by Ann Cory
His friend chuckled. “That was stupid."
"We differ in our witchcraft ethics."
"Look. I want her free of him as much as you. After today, she will be."
Raithe put his hand on Faramir's shoulder. “I'm sure you're right. Maybe some food in my stomach will help ease my concerns. Want me to cook you something?"
"Tempting, but I'm going to go run off this lingering energy, otherwise I'm going to find Hartley and seduce her again."
His friend never ceased to amaze him. “How do you have the stamina to have sex so many times in a single day?"
"It's a secret spell that I refuse to share,” Faramir explained with a glint in his eye. “It would likely go against your oath anyways."
Raithe shook his head. “Don't tell me you bewitched your cock?"
"Hey, a man has needs. I'll be back in an hour."
He groaned. “You're insufferable."
"And you're whipped."
Raithe chuckled to himself and strode to the kitchen. Leave it to Faramir to play around with the rules of witchcraft. His long-time friend didn't quite grasp the concept of using powers sparingly and only when needed. He also hadn't developed his mental powers as strongly either. One day he'd learn. Though the same age as Raithe, Faramir had a boyish side, and his needs tended to come first. In a nutshell, they were opposites.
He gathered some ingredients from the cupboards and grabbed a mixing bowl. Raithe wondered if maybe he was too serious, too set in his ways. Once Hartley had come along, he couldn't look at another woman, much less think about being with one. His sole purpose turned to helping her heal. The young woman had been in a fragile state, her spirit broken, along with her heart. He hoped that between him and Faramir all of her needs, both in and out of the bedroom, would be satisfied.
With ease, he cracked a few eggs into the bowl, added some herbs and poured everything into a pan. To prove he had some fun left in him, he snapped his fingers and the logs lit. Raithe gave himself a mental pat on the shoulder. If only life could be so easy.
His mind drifted back to Hartley and her state of mind. She'd be leaving soon, and he wanted to wish her well. Food first then he'd check on her.
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Chapter Two
Hartley tightly rolled the scroll then lit one end with a candle. She dropped some of the ashes into a small copper pot and let the rest burn in her cauldron. The scroll was of little use to her now. She'd memorised the words. It announced King Tatian's foolish challenge to all the warriors in the surrounding lands. He believed no one could best him in a sword fight and aimed to prove it this afternoon. Last she'd heard, ten of the strongest and most courageous men to walk the earth had accepted the challenge. She knew what Tatian was capable of, but he didn't know the surprise she had in store for him.
Her tongue lay at the corner of her mouth as she filled the copper pot with a layer of hearty soil and dropped in one tiny seed. It was white as the moon and round in shape. She covered the seed with the remaining soil and gently pressed it down. A smile crossed her face as she added a drop of water and set it on the windowsill. In an hour, it would bloom into a small tree with a single red bud.
Hartley shuddered as an old memory replayed itself. Tatian, with his hands wrapped tight around her neck, blocking off her air. In that moment everything changed. All the love and admiration for him had drained from her body, replaced with a bitter chill. She knew better than to plead or beg him to spare her. He'd made the decision, and there was no going back. She'd seen a stranger reflected in his eyes, not the man she had bedded and come to love. Nothing would ever get that back.
She couldn't forgive him or pretend it didn't happen, which left only one thing to do. Her mother had warned her about using witchcraft around men, especially those of noble blood. She said it threatened them, and Hartley found it to be true. All her years of learning spells and how to heal the sick were wasted. She'd given them up for a love that had been false.
For Tatian, she'd become someone without a voice. Without an opinion until she couldn't stand it anymore. The very people the king swore to protect were left poor, sick, and without the chance to better themselves. And it was by order of the king himself. Maybe she should have stayed silent. If she had, she might have not found out his true persona. She might not have witnessed, firsthand, the evil that resided inside him.
Moments before death, she'd succumbed to the darkness and reached out with her mind, using her abilities to still her heartbeat, quiet her breath and go into a silent slumber, with the trust someone would revive her.
Not only had Faramir and Raithe revived her, they'd allowed her to stay in their home, treating her like a queen.
For a year, she'd done her best to temper the anger that festered inside. As a witch, it wasn't her desire to hurt others. But she believed in the three-fold law of magic. She knew that using her powers and energy today would result in that power coming back to her three times the level it was sent out. Karma would come back to haunt him, and she'd figured out a way to help that karma along.
Tension seeped into her shoulders, and she knew a bath was in order. For her to succeed today, she'd need to be calm and collected. Anything else would draw suspicion. In the next room was the bathhouse with a large round window, surrounded by brilliant wildflowers. Sunlight crept in between the foliage and warmed the air. A large tub sat near the window, the tile surrounding it decked with coloured pebbles. She pumped the handle of the faucet until the tub was full and stirred her finger around inside the water, using her magic to heat it.
When it felt right, she climbed in and tried to relax.
Unfortunately, her mind went everywhere at once, and she doubted herself all over again. Why couldn't she have the gift of foresight? At least, she would know what fate had in store for her. What if Tatian recognised her? What if he called her bluff? What if this time he succeeded in killing her?
Hartley put her hands to her head to quiet the panic.
"Sounds like too many voices talking at once,” Raithe called out.
She glanced up and watched him enter the room.
Hartley shook her head. “Damn you for being able to read my mind. Can't a girl have any privacy?"
His eyes sparkled against the sunlight. “I only heard a small portion. You know I'd never invade your headspace. I'm extra sensitive to your thoughts when they weaken you."
She sighed. “I know. If you hadn't heard my thoughts the first time, I'd be dead now."
A flash of pain crossed his face. “Don't say that."
"It's true. You've no idea how grateful I am to you and Faramir for taking me in."
Raithe kneeled behind her and draped her hair to one side. She didn't even flinch when his hands massaged her neck. Hartley trusted him implicitly. “Nonsense. We didn't take you in. We gave you a safe haven to call home. While we reside together, you're free to leave at any time, if you should desire."
She gave him a sharp look over her shoulder. “What, no resistance? No begging me to stay?"
His chuckle resounded around the room. “I can say that with confidence because I sense your contentment here."
"It's hard not to be content. I'm spoiled. More so than I deserve."
Raithe took her chin in his hand and thumbed her lower lip. “You deserve the world, and however I can deliver that world to you, I will."
Her body quaked at the intensity of his stare. He could make love to her with his seductive gaze. He could manipulate her body without physical touch. He could sate her with words that maximised the sensations. When he added the physical touch, she found herself opened in ways unimaginable.
Her nipples hardened at the thought of his lips wrapped around them. After the decadent morning, how was it possible she could want more?
Raithe stood and let his robe fall to the floor.
"Is there room in there for me,” he asked, his eyes beautiful orbs of lust.
She smiled at his full erection and nodde
d.
He slid into the bathtub and pulled her onto his lap. With ease his cock pushed into her pussy. She rested her back against his powerful chest and sighed. Raithe quietly chanted and bubbles started to rise in the water. He enveloped her in his arms and wrapped his fingers tight around her nipples. She eyed the corded muscles in his arms and loved the way they flexed.
Lips resting against her ear, he whispered softly. “I'm going to make you come hard without a single thrust, so be ready. Now close your eyes."
Hartley felt his cock swell inside her pussy, and she did as he said.
"Now imagine my cock tripled in size. Pulsing inside you. Feel the bubbles rise and tap against your clit, one after another like hundreds of tiny tongues."
She fought the urge to grind her hips. This was his show, and he called the shots.
He pinched her nipples harder, twisting them to a place between pleasure and pain. “Feel the bubbles rise and bead against your nipples. Flicking them intensely until you squirm."
Her belly tightened at the thought of all her sensitive spots being coaxed into submission.
"Fuck me with your words,” she moaned. “Make me come hard."
Raithe clenched his jaw. He loved the feel of her soft, wet body against his and revelled in the scent of her arousal as breathy gasps and moans released from her lips.
His fingers squeezed her nipples, the taut beads hard as pebbles. Her pussy clenched his cock tight, putting it into a vice-like grip. He loved her taste and could eat her out for days. It entranced him to watch the way her body worked when he and Faramir seduced her. He'd loll his tongue around her clit and finger her soft folds until her juices ran. She was responsive and had an appetite to try new ways of intimacy. He'd never betray her trust.
The bubbles continued to rise in the water and he lowered a hand between her legs.
"Do you want my fingers to rub your clit?"
He felt her muscles tense.
"Yes,” she gurgled.
Raithe rested his chin along her neck and breathed in her essence. Her breasts bobbed in the water, so round and full.
"Take your nipple to your lips and suckle it the way Faramir and I do."
In fascination, he watched her tongue slink along the puckered flesh then her mouth closed over it. At the same time, he jiggled her clit. Her body reacted in a tremendous jolt. If she moved like that again, he'd climax sooner than planned.
"Easy,” he whispered into her ear and nibbled along her neck.
She released her nipple and placed her hand on his.
"I love the way your words move me, but I want to ride your cock. Please."
Raithe heard the urgency in her voice and refused to make her wait.
He nodded. “Yes, but turn around so I can watch you come."
Hartley moved swiftly and wrapped her legs around his waist. He gripped her bottom and slid a finger into her anus.
"Oh yes,” she cried and went to town on his cock.
He gazed into her eyes, watching her lashes flutter and lids go half-mast. A brilliant glow exuded from her face, and her pink lips curled back.
"You're beautiful."
Her nipples raked against his chest the faster she rode him.
"I'm close,” she gasped, and he helped keep up the momentum with his hands.
Raithe knew he'd climax soon but worked to keep it at bay. Her pleasure came first, always.
"Right there,” she moaned. “Right there, now, now, faster."
He thrust his hips hard, driving her into him. Water splashed between them and spilled onto the floor. She smiled for a split second, face flushed, then cried out. The rhythmic clenching of her pussy around his cock broke away the last of his willpower. A deep rumble vibrated from his chest and erupted into the air. His heat filled her until he had nothing left.
She let out a deep breath and rested against him. “Amazing."
He held her tight through the last of her shudders and kissed the top of her head. “Just like you."
* * * *
The bubbles disappeared, but the water remained warm. Hartley stared out the window at the vibrant flowers. She could stay forever in this moment. It was such a contrast to what the rest of her day had to offer. “You know just the right ways to free me of my restless thoughts."
"As I said this morning, you're almost healed. You should think back over this past year and how much progress you've made. I'm proud of you, and so is Faramir. The only person left to convince is you."
She wrapped her fingers around her hair and wrung out the water. “One minute I feel strong, and the next I'm scared. Why can't I find a happy medium?"
"What you feel is normal. You're consumed by all the things that might happen. You won't know what will happen until you get there. Keep telling yourself you're ready, and soon enough, you'll believe it."
"But that's the thing. I want this so bad, I can taste it."
He stroked her back. “Then there you go."
"I'm still afraid."
"It's okay to be afraid. Use it to your advantage."
Hartley stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel from the black iron rung.
Raithe climbed out and wrapped one around his tapered waist. “Did you want me to help dry you?"
"Not a chance.” She laughed and took a step away. “You'll excite me all over again."
His brow arched. “Someone has an insatiable appetite today. And for once it's not Faramir."
She couldn't figure out why her craving was so intense. “I don't know what's wrong with me. My body feels like it's on fire. It seems nothing can temper these flames."
"It makes sense."
Her lips turned to a pout. “Not to me."
He chuckled. “You're empowered today. The magic is strong inside you. All your senses and emotions are on overload."
"So I'll never be satisfied until I go take care of this?"
He shrugged. “It's hard to say. You might ride that adrenaline rush for days."
"Then I'd better hide myself away, or I'll tire you boys out."
Raithe pulled the towel from her hands. “How about one more for the road?"
Before she could ask what that meant, he had the towel pressed against her clit.
"What are you—"
With only a few swift strokes of the textured fabric, she climaxed again. Hard. She reached for him to steady herself.
A sheepish grin spread across his face. “Better?"
"I never knew I could orgasm so quickly."
"I'm hoping it will suffice until you return."
"It's going to have to.” Hartley wanted to stay positive, but she couldn't. Her lips twitched. “What if I fail? What happens if he recognises me right away?"
"Do you want us to accompany you today? We will, you know. We can stay hidden or show ourselves. Whichever makes you more comfortable."
She resisted the temptation to say yes, though she wanted to. What she needed was to stop allowing Tatian to cause her fear. “No, but thank you for offering. I need to do this alone."
Raithe cocked his head to the side. “You're sure?"
"Yes."
"Very well, then I'll leave you to prepare yourself. Do a grounding exercise first. It will help your focus."
She nodded. “I will."
Hartley watched him leave then raised her arms upward. Eyes closed, she took several deep breaths in and let them out slowly to the count of five. She envisioned herself as a tree with a strong trunk and even stronger roots. After another few breaths, she took all the negative energy surrounding her and pushed it through her arms, down her body, and out her feet, imagining those thoughts passing through the roots underground, exiting her completely. She'd used this method often in the beginning to protect herself and soothe her fears.
When she felt centred, she took in another deep breath and opened her eyes. Like always, she found herself stronger and ready to tackle anything.
Hartley took her time getting dressed in a plain black dress
that swished around her ankles when she moved. The fit didn't flatter her figure, but it wasn't her intention to be seen in that way. She put on her cloak, tied the string around her collar, and pulled the hood forward so the velvet hem concealed her eyes. Finally, she grabbed the copper pot from the alcove.
In the foyer, she heard Raithe and Faramir talking. They quieted when she entered. “Do I look all right?"
Faramir nodded. “You look like a woman on a mission, love. A vengeful vixen at that."
She shook her head. Leave it to him to add drama to any situation. “You exaggerate."
"No, your aura is strong,” he continued, “and you have a noticeable glow—"
"I might have had something to do with that glow,” Raithe interrupted, his cheeks stained red.
Faramir crossed his arms. “What the hell? You two went at it again? And without me?"
"Twice, actually,” Raithe gloated. “But hey, you were out running off that sexual energy."
Faramir tapped his foot and swung his gaze from one to the other. “Well, I'm here now, and horny as hell. The run didn't do a thing."
Hartley laughed. “When aren't you in the mood? Tempted as I am, I must be on my way. Wish me luck."
Raithe waved his hand. “You don't need it. You'll do fine. Keep your head up and trust your instincts."
She walked out the door and quickened her pace along the stone pathway. “I can do this,” she said aloud. “It's now or never."
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Chapter Three
King Tatian paced inside his palace, restless to shed blood. It amused him how simple it was to entertain the townspeople. They loved violence. Ate it up like it was their only meal and even brought their children. They liked the sight of death, and he enjoyed the victory of defeat. It would make the ungrateful peasants respect him more to see blood on his sword. Their king. Their ruler. And they would bow down to him. Kiss his feet if he so desired.
Yes, things would go according to plan. He just wished the nagging feeling of some sort of dread that he'd woken with would disappear. It was as if something hung over him, some dark cloud. His dreams had been strange, too, but he blamed the large quantities of wine he'd downed beforehand.