Chapter 53: More Than He Could Chew
The moment felt special for Sylvaris. His mouth opened to take the first bite from her trembling fingers. The rabbit was perfectly cooked, its smell thick with low-fat richness, carrying a distinct scent of the hunt—a fresh, primal aroma that only deepened his hunger and impatience. His teeth sank into the rabbit leg that Liraeth had pulled off with some difficulty, juices flowing as he tore into it.
"Then... umm… I'll take a bite..." His voice wavered uncertainly. This was new for him; aside from his mother, no one had ever fed him like this. He swallowed hard, his eyes locking with Liraeth's trembling gaze. Her ears twitched, burning a deep red under the morning sunlight. If anyone were to touch them right now, they'd likely be jolted by how sensitive they were.
"Mmmhm..." A low hum escaped her lips, her eyes fixed on his, but inside, she was in turmoil.
What the hell am I doing? This is so embarrassing. Not only did he not care, and we just had sex in front of a stranger, but now we're shamelessly acting like newlyweds... Ahh… I'm going to explode and die... Her heart raced, as if she were running a marathon. When Sylvaris's teeth sank into the rabbit leg, she felt a subtle pull as he bit down, and she nearly let go of the meat. But, quickly, she steadied herself and held on tight.
For the first time ever, the man who had once cared for nothing had felt something new in his hopeless life—a sense of care. Something foreign, something addictive. And it honestly drove him crazy. He wanted this moment to never end as he took a second bite, devouring the rabbit leg like a starved wolf.
"Wait."
A calm voice cut through the moment like an unwelcome guest.
Faylira stepped forward, her tails swaying slowly behind her in a calculated rhythm. Her eyes lingered just a moment too long on Sylvaris's mouth before dipping to the exposed curve of Liraeth's breast—and she smirked. Look at that bitch... She's trying everything to show me he's hers… tsk… just wait until I show her how to treat a man. I'll make sure he knows I'm his new favorite.
In her heart, she was already his—or was he hers, more precisely? She'd even forgotten about her quest, completely oblivious to the fact that her queen wanted him first. Now, she was ready to stand against her own kin just to have a chance at being part of this stranger's life… Talk about low standards.
"You'll need something to drink with that."
She knelt beside them, a waterskin in hand. Sylvaris hadn't even seen her move. Her fingers brushed his shoulder as she leaned in to offer it.
"Here, wash it down. You'll choke eating so fast."
Liraeth's hand froze at the sudden intrusion. She had been sharing this moment with Sylvaris, and who the hell did this stranger think she was, coming in and ruining it? Her eyes narrowed—subtle, sharp.
"Or…" Faylira continued, her smile soft and just shy of smug. "I could feed you the next one? Seems fair. I did catch them, after all."
Her voice dripped with honey. Her smile was all velvet and hidden claws.
Liraeth didn't budge. Her voice, though soft, held weight.
"He hasn't finished mine yet." She pushed further, forcing the meat into his mouth. Sylvaris choked slightly; it was hard to handle all the rabbit parts being forced into his throat.
"Ah, sorry, sweetie." Faylira cocked her head, smile wicked. "Didn't mean to interrupt the honeymoon. Though I think you had enough fun last night—kept the whole damn forest awake with your screaming."
"KHHGH—KOFF! KOFF!!"
Sylvaris gagged mid-bite, a chunk of rabbit lodged in his throat as the fox's words hit him like a fireball to the gut. His eyes widened, and he coughed violently, pounding his chest with a fist. She was clearly hinting at the fiery night that had lit up the forest just hours ago, when he had been pounding Liraeth like a dog in heat. He hadn't even considered the consequences.
"See, I told you to eat slow," Faylira teased him, placing the waterskin to his mouth and forcing water down his throat, letting the food go down the right way. She quite enjoyed his reactions. He's cute. She thought, looking at him adoringly, a gaze that didn't escape Liraeth, who felt an odd tension building between them. She shot Sylvaris an angry look, but he feigned innocence—for once, he really was innocent.
"Alright, alright. One bite at a time." He managed through labored breaths. "How about the two of you feed me?" He flashed an innocent smirk.
But those words were like thunder, sparking competitive fire in both hearts.
He took one bite from Faylira, then another from Liraeth, unsure where to glance. He found himself looking far into the forest, hoping this moment would never end—but at the same time, wishing it never happened. It was too much for his poor heart to handle.
The roasted meat was tender, perfectly cooked, the juices spilling across his tongue. Yet now, he didn't taste rabbit. He tasted tension—stronger than anything he'd ever had for breakfast. This moment would never be forgotten in his heart, as he couldn't help but feel entertained by the two women fighting for his attention.
They're both testing me. And each other. Guess breakfast's gonna be more fun than I thought.
But good moments never last. After the two of them fed him, he was left alone as Liraeth ventured off to find berries or mushrooms. No, not Sylvaris mushrooms today—we'll get back to that later. Faylira disappeared to her own corner, quickly devouring the last of the rabbit. She was hungry; the meal Sylvaris had given her the night before had been filling, but not enough.
Now, he was left alone, giving him some time to breathe and plan his next steps. Well, time to finally enter the city of the great lake and its beauties—Velithar... His heart screamed adventure.
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