Chapter 73: Angered Retaliation
Eldritch energy still caused her to tingle but no longer induce hallucinations. She grabbed Evian's shoulder and pushed him back and away from her,
"That's enough," she said trying to make her voice stoic and failing as it still shivered with the spasms still trailing all over her body courtesy of her orgasmic episode.
Evian didn't resist the push not only because resistance was futile in the face of her superior strength but also because leaning back gave him an even wider alluring view of what he had accomplished.
He could still see signs of superior haughtiness in the Lordess' expression only tempered by the shame of her damp crotch.
"So, how was it?"
"Different," Frida said.
The spasms finally reached their end and waned out which slowly returned her demeanor to its default.
"It was not what I set out for," She said with a frown, "You took full advantage of your 'Payment in touch'."
She stood up from the sofa and readjusted her gown so her breasts were back to being scantily covered. Her gown had no creases whatsoever, neither was it stained with the liquid of her discharge as it had been enchanted to ward away any such impurities.
Evian finally stopped leaking Eldritch energy and kept the rest of his reserves intact as he pulled his open shirt close and stood to his feet as well.
"I expect I will be seeing you again, soon?" Frida said as she started a slow walk towards the sealed door.
"You will?" Evian asked with a raised brow.
Frida paused to look back at him but only with her side profile in prominence. She appeared on the verge of speaking but eventually decided against it. She placed her hand against the door and unsealed it with Spiritual Energy just to push it open for Evian to walk through.
"They're done." Erik Lockheart said, sitting up in his chair while staring at the opening door.
Frida remained inside the room and just cast a look over the occupants of the hall, ignoring Daria's slightly hostile expression, only barely acknowledging Erik's thirsty glare but focusing mostly on Evian who wondered why she had not exited the room.
"Years ago, I took necessary steps to ensure my stance as Lordess remained strong. I took steps to keep my family in control of our territory- That has made me content and if an issue doesn't directly involve us, I DO NOT interfere," Frida said calmly,
"However, Evian Stygian, you say you have a Plan, I'm open to hearing it. Return soon and we shall discuss it."
Evian paused and then his lips formed into a smile. He recognized something in Frida's tone and the arrangement of her words- He sensed a rouse.
'Interest in discussing my plan is just a pretense to get me here,' he deduced, 'The Kink still lives.'
"Frida?" Erik said as he stood up in his chair but the Lordess held out a hand,
"That will be all, Erik. I can no longer entertain a conversation today. Goodbye."
The door slammed shut after that leaving Erik looking a bit stunned as his eyes went to Evian who was smiling with content.
"Well, shall we leave?" he asked with his arms wide.
Erik frowned,
"What happened back there?" he asked, "What did you two discuss?"
Daria had a similar question, the difference was she had the courtesy to wait until they were out of the hall and maybe out of the Renan Estate entirely before she asked. Another difference was that Evian was much more inclined to give HER an answer.
To Erik, Evian shook his head,
"Private matters," he said, "Private matters I am not at a liberty to share."
...
Erik Lockheart kept his frown all through their walk out of the hall and back to the Carriage that awaited them in the courtyard. He kept the frown even as they boarded and began their journey out of the Estate. He kept the frown and glared at Evian as they chugged through the streets of the district at an incredible pace and it caught Evian's attention so intensely, it took a while for him to realize the Carriage was not headed back the way they had come.
It was only after they left the populated district behind that Evian got an idea of where they were headed.
"The Border," he mumbled as the Carriage finally rolled to a stop many feet away from the boundary between the Renan and the Larnak Territory.
The Coachman had obviously stopped short of the actual Border in an attempt to avoid potential Guard placements at said Border.
"What is this?" Evian asked the Redheaded Merchant.
"Get out!" Erik said sharply.
"What?" Daria said with her eyes wide.
Erik cleared his throat gruffly,
"Not you Miss, you're welcome to stay," he said before glaring at Evian, "It's him. I no longer want him in my home."
Evian smiled with the strong suspicion that this was not only about what he and Ember had engaged in the night before.
"But why the Border?" he asked, "You could have just left us anywhere in the Renan Territory?"
Erik shook his head,
"This is not your home. Go back to your Territory."
Evian shrugged,
"Fine," he said as he pushed the Carriage door open and stepped out. Daria followed him.
"So I guess you won't be staying then?" Erik said to the Witch, "You shouldn't have to go through danger and certainly shouldn't have to go through it with him." he added with an angry head gesture at Evian.
Daria smiled lightly. Not with gratitude at the gesture but more in amusement at the Merchant's tone,
"Thank you for the Offer but if he's returning, so should I."
Erik sighed,
"Very well," he said and made to close the Carriage door but Evian stopped him with one hand and minimal effort,
"Hold on," he said, "Tell Ember and the others the good news."
Erik frowned, knowing the 'good news' referred to Lordess Renan potentially getting involved against the Larnak Territory.
He let out a long breath,
"Boy, I have watched from the sidelines as my daughter put herself in danger. I'd quite like that to stop."
Evian shrugged,
"That's fair," he said, "But you should still let her know. She and the others have invested over a year of their life in this cause. They deserve to be aware of the coming conclusion."
The two held each other's gaze for a minute before Erik let out a conceding sigh,
"Fine. I'll tell her and the others."
"Thank you," Evian told him before he let the door go and allowed the Merchant to close it shut.
"That man does not like you," Daria said with a chuckle as they watched the Carriage chug away back to the populated parts of the Renan Territory.
"I actually don't see that changing anytime soon," Evian told her with a smile, "Let's be on our way."
Daria volunteered to ferry them to the border with her movement Spell and let Evian maintain his reserves for future crucial Phasing.
At the Border, there were no Guards.
The Renan Lordess was apparently not big on lining up security at the desolate land, policing who came and went. However, Evian was surprised about the lack of Larnak Border Guards.
The fact that they had all escaped to the Renan Territory had to be known already so why not dedicate security to be on the lookout?
"Shortage of men maybe," Daria said when Evian mused out loud, "They're facing a Turf War against the Stygian Territory, I doubt they can spare any more to police yet another Border."
"That makes sense," Evian admitted with a nod.
Once over the border and into the Larnak Territory, Evian's series of Phasing began all with the purpose of not letting him and Daria remain in place long enough to be spotted or attacked. He only slowed when he neared the Larnak/Stygian Border. It had always been a steady supply of kills and Souls and Evian was optimistic for her another haul.
Alas, today was different.
"Death," Evian mumbled the closer they got to the Border.
"What?" Daria asked him confused.
"I sense Death," Evian clarified with furrowed brows, "Freed- Departing souls up ahead."
Phasing came to a stop and he dashed forward on foot with Daria following him closely with a movement spell.
They saw a couple of slaughtered bodies, their blood spilled on the ground, and the nearer they got to the Border, the more the quantity. For every dead Knight dressed in Larnak Military uniform, there were at least five others dressed in the Stygian uniform.
In the hours that had passed between the Crew's escape and this new day, the Turf War had truly begun- Fueled by Herbert Larnak's angered retaliation.
Looking to the sides at the long line of Demarcation, Evian could smell kills for miles. He was a Wraith- He had a 'sense' for this sort of thing but the souls of these bunch were long departed and too far gone for him to sense... For him to have felt departed souls, there were more recent killings nearby.
"Come on," he told Daria, "This Way!"
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