Temple of Fyre (Island of Fyre) (16 page)

“Are you sure?” Sunlight illuminated her. She pulled off his boots and drew his breeches over his hips. His rod sprang free.

Ria ran her tongue over the tip. Ari growled. She straddled his thighs and leaned forward to catch his mouth in a fierce kiss. Under the pressure of his probing tongue, her mouth opened. Their tongues tangled.

Ria raised her head. “Our hearts beat as one. My desire is for you and only you.” She slid forward so her nether lips brushed his rod. “We bonded our bodies. This time, I bind my heart to you.”

Ari wanted to be inside her, to glide into her moist depths. She raised her hips and wet his rod with her fluids.

“Now.” She grasped his rod and glided him into her sheath. “Twice bonded, for now and forever.”

He stroked her breasts. “Ride me hard and fast.”

As she moved, he matched the rhythm of her body with upward thrusts. Breaths moved in unison. Heart beats meshed. He slid his hand between them and found her pleasure node. She pressed her hands against his shoulders. Her rocking motions grew frenzied.

He fountained. A cry poured from his depths. “Body and heart. Twice bonded.”

* * *

Ria opened her eyes. The sun was past midday. After the double bonding, she’d collapsed and slept. She stretched. Ari sat by the fire. How long had he been awake? She splashed water from a flask on her face and dressed. At the fire, she accepted a mug of tea. “How do you feel?”

“Wonderful.” He kissed her fingers.

Ria sipped the herbal brew. “Let me pick some citrons and fill the water flasks.”

He grinned. “Watch out for the birds. They’re noisy this morning.”

As she recalled the carrion crows and how they’d driven her through the fyrethorn hedge, her stomach knotted. “What kind?”

“The ones that nest in fruit trees. Not carrion crows. I’ve never seen them anywhere except Rosti. ‘Tis said they follow the slavers.”

Ria finished the tea. “Though they attacked me, they did no harm. In truth, they saved my life.”

“How odd, but I’m glad.”

She lifted the water flasks and an empty pack. After filling the flasks, she picked some of each variety of citrons. She lugged her spoils to the fire. Could she persuade Ari to stay here until she mastered the crystal and taught him how to use them?

Ari dished stew into bowls. “We need to move on and find fyrestones to replace the stolen ones.”

Ria frowned. “We have all we need.” She pulled the pouch from her pocket. When the bag began to circle, she gasped. “That’s how I was led here.”

Ari opened his hand. The scarlet she’d given him glowed. “There are stones nearby. After we eat, we’ll search.”

“Why must we find more? They can only be sold at the temple.”

“If we plan to stay here, we’ll need livestock and other things.”

She waved her hand. “Why? There’s an orchard, the garden and even some fowl gone wild. There might be other livestock that escaped. I’ve seen lopear tracks.’

He rose. “How long do you plan to stay?”

“Not forever. Once you learn all I can teach you about using the fyrestones, we can return to Rosti. I can challenge Malera. With you at my side, we can drive her from the temple.”

“Then what will we do?”

She clasped her arms about her knees. “Return the use of the stones to the ways of the past. Place a circle in every hamlet. Search the scrolls and discover how the stones were used for good, not ill.”

He dished more stew into his bowl. “Whether we search for crystals or not, we need to explore the glen.”

Ria nodded. She finished the stew and placed her bowl in a pan of water. After peeling a yellow citron, she tasted a segment. The sweet fruit held a hint of tartness.

Ari rose and reached for her hand. “The orchard was a great find.”

They strolled through what had once been a garden. Ria paused to study the variety of plants. When they strolled through the orchard, Ari pointed to several nut-bearing trees. He unsheathed his knife and cut a hand of plantains to cook with their evening meal.

Beyond the orchard, they walked to the waterfall and studied the stream that meandered across the meadow until it reached a channel piercing the granite cliff. Ari stopped to wash his hands. He pulled reeds from the shore and wove them into a basket. “We’ll have fish for our evening meal.”

Ria moved removed her boots and rolled the legs of her breeches. “The fyrestones are somewhere across the stream.”

“We’ll look there tomorrow.” He pulled her down beside him. “The cliffs appear to be solid. Let me run back to camp for soap and towels and we’ll bathe in the falls.”

“I’ll go. You see to the fish.” She ran back to camp and returned with the bathing supplies and the sack of dirty clothes. Before bathing, they washed clothes and spread them on the grass to dry. Hand in hand, they returned to the fire. Ari cleaned the fish. Ria stuffed tubers into the coals.

While the food cooked, she spilled the crystals into her hand. “Would you like to learn how to use the stones?”

“Perhaps after we eat.” But when they finished the meal, Ari pulled her to her feet. “Come to the tent.”

What she saw in his eyes kindled her desire. She had her scarlet and they were double bonded. Could they take the final step and join mind to mind? She stepped into the tent. Before she could ask her question, Ari’s mouth covered hers. The urgency of his lips and tongue swept all but finding fulfillment from her thoughts.

Her breasts ached. Her nether lips throbbed. She rubbed against Ari and felt his organ engorge. “I need you,” she whispered.

He caught the lobe of her ear between his teeth. “As I need you.”

She wiggled her breeches and small clothes over her hips. Ari pushed her to the blankets. He stripped. His erection was full and hard. She reached for him. He pulled off her boots and breeches. She bent her knees and opened her thighs in invitation. He thrust his head between her legs. She drew his organ into her mouth. Her climax erupted and she sucked on his organ. He quickly reversed and thrust into her sheath. She wrapped her legs around his hips. Their breathing and heartbeats joined into a single sound. As he thrust into her, she surrendered to the dance.

Body moved on body. Hearts pounded. Breathing rasped. The heat became incandescent. Their voices rose in unison. Ria exploded in a shower of brilliant colors against a night dark sky.

* * *

Malera’s anger abated. She dismissed the studs and sent her maidservant for a clean caftan. The time had come to discover and punish the stone seeker and the traitor. As the maid combed and braided her hair, Malera laughed softly. Since her arrival in Rosti, she had never left the temple. Now she would. She would lead a party on a triple quest. As well as the pair she sought, she intended to find the ancient temple and a blue fyrestone. With one in her possession, no one could defeat her.

With the details of her plan firmly set, she left her suite and summoned the captain of the guards. “Select six of your best men. Arrange for coursers and supplies. The party will consist of myself, three priestesses, two acolytes, four servants, and two studs. Have the studs fitted with silver wrist chains.”

He bowed. “All will be as you wish. When do you plan to leave?”

“Before this ten-day ends. There are matters to settle here first.” She left him and went to choose the other members of the party. For the priestesses, she chose those most likely to cause trouble during her absence. Not that they could stand against her when she returned, but she preferred to have them under her thumb.

Five days passed before all was in order. As the party left Rosti by the West Gate, Malera studied the barren waste. Once this land had been fertile fields and orchards. The destruction had been necessary to ensure the temple in Rosti ruled the land. Soon, she would look on the second waste, the one her predecessor had created to demonstrate her power over the flames.

Two days later, they reached the far side of the grove. The guard captain approached. “Do we camp here, or continue into the waste? A party this large will attract a horde of lopestas.”

“The priestesses have the power to protect the party from the creatures, but we have traveled long hours each day. Let us wait until morning.” She studied the rest of the party. Her gaze focused on the studs. The one whose hair gleamed like polished copper drew her attention. She’d been too long without release. He would do. She felt the juices gather and her need to be pleasured grew.

The guards and servants pitched the tents and set about preparing a meal. Malera entered her tent and removed her caftan. A maidservant brought a basin of scented water. Malera sponged herself. She sent the servant for wine, food, and the stud.

When the young man entered, Malera walked around him. She unfastened his tunic at the shoulders and watched it flow to the floor. “Remove your breeches.” When he did, she frowned. “Make yourself desire me.” Her eyes focused on his flaccid rod. The silver chains jingled as he stimulated himself. Malera retreated to her bed of pillows. “You may approach.”

She ran her hand over his legs and squeezed his sack. “You will not discharge your essence until I command. Come and pleasure me. My breasts and nether lips need the touch of your hands, your tongue, and your mouth.”

He caressed her breasts and suckled her nipples. Malera felt her fire rise. When he brought his mouth to her nether region, she reached for her flail. As her excitement grew, she lashed his back. Finally, she climaxed. “Stroke yourself, and bathe me in your essence.”

“No,” he said.

She felt too sated to punish him. “Were we in Rosti, I would take your life. Think on this for the rest of the journey. When we return to the temple, you will die.”

He pulled on his breeches. “The day the slavers took me from my land, I ceased to live. Were you in my home, the fyredragons would char your flesh from your bones.”

She laughed. “No such creature exists except in folk tales. Be gone before I end your life here and now.”

He grabbed his tunic and ran.

Malera filled her wine cup. She drained the vessel and poured more. How dare he speak of mythological creatures as though they were real? How dare he threaten her? He would die. So would Ari, the stone seeker. She drank until she fell into a drunken stupor.

The next morning, Malera woke well past dawn. Her head throbbed. She used her fyrestone to burn away the remnants of the wine. When she emerged from the tent, she learned she hadn’t been the only member of the party to indulge. Two of the three priestesses were ill and their yellow stones hadn’t the power to cure them. Though Malera could leave the women behind, she didn’t want to continue the journey without them and their stones.

“We’ll remain another day,” she told the guard captain.

“What should we do about the stud?” He indicated the young man Malera had used. “We caught him trying to run away.”

Malera laughed. “You should have let him feed the lopestas. He’ll come with us. When we leave, tie him to his mount. On our return to Rosti, he’ll wish the night creatures had ended his miserable life.” She returned to her tent to await the arrival of a maidservant.

At sunset, she checked the priestesses who had ailed to make sure they could travel in the morning. She heard shouts from the guards and stepped outside.

“Men come. Crossing the waste.”

Malera saw three figures racing toward the grove. The guards unsheathed their swords. Malera cupped her fyrestone.

“Halt,” the guards shouted.

The men’s abrupt obedience caused them to collide. “Please,” one shouted. “The lopestas are emerging.”

“Approach slowly. Drop your packs.” The captain signaled two men to guard Malera.

The oldest of the arrivals bowed. “Priestess, we honor you.” He pulled his sun hat off and revealed lank, grizzled hair.

His companions also bowed. The youngest grinned. “We are on the way to Rosti with a fine hoard of fyrestones.”

Malera eyed them. With their scruffy clothes and unshaven faces, they resembled most of the stone seekers who brought their finds to the temple. Yet, she believed these men were thieves, but if they had stones, she would deal — on her terms.

“Let me see what you have.” She gestured to a servant. “Bring a cloth.” Once the cloth had been spread, Malera waved the three men forward. “Show me the stones.”

The balding man poured crystals from four pouches. “All prime stones, plus this one.” He held a copper chain with a scarlet crystal suspended in a copper cage.

Malera frowned. She’d never seen such a stone. “Where did you find this?”

“Took it off a thief who tried to rob us.”

When Malera touched the caged fyrestone, Ari’s and Ria’s face flashed into her thoughts. She looked up. “You lie.” She formed a sheet of fire and conjured Ari’s face. “Is this the man?”

“Yes.” The three spoke in unison.

“Where did you encounter him?”

The oldest of the men pointed north. “Maybe five or six days ago.”