ChaoticArmcandy

um i tried to turn the thirst dial up and its just spinning around and around...i think maybe i broke it?

I hurried along the underground service corridor towards the alchemy complex and Aralia’s office, my thoughts looping back again and again to the strange look on Mila’s face as I’d stammered out my weak excuse for leaving so abruptly.

She must suspect something, right? I cursed myself inwardly for a fool. I’d wasted far too many opportunities to come clean. There was no more room for hesitation, no longer any excuse to delay.

I knew I had to lay all my cards on the table, and tell Mila everything. Our sisterhood was much too precious to risk. Aralia’s allyship was nothing in comparison, a paltry thing I would willingly gamble for something much more valuable. At all costs, I couldn’t let the protection she offered put my connection with Mila in jeopardy.

I bore down with my teeth on the inside of my cheek. The only problem was that Aralia still possessed an unspeakable degree of leverage over me, a consideration that Mila could hardly afford to ignore. If I bared my secrets before Mila without offering her any solutions for that conundrum, I would put her in an impossible situation, forcing her to pick between our closeness and the ruinous control that Aralia could choose to exert over me at a moment’s notice.

If Mila were thinking clearly—and I was struck by the sudden certainty that Roxa wouldn’t let her forget this—she would have to distance herself from me for both our sakes, until Aralia’s edge over me could be neutralized.

So if I wanted to keep my newfound intimacy with Mila—something that felt as vital to me as breath itself—I had to offer her something, first.

I had to bring her some kind of meaningful leverage over Aralia.

It would be difficult—verging on impossible. I knew I was only dimly aware of how sharp and dangerous of an adversary Aralia could be, but I knew enough. Her mind was a glittering steel bear-trap.

In comparison, even if one were inclined to be generous, I was more like a—well, no, actually better not to dwell on that.

~ ~ ~

I clung to the shelter of the servant’s doorway in the corridor outside Aralia’s office, trying to slow my breathing, peeking out to check and double-check that the way was clear.

My head spun with questions. Why was I here? Was she just summoning me to blow off some steam? It was still morning—she’d never wanted to fuck me this early…

And could I really do this, somehow find a way to turn the tables on her? What chance did I stand of matching wits and threats with a person like her? I felt like a squirrel trying to stalk a mountain lion.

Trying to summon up some courage, I flitted out into the open and rapped twice.

“Come!” came Aralia’s muffled voice.

I pushed open the heavy door with my shoulder and slipped in.

Aralia was at her desk, scribbling on a crisp white sheet of paper. She looked up at me irately and I felt a flush of heat beginning to creep down my neck.

“That took long enough.”

“Sorry,” I muttered, trying steel and calm myself, instead of my default, which was to openly fidget like a fretful, flustered—fuckfuckfuck, am I turned on? All it took was—?!

She narrowed her eyes at me, and my stomach did an odd little flip.

“I was sleeping,” I hurried to add. “I came as soon as I, ah, woke up.” It wasn’t a lie.

“At least you made it with some time to spare.” She sighed and gestured distractedly. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just tracking a lot right now. And I need to leave soon for a crucial, and very dangerous, meeting.”

My ears perked. A crucial, dangerous meeting? This could be exactly the opportunity I needed to collect some powerful blackmail on her…

“But before I do,” she continued, “I have an assignment for you.”

I blinked. “An assignment?”

“Yes.” She opened a drawer in her desk. “Do you know a Mila Finnochio?”

Only the fact that she was looking down and rummaging concealed my sudden stiffening. Was she onto me? Did she know about Mila? I swallowed and crossed my arms reflexively.

“Um,” I got out, praying she wouldn’t notice anything untoward in my tone.

“She was in the Apomasaics course with you, so I thought perhaps you might,” Aralia said casually, bringing out a gleaming spherical device the size of a fist, and setting it firmly on the paper. “She has a room in the same dormitory I placed you in. Third floor, I believe.”

It was getting harder and harder to believe this was a coincidence.

Her fingers flew, punching a sequence of tiny buttons and the device began to whir and thrum and emit little flashes of light from its base. I was focused on her so intently that I hardly noticed.

“I clean up there, sometimes,” I said carefully, uncrossing my arms and silently blessing my luck that she was this distracted.

“Well, keep your ears and eyes open. She’s turned out to be quite important, and I’m very interested in her.”

I tried to nod attentively, my thoughts all a-swirl. Aralia had to suspect that Mila was also a tea girl—there was no other conclusion I could think to draw.

This was, in all likelihood, very bad news.

“Anything at all you can glean through observing her, anything you can find out or overhear—bring it all to me. I need every piece of information you can give me about her.”

My eyes widened. Okay, this was definitely very bad news. My worst fear was quickly unfurling into reality.

“Without drawing undue attention to yourself, of course.” She looked up at me sternly. “Can you manage that?”

I nodded, trying to look sheepish. It wasn’t that hard.

“Good.” Her look softened. “Good girl, Ellie.”

I squirmed in response, silently resenting her ability to melt my insides at will. “W-why are you so interested in her?” I chanced, trying to sound as innocent as possible. “It might help to know more about what you want to find out…?”

I trailed off, blushing, as Aralia leveled a look at me.

“I do not share need-to-know information with my playthings, Ellie.” She shook a warning finger.

A soft little moan almost slipped out of me, before I tamped it down.

“Do I make myself clear, slut?”

I glanced down at my shoes, cheeks heating. Fuck. How was she able to do this to me so easily?

“Well?”

I looked back up at her glassily and blinked. “Y-yes,” I choked.

She cocked her head at me. “You dripping little thing.”

I exhaled, squirming.

“I’ll bet you didn’t take your hepatic again today, did you?”

“Ah, n-no,” I stammered. Fuck.

She grinned a filthy grin. “Do you remember our agreement, Ellie?”

I closed my eyes as a wave of heat made my thoughts go all swimmy. “I, uh, y-yeahh,” I husked.

Her chair creaked as she rose. I peeked through heavy lids to see her golden gaze perusing me hungrily. “Do me the favor of repeating it, then.”

My breathing was quick and shallow. “You punish me every time I forget,” I mumbled.

Aralia rounded the desk and paced towards me like a cat. “That is what I recall, as well,” she smirked, coming to stand in front of me.

I blinked up at her, trembling freely and all but panting.

Then she glanced up at the gear clock on the wall. “Hmm.”

I followed her gaze, then shuddered as she turned back to me, reached out and took hold of my chin. I couldn’t hold back a whine as her thumb brushed my lips, then slowly sank into my mouth.

“We may have to delay your punishment for later, Ellie.” Her golden eyes danced playfully as her fingers tightened, pressing down on my tongue.

My whine trailed desperately upwards.

“You sound rather…frustrated by that.” Her thumb began slowly fucking my mouth.

I swayed in place, my eyes fluttering.

“I’m tempted to strip you and leave you tied under the desk for me to enjoy when I return,” she mused casually.

I whimpered. Why did that sound so yummy?

“Unfortunately,” she sighed, “I don’t have the time. I must be going now. Those Arcane labs won’t pay themselves a surprise visit, you know.” She tutted. “Pity. Well, I’m sure I’ll find a use for that mouth of yours very soon.”

I mewled helplessly and she grinned at me, then tilted my head up. Next thing I knew, her hot mouth was on mine, her tongue claiming, plunging, swirling. I moaned into the kiss, and in response she steepened and deepened it precipitously, dragging me down a heady slope. Then, gradually, she reeled me back up, slowly withdrawing and leaving me gasping.

“What a delightful mess you are.” She released me and stepped back. “Go sit down.”

I tottered, blushing, to the couch and sank into it, trying to catch my breath.

Aralia crossed to the desk, snatched the sheet of paper and gestured loosely to the room. “Take your time putting yourself back together, and lock the door behind you when you leave.”

I murmured soft assent from where I lay curled on my side.

She winked roguishly at me as she reached for the door handle. “And do enjoy the use of your fingers while I’m gone.”

The door swung closed behind her.

Gradually, the melty heat overlaying my mind eased, and I pulled myself upright, narrowing my eyes at where Aralia had been standing. So she was going to the Arcane labs, was she? Well, two could play at that game.

I struggled to my feet, and stumbled over to the door, a telltale squelch sounding with every step.

“So unfair,” I groaned.

How was I supposed to move silently like this??

ChaoticArmcandy

:p

insert 4/20 joke here