Leviathans
Chapter 14

Before them stood a great set of double doors. Were it not for their size, they would have been rather nondescript. Much like the rest of the city the only “decoration”, if that was what you could call it, came from the splashes of color in the stone itself and the intricate, carefully detailed etchings. Rayne stared, watching as small groups of people entered and exited. A half dozen well armed soldiers stood in the space ahead of them, occasionally stopping someone to ask questions. Rayne noticed for the first time that the hair of most of the people around her had one or more colors in them, just as Lynn’s did. There was a difference, however, and it took Rayne a few seconds to pin down what it was. They had significantly fewer colors. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Rayne realized that once again, the others had gone on without her. She found them ahead, and quickly chased after them. Just as she reached them, a guard stepped forward to meet them. “Ar’Ken Nanyei” The man spoke, his voice steely. He had a disarming smile, much like the one Richard had worn when Rayne and Lucy had first met them. Richard raised a hand to stop them. The guard paused, as he waited for everyone to stop moving. “Alo Sa’Yeao Nelsoi?” He asked, the smile still on his face.

“Eri’Yeaoaro ket Orosz” Richard responded. His words sounded strange to Rayne, when she compared them to the way the guard spoke. Richard didn’t have the same lilting pronunciation. The guard frowned. Richard tapped himself in the center of the chest with his ring finger, the others extended . “Richard Perin.” He announced, bowing with a flourish. The guard’s eyes lit up with recognition for a brief moment before looking at the others. “My companions. They do not speak Altressan.” Richard explained as he straightened.

“I see.” The guard intoned, seeming to have trouble with the words. “Come.” He commanded, turning towards the door. He moved, people stepping aside respectfully as he advanced. Richard gestured for them to follow. Their group came to a stop in front of a man whose armor carried an insignia embossed on the shoulders. The guard who had guided them towards the door approached the man, and the two conversed in low tones. Eventually, the one with the embossed pauldrons nodded. “My subordinate will guide you to the audience chamber.” he said curtly, his voice crisp.

“Thank you.” Richard said, giving another bow. “See that you are respectful.” The man continued, his tone making it clear that he found this unlikely. Richard nodded, and they were waved away. The guard who had stopped them, who now appeared to be their escort, began to walk again. His hair was short with two colored patches on the back, one violet and one blue. Curious, Rayne turned to look at what must have been the captain of the guard. His hair was held back in a ponytail, the sandy blond color replaced by strands of violet, blue, cyan, and green. “Do the colors have to do with rank?” Rayne asked aloud, and Aria looked over at her. “Don’t know. never asked.” the woman answered with a shrug.

“Tha’ sounds like a question fer Lynn.” Heinric added from behind her, giving Rayne a small shock of surprise. Aria laughed, and their Altressian guide gave her a disapproving glance. “Sorry. I didn’t notice you.” Rayne mumbled, and Heinric shook his head dismissively. “He’s usually much louder.” Aria remarked and Heinric huffed. Richard turned to stare at them, a plea in his expression. “Fine.” Aria conceded, throwing her arms up in surrender. “I’ll shut up.”

After another few moments they passed through the large doors. The wide atrium on the other side was well-lit by countless runic lamps. Their steady, unblinking light fell on banners that lined either wall. Each of the twelve banners was different in all but size. They were all as wide as Rayne was tall, and easily twenty feet in length. They dropped from a lip around the ceiling and stopped just short of the floor. Their colors stood out sharply against the stone behind them, and their only common feature was that somewhere on each of them there was a raven. A second or two later, Rayne figured out why.

Another banner was against the far wall, at the top of a staircase that split into a large “T”. It was, by far, the largest of them. Bordered by a filigree of gold that shone in the steady light of the runic lanterns, was what Rayne had to assume was the banner of the Altressian royal family. The deep blue background cradled a full moon above the forest. The moon, Rayne saw, wasn’t a single solid. Instead, it was carefully made out of braided silver thread. The moon was crisscrossed with intricate detailing. Above and to either side of the moon were ravens. Each with three eyes. They looked so real that Rayne could’ve sworn that they were ready to swoop down into the atrium.

The guard briefly saluted the banner at the end of the hall, before turning to one of the others and saluting again. Curious as to the meaning of the action, Rayne opened her mouth to speak. A moment later she realized she was unsure of how to ask, and didn’t want to risk insulting the man. Her question died in her throat. It was fine, Rayne thought. She could always ask Lynn what it meant and what all the banners were later. In fact, I might as well ask Lynn about everything. Rayne decided, filing her curiosity away. She wasn’t ignoring it, and it most certainly was still there, but it no longer had the same burning intensity.

Their feet carried them forward, over the carpeted floor. As they advanced through the halls Rayne noticed how spartan they were. “What do these people have against some simple decorations?” Rayne asked Lucy in a whisper, and her friend had to stifle a laugh. “Be thankful, maybe if they tried their hand at art it’d turn out like their clothes. how ridiculous do they look?” Lucy continued. Rayne bit back her own laughter, and shook her head.

“They do look pretty funny. It must be uncomfortable.” Rayne conceded as they passed a few other people on their way. She wondered how it was that they got the fabric of their clothing to stay in it’s armor-like shape. Rayne didn’t have much time to think about it, however, as they approached another set of double doors at the end of a long hallway. They had walked past a series of other offshoots, but this door was clearly different. A raven was etched into each of the doors, with a series of swirling geometric designs radiating outwards from them. The guard approached the doors and took a moment to straighten his armor. He reached out and pushed.

Beyond the doorway was a large throne room. The air seemed to still as they took in the sight. “Fuck me.” Aria whispered in awe, earning her a glare from both Richard and the guard. The walls were a smooth stone, polished to an immaculate sheen and as intricately engraved as the doors. Rayne was distracted for only a moment before her eyes drifted to the rest of the room, which was larger than Rayne had expected from the size of the doors. A figure sat atop the throne on the opposite side of the room.

Her clothing was an surprisingly nondescript as the rest of the city, but where most others had worn a style reminiscent of armor, she wore a long flowing dress. She wore a circlet of black metal styled after the wings of a raven. The wingtips met just above the center of her forehead, and they held a large black opal cut into the shape of a teardrop. The black of the circlet was highlighted by the rainbow of the woman’s hair. There was a difference though, from the colors she had seen before. Her hair contained a line of white.

The woman’s head was tilted to the side, seemingly considering something. Rayne’s eyes wandered downward, past the four guards that stood on the steps that led up the throne’s dais. People stood in the center of the room, and when they were called before the empress, they spoke for a few moments and seemed to wait for her response. Rayne found herself wishing she could understand altressan.

After a few minutes, the Empress looked up, noticing them for the first time. Richard bowed, motioning for the others to follow suit. A breathless pause broken by the shuffle of feet as the Empress waved away the gathered crowd. The people walked past, sparing only occasional glances.

Finally, the room was empty, and the guard that had led them this far ushered them forward. “Iras, yes?” the Empress asked from her throne as they approached. Her voice was harder than Rayne had imagined. Sharper. “Yes, your Highness.” their guide answered, kneeling. “You are dismissed. Thank you for bringing in our guests.” She continued, not unkindly.The man rose and saluted her before leaving the throne room as the crowd had before. The Empress waited for the soldier to complete his exit, and for the door to close behind him. She waved their group forward, and they followed Richard forward until they were close enough that Rayne could see the Empress’s dark brown eyes.

Richard stepped forward, and the two guards closest to their group tightened their grips on the hilts of their titanic swords. The Empress raised a palm, and Richard stopped. “Your Highness.” He said, kneeling. The rest took their cue, and followed his lead. Rayne knelt, her hair falling in front of her face, obscuring the sight of the throne and it’s occupant. Through the sheen of black strands, the multitude of colors that decorated the hair of each of the guards was striking. “Rise.” The Empress commanded, her voice containing the lilting accent that Rayne was coming to associate with Altressians.

“Am I to assume, Richard Perin, that you are here for the same reason as your prior visit?” she asked as they all stood. “Yes, your Highness. I beseech you to grant me and my crew permission to delve in the lowlands.” The Empress’s eyes hardened. “Your reasons will need to be better than your last attempt at convincing me.” she answered sharply, and Richard nodded. “I have reason to believe that the ruins we spoke of last possess a runestone within them.” He said, not without a hint of awe coloring his voice. Surprise crossed the Empress’s face for just a moment before it faded back into the expressionless mask she had worn before.

“Explain.” The Empress demanded, and Richard eagerly complied. Rayne, however, wasn’t listening anymore. Her mind raced. At first, she had believed that when Richard had told the nekasi students about a runestone that he had been simply speaking of a possibility. Of something that he didn’t think they’d find, but would serve as ample reason for any of the arcanists to join their expedition. Now, however, he spoke of it as if it wasn’t just something they might find, but the primary purpose of their delve.

Her attention returned to the conversation happening in front of her when she heard the Empress’s voice again. “Am I to understand that you seek this runestone for yourself, assuming you find it?” She asked, and Richard gave her a small smile as he brought his hands up in a question. “I do yes. For myself and my crew. I have my own reasons for the search, but I will gladly share any information that I receive regarding the runestone itself.” The Empress raised an eyebrow at his statement. “And, of course, anything else we find will be presented to you and your technomages before anyone else.” Richard added quickly. The Empress gave a small nod.

“I must consider this before I make a decision.” She finally said, after a long pause. Richard frowned. “I am quite certain of this information, your highness. I have spent the past nine years of delves piecing together what I have found in other ruins.” He added. The Empress cocked her head to the side. “Will that be all?” she asked, and Richard shook his head. “There is one final matter. I would require additional funding to hire sellswords to accompany us. As you are aware, delves are dangerous, and this particular one may be even more so.” He said, an edge of hope in his voice. Another long pause followed his words, during which the Empress stared directly at him.

Rayne had to fight to keep her hands still, and part of her couldn’t believe that Richard was pushing an Empress for money. Finally, the Empress gave a small chuckle. “Very well. Rest for now. I will provide you with my insignia. Go to any inn within the city and you will have rooms. I will send a messenger once I have made my decision. Expect it no sooner than three days from now.” She said, with a dismissive wave of her hand. Richard bowed, and the others followed suit once more. “Thank you, your highness.” Richard said, and turned to leave.

Before they had made it to the door, however, the Empress spoke again. “Ah. One more matter. I have been told that the exiled member of my Royal Guard is aboard your airship. Is this correct?” Richard paused for a moment before answering. “Yes. Lynn Featherstone is part of my crew.” He answered slowly. The guards surrounding the dais looked at each other, their faces hidden by the helmets they wore. The Empress nodded one final time, and gestured for them to leave. Richard complied, and Rayne followed gladly.

Without a guide this time, Richard led them back through the hallways. His steps were sure and measured. He knew where he was going. Rayne watched the set of his shoulders. Drawn together. anxious. It was as if she could feel his heart racing within her own chest. “How many times have you been here before?” Rayne asked, and he paused midstep. His shoulders tightened, and then relaxed all at once as he started to shake. “Richard?” came Lucy’s voice from behind Rayne. “Are you okay?” she continued, approaching slowly. As Richard turned to face them they saw that he was trying to contain his own mirth. Finally, it became too much, and he let out a loud and boisterous laugh.

They all stared. A full minute passed before Richard had composed himself. during that time a few people had walked past them, their scathing gazes the most common feature among them. Richard wiped a tear away from his eye. “Ah my dear, I am fine. Thank you.” he answered, giving Lucy a small bow. Lucy glanced at Rayne, and they shared a look that showed they were both unsure. “If you say so.” she said, and Heinric walked up to him. “Are ye, really?” the alchemist asked, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. “‘cuz tha’ was an interestin’ display.”

Richard dismissed his words with a shake of his hand. “You know better than anyone how long I’ve waited for this.” he said. “This is it, then?” Heinric asked, and Richard nodded. “This is it.” Heinric sighed, and Aria approached. “It’ll be my last delve with you, then. My debt to you will be gone.” She said and Richard shook his head. “I told you, you never owed me anything. But thank you, Aria.” Rayne and Lucy shared another glance. this time one of confusion. “What are you talking about?” Lucy asked, and Richard shook his head. “They’re just being melodramatic. I’ve worked towards this for a long time, is all.” he answered as his legs began carrying him forward once more.

In short order they had returned to outside the gigantic double doors they had first passed through. They were as impressive from within as they had been from outside. Rayne was still thinking about the runestone. For some reason, Master Ethan had given her the gem. Whether it was a runestone or not, Rayne didn’t know. What she did know, was that it had to be connected to the leviathans. That, she thought, was what she was searching for. She had seen one on the ceiling in their first delve, and if that delve had led Richard to Altressa, this is where Rayne wanted to be.

As they pushed through the crowd ahead of them, or more accurately perhaps followed Heinric as he did the pushing, they were approached by a well-dressed woman. She wore a thin headband adorned with a few colorful jewels. “Richard Perin?” She asked Heinric, her accent almost too strong for Rayne to understand even the name. Heinric stepped aside, and Richard moved forward. “Ar’teragos Richard Perin.” he said, and even in a different language Rayne heard the question in his voice.

“Aro Avara sos Li’Sergoro les Lynn Astavos” the woman said, her hands clasped in front of her. Richard raised an eyebrow at the question, crossing his arms. He eyed the woman over, as if trying to figure out who she was. As far as Rayne could tell, she wasn’t wearing anything that would indicate her station. Her clothing was similar to everything else she had seen. Shoulders flaring up and outwards into points, a belt that looked more like a waistguard, pants that seemed unnaturally stiff. Richard, however, must have seen something. His expression turned serious for a moment.

“Suo Avara les Osi?” he asked slowly, his voice low enough that Rayne had difficulty making out the words. The messenger gave him a look of surprise before shushing him, looking around as if to make sure he hadn’t been overheard. Heinric sighed and shook his head. The woman jumped a little at the noise and huffed at him. Aria laughed. The woman, now flush with embarrassment, nodded at Richard. “Lynn les os.” Richard said simply. The messenger, looking relieved, nodded again and left without saying another word. “Not even a word of thanks.” Richard complained. “Who was that?” Lucy asked and Richard turned to face her. “one of the Princess’s handmaidens.”

“And why is it that one of the Princess’s handmaidens came to talk to you, exactly?” Aria questioned, scratching at her arm as if distracted. Her eyes, however, were sharply on Richard. “Apparently, the princess wished to know how Lynn was doing.” he answered, voice low again. “And she wanted to do so discreetly.” he added quickly, before anyone could ask another question. Rayne found herself wondering why the princess cared about Lynn beyond his being an ex-royal guard, but didn’t think that she’d get any answers from Richard. To be honest she wasn’t sure that he knew, and the questioning looks on Heinric and Aria’s faces told Rayne they had no idea either. Another question to ask him when she had the chance.

“In any case” Richard began, brushing some stone dust off his shoulder, “we should take the Empress up on her offer and find somewhere to spend the night, yes?” he asked them. “She said it was free, right?” Lucy asked, and Richard nodded eyes glowing. “Tell me we’re going to the most expensive place in the city. please.” Aria nearly begged, and Richard’s smile returned in force. “Oh this’ll be fun.” Heinric said. “Onwards, then” Richard said.

Some time later, they were standing in the lobby of an inn. Rayne wasn’t sure that the word was descriptive enough, though. The only place nicer than this she had seen was the palace. A woman dressed in clothing that was slimmer and closer fitting than the imitated suits of armor they had seen so far was speaking to Richard. The stone that made up the inn glowed softly in the light of runic lanterns. The bulbs of the lanterns were encased in a wrought iron setting with an orange-ish glass. The overall effect served to dampen the blue-yellow that Rayne commonly associated with magic, giving the light a more neutral color.

Plush furniture decorated the lobby. Sofas made of soft leather and tables of a deep-blue glass. A set of pillars cut the room in two, their edges spiraling to the ceiling. On their opposite side was an incredibly well stocked bar and while Rayne saw a few patrons drinking, there was no food to be seen. Everything was neat, and the bar was much quieter than Rayne had ever expected a bar to be. The stone that formed the building around her seemed intentionally carved to direct her attention back to the woman, and she did so.

Richard approached the innkeep and after a short conversation in altressan he presented the Empress’s seal. The woman stared at it for a few moments, surprise clear on her face. Finally, she nodded and handed Richard a series of keys. “We’ve been granted four rooms. one for each of us, unless you all have any complaints.” he said, handing out the keys. “They’re numbered and are all on the third floor. So long as you’re here to sleep, you can do as you wish with your time.” he added, heading to a concealed staircase on the right side of the room. Rayne looked down at the small key in her hand, a piece of wood tied to it reading “thirty seven”. “What now?” Rayne asked, looking around at the others as she pocketed the key. “Ah’m gonna go see wha’ alchemical reagents Ah can get here. Lucy, do ye want to come?” Heinric answered, looking over at Lucy.

“You gonna want to do anything Ray?” Lucy asked Rayne, who just shook her head and shrugged in response. Lucy nodded “I’ll come Heinric” she responded with an excited smile on her face. Rayne watched with another pang of jealousy as Lucy talked to Heinric about the different things she wanted to make, and about something she was looking for to use in a project. Rayne sighed. “Well, I’m off.” Aria said walking away. “Where to?” Rayne asked, curious as to what there would be in this city that Aria found interesting. “Why don’t you follow me and find out?” Aria smiled wickedly.

Rayne, curiosity roused, stepped outside after Aria. They walked through the city slowly. Aria seemed to know where she was going, and while most people ignored Rayne, they certainly didn’t ignore Aria. Her dress and tattoos drew large amounts of attention from the populace, and she seemed to relish in it. Her gait was almost predatory, and the wolfish smile the woman always wore did nothing to dispel the notion. Aria seemed to enjoy the attention she called to herself in a way that Rayne never would. To tell the truth, she felt a little jealous.

They stopped in front of a square building that was tall enough to connect to the ceiling of the tier they were on. As they had walked, the crowd had grown thicker with people. they passed restaurants, unmistakeable do to their smell. They passed gambling dens, and Rayne could hear the shouting from inside. The press of bodies mounted until Rayne lost Aria for a few moments. Her heart began to race, but Aria reappeared and pulled her forward. Aria didn’t let go of her hand.

“Esore” Rayne read the building’s sign. “Whats it mean?” She asked Aria, who laughed at her. “Thats just a name. But the Esore is a brothel.” she explained. “A brothel.” Rayne said, her words more a question than anything else. “I figured I deserved some relaxation.” Aria said, shrugging. “I’ll take you back to the inn if you want, but I think you might have more fun here. Besides, every time I talked about this kind of thing you seemed interested.”

Rayne’s eyes narrowed at Aria, who yawned. Rayne looked over at the brothel, and noticed that the engravings on the sides were of men and women engaging in the same acts as those within. Aria shifted her weight, and Rayne noticed her intense gaze. She wondered for a moment what it would be like. Her curiosity mounted again. “Alright, sure. Why not.” Rayne answered before she could think too hard about it. Aria gave her wolfish smile. “Come on then.” She said, grabbing Rayne by the hand.

Aria pulled her through the door. The inside was dimly lit, and the spiced scent of incense filled her nostrils. People lounged inside, a series of tables spread around the room. People drank, and sang in harmony with a woman dancing on a stage. Were it not for the fact that she was wearing nothing but sheer undergarments, it would look like any other bar with a show for the patrons. Aria pulled Rayne further forward, stopping in front of a man in crisp clothing. He asked Aria a question in Altressan, and she shook her head. “I only speak Desren, sorry” She replied.

“Not a problem” the man answered, smiling. He didn’t have the same accent as most other Altressian’s Rayne had met. “Please, sit. Drink! If you see anyone that you would like to move upstairs with, we will gladly provide you with a private room and the cost.” He continued, ushering them inside. “Actually, I have a question” Aria said, before he could shoo them any further towards the tables. “Of course!” the man said, perhaps too enthusiastically.

“My friend here” Aria began, motioning at Rayne “It would be her first time. Do you have any suggestions for someone who would be… gentle?” She asked. Rayne blushed, but met the man’s eyes as he looked her over. “Oh my, so beautiful. Any of my workers would be glad to assist you. Gentle, however… sit for a moment and I will do my best to find someone.” He responded. He looked at Rayne again, his eyes wandering. Aria coughed. The man quickly moved away as he saw her face. “Come on, let’s have something to drink while we wait.”

Rayne followed her to the table. As she looked around at the people, she began to feel nervous. Not because they were staring at her and Aria, but because half of them were wearing so little that it might have been easier to say they were wearing nothing at all. She tapped her foot under the table, and Aria placed a hand over hers. “Hey, it’ll be okay. you can back out if you want, no problem. we’ll just grab a couple drinks and leave.” the woman said, her eyes softening. Rayne nodded, and Aria flagged down one of the scantily clad workers. The man approached, a large smile on his face. “Two starwalkers. Cavern rye instead of longhorn for both.” Aria said, and the man nodded. “I’ll be back soon.” he said as he left. he seemed to struggle a bit with the words.

“I’m surprised they all speak Desren.” Rayne mentioned, and Aria shrugged. “It’s pretty much the world language since all of the traders use it. Most places like this get a lot of business from desert traders or people that have contact with them. so they all learn Desren.” Aria answered. Rayne nodded. It made sense. She had always heard that the desert she had been born in was at the center of the world. Everything that was traded went through it. “You know a lot, Aria.” Rayne said, following the man who was to bring their drinks with her eyes. Aria laughed, blushing slightly. “Well, you learn stuff when you delve with Richard. He knows more than everyone else I know put together.”

Before Rayne could ask another question, the man returned. He placed the two brownish drinks and a glass of water in front of each of them. Aria grabbed hers and took a sip, shuddering as she swallowed the liquid. “delicious” she asserted, motioning for Rayne to have some. Rayne picked up the short glass, the twist of orange rind within swirling as she took a sip. It was ever so slightly sweet, the undercurrent of bitterness slicing through the sweetness as she let it sit in her mouth. She swallowed, and felt the thrill of fire down her throat. Rayne exhaled. “It’s good.” she said, still looking around. Her hands were steadier now that she had something to do with them. Rayne took another sip.

They talked, laughed, and drank. Rayne chased each sip with some water, and had quickly gone through two glasses. Eventually, the person they had first spoken to returned. He led behind him a younger man, with a tattoo of a three eyed raven on his left shoulder. The older man waited patiently as Aria finished her drink in one gulp before he began speaking. “This is Artonne, he may be young but he is well regarded among both our male and female clients for his patient nature. He will serve you well if you will allow him.” the older man said, gesturing for Artonne to step forward. Artonne bowed, a small smile on his face. Rayne and Aria looked at each other. “It’s up to you” Aria shrugged. Rayne bit her lip, and nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

“Your room and time spent with Artonne will come to ten iron bonds, plus three per twenty minutes. Please provide Artonne with payment once you’re done.” The older man said, and Aria nodded. “Please come with me” Artonne said, in surprisingly clear Desren. Aria got up to follow, extending her hand to Rayne. Rayne took it, and dry swallowed. She stood. They went up the stairs.

The hallway Rayne found herself in was longer than she had expected. the carpeting on the floor took her by surprise, as she hadn’t seen anything but stone flooring since she had arrived in the city. Doors stood evenly spaced along the hallway, and Rayne could hear the muffled sounds of pleasure as she followed Aria. Before they had even reached the room they were to be in, her cheeks were already flush with heat. I’m really going to do it. She considered as it hit her. Rayne hadn’t really put much thought into it before, but now it was certainly on her mind. “You want me to wait outside?” Aria asked, and Rayne shook her head. Artonne opened a door, and they all stepped inside.

The room contained a large bed that looked exceedingly comfortable, a simple drawer, and a wall-length mirror. a simple clock was mounted against the far wall, above an ornate wooden door. Artonne walked to the bed and adjusted the pillows, gesturing for Rayne and Aria to approach. Rayne moved forward, her breath quickening. As Artonne reached for her, she froze. “Wait a bit.” Aria said, and he obliged, taking a step back. “Rayne,” Aria called, and Rayne turned to face her. Rayne’s eyes were wide, and she could feel her heart beating in her chest. She hadn’t thought that it would be this nerve-wracking an experience. Aria gently cupped Rayne’s cheeks and pulled her in. “Rayne” She called again. “It’s going to be okay” Aria finished, as she brought their lips together.

Rayne was too surprised to react at first, but as Aria ran her fingers through Rayne’s hair she leaned into the kiss. One of Aria’s hands reached downwards, along Rayne’s back. Her hand paused at the small of Rayne’s back and pulled their bodies closer together. Rayne closed her eyes and Let Aria open up her jacket. Just before it was completely off, Rayne pulled away. Aria looked at her in confusion, a little hurt by the action. “Wait a second, sorry. I have to disconnect the conduits from my pants” she explained. Aria laughed, her worry melting away as Rayne undid the links between her jacket’s temperature control system and the conduits in her leggings. “Sorry” Rayne said, embarrassed. “Don’t worry about it” Aria breathed before approaching her again.

This time, Rayne wasn’t surprised as Aria leaned in to kiss her. In the moment before Their lips came together Rayne breathed in Aria’s scent. As the spiced smell of cinnamon and the refreshing taste of mint filled her mouth, Rayne wrapped her arms around Aria’s neck. Aria finished pulling off Rayne’s jacket, dropping it lightly to the floor beside them, before pulling away. Aria grabbed the hem of Rayne’s shirt and slowly pulled it off, her smile turning into a slight frown as her eyes found Rayne’s skin-tight undershirt. “How many layers are you even wearing?” She demanded, and Rayne laughed. “Too many, I think” Rayne breathed.

The following hour - or maybe more, Rayne had trouble remembering exactly thing went - was in Rayne’s words “intense”. She had enjoyed pleasures she had never experienced before. Ultimately, Rayne was glad she had followed Aria. She looked over at Aria’s face, strands of her hair stuck to it by sweat.

Aria was smiling, a mix of her usual wolfish grin and something more shy. Rayne brushed the hairs away from Aria’s face, and leaned in forward. Their kiss was slower than the ones they had shared before. Rayne noted, somewhere in the back of her mind, was that the difference was that here she was enjoying Aria’s presence as opposed to her body. The two of them came apart.

They both lay down on the bed, hands intertwined, breath steady. “That was fun” Aria said, and Rayne nodded her agreement. “Can we do it again sometime?” the technomage asked, and Aria laughed. “Whenever you want,” the woman answered “But now, I think, we should shower and get back to the inn. I’ve had my fill for the day” Aria finished, gently squeezing Rayne’s hand before swinging her legs off the bed. “Shower? there’s a bathroom in here?” Rayne asked, interested. “What did you think that door led to?” Aria questioned, one eyebrow raised as she pointed to the door with the clock above it.

“Come on” Aria said, as she padded over to the door and opened it to reveal a bathroom. She searched blindly in the darkness for a switch, and a bright light toggled on after she pressed it. Rayne stood, and followed her. Aria turned to watch her. “You really are beautiful” Aria commented, and Rayne blushed, answering with a shrug. Rayne followed Aria into the spacious bathroom, the shower opposite them surrounded by walls of thick glass. Aria slid the door open, and looked back at Rayne. “Close the door behind you, will you?” she asked, and Rayne complied as Aria turned on the shower.

The woman stood back as hot water and steam came out of the showerhead. Aria ran the water through her fingers and shuddered at the heat. Rayne stepped into the shower behind her and slid the door closed before hugging Aria from behind. Aria tensed for a moment before loosening. “Thank you” Rayne breathed and Aria smiled. Rayne seemed to consider something for a moment, before she spoke again. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt attracted to someone like this” she commented, and Aria laughed

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