BXBX NOVEL Chapter 283 282: Counsel
As for Jahi, she stayed in the carriage with Nirinia and Adelina, heading out towards the nearest hospital to find a good healer.
Going outback, I turned towards my forge and picked up a hammer, lightning the forge itself and grabbing some metal ingots.
With nothing in mind to create, I simply began to swing my hammer and vent my frustrations on the ingot laying on the anvil, flattening it out before slowly shaping it into...
Into...
"DAMNIT!"
Throwing the blade to the side, I stared at the dagger I had made hatefully, panting as I collapsed onto the heated anvil.
Tears came to my eyes as I flicked my hand towards the discarded dagger, retrieving it with a burst of Metal Magic.
Running my fingers over the curved blade, I swallowed hard as I tried to hold back the tears that rose up as I stared at the perfect copy of the dagger I gifted Kat.
"Damnit all..."
Muttering to myself, I sobbed quietly before reverting the metal back into an ingot, drying my tears as I attempted to create another blade.
Hours passed by as I forged and forged, ignoring the strained muscles and puddle of sweat below me as I went on and on, only to stop as someone grabbed my shoulder.
Panting, I looked behind me into Jahi's golden eyes, shivers running up my spine as she wordlessly gestured towards the door.
Laying the hammer onto the anvil, I cast one last glance at the replica of Kat's dagger that had wormed its way into my mind, becoming one of the few things I was capable of forging.
Following behind the tall Demoness, I tried to ignore the weight of the silence that permeated the house before taking a seat at the empty table, barely managing to nod towards the Marquess who sat there as well.
Leone stumbled out of her room moments later, her puffy red eyes and paler than normal features making the Marquess frown, her own ruby red eyes narrowed as she looked around the room.
Running her finger over the tabletop, the older Demoness stared at the dust that smeared her fingertip, before she glanced at Jahi.
"What happened?"
Her low voice made me shrink into myself, and I remained quiet as Jahi began to, once again, tell her parent about what had happened to us, and how...
How Kat was no longer with us.
Resting her chin in her hands, the Marquess sighed as she leaned back, a still expression on her face as she contemplated what had happened.
"I... I really did think that Nirinia would be enough. I mean, she's a Knight caliber warrior, and even against Julius she should have had no problems. Though, it still does fall on me for not thinking that the Sariel and Kameiel Families would just... turn traitor like that.
As for the portal scroll, that is surprising. That also makes things much, much harder for us going forwards. Who knows if they already fled from the Capital or not, and who knows if they are even in the Empire still. The people that matter in those Families, anyways."
Rubbing her jaw, the Marquess took on a complicated expression for a few moments before she sighed again, looking at each of us individually.
When she finally met her daughters golden eyes, the Marquess shook her head sadly as she waved her hand around, encompassing the room in a gesture.
"This... isn't good. I can't begin to imagine what it feels like to have someone that means so much to you suddenly ripped away, but what I can say is that what is going on between all three of you is unhealthy and honestly, rather fucking annoying.
Talk about it. I can tell that each of you feels some sort of way about what happened. Talk it out, get everything out there, and work through it. Together. Now that... Now that Kat is gone for the foreseeable future, you need to begin to grow closer together, as a family, as friends, as lovers."
Jahi opened her mouth only to be cut off, her mom glaring at her as she continued on, not letting her speak.
"I'm not saying forget her, nor am I saying to think she's dead. That little pup is tougher than you think, Jahi. Anyways, you need to work through this all... together. She meant the world to each of you, just like you all meant everything to her. When she returns, when we find her, do you want her to come back and find a fractured family that fell apart in her absence?"
Looking between each of us, the Marquess stood up and sighed as she smiled, saying "Rest. Talk to one another. Go have sex for a bit, I don't care. Do something together, work it out together. I'll go speak to the Empress about what needs to be done. As for your... request, Jahi, you can rest assured that the Empress wants to investigate the Gates that were popping up around Tragon, so the Crusade is going to happen. The Legion too; I've been thinking about putting on a damn good display, and now I have the perfect way!"
Striding over towards the door, the Marquess opened it and stepped outside, before turning around and leaving a final warning for us all.
"Oh, and if I come back tomorrow morning and you're all still moping, I'll be sending you to train under Lady Fenyras and leave you to recuperate under her... strict teachings."
Leone shivered at that, while Jahi and I frowned slightly at the Vampire, confused.
Waving goodbye, the Marquess closed the door and left us inside the slightly dusty, quiet cottage.
Getting up, Leone made her way into the kitchen, rummaging around before she began to warm up some water, preparing tea for us all.
Watching as she did so, I took deep, even breaths to calm myself down, all while Jahi sat back and looked between us.
Sighing, Jahi reached over and grabbed my hand, making me jump slightly, though I refused to turn towards her.
I... I didn't want to see the disappointed, angry golden gaze that she had before.
"Anput."
Her voice was still and even, which only made me shiver as I shook my head slightly.
"Anput, look at me."
Reaching out with her other hand, Jahi grabbed my chin and gently turned me towards her, a small smile on her face.
Though, her eyes were still that molten gold.
Trailing her fingers over my cheek, she stroked just under my eye as she took a deep breath.
"Listen, sorry for... how I acted earlier. My anger was misplaced and unwarranted. Mom's right; now we need unity more than ever, and we can't be blaming one another for what happened. Least of all me. Each of us made mistakes, each of us tried our best to keep the others safe."
Gulping, I stared at her in silence as she sighed, her smile widening slightly as Leone placed a teacup down on the table.
"I... really am sorry for making each of you worry and hurt so much recently. I hate that it seemed so natural to place the blame on others, to hurt you instead of comforting you."
Leone sat down besides us, her eyes fixed on the small crystal that rested on a thread around her neck.
"Should we follow your Mom's advice further?"
The Vampire's voice was slightly shaky, while her eyes were still puffy and watery, but she looked up at us as seductively as she could.
Releasing my hand, Jahi reached over and stroked Leone's cheek as well, before she slid her hands from our faces to our backs, pulling us forwards.
Hugging us tight, Jahi muttered "Only if you want to, Leone, Anput... Don't force yourselves to do something if you're not feeling it, alright?"
Nodding into her chest, I contemplated whether or not I should join them in bed or not.
It would be a wonderful distraction, but was it something I wanted to do right now?
Did I want to feel pleasure whilst Kat's whereabouts and condition was unknown?
Could I?
Pursing my lips, I looked up into her golden eyes and nodded again, muttering "Please, Jahi... please make me forget everything tonight..."
Leone smiled as she nuzzled against Jahi's chest, whispering "Make a mess of us tonight, Jahi... whatever you want to do, do it..."
The Demoness raised a brow at that, before she stood up and lifted us with her, carrying us like baggage as she strode over to her room.
The room she shared with Kat.
Her hesitation, albeit brief, was noted by Leone and I, and we nodded to one another as she entered the room and threw us onto the bed.
Without hesitation Leone and I stripped, before sensually making our way over to the Demoness, who awaited our administrations with an increasingly heated gaze.
As we pulled her onto the bed with us, Leone and I began to work together to pleasure Jahi, trying our hardest to keep her mind distracted from the cold void that threatened to quench the flames of our passion with such frightening ease.
With Jahi's sweet scent permeating my body, I slowly began to drift away into a pleasure filled high, a high where the tart scent that lingered on the bed was no longer pulling at my aching heart.