Chapter 3
It was quiet in the room, which in itself was unusual. Dae kneeled on her bed with Kaylee sitting cross-legged in front of her, combing her fingers through the thick tumble of her friend’s hair as she wove the silken strands into an elaborate side braid. Tricia had joined a few of her other friends on dish-washing duty, Cass was taking another suspiciously long shower—her second of the day—so the two were alone together.
“I think you’re going to like how it looks when I’m done,” Dae commented as she worked. “Most of the archers among the Herak wore their hair in a side braid like this. My friend Aaliyah told me it helped to keep it from blowing about in the wind and fouling her shots…but it seemed like the Herak had a style of braid for everything. Even their horses had their manes and tails tied up in fancy designs.”
Kaylee didn’t respond. Her silence was so uncharacteristic, Dae could tell her friend was deep in thought, and she didn’t press. Kaylee had been lapsing into periods of quiet contemplation quite a bit since Inaya's visit…and Dae had a fairly good idea what subject was occupying her thoughts. This made the silence seem to tingle with an anticipatory energy; the simple act of running her fingers through the girl’s hair felt deliciously intimate.
Finally Kaylee’s voice, softer and less certain than normal, broke the silence.
“What did you do to her?”
“ Who?”
A pause. “Inaya. When she came here and you took her into that storeroom…what did you do to her?”
The question, so innocent and uncertain, was enough to send a warm rush of excitement through Dae’s body, settling low in her belly. It appeared Kaylee’s curiosity had finally grown stronger than her trepidation, and she considered her next words carefully. “You heard her through the door, did you not? What do you think I did to her?”
Even though she couldn’t see her face, Dae saw the color creeping up Kaylee’s exposed neck and knew she was blushing. Her shoulders hunched in a small shrug. “I…I heard her crying out,” Kaylee whispered. “I know you did things…sex things…with her, but…I don’t know what they were.”
Dae had worked her way to the lighter chestnut tips of Kaylee’s long, brunette hair, her fingers moving dexterously to complete the thin end of the braid. After another long pause she said quietly, “I gave her pleasure. Pleasure which I instructed her to pass on to Zafirah, since I cannot yet bestow it in person.”
Kaylee turned a little and looked back at her over her shoulder, her eyes yearning yet hesitant. “But what did you do?”
Dae gave her friend a little smile, remembering a time not so long ago when her own uncertainty had been overwhelmed by her need to learn of such things…when she had turned to Inaya for enlightenment. “I thought you’d overcome your interest in the pleasures that can be shared between women.”
Kaylee glanced away, embarrassed. “I…I was just wondering, that’s all.”
“And I’m not criticizing or judging you for being curious, Kaylee…you know that. It's just that you never really talk about why you were sent here…about what happened that led you to this place. I can tell it’s a sensitive subject, so I’ve never pushed, but…”
“I-I try not to think about it,” Kaylee said, unable to meet her gaze. But Dae gently cupped her cheek and brought her eyes back up.
“I’m your friend, aren’t I?”
Kaylee hesitated, then gave a little, cautious nod.
“And you know me better by now than to think that I would judge you, or mock you. You can trust me, Kaylee…I’m your friend.”
“I know.”
“So…” Dae’s tone was warm and sensitive as she stroked her thumb over the soft skin of Kaylee’s cheek. “You’ve heard much of my own story. Perhaps it’s time you shared your own. You don’t have to, of course, but before I tell you about what I shared with Inaya, I would very much like to hear it…that I might understand you better.”
Kaylee remained silent for so long Dae almost thought she was going to stay that way, but eventually she spoke, her eyes still downcast. “It started about two years ago, I suppose. I lived with my parents and my older brother on a little farm near Riverglen, about three days ride from here. My mother died when I was thirteen, and after that it was just the three of us. We grew crops and raised sheep and horses. There was always a lot of work to do, but I liked it. When we weren’t busy my brother and I would explore the forests around the farm…we’d play games of hide-and-go-seek, or pretend we were treasure-hunters out in the wild lands…you know?”
Dae smiled softly. “It sounds nice.”
“It was. Sometimes in the spring my father would hire on extra help since there was so much work to do, usually young men from the village, but one time…he took in a young woman. She was really great with the horses and we had foals that needed breaking in, so…she stayed with us for a while, working in exchange for a place to sleep in the barn and some food.”
There was a new light in Kaylee’s eyes now, and Dae knew the memory was a happy one. “What was her name?”
“Sara.” Kaylee smiled shyly, her cheeks a little flushed. “She was a few years older than me and she’d been on the road most of her life, traveling around the Heartland earning her keep working on different farms like ours. When we weren’t busy with chores she’d tell me stories about all the places she’d been, the people she’d met. I guess I was just as chatty then as I am now, but Sara was the first person I’d ever known who seemed to actually listen to me when I talked. My father and brother would usually just get annoyed and tell me to shut-up, but Sara seemed interested. I told her about my dreams and hopes…things I hadn’t shared with anyone before, and she told me I should never doubt that I could do anything in life I wanted to do. We were always laughing and teasing each other; we became friends.”
Dae squeezed Kaylee’s hand gently. “She sounds very special.”
Kaylee shrugged sheepishly. “She was the first real friend I’d ever had,” she said, “or at least, she was the first girl I’d ever grown close to. That spring was the happiest I’d been since my mother passed on, and I was thrilled when my father agreed to keep Sara on through the summer because she was such a hard worker and so good with the horses. I think he also saw how much I liked having her with us, and I loved him all the more because he wanted me to be happy. But then, over the summer…things changed.
“Sara and I were playing in the little stream behind our house. It was the first really hot day of summer and we’d been working hard all morning, so we stopped to cool off in the water. We were laughing and splashing around…and we were both getting pretty wet. Her clothes…” Kaylee’s eyes grew distant, her smile fading into a serious yet sensual frown. “…they were clinging to her body. I could see her breasts through the cloth…her nipples had grown hard. She had long dark hair and it was dripping wet…she was smiling and laughing. I guess I’d always looked up to her—admired her for being brave enough to leave home, for being so strong and independent—but for the first time I realized she was also beautiful. Really beautiful…and all of a sudden it felt like she’d become a different person. Like a light had been shone on her that let me see her more fully than I had before…let me think about her in a different way. I knew it was wrong to think of her like that…to think she was pretty, to notice her body and want to see more of it…but I couldn’t stop myself. After that day, every time we were together I found my mind wandering, thinking things I shouldn’t be thinking. I guess you can imagine it didn’t take her long to notice I was staring.”
“Well…” Dae stifled a playful, teasing smile. “…based on the way you look at Lyric, subtlety isn’t your strongest quality.”
Kaylee blushed hotly and slapped her leg. “Have you seen Lyric? Everybody stares, even you.”
Dae laughed. “So, was Sara upset?”
“No. I thought she would be. I was terrified when I realized she’d noticed the way I looked at her that she’d be disgusted…tell me I was perverted…go to my father and complain. I thought she’d leave, but…she didn’t. She just smiled at me…the same way you sometimes smile at me…and didn’t say a word.
“I didn’t understand why she said nothing. I knew it was wrong, that it was sinful to look at her like that, to want to touch her…but when she started returning my interest, I thought maybe I’d been wrong. I thought if someone like Sara could be okay with me liking her that way, how could it be wrong? She started finding excuses to let me touch her…to touch me in return. Every time her fingers found my skin I’d feel flashes of heat rush through my blood. It was exciting—like we’d found a new game to play. A secret game only the two of us knew about.
“Then one day near the end of summer, we were in the barn moving hay bales up into the loft. It was hot and the work was hard. She was wearing a tunic with the sleeves cut off, and she was…” Kaylee swallowed hard, her face scarlet. “…she was getting pretty sweaty. I’d stopped to take to a break, but really I just wanted to watch her. I really liked the way she looked when her skin was all…glistening. Sometimes when she moved a certain way, I’d catch a glimpse of the curve of her breasts through the arms of her tunic…and she caught me staring, but I could tell she didn’t mind. I guess I was thinking some really naughty things about her, and when she stopped to rest she came over to sit next to me. The way she smelled…the way her muscles were dripping with sweat…it made me want to run my hands all over her…under her clothes.”
Kaylee hesitated, searching her face for any sign of disapproval, but Dae only gave her a quiet, encouraging smile. “She was looking at me again…and when she reached out to brush some of the hay out of my hair, her hands lingered…touched my face. She told me how beautiful she thought I was. It was the first time anyone had told me I was pretty since my mother died. I tried to look away, but couldn’t. Her thumb was on my lips…she moved closer, and I felt the heat of her against me like a fire. I couldn’t catch my breath, I was getting all dizzy…and she leaned closer still. I closed my eyes and felt her lips against mine…soft and hungry. I’d never been kissed before, not even by a boy…and it was softer and more exquisite than I’d ever let myself dream it could be.”
Hearing Kaylee’s description—this sweet confession of forbidden and fantastic discovery—brought back the memory of Dae’s own experience and revealed more clearly than anything ever had that these desires were not unique to her. They were not something that had simply resulted from being brought into the harem, where such lusts were so prevalent and unrestrained. It was comforting to know she was not alone in her desire…and simultaneously a little overwhelming to realize that she had become the mentor and confidant for this beautiful, sweetly innocent girl, just as Inaya had been to her. Her previous flirtations had been lighthearted and playful, but Dae realized now how emotional a seduction could become. How delicate a thing it was to guide the passions of another person to the surface.
What a gift it could be.
“The first time Zafirah kissed me,” she offered quietly, “I felt much the same way…felt the same stirrings within me that I didn’t understand but could not resist.”
Kaylee smiled shyly. “Sara wasn't as…inexperienced…as I was,” she whispered. “When I kissed her back she brought her hands to my leg…caressed me…explored me. She told me to touch her and I was so caught up I didn’t hesitate. When she took off her shirt…I just…” Kaylee shook her head. “I’d never seen another woman so intimately before. She took my hand and put it on her bare breast, told me it was okay…that she wanted me. Things escalated quickly from there. Her body wasn’t like the young men I’d seen who came to work on the farm; her muscles were firm, but so soft and smooth…glistening with sweat. Her hands were under my shirt. Her fingers found my…my nipples, and I thought I’d burst with the tension inside me. I was kissing her throat, tasting her sweat and her skin, and she kept telling me to go lower…to let my mouth explore every part of her. I was filled with a fever and hungry for something I didn’t really understand, but I knew I didn’t care if it was wrong. I knew I couldn’t deny her anything…that I was going to let her have me, as only a man should ever have me. And I knew I wanted to take her the same way. I felt her hands at the hem of my shirt, tugging it up. Her other hand was on my thigh and it was moving higher…toward my…” She blushed and looked away again. “I wanted her there, wanted to feel her against me even though I knew I shouldn’t. And then…” The glassy look in Kaylee’s eyes shifted, a curtain of guilt and shame extinguishing the light of passion, “…my brother found us.”
Dae could feel her friend’s hands tremble in her own. “Oh, Kaylee…”
“He started screaming at us, yelling at Sara to get off me, saying…saying awful things. He hit her and she fell. I tried to stop him, to tell him it wasn’t her fault, that I wanted her to touch me, and he…he slapped me.” Tears welled in Kaylee’s eyes and she snuffled. “He yelled at me and I cried. I loved my brother so much and it hurt to see the look of anger and disgust on his face. He dragged me to my father and told him what he'd seen…told him of my sin. What happened next…well, I suppose you can imagine.”
“And Sara?”
Kaylee shrugged. “My father called the guard from the village to come. I don’t know what happened to her, but I never saw her again.” Kaylee looked at Dae with a confused, beseeching expression. “I couldn’t understand how something that felt so right, so good, could be so evil. How it could make my father look at me with such shame and anger and disgust. I didn’t want to feel those things for her, but I just…I couldn’t stop myself. I didn’t want to stop myself…because they didn’t feel wrong to me.”
Dae reached out and wrapped Kaylee in a warm embrace, stroking her back, comforting her as she shuddered with weak sobs. “It’s not a sin to feel that desire,” she whispered fervently. “It’s not something you should ever feel guilt for feeling, no matter what your father or the priests or anyone else tells you. You did nothing wrong, Kaylee…and I’m sorry you were ever made to feel that you did.” Dae knew she was the first person to ever say these things to Kaylee, and her heart ached for the pain that had been inflicted on such a sweet and loving girl because of the savage ignorance of others.
When she released the embrace, Dae wiped her thumb over the tears falling over Kaylee’s cheeks, erasing them and offering her friend a gentle smile. “I can understand now why you're so curious, to have been interrupted so harshly.”
“I-I’ve heard you at night sometimes…making those same noises. I heard Cass, too. And I know you…” She looked down at her hands that were still clasped in Dae’s. “…you want me…the same way Sara wanted me.”
Dae raised an eyebrow playfully. “Well, she was right—you are very pretty.”
Kaylee blushed, struggling to find the courage to continue. “I’ve just been wondering a lot lately about…about what Sara would have done to me. You know, if my brother hadn’t caught us? And I wondered what you did to Inaya that made her…cry out like that.”
“And what deeper intimacies I might like to share with you?
Kaylee wouldn’t meet her eyes, but she gave another nod.
Dae’s voice lowered to something throatier, more sensual. “What I might do to you that could inspire you to make those same noises?”
Another nod.
Dae’s experience allowed her to read the rising arousal washing through her friend’s blood. “My own stirring desires led me to ask similar questions of Inaya,” she said quietly. “She was the one who guided me to a true understanding of the pleasures two women can share.”
“Really?”
“Indeed. But as she told me, words are a poor means by which to explain such things properly. Such subtle beauty’s are best illustrated in a more physical way.”
“So you…allowed her to bed you?”
Dae shook her head. “I wasn't ready to accept my own desires…not at the time. They were too confusing and powerful for me to allow her such intimate liberties.”
“Then how did she show you?”
“She took me to the room of two other pleasure-servants in the harem—lover’s bound to each other by a strong bond—and asked that they allow me to watch them in the full celebration of their passion and lust.”
Kaylee’s eyes widened at the thought. “Y-you did that? And they let you watch them?”
Dae nodded. “They shared their intimacies with me openly…let their love for each other teach me how my own dawning love for Zafirah might be expressed, and even invited me to become a part of the pleasure they shared.”
“Inaya said perhaps I could watch you the next time, if she returns…” Kaylee recalled shyly.
“She did, though it seems cruel to leave your curiosity unsated that long.” Dae locked her eyes on Kaylee intently, letting her hunger show. “Especially when I am so willing to reveal whatever secrets you think might interest you.”
Kaylee’s eyes darted to the closed door of the room, then back to Dae. “What if—”
“Tricia will be a long time yet attending to her chores,” Dae assured her, guessing at her fear of being discovered. “And Cass…well, I imagine she'd be delighted to join us if she walked in and caught us enjoying intimate company. Don’t let fears born from what has past deter you from your desires now.”
Kaylee hesitated, but her eyes dropped hungrily to Dae’s lips, then her chest, before returning to her face.
“Let me show you, Kaylee,” Dae whispered, leaning closer to the trembling brunette. “Trust me…I won’t hurt you. Just let me show you what I did to Inaya.”
Kaylee stared at her as Dae leaned in, seemingly hypnotized and lost in the mirrored facets of her emerald eyes. Dae closed the distance between then slowly, tilting her head to the side as she pressed her lips against the softness of Kaylee’s, feeling her whimper at the contact. It was a brief kiss, light and gentle, but Dae felt her friend relax as she surrendered herself to the seduction. It was all the invitation Dae needed; she kissed her again, and then again, now lingering and allowing her tongue to trace the outer edge of Kaylee’s lower lip. The girl mewed in pleasure at the touch, her lips parting instinctively to permit Dae a deeper and more personal exploration with her tongue.
Dae pulled them closer together, reading Kaylee’s reactions, ready to withdraw if she sensed her friend needed to retreat. But Kaylee seemed utterly adrift in the kiss, her own tongue now shyly copying her actions, and Dae claimed her mouth with greater intensity, running her slippery tongue over the girl’s teeth, exploring her, tasting her, teasing her. When she finally withdrew, Dae looked into Kaylee’s glazed eyes, caressing her cheek with one hand while the other ran lightly up her thigh.
“That is what I did to Inaya,” she said quietly. “Only my mouth…was down here…” She cupped her hand over the heated mound between Kaylee’s open thighs, feeling her tense. Gently but deliberately, Dae rubbed her palm against the hidden treasure that lay beneath the cloth barrier of her skirt. Kaylee gasped, her eyes growing huge as she processed Dae’s words.
“You…you kissed her…down there?”
Dae nodded, grinning salaciously. “Long and deep.”
“Oh!” Kaylee blushed furiously, but from the way her hips rocked against her pressing palm Dae guessed it was triggered as much by arousal as embarrassment.
“Shall I show you?” Dae purred, leaning in to distract Kaylee from her abashment with another soft kiss. “I’d love to find out if the rest of you tastes as sweet as your lips.”
Kaylee’s eyes, still very wide, grew hazy at the thought, but after a second she shook herself free of what was doubtless a terribly naughty fantasy and shook her head. “I-I don’t think I’m ready for that,” she said, pausing before she added, “But the kissing is nice.”
“Mmm.” Dae wasn’t too disappointed by Kaylee’s rejection…but neither would she let it deter her from other—somewhat less intimidating—explorations. She continued rubbing her palm slightly back and forth, feeling the warmth under her touch grow hotter still. “And this? Does this also feel nice?”
Kaylee could only nod, biting her lower lip and visibly struggling to control a body unaccustomed to the sensations rising within her. Her breathing was growing slightly ragged, her eyes unable to stop themselves drifting down the front of Dae's shirt. Dae smiled at her unspoken but obvious desire.
“You wish to see more of me? I've seen the way you stare every time I undress before bed…and we are alone.”
“Please.”
Dae grinned at the desperate tone in her voice, intoxicated by the thought of enlightening Kaylee’s innocence; that single word, a simple plea, was enough to confirm that her hands would soon be the first to bring her friend’s unknowing body to shattering heights of ecstasy. Dae took her hand away from Kaylee's crotch and tugged at the hem of her own shirt, watching those hazel eyes staring at her eagerly.
“If I take this off…if I let you see…will you allow me the same pleasure?”
Kaylee hesitated and she added, “You have nothing to be ashamed of, Kaylee. You’re beautiful, sexy. I only wish to admire you more intimately.” Dae could tell her friend wasn't accustomed to being complimented, was flattered to be thought of as attractive, and she wanted to reassure her that she truly did find her pleasing.
After a long pause, Kaylee nodded and whispered, “You first.”
Dae readily pulled her shirt up over her head, exposing her breasts to the cool evening air. Given the privacy and authority to roam at will, Kaylee’s eyes devoured the sight of her naked chest, hungrily fixating on the sapphire-studded ring. Dae caressed her fingers up her sides and cupped her full breasts, tweaking the little metal piercing. “Don't be shy, sweet one. You may touch me if you wish.”
Kaylee hesitated for a moment, clearly fascinated by the exotic jewelry, then timidly raised her hand and ran the tips of her fingers over the soft curve of Dae’s breast. Dae responded with a low purr of approval, wanting to express her appreciation very clearly to the inexperienced girl. Cautiously those fingers traversed her pale skin, finally circling and stroking the silver ring. “I-is this okay?”
“Oh, yes!” Dae moaned, her eyes hooded and fiery with rising desire. “It feels wonderful. Please…you can do it harder.” With her own hands she helped guide her innocent friend, showing her what felt nice, letting their fingers tug and twirl at the piercing together and enjoying the pleasure that shot straight to her center.
Kaylee licked her lips, staring at her hands as they explored the stunning beauty of Dae's body. “It’s so pretty.”
“If you like it, you would doubtless find Inaya’s breasts twice as pleasurable,” Dae told her. “I chose this to be the symbol of my union with Zafirah only because I was inspired by her example—she has both her nipples set with such rings…and other places, also.”
“Really?”
“Mmhmm. Would such a sight be of interest to you?”
Kaylee dropped her eyes immediately, obviously too embarrassed to admit how much the thought appealed to her, or how strongly she had felt the pull of the Jaharri girl’s charm. Dae understood; the aura of sexual confidence and desire that Inaya seemed to wrap around herself like an invisible robe was bewitching and intense, and she could guess that Kaylee had spent a good deal of time contemplating whether her invitation to allow her to watch their next tryst had been genuine, or just another flirtation. Dae chuckled lightly at her friend’s shy blush, knowing very well that Inaya did not make idle invitations to share pleasure.
“I’m certain she’d be flattered to entertain your curiosity, sweet one. But for now, I wish to see more of the treasures you've kept hidden from my admiration all this time.” Her eyes skimmed over the loose folds of Kaylee’s clothing; she could feel the wetness building already, and batted her eyelashes at her friend pleadingly. “You promised…and it would be cruel to deny me.”
Kaylee took a deep breath, still blushing but clearly excited, and gave Dae a permissive nod. “Okay.”
Watching her face closely, Dae grasped the hem of Kaylee's shirt, pulling it over her head. They both broke into giggles when Kaylee’s arms got tangled in the clothing and Dae had to take a moment to figure out how to free her. When she finally got the shirt off, Dae ran her eyes hungrily over her naked torso. Kaylee still preferred to shower behind the protection of the privacy screens, so she had only ever caught fleeting glimpses of her softly muscular body. The full view was every bit as impressive as she knew it would be. She admired the lighter skin tone over her chest where the sun had not tanned her bronze…the soft, voluptuous curves of her body…her full breasts capped with pert, turgid nipples. She looked up and met Kaylee’s shy, timorous eyes, smiling warmly.
“Very nice,” she complimented. Dae’s hand moved to Kaylee’s chest and cupped her breasts, feeling their weight, their gentle rise and fall with every breath…and she was pleased to note the way her nipples stiffened under her touch. The rapt expression on Kaylee's face was something to behold. “You are truly magnificent, Kaylee…and never let yourself think otherwise.”
Kaylee’s eyelids were fluttering, her lips parted in pleasure at the feel of Dae’s hands upon her bare flesh. Dae brought her hands down to the underside of Kaylee’s breasts, then lightly caressed her way down her abdomen, feeling the muscles contract beneath her fingertips. She tugged at the waistline of Kaylee’s skirt, raising a hopeful eyebrow. “I do not doubt the rest of you is as pleasing as what I’ve seen so far. May I?”
Kaylee stiffened slightly, her eyes widening in alarm, and Dae withdrew a fraction. She didn't want to push further than her friend was ready to let her.
“That’s okay…relax,” she reassured. “You need not be naked for me to bring you pleasure. Here, let me show you.” Shifting around on the bed, Dae moved behind Kaylee so the girl was sitting between her legs. She gently pulled her back against her, supporting Kaylee's weight as her right hand traced along the upper hem of her skirt. “Let me finish all the things you first started with Sara,” she whispered against Kaylee’s ear, kissing her neck lightly as her fingers slipped between coarse cotton and silken skin. “Let me show you the fire that burns inside…how wild and furious those flames can grow.” She ventured lower, combing her fingers through a tangle of fine, silken hair until they encountered heat and slick, slippery flesh. “Let me make you scream…”
Kaylee's breathless moan of encouragement was like the opening notes of a familiar lullaby Dae had been aching to hear since her father first sent her to the reformatory. Her own arousal was building with the knowledge that her fingers were the first to explore her friend's virgin treasures, and Dae promised herself she would do all she could to make this a memorable and joyous experience for them both.
* * *
The air in the audience hall crackled with tension; Zafirah’s escort were grim and stony-faced while the men of Richard’s guard appeared nervous but uncertain of the threat. Hazim was notably absent. In his place at Zafirah’s right hand stood Falak, arms crossed and eyes glaring. By her stern countenance and imposing posture, the onyx-skinned archer’s presence seemed to suggest that the time for a more diplomatic negotiation had passed.
The Scion looked down at the stiff corpse her scouts had just deposited on the floor before Lord Everdeen, then up to the man himself.
“I am uncertain which to consider the greater insult,” she said in her coldest, most lethal tone. “That a man was sent to kill me, or that his attempt was so clumsily carried out. His blood is unworthy of staining my sword.”
Richard eyed her with the same expression he might have worn had he been considering a dangerous animal stalking ever nearer, but after a moment he took a step closer to the dead body clad in the uniform and armor of one of his men. “You claim one of my men attacked you?”
“He sought my death in the forests and paid a heavy price for his stupidity,” Zafirah affirmed. “He wears the armor of your soldiers…wields the same weapons. Your men do not seem the type to take action in the absence of orders, so my question to you now must be, what conclusion am I to draw from this attack?”
“You believe I ordered one of my men to kill you?”
“You are welcome to offer an alternative explanation if you have one.”
Richard glared at her a long moment, but he appeared to be more puzzled than angry, as though they were opponents playing a challenging board game and she had just made a peculiar move he didn’t yet understand. He took another step nearer the body and leaned closer, studying the agonized death-mask of the man’s face. “This man is unknown to me,” he said at last. “He isn’t one of mine.”
Zafirah felt her lips starting to twitch into a smile of relief and forced herself to stay in character. She had watched Richard’s reaction carefully, and was quite certain his surprise was genuine; like all Jaharri, Zafirah was gifted at reading the truth in a person's body language and expression. Her suspicions that a third party was acting on its own initiative had been confirmed. Still, she knew Richard would never take her word for it, so she was careful to maintain her grim demeanor. “And I am to take your word on the matter of your innocence?”
Richard scowled darkly. “I am a man of honor and nobility; my word is a sacred bond. Besides, how can I be certain this isn’t just some ruse? That you haven’t killed an innocent peasant and dressed him in the uniform of my soldiers just so you could accuse me of this crime?”
“As it was my life that was threatened, it shall be my word we accept as truth for the time being. You have made your disdain for me quite apparent, Lord Everdeen, and have shown little willingness to make meaningful progress toward accepting terms that will see my Consort released so my army can return to the desert. My spahi are deeply offended over this attack and their patience, like my own, is beginning to thin. They demand reassurance that such folly will not be repeated.”
“I take it you have something in mind?”
Zafirah folded her arms over her chest, her eyes hard and unyielding. “You shall either name terms, here and now, that are acceptable to the both of us, and release Dae back to me—” Richard’s face immediately stiffened into a mask of stone. “—or you will surrender to me a hostage of suitable worth, to be held in our camp as insurance against any further attempts on my life.”
“A hostage?” Richard’s eyes widened. “You think I would hand one of my men over to you barbarians?”
“His safety will be guaranteed, provided the attack is not repeated and you agree to continue your negotiations with my wazir.”
Lord Everdeen appeared taken aback, furious yet uncertain how to respond to such a demand. “Never!”
“The third option will have a bloody end, your lordship, and I hope we both value the lives of our soldiers too highly to seek a battle. The surrendering of a hostage under such circumstances is a common practice among the Jaharri tribes, one which has proven effective time and again at keeping the Peace between two parties during a dispute.”
Richard said nothing but continued glaring at her, so Zafirah added, “If you do not feel comfortable ordering any of your men to undertake the task, perhaps one of them might be willing to volunteer. Again, I can guarantee no harm will come to them. They will be well cared for by my people, and it is a perfectly honorable and respected role to take.”
There was a long period of silence before one of the young captains among Richard’s men stepped forward with a raised hand. “My Lord, if it pleases you, I would be willing to act as hostage to prevent any further bloodshed,” he said calmly.
Zafirah gave the man an approving look; she'd seen this captain often among those who came to watch her spahi train. He had also spent quite a bit of time showing Nasheta about the gardens. She knew he had seen enough of her people not to fear for his safety among them.
“I would volunteer if it is asked of me,” offered another of Richard’s soldiers.
“And I,” another stepped forward.
“I, too, would be willing to offer myself,” said Richard’s commander, his square jaw set firmly.
“Any man of rank will be acceptable,” Zafirah encouraged, “and it seems you have no shortage who are willing to demonstrate their courage and loyalty.”
Richard held up his hand as another of his soldier’s stepped forward, his eyes—calculating and cold—never leaving Zafirah’s. “No. I cannot in good conscience ask any of my men to risk their lives acting as hostage in my stead.” He nudged the crumpled corpse on the floor with the toe of his boot. “This assassin is unknown to me, I’m certain of it. If you require proof of my word and my conviction on this…then I shall act as such myself.”
“Richard, no!” Simone’s eyes widened in shock. “You can’t—”
“I will.” Richard looked at his wife calmly, then back to the Scion. “You accuse me of sending a man to kill you, and although I admit the thought is not a stranger to me, this…” He gestured to the corpse. “…is not my doing.”
Zafirah considered the man a long moment—the set of his jaw, the granite gleam in his eyes—and finally allowed the corners of her mouth to twitch into a faint smile. It was an unexpected move, she had to admit, but one she could not help but be impressed by. Dae’s father didn't need to risk himself—his men were clearly willing to demonstrate complete faith in him—but his refusal to put their lives in any kind of jeopardy spoke to the man’s character. However strong his hatred toward her, whatever his personal prejudices, Lord Everdeen was just as Dae had described him—a good and honorable man who did not shirk the duties of his station.
“Commendable,” she said approvingly. “We have an accord then.”
Simone covered her mouth, her eyes startled and fearful, but she held herself upright as Richard gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. Zafirah swept the room with a glance. “I shall give you time to make whatever preparations you must, but you will surrender yourself to the camp by sunrise tomorrow.” She tossed a brief, contemptuous look at the corpse on the floor. “I will leave this with you also; he may not be one of your men, as you say, but he is an outlander nonetheless. He will be better served by burial at your hands than by Jaharri.”
So saying, she turned and led the way out of the audience chamber, Falak and her spahi guard falling into step behind her.
Zafirah didn’t doubt that Richard was even now puzzling over the question of the dead assassin, and she doubted it would take him long to reach the same conclusion she herself had come to. Demanding a hostage had seemed an excellent way to leverage the incident to a favorable result—it demonstrated the strength of her resolve to reach a peaceful end to this whole affair, and at the same time might help to demystify the legends of Jaharri barbarism by giving one of Richard’s more trusted soldiers a closer and more intimate look at their customs and day-to-day lives. The fact that Richard was willing to act as hostage himself was an unexpected boon; he had probably heard his men discussing what they'd seen in the Jaharri camp, but he remained stubbornly aloof and unwilling to view the desert warriors as anything other than mindless savages. Taking him into the camp presented a fantastic opportunity for Zafirah to hasten and improve Hazim’s negotiations…provided she handled it carefully.
Dae would be returned…there was no question. But Richard may have just presented a means by which the Scion could heal some of his animosity toward her, and perhaps salvage his relationship with his daughter. Zafirah just hoped her Consort could be patient, and that she wasn't enduring too much hardship from their lengthy and frustrating separation.
As Dae explored her with slow but intensely pleasurable caresses, Kaylee struggled against the dizzying sensations her fingers were producing. She knew from the heat in her cheeks that she was blushing furiously, but she trusted Dae too much to let her embarrassment stand in the way of this fantastic experience.
Kaylee had never felt such an intimate touch, but the pleasure was so new, so stunning, so utterly bewildering, it made her realize what a mystery her own body had been to her all her life. Dae’s free hand was at her breast, rubbing and tweaking first one nipple, then the other, causing her to lean back hard against her friend and moan in unrestrained delight. Beneath the hem of her skirt Dae’s fingers continued their erotic massage of her lower lips, making her hips roll and buck, the movements beyond her ability to govern or control. “Please…oh god, please, don’t stop!” she pleaded hoarsely as Dae’s attentions stoked a fire of lust within her like none she had ever known.
“I've no intention of stopping, sweet thing,” promised Dae's sultry voice, her lips planting wet kisses along Kaylee's shoulder. “Not until I've taught you the full measure of what your body is capable of feeling…revealed all the secrets Sara would have shared with you. Like this…” A single finger quested to the lowest point of Kaylee’s sex, teasing her untouched opening. “This is the well of your desire. You can feel the wetness, can’t you?”
Kaylee panted, shocked at the way her hips surged against her will as though seeking deeper contact. “Yesss!” she hissed. Staring in amazement down the curves of her body, she watched the hidden movements of Dae's hand working under the cloth of her skirt against her swollen center.
“You grow so slippery for me. Can you imagine my tongue, wet against you where my fingers are?”
The thought pushed Kaylee higher, a vivid image of Dae’s lips descending on her most intimate flesh flaring to life in her mind. “Ahh, yessss! Gods, please!”
“And here—” She felt Dae’s fingers split along the lips of her sex and circle the tiny, glowing ember at the top. Kaylee's mouth dropped open in a mute cry and her eyes shot wide at the incredible surge of ecstasy. She struggled not to collapse back against the woman pleasuring her. “This is the true center of your being…the pulsing heart of your pleasure.” Dae very gently caressed the slick little bundle of nerve-endings. Kaylee’s hips thrust and shuddered. “You see how sensitive it is? How it makes the fire burn white-hot?”
Kaylee could feel the last of her control turn to ashes in the flames of her desire, those slick fingertips massaging and exploring her most secret places, sending electric jolts throughout her body. She was still trying to control her breathing when she felt Dae’s fingers gently pry her lips apart. Those jolts sent spasms shivering through her when the fingers teased at the entrance to her deeper core. A sliver of fear intruded on her pleasure; she’d heard that there would be pain and blood her first time, and as Dae slipped a single digit into her she tensed, expecting the worst. But there was only pleasure…the sensation of being filled, and she longed to feel more of Dae inside her. She whimpered quietly when Dae’s touch paused, seemingly uncertain.
“I thought Sara had not claimed your maidenhead?”
“Sh-she didn’t,” Kaylee gasped, not sure why her friend had stopped. “We never got that far.”
“Hmm…curious.” Her gentle thrusts resumed with a little more confidence. “But no matter.”
Soon enough the fire became fluid, coursing through her veins hotter than blood. Pleasure assailed Kaylee’s sanity in a surging tide rising ever higher. Muscles she had never been aware of spasmed deep inside her body, and she felt them squeezing around the welcome penetration of Dae’s finger. She couldn't control the rhythmic clenching and relaxing, couldn't hope to contain the tension that threatened to tear her asunder.
One of Dae’s fingers was again circling around that sweet, magical spot she hardly knew existed before this hour, that place between her thighs that seemed to be connected directly to her spine. Each knowing caress and teasing stroke brought the waves crashing higher, drowning her in lust. Her body coiled and strained, and Kaylee felt certain she would drown in this flood of ecstasy if she didn’t bring it to a halt…but she was powerless to resist the onslaught.
“Don’t fight it, sweet thing.” Dae whispered against her neck, her words seeming to come from very far away. “Let go. You’re safe with me…I’ll catch you.”
Kaylee was gone, lost, her senses spiraling to frightening heights. And just as she was struggling to find her next breath, when the pleasure had built to such an extreme that she felt certain she would die with another caress, something happened that she was altogether unprepared for. A shockwave of ecstasy tore through her, starting in her pulsing, dripping center and spreading through every part of her body. It brought with it a euphoric flood and a delicious rippling sensation. In its wake she felt her body relax, but only for a split second before another wave gripped her, and then another. Just as it seemed the sensations were about to shatter her mind into glittering fragments, Kaylee felt Dae plant her lips and teeth firmly against her neck and begin sucking hard at her thunderous pulse-point…branding her with her passion, marking and claiming her.
She gasped for air, every exhale a weak scream, as the waves—some weaker, some stronger—ripped through her trembling body. The pleasure was unbearable, and with the next powerful contraction her thighs clenched tight around Dae’s massaging fingers like the jaws of a trap snapping shut. With a final scream she stuffed her own hands between her shaking legs, clutching at Dae’s questing digits and pressing them hard against the blazing wet fire of her sex.
She had never imagined such exquisite, overwhelming, magnificent pleasure could exist…and as she started regaining control of a body that now seemed more than what it had been before Dae slipped her fingers beneath her skirt, Kaylee felt her affection for Dae change in that moment to something deeper and even more confusing.
* * *
For Dae, the sight of Kaylee’s climax and the feeling of those little twitching spasms against her fingers almost brought her to sympathetic release. It was overwhelmingly exciting to know she was to first to grant her friend this pleasure…a privilege no other hand but her own would ever claim. When she’d first teased her fingers into Kaylee’s virgin core, she’d expected to be met with the barrier of Kaylee’s hymen. She didn’t want to spoil her friend’s first experience by deflowering her, but her careful explorations had found no resistance beyond her tightly clenching inner muscles. It seemed a little odd, but Dae recalled a few of her fellows in Zafirah’s harem had mentioned that a woman’s maidenhead could be lost from activities beyond sexual, so she didn’t dwell on the matter long. It felt too good, enjoying the way her new lover’s muscles gripped her fingers tight as ecstasy overcame her.
She could have easily brought herself over the edge—Kaylee’s lower body was drawn tight against her own, and a few gentle thrusts of her center against the girl’s buttocks would likely have done the trick—but Dae withheld the urge. She was still hoping to draw her new lover further down the road of sexual discovery, to show her the joy that could be found in providing—not just receiving—pleasure. As Kaylee started coming down from the staggering heights of her orgasm and recovered her senses, Dae nuzzled her neck and whispered gently in her ear.
“That is the beauty Sara wanted to share with you.” She kissed her lips wetly over the purplish mark she'd left on Kaylee's neck, admiring her handiwork. “That is the pleasure others would claim as an evil, would deny you the chance to ever experience. Do you see now why I've been so eager to share such joys with you? Why I deny my father every time he begs me to abandon this sinful path?”
Finally catching her breath, Kaylee nodded, still whimpering at the little shudders that seemed to pulse through her. “Wha-what was that? What happened?”
“You climaxed,” Dae explained. “That’s what happens when your body is stirred to the heights of pleasure by a lover’s touch…or indeed, by your own touch acting in their stead.”
“Gods, I thought I was going to die!” Kaylee said, self-conscious but giggling in emotional release.
“Well…you climaxed quite hard, sweet thing,” Dae laughed, kissing her friend on the lips when Kaylee tilted her face back against her shoulder. “But don't be embarrassed, it was beautiful. Thank you for letting me show you.”
Kaylee giggled again and whispered shyly, “You’re welcome—aah, Gods!” Dae had brought her fingers from between her legs, stroking her lightly as she did so. She held them up to the light, displaying the slick moisture that glistened along their length. Kaylee stared, shocked and blushing furiously, as Dae brought her fingers up to her lips and ran her tongue over them.
“Mmm…you are indeed a sweet thing, lover,” Dae grinned salaciously, gazing deeply into Kaylee’s staring eyes. “Perhaps next time you might feel ready to allow me to use my mouth on you.”
Kaylee blinked shyly and glanced away, cheeks still flushed with crimson. She was silent for several heartbeats before she said quietly, “Maybe.”
They sat there for several minutes, exchanging light kisses and letting their hands continue exploring one another. Dae was undemanding, allowing Kaylee some time to recover from the shock of her first orgasm and letting her grow comfortable with the new level of intimacy that now existed between them…waiting until her touches changed from meandering to curious. When Kaylee shifted around a little to face her, her eyes wandering to her breasts and over her exposed torso, Dae raised an eyebrow playfully and leaned back on her elbows with her legs extended.
“Your eyes grow hungry; I like that.” She teasingly reached down and tugged the hem of her skirt up over her lower legs. “Perhaps you’d like to touch me as I just touched you?” The cloth climbed higher, Kaylee’s eyes avidly following its path as Dae’s smooth thighs were exposed. “There is pleasure in the giving as well as the receiving of such delights.” Kaylee almost stopped breathing when Dae pulled the skirt around her hips, bunching the material up in one hand as she drew her left knee up, wantonly displaying the coral pink of her swollen sex. She held out her hand to the staring girl, wiggling her fingers. “Come closer. I know you find me every bit as pleasing as I find you. Don't be afraid…please?”
Kaylee chewed her lower lip, some of the shyness fading from her eyes, and after a long moment spent considering Dae’s shaven and glistening sex, she slid closer and took the offered hand.
Dae brought their hands down together to the heat between her legs, running their fingers over her upper thighs for long moments before guiding Kaylee to the sensitive, slippery folds of her sex. Kaylee gasped, eyes wide but eager. “Feel what you've done to me…how wet the sight of your pleasure made me…”
“I-it’s so slippery,” Kaylee marveled, starting to run her fingers over Dae without her assistance. “Why?”
“It’s what happens to a woman when she is aroused…and as you just experienced, it serves to enhance intimate contact…and to allow for penetration to your core.
Kaylee smiled a little in understanding, curiosity guiding her touches over Dae’s moist labia up to the prominent little button peeking out from its protective hood at the crown of her sex. Dae inhaled sharply when she caressed her clitoris, and Kaylee paused, uncertain, for a long moment, then repeated her actions when she realized the response was wholly positive.
“That feels good, doesn’t it?” Kaylee asked, and Dae was delighted by the flush of pride in her pretty face when she realized her actions were having the desired effect.
“You know it does,” Dae said, arching her back as she rested her weight more fully on her elbows and watched Kaylee touch her. “I’ll not endure long if you keep that up!”
“Really?”
“Pleasuring you was very stimulating,” Dae confirmed. “I could easily have risen with you, but I didn't wish to deprive you of this opportunity to learn more.”
Kaylee grinned fully now, her eyes bright and excited. While her fingers were busy dancing in the liquid, silken folds of Dae’s sex, her gaze wandered back over the rest of her body, focusing on her breasts and the tempting sapphire at her left nipple. She glanced up into Dae's blazing emerald eyes, looking suddenly uncertain. “A-are you sure this is okay? I mean, Zafirah wouldn’t be mad if she found out about this…right?”
“She might be a little disappointed that she was unable to join us, but no, certainly not mad.”
“You’re sure?”
“Very. Zafirah believes pleasure is a sacred blessing from the Goddess Inshal…something to be shared among many, celebrated and revered. She would only be happy that you allowed me the honor of being the first to feel your touch in such an intimate fashion.”
Kaylee’s tongue skated across her lower lip, and when Dae lifted herself slightly she didn't hesitate to bring her lips down to meet her, their kiss searing hot and hungry. When they broke apart she glanced down and let her mouth boldly explore the pale skin over Dae’s throat, her clavicle, and lower till her face was between her firm breasts. Kaylee lingered only briefly at her cleavage before turning her attention to Dae's marital piercing, clearly intrigued by the silver ring.
Dae moaned and pushed herself into the girl’s mouth as it latched onto her left nipple, suckling and licking. “Yessss…that’s good, sweet one!” Kaylee’s feather-light caresses may have lacked the experienced technique of her previous lovers, but that only made them more delicious to her. Dae had been told once by Johara that her innocence gave her a sexual appeal which was somewhat unique in the harem—that it was a quality which carried a potent and carnal edge—but she had never truly been able to understand why. Now, feeling the wonder and discovery in Kaylee’s caresses, she finally understood why the other pleasure-servants had considered her such a tempting target for their seductions. Her nerve-endings were blazing with electrical sparks of pleasure, sensitive to even the slightest contact, and with Kaylee feasting enthusiastically on her breast, Dae knew she would not be able to grant her friend a longer exploration before her passion passed the breaking point.
For her part, Kaylee seemed to be once more shedding her inhibitions as she savored the taste of Dae’s skin, growing bolder and more daring as her attentions elicited louder and more intense responses from her new lover. When she caught the sapphire-studded ring between her teeth and tugged at it, Dae cried out in ecstasy and collapsed back on the bed, pulling Kaylee down with her. Kaylee's fingers began concentrating on the most sensitive areas of Dae’s sex now, circling and stroking against her clitoris, seemingly determined to push her over the edge. Dae's moans of encouragement and pleasure filled the room, growing louder with every moment. As the muscles along her thighs stiffened and shook, Dae watched a smile of satisfaction spread across Kaylee's face with the realization that she had achieved her goal.
Kaylee seemed to be so enjoying the sight of her writhing in climax that her fingers did not readily abandon their task. Dae felt her caresses still lingering over her throbbing core, and she allowed the girl to continue petting her until she could stand it no longer. “Stop! Gods…please…I-I can’t—” Dae panted, pulling Kaylee hand away from her extremely sensitive sex. “Too much! Gods, it feels too good!”
Kaylee looked down at her, studying her sweaty face and glazed eyes hopefully. “So…I did it okay?”
Dae laughed shakily and nodded. “Oh, Kaylee…you did perfectly. Thank you. That was…” She shook her head weakly and smiled up at her friend. “That was just amazing.”
Kaylee returned the smile, obviously pleased to have stolen the breath from her more experienced friend. She shyly lay beside Dae as she recovered, snuggling into her and reaching out to lightly run her glistening fingers over her breasts, leaving a trail of moisture in their path. “I think it was pretty amazing, too,” she said quietly. “Thank you…for showing me all that.”
Dae pressed her lips to Kaylee's forehead. “You’re very welcome.” Appropriate to her nature, Kaylee seemed rather cuddly in the aftermath of their lovemaking, and Dae basked in the quiet intimacy of the moment.
“So…how often can I do that?” Kaylee asked after a while. “I mean, not the whole…you know…sexy stuff with you, but how long would I need to wait before I can feel that…that explosion…again? I’m not saying I’d want to do it all the time, but I’m just wondering how many times I could do it, if I wanted to?”
Dae grinned at the chatty question, recognizing that Kaylee had overcome the greater part of her reticence…had accepted her desires and was now looking to explore and understand them further. “Well…it’s probably different for everyone, but in my experience, you can keep feeling it until your body tells you it’s had enough.”
“And what about the other stuff? You know…what you did with Inaya? The, um…kissing down there stuff? I’m not saying I’m ready for that just yet, but maybe it could be fun, it just seems a bit…confronting…you know, getting so up-close and personal like that. But if you wanted to show me, maybe…I suppose I’d be willing to try it.”
“What I’ve shown you is but a single facet in the jewel of pleasure,” Dae said. “A jewel I have only yet glimpsed a fraction of myself. There are so many other things that can be shared, can be experienced, and I don’t flatter myself to think I'm any kind of expert. A woman like Inaya…someone who has dedicated years to exploring and understanding the full scope and range of such intimate pleasures…could show you ecstasies still beyond my imagination.”
“Mmm…well, I liked what we just did, anyway.”
“I’m glad.” Dae stroked Kaylee’s hair and enjoyed the sensation of her warm, soft body against her. After another long period of silence she asked, “Do you remember the offer I made to you the day we met?”
Kaylee looked up her, puzzled. “No.”
“When Lyric came in and I saw how you were staring at her.”
Kaylee’s eyes lowered instantly, but she gave the tiniest of nods.
“I said I’d be happy to help you learn if your interest in her might be reciprocated. That I could help you try to seduce her…”
Kaylee lay back and shook her head. “That’s not…I mean, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not? You like her, Kaylee, it’s obvious…and you shouldn’t be afraid to let that attraction find purchase.”
Kaylee was quiet, her eyes wistful and filled with a sad longing. “Lyric is cured,” she said very softly. “Even if I do think about her that way…she’d never be interested in me.”
“Hey.” Dae sat up, looking at her friend. “Don’t say that. You’re beautiful, Kaylee…you’re sweet and kind and wonderful. Never doubt that.” Kaylee tried to look away once more, but Dae forced her eyes back to hers and said firmly, “You are as worthy of admiration as any woman I have ever met.”
“Lyric is high-born,” Kaylee protested.
“As am I.”
“She’s…beautiful.”
“As am I…and the fact that you allowed me to bed you is a gift I shall treasure all my life.” Dae stroked her friend’s face “Trust me Kaylee, I’ve lived among some of the most gorgeous, most stunningly attractive women in all of the Jaharri, women whose grace and character earned them a place of deepest trust and honor in the Scion’s harem…and you’re every bit their equal. Lyric should be honored that you are so interested in her.”
Kaylee was silent a long while before she gave Dae a slightly curious look. “Well…let's say I was interested in taking you up on your offer…where would you even start?’
Dae thought about it for a moment. “Regardless of the subtleties you use, all seduction begins with a clear expression of desire,” she said. “Lyric strikes me as the type who'd respond best to a private but explicit declaration. We don’t want her to feel embarrassed, but rather… intrigued. I have an idea…here.” She tossed Kaylee’s discarded shirt at her and rolled off the bed onto her feet. “Get dressed.” Bare-breasted, she crossed over to the desk she shared with Kaylee and picked up a pencil and a sheet of parchment. A little confused, Kaylee pulled on her clothes and went to join her. Dae scribbled away, writing quickly in a flowing, elegant script, then handed the parchment to Kaylee.
“What is it?”
“It’s a note for Lyric,” Dae explained simply, grinning broadly. “Read it.”
Kaylee skimmed over the missive, her eyes growing wide and lingering in shock over phrases like, ‘…dip my tongue into the wellspring of your desire, and drink deep of your liquid fire…’ and ‘…feast upon your sweat and skin until my hunger for you is sated…” She looked up at Dae's grinning face, horrified. “Y-you can’t give her this!”
“Why not? We’ll slip it under her door anonymously. She won’t know who wrote it. Look, I signed it, ‘Your ever-ardent admirer.’”
“But what if she figures it out? I stare at her every time she walks into the room!”
“So does everyone,” Dae pointed out, retrieving her own shirt and pulling it over her head. “Trust me, this is perfect. The point is to let her know there’s someone out there thinking about her in a very intimate way. It’ll make her think, make her wonder, who that person is. And believe me, it’ll also paint a vivid picture in her imagination about what that person dreams of doing to her. Come on.” She grabbed Kaylee’s hand and pulled her toward the door. “We’ll go now and drop it off, then head to the showers. After all our fun, I think we could both use a wash.”
Kaylee followed her hesitantly, opening her mouth to offer further protest…but then she seemed to reconsider and shut it quickly. Dae grinned; clearly the thought of getting naked and soapy with her was a little too appealing to pass up…even if it meant she would have to suffer the potential embarrassment of getting caught by Lyric delivering an explicitly erotic lust-note. As she led the way out of the room, Dae could feel her friend’s hazel eyes running down her backside with eager daring.
She just hoped Lyric would be either absent from her room, or already asleep.