Sons of Ironstorm - Book 2: Griffon's Call

A Victory of Ash

Thankfully the booth was exactly where the official indicated it'd be. Shawn's hunger and thirst seemed to grow in leaps and bounds with every step they took into the shadow beneath the north tower until it seemed his belly would consume itself before he could put anything into it. Nestled against the back wall, in between the rising levels of seating on either side, the booth was well-manned by a handful of attendants, men and women both, from a number of different involved kingdoms, including a couple uncommitted kingdoms from Sovun'chul clans.

Shawn's request for a full water skin, a wedge of cheese, some hunter sausage, a loaf of bread and a couple of wooden cups was quickly filled and, a moment later, the big human lifted a filled cup in salute as the two friends stood beside the booth.

<<To my fellow graduates and competitors with enough courage to enter the Trials in the hopes of winning honor and prestige for school, kingdom and clan,>> he said softly. Feladorn nodded as he also lifted his cup in acknowledgment.

<<To them,>> the Lusinoran prince returned. <<And to the equally brave human, reviled and despised by those self-same elves, who beat them all. Victory is Life.>>

<<Victory is Life,>> Shawn repeated with a wry smile before tipping the cup filled with cool water to his lips, balm to his now burning thirst.

He hadn't taken more than a mouthful however, when a third voice spoke from somewhere beyond them, lost in the shadows beneath the grandstand.

<<May the Silver Flame burn bright in the heart of the victor,>> Dezi added as she, Banik, Trinity, Keilahra, Melkarion and Mellan stepped into view from beneath the grandstand, having passed through them to reach the north tower.

<<To the Silver Flame,>> Shawn replied, turning to lift his cup to his dark elf friend as they approached. <<May it burn bright in the hearts of the valiant, dispelling shadow and revealing truth.>>

<<To the Silver Flame,>> Feladorn echoed and the two put cup to lips once again in honor of the toast, drinking deeply of the spring water within.

Hearing the traditional dark elf salute from the mouth of her beloved, only made Dezi's heart ache that much more for the powerful human. Already her sharp dark elf sense of smell was nearly overcome with his intoxicating scent, earthy and exhilarating in her nostrils as it wafted from his still perspiring body. And her eyes were so astonished at the visual feast that opened before them she was forced to stare hard at Shawn's face lest she lose control of herself.

Still, she was unable to stop herself as she stepped close to gently kiss Shawn on the cheek, her fingers tingling where they touched his naked skin.

<<Congratulations,>> she husked breathily into his ear, too soft for anybody else to hear. <<You are victor this day, my, . . . friend.>> Then her voice failed her as her lips burned from their brief contact with Shawn's face, her heart pounding so loudly in her chest with her barely held in check passion that she feared it would leap from her mouth.

Then she was saved the embarrassment of falling prey to her passions by an exuberant Trinity, who pushed the lithe dark elf maiden aside to throw herself recklessly into Shawn's arms, kissing the powerful human soundly on the lips. If her Lithosin friend hadn't done so, Dezi feared her control would've been lost. 

As it was, she still had to struggle to regain absolute mastery of her passions as she stood close to her beloved, brutally pushing it down deep into her mind in order to find control in her hands once again. Those hands now trembled with the sudden jealous desire to twist Trinity's head from her shoulders at seeing how she pawed Shawn.