"The world outside was forgotten in the quiet depths of a gaze that saw everything."
Content Advisory: This chapter features an intimate scene between two women. If this material is not to your preference, feel free to skip ahead to the next chapter. Please note that this chapter does not advance the plot, so you won't miss any key developments by doing so. Though, the beginning of this chapter is still part of the normal plot.
Kane stormed into the camp house, her presence like a brewing storm. The doors swung open with a crash, and every soldier inside fell silent, their chatter dying in their throats as they felt the raw intensity radiating from her. The room, once filled with the buzz of post-battle energy, now stilled, as though the weight of her fury had sucked the air from it.
Her eyes burned with barely-contained rage as she strode to the center of the room, the fire of battle still crackling in her veins. "We've reclaimed our land," she began, her voice sharp as steel, "but it's far from over." Her words cut through the tense silence, commanding every ear, every eye, in the room. "We will reclaim our honor and destroy them."
The soldiers around her straightened, their chests swelling with a renewed sense of purpose, yet none dared speak. They watched her with reverence, sensing that something far deeper than strategy drove her now.
"They think they can take what's ours without consequence?" Kane's voice dripped with venom, her words fueled by the fire raging within. "We will make them regret every inch they've dared to invade."
Cheers erupted in the room, but Kane barely heard them. Her thoughts were miles away, back on the battlefield. Back to the strange, hollow gaze that had followed her as she cut down enemy after enemy.
Tarsia.
The cheers echoed in her ears, but all she could hear was the silence that had stretched between them—the eerie, unnerving quiet in Tarsia's eyes. There had been no fight, no defiance. Just a stare. What was that?
Kane clenched her jaw, shaking off the unease that clawed at her. She turned back to her troops, forcing her focus back to the battle they had won and the war still to fight. "Honor isn't given; it's taken. And I'll take back what they stole from us," she growled, "even if I have to carve it out of their hearts."
The soldiers cheered louder, fists pumping in the air, emboldened by her fire. But the prickling sensation crawling over Kane's skin wouldn't let go. The thrill of victory should have been coursing through her veins, yet her mind kept circling back to Tarsia's lifeless stare. Why didn't she fight? Why was she just… standing there?
I won't allow our legacy to be tainted by their cowardice, she thought, her fists clenching. I didn't ride into battle to settle for half-measures. I'm going to make them pay for every last drop of blood they've spilled.
But even as she steeled her resolve, something gnawed at the edges of her mind. Tarsia's empty eyes haunted her. What is she planning?
Kane's gaze hardened as she looked out over her troops. She couldn't afford to let this distraction undermine her. Not now, not when victory was within reach. But deep down, beneath her hardened exterior, she couldn't shake the prickling sensation creeping along her spine.
Something's wrong. And it's not just the battle ahead.
Kane's fingers tightened around the reins as her horse carried her through the shadowed woods. Her mind raced with the rhythm of the hooves hitting the earth, but the anger that coiled tight in her chest refused to settle. The day's victory had done little to cool the fire burning in her veins. Tarsia's face—the hollow look, the eerie stillness—haunted her like a thorn lodged too deep to pull out. She gritted her teeth, jaw clenched, eyes narrowing on the path ahead as the castle loomed in the distance.
By the time she reached the gates, dusk had fallen. Kane swung off her horse, her every movement sharp with purpose. Without a word, she tossed her gear aside, leaving the weight of battle behind as she stormed through the castle halls. Each step she took echoed through the stone walls, announcing her presence before she reached her chambers.
As she pushed open the door, the sight of Soraya greeted her. Soraya looked up, her playful smile quick to form as she noticed Kane's early return.
"Kane," she said, the teasing lilt in her voice unmistakable. "What are you doing here so early?"
Kane didn't answer—not with words. Instead, she crossed the distance between them in a heartbeat, crashing her lips against Soraya's with a hunger that left no room for questions. Her hands found Soraya's waist, pulling her close, the tension of the day channeled into each fierce touch. It wasn't soft or tender—it was a release, a claiming, and Soraya seemed to understand it immediately.
Caught in the heat of the moment, Soraya murmured against her lips, "Oh, Kane, you're so intense. I didn't know you could be this commanding."
Kane pulled back just enough to breathe her next words, her voice low and steady, threaded with an edge of desire. "Don't pretend you're shocked. You've been teasing me for weeks."
Soraya's eyes gleamed with anticipation, her fingers tangling in Kane's hair. "And now you've come to take what you want?"
"This isn't just desire," Kane said, her voice rough as her hands tightened their grip on Soraya's body. "This is me reclaiming what's mine."
Soraya's breath caught, her body responding to Kane's assertiveness with a soft, approving sigh. "Then show me, Kane. Show me just how much you want me."
Kane's thoughts spiraled, tangled in the desire coursing through her, but underneath it all, a different tension stirred. Tarsia. That blank stare, those eyes still watching her in the back of her mind, even now. For a moment, the memory of that unsettling encounter flickered through her, and she fought to shove it aside.
Her hands roamed across Soraya's body with purpose, her actions demanding and raw, as though she could push away the confusion by focusing entirely on the woman in her arms. This is about Soraya, she told herself, trying to drown out the unwelcome thoughts. Not the past, not Tarsia.
Kane gripped Soraya's waist more firmly, pulling her flush against her, feeling the heat between them grow. Soraya responded eagerly, meeting her intensity with equal passion. The tension in the room built quickly, charged with the unspoken emotions that neither of them could fully express.
"You wanted my attention, Soraya," Kane whispered against her skin, her breath hot and ragged. "Well, here I am, ready to give you everything."
Soraya's voice was breathless as she replied, "Take me, Kane. Show me how much you desire me."
Kane did just that, her movements urgent and deliberate, but despite the rising heat between them, she couldn't shake the lingering shadow of her earlier encounter. Tarsia's image hovered at the edges of her mind, a prickling reminder of something unresolved.
I shouldn't be thinking of her right now, Kane thought, her grip tightening. This is about Soraya—about the life I've chosen. The woman beside me. Yet, no matter how hard she tried to banish the thought, it clung to her, like a storm gathering on the horizon, just out of reach.
Soraya's breath hitched, pulling Kane back into the moment, her body responding to the intensity that Kane poured into every movement, every touch. The urgency between them grew until everything else faded into the background—except for the thudding of Kane's heart, which pounded out a rhythm she couldn't ignore.
I won't let the past ruin this moment, Kane resolved, pushing aside the doubt, the confusion. She focused on Soraya. For now, that was all that mattered.
This is my choice, Kane thought, closing her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. My path. I deserve to feel this with Soraya. But despite the warmth of Soraya beside her, a part of Kane couldn't help but wonder: Why can't I shake this feeling?
With fervent passion, Kane's hands found the button of Soraya's dress, undressing her one fluid motion. Her fingers traced the curve of Soraya's spine, unhooking her bra with practiced ease. Soraya's breath quickened as Kane's lips brushed against her collarbone, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. I've waited too long for this, too long to claim what's mine.
Kane's hands slid down to Soraya's hips, tugging at her skirt until it pooled at her feet. She stepped back, drinking in the sight of Soraya's near-naked form, her eyes dark with desire. With a gentle but firm push, Kane guided Soraya onto the bed.
Soraya fell back, her hair fanning out on the pillow, her chest rising and falling with anticipation. Kane paused, savoring the moment before slowly lowering herself onto the bed. She hovered over Soraya, a cool look in her face.
Kane's lips traced a slow, tantalizing path down Soraya's body. She savored each shiver, each soft gasp that escaped Soraya's lips. Her tongue flicked across Soraya's collarbone, dipped into the hollow of her throat, then meandered lower. Kane's hands cupped Soraya's breasts, thumbs circling her nipples as her mouth explored the soft valley between them.
Soraya arched into Kane's touch, her fingers tangling in Kane's hair. Kane's tongue swirled around one nipple, then the other, before continuing its journey southward. She nipped gently at the soft skin of Soraya's stomach, soothing each bite with a kiss.
Lower and lower Kane moved, her breath hot against Soraya's skin. She paused at Soraya's hip bones, planting open-mouthed kisses all along Soraya's Body.
Kane's lips brushed the sensitive skin of Soraya's inner thighs, eliciting a soft moan. She traced delicate patterns with her tongue, working her way inward with agonizing slowness. Soraya's hips lifted slightly, silently urging Kane onward.
Kane's fingers delved deeper into Soraya's wet heat, eliciting a gasp that reverberated off the castle's stone walls. She loved the way Soraya responded to her touch, the way her body quivered and surrendered under her ministrations. Kane's other hand found its way to Soraya's full breasts, squeezing them tightly.
Soraya's hands gripped the bedsheets, her nails digging into the fabric as Kane brought her closer to the edge of ecstasy. She could feel the familiar tightening in her core, the signs of an impending orgasm that promised to shatter her into a million pieces. But Soraya wasn't ready for it to end just yet. She wanted more.
With a husky voice, Soraya commanded, "Kane, taste me." Kane obliged, her tongue replacing her fingers, licking and sucking at Soraya's sensitive flesh. The sensation was almost too much for Soraya to bear, but she held on, her hips bucking against Kane's mouth.
The combination of sensations was too much for Soraya to handle. With a cry of release, she came, her body shaking and convulsing as waves of pleasure washed over her.
But Kane wasn't finished yet. As Soraya's tremors began to subside, Kane moved up, her body covering Soraya's like a warm blanket. Their breasts pressed together, their nipples hard and aching for attention. Kane captured one of Soraya's nipples in her mouth, sucking and nipping at it as she ground her wet pussy against Soraya's.
Soraya wrapped her legs around Kane's waist, pulling her closer. The sound of their panting breaths and the creaking of the bed filled the room.
Soraya's hips bucked off the bed. Kane pressed her palm against Soraya's clit with each thrust, creating delicious friction. Her skin, her scent—everything about her makes me lose myself.
"Kane... oh god, Kane," Soraya panted.