We left Melly’s house after the sun had set, so the moonlight and oil lamps from the Second and First Shells were what guided us back to the castle. It was good to see the girls in high spirits, still working vigorously on taking down the wall. Jaya caught my arm to let me know that all cages had been lowered, and they were nursing many of their inhabitants back to health. A handful hadn’t made it, but everyone was doing what they could to help those that did.

Well, almost everyone. As Tristan and Cailu had expected, there were still plenty of people in all Shells who refused Naeemah’s takeover, and whispers that the duel was rigged made it to our group as we headed back. I hoped that those would stop soon, if just for Naeemah’s sake. She had enough on her plate already.

My thoughts kept drifting back to Ceres. Her damp hair clinging to her cheeks, her rasped breathing, the sweat dripping from her forehead. It had felt like an eternity since she’d been the one watching me while I slept, teetering on death after the Defiled attack.

“I should be there with her,” I mumbled. Keke and I were a few paces behind Tristan, who was lost in his own thoughts.

“Matt, she’s in the best place she can be right now,” Keke replied. She slid her hand into mine and squeezed. “Melly and Destiny are taking great care of her.”

“I know, it’s just… she was there for me when I needed her. I don’t feel like I’m doing enough.” I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck.

“Hey, you’re doing what you need to be doing right now. What would she say if she woke up and found out that you could have been gaining Levels instead of watching her sleep?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “‘Sir Matt! I have hindered your progress!’” I put on my best Ceres impression.

Keke grinned. She straightened her back and held a hand to her chest, warping her expression with concern. “‘Pray, my lord, allow me to fetch a thousand Encroachers for you to single-handedly slaughter.’”

“And that’s the part we’re buried under a thousand gigashanks.” I found myself smiling, too. “Yeah, you’re right. She’d want me to keep pushing to Second Class.”

Tristan glanced behind him and stopped walking. “You two all right?”

I didn’t realize just how far back we were. “We’re fine!” I tugged on Keke’s hand and we jogged to catch up. “What about you, man?”

Tristan nodded and fell into step beside us. “I’ll be okay.” He looked up at the sky. “Not to eavesdrop, but I know how you feel, Matt.”

“Melly and Destiny are doing everything they can,” Keke reassured him. “If anything happens, we’ll be the first to know.”

“I know you’re right, and I get where Matt’s coming from. I want to help where I can, too.” Tristan shrugged.

I patted him on the shoulder. “We’ll keep working hard. Impress the hell out of all of ‘em when they’re back.”

He flashed a bright smile. “Yeah. We got this.”

The mood around us lightened, and we switched to easier conversations as we crossed through the First Shell and back to the castle. The scents of smoked meats and roasted veggies beckoned us all to the dining hall, where Kirti and Cailu ate in silence.

“What’s on the menu?” I asked, pulling a chair out for Keke before taking a seat.

Kirti raised her eerie orange eyes with a smirk. “Whatever you killed in the arena, boy.”

Now that she mentioned it, the long, sinewy strips of meat did look like the didrillas. The shwa shwa sound they made rang in my ears when I took my first bite. It tasted like chewier chicken and was strangely cajun in flavor.

“Will we be back in the arena tomorrow, Cailu?” Tristan asked, spooning cubed orange vegetables onto his plate.

Cailu didn’t reply.

That’s new. I leaned forward, catching a glimpse of him around Tristan. Cailu was staring off into space, not blinking. Kirti smirked as she watched him expectantly.

“Cailu?” I called between bites of didrilla.

Cailu blinked and shook his head. “Apologies. What did you need?”

“Are you feeling okay?” Tristan asked. “I know it’s been a long day.”

“Yes. I just need a full night’s sleep, I believe.” Cailu pushed his plate away and stood. “Let us meet here in the morning before we move to the arena. If you will excuse me.”

He left without another word. I exchanged looks with Tristan, and Kirti chuckled under her breath.

“What’s so funny?” Keke asked, sliding the plate of fruit closer to herself.

“Nothing, child. Enjoy your ignorance while it lasts.” Kirti tapped her napkin to her lips before standing. “I, too, will take my leave.”

After she’d gone, Keke grumbled low enough for just me to hear. “The cure for ignorance is knowledge, Kirti.”

I chuckled, spooning another helping of didrilla and vegetables onto my plate. “Don’t let her get under your skin. I think she enjoys it.”

Keke sighed and nodded, popping a slice of red fruit into her mouth. “She’s doing enough to Cannoli as is.”

I grimaced. That was one conversation I wasn’t looking forward to in the near future.

“Honestly, I think all of us need some time to process this… adventure,” Tristan said. “The good news is, we have it.”

Tristan was right; we could finally take some time to recover. Magni was gone, and we were safe. With real beds and water and three meals a day. Cailu had probably paid Agni enough to get her through the next three years of her life, and there was an entire football field of Encroachers outside to farm. “Yeah. All we can do is our best, right?”

“Mhm.” Tristan and Keke hummed in unison, then smiled.

We finished our meals, and Tristan waved us goodnight before disappearing down the hallway.

“Hey, Matt.” Keke slid her fingers through mine and gently touched my arm. “Want to get cleaned up?”

“Sure. They should have drawn the baths by now—” I stopped talking as soon as I met her eyes. That tiny, mischievous smile curved the corners of her lips and lit up her golden gaze. That was the look. My heart skipped, and I squeezed her hand. “Yes. Please.”

The sound of her giggle was like lightning through my veins as she led me down the hallway and into the bathing room across from our quarters. Abalone felt like a million years away—another lifetime since I’d felt her skin on mine.

I closed the door behind me, glad to see the tub still filled. Aanya had drawn a long curtain across the steaming water as a separator for our privacy—of course, it wasn’t hiding anything I’d already seen. But Tristan and I had followed the rules and stayed on our side of the curtain. Well, until now, at least.

Keke tip-toed around the bath, and we disappeared behind the drape. I’d barely kicked off my shoes before she was yanking my shirt over my head. I had enough time to steal a kiss between her unbuckling my belt and her skirt hitting the floor.

Her lips trailed to my jawline, dipped into my throat, and the tip of her tongue traced my collarbone. I buried one hand in her hair and caressed the length of her spine with the other. She shivered as she sank to her knees.

“Keke—ah!” Keke’s lips encircled my cock, and she peered up at me with wide, hungry eyes. I sucked a gasp between my clenched teeth, hoping the doors were thick enough that no one could hear me.

“Fuck, I missed you.” I slid my fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head.

She hummed a sensual reply, reaching for my free hand and moving it right behind her ears. Her tail wrapped around my calf, and she pressed her thumbs just inside my hip bones.

I pulled her head closer and could feel her hot breath against my thigh. Gentle licks with the tip of her tongue against the underside of my shaft sent tiny pulses of ecstasy through every nerve of my skin. Her throat was slick and searing, tightening around me every time she crept nearer, trying to take me deeper.

I massaged the base of her ears, urging her down every few seconds. Her tail twitched and constricted around my leg, and with each gasp for breath, she looked back up at me with one word written on her face: More. She wanted me to push her; encourage her.

My mouth went dry when she looked up again, waiting.

“Good girl, Keke.” The words tumbled out before I could stop them. An embarrassed heat bloomed on my neck and rose to my face.

An erotic whimper escaped her, and she worked her tongue harder, the strokes more desperate. I groaned and tightened my grip on her hair.

“You like that?” I whispered, breathless with pleasure.

“Mhm,” she hummed, the sound reverberating against my shaft.

I thrust my hips forward and pressed her head down until I hit the back of her throat. She squeaked in surprise but remained in place, her breathing quick and uneven through her nose. I drank in the picture of her hair tumbling down her arched back, the perfect curves of her body quivering beneath my grip.

I relaxed my hold, and, to my surprise, she drew back for only a second to catch a breath before descending again with even more enthusiasm than when she’d begun.

The pleasure and sensitivity skyrocketed in equal measure. I blinked, dizzy with need and drowning in her desire. “Keke, you’ll make me come like this.”

A sound between a hum and a giggle slipped from her tongue, and she doubled her efforts. I couldn’t hold back—it had been way too long. I climaxed, and she drew her tongue along my length, then swallowed.

“Such a good girl,” I growled, watching her drink every drop.

She slowly pulled away, and I stepped down into the bath. I grabbed her around the waist and guided her to join me. “Come here.”

Keke licked her lips and nodded, sinking into the warm water beside me.

Could you get any sexier?

There was a smooth, narrow ledge for occupants to sit and soak, and I propped her on it. “Your turn.”

“Matt, you don’t have to,” she murmured.

“I want to.” I repositioned myself between her legs and kissed her. God, I want to. I followed the bend of her inner thigh with my hand, parted the soft skin of her center, and slid two fingers inside of her.

“Mnh!” she whimpered against my mouth, her chest gliding against mine.

I held the small of her back with my free hand, cradling her at an angle that let me reach as deep as her body would allow. Breaking our kiss, I kissed her throat and moved down to her breast. She twined her fingers in my hair as I teased at her nipple with my tongue, kneading her yielding depths.

“Ngh! That’s so good,” Keke breathed, tilting her head back. “Don’t stop.”

“Not a chance,” I murmured against her skin. I added a finger to her heat and set my thumb to her clit, caressing it every time I thrust inside her.

She covered her mouth with one hand, masking the sharp squeals and moans that managed to break free. Her heels dug into my back, and the tip of her tail teased between my legs.

God, enough of this, and I’ll be ready to go again.

“I’m close! Please don’t stop,” she whispered, her voice strained. Her body tightened around my hand, and her breathing was erratic.

I repositioned so that our eyes were level and my lips were moments from hers. “Be my good girl, Keke.”

“Matt!”

I nibbled her lower lip. “Come for me.”

“I’m coming!” Keke gasped, sealing our kiss before the convulsions rocked around my fingers. She rolled her hips against my knuckles, releasing euphoric moans into our shared breaths.

I massaged and kneaded every spot that made her tremble and squeal until the tension left her body and her shoulders relaxed. I carefully drew away from her and took a seat beside her, curling one arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

I chuckled and ran a hand through my hair.

“What?” Keke tipped her head against my chest, the fur on her ears tickling my skin.

“You like being my good girl?” I asked.

I could feel the heat on her face as she blushed a deep red. “Don’t you dare tell anyone.”

“I would never.” I kissed the top of her head. “That’s a first for me, too.”

“Did you like it?”

“Probably too much,” I admitted.

Keke giggled. “Or just enough.”

She snuggled closer to me. “I wish we could be like this every day.”

Maybe. Some day. But I can’t make those promises just yet. “Me too.”

We were quiet for some time; our even breathing and the faucet’s rhythmic dripping were the only noises in the room. She reached up and touched my face and watched me for a few drawn-out seconds. I kissed the tip of her nose.

“We have another long day ahead of us tomorrow. Let’s get cleaned up.” I touched her shoulder and chuckled. “For real this time.”