That’s the game he’s playing.If I look at him then he gets to look at me.“Fine then,” I say crossing my arms. “I will definitely not be looking at your…” He shoves his trousers down and my eyes immediately dart down to that part of his braies. “At you,” I clarify, face flaming.
He tilts his head and raises his brows. “You sure about that?”
“Positive.”
“We’ll see,” he murmurs. He reaches down to peel his braies away, and I flip around before I get an eyeful. This is it. I want to go hide behind a tree. My pride keeps me put. I reach down and remove my dress and then my slip. Unraveling the wrapping from my breasts before lastly tugging away that last thin layer of fabric. Goosebumps sprout across my flesh as cold air brushes against my exposed skin.
My heart pumps a fiery rhythm, warming me despite the chilled air. I stand there stiffly, holding my clothes in a rumpled pile in front of my thighs, unable to bring myself to turn around and face him. I fight the urge to hide my breasts with my hands and consider brushing my hair forward to cover them. Should I or will it be too obvious what it is I’m doing? I remain frozen, squirming internally yet unable to move.
My embarrassment burns brightly, flushing my skin and making my stomach twist and flutter. But there’s something else too, that makes my blood feel hot and thick like honey sludging through my veins. Makes my thighs clench and my breasts, small as they are feel more weighted against my chest. I hear him near and shivers dance over my skin.
Seeing her bared, whitehair sweeping her back just above the curve of her ass already has my cock going half-hard.That’s…going to be a problem. I told her I wouldn’t look if she didn’t, but the back of her doesn’t count, I decide. Or, at least, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. But based on my intense reaction, this agreement is probably a good thing for the both of us.
I flex my thighs a couple of times to coax the blood further down. She’s so nervous, shoulders tense, and body stiff. Despite my insistence that this is no big deal, I find myself wishing I didn’t have to bring her here, maybe more adamantly than she had. She deserves so much more than this fucked up role she has to play with me. I don’t want to parade her around for everyone to gawk at, especially when I haven’t even….
Jealousy. So thick, hot, and brittle it overwhelms me for a moment, and then I’m annoyed that she manages to evoke such extreme emotions in me. There’s really no end to this…punishment.
My fists flex at my sides as I stalk over to her, and she totters, swiping the pad of her foot across her other ankle. She tenses as I part her hair in the middle and sweep it over her shoulders to cover her chest. I can at least cover this part of her. Another satisfied thrum expands in my chest at the sight of my marks across her back, compelling my cock to begin swelling again.
Shit.I avert my eyes as I recite a complicated ward spell I haven’t yet managed to nail down. Once I’ve gained some composure I turn back, and all desire is vanquished as my eyes trace down the scars marring her back that weren’t visible from the distance but areveryvisible now. My anger flashes hot again when I see that they get exceptionally worse the lower they go. My blood boils. Focus.
“I’m going to glamour your marks,” I snap out a little roughly.
“Oh. Why?”
“Don’t need the gossip.” I definitely don’t need Morin finding out what I’ve given her. She tremors slightly as my magic fades the marks until there’s only the smooth milk pale of her skin. I hesitate, considering glamouring the scars too…but I wouldn’t ever want her to feel likeIwant her to hide them.
But then in a hoarse voice she squeaks out, “Will you do the scars too?”
I stiffen, fighting myself over what I can say, what I can’t say. She fidgets with mortification. She doesn’t want to speak with me about this at all. I place the glamour, fading the marred skin to perfection. “Done.”
I remain behind her as I carefully reach around and pull her clothing out of her hands. Stashing them in a nearby tree, so I can summon them as soon as we’re finished with this God’s forsaken Rite.
“Come on, let’s get this over with.” Coaxing her forward with one hand on her shoulder, I’m careful to keep my gaze pointed over her head. She’s silent as the thundering drum beats grow louder, along with the chatter and hoots and howls of Magi. I stop her just at the edge of the clearing. Two large fires are positioned on each side of the field, embers licking the star-strewn sky. Magi have already started lining up on each side.
Her shoulders rise and fall rapidly with the heaving of her chest. The sea of bodies parts as the men cluster to the huge fire on the right and the women to the left. “It’s time. You’re going to have to get in line. The Priestess will give you the henbane and you’ll throw it in the fire. That’s all you have to do.”
“Wait—“ She starts to turn and must think better of it because she stops. The mark on my hand thumps with the pulse of her heart. “We’re not going to be together?” Her voice is panicked and I reach down and squeeze her shoulder. “It’s divided by gender. Listen, I have to look like I’m participating,” I say bitterly. “I’m going to exit right here.”
She steps clumsily as I ease her forward. I draw a symbol, indenting the bark of the tree at the border of the Wood. “Right by this tree. I need for you to watch and follow me out. If for some reason, you don’t see me, just come straight here and I’ll find you.”
“But…what if…someone tries to—“
“They won’t. It’s not even a concern of mine tonight. They’ll all be too distracted. But watch for me, follow me out. Understand?” She doesn’t respond. “Understand, pet?”
The thump of her heart pulses harder, faster against the back of my hand. She’s afraid.Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump. She’s really afraid.
“Pandora,” I sigh. I can’t send her out there like this. My eyes dart around the area and land on three trees wrapped tightly around each other, creating a perfect nook in which I can... “Come here.” I pull her back and shove her in between them so that we’re mostly hidden from view. It’s still a risk but if anyone happens by, they’ll only see me and not who I’m with. Scanning the area one last time before I herd her forward pressing her body to the tree so that it allows me to prop one elbow against it to lean down and look at her without being tempted to look at the rest of her.
“What’re yo—“
“Look at me.”
She glances up for a brief second before quickly dipping her head, color blooming across her cheeks. “You do enjoy that, don’t you?” she grumbles.
“Enjoy what?”
“Leering over me all intimi--dat--ing--ly.”