I’m so focused on the picture Vali makes that I almost step on the tray that she’s left for me. Atop a plate, she’s set several dried pieces of fruit, arranged in a flower pattern, and a handful of nuts accompanied by some of the dried meat I purchased for her. Beside it is a cup that has a fruity scent and a pink liquid in it. I bring it to my nose and sniff it. Another tea? I take a sip and the water is tepid but sweet. She clearly left this out for me, and my guilt returns.

When will I be at ease with what she offers? Something has to change between us.

I take the tray she left for me and carry it across the cave so I can eat without disturbing her. Sitting at the water’s edge, I munch on the treats and watch her sleep, considering. The dried food makes me think of the trader and his daughter. She’d suggested that I take Vali to my family, to have a ceremony there. That it will feel like a true marriage if done in front of family.

At that point, if Vali reaches for me, she does so because she knows she’s my wife, not because she feels the need to please me.

It’s the perfect solution—once she feels better, I will take her to the flotilla. We will go before the leader and speak vows in front of everyone, and then she will truly be my wife.

I wake up with a crick in my neck from sleeping on the edge of the pool, and something warm pressed up against my back.

Vali.

She must have woken up and joined me. I roll onto my back, looking over at her, and her eyes are open. She gives me a shy smile, her body wrapped in blankets. “You looked cold. I thought we might share heat. Is that all right?”

My throat seems full of knots. She is so near, her soft skin pressed against mine. “I am not cold.”

“Oh.” Her expression falls.

“But you can join me.”

Her smile returns, and she slips an arm around my waist, pulling the blanket with her. She tucks her chin against my shoulder, watching me. “Is this where you normally sleep when you’re here in the grotto?”

I shake my head. “No. I am only here because I didn’t wish to disturb you.”

“You can disturb me. I’m your wife.” And she beams another smile my way.

I do not know what to say to all of this, so I simply grunt.

Her hand strokes over my side and I freeze. It seems a small, simple gesture and that I should ignore it. I can’t, though, because both of my foolish cocks rise once more. “I hope it’s all right that I rearranged some things to give additional living space,” she murmurs, watching my expression. “I tried to remember where everything goes so if you don’t approve, I’ll move it back.”

“Do what you like.”

Vali grins at me. “Are you just being accommodating because I’m your wife?”

“Yes?”

She chuckles, running her fingers over my skin. “I should complain about that, but I can’t bring myself to. It’s rather nice.”

I just watch her, my heart thudding in my ears. Her nearness is distracting, to the point that thoughts float out of my head and disappear, and I am left with nothing but silence between my ears. All because she smiles and her face lights up.

She pokes my side. “How do you live here with all this clutter anyhow?”

“I…don’t live here?” At her confusion, I elaborate. “I spend more time on Akara’s back, raiding. Sometimes I visit family, but most of the time I just…drift.”

Vali bites her lip. “Am I going to be keeping you from your lifestyle? Or will you be leaving me behind when you go raiding?”

I frown. “Why would I leave you behind?”

She shrugs, the movement nudging her chin against my arm. “I don’t know. I just thought you wouldn’t want me around. You do leave a lot.”

“Because you can’t swim with me.”

“Oh, so when I feel better we’ll swim together?”

I haven’t given it much thought, but I also didn’t think about leaving her behind, either. So I grunt. It seems as good an answer as any.

“I do need to get a fish for Lord Vor,” she says. “I haven’t forgotten my prayer to him.”

“I can get it for you.”

She shakes her head. “No, it has to be me or it doesn’t mean as much. I want the god to know I am truly grateful that he’s looking out for me. So I need you to take me fishing.” She flinches, as if realizing how demanding that sounds. “Please.”

I grunt again, distracted by the hand playing against my side. “When you feel better.”

“Oh, I don’t know, I feel pretty good now.” Her tone takes on a singsong cadence, and her fingers tickle across my stomach. “The first two days are always the worst. I think the tea is helping, too. You⁠—”

She breaks off as her hand grazes over the head of one straining cock.

“Oh,” Vali breathes. A bright smile wreathes her face and she reaches down and firmly grips my cock in her hand, sending a near-ecstatic clench of pleasure through my sac. “Look at how hard you are. Shall I help you with this, my husband?”

I want to say no. That I have a plan. That we’re going to wait.

But my foolish mouth betrays me.

I don’t say no.

“Now.”

Her eyes light up. “Now’s a very good time, aye. You sit back and let me handle everything. I’ll make you feel so good.”

And there’s so much delight and pleasure on her face that I can’t backtrack my words…and gods help me, I don’t want to. Her excitement fuels mine. This can’t be real—her enthusiasm. I am trapped, and like the weak, selfish fool I am, I’m going to let her do with me as she pleases.

Chapter

Fourteen

VALI

Ithink he likes me after all.

My happiness bubbles over this morning, like a pot of stew filled far too full. He’s here with me, he’s letting me touch him, and he wants me. A man can say all he wants that he’s not interested, but the moment a woman caresses him, he changes his mind. His cock will always rise.

And I’m so glad it does. This, I understand.

I give him a confident smile and tug his kilt down on his hips. The strange fabric falls away, and I make a mental note to ask him about it sometime. Not right now, though, because I want him focused. “Don’t worry about anything,” I tell him in what I hope is a sultry voice. “I’m an expert at⁠—”

He grabs my chin before I can finish the sentence and forces me to look up at him. “No lies between us, Valessa. I mean it.”

“I wasn’t going to say sea-ogres,” I protest, though I was going to embellish a little. “Just that I know what I’m doing with a cock. That’s all.” If I wanted to lie, I’d tell him I’m great in bed. I’m actually pretty rotten because if I don’t want to be there, I lie there like a dead fish.

But it’s different with Ranan. I haven’t forgotten that he saved me, but he’s been rather nice to me in his way, lately. I want to show him that I can be nice to him in my way, too. I want to show him that he made a good choice in taking me as his bride.

I reach down to grip his cock and not one but two cockheads brush against my fingers. Because he has two. I haven’t forgotten. I caress one, then reach down and stroke the other. “Just like I’ve seen before so many times,” I whisper. “Though not so much at once.”

He grunts, but his gaze is so very intense upon me. His ear fins flick, as if he’s wanting to touch me but doesn’t dare to interrupt.

I smile up at him, feeling confident for a change. This I know how to do. I might have lied about knowing all about sea-ogres, but I know men. I trail my fingers up and down one length, and then the other, keeping my touches exploratory and light. Like the rest of him, his skin has a faint greenish cast, like a glass bottle, and I’m entranced by how that color deepens in this most private area of his body. I stroke my hand up his lower cock, comparing it to the top one. They are stacked atop one another, like peas in a pod, though I don’t think he’d like my comparison. He’s only got one sac, a prominent bulge underneath his second cock. I reach down and toy with it, rolling the globes underneath the soft skin gently under my touch.