Page 43 of The Rake OR The Orca Who Met His Match in a Selkie Desiring Revenge
“I told you it would get better,” he whispered into her ear. Leaning back against him, his broad chest supporting her, Elspeth took in the view ravenously. As they descended, she was able to pick out more detail. Different districts began to coalesce, and she was able to differentiate where residential or market areas were. In one section, it seemed as if those large mushrooms had been cultivated to form canopies for some sort of park with stairs that brought people to the top, where she could just make out parties picnicking. The general hubbub of the city slowly resolved into individual voices, with children’s shrieks of joy rising above the din. As they neared the cavernfloor, the basket slowed its descent and locked into place with a bump. The cheery face of a young dwarf popped over the side of the basket as it swung open.
“Oh, Aegir, welcome back!" the young man said.
“It’s good to be back, Hilden.” Aegir clapped the young dwarf on the shoulder, holding his other hand out to Elspeth to assist her departure. Taking his hand, Elspeth was pleased to step on solid ground once more. Aegir led her through a door and into a small rounded room. Cutting the room in half was a desk manned by a female dwarf. Said desk hit both the dwarf woman and Elspeth in the middle of their chest, Aegir, on the other hand, looked comically tall. With a giggle, Elspeth realized that he needed to stoop to fit in the room, though he tried to mask it by leaning on the counter. As was apparently his nature, he greeted the attendant by name, and even asked after her family. Everywhere they’d gone, Aegir had made it a point to remember details about the people he knew, but in that moment, Elspeth realized none of them ever seemed to know much at all about him.
1. Each culture in the Empire has a distinct cuisine, though many can be categorized in flavor groups with both other races within the Empire as well as nations in the Compact. For example, minotaur, cyclops, and satyr cuisine share many of the same types of dishes, spices, and preparations even though they are separated by hundreds of miles. Further, those same things are also shared with the nation of Helas a continent away.
2. The dwarves were probably the oldest and most organized of the peoples in rebellion against the Empire. By the time of this story, they had kept their population numbers secret from the Pathians for over five hundred years.
3. Many of the peoples of Caihalaith can see in much lower light than humans, a holdover from when, in antiquity, Caihalaith was literally darker than our own continent.
Chapter fourteen
Aegir
IN WHICH OLD FRIENDS ARE FOR MOCKING YOU
If taking her toBerggeheimnis was any indication, Aegir could quickly become addicted to the feeling of introducing Elspeth to new things. Her eyes darted around, as if cataloging everything, but unable to do so quickly enough to absorb it all. Emotions flitted across her face faster than he could track. One second she was smiling, the next she’d look confused, drawing her brows together, only to raise them in the most adorable expression of realization he’d ever seen.
Though she had no idea where they were going, and ostensibly where Aegir was leading her, she tugged him through the streets. Elspeth was the most animated he’d ever seen her, something about this experience hadunlocked a part of her that had been hidden.
With gentle nudges, Aegir was able to direct her toward the Western edge of the massive cavern, and the district that housed most of the ambassadors from other duchies.1
Along the way, they passed through a series of markets, each one themed around a different trade or product. Elspeth seemed intrigued but confused by the wide array of fabrics and styles offered in the garment district, but lit up like a bonfire when they passed through those areas dedicated to crafting.
“Do you see how fine this filigree is?” she gasped in the metalworks.
"I don’t think I’ve seen a blue this vibrant in pigment before,” was her exclamation on the street lined with pottery shops.
He knew Catrin had a studio somewhere within, but they’d get there perhaps the following day. As Elspeth looked around the city wide-eyed, Aegir was pleased to realize that the arts district was slightly out of the way. The rest would remain a surprise until he could take her. Just as they left more business-oriented denizens, shopkeepers began packing up for the day.
The lamplighters, or dousers as they were known in Berggeheimnis, came around with long sticks tipped with crystals. They touched theircrystals to some of the larger crystals littered through the town, initiating a reaction that would temporarily dim the light they produced, though it would wear off slowly in the wee hours of the morning.
They passed by small parks, with carpets of moss blanketing the ground and small children giggling happily. Instead of trees, the park was lined with massive ferns and mushrooms, large enough to shelter under for some privacy. In the center of each was a statue dedicated to legendary heroes.2
As they neared Cat and Torsten’s house, Aegir pulled Elspeth into a small alcove.
“Are we there?” She asked, looking around.
"No, love, I just thought you’d want to look more yourself when you met my friends.”
"Oh,” she said. “These are important friends then?” Elspeth bit her lip, eyes following his fingers where they reached for her braid.
With gentle fingers, Aegir loosened the braids holding her eyebrow whiskers in place, teasing them out with minimal damage to the rest of her hair.
As soon as they were free, Elspeth wiggled them, “I suppose I didn’t realize how constricted they were! That feels so good.”
She closed her eyes, and Aegir couldn’t help but kiss her. Shelooked so soft and at ease, he wanted to be a part of the moment—wanted her to associate that feeling with his lips on hers.
Though she initially seemed surprised by the feeling, Elspeth quickly opened for him, drawing his tongue into her mouth with a sucking motion that made his cock jump to attention. Tapping his lunula, Aegir diverted the extra blood flow, forcing it back to flaccid. He was not about to greet his friends and their children with a hard-on.
Elspeth ran a hand up his neck and twined her fingers through his hair. Sweet Lady, she knew just how to undo him. The drag of her touch gave him shivers, and he loved the proprietary way she tightened her grip on him.
Sucking on her bottom lip, Aegir pulled back, pleased to see her eyes dilated and cheeks flushed. “Come, we’re nearly there, and I don’t know about you, but I could use a meal and bath.”
Practically crumpling at his mention of a bath, Elspeth nodded. “Could I ever!”
With a kiss on her forehead, Aegir led Elspeth around the corner and up a set of stairs builtinto the wall of the cavern. The short flight brought them to his friends' doorstep, and within seconds of rapping on the door, Aegir could hear the raucous laughs of their children.