Ensarrian lost track of time as he waited. Little by little his warmth returned, but it still was not enough. His inner flame was beyond his reach, and the chattering, the shivering, it was strong as ever. It was clear that his clothing was prolonging his misery. He longed to remove it, but his fingers were frozen, unable to get a grip so that he could undress himself. It seemed like forever before his door finally opened. The familiar smell of lavender made his heart leap with joy, a soft and shaky breath of relief blowing past his lips. It did not sound like she had an easy time getting there, but he could hardly move to check on her. Light footsteps came his way and stopped as she sat on the edge of his bed. Ensarrian slowly rolled over onto his back to look at her, and allow her to examine him. He silently pleaded that his fingers and toes were not beyond saving. Surely Raziel knew of some way to save them. Even if she did not say so, he trusted that she did.

His fingers were numb to any feeling as she felt of them and cupped them into her tiny hands. They felt so small compared to his, and so soft, while his were calloused and scarred from hard labor. Her mana flowed through him, allowing his frozen fingers to slowly regain feeling. Her hands were like a warm and comforting fire against his cold flesh, a welcoming and relieving sensation. When his fingers were warm enough, she pulled away and searched through her bag. He looked over his hands, limbs shaking violently in his sight, but color had returned in his cold flesh. They were still stiff, but he could move them. Raziel has indeed saved them from the risk of having to be removed. He drank from the bottle she offered to him without a second thought, ignoring the taste and caring not what it was for. She helped him sit up, his limbs too stiff to manage on his own. Raziel left no time to debate before she tugged on his shirt and pulled it off of him. Ensarrian noticed the warmth creeping to his cheek as he sat before her, but he said nothing. The chill in the room made him shiver and wrap his arms around himself to build up warmth. Goosebumps had begun to show. But it was quickly ignored as she spoke to him.

Ensarrian understood why his clothes needed to be taken off, and unless Raziel decided to use her pendant he knew she would not see him bare before her. He could not smell Sanyi anywhere within the room, so he knew that she was not an issue, as Raziel promised. However it was not enough to keep his embarrassment from escalating, and from the sight of the tinge of pink on Raziel’s face, and the trembling of her hands, he imagined she felt the same. He wasn’t sure which was worse, having his sister-like friend seeing him naked, or having her feel of his naked body due to her blindness. His body had become far too warm, and when he caught himself he shook such thoughts from his mind. Instead he tried to focus on her intentions, having him regain warmth before enduring his next torture session. He wondered what Solmundr had planned for him next. “Do what you must,” he chattered as he stood. Every muscle in his body went stiff with tension when Raziel reached out and began undoing his pants. His belt hit the hard floor with a clink from the buckle. She removed them with ease, while Ensarrian stood silently with eyes constantly bouncing between Raziel’s actions and searching for a distraction within the room. But there were none. All efforts were for naught.

And then, unexpectedly, the little angel removed his underwear with such speed that he had no time to react. He barely managed to process her actions before she wrapped a warm, dry blanket around him. For several lengthy moments he stood there, entirely frozen from shock and embarrassment. His face grew so hot he imagined it was blazing; perhaps he would soon begin to emit steam from the heat. He could find no words to say, only able to think how fortunate it was that she couldn’t see anything. He could not feel her pendant active, so he knew she was not using it. If she had… he simply would have died if she ever saw him as bare skinned as he was.

In silence he followed Raziel’s guidance and sat on the bed, keeping his blanket folded around him to reveal nothing. He watched and waited as she made a bed of blankets on the floor, with layers of warm and dry fabrics. Ensarrian relaxed a little as he imagined himself curling up in the blankets, the warmth so wonderful and welcoming he might even doze off. And it was not as much a fantasy as reality when Raziel aided him to the new bed. He lay down obligingly, a ghost of a smile appearing as a blanket was set upon him and he was enveloped in warmth. Without wasting a second he curled up and made himself comfortable, nearly humming with relief. He was about ready to close his eyes and try to get as much rest as possible before he had to face whatever Solmundr had planned for him next. And he would have, if not for Raziel’s sudden and unexplained actions.

It was the ruffling of her clothes that drew his eyes back towards her. She was removing her dress, her face the deepest red he’d ever seen on her as she slowly exposed herself to him. His eyes widened as much as they could, face burning. “W-wait! What are you-“ he lost his words as she told him not to protest. So he sat there in silence, unable to move with his mouth clamped shut to keep himself from protesting. He was completely frozen as her dress fell to the floor, leaving the angel standing nearly bare before him. Shock kept him from looking away as he should, despite his constant scoldings to himself that he needed to be respectful. But averting his gaze was no easy feat for a guy as inexperienced as him, especially when this was the most skin he’d ever seen exposed on a girl before. He swallowed hard. How is he supposed to rest now when the image of her is burned into his brain?

He remained motionless when she moved towards him, his heart thumping with each step she took. Raziel slipped under the blankets next to him, every muscle in his body locking with her little arms wrapping around his torso. His breathing halted with her pressing against him, the soft and warm flesh of her nearly naked body on his. It was incredibly difficult not to pay attention to every detail, especially the feeling of her chest. What was he supposed to do in that kind of situation? He had no inkling of an idea. Her wings folded around him, and as she spoke, he blinked with realization. How could he have forgotten that skin on skin contact is the best way to warm a person? Raziel was only helping him, just as she always has. Her voice was laced with emotion that he could not miss. Pain struck his heart like an arrow.

He endured this torture out of fear of losing Raziel, so much pain inflicted upon him so that he would not risk losing the one he loves the most. But guilt and regret must be weighing heavy on her little shoulders. She believed that she was to blame for them being there and for him being hurt… that all of this was her doing. Seeing him suffering so must be eating her away inside. She was so frightened of losing him as well— he could only imagine how it must feel to watch a loved one experience such misfortune and possibly die, and blame yourself for it. If he ever believed he was the cause of her dying… he simply could not go on.

Ensarrian slowly furled his arms around her and gently rested his chin atop her head, breathing calmly. A single hand stroked her lavender locks. “Do not fret so much,” he spoke tenderly to her. “Solmundr had put me through things far worse than this, and I’ve made it. There is nothing he can throw at me that I cannot handle.” He placed a loving kiss upon her head, closing his eyes. “He does not wish me dead, only for my spirit to break into submission. But, as long as you are here with me, and I know that you are safe and well, that will never happen. I will always break through any obstacles that stand in my way if I get to come back to you and see you smile again.”

They sat in silence after he spoke, cuddling close together. Before he knew it, all of his heat had returned, as well as his inner flame. They drifted off into sleep soon after. It was the first good rest he had managed to get since being held in his tiny cell. Raziel kept his claustrophobia under control, giving him the comfort he needed to feel safe and secure. And her softness, and her warmth, it dulled any pain his body was still experiencing, enveloping him in welcoming serenity. However perfect his rest was, it did not last long enough. The opening door woke him, drawing flaming and fierce eyes up to glare at the men standing in the doorway. Solmundr was standing amidst the middle of his men as usual, blinking with a look of surprise at Ensarrian and Raziel, who was still resting. “I knew you must be close to her, but this is unexpected,” he said before a sly grin appeared. Ensarrian’s face flushed, knowing full well how they must appear to Solmundr and his men. But his glare remained hard and threatening as he carefully removed himself from the blanket bed Raziel had made. Crouching in the spot he once laid, he pulled the blankets up and over Raziel until they reached her chin, covering her nearly naked body from all other eyes.

“After nearly drowning me and freezing me to death, what was she supposed to do?” The Wyvern retorted with a hateful snarl. “To be fair, I don’t really care what all you two do in here,” Solmundr sighed in reply, shaking his head lightly with a lazy shrug. “I only want you to be fit enough to handle whatever I lay out before you next.” Ensarrian narrowed his eyes, “Which is?”

“That is available for discussion. Come, let us talk in private,” Solmundr turned and faced one of his men, that grin never leaving his smug face. “Take the girl back to her room.” The man nodded and stepped forward, only to pause at Ensarrian’s vicious growl. “Don’t you dare touch her,” he threatened. She was vulnerable in her current state, asleep and unclothed. He did not trust any of these men not to take advantage and defile her. He simply would not allow any of them to get close to her unless he was certain she was safe. “I have already told you, I don’t want your little friend,” Solmundr frowned. “Do you really think I would believe you? No one comes in here until she is awake and ready,” Ensarrian flashed dagger-like glances at each and every man, challenging them to disobey. Solmundr was clearly not pleased, perhaps anger even flickered behind his eyes. But he was a patient man. “Fine,” he finally agreed, although hesitantly. “When he’s ready, send him to my study.” With that, he left alone.

When they were left alone again, Ensarrian woke Raziel and told her what was happening. The two dressed themselves. He was grateful that enough time had passed for his clothes to dry out. Then, the men came back for them and they went their separate ways. Ensarrian was taken down the dark corridors until they arrived at a rather homey-looking door. Wooden and well kept compared to the iron cell doors to the torture rooms and “bedrooms”. Solmundr was not foolish enough to leave himself alone with Ensarrian once he stepped into the study. Guards stood in every corner, armed and ready in case Ensarrian decided to attack their puppet master. The man himself was seated next to the fireplace, legs crossed like a gentleman with a glass of wine in hand. He watched Ensarrian with a serpentine grin and a plan forming behind his eyes.

“I wish for our discussion to be as civil as possible. Come sit,” the man extended his arm in invitation to the chair directly across from his. Ensarrian stared at it for a moment, before bringing his eyes back on Solmundr, “I would rather not. Just tell me what the hell it is you want.” Solmundr blinked slowly and sighed. His glass of wine was set down on the table beside him, his hands linked together in his lap. “Very well. I will get straight to the point,” he began. “You will be relieved to know that your torture is finished. I have done all that I desire. And, as a reward for your cooperation, I am offering you an opportunity to have a little fun.” Ensarrian crossed his arms over his chest and raised a dark brow skeptically. “Is that so,” he replied with sarcasm heavy in his tone. The Wyvern could trust nothing Solmundr says and knew that there was always a catch to anything “good” he offers.

Solmundr nodded, “You are not the only Wyvern here, Ensarrian. There is another, a female.”

“Yes, I know,” Ensarrian replies flatly. Solmundr paused, brow raising, “Is that so. Care to tell me how you know? I never told before.” Ensarrian stiffened. He had believed that Sanyi moved about with Solmundr’s permission, but if he was unaware that she was seeing him and Raziel, then she was going behind his back. She must not be working with him after all. Somehow, he was relieved about that. But he could not tell Solmundr the truth. There was no telling what he would do to Sanyi if he knew, and Ensarrian would rather her not get on. He needed to think of a lie, and fast.

“I can smell her. In fact, I can smell almost every Wyvern you tortured and killed in this place, but only her scent remains strong, not stale and fading,” Ensarrian relaxed when Solmundr’s expression showed no signs of disbelief or suspicion. “She’s the last one, isn’t she? Your only survivor, just like me,” he asked. Solmundr grinned again and nodded, “Yes, she is. But that is not what I wish to discuss with you.” He stood and strolled over to a small table, hands clamped behind him as he turned his back to Ensarrian. Whatever he was looking at, it was blocked from Ensarrian’s view. “I will have my men take you to her own room, and there you will remain with her,” he spun on his heels to face Ensarrian, that suggestive look in his eyes unnerving him. “I am giving you my blessing to mate with her. In fact, I encourage it. Bang her all night until she can’t walk.” Ensarrian’s face burned red as he briefly recalled the kiss Sanyi had stolen from him. Was she already aware that Solmundr wants him to mate with her? Before his imagination could go any further he creased his brow and snarled, “Why the hell would I ever do that?”

“As I have already said, it is your reward. And considering your… inexperience, going through with it would be an even greater experience. Being touched for the first time and everything; It’s quite amazing,” Solmundr showed an unnerving smirk that made Ensarrian’s stomach churn. How did he knew that he was a virgin? He pushed the question aside for later, hands twitching as he resisted forming them into fists. He knew Solmundr would never give any rewards, and whenever he claimed to do so, he always had something to gain from it. “Why do you want us to mate?” He dared to ask, to which Solmundr shrugged a single shoulder with a cock of his head in that direction. “It’s a little experiment, although a harmless one. I only wish to see the results. And if I see what I predict, then the two of you will be fucking like rabbits,” he replied simply. Ensarrian narrowed his eyes with confusion. What results was he talking about? What was he hoping to see?

“Besides,” Solmundr took a necklace from the table he stood by and strolled up to Ensarrian. The Wyvern resisted the urge to snap the man’s skull as he locked the necklace around Ensarrian’s neck and continued, “If you don’t, then I will be forced to resort to methods that neither of you would want. I’m being generous and giving you the chance to enjoy it.” His grin grew smug and Ensarrian’s blood froze over. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what methods Solmundr had in mind. “Just so you don’t get any ideas, this necklace will keep you in your human form,” Solmundr added, spun on his heel, and sat back down in his chair. “Take him to her.” His men instantly responded to his command and guided Ensarrian back out of the room and down the halls. He was too preoccupied by their discussion to pay any attention to where her room was located. Ensarrian had kept his eyes on each step he took, and only did he look up when he stood in front of her door.

The men opened the door, and immediately his nose was greeted by two very strong scents: a Wyvern, and female. The room was as dark as his as he stepped inside and was locked in. But when his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed her bedroom was far nicer than his own. His was basically a prison cell, hers was fit for a princess. A large bed with comfortable cushioning, furniture and entertainment. He groaned lightly with slight jealousy, until his heart leaped when he spotted her sleeping on her bed. Cheeks and ears grew warm, Solmundr’s words echoing in his mind as he stared at her, frozen in place. She looked so peaceful… her beautiful face so soft, long dark lashes caressing her naturally pink tinged cheeks as she slept. Her dark hair cascaded down her pillow, shoulder and back, tempting pink lips so inviting. He had the sudden urge to get closer, take a better look at her beauty. He longed to caress her cheek and rub her hair behind her ear, to get another taste and feeling of her sweet lips…

He shook his head and turned away, quietly making his way to her chaise lounge sofa. He laid down on his back, eyes staring up at the ceiling with a hand between his head and a decorative pillow. There was no way he would be able to sleep, so he didn’t try. Her scent was overwhelming, and with her so close… it was far too distracting. Besides… he had no idea what she might try if she caught him sleeping.

Knowing that it was at an end, there was nothing else worse than having time with nothing to do. She had seen them dragging a soaked Raven Boy through the halls, his skin an unhealthy blue. Loitering in the shadows allowed her to witness a disheveled Raziel being dragged to his room. Solmundr paced the hallway, switching between muttering about incompetence and shouting at his subordinates. While it was intriguing to see him in such a state, Sanyi feared the increased activity would lead to the discovery of her hidden strolls. The wyvern found herself lounging on her sofa, staring at nothing while her mind spun. Raven Boy's mangled body, Solmundr's anger, a century's worth of unanswered questions repeating themselves for what felt like hours when keys jangled and her door swung open.

Sanyi did not give him the satisfaction of glancing his direction as his boots clicked toward her. "Sanyi, I require you to consume this. You need your strength for what we have planned." Her nose wrinkled as she ignored him and the offered goblet. "It's a reward for continued good behavior, my dear." Slowly, her gaze slid up to meet his eyes with her icy glare, a look that phased everyone else but Solmundr. "A reward? You do nothing without hidden motives. What happens if I drink it like a good little girl?" He gave a chuckle as he leaned down to caress her cheek, a touch she pulled away from. "You get a good night's sleep. I promise." She could not fathom his motives, thus pointedly turning away from him, her arms crossed defiantly.

Solmundr stood, a frown on his face as he gave a 'tsk' sound. "I had thought we were beyond this, Sanyi. Take the potion and get some sleep, or we force the potion into you and put you to bed ourselves. Your choice." While he gave her a stern look as if he were a disciplining parental, Sanyi matched him with icy defiance of a rebellious teen. They had a terse moment of silence between them before Sanyi gracefully stood, her winter orbs still locked onto his. She took the goblet, knocked it back in a single gulp and marched to her bed where she sat in the middle of it cross-legged, arms folded across her chest. Solmundr gave a triumphant smile. "Good girl. Sweet dreams," he purred, sending a shiver down her spine.

At first, everything was dark, dreamless as she slept deeply. Suddenly, Ensarrian was there crawling onto her bed. He laid himself next to her body as he gently caressed her cheek, tucking hair behind her ear all in one motion. Sanyi was trapped by those fiery eyes as he leaned closer. His lips touched hers with a hidden intensity she could not identify as his hand stroked her arm, encouraging her to hold or touch his bare torso as well, pulling her into him. Her eyes snapped open, taking a deep breath as she tried to calm her racing heart. It was just a dream. Several candles were flickering their soft light in her room. Did she light those? The kiss… Just a dream… The Ensarrian she knew seemed shy when it came to her. But his scent was still strong, almost as if…

Sanyi sat up quickly to find the other wyvern laying on her sofa. ”How… Why?” She was still reeling from the dream that she was finding it difficult to string her words into coherent sentences. Had he utilized the same techniques she does to sneak around unaware? The wyvern drew her knees up to her chest, hugging them as she rested her chin upon them. Having Raven Boy in her room was the last thing she needed at present, as there was an unexplainable warmth inside her belly she was clueless about. While she stared at him, the dream still dancing around in her mind, Sanyi found herself quite anxious. She was used to watching him sleep, but he was awake.

”That sofa… It’s not… The bed…” Somehow, Raven Boy understood what she was saying. After considering her proposal, he slowly stood and made his way to her bed. Sanyi rearranged the pillows so he could sit against them before scooting over to give him space. She sat on her ankles, her hands folded in her lap as she resisted the urge to fiddle them nervously, staring at her rarely used blankets instead of him. Encouraging him to get closer made her stomach twist in knots, almost excitedly. It was a strange feeling that was so new and foreign. What did it mean? ”How’s Raziel?” she whispered, more for a distraction for herself. Before she knew it, she had picked up one of his hands, carefully inspecting the work that she and the winged creature had done to the drill holes. ”And you? You never said why he did this.”

Something was not right.

As Ensarrian lay on the chase lounge, waiting for Sanyi to wake, it became harder and harder for him not to approach her sleeping form. He kept his fiery gaze on the ceiling, refusing to close them and attempt to get any rest. Doing such would leave him to his thoughts with no sights to distract him, and he feared that his mind would wander to Sanyi impurely. But keeping his eyes from turning to her was very difficult, and frustrating with how much he fought the desire. He attempted to calm his pounding heart by drinking in a deep breath, but it only filled his nose with her strong scent. Like the morning after a fresh snowfall… her scent was clean and beautiful and powerful all at once. It filled his stomach with butterflies, along with a sense of dread. Instantly, her parfom filled his thoughts with unacceptable images and desires. His lips tingled from the kiss he still felt so clearly, and his heart beat hard and fast from longing for her touch. He released the breath shakily and moved his hand to rest on his chest. His fingers groped the bloodstained and foul smelling shirt which covered him.

Stop, dammit!

He could not seem to help himself, somehow. No matter what he tried to push her from his mind, she was far too close, too distracting for him to succeed. It pissed him off. Solmundr’s goal floated through his brain, a silent and chilling reminder of what the bastard wanted from them. And he knew—Ensarrian knew that if he remained within her room for long enough, with nothing to hold him back but his weak will and thoughts, he might actually lose himself. She was too alluring to resist, and his unused, untouched body craved for his first experience.

The ruffling of fabrics forced him to look away from the boring ceiling. Sanyi was waking. She seemed to have noticed his presence, for she bolted upright abruptly. The female Wyvern stuttered over herself, yet his unblinking, blank gaze remained unwavering. Naturally, she would want to know why he was there, and how he got in. But he used no tricks, no sneaking like that which she had already displayed to enter his own room. Perhaps that meant that she was unaware that Solmundr was ready for them to…entertain each other. The thought made him wonder if she even knew his plans, or if she had been kept in the dark. He knew not what kind of person she was, so he oblivious to her intentions. Some women might have reacted to his appearance with hostility, not wishing for him to lay a hand on them if they knew. Or, some might be shy, or even welcome the opportunity. Ensarrian had no clue with Sanyi.

He slowly sat up and winced a little at the aching in his bones. His body screamed from such a simple movement; how the hell did Solmundr expect him to be active with Sanyi all night? Simultaneously, Sanyi shuffled on the bed. The blanket that covered her fell from her figure. His eyes widened at the reveal of her lacy attire, the cold blue a match to her frozen eyes. His breath became caught in his throat, and everything around him stopped. Her earlier dress was nothing like this one; transparent so that her skin beneath was visible. He could not spy a bra to cover her breasts, and it appeared as though the lacy design was made in a unique way that no details could be seen, still not giving him a taste of what they look like. On her hips were a pair of panties, much like those Raziel had worn, but much less modest. As she lifted her knees to her chest and held her legs close, his face became inflamed, the heat reaching his ears. The position gave him a glimpse between her legs, and he forced his eyes away. For several moments, all he could hear was the loud drumming of his own heart, all he could feel was the heat rising in his body.

Her voice rose again, but he could not bring himself to look back at her. He knew exactly where his traitorous eyes would be drawn to. The image had already been burned into his mind; if he satisfied his desire to see more, he was not confident that he could contain himself. What the hell was wrong with him?! He would not normally feel this way, even if he was seeing the same thing. He did not feel this way when he had seen Raziel, although that might have been due to their near sibling-like relationship, and she was not the one he was told to “fuck like a rabbit” with.

When he finally acknowledged what she said, his eyes reluctantly drifted up to meet hers. He was not certain, but it sounded like she was offering to let him rest next to her…on the bed. His eyes squinted ever so slightly with uncertainty. Ensarrian knew it was not the best decision; getting within arms reach would likely heighten the temptation and worsen his perverted thoughts and desires. He shouldn’t…he really shouldn’t. Yet…his legs carried him to her bed. The soft mattress and blankets were comforting as he sat next to her. She arranged the pillows for him to lay back. But, despite how much his aching bones pleaded for him to lie down and burry himself in the beautiful soften of the bed, surrounded by Sanyi’s intoxicating scent, he merely sat there with one leg over the edge of the bed. He kept his distance, too fearful of getting too close to her, lest he forget to keep his hands to himself.

Her icy blues avoided looking at him. He supposed it was for the best; becoming lost in her gaze would be far too simple. He, too, tried pulling his eyes away, searching for anything to look at other than her beautiful face, her tempting lips and neck, her nearly bare breasts… They sat there awkwardly, until she finally broke the ice and asked about Raziel. Ensarrian lifted a brow, shifting his eyes back to her before he could stop himself. Why would she care about Raziel? “She will be fine, so long as I behave,” he admitted, but did not wish to say anything more about it. He was still uncertain whether Sanyi could be trusted, so he did not wish to reveal too much about their situation, especially Raziel. The last thing he wanted were more eyes targeting her.

Suddenly, she took his hand in hers, her soft skin a delightful feeling against his callused and scarred hand. His heart thumped, and his breathing froze. Just as he feared, physical contact made things worse. So much worse. A slight tightness in his pants became known to him, making him uncomfortable. Before it could become clear to her as well, he took one of the pillows from behind him and laid it over his lap. His fingers caressed the fabric, making at appear as though he only wanted to test its softness. He was thankful for her asking him another question, as he hoped it would distract him. “I was held captive as well, many years ago,” he started, trying to keep his eyes away from her attractive figure. “When I escaped, I destroyed his entire hideout and all within, including his “rare” and “expensive” drugs he cherishes so much. He just wants me to suffer for it.” A dry chuckle came from him as he shrugged lazily. Briefly, he lost control of his eyes and allowed them to drop to her chest, swallowing hard. He blinked away and looked into her eyes. “What about you? Why does it seem as though you’re treated like royalty? All Solmundr has ever shown me was pain and misery. Even here. What make you different from me?”

The female could not understand what it meant to see his cheeks change color, nor why his eyes were wide as he stared at her. It was much like when she was assisting Raziel to tend to his wounds, the same deep shade of red the more exposed he became. For some reason, he tried to keep his eyes averted both then and now. When he sat up, there was a concerning wince that showed the amount of pain he still experienced. Sanyi had almost completely recovered by now, but she had been left alone for quite some time now. Ensarrian took his time in acknowledging her offer, and longer still to make his decision. When he finally did take the offer and sat at the edge of her bed, it felt to her as if he was so close, yet so far away. She found herself silently begging he would lift his gaze to meet hers.

Sanyi could recall the sculpt of his body, the shape of each muscle bunch under the skin as they worked to sew him up. She could still feel the warmth of his skin beneath her fingers. His vague answer was met with a slight shake of her head. ”It looked as if they dragged her from slumber after the… water.” They wouldn’t even let her get her feet firmly under her as they nearly yanked her arm out of the socket. The wyvern recalled how furious Solmundr was with her torture session in the water. After injecting her with their venoms and poisons, the water helped cool her burning body as Sanyi stayed afloat, the temperature not phasing her at all as he expected. It might account for why the heating session seemed to last twice as long as normal sessions. Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Sanyi found his hand in hers as she inspected the wounds, another question at her lips.

She burned somewhere inside as she ran her fingers over his skin, her heart racing. Ensarrian gave another vague explanation, Sanyi somewhat oblivious to the moving of her pillow. Her gaze lifted from his wounds to his fiery orbs at his chuckle, a wry grin mirroring him. But his gaze drifted down. Curiously, Sanyi glanced down, noting that only her breasts could be the object of his fascination. Did he like them? The question caught her off guard as she blinked back up at him in time to hear his question. This time, she forced herself to turn and sadly take in the posh room, her shoulders slumping slightly. ”My mother… I don’t know what she ever told him, but she instilled a fear deep within Solmundr… After he killed her… Maybe he still fears her words.” In truth, it was about a year before he killed her that Solmundr moved Sanyi to this room.

”You are born for greatness, Sanyi. Together with Vartirrian, you shall restore our people.” She pushed the memory aside, for now, her icy orbs slowly returning to rest on Ensarrian’s face. Another memory returned to her… The memory where she kissed a boy who was recovering. Sanyi began to blush as she tried to put her next thought into words. ”Ensarrian… May I… touch your lips again?” She found she had been inching closer, her hand reaching up to touch his soft lips with her fingertips just like the first time. When he finally nodded, she was already inches away. Time seemed to drag out as they closed the distance and gently kissed. Her eyes fluttered shut as she went to press into it, only to feel him flinch beneath her touch. Sanyi jerked back apologetically.

Refusing to be the cause of any more pain, Sanyi resigned herself to sitting at the farthest edge away from him as they talked about various topics rather awkwardly. Most of their tortures were the same, they were about the same age. Their parents were dead. She decided to insist on him laying down and rest, using the same previous techniques to allow him to drift to sleep, having curled up on her side of the bed. Eventually, they both fell asleep, having survived the night without doing as Solmundr demanded of them. It was the most restful sleep she had ever had, which was rudely interrupted by loud voices, stomping boots, and rough hands yanking at both of them. ”One task! You were sent in here with only one task! And you can’t even do that! Throw her in the hot room.”

Sanyi’s demeanor changed. She visibly deflated a little and looked about the room with a saddened gaze. Ensarrian slowly raised his brow at the mention of her mother, slightly taken aback that she knew either of her parents. He had known his, but they were killed when he was too young to remember. Even now whenever he thinks back on it, he gets only glimpses of brief moments, but he never sees a face. Sanyi explained that her mother managed to plant fear in Solmundr, and that the fear remained every after her mother’s death. It was difficult for the male Wyvern to believe. Solmundr was a clever man, one not so simply fooled. But if her words were true, then her mother must have bested Solmundr at the clever game. Ensarrian resisted a smug grin, clearly amused that such a well prepared and intelligent man could be made a fool of. Ensarrian wished he could see Solmundr’s face the day he learns the truth. Unless…

His train of thought was interrupted when Sanyi turned her eyes back on him. Their gazes met, and his breath paused. Her face flushed, making him believe she had something in mind, and his cheeks heated in return. The bulge in his breeches tightened some more, becoming more apparent to him by the minute. She started moving closer ever so slowly. His heart beat louder. Every part of his mind screamed for him to move away, get out of her reach. But his body wouldn’t obey him. He was frozen. Out of nowhere, she asked to touch his lips once more. It reminded him of their first kiss. It was one sided, but it did not make her lips feel any less soft, and warm, and beautiful. His eyes dropped to her sweet lips, and his hand pressed on the pillow, so if to force his erection back down. It didn’t work—of course it didn’t. Instead, it only added to his discomfort, so much so that it almost hurt. Her hand reach up and gently touched his lips. As if that was the button that needed to be pressed to set him off, he nodded without a single thought against it. He had lost his self restraint.

Their lips met, and instantly he was drowning in her glamouring touch. His eyes drifted shut. Nothing about them had changed since the first kiss, yet, somehow it didn’t feel quite the same. It made his body burn with desire, ache with need. It was such a slow and tender kiss, but it was all he needed to give rise to lust. Sanyi pressed to deepen the kiss, and instantly his bones screamed. He flinched from the pain and winced. The kiss broke as Sanyi pulled away with an apologetic expression. She moved to the furthest end of the bed, both relieving and disappointing Ensarrian. With her out of reach, resisting her would be easier. But his body had yet to cool off from the seed of urges she planted within him. He finally laid back with a wince, bones and muscles and flesh crying from the movement. He kept the pillow on his lap, refusing to remove it until his obvious excitement died down. And, before he knew it, they were talking. The air between them was uncomfortable and awkward, but at the end, Ensarrian was nearly convinced that Sanyi had no ulterior motives. Then, soon enough, she once again used some kind of magic to lull him into slumber.

But, like the rest he had gotten since he was brought here, it didn’t last. It was beginning to take its toll on him.

The abrupt and rude awakening was caused by him being dragged out of the bed. He yelped from the pain the ruthless hands caused him, clenching his teeth and fists as a way of fighting through it. Solmundr’s voice cut in, loud and snarling. Despite the pain, Ensarrian shot Solmundr a smug grin, “And you thought I would actually do it?” Solmundr’s eyes blazed as he stomped towards Ensarrian. The Wyvern raised his chin and straightened himself defiantly, eyes unwavering even when Solmundr’s furious face was mere inches from his own. “I gave you a chance to enjoy yourself,” he spat. “As if you’re so gracious,” Ensarrian countered, somehow keeping his smirk to hide his pain. “Since the very beginning, nothing you ever offered me didn’t benefit you in some way, no matter how good you made it seem. So forgive me for not believing you.” His sarcastic tone made it apparent he wasn’t truly sorry, instead it was like slapping Solmundr with his own faults. Pleasure swelled in Ensarrian as Solmundr gave no reply, his eyes the angriest he’d ever seen. He really must’ve pissed him off.

But then, after a moment to contemplate, Solmundr returned the smirk. Ensarrian’s confidence nearly faltered. “Very well, then. We shall do it the hard way. Then you will wish you had done as I asked.” Out of spite, Solmundr kicked Ensarrian’s leg. He cried out, the hurting bone threatening to snap in each spot it had been drilled into. The pain shot up through the rest of his leg, and his knee buckled. The men holding him tightened their grip to keep him upright. Solmundr walked out of the room, with his other men dragging Sanyi with them. Ensarrian followed, limping so badly he could barely handle stepping with it. Dread and worry made its way into his mind, and soon fear grew when Sanyi was taken down a different hall. Solmundr had commanded to have her taken to the hot room. He wasn’t sure he knew what that was, but he imagined it was a form of torture. That only gave rise to his anger. What had Sanyi done to deserve torture? She didn’t even know Solmundr’s plans. Ensarrian was the one who resisted his urges, refused to give that bastard what he wanted.

He was taken to yet another room. However, upon entering, Ensarrian was greeted with a familiar face. Her raven hair was in a bun as usual, skin as fair as always. But her bloody lips were curved into a grin, and her golden eyes held no pity nor concern for him. Isedora was seated atop a metallic table with restraints, much like the one he’d already been confined to. She uncrossed her legs and leaped off, glancing at him only once as she approached Solmundr. Ensarrian was stunned, eyes wide with confusion. “Isedora…” he muttered her name, before turning his gaze on Solmundr. “What the hell is she doing here?” Solmundr wasn’t planning to use her against him as well, was he? If he was, why would she approach him so obligingly? Why… why wasn’t she concerned about him and what Solmundr had done? Very quickly, he felt stupid for asking. It was obvious. She wasn’t worried because she didn’t care. He could see it, plain as day.

“Why shouldn’t she be here? She’s my daughter,” Solmundr replied. Ensarrian’s heart dropped and split all at once. It was like a heavy blow to the gut, leaving him winded. Solmundr continued, rubbing salt on the wound, “She wanted to see how you are faring, as you are her boyfriend and all.” Ensarrian’s eyes drifted to Isedora. “Well, technically speaking,” she said with a lazy shrug. “Not really. I was just my father’s eyes and ears to keep track of you. Where you are, where you’re going, who you’re with,” her grin broadened at the last part. Raziel/. It was Isedora who told Solmundr where to find him, and about his relationship with Raziel. She was the one who knew his friend could be used against him. Little by little, his world was shattering. “Why?” He asked quietly, making no attempt to hide his disbelief.

Isedora calmly strolled towards Ensarrian, placing her hand on his cheek. “You are such a fool,” she said sweetly, as if she were still the caring girlfriend she pretended to be, as if she had the right to even pretend to care at all. “You’re awfully cute, but you’re so inexperienced. You don’t know how to treat a woman, much less how to please one. No woman would ever want you, none in their right mind.” Her cruel words were like a dagger in his heart. He knew she was trying to get his self esteem and confidence to sink. And although he wouldn’t admit it… she succeeded. He turned his gaze away from hers, jerking his head to tear it away from her hand. She laughed lightly and turned towards the door, waving at Solmundr, “Tell me how it goes. I want every detail.” Then, she was gone. Ensarrian kept his gaze low, hands balling into fists at his sides. He didn’t know how to feel, how to react. It was almost as if the blow of her betrayal caused him to lose his will to fight.

“Now,” Solmundr’s voice rose. Ensarrian nearly growled from irritation. Couldn’t he get a break? Ever? Even just for a minute? “Get on the table,” Solmundr ordered. Ensarrian did as he was told, laying down on the hard, cold surface. “You’re awfully obedient suddenly. What happened to your usual smart ass remarks?” Ensarrian’s eyes flicked up to Solmundr, his frustration and anger finally showing just a tad. But, he forced a smirk, at least finding pleasure in being able to get under Solmundr’s skin. “Missing it already?” He replied smugly. “I thought you hated it when I refused you.” Solmundr chuckled and waved his hand—a command. The men started locking Ensarrian down with his arms and legs spread wide. “Perhaps,” said Solmundr as he stood with his hands behind his back. “It’s more amusing when you fight. It makes breaking you far more enjoyable.” His grin was serpentine with wicked eyes. But Ensarrian was unwavered by it. This was a dangerous game to see who breaks first, and no matter what Solmundr threw at him, Ensarrian refused to lose.

Once he was securely held down, one of the men started unbuckling his belt. Behind Solmundr was another man, wearing a doctor’s uniform. He appeared to be looking through surgical tools. Ensarrian began feeling uneasy, which grew when his belt was off and his pants her loosened. “Care to tell me what exactly you have in mind this time?” Ensarrian asked, trying to keep his cool. His heart thumped anxiously as his pants her pulled down a ways, and his boxer briefs followed, completely exposing him. A shiver shook his body as it went up his spine. He did not like where this could be going. Knowing Solmundr, he likely had something very painful in mind.

“I suppose there is no harm in telling you now,” Solmundr replied. “You will be relieved to know that your torture is done with, as well as Sanyi’s. I have successfully made you two into the perfect battle beasts. However, I cannot simply enter the battlefield field with only two Wyverns, now can I?” Ensarrian’s brow furrowed, attempting to ignore the sight of the syringe in the man’s hand behind Solmundr. “You need more,” he replied calmly. Solmundr nodded and started to slowly walk around the table until he was standing next to Ensarrian, eyes staring down at him expectantly. The Wyvern glanced down at himself, swallowing hard. The man with the syringe approached him, looking at Solmundr as if waiting for approval to continue. Realization hit him, and he laid his head against the table with a heavy sigh. “That’s why you wanted me to mate with Sanyi. You wanted to see the results, as in if she would get pregnant. You want us to bear offspring for your army,” he said with a hint of disgust in his tone. Solmundr hummed, “Well, that’s part of it. I also want to know if what I gave you two would become genetic or not,” Solmundr replied. “But, you did not take the chance I gave you. I wasn’t lying when I said you would enjoy it.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Now, we’re doing thing artificially. If I get the results I want, then you will be given another chance to take the offer when given. I am certain you won’t like having to do this every time.”

Ensarrian did not reply. Solmundr gave the other man permission to continue, and Ensarrian’s blood froze when the needle touched his sensitive skin. His eyes clamped shut, preparing for the pain. He’d been hit in the balls many times and knew how painful it was, but he could only imagine them being stabbed. Granted it was a needle, but in his book it’d be worse. He’s never been fond of needles.

However, before it could break his skin, the door was swung open. His eyes widened and looked to see Isedora’s distraught face, displaying great fear and worry so strong he could smell it. And on her lips was a small sentence that brought Ensarrian great relief and pleasure, “The necklace was removed.”

Her arms were pinned at her sides as Solmundr spoke, despite her yanking of the shoulders. The grip was too firm to be dislodged, and she was still fighting to understand what was going on. Sanyi caught the grin on Raven Boy’s face, causing the wyvern to pause, curious as to the scene that was now unfolding between the two men in her room. Solmundr did not seem to like the response as he marched toward the defiant male. What did he mean “enjoy yourself”? What had he asked Ensarrian to do to her? Her head reeled at the thought that another wyvern might have been sent to torture her when she was promised it was over.

They began dragging the wyverns out of her room behind Solmundr, Sanyi renewing her efforts in forcing them to release her. All she got for her efforts was another mercenary assisting her guard, one on each arm.”Solmundr, let me go! You promised!” Her demands fell on deaf ears as the men holding her made a turn into an adjoining hall, her feet trying to dig into the ground as her voice rose. ”Don’t betray me, Solmundr, you snake! I’ve done nothing, bastard!” Despite this, Sanyi could not stop them from heaving her down the hall. She didn’t want to spend another unknown amount of time nearly melting to death. The door grew ever larger as they slowly approached it, her fear finally stopped growing as it shifted into a new emotion altogether. Determination.

Sanyi took a deep breath, collecting herself as she planted her feet once more, halting their progress. ”I said… Let… Me… GO!” As she exhaled, the wyvern pulled her arms from their grasp, hugging herself as she unexpectantly fell to her knees. The air around her grew instantly chilled as ice crackled all around her. When she opened her eyes, Sanyi blinked in surprise. In a perfect circle around her, jagged and sharp icicles of varying shapes and sizes extruded from the ground, impaling her guards. Their time for planning had effectively run out. If Solmundr finds out she did this, even with the necklace, their chances would become nonexistent very quickly. It was time to act, to end Solmundr’s evil and escape from this hell hole of nightmares.

The sounds of her bare feet slapping the stone, her heavy breathing as she ran was the only thing she could hear. He would do nothing without that stupid pet of his, so the blind must be dragged out as well. However, Sanyi knew she could not be much help herself with the binding necklace. If Raziel could remove it for her, then Sanyi could be free to unleash everything, including the dragon within. No matter how she thought, Raziel was the key to everything. Without incident, the wyvern found herself at Raziel’s door and opened it. The angel was already standing, just outside the door’s reach with a smile on her small face. ”Hello Sanyi.”

”Raziel!” A bit rougher than she intended, the wyvern gripped the winged one’s shoulders. ”You would do anything for him?” She nodded. ”Then I need a favor.” Raziel began to frown as she cocked her head. ”What can I do?” ”Remove my necklace. A wyvern can’t do it and it locks almost everything. We’re leaving. Right now.” The winged one smiled as her diminutive hands reached up for Sanyi’s neck, feeling the necklace and removed it. Sanyi could swear it was like a breath of fresh air as it was removed, a sense of weight being removed from her shoulders. ”Ready to get out of here?” ”Ensarrian?” ”Don’t worry. That’s the first step. Rescue Ensarrian, kill Solmundr, and torch the place to the ground.” ”I like it.”

The wyvern allowed the winged one a moment to prepare herself. Raziel’s eyes blinked, becoming clearer as she looked up directly toward the wyvern with a triumphant smile. ”Now I won’t be a hindrance upon you. Wait… What’s that smell?” Both of them sniffed tentatively at the air, a snarl rumbling the back of Sanyi’s throat. ”Isedora. The last thing we need right now.” ”Isedora? Not… Ensarrian’s Isedora?” Something twisted inside at the thought of Ensarrian already having someone, even worse, Isedora, daughter of Solmundr. What the hell was he doing with that piece of trash? ”Come on, we’ll deal with that later.” The pair left Raziel’s room and began heading down the halls, using Sanyi’s nose to track Ensarrian’s scent.

Everything seemed quiet until they rounded a corner into three mercenaries chatting about something. One of them flicked their eyes over the girls, instantly wary. ”Sanyi, where is your escort?” Isedora was at the end of the hall, a look of shock upon her face as she gazed at the scene. The wyvern gave a wicked grin. ”Chilling somewhere. Would you like to join them?” Her eyes flicked from the men to Isedora, only to catch the tail end of her outfit rounding the corner as she darted presumably back to her father with her discovery. Any surprise they may have had was just eliminated. ”Let’s get you girls back to your rooms…” ”Sorry, but I can’t allow that.” Sanyi lifted a hand, palm up, where moisture condensed into a glowing blue sphere. A plethora of shards of ice flew forth, embedding themselves into the chests and eyes of the men. Allowing them to experience pain in their last few moments of a decent life, the pair ran past them.

The girls barged into the room shortly after Isedora warned them. Raziel did not waste a moment on anything else as she darted past everyone and straight to Ensarrian. Somewhere in the halls, the winged one had produced a metallic rod about the same height as she with a teal ribbon tied at the top, decorating a beautiful stone at the top. She used it to strike Doctor Manson away from Ensarrian before conjuring some sort of crystal barrier around them, blocking both wyvern and small woman from view as she released him from the bindings, carefully averting her gaze so that he may redress himself without further embarrassment. Sanyi grinned at Solmundr and Isedora. ”How ya doing, Dora? Finally home to play with daddy? Sorry, but your reunion is going to be cut a little short. Thank you, Dora, for bringing me the perfect gift. Someone not bound to you! Now, let’s see what I can do.” While blocking the exit, Sanyi began shifting into her wyvern form, growing in size as blue scales protruded from her skin and her bones shifted to accommodate her new shape.