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stretching her slightly as they plunged in and out
again and again.
Before she knew it, her other hand was in her
mouth, the long slender fingers soon coated in
saliva. To her breast, nipple hard with her rising
passion, she teased and massaged, pulling at the
peak, fondling and squeezing, her whole hand
filling with the sensitive orb. Adita moaned softly
as her pulse began to echo in her ears and a ball of
sensation pushed out from her core to every part
of her body.
Her whole center ached sweetly with her self-
pleasure. Her clit, continuously stroked by the ball
of her thumb as she pumped her fingers in and
out, brought her to the rim of climax. She slipped
another soaked finger in. Her hips instinctively
began to gyrate as her attentions to her breast
became more urgent and demanding. Images of
other lovers from long ago floated before her, the
intense expression on their faces when they fucked
her. She remembered how hard she came.
Sensation swelled and crashed against the walls
of her skin. She cried out, her pussy closing
around her fingers, sucking at them as she bucked
and writhed. She reached the precipice and gladly
threw herself over the edge. She came, long and
sating, tension that had built over the last few
days, physical and emotional, flowed out of her.
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She slowed her fingers, removing them from her
slick pussy, petting the outer folds gently,
caressing them with praising strokes.
As if from the edge of a dream, a strained voice
reached her.  Your grace.
Adita turned her head lazily toward the voice
and opened her eyes fully. Standing only an arm s
length from the rock, Casmin stared down at her,
his eyes shining with desire, his cock threatening
to burst the seams of his trousers.
She smiled up at him, her gaze fixing pointedly
on his crotch then meeting his stormy brown eyes.
 I see you have been diligent in your job. You
have watched me. Closely, it seems.
Casmin s voice strained, but stayed even as his
smile stretched across his face.  Trust me, your
grace. It is my pleasure.
 Casmin, when we are alone, you will call me
Adita. I will not tell you again.
He handed her the sheer garment she had
discarded hours before when she dove into the
water of the Mirror.  You said that yesterday,
your grace. And the day before.
She glowered, mocking his disobedience.
 Stubborn. That s why Kai recommended you for
the post, isn t it?
Casmin grinned.  He recommended me
because he knew I could swim.
Adita laughed as she pulled the garment over
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her head. Camsin handed her the thin golden
cords that cinched the garment at her waist, but
she waved them away and stretched on the rock
again, happy to soak up more heat.
 You re going to be late, your grace.
Adita sighed, nodding.  All right, you tyrant.
Let s go. She sat up, taking Casmin s offered
hand, and rose to her feet.
She looked at him, smiling as a different kind of
warmth crept through her skin. He d grown so
much in the ten years she d known him. He was
slightly taller, and years of training and, sadly, the
hard work of putting the temple back together had
layered his chest, arms, and legs with thick slabs
of muscles. His face had lost the last traces of
youth, replaced by the angles and strong jaw of a
handsome man. He offered his arm to her, as he
had so many times in the past and she took it,
walking next to him comfortably.
Their relationship had matured as well. Casmin
and Kai had kept desperate watch over her those
first few years. Kai, much to the ire of the temple
guard commander, had taken to sleeping outside
Adita s door at the request of her two personal
attendants, Nassa and Coroh. Then Kai became
high captain of the guard during those terrible
dark days and his occasional dalliances with
visitors and dignitaries no longer resulted in loss
of rank. When a construction accident claimed the
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life of the guard commander, Kai had ascended to
the post and he gave Adita s personal protection
entirely over to Casmin. Then, Casmin became
high captain, but still they spent at least part of
every day together. The distance between them,
born of rank and ceremony, slowly melted away,
replaced with respect and friendship.
 The Kahmudjan envoys arrive this afternoon,
your grace, Casmin reminded her, his tone
serious.  Will you receive them?
She shrugged.  I will, though I wish I knew
why they were coming.
His voice tightened with concern.  In Tilanta, it
is said that the Kahmujans preached the burning
of the temple. In other places too, they have led
the attacks upon your priestesses.
 I know, Adita acknowledged. She stroked his
arm with her fingers, trying to will him to relax.
 But we cannot turn their envoy away. We have
an army here, Casmin, should we need it.
 Do you trust them? He asked pointedly.
She held silent for a few steps.  They do not
have to be our enemies. They are not unbelievers.
They do not deny Zenthe s existence, or her
power. It is her role in the cycle of life that we
disagree on.
 You didn t answer my question, he prodded.
She sighed.  Trust them? No, I don t trust
them.
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The comfort she had taken, from the sun, from
her own touch, from the warmth of Casmin s
muscled arm faded into worry. The Kahmudjan
sect was only one of a dozen concerns that
darkened the world. Foremost among the burdens
she carried was the absence of any would-be
suitors. Since the Hawk, no man had dared even
the minor rites and the emptiness swallowed
Adita into the pallid shadow of Zenthe s
loneliness.
The land suffered for the goddess frustration.
Within the temple, Adita heard the whispers
and sensed the power of her command faltering.
Even at the mountain s rim, there were new beliefs
and whispered heresies. Some of the priestesses
pursued rites that were darker than the goddess
customary practices, and even some of the grand
orgies had taken on a desperate cast.
She wondered if the Kahmudjans might offer a
kind of hope, that their visit might be an excuse
for a revival of Zenthe s core faith.
 But we will greet them as we would other
guests, she told him.  Such is my will.
A rasp of disapproval framed Casmin s reply.
 They do not respect Zenthe or our ways. They d
as soon see you in chains as negotiate with you.
Adita grinned, a tickle of rebellion reminding
her of days long past.  Now there s an idea.
Chains might be fun.
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Woman of the Mountain
He turned to her, his gaze as serious as his
frown.  Those are not the kind of chains I mean,
your grace.
She elbowed him gently.  Oh, lighten up. And
trust me. If I thought a rousing bout of bondage
games would help relax the Kahmudjans and
make them more reasonable, I d tie them up
myself.
He smiled uneasily, then chuckled and
extended his stride to walk in front of her, up the
path to the back gate of the temple. With a surety
born of repetition, he unlatched the gate and held
it open for her.
She stepped through and turned back to regard
him with a look of gratitude and warmth, before
allowing herself the pleasure of stroking the hard
lines of his chest.
 I will greet them, Casmin, and make them
welcome, but stay near me this evening.
Remember always how much I need you. Then
she kissed him lightly upon the lips and walked
alone into the temple of the goddess.
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Chapter 2 [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]