The Stormcrow Cycle [Slow-burn Slice-of-Life Tragic Fantasy Romance]

Book II, The Lion: Beach Episode, Part I

The votes are in! It looks like the majority of readers wanted the "beach episode" that was formerly in Book II, The Lion. Warning! There are spoilers from here on out!

A few notes:

1. There will be another update tomorrow. This portion of the chapter (that's right! It wasn't even the full chapter, haha. I wrote this sucker like it was a novel, so all chapters were ultra-long, ahahah) is over 7000 words. I've cut it at the page break for easy reading.

2. I did some light line editing and proofreading. I also updated the names (characters, places, etc.) to avoid confusing readers (and I did this for the other snippets, too).

3. Lukios makes a pervy joke about choking. This is not a reference to strangulation as a sex act. This is a pervy/humorous reference on his part to an entirely different sex act involving zero violence, and it is hypothetical (this is not a thing that has ever happened between Ba'an and Lukios. It's just that Lukios has had his share of bedroom shenanigans, and he occasionally references it). So yeah, there are no 50 Shades-type stuff going on, lol.

4. Vul'kir is a K'Avaari strifa. Yes, she has (or at least had) one by the time we hit Book II. Will she get one again? Well, you'll just have to wait and see! =D

5. The references to Helios in this chapter is a reference to...let's just say, it's a feat of Illosian engineering. Those who are familiar with the wonders of the ancient world will probably recognize what kind of construction I am referring to. =)

6. There's fade-to-black sex. I haven't put it under a spoiler tag because it's not explicit and we just skip to the next bit, lol.

7. You'll probably notice Lukios is more doting than usual (if that's even possible...lol). This is because early in Book II, Ba'an has a very exciting action scene where she sustains some nasty injuries. Lukios is still very worried (though she's more or less recovered) and, therefore, doting.

Happy reading! =D

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Ba'an woke to the door opening and closing softly. A delicious, savory smell wafted through the room and she propped herself up on her elbow to look.

"Morning, sweetheart." Lukios set the tray down on the small table beneath one of the windows. He moved the vase full of hyacinth to the top of the dresser.

"Lukios? You are still here?" She slipped out of bed. Now this was a pleasant surprise. He was often gone early in the morning and returned late in the evening.

He grinned at her. "Yup. And I've got a surprise for you, but you're only getting it after breakfast."

Ba'an eyed him suspiciously. "A surprise? Lukios, I do not know if I like surprises."

He laughed. "You'll like this one, I promise."

Ba'an glanced around the bedroom. It was a large room, but it was clearly made for sleeping. There was an entire antechamber outside the door which was made for lounging and entertaining. "Should we eat in the outer room?"

"If you want, but..." He gestured to the walls and touched his ear.

That was true. "There is already someone in the servant's hall, Lukios," she said in K'Avaari.

"Of course there is," he sighed in the same language. "Want me to tell bad jokes until they go away?"

"I do not think that will work, Lukios." She switched to Dolkoi'ri. "This looks very delicious. What is this? Is this dessert?"

He started to laugh. "Yes, sweetheart. It's like those sweet buns you like, but the filling is different. It's sweet too, but a bit denser."

Ba'an picked it up and bit into it before he could dissuade her. He chortled, but only asked, "How is it?"