Chapter 225 The Meaning of Comfor (2/2)

Time was up on the Slave Master's deal with Aegin, and next time, there was a good chance the Madame wouldn't stop it either.

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What will he think? What will he think? What will he think?

The thought repeated over and over in Ebony's mind for hours following the incident with Lord Revierre. She knew she had to tell him. They'd been the only connection the other had had to some semblance of freedom after Rassa had died. They sought comfort in each other regularly, even if it had never gone beyond friendship. But that comfort meant the world to Ebony, and as she was walked down to the underground floor where the Warrior's lived, Ebony found herself wanting more than anything to erase what had just been done to her. To seek something other than words and hand holding.

The door opened and Ebony stepped inside, seeing Aegin sitting on the cot he'd been given as he usually was. The door shut behind her and he stood, a smile on his face.

”Hey Eb, so I thought today we could focus on-”

He couldn't speak another word as Ebony grabbed his shirt and pulled him down to her level. Couldn't speak because his mouth was preoccupied. He froze in confusion as Ebony crushed her lips to his. Ebony didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing considering she knew he hadn't been expecting it. So, instead of pulling away, she parted her lips and made a tentative swipe of her tongue. Once, twice.

Aegin's lips parted and he delved into her mouth as she did his. Their tongues battling as they would have sparred. Her showing all the fierceness but him eventually winning. Ebony moved her hands up from his chest to his face, then in his hair as she sunk into him, trying to get closer and encourage him to do something, anything in return. Anything to erase what had happened. But his hands moved oh so slowly, so carefully, as if terrified he'd break her. They sat lightly on her hips, then when she moved closer then rubbed her back as if comforting a crying child. That was the catalyst.

Ebony broke away, staring up into his lavender eyes that looked softer, more caring than she'd ever seen them, ”Fucking do something!”

She moved to step back into him but his hands stopped on her hips and held them in place, held her back from him.

”What happened?”

The question froze her. Stopped any action she had in mind as she looked up into his eyes. Eyes that asked the very same question, but conveyed more. They told her it was okay, whatever happened, it was okay to tell him. Ebony wasn't positive how long they stood there, but she felt it as the tears began to track down her cheeks. Her throat clogged with her shame, with her pain, and she closed her eyes, dipping her head into his chest. She sobbed and he wrapped his arms around her picking her up and taking her onto his cot. She folded into his lap, sobbing into his chest as he trailed a hand up and down her back, holding one of her hands all the while. He said nothing, just waited for her to stop crying enough to talk and answer his question.

Eventually, she had no choice.

”The deal's off,” she whispered, ”And I don't know how long I'll last until I'm sent to serve in someone's bed rather than pour their wine”.

She felt Aegin's hands still before his head dipped and he pressed his lips to the crown of her head, ”Okay. I'll see what I can do”.

She looked up quickly, fast enough that he barely got out of the way before she headbutted him, ”Aegin, don't be stupid”.

”This isn't the 'challenge the Slave Master' kind of stupid I was two years ago,” Aegin argued.

Ebony sighed in relief as she bowed her head.

”This is the 'we're getting off this gods forsaken island one way or another' kind of stupid,” Aegin said.

Ebony couldn't help the huffed laugh that escaped her lips, ”So what you're saying is, you've gotten stupid in the past two years?”

Aegin shrugged, ”There's no Rassa to rescue us now. And I'm pretty sure there never would have been. We get out. And we do it with our own power”.

Ebony rested her head on his chest once more as she leaned into him, ”Agreed”.