Shoshana Ch. 06

The sun was barely beginning to dip below the treetops when Shana stepped into her room in the tower. As she began to shed her training clothes, so too did she shed the world of magic lessons and rooftop combat--if only for the night. Her body still hummed faintly from the exertions of the day, but beneath all of the fatigue was a growing undercurrent of excitement. She knew exactly where she wanted to be tonight.

She moved with purpose, stripping the clothes from her body. Casting each piece aside with practiced ease. The tunic, the silk underlayer, even the enchanted leggings still dusted with forest grit--all got replaced. She didn't need to be ready for combat now, at least, not that kind of combat. Now, she was preparing for sexual combat.

From her wardrobe in the corner, she grabbed a gown of deep green--low cut, backless, and split daringly up both thighs. It clung in all the right places and shimmered subtly with every motion, like leaves caught in a breeze. The fabric was soft to the touch, enchanted not for protection but allure. She had worn it only once before, and it had brought her very good luck that night.

As she stood in front of her mirror, Shana fastened a delicate gold chain around her neck--with a small obsidian charm, etched with a symbol of Aaos. It rested just above the curve of her breasts, a silent devotion and reminder: pleasure was a sacred thing. She had found it just a few years ago, before coming here.

She let her fingers trail through her dark hair, coaxing it into long, loose waves. No elaborate style tonight. She wanted to look not just good, but undeniable..

With a soft smile, she finished adjusting the hem of the dress. She didn't know what tonight would bring--more dancing, more discovery, hopefully more tangled bedsheets. Her only goal was that Rae would be a part of it, and that she would be able to explain in person what had happened this morning. Leaving her like that this morning had felt too much like vanishing.

She grabbed a small satchel and fastened it to her belt, tucking a few daggers into a hidden sheath at her thigh--just in case. Even on nights meant for pleasure, she never went unarmed. She wasn't that foolish.

Shana took one final glance at her reflection--satisfied, sensual, and more than a little wicked--she turned on her heel and descended the stairs. The tower remained quiet, lit only by the magical orbs in the walls. Dak, if he was aware of her leaving, didn't appear. He never did. She rarely saw him outside of her lessons.

She stepped out into the twilight, the breeze cool against her skin, her gown billowing gently behind her, and headed for town. The last hints of the sun, that dusky blue between dreams and decisions. She paused at the crossroads near the tower, instinctively glancing in the direction of the forge--then turned away.

Nin was still out of town, off hunting some rare alloy, or delivering one of her commissions. Shana missed her. But she wasn't the reason Shana was restless tonight. Tonight, the Wandering Dagger called to her like a siren. Not the drink, not the noise. Not even the music.

Rae.

A whisper of a smile spread across her lips as she set off down the path toward the inn. The Dagger was pulsing with life and energy, even from here. Music drifting on the breeze, laughter curling through the air like incense. Her pace quickened, her bare back tingling with anticipation.

She wasn't sure if Rae would even be there. But she hoped.

The inn came into view, warm light spilling onto the dirt path. Shana didn't hesitate as she reached the door.

As she entered the room, the crowd went silent. All eyes turned toward her. Shana paused, her hand still on the door, unsure what was happening. Then she saw them. The men at the bar. The same ones that had been harassing Rae the other night. Each one clearly drunk, and each staring at her with evil intentions.

They stood up in unison and began to walk toward her, the crowd parting for them as they strode confidently in her direction with their drunken swagger.

"You," one of them shouted, slurring his words. "You did sumtin to us."

"Yeah," another chimed in. "An yous took our wooman from us too." He stumbled as he spoke.

"We heard you." The third said, less drunk than the rest. "We heard the two of you in her room up there."

Shana's fingers tightened slightly on the doorframe. The room was dead silent, save for the creak of chairs and the uneven clomp of boots against wood. Behind her, the night still beckoned--cool, open, and safe. But she was not the kind to back down. To step back.

She stepped further in. The door swung shut behind her. The loud click of the latch caused the entire crowd to flinch.

"You heard us?" she said, voice calm, almost happy about it. She took a step forward. "And?"

That made the lead man pause, if only for a second. He was clearly not used to women talking back--certainly not like that, not with velvet confidence and a hint of sharp edges.

"You whore," one of them spat. "She was ours."

Shana's smile never wavered, but also never reached her eyes. It was a similar smile that Rae wore when these same men were groping her. One that they could not properly read. The only difference was that her smile was laced with danger.

Then she laughed. "Oh, boys. She was never yours."

"Why you--" he lunged for her.

Before he had closed even half the distance, her dagger was in her hand, and his face quickly curled into a mask of fear. But it was too late. He came down, chest first, on her blade. Shana shifted her weight smoothly, pushing him aside as he crumpled, her dagger slipping free like a whisper. Her stance reset instantly--shoulders square, eyes locked, blade dripping with blood and ready for another taste.

"You can't do that!" another of the men said as he glanced down angrily at his fallen friend. He showed no signs of being willing to stop her, though.

"Yes," she said. "I can."

And then everything stopped. The floorboards trembled--just slightly at first. Then a second, heavier step. Then another. The unmistakable thud of something massive approaching from the back hallway.

Heads turned toward the bar, all except Shana, who remained focused on her targets in case one chose to attack.

From the doorway behind the bar, a towering silhouette emerged. Nearly eight feet tall, broad as the doorway itself, and made of gnarled muscle and mossy green-gray skin. As the ogre stepped through the doorway, behind him stood Rae, a worried look on her face.

Shana surmised this must be Kruchon, the owner. His presence alone filled the room. His tusks jutted from a heavy jaw like curved ivory blades, and a scar traced a crooked line across one eye, which glowed faintly gold in the dim light. A stained apron strained over his barrel chest, and one massive hand still held a thick, iron-branded tankard like it was a child's toy.

The tavern owner took one look at the bleeding man on the floor, the others frozen nearby, and then locked eyes with Shana.

"Trouble?" he rumbled, his voice like stones grinding together.

Shana didn't flinch. She simply wiped the blood from her blade with the hem of the fallen man's cloak.

"They started it," she said coolly. "I finished it."

Kruchon grunted. Then turned toward the remaining men, who were suddenly very aware of how small they were.

"You men have been a stain on my floor for weeks," he growled. "Scaring my girls. Harassing my patrons. Drinking on tabs you never pay. "He stepped forward. "I should've thrown you out days ago. Tonight? I clean house."

Before he could take another step, the men pushed past Shana in a drunken scramble and bolted out the door, their screams echoing into the night. Once they were out the door, the sounds of the tavern resumed once more. Music started playing, and people turned back to their conversations as if nothing had happened. Rae rushed to Shana's side, stepping carefully over the now-dead man at her feet.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice tight with concern as she looked down at the man. "They've been here all day working up the crowd, waiting for you. I didn't know what to do. As soon as I saw you, I went and got Kruchon."

Shana slipped an arm around Rae's waist and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I'm fine," she said softly. "Those men wouldn't know how to harm me if they tied me up first. They were harmless." She smiled. "Nice to know you care, though."

Rae playfully slapped Shana in the shoulder. "Of course I care." She slapped her again. "And I can't believe you just left me like that this morning."

Shana raised a brow, but before she could retort, Kruchon stepped in beside them. He glanced down at the fallen man with a grunt.

"Rae, I'm sorry I didn't toss those fools sooner. Thought they were just drunk and loud." His gaze shifted to Shana, lingering a moment on the shimmer of her gown. "Say... if you ever need some extra coin..." he grinned. "Word is you two lit up the dance floor last night."

Shana's eyes narrowed--but her voice stayed even. "You have my thanks for taking care of Rae, Kruchon," Shana said, her tone sincere, but edged with steel. "But the last person that looked at me the way you just did, ended up like him," she nodded down to the man on the floor. "You've been good to Rae. Let's keep it that way."

Kruchon chuckled and held up both hands, palms out. "Fair enough," he rumbled. "Message received." With a satisfied grunt, Kruchon reached down and grabbed the corpse by the collar. With one effortless tug, he began dragging it toward the door, the man's boots thumping across the floorboards as a thin trail of blood followed behind.

"Don't mind me," the ogre called over his shoulder. "Next round's on the house--far as I'm concerned, that's entertainment enough."

A chorus of nervous laughter passed through the tavern as the remaining tension began to ease.

Shana turned back to Rae, her voice low, her smile returning--but this time warmer. "Can we go somewhere?" she asked. "Maybe somewhere a little quieter?"

Rae nodded, already reaching for Shana's hand. "Upstairs," she said, threading her fingers through Shana's. "My room has been waiting for you since you left. It's quieter there. Warmer too."

Shana gave Rae's hand a gentle squeeze as they moved through the tavern together. Eyes still followed them--curious, awed, maybe a little envious--but no one dared say a word, not after what they'd seen.

They slipped up the staircase, footsteps muffled against the worn wood, the tavern noise fading behind them.

The door had barely clicked shut behind them before Rae was on her.

Lips urgently against her neck, hands tugging at the enchanted green fabric with no reverence--just need. She pushed Shana back against the wall, breath already ragged, her thigh sliding between Shana's legs as if guided by instinct rather than thought.

Shana gasped, her hands instinctively moving to Rae's waist--not to pull her closer, but to try to slow her down. "Rae--wait--"

"No," Rae breathed against her collarbone, voice already thick with hunger. "No talking. You don't get to show up in that godsdamned dress and then make me wait."

She bit softly at the curve of Shana's shoulder, just above the charm of Aaos still hanging around her neck.

Shana's fingers dug into Rae's hips. "I didn't mean to leave this morning--I felt awful all day, I--"

Rae growled--not with anger, but with the ache of wanting. "Then make it up to me after. Right now, I need you."

She kissed her again, mouth hot and searching, hands slipping beneath the slit of Shana's dress and dragging upward without hesitation.

"You think I've stopped thinking about you since last night?" she whispered. "You left me starving. All I could taste all day was you."

Shana's head thudded softly against the wall. "I wanted to stay... but I couldn't... I left a note..."

"Too much talking," Rae cut in, her voice husky and breathless. "We can worry about all that later."

Her fingers found skin, then more skin, and Shana arched into the touch before she could stop herself.

She had wanted to talk. To explain. To make it right.

But Rae's mouth found hers again, and her tongue didn't leave much room for apologies.

Please," Rae murmured, her lips brushing Shana's. "Don't make me wait anymore."

And gods help her--Shana didn't want to.

Shana's back hit the wall once more, but there was no resisting this time. Rae's hands were already under the dress, pushing it upward. The enchanted fabric shimmered, catching the candlelight as it bunched around Shana's hips, baring her skin inch by inch. Rae's fingers dug into Shana's thighs like she was digging for gold.

"You're not wearing anything under this," Rae growled, both an accusation and praise.

Shana's breath caught in her throat. "I didn't see the point."

"Gods praise you, woman," Rae muttered to herself before sinking to her knees. She looked up from her knees and locked eyes with Shana. "You wear something like this to a place like the Dagger, and don't expect me to lose my mind?"

Shana opened her mouth to respond, but only a gasp came out, as she felt warm hands slide up the backs of her thighs, fingers curling possessively around her.

Rae's mouth found the inside of Shana's thigh, kissing hard enough to leave a memory, then softening as she licked her way higher. Her fingers dug into Shana's legs as she spread her thighs apart, exposing the treasure she was after. The thing she had been craving all day.

Shana's head hit the wall again as her eyes rolled back. Rae's tongue had pushed past her folds and quickly found her clit. She grabbed Rae's hair, threading her fingers through the soft strands, half trying to slow her down, half desperate to pull her closer. She felt the tongue moving in slow, purposeful circles--learning, testing, tasting.

Every time Shana tried to catch her breath, Rae shifted her rhythm, or pressure, pulling her under again. For only her second day with a woman, Rae was remarkably good at this.

The room spun in waves of heat. Shana's thighs began to tremble, her lips parted in a soundless cry as Rae started to lick and suck harder. Then, she pulled back, just enough to speak.

"You can't give me a taste of this, and then just disappear," she breathed. "You've got me hooked, baby. I need more." She dove back in, her tongue plunging deeper than before, and Shana's knees began to buckle.

Shana gripped Rae's hair like a lifeline, barely keeping herself upright against the wall. But it only spurred Rae on, who held her thighs tighter, and licked deeper--steady, relentless, worshipful in her hunger.

Shana cried out as the wave hit her, riding the edge of sensation until it broke over her like a storm. Her whole body arched, her soul unspooling in a cry that could have shaken the stars. It was too much and not enough.

Rae didn't stop until the shaking subsided and Shana was slumped against the wall, skin slick with sweat, legs barely holding her up. She stood, hands trailing upward as if reluctant to leave her skin. She pressed their bodies together--this time slower, messier, tasting of sweat and want. Her lips glistening, eyes lit with something between mischief and reverence.

Shana was the first to speak, breathless, her voice hoarse but clear. "That wasn't fair."

Rae smiled, eyes soft but wicked. "Neither was leaving me this morning," she said. "But I'm new to all of this," she cupped Shana's face. "All I knew was I needed more of you."

She leaned in, her breath still hot against Shana's ear. "Now that I've had my fill... for now..." she whispered with a sly grin, "why don't you explain why you had to sneak out this morning?"

Shana opened her mouth to answer, but Rae kissed her again--slow, deep. She could taste herself on Rae's tongue and feel a lingering hunger that she had thought they had just satisfied.

Then Rae gently took her hand and led her across the small room, helping her onto the bed. The mattress was soft, the blankets pushed aside, and Shana's limbs still felt like liquid. She sank down with a breathless sigh, lying against the pillows as Rae joined her, draping herself partly across Shana's side like she belonged there.

Which, in that moment, she absolutely did.

"I wasn't running. Or sneaking out," Shana said softly, brushing some hair from her forehead, wet with sweat. "I left a note."

Rae raised an eyebrow, curling in beside her. "Yeah? I saw paper. Didn't read it. I was too pissed. " She gave Shana's thigh a playful squeeze. "All I know is that I woke up aching and alone."

Shana gave a breathy laugh. "I deserved that. But I really did have to go."

Rae's fingers resumed their wandering. "So what was so important? Early morning tryst with another pretty girl in a prettier dress?"

Shana smirked. "Lessons."

Rae blinked. "Lessons?"

"At the tower."

That made Rae pause. Her hand stilled just above Shana's moist folds, her head tilting just enough to let her brows draw together. "Wait... that tower? She asked, clearly surprised. "The big, creepy, always-has-a-storm-over-it tower? In the middle of town?"

Shana nodded, a small satisfied smile playing on her lips. "That one."

Gods," Rae muttered, half-laughing. "I've lived in this town for five years and I've never known of anyone that lived there, let alone studied in it. I thought it was just some creepy old ruin."

"His name is Dak," Shana said. "My teacher. And he does not tolerate lateness. Or excuses."

Rae shook her head slowly. "You are just full of surprises. Tower-student, dagger-wielding, goddess-loving temptress..." She leaned in and flicked her tongue across one of Shana's nipples, teasing it to a peak. "You sure you're not just here to seduce the whole town?"

Shana gasped softly. "Only the ones who ask nicely." She purred. "And the pretty ones."

Rae grinned and let her fingers dip lower again, playfully spreading the folds of Shana's pussy open. "You still owe me breakfast. And an apology."

"I thought I just gave you both."

Rae's smile turned wolfish. "First, I took that. Second, that was just an appetizer."

Shana laughed again, breathless. "I've created an Insatiable monster, haven't I?"

"Mmhm," Rae hummed, kissing her way back down Shana's body. "Now, tell me more about this Dak fellow... or, better idea--don't. The only thing I want right now is you."

She didn't wait for a reply. Her mouth was already on Shana, only this time she went slower. No less hunger in her motions, but now there was purpose. She wanted to savor everything and explore every fold. Her hands moved with more confidence now, like she was mapping familiar territory she hadn't had time to appreciate the first time.

Shana gasped, arching into her, her hands burying themselves in Rae's hair once more. "You really are insatiable," she breathed.

Rae pulled back, her mouth glistening again, a grin on her lips. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

She slid her hands up between Shana's thighs and slipped two fingers into her. Slowly, with deliberate pressure, curling her fingers just so--drawing a gasp from Shana that turned into a moan as her hips rose up.

"Gods," Shana whispered, eyes fluttering closed.

"Yes," Rae murmured. "Call them. Maybe they will come and watch."

Shana laughed, even as she bit her lower lip and rocked her hips in time with Rae's movements. "Careful," she said, her voice shaking, "you're starting to sound like a true follower of Aaos."

Rae's mouth curved into a grin as she bit down on Shana's thigh softly, her pace never faltering. "Maybe I am."

Shana was already close again. The fire Rae had sparked earlier hadn't gone out--it had just been banked, waiting to be stoked again. Rae's tongue joined her fingers now, drawing circles and rhythms that made Shana writhe, her hands clutching the sheets now as her cries returned to fill the room.

But Rae wasn't rushing this time. She took her time, learning every reaction--every sharp inhale, every twitch of muscle, every broken whisper of her name. And when she finally pushed Shana over the edge, it wasn't a wave--it was a tide, rising slow and crashing hard, sweeping her under until she cried out and shook against Rae's mouth.

Rae held her through it, drinking it all in, savoring every drop, lapping at her over and over, until she began to settle once more. She crawled up Shana's body, pressing kisses to every inch of flushed skin as she did.

She slipped an arm beneath Shana's neck and pulled her close. Their legs tangled instinctively, bodies still buzzing, hearts thudding in sync.

Shana turned to face Rae and kissed her. Licking the cum from her lips.

Rae smiled and kissed her back. "Now that," she whispered, "felt like worship."

Their breathing slowed together, heartbeat by heartbeat, until the silence between them was filled only with the soft rise and fall of tangled limbs and cooling skin. Rae's fingers eventually stilled, curled loosely against Shana's waist, her cheek resting on her shoulder. Her breath tickled Shana's collarbone--warm, slow, content.

Shana didn't remember falling asleep, just that everything had gone quiet in a way that felt safe. When her eyes opened again, Rae was already watching her.

"You always look like that when you wake up?" Rae whispered, amused. "Like someone was telling you secrets in your dreams?"

Shana smiled lazily. "Maybe someone did."

Rae stretched, then nestled in close again, her fingers idly resuming their soft path along Shana's hip. "You weren't kidding about all this Aaos stuff."

Shana turned slightly toward her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Rae glanced down, her lips curving. "I've never felt like sex was anything more than scratching an itch. But with you... it felt like something else. Like I was... supposed to enjoy it. Like I didn't have to hide it, or feel stupid for wanting it."

"You weren't supposed to do anything," Shana said softly. "You just needed to let yourself feel. That's Aaos."

Rae was quiet for a moment. Then she looked back at her. "You really believe it's sacred. Pleasure."

"I don't just believe it," Shana said, "I live it."

Rae's eyes narrowed slightly. "So, does that mean I'm gonna have to share you with the rest of the tavern?"

Shana chuckled. "If I wanted that, you'd already know. But that's not the point. It's not about collecting people. It's about experience. About following what calls to you, in the moment. Without shame. Without fear."

"And without promises," Rae said--a touch of bitterness in her voice. "It's all pleasure and freedom with Aaos. So no attachments?

Shana turned toward her, brushing her fingers lightly along Rae's cheek. "No. That's not what it means at all."

Rae's gaze was searching now--open, but unsure. "Because I'm trying to wrap my head around it. I mean... this--" she gestured between them, "--felt real. Like... connected. But you're saying it doesn't have to mean something."

"It can mean something," Shana said gently, realizing she was not explaining this as well as she had hoped. "And this does--at least to me. But the meaning isn't in owning each other. It's in the moment we shared. The choice to be present. To give, to receive, to feel.

Rae was quiet.

Shana shifted closer, her voice softer now. "I get attached sometimes. Of course I do, I'm not made of stone. But I don't need the attachment in order to enjoy the pleasure. That's the difference. I don't chase the feeling, hoping it turns into something else. I let it be what it is."

Rae let that sink in, chewing on her lower lip. "So... if I want more of this..."

"Then take more," Shana said. "Take it. Give it. As long as you're honest with yourself, and the people you touch, there's no wrong way to do it."

Rae let out a long, slow breath. "That sounds simple... and terrifying."

Shana grinned. "It is, at first. But it gets easier. And better."

"Better, huh?" Rae teased, her fingers slipping a little lower again, playfully skimming Shana's thigh.

Shana's breath hitched. "Much."

"Alright, priestess. You've made your case." Rae chuckled and tucked her head beneath Shana's chin, sighing contentedly.

Shana kissed the top of her head. "Good. Because I'm not in the habit of convincing people. I invite them."

Rae smiled. "I'm still here, aren't I?"

They lay there for a while just breathing together before Rae spoke up again. "So, free love," she began. "And no need for attachments. You sleep with whomever you like, whenever. No jealousy? No shame? Just, whoever catches your fancy?"

Shana chuckled softly. "You say it like it's scandalous."

Rae tilted her head to look up at her. "I mean... isn't it? Where I come from, people kill each other over much less."

Shana nodded slowly, her fingers drifting gently over Rae's spine. "I know. And that is part of what Aaos asks us to unlearn. Jealousy, shame, fear... they are all about control. Ownership. The idea that love--or pleasure--has to come with rules."

"But people still feel those things," Rae said. "Jealousy. Fear. They don't just vanish because you say it's holy."

"Of course not," she replied. "We still feel them. I've felt them. But Aaos doesn't teach us to ignore those feelings--just not to let them rule us. You feel the jealousy, you name it, and then you ask yourself why it's there. Is it because you weren't chosen this time? Because you fear you won't be again?"

Rae was quiet.

Shana went on. "Pleasure doesn't stop being sacred just because it's shared with someone else. You don't lose value when someone else is wanted. You're not less. And neither are they."

Rae exhaled slowly. "And the shame?"

"Thrown at us by people who are too afraid to feel," Shana said. "We are taught that wanting is dirty. That our bodies are temptations. That pleasure is dangerous. And you know what? It is. But not in the way they say. It's dangerous because it sets people free."

Rae blinked at that--like something had clicked behind her eyes.

"So yeah," Shana said, brushing her thumb along Rae's cheekbone. "I sleep with who I want. When I want. If it's right. If there's trust and honesty and mutual want. Or if there's something I can get out of it. I'm not afraid to use my body to my advantage. I don't chase love. I don't do it to fill a hole. Just... to be in the moment. Fully."

Rae looked at her for a long time. "That... that's a lot."

"It is," she agreed. "But it's also simple."

"You know," Rae said, with an odd look on her face. "I used to think I was the wild one. Now, I'm not so sure."

Shana grinned. "You are wild. That's why this suits you so well. You're just not used to having permission to be free. But think about it this way. Like I said last night. Do you feel shame when you dance in front of men and women down in the tavern?"

"No"

"And yet you are showing off your body in ways most would be too scared to do, and many would find inappropriate." She smiled. "But when you dance, you are free. You are shameless."

"And now what? I just extend that shameless feeling to everything else? Prance around naked in the streets? Sleep with whoever I want?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Shana said with a smile. "Though I would start out slow. I don't know if those men down there are gone for good or not."

"That's okay, I have my gorgeous dagger-wielding tower girl to protect me." Rae grinned. "You will protect me, won't you? While I go out naked, trolling for sexual conquests without shame?" She laughed.

It was Shana's turn to give her a playful slap. "Now you are just being mean." She grinned.

"But you would protect me," Rae pressed, her grin mischievous. "Right?"

Of course, I would protect you. Just make sure you do it when I'm free. I do have my training during the day."

"Ah yes... Mysterious Tower Man who trains you," Rae rolled her eyes. "And just what exactly does he train you in? How to seduce unsuspecting tavern dancers?"

"Magic mostly," Shana said, her tone serious for the first time since they arrived in the room. "Though he does also help me with my weapon skills."

Rae stopped moving completely, a look of shock on her face. She clearly had not been expecting that. "Magic? Magic? You can do magic? Wait, you mean that not only are you gorgeous, a great dancer, good in a fight, and the first woman I've ever been with... but you can also do magic?"

Shaa gave a lazy shrug. "Guilty."

Rae threw her hands up. "Unbelievable. Absolutely unfair. Do you also sing like an angel and speak to animals?"

"Only in my free time."

Rae laughed, collapsing back beside her. "Gods help me. I've fallen for a magical sex goddess."

Shana grinned. "No attachments, remember?"

Rae poked her in the ribs. "Shut up." She rolled over and propped herself up on one elbow. "So, speaking of Tower Man. When do you have to go again?"

Shana leaned in and kissed her. "I'm free until morning. But I will have to leave early."

"How early?"

"I'll need to be back at the tower by the time the sun's up."

Rae frowned slightly. "So... you're leaving before dawn? That's not morning, that's still nighttime."

"Shana nodded sympathetically. "Just a little before. It's not fair, I know. But if I'm late, Dak'll make sure I feel it."

Rae rolled onto her back with a groan. "Gods. What about me? What if I want to feel it? You don't even look like someone who keeps that kind of schedule."

Shana smiled. "It's part of the illusion. I look like sin and sleep in, but I'm up before the birds, hauling water and training spells."

Rae stretched with a sleepy sigh. "You know, most people sneak out before dawn because they are ashamed. You're just trying to beat the sunrise to avoid getting a lecture."

"I left a note last time, remember?" Shana teased, nudging her. "You just didn't read it."

Rae snorted. "Yeah, yeah. "This time I'll actually read it. Maybe I'll frame it."

Shana snuggled in closer, her voice softer. "Don't worry, I won't vanish on you. Last night, we just never got a chance to talk about it. This time, you know what's going to happen. And you know I'll be back."

Rae rested her hand over Shana's, threading their fingers together. "Good. I'm getting used to this. Slowly, but it feels... worth getting used to."

Rae rested her head against Shana's shoulder, their fingers still laced together, breaths slowly falling into rhythm again. The earlier hunger between them had quieted into something steadier--like coals beneath ash, still glowing, still warm.

Shana closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the stillness, the softness, the peace of it. No gods, no spells, no sharpened edges. Just breath and skin and the hum of Rae's presence beside her.

Neither of them said a word. They didn't need to. Sleep came easily.

Visits with Rae became a nightly ritual over the following week. After her long days of training, Shana would head to town and spend the night wrapped in Rae's world--sometimes cloistered in their room, lost in each other's bodies until sleep finally pulled them apart. Other nights, they took to the streets, testing Rae's newfound freedom and shamelessness--flirting boldly in the tavern, dancing for no one's pleasure but their own, chasing kisses in alleyways and shadows.

But no matter what the night held, they always ended up tangled together in Rae's bed. And most mornings, Rae managed to wake just enough to press a kiss to Shana's lips as she slipped out into the early dark, off to reach the tower before the sun crested the trees.

-----------------

The scent of old parchment and candle wax filled the tower library--thick, familiar, and oddly comforting.

Shoshana sat cross-legged at the table, her fingers held just above the open book in front of her. The text shimmered faintly, shifting lines of arcane script that refused to sit still until her focus sharpened enough to pin them down.

Across from her, Dak watched with his usual steel-like gaze beneath frost--unblinking, unreadable, yet attentive to every flicker of hesitation.

"Again," he said.

Shoshana exhaled through her nose, steadying her breathing. Her fingers curled in the air as she began the sequence anew--drawing invisible sigils above the page while whispering the binding phrase under her breath. "Skriven haldor."

The letters began to still, if only for a moment. The spell had worked briefly. Dak's eyebrow twitched. "Sloppy."

Shoshana frowned. "It worked, though," she pleaded. "It was short, but you saw it. It worked."

"Barely. A shallow copy of a deeper truth is still a lie." He leaned back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. "If you want control, don't beg the magic to behave. Command it."

Shoshana's eyes darted up to meet his. Tired, yes--but also sharper than they'd been a week ago.

"I wasn't begging," she said calmly. "I was inviting."

Dak's lips twitched slightly. "Ah, you are learning." He leaned forward again. "Remember. This isn't just about teaching you Skriven's Dance, or how to decode this book. It's about helping to fine-tune your mind. Invite the magic to do your bidding. But keep your concentration. The deeper into magic we get, the more important concentration becomes. And it needs to become second nature to you. You need to be able to hold spells in place while your hands are full. While you are running, fighting, or bleeding. While you are lying."

That last word landed like a stone in still water. Dak let it linger.

"True magic isn't just casting in a quiet room with no distractions. It's holding a shield spell in one hand while writing a warding glyph in the other--and making it look effortless." The lessons here in the library are for learning the spells, yes. But you must always be training your mind," he chastised. "The rooftop and forest sessions are the real world. Where you are forced to do several things at once, in the beat of a heart, with no warning. Has that been easy on you?"

"No," she admitted. "No they have not."

"Then use your library sessions and your free time to continue training your mind. Get it where it needs to be, so that you are ready for the world," he said flatly. "Do you remember your breakthrough with your mental defenses? You didn't perfect that on the tower. You perfected that in your room, out on the streets, in this library."

Her mouth opened to respond, but her jaw simply dropped as she realized how right he was. She had perfected her mental defenses outside of the rooftop. In fact, not only that, but she had found the key to it outside of this tower. She had been so focused on pleasure lately that she had been neglecting her studies a little too much. She needed to find a good balance.

Shoshana looked down at the book again, the ink on the pages dancing around once more as she had long since stopped concentrating or casting magic on it.

"And if I can't?" she asked, not challenging, but curious.

"Then the spell unravels," Dak said matter-of-factly. "Or worse--it turns on you."

He stood then, walking to a nearby shelf, running a finger across a row of worn spines as if looking for something specific.

"Let's test your focus." His fingers stopped on a thick volume marked with an etched silver rune. He pulled it free from the shelf and dropped it onto the table with a heavy thump. It appeared to be some sort of practice tome--based on the illustrations on the cover.

Dak didn't sit back down. Instead, he stepped into the open area between the shelves and the table, rolling his shoulders like a man preparing for a sparring match.

"Stand up."

Shoshana rose from her chair, already smoothing her fingers against her shirt and feeling the shift in energy in the room. This was definitely new.

"We've been working with passive casting--incantations, controlled sigils, focused glyphwork." He gestured toward the books on the table. "But spells behave differently when the body is in motion. Or under pressure. Or in pain."

He gestured again, and the book opened on its own, flipping to a page already pulsing with a gentle energy. The air shimmered as glyphs lifted from the page as if they were alive.

"You're going to cast a sustained spell of fire and water--together--while moving through the room," he said. "Each of those,"-- he pointed to the glyphs that had come from the page, which had grown, and were now hovering around the room--"is a pressure node. Step through one, and it'll disrupt your spell, unless you maintain concentration."

Shoshana furrowed her brow. "You want me to... walk through those while casting and holding the spell?"

"No," Dak said with a smile. "I want you to dance." As he said this, the glyphs began to move around the room.

Shoshana blinked. "You're serious?"

"Have you ever known me not to be?" he said. "Skriven's Dance was named for a reason. The spell structure responds to rhythm--flow. If you move stiffly or fight the cadence, it breaks. This isn't just about magic--it's about how you move through magic. Magic, action, fighting, it's all a dance. And Skriven's Dance tries to teach you that. Because all of those things require concentration."

He stepped back, leaving her with the glowing glyphs. She glanced at him one more time. He simply nodded, "Begin."

Shoshana closed her eyes and took a deep breath, grounding herself. "Fire and water," she said to herself. Two opposing forces. She was no stranger to either spell on their own--but together, that was different. It would certainly require concentration. Holding them in tension while she moved through an ever-shifting pattern of magical interference? "Breath. Anchor the spells. You can do this. I am me."

She opened her eyes, palm raised--"Serthal arkanis," she whispered, and above her hand a sigil began to form, one drawn with fire and water. The water hissed and the fire cracked as they touched, but they drew the glyph all the same. It was a sigil she had seen at Nin's place. She didn't know what it meant, but she liked it.

Out of the corner of her eye, just beyond one of the glyphs, she thought she saw a hint of something in Dak's face, maybe surprise. He had not taught her that incantation. In all fairness, she was a little surprised it had worked on herself. She had never tried it before now. It was simply a combination of the two spells for water and fire, and she had pondered whether one could do that.

She tentatively stepped forward, trying to keep her concentration and hold her spell steady and firm in her hand. The glyphs were in constant motion around the room. "Don't just stand there," came Dak's voice. "Dance."

She sighed. She had to go. That was the exercise after all. She had waited long enough. She began to move around the room, still taking it slow, but she moved. The sigil of fire and water in her hand sparked and hissed, parts of it evaporating at times.

She closed her eyes and focused on bringing it back. "Come on," she chastised herself. "You can do this." When she opened her eyes, one of the glyphs was passing right through her, and her sigil was gone. "Gods!"

"Again," Dak said. "Concentrate."

Again, she spoke the incantation, and the sigil came back. She stepped back into the dance, determined to do better. This time, she aimed her feet toward the glyphs. She twisted and twirled and stepped right through one of them, or at least she tried. The glyph moved before she got there. Worse still, she had focused so hard on the glyph that her sigil had burned itself out.

"You are trying too hard. Let it flow. Let the magic flow through you, let it guide you."

She rolled her eyes as she conjured another sigil. "Dak and his damned riddles." The dance continued. Around and around the room she went, conjuring sigil after sigil. Soon, the sigil was flaring to life in her hands as she whispered the words almost instantly. Her concentration began to improve. It took an hour before she was able to make it through a single glyph without her spell breaking. It faltered, but it didn't break.

The glyphs seemed to notice, though, and a second one barreled toward her in her moment of triumph and quickly extinguished her spirits. She frowned at both the glyph and Dak for a moment before bringing it back and redoubling her efforts. It was only another half hour before she managed the second glyph.

When she managed the fourth glyph, they all stopped moving. She looked over at Dak, who had his hand raised. "Good. Very good," he said. "Now, do it again, and while doing that, unlock the book."

Shoshana just stared at him for a moment, in shock. Was he insane? But she knew he wasn't. That was what this was all leading toward, and she knew it. So, she held her sigil strong and danced her way over toward the table. The glyphs were moving around the room again, coming at her from all directions.

When she got to the table, Shoshana waited for two glyphs to pass through her, holding her concentration as strong as she could. Then with her free hand, she reached out toward the book, its ink still moving around in its own little dance.

"Skriven haldor," she whispered. Her sigil began to break as she shifted her concentration toward the book. The glyphs took notice. Several of them began to move toward her. The ink on the pages though, started to move in a more uniform way and began to take shape. Words began to form as she held her hand firmly above the book.

She saw the glyphs coming for her, and her sigil was waning fast. She wanted to focus on it, to bring it back to full power, but she worried that if she did, the book would stop unlocking. Then she remembered Dak's words. "It's about how you move through magic." She had an idea. She focused her thoughts on her sigil for a moment and whispered the incantation, not once, but four times. Not only did her sigil spring back to life strong and viral. But it duplicated itself until there were four of them. A wicked grin cast across her lips, she flicked her wrist, and the sigils went floating out into the room. The glyphs followed.

She turned back to the book and, with both hands, focused all her energy on it, as the ink finally settled into its rightful place.

The glyphs vanished, leaving her fire and water spells untouched. The book they came from closed on the table, and Dak walked back to the table, a smile on his face. "That," he said," was impressive. He gestured toward her spells, and they all came to him, combining into one in his hand. "Where did you learn that incantation?"

Shoshana blushed a little. "I... I didn't. I was thinking about it the other day, and wondered if I could combine spells like that. By just taking the incantations and combining the words. I hadn't tried it yet, but when you said you wanted me to use both fire and water. Well, this seemed like a good time to do it." She looked up at him. "I figured, the point of the lesson was concentration and speed. And if I combined the spells, then I only had to concentrate on one spell, instead of two. Isn't that the whole point?"

He passed the spell over to her, letting it float in the air. At first, his face showed no emotion as usual, but then he began to smile. "You may call me Dak. My whole name is Dak Helranth."

Shoshana sat there stunned. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but this was not it. She let her spell extinguish. She had been here training with him for over a year now, and since the very first day, he had made it clear that he was to be called 'Master' and nothing else, until she earned the right to call him by his name.

"I can see you were not expecting that," he said as he watched her face. "In all my years, and trust me when I tell you, there are a lot of them, I have trained many, many people to use magic." He leaned forward, still smiling, his hands on the table. "You, Shoshana Leafspire, are the only one who has ever figured that out."

"Magic is not just a set of rules. Something you can learn from a book. It is a living, breathing thing. It is an art. And as such, it can be created. There is no end to magic. It is not possible to know everything about magic, because at any point, someone like you can create an entirely new spell, something that has never before existed."

Shoshana didn't know what to say or how to react. Was he saying that she had just invented a spell? Did she just do something no one else had ever done? That couldn't be... right?

"Now, Shoshana, I can teach you more. Now, I can tell you more." He said with a grin. She had never seen so much emotion from him before. It was as if he were a whole new person. Like she had not only unlocked the book, but somehow unlocked him as well. "There are things I've never shared with any other student. Things I've kept from you during our lessons. But now, you can know. The only thing I will keep from you now is things that are simply too advanced for you, but I will still tell you about them. Ask anything you wish."

There were so many questions she had wanted to ask, for so long. She wasn't sure what to ask first. But before she could get her brain to organize things properly, her lips were already moving. "How old are you?"

Dak threw his head back and laughed. It was a deep laugh, unlike any Shoshana had ever heard before. "An interesting first question for sure. But not without cause. I'm sure you've wondered that more than a few times." He looked her straight in the eye, that far-away look that he had coming back. "In all honesty, I do not know. I've lost track. But somewhere around three thousand years."

Shoshana gasped. She knew he was old--older than he seemed even--but she never would have guessed he was that old. "How... why... what?"

"Magic always has a price," Dak quoted. "That is a very strong warning. In fact, it's my warning. I wrote that book. A very, very long time ago, I was a young, ambitious mage. Trying to curry favor with the gods and any other primordial being I could find. I was greedy, and I wanted more power." Dak's face took on a sorrowful look. One filled with regret.

"I got what I wanted, but the price it took was more than I bargained for. It drove me mad. A lot of people, my friends and family included, lost their lives. When I broke--and I broke hard--I begged for forgiveness. But I received none. So, I set out to take my own forgiveness. I created a spell. A massive one. It was going to rip the magic out of me, and restore life to all those who had been lost."

"Just as I was about to cast the spell, Isharael--the god of vengeance and mercy--stepped in to stop me. The gods had decided to show me mercy. The fact that I was willing to go to such lengths on my own to right my wrongs stirred them. Isharael convinced them I still needed to pay for my crimes. A compromise was reached. All the lives lost were restored, though I had been banished from their minds. And I was cursed with immortality. My loved ones did not know me, and I would have to watch them, and their kin live and die as I lived on."

He must have seen a hint of sadness on Shoshana's face as he continued. "It was a curse well earned. And I have long since made peace with it. And to make amends for my past, I committed my life from that moment forward to ensuring that no one else would ever make the same mistakes. I taught people about magic, especially the perils of it. I fought against those who went down the wrong path. I wrote books."

Shoshana looked at him with wonder. "So," she began, trying to figure out how to word her question. "Do you just not age? Cause you don't look three thousand years old." She paused for a second. "Sometimes I notice something in your eyes. Something that has this kind of ageless look. But that's it."

Dak shrugged dismissively. "No, for the most part, I do not age."

"I know you said you have made peace with it all. But it must get lonely at times," Shoshana said, her instincts subtly shifting toward a gentler sort of seduction--less flirtation, more connection.

Dak didn't answer right away.

"It's hard for me to get attached to anyone, even momentarily. Knowing they'll just... vanish. One blink of my eye, and they're gone. I've seen so many people come and go, I don't even notice anymore." He looked into the distance for a moment, as if remembering someone. "But like I said, I've made peace with it, and I know my place now." He looked down at the book on the table. He waved his hand over it, and the words began to melt into jumbled ink, as the page erupted in a dance once more."You did very well today, and I am proud of you. This is the first time in a long time that I feel like I can be myself around someone. It's nice to feel comfortable again."

A smile crept across her face. Being able to call him by name, and not master, was a welcome change. Though she couldn't help but think that in some of her dreams, master still had its appeal. But that was for another time. She felt like she had a breakthrough today on the seduction front, so perhaps that would be coming sooner than she had thought. For now, Shana was happy to feel more comfortable in the tower.

"Well Mas--Dak... sorry, it might take me a minute to get used to that. If we are going to be comfortable, then I would like it if you called me Shana, if you are okay with that."

Dak nodded. "Shana it is then." His face began to slide back into his normal stoic trainer look, emotionless and unreadable. "This was a huge breakthrough today, so let's finish here. You are free for the rest of the day." With that, he stood and made his way to the stairs as the room began to transform back to its original state.

A half hour later, the tower door closes behind her with a familiar thunk, sealing off the echo of ancient stone and dancing ink for the night. Outside, the air felt different. Not colder, not warmer--just different. Like something had shifted.

Shana pulled her cloak around her shoulders and began walking down the road, heading into town. The late afternoon sun made the cobbles of the road look almost golden. Normally, she would savor this walk. Let the sounds of birds and wind calm her mind after a lesson. Let the anticipation of what was about to happen get her body amped up.

But today, her thoughts were heavy. "Three thousand years."

She was still having trouble wrapping her head around it. Dak--Dak Helranth--was older than most kingdoms. Older than most stories. For that matter, he was older than many people believed the world itself to be. And yet, she'd stood across from him, danced through magical glyphs under his watchful tutelage, trained with him. Made him smile and feel again.

She didn't know what that meant exactly, but it stirred something in her chest. Not love--that was for sure, that was not her way. But a strange kind of connection. Respect, maybe. Fascination. Or perhaps something deeper, something she wasn't ready to name yet.

And then there was what he said about magic--about creating it.

"No one else had ever figured that out," he'd said. And she believed him. Dak wasn't one for flattery.

That spell she created--it wasn't just clever. It was hers. A spark of something original. And it worked.

Her steps quickened.

The wandering Dagger came into view. The buzz of conversation drifted through cracked windows, accompanied by the faint thrum of a drum and a few half-drunk voices already attempting a song.

She smiled.

If Dak had been her breakthrough today, perhaps Rae was going to be her reward.

As she pushed the tavern door open, the scent of spiced ale, roasted meat, and the unmistakable musk of sweat and laughter hit her like a wave. It was like an invitation.

She stepped inside and glanced around, scanning for a flash of dark hair, a sway of hips, or a teasing grin from across the room.

Her eyes lit up when she saw a familiar brown head of hair at the bar. Nin was smiling ear to ear as she waved over to Shana.

Shana was so excited she didn't even see Rae as she sauntered toward her, drinks in hand. It had been almost two weeks since she had last seen Nin, and she hadn't known when she would come back. But all the world seemed to stand still for a moment.

"I've been waiting for you, gorgeous," Rae said as she held a drink in front of Shana, snapping her out of a daze. "You okay? You look like you've had a day."

Shana turned, reluctantly at first, not wanting to take her eyes from Nin, and took the drink. "Rae, baby," she smiled. "I have someone you have to meet!" She wrapped an arm around Rae's waist and started guiding her through the crowd, practically gliding across the floor. "You remember I told you there were others? Other followers of Aaos, and others I shared my bed with?"

"Of course," Rae purred. "You don't exactly forget when someone like you mentions another person is going to occupy their bed, darling. Free love or not."

"Don't be like that. You're going to love her." Shana brought them to a stop right in front of Nin. She gestured toward Nin, but before she could open her mouth to make the introductions, Nin spoke up.

"Rae? You and Shana know each other?"

Rae turned to Shana. "Wait," she said with a giggle. "Nin? Nin is who you were talking about?"

"So... I take it you two already know each other?" Shana asked.

Nin looked down at Shana's hand around Rae's waist and gave Shana a sly grin. "Not as well as you do, apparently." She looked up at Rae. "I had no idea, I'd have gone after you years ago if I'd have known."

Rae gave a nervous laugh. "I didn't know either. Shana kinda helped me figure it out. She's sort of teaching me, I guess. Though she says I'm a natural."

It was Shana's turn to give a smile and a wink. "Oh, she's a natural alright. She may not have known, but gods, was she born to be with women. And," she winked again. "She's a fledgling follower of Aaos now as well."

Nin's eyes lit up with that. "Is that right? Well," she leaned in and gave Shana a kiss, then leaned over to Rae and did the same. "Then maybe we'll have to give her a proper welcoming ritual." She leaned back and gave a laugh, before waving at the barkeep and ordering three rounds. "We've got some catching up to do."

As the barkeep slid three mugs of something strong and amber across the bar, Shana leaned in, curiosity lighting up her face. "Okay, now I need to know--how do you two know each other?"

Nin raised an eyebrow, sipped her drink, and looked toward Rae. "You want to tell her, or me?"

Rae blushed and shook her head, taking a sip. Nin took that as permission to tell the story herself.

"It's a small town. People bump into each other. Especially when someone sticks their hands in their velvet pouch."

Rae snorted into her mug. "Nin!" she laughed. "Seriously, do you have to say it like that?"

Nin grinned. "What? You were trying to steal my coins, and my pouch is made of velvet," she said with mock innocence.

Shana just stared at the two of them, shock on her face. She didn't know who to look at, or what to think.

"Still..." Rae said, blood rushing to her face.

"Oh, relax, it was a long time ago."

"Wait," Shana said, snapping out of her shock. "You two met when she," she nodded toward Rae, "was trying to rob you?"

Nin shrugged. "She thought she was clever. Slipped her fingers in my pouch when I was pretending to be passed out drunk in that chair by the hearth."

"In my defence," Rae said, trying to ignore the innuendo, "you looked very unconscious."

"I was watching you through my lashes," Nin said proudly. "And I let you take it. Just to see if you were brave or stupid."

"Turns out," Rae said with a grin, "a little of both."

Shana looked between them, utterly delighted. "So that's how you met?"

"Oh no," Rae said. "That's just when she noticed me. I'd been watching her for months. Everyone in this place knew about Nin. I just... didn't realize she saw me too."

"Until your hand was in my velvet pouch," Nin said, winking.

Rae groaned. "Will you please stop saying it like that?"

Shana burst out laughing, nearly spilling her drink. "No, no, please keep saying it like that."

Nin leaned against the bar, elbow brushing Rae's. "She was just a skinny thing back then. Still running around with that crew that brought her to town. I told her she had good hands, though."

"They were thieves," Rae said, more softly. "I didn't really want to be a part of what they were doing. But at the time, I didn't have a lot of choices."

Shana touched her back gently, voice low. "But you did make a choice. You chose to get out. And that matters."

Nin raised her mug. "To choosing something else."

Shana lifted hers as well. "To Rae's hands. May they always find velvet pouches that consent to their presence."

They all burst out laughing, the warmth of the moment lingering like a fire between them.

Shana set down her mug and turned to Rae, her hand sliding gently along her lover's legs toward her waist. Then she leaned in and kissed her. Slowly, deep, savoring the taste of honeyed ale and something uniquely Rae.

When she pulled back, Rae's breath caught slightly, her eyes half lidded with desire.

"I hope you don't mind, love," she whispered. "But I'm going to dance with Nin first. It's been too long since I've felt her move with me."

Rae gave her a lopsided smile. "Just don't forget who brought you your drink."

Shana winked. "Oh, I never forget who feeds me, darling."

Then she turned, taking Nin's hand, and pulled her toward the dance floor near the hearth where the tavern bard had just shifted into a darker, sultrier rhythm. Nin followed with that same knowing grin she always wore--half invitation, half challenge.

The moment they reached the floor, Shana melted into Nin's body like they were born to be together. Hips pressed, thighs slid against one another, and hands roamed as they began to move with the beat. The crowd gave them space--as they always seemed to--watching them with wide eyes as the two women danced not for anyone else, but with each other. They were drunk on memories and heat.

Shana twirled under Nin's arm. Nin caught her from behind, grinding their bodies together as her hands roamed the curve of Shana's hips. Their movements were slow, suggestive, and unapologetically sensual.

Rae watched from the bar, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth, eyes wide with a look of awe and envy. She looked like she didn't know whether to fan herself or join. She had never been on the outside looking in on dancing like this. She was usually the one doing the dancing.

After a particularly intimate spin, Shana caught Rae's eye and beckoned her with one crooked finger.

When Rae hesitated, Shana leaned in to whisper something in Nin's ear. "You and Rae have never danced, have you?

Nin turned with a grin. "No. Until tonight, I never knew she had any interest in women."

"Well, tonight's the night then." Shana gave her a playful shove in Rae's direction.

Rae nearly dropped her mug as Nin approached--slow and swaying, like a cat closing in on its target. "Care to show me what these good hands of yours can do on the floor?" Nin asked, offering a hand."

"I, uh..." Rae stammered, then laughed and took it. "Why do I feel like I just got volunteered for something dangerous?"

"You did," Shana called, laughing as she leaned against the bar, grabbed her drink, and took a sip.

Nin pulled Rae close and immediately set the rhythm--hips rolling, fingers brushing the underside of Rae's jaw, lips whispering things the music masked. Rae flushed deep red at first, but soon her instincts took over. She leaned into Nin, hands sliding down her back, their bodies syncing until the line between their movements blurred entirely.

The crowd gasped as they watched as what was a dance, began to look more like sex on the dance floor. Their movements became lewd.

Soon, Shana sauntered over to them, hips swaying as she made her way onto the floor. "Room for one more?" she purred as she slipped between them.

Nin's hands found her waist immediately. Rae pressed against her back, lips brushing her ear.

"There's always room for you," Nin whispered.

"Now this is the kind of worship I could get used to."

The three of them moved as one--hands roaming freely, lips finding shoulders and necks, moans swallowed into kisses. The music was slow, with a pulsing beat, and they danced as if they shared a secret, their movements scandalous enough that the crowd had grown completely silent. People had stopped drinking, leaning forward on the edges of their seats, waiting--barely breathing--to see how far the three of them would go.

Their bodies tangled with practiced ease and growing hunger, the dance becoming less about the music and more about the building heat between them. It was a living sermon of Aaos, worship in the flesh, happening right there before unknowing eyes.

The music slowed, dipping into a final, lingering note that pulsed like a heartbeat.

Shana leaned into Nin, her lips brushing against the curve of her jaw. Rae pressed close to her back, hands sliding around to rest on her hips, her breath warm against Shana's neck.

The three of them stilled, bodies still entwined, a collective sigh escaping them like they all just surfaced from underwater.

Nin was the first to speak, her voice rough with want. "I think we've sufficiently scandalized the bar for one evening."

"Not sure they'll recover," Rae said, glancing over her shoulder at the crowd. A few patrons had raised their mugs in silent cheers. Others were still staring, flushed and wide-eyed.

Shana smirked. "Good. Let them dream. Let them imagine what we are going to do."

Rae turned her head and brushed a soft kiss across Shana's cheek. "What we are going to do, huh? Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

Nin grinned. "I think she is."

Shana flashed a wicked smile. "Let's move this party upstairs and let the tavern imagine the show."

Nin and Rae both laughed. Nin turned to Rae, and then back to Shana. "Look who thinks she's in charge now."

Shana laughed softly. They pulled apart slowly, reluctantly, but they each held a hand, forming a link of three as they headed toward the stairs, Rae in the lead. The crowd parted for them again, whispers trailing behind them like ripples in their wake.

Up the stairs they climbed. The tavern stayed reasonably quiet as they left, the stunned crowd unable to shake themselves back to normal just yet.

The door to Rae's room creaked open. It was dim and cozy inside. Familiar to Shana at this point, but new to Nin. A single lantern was lit, casting its soft glow across the rumpled sheets, a testament to the passions Shana and Rae had already shared. A cracked window let in the night breeze, stirring the air with passion.

Shana stepped in first, her heart beating just a little faster as she felt the heat of both women at her back. She turned to face them both, eyes smoldering. Nin was the next to step in, taking a look around.

Finally, there was a click as Rae shut the door behind her. That single sound echoed like a match being struck--and in that moment, three pairs of eyes caught fire.

The night was theirs, and it was only just beginning.