The dining hall buzzed with chatter like a hive of gossip-loving bees, dissecting the latest match. Natalia, a human hurricane masquerading as a noblewoman, bypassed the swarm, her eyes laser-focused on Eydis, who looked suspiciously… happy. Natalia tackled her in a bear hug, temporarily forgetting the icy glare Astra shot her way.

"My spine appreciates the… break, Nat," Eydis chuckled, rubbing the assaulted back. "Speaking of spines, congrats on your match.”

Natalia puffed out her chest like a pigeon preening. "Please, he was like a feather in a hurricane! A very handsome feather, but a feather nonetheless."

Lionel, radiating warmth like a walking furnace, ruffled his sister's hair with mock seriousness. "He did let you win, little sis."

"Brother!" Natalia swatted him playfully. "Don't underestimate the Natalia-nado! But yeah, he was a pushover."

Eydis couldn't help but smile. The stoic Captain, a walking inferno, had a surprisingly soft spot for his fiery sister. And Elias's "loss" was no surprise; his sole purpose was to be Adam's human shield. Eydis’s amber eyes twinkled at the thought.

"Speaking of interesting matches, Lady Astra," Natalia's grin widened, clearly relishing the memory, "yours was... captivating, to say the least!"

Astra raised an eyebrow, sending a silent plea to Eydis, who hid a mischievous grin. "Captivating?"

"Instead of your usual swordplay, you were whipping Lukas like a...well, like a-"

"Like a dominatrix punishing her disobedient puppy. And those last strikes… brutal," Lionel finished, shuddering dramatically.

Astra's face flushed a deep crimson as confusion morphed into mortification. She darted a bewildered glance at Eydis, silently pleading for explanation.

Eydis, ever the master of cryptic pronouncements, leaned in, her lips brushing Astra's ear with a playful teasingness. 

"Lady Astra merely gave Lukas's nether regions a… taste of her blade," she murmured, a suggestive wink dancing across her face. "He'll be...fine...eventually. Maybe even grateful for the experience."

Lionel snorted, a chuckle rumbling in his chest. "The emotional damage, though... that might linger… forever.”

Eydis's grin widened. "Didn't you hear him moan when the whip cracked? He might have discovered a new… appreciation for alternative approaches."

Astra's mouth gaped open and closed like a fish out of water, replaying the battle in her mind. While exasperated at Eydis's teasing and refusal to explain, a strange thrill shot through her. This woman constantly surprised her, and Astra couldn't help but find it… exhilarating.

Before she could formulate a witty retort, a figure entered their peripheral vision. The Duke of Silverkeep, looking as charming as ever, and just as likely to cause chaos. Natalia and Lionel bowed, their playful banter forgotten.

Duke Theomund's icy lips, practised in charm, brushed against Astra's hand. He smoothly redirected his gaze, his touch lingering a beat too long on Eydis's skin, a silent caress.

Astra's eyes narrowed, her lips curving into a smile that could have sliced ice. "To what unexpected pleasure do we owe this visit, Your Grace?" she inquired, her voice laced with a dangerous undercurrent of sarcasm.

Theomund's smile remained fixed, but his eyes held no warmth. "Congratulations, Lady Astra and Lady Natalia. Captivating matches, shall we say."

Natalia launched into an enthusiastic reply, but Astra couldn't tear her gaze from Eydis. The sorceress cleared her throat, amusement dancing in her voice. "I enjoy certain… challenges," she admitted, a playful glint in her eyes. "Sometimes, I even surprise myself with the depths of my… expertise in handling the whip."

Theomund blinked, catching a glimpse of a blush blooming on Eydis's cheeks before it vanished. The atmosphere between the two women crackled with an unspoken tension he couldn't quite place. He knew they were roommates, rivals, but right now, there was something different in Eydis's eyes… something softer, warmer.

Then, Eydis' laughter filled the air, rich and unexpected, disarming Theomund. "Wouldn't you love to know, my Lady Astra? Who will be the next lucky recipient of your newly discovered… expertise?"

A flush crept up Astra's neck, but this time, it held a hint of defiance as well as heat. "Perhaps whoever dares to accept the challenge," she countered, her voicehusky with unspoken emotions.

The tension threatened to suffocate them. Theomund cleared his throat, desperately trying to shift the focus. "Miss Eydis," he blurted, "how do you find your new chamber? The previous one wasn't quite to your liking, I believe?"

Eydis' smile faltered for a split second before she smoothed it over. "Indeed, an improvement," she purred, her gaze flitting to Astra before returning to Theomund. "Less...judgmental ceiling art, which is fortunate, considering..." she leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "...my recent explorations with a much more...stimulating view."

Astra blushed, both at the innuendo and the unspoken understanding in Eydis's eyes. Theomund, oblivious, extended a hand. "Well then, Miss Eydis, since you've finished dinner, perhaps you'd join me for our customary evening stroll?"

‘Customary?’ Astra froze. Her amethyst eyes, usually vibrant sparks, narrowed into icy shards. Her fist clenched, the metal beneath her skin humming with a tremor of power. The urge to lash out, to scorch that self-assured smirk off his face, was a wildfire threatening to consume her.

Before she could react, Eydis' hand, warm and firm, closed over hers. A silent message passed between them, a flicker of shared defiance, a spark of amusement. "Apologies, Duke," Eydis said, her voice laced with steel beneath the smooth veneer. "But my partner and I have other plans tonight. If you'll excuse us."

Eydis led Astra away, their farewell nods to Natalia and Lionel. Theomund stood there, bewildered, the faint embers of Astra's anger remained. They glowed beneath the surface, a potent reminder of the power she held within, a power she wouldn't hesitate to unleash if necessary.

**

“What plans do we ha_” 

A choked gasp tore from Astra's throat as Eydis shoved her onto the bed with unforgiving force, the impact echoing in the stillness of the room. With practised, almost mesmerising grace, Eydis' nimble fingers danced against the clasp of the amethyst pendant. Silverkeep's twilight, the last gasp of day before night's full embrace, bathed Astra in an unsettling luminescence. The silver strands of her hair, shimmering like moonlight moments ago, began to writhe and darken, transforming into inky tendrils that cascaded down her shoulders like liquid shadows. 

"Your jealousy, Astra," Eydis murmured, her voice a husky caress, "is undeniably captivating. But please refrain from harming the duke." She leaned closer, her lips brushing against Astra's ear, the warmth of her breath a stark contrast to the ice gnawing at Astra's heart.

Astra growled, a guttural sound that ripped through the tension-filled air. "Do you care for him?" she countered, her voice raw and desperate. The truth echoed in the question, a plea cloaked in anger.

Eydis's fingers trailed a soothing circle on Astra's cheek, her thumb lingering by the corner of her trembling lips. "I care," she said softly, her gaze holding a warmth that clashed with the glint of steel in her eyes. "But not in the way I care about you. You know that, don't you?"

Astra flinched, her amethyst gaze flickering away, the vulnerability she'd tried to mask peeking through the cracks. “I do," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "But these feelings… they terrify even me.”

Silence descended, the weight of unspoken thoughts hanging heavy in the air. A flicker of understanding crossed Eydis's face, momentarily erasing the playful glint before returning with renewed intensity. As she rose, a void of warmth settled on Astra's skin, the emptiness echoing the growing unease in her heart.

Before she could protest, Eydis leaned in, her golden eyes burning into Astra's. "Strip," she breathed, her voice a sultry whisper that sent shivers down Astra's spine. 

The command, the single word heavy with smouldering desire, left no room for argument. A flicker of defiance sparked in Astra's eyes before being devoured by a wave of yearning radiating from Eydis' very being. It wasn't just physical heat, but a potent mix of desire and invitation that flooded Astra's senses, leaving her breathless and weak. Heat flooded the sorceress cheeks, a blush blooming from neck to forehead. Her mind screamed in protest, yet under the molten gold gaze that seemed to pierce her soul, her resolve crumbled like sandcastles under a crashing wave.

With a shaky breath, she raised her wrist, the ivory cloak falling away in a silent sigh. The pale lavender dress beneath clung to her curves, offering little protection from the hungry eyes that devoured her every move.

Eydis sprawled languidly in the deep blue armchair, her long legs draped over the plush velvet, offering glimpses of silky skin beneath the midnight-hued dress. Firelight danced across the room, illuminating the elegant angles of her face and igniting the silver embroidery on her gown with an almost otherworldly glow. Her chin rested on a slender hand, revealing the sharp beauty of her features. Golden eyes, like molten pools reflecting the firelight, seemed to pierce the room, their depths swirling with an unreadable mix of amusement and primal desire. 

Astra’s nimble fingers, imbued with a seductive urgency, danced across laces and clasps. Each garment peeled away, revealing more skin to the searing gaze that burned into her. Astra felt exposed, yet strangely exhilarated by the raw power emanating from Eydis.

As the final layer of clothing gracefully slid away, Astra stood in the raw vulnerability of her black silky underwear and lace choker, embracing her curves like a second skin. The cool air sent goosebumps erupting across her skin, but they were swiftly eclipsed by the heat radiating from Eydis's gaze, which swept over her with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat.

Eydis leaned in, a predatory smirk, sharp as a knife, sliced across her face, revealing a glimpse of canine teeth beneath her crimson lips. Her voice, a low growl disguised as a purr, vibrated in the air. "Tell me, sweetie," she murmured, "when whispers of Theomund and I brush against your ears, what stirs within you?"

Astra's scowl deepened, not just with anger, but with a flicker of shame that she quickly suppressed. "What are you playing at, Eydis?" she growled, her voice laced with a tremor she couldn't quite control.

The brunette's grin widened, a hint of mischief glinting in her golden eyes. "Playing?" she purred, her voice a sweet honey trap. "No, I'm simply stating the obvious. You've felt a pull towards me, Astra. Long before we were entangled. So tell me, what did you do with all that pent-up desire? Did it fuel the ferocity you displayed today, or did you seek solace in... more intimate expressions?"

Astra trembled, the vulnerability of her bare skin amplified by the intensity of Eydis's gaze. Her hand, hesitant at first, traced the velvet contours of her body. The touch, hesitant yet charged, ignited a spark within Eydis, a flicker of triumph dancing in her eyes.

"Yes," Eydis breathed, her voice a husky rasp. 

"Touch yourself, Astra."