The wine still burned in Kael Ashvane's veins.
He lay slouched against the headboard, loose-limbed and heavy with drink, a crooked grin on his lips as he watched Peria hover uncertainly at his bedside. The cup in her hand trembled just a little—not from fear, but from hesitation, the kind that came from not quite knowing how humans behaved.
Kael didn't reach for it.
Instead, he leaned back, eyes half-lidded, letting the moment stretch.
Peria studied him, her bright, unguarded gaze flicking from his face to the untouched cup. Something clicked behind her eyes—some quiet understanding blooming where words hadn't been spoken.
She stepped closer.
Soft. Careful.
One arm slipped around his neck, light as petals settling, while the other lifted the cup to his lips.
Kael's grin widened.
Now that's more like it.
He let himself sink into it—into her warmth, her closeness—drinking as she fed him, slow and patient. The tea cut through the alcohol just enough to sharpen the edge of the haze without dulling it.
A laugh bubbled up from his chest.
"Even the high lords and crowned kings," he murmured, voice thick with drunken delight, "would kill for this kind of treatment."
Peria leaned in closer, nose brushing near his lips as she sniffed.
"You drank a lot," she said softly.
Kael nodded, unashamed. "First time since I came down the mountain I've had this much. Feels damn good."
"No wonder," she said, feeding him another sip. "You look dizzy."
"Dizzy?" He snorted. "Wrong word. This—this is perfect." He tapped his temple lazily. "You wouldn't understand."
Peria smiled, small and warm. "I do. When Kael is happy, Peria feels it too."
The cup emptied. She glanced at it, then back at him. "I'll get more."
Kael caught her wrist before she could turn.
"Don't bother," he said. "Not thirsty. Just… tired."
"Mm." She nodded, obedient as ever.
She climbed onto the bed without hesitation, kneeling as she straightened the sheets he'd ruined, smoothing wrinkles, setting the pillow right. In the lamplight, her slight frame moved with quiet grace—simple, unassuming, but strangely mesmerizing.
Kael watched her like a man caught in a dream.
Something twisted low in his chest.
He pushed himself upright and edged closer, expression shifting—half sheepish, half bold.
Peria glanced at him, curious. "What is it?"
"…Help me with my clothes," he muttered, voice dropping. "Too drunk to deal with them."
It was a flimsy excuse. He knew it.
She didn't question it.
Just nodded.
Her fingers moved to his robes, deft and careful, loosening knots and fastenings one by one. When she reached his boots, she lifted his leg without complaint, easing them off with surprising strength for someone so slight.
Kael's chest swelled with a ridiculous, boyish pride.
Let Mira or Zaeli say what they want—someone's doing it now.
"Mm?" Peria paused suddenly, brow furrowing as her hands brushed his waist. "This… won't come off."
Kael blinked, following her gaze—and immediately sobered a fraction.
The Emberseal Sash.
"Leave that," he said quickly. "Doesn't come off."
She tilted her head. "Doesn't?"
"It's an Arcane Treasure," he explained, words slightly slurred but earnest. "My Master gave it to me. Keeps me warm, keeps me cool, boosts my fire—never take it off. Can't, even if I tried."
Peria nodded, though it was clear she only half understood. "Then it's fine."
She helped him lie down, guiding him gently, her touch careful—almost… wifely.
Kael exhaled slowly, something soft flickering behind his usual bravado.
"Peria," he said, quieter now, "you're… really good to me."
She smiled, bright and unguarded. "Of course. Kael is good. Peria likes you."
She gathered his clothes neatly in her arms, preparing to step away.
Kael's brow creased faintly.
Something about her words tugged at him. "You said… you were told to take care of me? A long time ago?"
She nodded. "Lady Perelda always said so. Every time she taught me something, she would say it again."
Kael frowned, trying to follow the thread—but the wine dragged his thoughts into mud.
Before he could press further, she turned to go.
He didn't let her.
His hand shot out, catching her wrist again—firmer this time.
Peria stumbled lightly, falling against him with a soft gasp.
"I'm putting the clothes away," she said, cheeks faintly flushed.
"Later," Kael murmured, pulling her closer. "Stay. Talk to me."
His hands wandered without much thought, guided more by instinct than intention.
Peria stiffened at first—then softened, breath hitching just slightly.
"You said you were tired…" she whispered.
"I am." He smiled faintly. "Talking helps."
Her voice wavered. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Anything." His gaze sharpened just a touch. "What did Lady Perelda teach you?"
Peria tried to answer, but her breathing had already grown uneven.
"She taught me… cleaning, cooking… sewing…" she said, words breaking slightly. "And… and…"
Kael barely listened.
Something else had caught his attention.
"…and illusion," she finished at last, shivering faintly.
That snapped him back.
"Illusion?" His eyes lit. "What kind?"
Peria swallowed, trying to steady herself. "Making things look like other things. Flowers, animals… people."
Kael pushed himself up a little, interest flaring through the haze.
"You can imitate people?"
She shook her head quickly. "Not real transformation. Just… making others see differently. Lady Perelda said true change takes years, and power I don't have."
Kael exhaled, half relieved, half intrigued.
"Still impressive." A grin spread across his face. "Show me."
Peria blinked. "Show… you?"
"Yeah. Try it on me." He leaned back again, folding one arm behind his head. "Let's see if my will's strong enough to resist."
She hesitated—then nodded.
"All right. Don't move."
Kael smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Peria closed her eyes.
Her lips moved in a soft murmur, barely audible.
At first, nothing happened.
Then—
Her outline wavered.
Like ink bleeding in water.
Kael's smirk faltered.
The distortion spread—face, shoulders, body—until her entire form blurred and twisted, indistinct.
His eyes narrowed.
No way…
He focused, trying to see through it—but the harder he tried, the worse it got.
For a brief moment, dizziness crept in.
Then—
It settled.
Clarity snapped back into place.
"…Well?" a voice asked, light with amusement. "Who do I look like?"
Kael blinked.
And froze.
Peria was gone.
In her place—leaning over him, smiling in a way he knew far too well—
Was Zaeli.
He stared, mouth slightly open.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
"Does it look right?" she asked.
"It looks—" He sat up fully now, eyes wide. "It looks perfect."
She smiled, pleased. "It's not exact. I didn't see her clearly before. But the spell helps fill in the gaps."
Kael reached out, almost without thinking.
His hand brushed her arm.
Solid.
Warm.
"…Even the body…" he muttered, stunned.
Peria giggled softly. "It's still mine. The illusion just changes how you perceive it."
Kael let out a low whistle.
"What's this called?"
"The Shape-Borrowing Art."
The name hit him like a splash of cold water.
His expression shifted.
"…Say that again."
"The Shape-Borrowing Art," she repeated, puzzled.
Kael went still.
Lyra.
That was Lyra's technique.
Same name.
Same principle.
Coincidence?
Or something deeper?
For a moment, the fog in his head thinned, thoughts racing.
Then—
He exhaled.
Not worth chasing right now.
He'd never been one to obsess over knots that wouldn't untangle.
"Do another," he said, waving it off. "Something else."
Peria brightened immediately. "I can make a rabbit! It's very cute—"
"No." Kael cut her off, eyes sharpening again. "A person. Someone else."
She tilted her head. "Who?"
"…Selene."
Peria blinked. "Who's that?"
Kael scratched his cheek, suddenly a little awkward. "The one you saw me with before. The one you said I was being rough with."
Recognition dawned.
"Oh. The one you tied up."
"…Yeah. That one."
Peria nodded slowly.
"All right."
Again, she closed her eyes.
Again, her form blurred.
Kael watched, more intently this time.
And when the illusion settled—
Selene Voss lay in his arms.
Every line, every curve, every detail rendered with unsettling precision.
"Well?" she asked.
Kael didn't answer right away.
His gaze darkened.
"Yeah," he said at last, voice low. "That's… convincing."
He pulled her closer.
This time, there was no hesitation in the movement—no teasing distance.
Just heat.
Peria made a soft sound, startled at first—then leaned into it, responding instinctively, guided more by feeling than understanding.
Time blurred.
The lamplight flickered.
Breath mingled.
At some point, Kael shifted, pulling her fully beneath him, urgency overtaking whatever restraint he might have had.
Peria's voice trembled. "Should I… stop the illusion?"
"No." His tone sharpened, then softened again. "Keep it."
She hesitated.
"…I'd rather be myself."
"Just this once," he coaxed.
A pause.
Then—
"…All right."
She yielded.
And the night deepened around them, the boundary between illusion and truth growing thinner with every passing moment.
Kael's blood roared in his ears as he drove into her, the illusion of Selene Voss writhing beneath him with every savage thrust. Peria's soft cries filled the lamplit room, her body yielding in ways that made his grip tighten on her hips. The heat between them built like a forge fire, slick and relentless. He buried himself to the hilt again and again, lost in the sight of her—those familiar curves, the flush on her cheeks, the way her lips parted in stunned pleasure.
"Because I like her," he growled between ragged breaths, staring down at the perfect copy of Selene's face. "Like her a hell of a lot." The words came out rough, half-mad. Even the way Peria wore the illusion felt too real, twisting something dark and hungry inside him. His pace turned brutal, hips slamming forward until he was sheathed completely, grinding deep.
Peria gasped sharply. Her inner walls clenched hard around him, a sudden hot rush of wetness spilling out and coating his thigh. She trembled violently, eyes wide.
Kael felt it and grinned like a wolf. The thought hit him hard: with this little spirit who could wear any face, the possibilities were endless. Heat flooded his veins, raw and filthy. His cock throbbed inside her, swelling thicker, harder, veins standing out like cords of molten iron.
Peria's eyes flew open wider. "Kael—again… it's happening again!"
"Don't know why it does this near the end," he grunted, voice thick. The monstrous change had taken him—his shaft now blazing hot, ridged and swollen, pushing her limits.
They ground against each other in desperate, slick friction, chasing the edge together. Pleasure clawed through them both.
"Peria," he rasped, slowing just enough to speak. "Change again."
"I… I can't… I'm going to break—" Her voice shook, body arching like she was already coming apart.
"Please, darling." His tone dropped, coaxing.
"Who… who this time?" she managed, barely.
"Shreve Lyra Farrow. My thirty-third Soror." He kept moving in slow, heavy strokes, the thick crown of his cock scraping her sensitive inner walls with every pass.
"I… I saw her once. The beautiful one on the high ridge." Peria's breath hitched. "But it's hard right now… my Aether won't rise properly."
Kael growled and pinned her hips, thrusting deeper. "Try. For me."
She whimpered but closed her eyes, concentrating. Her form shimmered. The illusion of Selene melted away, replaced by Lyra Farrow's breathtaking figure—lush, full breasts heaving, skin like warm cream, face a perfect blend of seduction and power. Even the heavy, swaying weight of those breasts matched exactly.
Kael's eyes widened with raw hunger. "Gods… it's her." His hands roamed greedily, squeezing and kneading the heavy, perfect tits, thumbs rolling over stiff nipples.
The illusory Lyra looked up at him with a hint of playful resentment in her eyes, though her body responded eagerly.
Kael lost himself in the fantasy, driving into her harder. "Shreve… I've wanted this—"
A soft, throaty laugh cut through the air behind him.
"Wanted what, exactly?"
Kael froze mid-thrust, heart slamming against his ribs. He whipped his head around so fast he nearly cracked noses with the woman kneeling on the bed behind him. His face drained of color.
Peria sat bolt upright, eyes huge with panic.
"Easy," the newcomer purred, voice like velvet over steel. "It's only me."
Verdis Morcroft knelt there in a sheer lake-green shift, dark hair spilling over her shoulders, her smile wicked and knowing. Every curve of her body radiated dangerous allure.
"Verde—Five-Sister!" Kael blurted. "How the hell did you get in here?"
"Same way I always do when I come looking for you." She smiled wider. "Aren't you glad to see your big sister?"
"You nearly stopped my heart," he muttered, hand on his chest.
Peria recognized her and relaxed slightly, though she stayed pressed close to Kael.
Verdis slid forward, wrapping her arms around him from behind. Her full, soft breasts pressed warmly against his back through the thin fabric. She whispered hotly in his ear, "Didn't I tell you I'd come find you these next few days?"
Kael stiffened at the contact, then remembered the events at the Great Verdant Vale. "But my Master, my Shreve… and my Sixth Elder are all here. This timing feels… risky."
Verdis gave a low, amused hum. "Risky? You've got a naked little spirit in your bed playing games with you, and you want to talk about risk?" Her hand trailed down his chest. "And you've got her pretending to be your Shreve while you fuck her senseless."
Kael's face burned.
Peria blinked innocently. "What does 'fuck her senseless' mean?"
Kael shot her a desperate look. She just stared back, curious.
Verdis laughed softly. "It means exactly what the two of you are doing right now, sweet thing."
Peria's face lit up with understanding. "Oh! So it's a game."
Verdis bit Kael's earlobe gently. "A very naughty game. Pretending this little peach is your proud Shreve Lyra… you filthy boy. I knew you had it in you."
Kael groaned, mortified but still rock-hard and buried deep inside Peria's heat.
Verdis glanced at the illusory Lyra. "She's lovely, isn't she? So willing. That night you ran from me… you were lying through your teeth about not wanting this."
"Verdis, please—" he started.
She laughed again, bright and teasing. "Fine. No more talk. Let's keep playing." Without warning, she gripped his hips and shoved him forward hard.
Kael's cock slammed deep into Peria, bottoming out against her core. Peria cried out sharply, back arching as her body jolted.
The sudden deep thrust made Kael hiss in pleasure. He started moving again, unable to stop.
"She really is beautiful," Verdis murmured, pushing him into Peria with every roll of her own hips. "No wonder you can't stop thinking about her."
"It's not— I was just curious what Peria could do," Kael protested weakly, even as he thrust harder.
"Liar." Verdis grinned, driving him faster. "One day I'll help you claim the real one."
The words sent a dark thrill through him. Kael gripped Peria's ass and started pounding her with renewed ferocity, hips snapping forward.
Peria wailed, voice breaking. "Ah—too deep—hitting something—again—can't—"
Verdis laughed. "That's her sweet spot, little brother. You're doing so well."
Kael was lost in the rhythm, the wet slap of flesh, Peria's tightening heat. She suddenly went rigid, face buried in the pillow, trembling violently.
Verdis kept pushing him on. "She's about to come. Give it to her."
Peria shattered with a choked cry. Her inner walls clamped down, flooding hot nectar around his cock in powerful pulses that soaked his thighs and belly.
Verdis watched with hungry eyes. "Such a generous little thing. Look at all that."
Kael's control snapped. He pinned Peria down and drove deep, roaring as his own release hit. Thick ropes of Virilic Essence pumped into her, flooding her depths. Peria shook and came again around him, milking every drop.
But as the pleasure crested, Peria's illusion faltered. Her form flickered back to her own peach-soft features, then began to fade, colors bleeding away like mist at dawn.
"Peria?" Kael asked, alarmed.
"I… have to go," she whispered, voice faint. "Time's up…"
"Wait—don't leave yet. I still need you," he protested, trying to hold her.
She gave him a sad, longing smile. "Kiss me quick—"
He leaned in, but his lips passed through empty air as she vanished completely.
Kael sat there, breathing hard, still painfully hard and aching.
Verdis moved around to face him, reaching down to stroke his throbbing length. "Don't worry. You've still got your sister here." Her fingers paused. "Gods… it's still so hot. How—"
She looked down and froze, eyes widening in awe at the sight of his transformed cock—blazing red, swollen, with coiling dragon-like veins pulsing across its surface.
Kael flushed, suddenly self-conscious under that hungry, knowing gaze.
Verdis's lips parted in stunned delight. "How is it like this? Blazing sun… coiling crimson dragon…" Her voice trembled with excitement. "Could this be the legendary Dracoiling?"