Since it's fairly late now and most villagers are busy intensively working on rather important projects, the streets are pretty much empty. Even those who didn't receive the blessings seem to have been swept in the mood, judging by the few shadows in windows lit up by candles, or the more fancy light crystals.
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about causing this whole thing, but I guess I should be decently used to most situations spiralling into something rather amorous.
Nevertheless, with pretty much no witnesses around, I take a peek at Codae, who is following me by my side, walking just a little bit behind as I tug at the black belt poking out of the bottom end of her chest armour. Her fierce cheeks sport a rosy flush, but how her sharp canines pierce into her bottom lip conveys how much she enjoys it.
For a moment there, I regret not taking my mother up on her offer, but then, an idea pops into my head.
I let go of the sexy harness my kinky chieftess is wearing underneath her attire, which elicits an almost inaudible whine from the gorgeous female. She doesn't stop moving, though, perhaps assuming no one has heard her dissatisfaction. So, it surprises her a little when I stop instead and she turns to glance at me in slight confusion.
Smiling mysteriously, I interlock my fingers and stretch them forward with a faint crack. As my palms return to face me, they separate and move in opposite directions. A purplish glow accompanies them as I invoke Voidal Bondage and create a thin link inside the gap. Codae's eyes widen as it takes form, her tail starting to wag noticeably faster.
"I… I don't think now is the time…" She chickens out a tad, looking away shyly, but her furry features don't want to go along with her indecision.
"And I think there won't be a better time than the present." I grin at her and hold one end of the violet leather-like strap up to her chest.
My brow rises questioningly as her eyes dart from the side to the belt repeatedly. The gesture is meant to give her a choice, allowing the proud raccoon lady to withdraw without any repercussions, but judging by the sweet scent wafting off her, the decision seems obvious.
With one last scan of our surroundings, Codae sighs unevenly and brings her chin up, biting into her bottom lip even stronger. Smiling broadly at her courage and perhaps eagerness to explore her own tastes, I lean in to offer those charming lips of hers a chaste kiss, brushing our mouths together. She hums and closes her eyes while I attach the link to her collar.
Her face tries to follow mine as I draw back and Codae's eyelashes flutter open, her blush deepening once more. It reaches another level when she looks down and finds a glowing purple strap extending from my hand to her neck. By this point, her striped tail is trying to create a typhoon behind her supple butt.
"Goddess, I can't believe I'm doing this…" she whispers and glances up at me again. "Should we get going… sir?"
I have a feeling she wanted to add 'before anyone sees us' back there, but it appears that her more needy side is winning the battle.
Giving a little tug on the leash, I send a jolt of what has to be pleasure through Codae's body, forcing her to cover her mouth as the first signs of a moan try to escape it. She's as red as she can get now, making me chuckle lightly. But, I don't intend to tease or embarrass my beautiful mate any longer, gracing her blushing cheek with a small peck before turning around.
"Make sure to keep up or I'll have to make you," I say, emphasising the last two words.
Even without looking, I can tell it has brought a shudder out of her. A good one.
For a moment, we continue like nothing happened, but after about a minute or two, the connection grows tense to the point that the strap is almost starting to straighten out. Taking a peek over my shoulder, I find the strong chieftess escaping my gaze, following me a bit further than before.
Her intentions are clear, so I act on them right away.
Turning to the front again, I pull the stunning slowpoke to me. A gasp escapes Codae's lips as she catches up, evening out with my side. She doesn't apologise, and I don't expect her to. In the end, I have a feeling this won't be the last time.
And I'm completely right.
Every now and then, the leashed Beastkin woman acts distracted, which results in either a stronger pull or a clean yank to me, depending on the mood. My mood, since she's left everything in my hands. Literally. This makes our journey back even slower than expected, so I come up with another slight alteration to it.
Bringing the chieftess flush with my side, I tug at the strap enough to bring her face to mine, her eyes skipping to my lips as she tries to focus on my mischievous gaze.
"You know, you aren't restricted only to following your master." I grin at her. "Feel free to lead the way too. I'll be in your care, my trusty companion."
As my palm lands on her firm ass, she lets out a quiet yelp and skips ahead. Giving me one last glance over her shoulder, she moves on. I didn't exactly ask for it, but Codae seems to have interpreted my order in a certain way, sauntering forward with a clearly sensual sway to her bubbly butt. Her tail seems to swing in a wider arc, spending less time covering that juicy rump.
Well, you don't look a gifted horse in the mouth, do you?
Another gasp reaches my ears as I catch up and sink my fingers into one of those alluring buns. To her credit, Codae doesn't react much besides that little jolt, pushing herself more into my hand as she walks. With one more smack, just a gentle pat, I send her ahead, and so we continue our game, changing between her offering me the admirable view of her back and being towed by the leash.
But, nothing nice lasts forever, and as we reach the vicinity of Ayumi's house, I yank her to me one last time before unclipping the magical strap. "I'm not going to embarrass you in front of your friend. Hopefully, you enjoyed this little walk."
She gazes at the disappearing binding a bit longingly, then pulls me in for a loving kiss. "Thank you."
"You are welcome." I stroke her hair affectionately. "Now, let's get in. They are definitely waiting for us."
"Considering my luck, Ayumi might have already seen us through a window." Codae shudders. "She's never going to stop teasing me about it if so."
"Let me know and I'll handle it." I wink at her. "I might be inexperienced, but it's time I started working on that legendary son's charm. She won't disagree with anything I ask for."
That draws a pretty laugh out of the blushing chieftess. "If you ever need tips, meet me. I've been quite the needy girl during my youth."
"I don't see how that has changed." I smirk and Codae clears her throat, getting all red again.
"I knew I heard your voice!" Another person joins in, making her jump.
We turn to my mom standing in the entrance with a warm smile.
"What are you two up to just standing there?" She tilts her head with clear intrigue.
"Nothing!" My flustered mate denies all accountability and charges right in. "Man, I'm starved! I could eat a whole Tricorn! What smells so nice?"
Ayumi snickers as the chieftess disappears inside the cottage and meets my eyes with a cheeky grin.
Oh, she knows.
Thankfully, she doesn't seem intent on touching on that subject and I follow her inside. We join everyone in the kitchen, which includes Codae, Noah, and Sirgia. My short lover is standing on a stool while tending to some kind of broth. Receiving a sweet nod in greeting, I return it as I should, walking closer to rest a hand on the small of her back.
"Already trying to win the heart of your in-laws with your cooking?" I ask playfully.
Sirgia giggles quietly. "No, Master. I'm just helping. Today's dinner is all your mom's work. I wouldn't steal the opportunity to cook for you from her."
"I want to try Sis' food!" Noah chimes in joyfully.
"You will. Don't worry." Ayumi placates him with a few pats. "Let Mommy have this one. We'll see about tomorrow."
She switches with Sirgia and gestures at us to huddle up around the table. Everyone has a deep plate in front of them, alongside a variety of cutlery. We don't have to wait long before our cook brings the pot to the middle and uses a ladle to offer us an equal share of the golden liquid with lots of meat and eggs.
Well, I say equal, but I'm beginning to notice the difference between my portion and the others. Directing a curious glance Mom's way, I receive an innocent look that doesn't even try to be genuine.
If Sirgia notices it too, she doesn't say anything, and Codae is way too embarrassed to pay attention, throwing herself at the soup right away. Shaking my head, I take the ladle from Ayumi's hands and pour her one too like a proper son should. She graces me with a smile full of affection and accepts her share.
We eat in silence, broken only by random bits of trivia from the day coming from Noah. It often relates to the toys he has received from Sirgia and how his friends reacted. He is quickly becoming the popular kid around the block. At least until my genius mate distributes some more of her creations with the other children to keep it somewhat fair.
I'm sure she wouldn't want him to be ostracised for being the only one having the best toys in the neighbourhood.
Anyway, we enjoy both the pleasant atmosphere and the tasty food. Sirgia clearly takes mental notes from this meal full of wild ingredients mixed with some village-grown bits. Her creative mind never stops absorbing new knowledge and options to be used later.
Or, she simply wants to memorise it so she can then recreate my mother's cooking for me as a small taste of home after we move on. I wouldn't put that past her. This little minx is always looking for ways to look after me.
Needless to say, we stuff ourselves almost to bursting. I was taught never to waste food, but boy was it hard with so much of it before me. Ayumi went all out on this meal. I could feel the love she put into the dish. Judging by how semi-comatose Noah is, this certainly isn't a common thing.
Mom nudges him with her elbow to rouse the sleepy brat. "You are still at the table, young man. Have some manners. Besides, no sleeping before bath. Get yourself ready."
"Already?" He groans loudly.
"It's fairly late. And we have a lot of people with us today, so it will take time to take turns. You'll go first and then straight to bed. No arguing." She levels him with a light squint.
"Ugh… Can't we go to the stream instead? We could all bathe at the same time that way…" Noah complains.
"Actually, I think we can," I join before Ayumi can reply.
That brings her squinted gaze to me and I offer a placating smile, raising my hands in a peaceful gesture while letting out a faint chuckle. It's never a good thing to undermine a mother's authority in situations like these.
"Bathe at the same time, I mean," I clarify quickly. "You offered us dinner, so let us host you for the night in return. There's more than enough space."
"Hell yes!" My little brother throws his fist into the air. "I want to use Big Bro's baths! Please, Mom, can we use the baths in his mansion?"
Ayumi blinks at both of us in a stupor, clearly still not in on the secret. She must have not heard anything from the villagers who witnessed Ianthe coming out. Since the attack was stopped fairly quickly and effectively, she also did not need to hide inside the suitcase as instructed by Sirgia.
"I think that's a good idea," my lover adds. "Everything should be prepared too since they are used regularly."
"Honestly, I've been really curious about this whole thing too." Even Codae shares her thoughts, remembering what she has witnessed.
Outnumbered like that, Mom has no idea how to react, making me snicker. "Let's clean up here and we'll show you. It will be way easier than trying to explain."
Not seeing any way out of it, she agrees to go along, still somewhat wondering if we are all playing a joke on her. But, Noah's excitement is too honest for that to be true and I know she knows it deep down. Kids can fake being angry, sad, or offended easily, but doing the same with pure joy comes out way more awkward and artificial.
Therefore, everyone helps with the cleaning, finishing it in a flash. Then, we move to Noah's room while he runs around us in circles, laughing all the time. The suitcase is already waiting for us atop his bed, gently pressing into the sheets and showing its size and weight.
"Last one is a rotten egg!" he shouts and sprints ahead.
"Noah, wait, don't be ru—" Ayumi tries to chastise him as he lifts the lid, but she freezes when he grabs the open edge and hoists himself over it as if he is jumping over a fence, plunging into its depths with echoing laughter.
All the fur on her body stands at attention as she looks at the chasm that has unexpectedly taken her son. However, before she can launch herself after him to investigate, the little shit pops out of the suitcase up to his shoulders, making her shiver in shock.
"What are you waiting for?" Noah waves at us eagerly. "I'm going to go ahead if you don't come!"
With more giggling, he disappears again. From the way his laughter reaches us in waves, he must already be rushing down the spiral stairs.
Sirgia goes next, entering the suitcase more gracefully. She offers us a nod before chasing after Noah. Codae examines the entrance briefly before stepping inside a little awkwardly. For a good measure, she hops up and down a few times while standing inside, throwing me an intrigued glance. Spotting the descent, she follows the duo.
I rest a hand on Mom's shoulder. "We should go too. Don't worry, I'll be with you the entire time."
"What if it closes?" Ayumi asks a tad nervously.
"There's no lock. At least not a physical one. We just have to push the lid up," I answer.
"What if it falls over?" she inquires further.
"I doubt that will happen, but Sirgia put plenty of safeguards and emergency systems into this," I try to reassure her. "But, worst case scenario, I can always call for the Oreads or the Liliraune to help us out."
It takes a moment, but she pushes through her worries and lets me guide her to the suitcase. I jump in first and hold a hand out, which she daintily accepts. Not like she needs it as Mom hops in next to me with a cat-like agility. After looking around briefly, we descend the stairs and finally make it to the lobby.
Noah is running around and jumping over the couches in the main hall while Codae just stands in the middle with her jaw hanging low. I can't blame her. It's quite the change from her charming but small attic. My mother has a similar reaction, pure disbelief adorning her feline features.
"Is this really inside?" She turns to me.
"Yeah. Just a little bit of magic coming from that tiny bundle of genius thoughts over there. Now you know how amazing your daughter-in-law is." I smile at her proudly. "Alright, everyone. Let's take care of the business. There are three baths if anyone wants some alone time. I'll go with Noah while you can split up or have some fun together."
"Are you sure?" Ayumi asks. "I can take care of him while you bathe with your mates."
"One hundred percent." I nod at her. "Go on. You deserve a break."
Sirgia comes up to us and takes her hand, leading Mom ahead with a delicate smile. Codae shoots me one more glance before following them. Noah runs up to me and tugs at my sleeve.
"Bro! Come on! We'll be last!" He directs his concerned face at me.
"Oh, that we can't have, can we?" I snicker. "Hold on. We are going to beat them."
Hoisting the boy up, I sit him atop my shoulders and grab his legs. Noah cackles in delight as I break into a run and speed past the women. They chuckle as we pass them and sprint to the baths. I slow down in front of the entrance and put Noah down so that we can store our clothes in the locker room. After stacking our stuff in one locker, I bring my lil bro into the massive bath and he hops around in excitement.
"You know how to swim, right?" I ask while putting my fists on my hips.
"I'm the best swimmer among the kids!" He puffs out his chest, mirroring my pose. "Mom says it's because I fought her so hard when I was little since I hated baths. Why?"
"No reason…" I slowly approach him. "Just… Let's put those skills to the test, shall we?"
As I finish my sentence, my hands are already grabbing his arm and leg, swiping the boy off the floor. He whoops in surprise as I spin around for a while, enjoying his excited laughs, and then let go.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He screams, in a happy way, before dropping into the deep end of one of the pools.
Noah emerges right away, confirming his earlier statement, and grins at me with pure fun sparkling in his eyes. They widen when he sees me running straight at him and frantically paddles aside as I launch myself in too. Hitting the surface with a much bigger splash, I rock him a bit, evoking more childish laughter. He splashes me a few times after I come up, forcing me to shield my face.
We play around a little, chasing each other, dunking each other's head into the water, and wrestling around below the surface. Seeing that he gets more and more tired, I bring us both to the shallow side and tell Noah to come out for now. Reluctantly, he follows and we sit on the cleaning bench, using the utensils at hand to wash up. I help him out a little with his hair since he doesn't seem too familiar with the complex gels we have here.
Afterwards, we return to the hot pool and relax with our backs to the sidewall. Noah makes some bubbles with his mouth as the water level reaches his neck, coming up to my chest. All in all, we just hang out like two bros.
"Shit, this is so awesome…" he murmurs quietly.
"Language?" I raise a brow at him.
Noah groans and rolls his eyes. "Come on, Mom is not here."
Snickering, I give his cute ears a few pats. "Alright, you little rascal. I'm not the one who is going to get his ass whooped for forgetting himself one day."
He snorts joyfully. "I'm a good boy. Most of the time. When I'm not bored, at least. But man, I would never get bored of living in this awesome place."
"You would get just as bored of it as of the village after spending months or years in here," I reply sagely. "It's just new and curious to you. Like the village is to me."
"Sure, old man, sure." Noah makes a deadpan face. "Says the one who carries a gigantic mansion in a suitcase. Too bad you aren't staying."
I rub his hair a bit stronger. "Tell you what. I'll talk to Sirgia. We'll see if she finds a moment of free time. Maybe she'll fix up something, a little secret room just for you instead of a massive residence. What do you say?"
"Really?" His eyes go wide. "You are the best bro ever!"
He launches himself at me and I laugh openly as my kitty brother rubs his cheek into mine as we hug. It takes a moment to peel him off me and the excitement never really fully washes off him, which isn't unexpected. At least it gets him thinking so much he lets us both enjoy the hot dip.
About ten minutes later, I see him getting up and out. "Where are you going?"
"To Mom?" Noah glances at me while drying his tail.
"She's with the girls, though." I frown a little.
"So?" He tilts his head.
Right. They are more used to communal baths and generally do not care about such things as genders or casual nudity. The Beastkin are rather carefree and social. But, while it's possible Noah might have already visited the river with Ayumi and maybe even Codae, Sirgia is with them tonight. So, I reach out to her just in case. No surprise, she doesn't mind, actually urging me to send the boy their way, perhaps wishing for me to relax alone for a moment.
"Okay. Be sure to behave in front of your new sis or she won't make you more toys." I chuckle at him.
He salutes at that, clearly learning that from our father, and dashes away through the entrance behind my back. Shaking my head, I sink a bit deeper and let my mind wander. I'm not sure how many minutes pass exactly, but it feels like just one or two before I hear the door opening again.
I lazily throw a glance over my shoulder while resting both elbows over the edge, expecting to find either Sirgia or Codae. All the lethargy throws itself out of the window the second I see the third option. Ayumi walks in with a cordial smile curling up her muzzle, thank the Goddess, covered with a white towel reaching to the middle of her black-furred thighs.
My arms drop into the water and I straighten up as she approaches me.
"Here." She produces another towel from under her armpit, holding it out to me. "Your mate insisted that I use one and bring some for you."
I'm going to smother that ingenious girl with so much love later.
"Thanks." I smile wryly while accepting the offering and wrapping it around my waist. "Sorry about that."
"Don't apologise." She waves me off, lowering herself into the water next to me. "It's not like I don't understand where this is coming from. It took your father a moment not to walk into the river dressed during the joint baths."
"I can imagine." Snickering, I take a glance at her, part of the tension disappearing at the sight of Ayumi's relaxed and comfortable expression as she lets herself relish the hot water.
I don't think there was a day in which I have been more fucking grateful for the ability to control my body to this extent. I already see the kind and pretty feline lady as my mother, but it's impossible for my brain to rewire itself in such a short period of time, lacking the element of years spent together in familiarity, starting from childhood. The towel is a nice safety measure, even if not completely necessary thanks to this specific feature of my Class.
And yeah, I know we aren't blood-related so Ayumi is pretty much my stepmother, but the more of these awkward situations I can avoid, the better. My life is already so overflowing with those porn-worthy events and scenarios that I can honestly live without this particular one, especially considering the circumstances.
I really owe Sirgia a massive one.
"So this is how you live back at home?" Ayumi breaks the silence first. "It's truly impressive. I'm glad to experience something so extravagant."
"As I told Noah, you would quickly get bored of it." Shaking my head, I relax too. "Speaking of which, you left him with them instead of taking him with you?"
"Trust me, I tried, but they were having none of it." She huffs in irritation. "They told me they would entertain Noah and I should go so I could bond a little with you."
"Of course." I snort. "But, I guess it's not that bad. You can laze around for a little longer this way."
"I've never been one to sit in one place for long. I'm not a lap cat, contrary to my appearance." Mom giggles at her little joke, sending me a smirk. "It bothered Connor that I rarely seemed to stop and rest. But, doing something has the best resting effect on me."
"I knew a few people like that. And I guess I can't criticise them anymore as I feel myself adopting that approach more and more." I sigh lightly. "I rarely sit down to catch my breath or sleep every night thanks to all the energy flowing into me from my companions."
"Ah, yes. I never imagined I would be a mother to a Demigod." Ayumi strokes her furry chin. "Or more like a female parent since we share no blood."
I reach out to cordially squeeze her slender hand atop her thigh. "You are more of a mother to me than that woman ever was or ever would be, fuck anything that blood has to do with it. I bet you know that."
Looking at me tenderly, she uses the other hand to bring my head closer and rest it against her shoulder, pressing a warm kiss to my forehead from above. "You don't need to remind yourself about those troubling times. Everything is okay now and I'll do my best to make up for all of that. I swear you are an important part of this family and we will never hurt you."
"I can tell." I let the gentle lady pamper me for a while longer before returning to my previous position.
We don't say anything for a few minutes, just basking in each other's genial presence. And, once more, it's Mom who speaks up first again.
"What's bothering you so much?" she asks with noticeable care in her voice.
"That obvious?" I turn to her.
"You have the same brooding expression as your father when thinking heavily." Ayumi smiles reminiscently. "You need to be careful about showing it in public unless you want more females swarming your side. It has a kind of a rugged charm."
That's the first time I hear about that and it makes me chuckle.
"It's nothing serious. I'm just torn a little. We just got here, but we'll be gone in a day or two. I just feel conflicted leaving you two behind and I don't want to force you to drop everything," I explain.
"You are doing so much for the village, though. Making it safer, more advanced, better," she responds.
"Of course. It's your and his place," I point out. "It's the least I can do since I can't be here at all times."
"And that part is what bothers you." She figures it out right away. "You know that we have been surviving without you, right?"
I huff to the side. "Obviously. It's just…"
"Shhh. I know. I was just teasing you." Ayumi leans onto my side and delicately caresses my arm. "That's how it is. You have many things to take care of. Many lead you to faraway places. You can't be everywhere at once."
"Maybe. Maybe not." I exhale heavily. "I need to start working on one of my affinities and we'll see."
Hopefully, Diana won't take too long to join us.
"I'm sure you will figure something out, but don't push yourself too much," my wise mother advises. "For now, focus on what you can do."
"Which is?" I raise a brow at her.
"Share your blessings with the people." She grins at me, making me groan. "I've never seen this place so lively."
I'm not going to live that one down, am I?
We spend some more time in silence before I get a message from Sirgia that Noah won't be able to sit in place for much longer. Which, to my surprise, has already been longer than I expected a young and energetic Beastkin boy like him to last. Conveying this to Ayumi, she decides to leave and so do I. She walks back to their locker room, taking Noah's things with her, while I dress back up alone.
Meeting everyone outside, I lead them to the fancy section of the sleeping quarters, where the Master Suite and its adjacent VIP chambers are located. "Okay. Time to handle our sleeping arrangements. There are enough rooms for everyone. But, we can bundle up too. Noah? Want to sleep over?"
"I want to go with Mom! The beds here are huge!" he replies excitedly. "Wanna join us?"
"Sleeping with Mommy? Come on, you are a big guy." I snicker at him, trying to give Ayumi a night without having to look after this little bundle of trouble.
The person in question places her hands atop his shoulders. "It's not every day we get an opportunity like this so don't worry, I don't mind. Besides, Noah snores like a boar, and I'm already used to it. You should give us the furthest one."
"Mom!" The boy looks offended, crossing his arms, which makes the girls laugh softly.
"Each chamber has sound-dampening arrays etched into it so it's alright, Mrs. Carter," Sirgia informs her.
"Oh? Then I wish you three a pleasant night." Ayumi grins at her. "Come, Noah. I need you to tell me all you know about this place."
This is an obvious bait, but the teenage brain doesn't register it and my lil bro drags her into the first room on the right, leaving us alone.
I glance at Sirgia, who smirks back at me, and then at Codae, who looks aside with a tinge of pink adorning her cheeks. Her gaze wanders between the Master Suite and the VIP room on the left, hesitation visible in her eyes.
Before she makes her pick, my short lover grabs her wrist and guides her into our bedroom. Codae's tail wags eagerly as she manages to shoot me one last peek before disappearing past the entrance.
Leave it to mothers to cause so much mischief.
I join them right away and find the chieftess studying the magnificent and spacious place. The size of the bed clearly surprises her, but I just shrug when she looks questioningly at me. Then, Sirgia comes up to us with a silver tray laden with cookies.
Our new companion picks one up and takes a bite, not bothering to hide the delighted moan after getting a taste. "These are marvellous. Are they from the Human capital?"
"No." My Dwarf lover giggles. "I made them during our journey here."
"Told you." I snicker at the raccoon girl.
"About what?" Sirgia asks.
"That she might want to reconsider me as her mate after trying your stuff since she said she liked the simple sandwiches I made for her in the morning," I explain.
"Thankfully for you, I've seen she has no dick like yours that I could ride." Codae snorts.
The petite lady finishes placing the tray next to the bed and snaps her fingers. "Like this one?"
Codae chokes on the tasty crumbles as a phallic object appears in Sirgia's hand. I move closer to give her some water and pat her on the back, her gaze never leaving the cylindrical item.
"What the fuck… Cough… Is that?" The chieftess struggles to speak.
"You don't know?" Sirgia tilts her head.
Seeing how Codae glances between the replica and my crotch, she clearly does, the memory of something very similar pounding into her rather savagely still fresh in her mind and most likely body.
"Why do you have his…" Codae drawls out.
"Penis?" My Dwarf mate giggles and flushes a tiny bit. "Master is a busy man… And a girl… Has her needs sometimes…"
The Raccoonkin woman gapes at her dully, taking a peek at me a few times as if to check if I know and am alright with that.
"Do you want it?" Sirgia asks politely.
"What?" The chieftess jolts in surprise. "No, no, no. I can't take your personal…"
"It's alright. I have an entire crate of them." The tiny female produces another copy in her other hand.
Codae's eyes bulge out and she stumbles back, leaning into my supporting arm. I snicker while assisting in restoring her balance while she looks at me completely flushed, definitely remembering her bold statement. Winking at her, I walk away to let her cool off and put down the glass I have conjured in case we need it later.
"How much?" I hear the Beastkin leader whisper behind my back.
"Free," the Dwarf conspirationist responds in kind. "We should first make sure it's enough for you, though."
And there goes sleep again.