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Lore pulled Asher’s shirt up over his head and marveled at the sight. It was all sharp angles and muscles, so different from her own body. She leaned forward and kissed a scar on his chest, marveling at the sweet and salty taste of him.

Goddess, his skin is smooth like butter.

But she didn’t have long to explore because Asher was lifting her dress above her head. He cursed when he saw her full breasts for the first time.

“You’re a work of art. Your maker must have spent forever perfecting you.” His head dipped, and he pulled one of her breasts into his mouth, then bit down on her taut bud, swirling his tongue.

Lore cried out, pulling him to her.

His free hand trailed up her side, leaving goosebumps behind. He cupped her other breast, flicking the nipple between his agile fingers.

Her core was on fire. Goddess, this wasn’t enough. She needed—she needed...

“More,” she gasped out. “Asher, give me more.”

Asher growled, pushing her back onto the table. Lore had chopped countless vegetables here. Translated a hundred texts.

She squirmed. She’d never thought that—

Oh, gods.

Asher was sliding her underwear down her legs and spreading her thighs. He dropped to his knees and licked his lips atthe sight of her spread bare before him. There was no sign of the male who coaxed plants with gentle hands. He looked like a predator who would eat her alive.

He licked her slit before devouring her like she was an antidote and he was on the brink of death from poison. He licked and kissed, parting her to gain more access.

Lore closed her eyes as the ache that had been building up in her since his return grew. She felt like she was on fire. Every nerve ending was alive and tingling. She pushed up against him, wanting more. Needing more.

She moaned, wrapping her hands around his antlers and drawing him closer. She gasped when he drew her clit into his mouth and sucked. Her thighs began to shake, and Asher gripped each one in his hands, spreading her wider still while holding her in place as she writhed beneath him.

He teased her, raising her up higher and higher until the sweet pleasure of it all made her cry out in ecstasy.

Asher lapped up every last drop of her before kissing each one of her still shaking thighs. As tremors and aftershocks tingled through her body, Lore silently thanked the goddess Rahada, who surely must have sent Asher to her.

“Now that I’ve had a taste, I can’t imagine ever giving this up,” Asher growled.

She’d never experienced anything like this. She knew now that every fumbling boy back home hadn’t had a clue what they were doing.

Asher stood, pulling her to him so once again he was placed before her. He kissed her softly. The taste of her pleasure on his lips was a decadent thing. Something to be savored. But she could feel the thick length of him pressing at his breeches, begging to spring free.

Lore reached out and felt him, wanting to do for him what he had for her.

But Asher stilled her with a hand on her wrist. “Lore, when I take you for the first time, it won’t be with my friends within earshot of us. After we do what we have to in Wyndlin, I’ll take you far away. Somewhere I can have you all to myself.”

Lore wanted to protest.

“Don’t pout. You need your rest. We leave in a few hours.” He licked his lips, which did very little to calm her. “Come, I’ll walk you upstairs and then I’ll finish up these dishes.”

Chapter28

Lore, Asher, Grey, Isla, and Finndryl made an odd squad.

Finndryl was back to his old self: standoffish, glaring at Asher, and not even looking at her. How had Lore forgotten how much she used to dislike him? And yet, she missed him, despite him being only a few feet from her. It made her heart ache, but she couldn’t think of it now, because at the moment, she could barely breathe.

They made their way north, though the path they took was treacherous. Asher led the way through the uninhabited terrain and, when Lore wasn’t scaling cliff faces, or trying not to panic as they walked through cave systems, Asher taught her how to navigate by the stars. In return, she showed him some of the new spells she’d been learning with Finndryl’s help.

During a short break at a river where they refilled their water skins and took a moment to breathe, Lore soaked her swollen feet in the freezing water. As she ran her hands in the water, wishing she had the power to control the flow, she saw Asher taking note of her fingertips.

They were now completely blackened, and the insides of her palms were stained, too. The black, ink-like stain had curled likewispy smoke up the backs of her hands. She felt embarrassed for a moment—would he think they were ugly?