← Samuel the Rogue: Where the Feathers Fall

Chapter 8: Testing the Waters

Chapter 8: Testing the Waters

“This is a terrible idea,” I whispered, crouching awkwardly behind Aeolin as we tried to make our way down the levels of the Sun-King’s Court.

“You were the one who insisted on coming,” Aeolin shot back, his green eyes scanning the chaotic scene below.

“Yeah, but I didn’t think we’d have to climb through... this.” I gestured at the writhing mass of bodies that filled the arena.

From where we crouched high on the arena’s curved wall, I had no idea where to put my eyes. The air was thick with the smell of sex and sweat, so strong I could taste it.

We’d left the ledge and were creeping down a narrow walkway of woven branches that ran around the inside of the arena wall. We were trying to get down to the arena floor, where the spear and the ring lay by the wall. Getting there meant going right past all of that, and I was trying hard not to think about it.

“Wait,” Aeolin hissed, pressing back against me as a group of mean-looking harpies flew past. “Down!”

I dropped to my knees, nearly losing my balance on the narrow walkway. Aeolin grabbed my arm, steadying me, then pulled me sideways into a hollow in the wall, barely big enough for two people if they squeezed in tight.

Which we did. Very close together.

“Sorry,” I muttered, trying to adjust my position without making things more awkward. My chest was pressed against his feathered back, his wings folded tightly to make room. I could feel his heart beating fast, and mine was going even faster.

“Guards,” Aeolin said under his breath. “They’re patrolling, looking for outsiders or troublemakers.”

“How long do we need to stay here?” I asked, trying to think about anything except how warm he was.

“Until they pass.” He shifted, his feathers brushing against my arms. “We’re trapped unless you want to announce our presence to every harpy in the Court.”

Great, just great. I was stuck in a hole in the wall with the increasingly confusing object of my, well, whatever these feelings were, while surrounded by the most intense orgy I’d ever witnessed. Admittedly, I hadn’t witnessed many orgies, but still.

“Look at him,” Aeolin muttered, his attention fixed on a point below us. “Preening like some gilded chicken.”

He meant Ignis, still holding court down on the arena floor, and from up here I had to admit the chicken part was fair.

“He hasn’t even noticed I’m gone,” Aeolin continued, sounding bitter. “Probably doesn’t even remember my name.”

“His loss,” I said without thinking.

Aeolin glanced back at me with his eyebrows up, and after a second he smiled. “Thank you, Samuel.”

We fell silent and watched the arena. Being squeezed this close to him, I couldn’t keep a thought in my head. I could feel every spot where our bodies touched, and he smelled like clean air with something spicy under it, and I kept breathing it in.

“You know,” Aeolin said, “Zephyra and I were together for three seasons. I thought... well, it doesn’t matter what I thought.”

“Her loss,” I said, and I meant it.

Aeolin looked back at me and smiled a little. “Yes. Their loss.”

I caught myself staring at his jaw and his green eyes, and I had to tell myself to knock it off.

Something moved at the entrance to our alcove, and I jerked my eyes off him. A harpy had landed on the walkway just outside our hiding spot, a male with blue-black feathers, lighter blue ones on his chest, and violet eyes. He was taller than Aeolin, with broader shoulders, and he looked very pleased with himself. Even I could tell he was good-looking, and I didn’t like him one bit.

He leaned in, and his eyes went wide when he spotted us.

“Well,” he said, his voice a low croon. “What have we here?”

Aeolin tensed against me. I could feel the rapid beat of his heart now.

“Just passing through,” Aeolin said carefully. “Not looking for trouble.”

The male harpy looked Aeolin up and down, then glanced at me with a lot less interest. “Human companion? Unusual taste.” His attention returned to Aeolin. “But you... you’re far too beautiful to be ‘just passing through’ during mating season.”

My gut twisted at the way he looked at Aeolin, like he was already picking out a spot to bend him over.

Aeolin shifted, and I realized he was keeping himself between me and the newcomer. “We’re on our way down. My friend is injured and needs rest.”

The harpy laughed. It was a pretty laugh, and it made the hair on my arms stand up. “There’s no rest to be found here today.” He stepped closer, filling the entrance. “But there are other ways to... recuperate.”

He kept looking at Aeolin the whole time he talked, and I saw Aeolin swallow hard.

“Samuel,” Aeolin whispered, barely audible. “Press back. Stay out of this.”

Before I could respond, Aeolin moved forward, separating himself from me and stepping toward the blue-feathered harpy. “Perhaps a brief respite wouldn’t hurt,” he said, his voice taking on a sound I hadn’t heard from him before, a low hum in his throat.

I pressed myself against the back wall of the alcove, trying to make myself as small as possible. Aeolin met him at the mouth of the alcove, with the stranger half out on the walkway. His wings blocked part of my view, but I could still see them past the edge of one wing, an arm’s length from me. I watched the harpy’s hands come up to cup Aeolin’s face and their bodies come together.

I knew I should look away, because this was private and none of my business, but I couldn’t do it.

The stranger kissed Aeolin deeply, his hands moving to Aeolin’s hips, then lower, right down to the ass I’d been trying not to look at all day. Aeolin grabbed at the harpy’s chest, fingers tangling in the feathers there.

My chest went hot and tight. It took me a second to figure out why: I was jealous, and knowing it hit me like a kick from Bertha.

Up to now I could tell myself I only thought Aeolin was nice to look at from a safe distance. Now I was watching him with another male, and I wanted to drag the bastard off him by his fancy blue feathers.

Oh gods, I do like him.

I watched the blue-feathered harpy press Aeolin against the side of the alcove, grinding into him. Aeolin’s eyes were closed, his breathing quickening as the harpy groped him all over.

I forced myself to look away then, staring at the rough bark of the wall beside me. I could still hear them moaning and whispering to each other, and their feathers rustling.

I needed something else to think about, anything, so I thought about the spear.

Past the mouth of the alcove I could see down into the arena. The spear and the ring lay where they’d landed by the wall. A few harpies stood around the edge of the floor without fucking anybody, just watching the crowd, and I figured they were guards like the patrol that had flown past us. Every so often they all left their spots, and new ones came to take over. Twice while I watched, Ignis threw his wings wide, the light went off his feathers in every color, and every head in the arena turned to look at him. I’ll admit I looked too, the first time. I kept watching for moments when the guards got distracted or the chaos gave us cover.

The idea I’d had up on the ledge started turning into a real plan. It was lousy, but it was a plan.

I got so caught up in planning that it took me a moment to notice the sounds beside me had stopped. When I did, I glanced over.

The blue-feathered harpy was gone. He must have flown off while I wasn’t looking.

Aeolin stood with one hand braced against the wall, panting. His feathers were ruffled, sticking to his skin in places with a sheen of sweat. His cheeks were flushed and his neck had faint bite marks on it. The down between his thighs was matted and sticky with cum.

He was wrecked, beautiful and fucked-out in a way I’d only had a taste of once myself. His eyes were glassy, and his legs were still shaking.

“He’s gone,” Aeolin rasped. “Went to join the main gathering.”

I nodded, but my mouth had gone dry. The alcove smelled faintly of sex now, of hot skin and something sweet that might have been mango. Aeolin’s smell hung in the air, and every breath I took made it worse. My cock was starting to take an interest, and I shifted my legs.

Aeolin tried to pull himself together, combing his fingers through the mess and smoothing his feathers down. It didn’t help much.

He turned around to face me. “I’m sorry you had to witness that,” he said, stiff and formal again. “It was the most expedient way to avoid discovery.”

“Don’t be sorry,” I managed. “It worked, didn’t it?”

Aeolin tilted his head at me. “You’re uncomfortable.”

“No, I’m—” I stopped, sighing. “It’s not what you think. I’m not judging you or anything.”

“Then what is it?”

How was I supposed to tell him I was jealous? I was confused, and honestly a little terrified. “I worked out the rest of my idea,” I said instead. “To get your spear and the ring.”

Aeolin blinked at the change of subject but didn’t press. “You did?”

I leaned forward and pointed down at the arena floor. “The guards change positions every so often. And when Ignis throws his wings open like that, everyone looks at him. If we time it right, I think we can make it down during the next guard change, then grab them while everybody’s busy staring at Ignis.”

Aeolin stared at me. “That’s... actually a good plan.”

“Don’t sound so shocked,” I said, grinning in spite of everything.

“I’m teasing,” Aeolin said. “What impresses me is that you noticed those patterns while...” He trailed off, gesturing vaguely to where he’d been with the other harpy.

“I needed a distraction,” I admitted.

“From what?”

He was close enough that I could feel his breath on my face. “From watching you with him,” I said, and as soon as it was out I wanted to bite my tongue off.

Aeolin went very still. “Samuel...”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said quickly. “The plan is what matters. Do you think it will work?”

Aeolin was quiet for a while before he answered. “It’s risky. If we’re caught...”

“I know. But your spear—”

“A spear is not worth your life,” he said firmly.

“It’s important to you,” I insisted. “And that ring... I’ve never seen anything glow like that. Half the arena was ready to crawl over each other to get near her.”

Aeolin frowned. “Still, the danger—”

“Is worth it,” I said.

Aeolin reached up, his hand hovering near my face before he brushed a strand of hair off my forehead. That one little touch did more to me than the whole orgy downstairs.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because you saved my life. Because you’ve been kind to me when you didn’t have to be...” I trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence.

Our faces were inches apart. He was looking right at me and waiting, and I had no idea what I was supposed to say.

“Samuel,” he whispered.

I leaned in before I’d decided anything, and Aeolin closed his eyes.

Our lips were almost touching when a loud cheer went up from the arena below, and we both jumped. I jerked back so fast I banged my head on the wall.

Aeolin blinked, then looked down at the arena. “The guard change,” he said, his voice rough. “It’s happening now.”

I looked down too. On the floor, Ignis had thrown his wings wide again, and the whole arena was cheering at him. The guards around the edge were walking away from their spots, and the new ones weren’t there yet. My plan was happening, whether I was ready for it or not.

“Stay close to me,” Aeolin said.

I nodded. My heart was still pounding from almost kissing him. “Right. Let’s go before I chicken out.”

We stepped out of our hiding place into the chaos. Whatever was happening between us would have to wait until we had the spear and the ring.

But the whole way down to the arena floor, I kept thinking about what would have happened if that cheer hadn’t interrupted us. Would I have kissed him? Would he have kissed me back?

And why did I want to find out so fucking badly?