Page 82 of Stitches
“I’ll admit I often wondered if you sleep,” Levi said.
“I don’t need to, but I enjoy it. Settling one’s mind can be quite the relief.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Levi snuggled closer, the full line of his body pressing up against Ashmedai, which somehow felt more scandalous with thin silk between them than when they’d previously lain here naked. “We don’t have to settle immediately though… do we?”
“Did I not wear you out enough before?” Ashmedai laughed in surprise.
“A reminder wouldn’t be remiss.” With violet eyes darkening, Levi leaned in and kissed Ashmedai heatedly.
It was still strange getting used to the lack of stitches. Ashmedai almost missed them, but although kissing Levi felt different than it once had, he never wanted to kiss anyone else again.
He rolled and pulled Levi to him, giving in to the eager touches and deep probing of Levi’s tongue. The silk contoured to them both and made the slide of their bodies softer. Ashmedai could already feel Levi hardening from the briefest thrusting of their hips.
Ashmedai was not, however. He didn’t think it had anything to do with lack of desire for the young man clinging to him. It must have simply been too difficult a night.
Levi twisted the silk of Ashmedai’s nightshirt, gathering it upward toreach between his legs, and Ashmedai hated that he had to stop him.
“I’m sorry. I can’t. I think my mind is too occupied with all that’s happened.”
The disappointment was plain on Levi’s face, but he nodded with a shuddery breath. “I understand. Being in your bed is prize enough. And after all, we have an eternity to be together.”
“Indeed, we do, and despite everything else,” Ashmedai said, still holding Levi close, as he shut his eyes for sleep, “that truly makes me glad.”
“The barrier’s gone?”
“Brax is dead?”
“How did this happen?”
The slew of questions from the citizens fed off one another until the grand hall was utter pandemonium with the overlapping of another question and then another. Ashmedai couldn’t blame them. He still barely believed it had all happened either.
This council meeting was more packed than any before it, for attendance had not been optional. Ashmedai felt a bit bad waking everyone before dawn when several of the people were clearly hungover from the festivities, but it couldn’t be helped. He didn’t know whatdaywould bring when so much had changed.
Since the hall was filled to bursting, the doors had been left open to keep the room from becoming too stifling. Ashmedai let the people’s questions continue for a time, but then he stood to grab their attention and hushed them. All would be explained—and explain he did, with Levi standing where Braxton’s chair would have been and filling in whatAshmedai couldn’t answer as if part of Braxton lived on.
Because the change was minimal within the barrier, the curse having been altered rather than eradicated, the belief was that adult citizens would continue to be unaging, but beyond that, much could be different if they wished it. There was confusion, skepticism, and awe, but eventually the truth hit home for everyone, and talk turned to what to do next.
Yentriss demanded patrols, especially after learning of the highwaymen. They couldn’t simply venture outside their borders without taking precautions. Levi had spoken of distrust among the other kingdoms of magic and elves, so Ashmedai agreed patrols and vigilance were necessary, since there was no way to know how outsiders might react to them, even if they would look “normal” upon leaving their lands.
“From our tests, it seems anyone can take on their former self if they choose, even now, here, while still within the barrier. Levi and I did so and were able to change back, so the choice is yours.”
That brought a fresh hush upon the crowd, many looking around as if wondering who might try it first.
No one did.
“Can I have wings?” a small voice asked.
Kenner waved from where he sat in his father’s lap.
“I don’t think it works that way, Kenner,” Ashmedai said. “You can look as you would have should your parents have had you when they were, um….” He looked to Yentriss beside him because he didn’t remember anymore what she and Grillo were.
“An elf,” Yentriss said, with a fondness rarely heard from her.
“Human,” Grillo called in kind.
“Then you might look a bit like Levi,” Ashmedai said to Kenner, “just not blue.”
Kenner had seemed intrigued when Ashmedai first said Levi’s name,but those final words made him grimace, like not being blue made the whole thing far less appealing.
