bring everyone to safety that much sooner.
Jin dropping back drew her attention. She reined up, watching him stare at the horizon. He looked to either side, rubbed his eyes, then stared again, a frown furrowing his brows. He half-stood in his stirrups and leaned forward, his lips moving silently.
Azara moved up beside him. When he glanced at her, she raised her eyebrows. He sighed. “I think I see something, but I cannot be certain from this distance.”
She nudged her horse closer, and when he opened his mouth, she made a tube of one hand and held it up to his eye. A quick image and the crystal filled in the hole in her fingers at the far end, creating a makeshift spyglass. Jin blinked, before he realized what she’d done and closed his other eye. He leaned into her hand, his cheek warm against the base of her thumb. That warmed her and brought to mind the possibility of finally luring him properly into her bed.
That thought was quickly driven from her when Jin jerked back, eyes wide and face pale. She didn’t have a chance to ask him what was wrong. He swallowed hard and nodded towards the horizon. “If what I see is what I believe I am seeing, there is a small army coming up behind us.”
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