Page 70 of Vows of Sacrifice

I paused to examine her carefully. She had tied her hair up in such a way as to tuck it under a bard’s hat. A hat far too big for her head. I flicked the brim, the one above her forehead, to better appreciate the features of her face. Ashana plunged her gaze into mine without blinking as I stared at her perhaps a little too harshly. I wasn’t really mad anymore, but I didn’t want her to realize it. The more she thought I was still angry, the more she’d avoid putting herself in such a dangerous situation in the future.

It was her curiosity about the creatures of the Abyss that prompted her to behave so recklessly, and that was my fault. When I had mentioned them, I had remained evasive, thinking that, as long as it wasn’t useful for her to know more, ignorance had a blessed side.

I certainly didn’t know my wife well, and I’d just learned my lesson. After a long sigh, I pulled her towards me to let her know that we had to resume our walk to Vulcan, who was waiting for us with exemplary patience. As we did so, I told her what I knew about these creatures, the Abyss, and the mysteries that surrounded them.

Ashana listened to me without asking a single question. When she did, I had unfortunately put my hands on her buttocks to help her onto my horse’s rump, and my mind forgot everything except the pleasant aspect of this contact. My mouth went dry, and I could feel my blood migrating to a specific part of my being.

“Dovah?” she called out to me once we were settled on Vulcan.

I looked up at her with eyes probably glistening with lust, although I hoped that wasn’t the case.

“Yes?”

The range of my voice was much lower than usual. I lowered my eyes to my spread fingers while still feeling the sensation of her buttocks pressed against my palms.

“Why don’t these monsters come to my country?”

It was an excellent question that deserved an answer. What was it about Muvaria that didn’t attract the creatures of the Abyss, even though they were so prevalent on other continents?

“I will ask Paivrin to look into the matter. In fact, we’ll be leaving for Gulan as soon as the ceremony is over.”

“Oh.”

The tone of her voice caught my attention.

“Would you prefer us to stay in Tarnton?”

“No, no, no,” Ashana hastened to reply.

I loved feeling her body pressed against mine.

“We could also see your family sometime, once the post-war tensions have settled down a little,” I announced, tormented by the imperious need to please her.

I wasn’t usually this kind of lover, and even Nadrisse had complained about me and my lack of desire to please her. To make her happy. Ashana really did have a strange influence on my character. It was with relief that I welcomed the huge towers of Baal Castle into my field of vision. I felt a little too acutely that my wife’s breasts were pressed against my back with each supple movement of Vulcan.

“I’d be delighted, thank you!”

Her intonation vibrated with ill-contained emotion, and I immediately felt a smile full of tenderness tugging at the corner of my lips.

* * *

“Massim, after you’ve taken care of Vulcan, could you ask some of the servants to prepare a bath for me, please?”

“Of course, Lord Dovah.”

The young Muvarian was the only page by whom my stallion agreed to be pampered. It was a real time-saver for me to finally be able to entrust him to a third party.

Once on the ground, I helped Ashana down from my horse. She made a clumsy movement that forced me to catch her in my arms. I let out a muffled grunt.

“Ah! I’m sorr . . .”

She didn’t finish her sentence. My gaze locked on hers while my body made a point of communicating the delicious tension it felt from holding her like that. I wanted to kiss her. Ashana must have read my intention through the open windows of my soul, for she gently closed her eyes in agreement. Slowly, with a precaution whose only purpose was to help me contain the passion my wife inspired in me, I closed the small distance between our mouths.

Her soft lips trembled a little at the rougher contact of mine. Perhaps my growing beard embarrassed her or was unpleasant; I suddenly wondered if I should keep it clean-shaven . . .

I hadn’t had anything but a chaste kiss in mind, but a sudden impulse animated me to burn my blood in the network of my veins, especially when I felt her mouth mold to mine. My tongue traced its own path through the gap of her lips to find hers. It curled there with passionate enthusiasm and Ashana moaned. The sound set me ablaze entirely.

Someone coughed. This was enough for my wife to signal that she wished to pull away from me. I turned my head sharply to Massim, who blushed with embarrassment. Did I seem so angry at being interrupted? Quite possibly.

---