"All my fault! All my fault!" Kael kissed the tears from Peria's cheeks, his heart a storm of self-loathing.
The peach spirit wept without cease, her slender arms locked around him as if she would never let go. The scent of medicinal herbs and steam filled the chamber, thick and cloying, but all he could focus on was the tremble in her small frame.
A sharp, physical ache lanced through his chest. He soothed her with every gentle word and caress he knew, murmuring against her hair until, at last, her sobs began to ebb. "Shh, little one. I'm here now."
"Why didn't you come for me sooner?" she whispered, her voice trembling with hurt.
Kael, fearing her worry, lied with practiced ease. "I've been rushing day and night. It slipped my mind in the chaos."
Peria's eyes welled anew, her delicate nose twitching as fresh tears threatened to spill. She looked so fragile, so heartbreakingly vulnerable.
"Don't cry, little spirit," he pleaded, pressing a hand to his chest. "If you keep crying, my heart will break in two."
She bit her lower lip, forcing back the tears, and began to gently rub his chest, as if she could soothe the pain she'd caused.
Kael's chest truly ached now, but not from any physical wound. The guilt was a living thing. Suddenly, he said, "Peria, close your eyes."
Though she didn't understand why, she obeyed instantly, her trust absolute. Her dark lashes fluttered down, sealing away her luminous gaze.
Kael moved quickly, rummaging through his Wardian Satchel. His fingers closed around something that pulsed with warmth and light. He withdrew the Rainbow Silk—a length of fabric that seemed woven from the very essence of dawn, shimmering with every color of the spectrum, shifting and flowing like liquid opal.
With careful, reverent hands, he looped it around her neck, letting it drape across her shoulders and down her back like a living ribbon.
"There. You can open them now."
Peria blinked. The silk wrapped around her was soft as a sigh, yet it glowed with a dazzling array of colors, shifting and flowing like a dream made manifest. She gasped, her fingers tracing the luminous strands. "It's... it's so beautiful! What is it, Kael?"
"A rainbow you can touch," he said, his voice soft.
"For me?" she asked, her voice trembling with hope.
"All for you, little one," he confirmed.
"Ah! I'm so happy!" She leapt up, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears of joy, and planted a quick, eager kiss on his lips.
Kael seized the moment, pulling her into a deep, hungry kiss. His arms wrapped around her, crushing her soft body against his.
Peria responded with equal fervor, her arms winding tightly around his neck, her tongue eagerly meeting his, slipping into his mouth like a shy, sweet invitation. The taste of her was intoxicating—warm, sweet, like the first sip of fine wine.
Her soft body pressed against him, the warmth of their reunion after even this brief separation igniting a fire in Kael's blood. He felt a familiar stir, a heat building low in his belly, his cock already half-hard against her thigh.
"Kael," she panted, pulling back slightly, her cheeks flushed, "why aren't you wearing any clothes?"
"Because I want to play the Game with you," he murmured, his voice thick with desire. His kisses grew more insistent, his hands roaming her body, finding the soft mounds of her breasts through the thin fabric of her dress. He squeezed, feeling the firm weight, the perfect handful.
Peria's face flushed a deeper rose, her innocent eyes wide and glistening as she watched him. She didn't resist, didn't question. She simply trusted.
---
Kael's desire surged. He was about to press her down against the stone floor when she suddenly stiffened, her nose twitching. "Hmm?"
"What is it?" he asked, his lips still tracing a path down her neck.
"This scent..." She wrinkled her nose, sniffing the air. "It smells like Cinnabar!"
"What?" Kael frowned, not understanding.
Peria's bright eyes darted around the chamber, settling on the nearby Dragon-Gathering Crucible. With a fluid, almost weightless motion, she slipped from his arms and drifted, smoke-like, to the edge of the massive bronze vessel. The steam rising from it coiled around her like a living thing.
Kael followed, his naked body glistening in the dim light.
Peria leaned over the crucible, reaching into the steaming liquid within. She pulled out a small handful of deep red grass, the leaves glistening with moisture. Picking one stalk, she popped it into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully, her eyes widening with delight.
"Don't just eat things!" Kael chided, alarmed. "We don't know what they are!"
"It is Cinnabar," she declared happily, her voice muffled by the leaf in her mouth. She swallowed, then grinned. "It's edible. The juice is very sweet. I used to love eating it when I was with Lady Perelda."
"You've had it before?" Kael asked, surprised. "You... can eat solid food?"
"Of course I can eat," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "If it's good, I eat it. If it's bad, I don't." She shrugged, as if this explained everything.
Kael remembered the night he had coaxed her to drink wine, her first taste of mortal pleasures.
"Wow, there's so much good stuff in here!" Peria plunged her arm deeper into the crucible, her face alight with excitement. She pulled out something else—a branch, nearly purple in color, covered in countless tiny pores. It looked unlike any ordinary wood, more like fossilized bone.
"Can you eat that too?" Kael asked skeptically. It looked more like stone than plant, incredibly hard and dense.
"No, you can't eat this," she said, turning it over in her hands. "But you can use it for brewing liquor, or in medicine. It's called Dragonbone Coral. It has excellent pain-relieving properties."
"Are you sure?" Kael's heart jumped. He had heard Sylva Dreyn mention Dragonbone Coral before. It was said to be formed from the remains of a rare dragon species called the Erosion Drake, found only in the deepest trenches of the Celestial Sea. It was incredibly rare, and incredibly valuable.
"Mmm, I've seen it before," Peria said, nodding. "Lady Perelda had some in her alchemy chamber. I'm certain. See?" She touched it, then held it out to him. "It makes your hand tingle."
Kael reached out and touched the branch. Sure enough, his fingers went slightly numb, a pleasant, electric sensation spreading up his arm. "No wonder I felt a bit numb while soaking in there," he muttered. That old bastard Greymantle was surprisingly generous with me, using such a precious treasure for my treatment.
"You soaked in there?" Peria asked, her head tilting curiously. "Why were you soaking in there, Kael?"
Kael, not wanting her to worry, fabricated a reason. "Taking a bath. The old man said it would help with my injuries."
"Ah! And this!" Peria exclaimed, pulling another find from the steaming liquid—a dark red, seaweed-like mass, glistening and slick. She held it up triumphantly.
Kael, seeing her excitement, asked, "And what is this, little one?"
"This is Abyssal Whiskers," she said, her voice brimming with delight. "Lady Perelda said it's extremely nourishing. For us peach spirits, it's the most wonderful tonic. It helps us grow strong and healthy."
Kael's mind raced. He had never heard of Abyssal Whiskers before, but if Peria recognized it, and it was good for her... "Then let's enjoy it," he said, a wicked glint in his eye.
With that, he scooped her up in his arms. She was light as a feather, her body warm against his. With a powerful leap, he landed in the Dragon-Gathering Crucible, the hot water splashing around them.
"Ah! It is strange," Peria giggled, her shoulders breaking out in tiny goosebumps. "It really does make you tingle all over!"
Kael watched her, enchanted. The steam rose around them, coiling around her body like a lover's embrace. Her skin was flushed from the heat, her eyes bright with wonder. He couldn't resist. He leaned down and kissed her shoulder, tasting the warm, sweet skin.
"Hmm?" Peria suddenly pressed her foot against the bottom of the crucible a few times, then bent down. From the depths, she pulled up a strange, multicolored stone the size of a plum, its surface swirling with iridescent patterns.
"Find something else?" Kael asked, his lips busy tracing a path down her neck, nipping at her collarbone.
"It's a Toad Stone!" she cried happily, turning the stone over in her hands, examining it from every angle.
Kael, his attention focused on the enchanting spirit in front of him, merely grunted in response, his lips continuing their exploration of her soft, sweet skin.
"You look!" Peria squeezed the stone hard. Water sprayed out in all directions, and the stone shrank, becoming the size of a longan fruit. She held it up, delighted. "See? When you squeeze it, it gets this small! Isn't it amazing?"
Infectiously, Kael felt a rare lightness in his chest, a joy he hadn't felt in a long, long time, as he watched her radiant smile. The weight of the past nineteen days—the pain, the guilt, the loss—seemed to lift, if only for a moment.
"This kind of stone absorbs water," Peria explained, her voice eager. "And it slowly purifies any impurities or filth in the water. Lady Perelda's alchemy chamber had some of these, but they disappeared later. I always wondered where they went."
Kael said nothing, his eyes fixed on her, enraptured. The steam rose between them, swirling around their bodies. The water was warm, almost hot, the medicinal herbs in it filling the air with a rich, earthy scent. But all he could see, all he could focus on, was her.
---
"Kael?" Peria finally noticed his silence. She looked at him, her head tilting to the side. "What's wrong? Why aren't you talking?"
"We..." Kael swallowed, his throat dry. His cock, already half-hard, twitched with anticipation. "We should play the Game."
"Now?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Okay!"
Kael didn't need to be told twice. With a growl, he pulled her close, burying his face in her soft breasts. He pushed aside the damp fabric of her dress, baring her chest to his hungry gaze.
Her breasts were perfect—small, round, the pink nipples already hard and begging for attention. He took one into his mouth, sucking hard, his tongue swirling around the delicate nub.
"K-Kael..." Peria gasped, her fingers tangling in his hair, her body arching into his touch.
He didn't answer, too busy lavishing attention on her breast. He sucked, he licked, he teased the hard nub with his tongue, swirling around it, then around the delicate areola, over and over, driving her wild. The taste of her was intoxicating—warm, sweet, like the first sip of the finest wine.
Peria's legs trembled. She could barely stand. Her hands fluttered, unsure where to touch, what to do. Then Kael's hand slid down, slipping between her thighs, finding the heat of her entrance through the damp fabric.
She was already wet. As his finger slid inside her, it was coated instantly in her slick arousal. The heat, the tightness—it was almost too much.
"Kael... your hand... mmm..." she whimpered, her voice thick with need, her body trembling.
"How's this?" he murmured against her skin, adding pressure to his finger, changing his motion from a gentle slide to a firm press. His speed increased with every passing second, his finger pistoning in and out of her tight, clenching passage.
"No... no, it's me... I... I can't... stop... I need to..." Her voice was a desperate, trembling whisper, her body tensing, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.
Kael chuckled darkly, his lips moving to her other breast, giving it the same treatment. "You're not going to piss yourself, little spirit. You're going to come for me. Hard."
"Stop... wait... ah!" Her cry was sharp, sweet, music to his ears. Before the sound had even faded, her body arched violently, her back bowing as a shuddering climax tore through her. Her passage clenched around his finger, milking it, her sweet essence gushing out in a hot rush.
Kael felt the hot flood of her release gushing over his fingers, coating his palm. It was warm, slick, but unlike the tingling sensation of Lunar Essence. It wasn't thick or sticky either—it was light, almost like water, but with a sweet, floral scent. What the...? He had never encountered anything like it before.
Peria was still trembling, her eyes glazed with pleasure, her face flushed a deep, rosy red, her lips parted as she panted for breath. She looked so incredibly beautiful in her pleasure, so perfectly responsive, that Kael's cock ached, desperate for release.
With a growl, he tore away the last scrap of fabric around his waist. Still standing in the water, he positioned himself between her thighs, replacing his finger with the thick, burning head of his cock. He pressed against her entrance, feeling her tight, slick heat.
Peria gasped as another spasm wracked her body, and she sprayed another stream of her sweet fluids directly onto his shaft, the warm liquid coating his cock, making it glisten.
"Fuck," Kael groaned, his voice rough. The heat, the wetness, the way her tight little cunt clung to just the tip of his cock—it was almost too much to bear. With a powerful thrust of his hips, he surged forward, breaking through her resistance, burying himself deep inside her.
Peria cried out, her body going rigid. She tried to pull away, but he was already fully seated, his cock slamming into her cervix with a sharp, aching pleasure that made her entire body go numb. For a moment, she couldn't move, couldn't breathe—she could only feel the incredible fullness, the way he stretched her, filled her, completed her.
Kael didn't give her time to adjust. He began to thrust, each stroke deep and powerful, his hips snapping forward, churning the water in the crucible into a frothing, boiling storm. The sound of their bodies coming together, the splash of the water, the ragged breaths—it was a symphony of pleasure.
Peria was rocked by his movements, her body sliding down the curved side of the crucible. From standing, she gradually became reclined, her head and shoulders threatening to slip beneath the water. She had to release her grip on Kael, bracing herself against the rim with both arms to keep from being fully submerged.
Kael gripped her waist tightly, his fingers digging into her soft flesh. With every thrust, he bottomed out against her cervix, the deep penetration sending shocks of pleasure through them both. He marveled at how shallow she was—her tight passage could only take him halfway before he hit her limit. Peria is so fucking shallow..., he thought, savoring the incredible tightness, the way her inner walls clung to him like a vice.
Peria was in ecstasy, her passage flooding with her sweet, clear essence. But because her entrance was unlike a human woman's, remaining tightly sealed like a vice around his cock, her fluids had nowhere to go but to coat his shaft, making every thrust slick and effortless. The sensation was incredible—smooth, hot, perfect.
And as Kael thrust into her, driving them both toward the peak, he felt something rare and precious: a moment of pure, unadulterated joy. The weight of his guilt, his loss, his pain—it all faded away, if only for a little while. In this moment, there was only Peria. Only her warmth. Only her love.
And it was enough.
---
Kael felt her inner fluids building, growing hotter with each thrust. His cock slid through her slick passage, the friction indescribably perfect. His rhythm quickened on its own, and then—his length swelled violently, the Dracoiling flaring to life across his shaft, dragon-veins pulsing with inner fire.
Peria couldn't withstand the sensation. The heat, the fullness, the way his transformed cock dragged against her most sensitive spots—her core clenched, her hidden depths flooding with need. The arm bracing her against the crucible's rim slipped, and half her body plunged into the steaming medicinal bath.
Kael caught her instantly, hauling her back up to the rim. And that's when he saw it—her delicate foot, lifted from the water by the shift in balance. His breath caught. It was perfect. Slender, smooth as polished ivory, the arch graceful as a drawn bow. He had to touch it.
"Kael..." Peria whimpered, her voice thick with longing. His magnificent cock had slipped free when she fell, and the absence was torture.
But Kael was entranced. He lifted her foot, turning it this way and that, admiring every curve, every line. The skin was impossibly soft, warm from the bath, and it smelled faintly of peach blossoms—her true nature, impossible to hide. He couldn't resist. He brought it to his face, pressing his lips to her sole, then tracing the delicate bones with his tongue.
Peria moaned, the empty ache inside her growing unbearable. "Kael!" she cried, her eyes locked on his throbbing, dragon-veined cock rising from the water like a brand. Her gaze was a silent plea—she needed him back inside her.
But Kael was lost in his new toy. He explored every crevice between her toes with his tongue, savoring the faint sweetness of her spirit-flesh. Peria gasped as the sensation shot through her, her body softening even as her need sharpened. The way his tongue teased between her toes—it was maddening, delicious, and not nearly enough.
Her free hand slipped beneath the water, fingers seeking her own slick folds. She had to do something. The emptiness was too much.
Kael noticed immediately. He watched, mesmerized, as her fingers found her entrance. The way her delicate petals glistened, the way her hips twitched—he had never seen her like this, so close, so exposed.
"Rub it," he commanded, his voice rough. "Rub it for me."
Peria obeyed without hesitation. Her fingers circled her sensitive nub, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. The pleasure built, but it wasn't the same. It wasn't him.
Kael's cock throbbed painfully, but he was too fascinated to stop. He kept her foot at his lips, kissing, nipping at her sole as he watched her pleasure herself.
"Faster," he urged. "Rub faster."
Peria's fingers moved quicker, her hips lifting slightly from the crucible's rim. Her other hand gripped the edge for support as she worked herself, her small body trembling.
Kael's eyes were glued to the sight. He had bedded her before, but never like this—never with this kind of intimate, almost clinical focus. The way her fingers worked, the way her juices coated them, catching the light—
"Kael, please..." Peria whimpered, her voice breaking. "Please, play with me..."
"Keep going," he said, his own voice strained. "I want to watch."
She shook her head, her eyes glazed with need. "It's not the same. I need you inside me."
"Just a little longer," he promised, though his cock ached with the lie. "Put your fingers inside. Show me."
Peria hesitated, her face flushing. "I... I'm afraid."
"There's nothing to fear," he coaxed, his voice softer now. "It'll feel better. Trust me."
She bit her lip, then slowly, tentatively, slipped a finger inside her tight passage. A soft cry escaped her as she penetrated herself.
"That's it," Kael encouraged, his own breath ragged. "Deeper. Put another one in."
Peria obeyed, adding a second finger, her hips rocking slightly as she worked them in and out. The sight was intoxicating—her small hand disappearing between her thighs, her juices coating her fingers, the way her body responded to her own touch.
"Faster," Kael demanded, his voice rough with desire. "Faster, like this." He demonstrated with his free hand, thrusting his fingers in the air.
Peria matched his rhythm, her fingers moving quicker, her breath coming in sharp gasps. The pleasure coiled tighter inside her, but it still wasn't enough. It wasn't him.
"Doesn't it feel better?" Kael asked, his cock pulsing with every word.
Peria shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "No... not as good as when you play with me."
"I am playing with you," he insisted, leaning forward to press a kiss to her inner thigh. The scent of her arousal was thick in the air. "Don't stop. Faster."
His lips trailed closer to her core, his breath hot against her slick folds. Peria gasped as his tongue flicked out, teasing her without quite touching where she needed it most.
"Ah! Kael, I'm... I'm going to—"
"Then let it come," he commanded, his voice a dark promise.
"But I... I don't want to..." Peria's fingers stilled, her body trembling on the edge. "I'm scared."
"Don't be afraid," he soothed, his own need a living thing between them. "I'm right here."
"I want you," she cried, her voice desperate. "I want you to touch me, Kael. Please."
"Just a little longer," he insisted, though his cock was so hard it hurt. "I want to see you do it yourself."
Peria whimpered, but she obeyed. She bit her lip hard, her fingers resuming their frantic rhythm. Her brow furrowed, her eyes squeezed shut—whether in pleasure or frustration, Kael couldn't tell.
He held his breath, his eyes locked on her core. He wouldn't miss a second of this.
"I can't..." Peria gasped, her hips jerking. "I can't come like this—"
Kael didn't hesitate. He shifted, hooking her leg over his shoulder, freeing his hand. Two fingers delved into her slick heat, finding that swollen, sensitive spot inside her.
Peria cried out as his fingers worked her, the pressure building unbearably. In moments, her back arched, her body trembling as the first wave hit her. Her juices gushed over his hand, hot and slick, and then—
The second wave crashed over her, this one more powerful. Her fluids sprayed out, coating his hand, his face, his chest in her sweet, thick essence. It was a downpour, a flood, and it was the most beautiful thing Kael had ever seen.
"Fuck, you're amazing," he groaned, his voice thick with awe. He leaned down, licking the fluids from his lips. And then he froze.
Sweet. Her essence was sweet. Not just the usual musk of arousal, but actually sweet, like the nectar of the peach blossoms she was born from. He had to taste more.
He buried his face between her thighs, his tongue lapping at her core, drinking down her fluids as she trembled through the aftershocks of her climax. Peria moaned, her body still sensitive, but the pleasure was too much to resist. She came again, smaller this time, her juices mixing with his saliva as he feasted on her.
When he finally lifted his head, his face was slick with her, his eyes dark with hunger. He crawled up her body, pressing a kiss to her trembling lips. "Peria," he murmured, "you're so sweet."
Peria didn't respond. She was lost, her mind still floating somewhere beyond her body, her only response a soft, needy whimper.
The sight of her like this—undone, trembling, utterly his—sent a fresh wave of hunger through Kael. His eyes caught on something floating nearby in the bath—a piece of purple coral, the Dragonbone Coral Peria had mentioned earlier. He reached for it, pulling it from the water.
Peria's eyes widened as she saw what he held. "Kael—"
He didn't speak. Instead, he used his free hand to part her folds, then carefully pressed the coral against her entrance.
"Ah!" Peria cried out as he pushed it inside her.
Kael said nothing, his eyes locked on her face as he worked the coral deeper, until it was fully seated inside her. Then he began to move it, slowly at first, then faster.
"N-no! This isn't—ah!—this isn't right!" Peria gasped, her hips twitching as the coral dragged against her sensitive inner walls. The medicinal bath had a numbing effect, and the Dragonbone Coral was known for its own numbing properties, but combined with her post-orgasm sensitivity, it was almost too much. The coral was light, but incredibly hard, and its surface was covered in tiny pores—smooth in some ways, rough in others. As it moved in and out, it dragged at her delicate inner flesh, pulling it slightly with each withdrawal.
But Kael was too far gone to stop. He watched, enraptured, as her inner lips were pulled slightly with each withdrawal, the sight obscenely beautiful. He worked the coral faster, his cock throbbing with every movement.
Peria couldn't take it. She kicked her legs, trying to close them, to trap the coral inside her where it couldn't move. "Kael, please! I can't—ah!—I want you, not that thing!"
Kael's desire burned hotter at her reaction. He pried her legs apart, thrusting the coral a few more times before letting her close them again, trapping the coral inside her. He was panting, his cock aching. "Good girl, let me play a little more."
Peria shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I want Kael. I don't want that thing."
"Aren't we playing a game?" he coaxed, his voice a dark purr.
Peria sniffled, her voice small. "I want to play with Kael... not with that."
Kael looked at her—her flushed face, her trembling body, the tears on her cheeks—and something dark and possessive surged inside him. He wanted to see her cry. He wanted to see her break. And he wanted to be the one to put her back together.
His eyes flicked to the crucible's rim. The Dragon-Gathering Crucible was massive, its bronze sides carved with the forms of coiling dragons. At each corner, the dragons' bodies curved into looped handles, perfect for gripping—or, as he now realized, for restraining.
He grabbed Peria's legs, spreading them wide despite her weak protests. Then, with a predator's grin, he lifted her feet and pressed them into the dragon-shaped handles, one on each side. Her legs were now locked in place, her sex fully exposed and helpless before him.
And then he looked down at her, at the Dragonbone Coral still buried inside her, at the way her own juices dripped from her swollen folds, and he knew—this was only the beginning of their game.