Chapter 58 - The Long Road [3]

The remaining days, a total of three and a half, had been thankfully silent. Barring the odd growls, whimpers, whines, twisting vines, and any other noise monsters could make in an effort to drag him away from the carriage and into their waiting lower maws. Hell, at one point Noah had seen in the darkness of the forest about a dozen sets of eyes—many a different shade of 'I wanna f.u.c.k you' all just staring at him, waiting for Jaafa to conk out and let them raid them.

Whatever Jaafa was, it was arguably human. Till that point Noah had never seen someone be so uppity after three full days on not sleeping yet somehow this man was able to stand firm, sword on his waist ready to repel anything unbecoming. What Noah felt was strange was that not a single such incident had occured. He knew they were there, waiting, watching, yet not one seemed interested in testing Jaafa's blade.

It was also during these days that Noah discovered a disparity with the monsters, or at least, he'd discovered that not all of them had b.r.e.a.s.ts and a v.a.g.i.n.a. As it turned out in the back pages of the almanac there was more explanation on just 'what' the monsters were and what had caught his interest, being the s.e.x.u.a.l dimorphism. In laymens terms he'd discovered that the females of most of the monster species took on a vaguely humanoid appearance, often that of a woman. The males on the other hand, they took the term 'monster' and went full blaze with it.

An example presented in the book were for the species of monsters known as satyrs. On earth he knew them as men and women with the lower halves of goats, but here on Minas that men and women turned into women exclusively. The men were just plain goats, though apparently larger than normal ones and much, much hornier. He didn't want to know the story behind that comment.

When Jaafa began to tire he'd come into the back of the carriage while either Liora or Noah took place by Caina's side and let the man rest a bit.

Any chatter Noah had with the man in question was… odd, to say the least. Though Jaafa would give him more blade wielding tips—the metal kind, not something Noah was expecting to have to make clear in his lifetime—somehow the man would always bring it back to Mora and Gracia Rodis, the girls who'd been turned into a demon and a thrall respectively. After his unfortunate… accident it appears he'd taken a bit of hate for Mora, or well the demon inhabiting her. He was borderline unhinged at some points. There hadn't been a night when he hadn't gone to the edge of the firewall and swung his blade at the air screaming 'I know your there demon! Come out and return those ladies to me!'

Each time Noah would meet with Caina and Liora's gazes finding all three of theirs were strained just physically saying 'we're going to die, aren't we?'

That brought them up to today, just hours away from arriving in Tallmire. Jaafa and Caina had once again taken purchase atop the box and were guiding it through the plains surrounding the city while Liora and Noah sat silently in the back. Since the revelation of exactly what he was they'd spoken particularly little and had remained constantly opposite one another in the carriage. Often they'd meet eyes but just as quickly would Liora flush, squeak, and dart her gaze away. Each time leaving Noah to whine internally pondering if he'd done something wrong, apart from those monsters he'd consummated a relationship with, hiding his otherworldly origins, even the fact he'd unwittingly had this mark on his shoulder blade seemed to be weighing on their minds.

"We're close by!" he faintly heard Jaafa call from outside.

Noah's head perked up as Liora puffed light breaths opposite him. Her head hung languidly to the side and her eyes were gently tightened. For whatever reason she hadn't slept that well the previous night and was now taking her long awaited beauty sleep. He'd asked her earlier that morning just when they were rising with the sun what it was yet all he got in response were flushed cheeks, a chirp, and hastened retreat. In his confusion he barely noticed a faint sweetness lingering about by her and Caina's tent. Most unnervingly was the cold glare Caina was giving him. While she didn't seem as tired, she did seem to be more mellowed out than usual. Almost like he was blaming him for something out of his control.

Further proof came to him when he'd gone to Jaafa who was packing up the fire pits to ask if there was anything he could help with, only for Jaafa to rise up, smile brightly yet solemnly his way, and pat Noah's shoulder like he was proud of him. No amount of 'what?' got a straight answer from the man. Oft the response was 'you know what you did.' Which ironically, Noah did not know.

Seeing her resting so softly Noah's focus was drawn to her arm still strapped in brown leather with a blaring red scar running down from her inner elbow down to her wrist. It flickered with warm, devilish light and every now and then the pale skin around it would turn a shade of crimson. Whenever that happened Liora would sweat lightly and her expressoin would tighten in pain. A side effect, he knew it to be. The carriage was breezy and every now and then cold air would wander in and stroke her underarm flaring the wound.

He'd questioned Caina more about it, about the balm she'd used to seal the wound. Ignis balm, a type of poultice made from the curdled b.r.e.a.s.t milk and oil of an ignis of at least a hundred years of age blended with various herbs and some type of wax and oil. The side effects seemed harsh, feeling pain every time something cool or cold touched the wound just seemed cruel. And yet, he couldn't refute the effectiveness of the balm, it had cured what should have been a life threatening wound in the manner of hours. Now it was only waiting until she could take of the straps and even hopefully find something to cure the aching pain. To do that he needed something else, something rare, which was an understatement apparently. Even Caina for all her knowledge had only seen it once and just that was barely enough to cure a knicked finger let alone what Liora was having to deal with. Just that cost a few thousand buckles more than anything Noah could even imagine.

As the clatter of the carriage rumbled the innards of vine weaved baskets filled with engorged cherries, Liora's expression tightened. Her eyes clenched raising crows feet to her cheeks. No sooner did her haze rubies flicker weakly open, waking her to the softly light interior. The sun beamed through the canvas weave above giving everything a faintly yellowish tinge and in the air lingered a sickly sweet taste of cherries that not only teased the nose but drew the mouth to excessive salivation.

Focus grew more apparent to her, she lifted a hand and rubbed her eyes. Both arms raised as she let out a yawn that drew Noah's attention to her bosom barely pulled tight by her muscles. Doubtful they could ever be brought tight considering their abundant size and voluptuos fullness. Though he may berate himself for it later, in the moment Noah couldn't help but imagine their feel, how they would melt between his fingers, how they would feel wrapping his lower half. Even the rest of her body, she just seemed soft to the touch.

Noah's cheeks heated and he quickly diverted his gaze and clenched his legs tightly together to hide his rising manhood just in time as clarity finally came to Liora's mind.

"We there yet?" she mumbled drowsily.

"Nearly." Noah gulped and replied. His unusual tone drawing a curious brow raise from Liora who just faintly noticed a slight bludge in his nethers. Biting her lips into lines she turned and looked out of the back of the carriage. Faintly in the distance another could be seen, though one much more regal with red painted wood and plenty of ornate accents dotting it.

Lifting a hand she pressed it to her cheek and felt her own warmth. A tightness in her loins drew her to cast Noah a sidelong look only to meet with his own and dodge away the next moment. It was ridiculous. She was acting like a child seeing their first love, she thought shaking her head exasperated at the childish side she'd thought forgotten. Stilling her shaking she leaned her head to the side and forced herself to look Noah's way. He was sat with one leg extended while the other curled under the opposite knee. His hands pressed between his legs attempting to quell his erection. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%5B3%5D_52372780288636470 for visiting.

She couldn't see what he saw in a hag like her. She was so far out of her prime it was ridiculous for a handsome young boy like him to find l.u.s.t in her body. She was old enough to be his mother even! That was just too much. Though she couldn't deny her own feelings welling up for him. Honestly she knew it was only a matter of time before they were honest with each other and ultimately found themselves enthralled in the others body. As sick the thought was to her.

'When did love become so weak to me?' she tilted her gaze to the prairies of verdant green outside. By Artemia's decree, men and women were to wed only one. To love only one. Yet she was finding herself falling for another man. Yes, perhaps Artemia allowed consummations outside of wedlock, but emotional attachment was not to be allowed. Such sinnerous things would result in ones soul never finding peace in the here after. Even with her husbands death such a thing was still in effect, it was till both were deceased after all.

She knew it wouldn't work like that. Not if Noah kept being the good guy to her. Turning her eyes to halfmoons she began to think, was Artemia's favor truly that important to her? No, it wasn't. She may have been raised beneath the banner of the goddess of Chastity but now she barely prayed, barely made offerings, barely did anything that Artemia sought of her disciples. So maybe just this once she could ignore Artemia. Forsake what she'd been raised beneath and let herself be free.

Turning once more to Noah, she saw him staring down through the carriage curtains and felt her cheeks tighten into a slight smile.

'If this works… maybe I'll give myself to you?'