Vassal by Sterling D'Este (ebook reader computer TXT) 📕

slightly parted. There was more color in her face than there had been in some time.

The corners of Delyth’s mouth twitched up slightly, hesitantly, some new hope growing wild in her chest. Too big even to be constrained by a ribbed cage. Alphonse had stopped crying.

She leaned in close again, fingers brushing aside a lock of hair, and pressed a kiss on the healer’s other cheek.

Then, Delyth stopped, her mouth hovering above Alphonse’s skin.

She should stop, pull away. Alphonse was no longer crying. Their relationship had been repaired. She should not push any farther.

Only, in the end, she didn’t have to.

Alphonse turned, slow and uncertain, to press her mouth to Delyth’s.

The halfbreed stilled, her breath hitching, and Alphonse pulled away, leaving just the memory of wet velvet on Delyth’s skin. Her face was open, vulnerable, her brows just starting to come together in worry. ‘Have I done something wrong?’ they seemed to ask when of course, she hadn’t.

“I—” Alphonse started, but Delyth brushed tawny hair from pink skin and cupped Alphonse’s jaw with a rough palm, reaching with her thumb to trace its pad across the delicate skin of beautifully bowed lips.

Then, she leaned down to kiss the healer again.

❀

Alphonse felt her heart stutter to a stop. She hadn’t seen this coming. Not at all. And it felt so wonderful to be held close and safe. With Delyth’s mouth against her own and her arms tight around her. As soon as the warrior broke the second kiss, Alphonse was unable to hold back her incredulous giggle.

“Why did you do that?” she wanted to know, surprised and pleased and flattered all at once. She had been kissed before, of course. But never had it made butterflies flutter through her stomach. Never had it made her feel as if the very sun itself was rising in her heart—a gentle glow.

Delyth’s eyes widened, though from surprise or anxiety, it wasn’t clear. “Did you not want me to? You kissed me, so I thought—”

With a broad smile illuminating her face, Alphonse pulled Delyth closer, cutting off her words for another kiss. She liked kissing Delyth. It made her feel less alone. It made her feel braver. If that was possible. Tentatively, Alphonse let her hand travel to the back of Delyth’s neck, her fingers gliding through dark locks.

She pulled away finally, hesitant both to end the kiss and to tell Delyth the truth. “I’ve never kissed anyone like this before,” Alphonse admitted. “I didn’t think you’d kiss me back.” She blushed but managed to hold Delyth’s gaze.

“I have,” Delyth said, a smile lingering over her lips, “but I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while now.”

“Oh,” she murmured uselessly, her mind wheeling at that admission. “So—It’s alright that I kissed you like that?” Alphonse suddenly felt shy, blushing even more as she peered up at Delyth.

The warrior’s smile widened, her cheeks tinged pink as well. “Yes. Very alright. If it's fine with you too.”

“It is,” Alphonse replied hastily. It was so alright with her. But a thought tickled at the back of her mind. What if Delyth had someone in her clan who would mind? After all, Delyth was kind and brave and so breathtakingly beautiful. “Would anyone else be upset if we kissed again?”

“No,” Delyth said, a laugh rumbling up from deep within her belly. “There’s no one to make any objections to my kissing whoever I like. Though I suppose… Henri…”

The mention of Henri made Alphonse hesitate. He was her betrothed. But she hadn’t seen him in years and years. Not since they were children. They didn’t know each other, not like she and Delyth.

And Henri was so far away. Back in Ingola where no Goddess would ever infect an innocent girl and take her soul hostage. Back where things were black and white and simple. Here in the Wildlands, everything was a challenge, grey and tangled.

But Delyth made those challenges easier. Lightened Alphonse’s burdens. Made her days and nights better.

Besides… Some part of Alphonse was starting to wonder if she’d ever be rid of Enyo. The future life she was supposed to have on her family’s farm in Ingola was so distant now it hardly felt real.

Delyth was real. And in front of her. And kissing her so tenderly. Alphonse shook her head. Henri didn’t matter now. Maybe he never had. “Do you think me terrible for wanting to kiss you? Even with Henri?”

“Gods, no,” Delyth said in a rush of breath. “I think you should kiss who you want. And I’m happy that you want to kiss me.” This last was accompanied by a shy smile, surprising on the warrior’s sharp features.

“Oh.” That silly word came out again. It was a relief to hear that Delyth didn’t think less of her because of Henri. That she was happy to be kissed by the healer. Alphonse’s cheeks were warming, and she felt as if steam might be coming from her ears. “So, if I kissed you again later… you wouldn’t mind?” Her stomach churned at the thought and her knees felt rather weak. It was good that Delyth had ahold of her. Alphonse swallowed hard.

The priestess laughed, and instead of answering, she kissed Alphonse again.

When they broke apart, they were both breathless, Delyth smiling down at her as though Alphonse was something priceless rather than the weak creature she was. “We should probably get some sleep,” she said, and even her low voice was gentle.

Alphonse nodded and settled back into her pallet, listening to the sounds of Delyth doing the same, even in the limited room of the tent, there seemed to be too much space between them after holding each other so close. Her hand fumbled out of the blankets and reached behind her, feeling for Delyth’s hand. Finding it, she gave it a squeeze, then hesitantly she tugged, hoping Delyth would lay beside her, arm draped over Alphonse as she had the nights before the healer's terrible betrayal. The warrior moved to curl up against her without hesitation.

Alphonse didn’t