Summoner 7 Read online

  Chapter 1

  Less than a year had passed since I last stepped foot in Ralor’s Stead, but it felt like it had been an eternity. This was where I’d first met Marangur Sleet, and where I’d been recruited by the military to study at the Academy and hone my summoning magic. Never would I have guessed I’d return as one of his chosen mages to help bring order and balance back to the world.

  Ralor’s Stead had seen better days, though. What was once a busy little hub town for travelers seemed to have dwindled to only the natives with a few out of towners scattered here and there.

  The copper mines that drew the crowds, however, were as lucrative as ever, if the rebuilding of the town had been any indication. The town’s buildings were decorated with twice as much copper as they were before. Pipes, utensils, window fixtures … it looked like everything bore copper accents to it now. There was a more industrial feel to the town, as though it had been uprooted and taken straight out of the hustle and bustle of an Enclave.

  It was odd to see an outlying town with so much copper in its day-to-day, and I knew it was a sign of struggle to rebuild. Copper was a valuable commodity, but it wasn’t the best building material since it was so soft. If the people of Ralor’s Stead were using this much of it, it meant they didn’t have much else at their disposal anymore.

  Ralor’s Stead had been attacked by a horde of monsters when a rift appeared in the center of town. Maelor and I had been working here at the time, and I couldn’t sit by and let the attack happen when I knew I could do something about it. Still, there was only so much I could do, even if I gave it my all, and much of the town was destroyed by the fires.

  They’d rebuilt a lot since then, but it wasn’t the same, at least from where I stood on the hill half a mile from the outskirts, the same hill Maelor and I had been drinking and chopping lumber on that afternoon.

  “Gryff?” Erin’s sweet voice called to me from the path that led into the town proper. Her bright orange hair caught the sunlight at just the right angle that she glowed, and her face was full of sad understanding as she smiled at me. It was weird how she always seemed to know how to draw me from my thoughts and understand them without me saying a word. Weird, but nice.

  “What’s up?” I asked as I tilted my head to regard her properly.

  “We should get going,” she replied gently.

  Behind her, Ashla and Varleth stood side by side and waited patiently.

  “Yeah,” I agreed, and I tore myself away from the outlook to rejoin my friends. “We can stay at the inn near the center of town.”

  I took up the lead, and we trotted down the dirt path to the edge of Ralor’s Stead. The trip had been relatively quiet since we boarded the airship from the volcano and landed on the other side of the tree line. Exhaustion was chasing us, and it was catching up quickly. The sooner I could get to a bed that wasn’t flying through the sky, the better.

  The sun had only just started its descent as late afternoon rolled around. As it did, we breached the edge of the town. Maybe it was me, but the air still smelled of smoke and death from the rift that had opened here, and I found myself looking for one in case I needed to rescue the town once more. I found nothing, though.

  Damn, I was so tired my mind was playing tricks on me.

  As we made our way through the town, I noted a few familiar faces, but not enough to remember their names. They didn’t seem to recall who I was, and that was okay. It wasn’t like I’d lived here for my whole life and left family behind or anything. I wouldn’t know what that felt like.

  Now that we were up close, though, I was able to get a better look at the rebuilt houses and structures. Sure enough, there was much more copper on them than I remembered them having. It was true copper would stand against heat better than wood on their roofs, but the lack of hominess the town now had just made it seem cold.

  We made our way to the inn and were immediately greeted by the innkeeper, Maron. He didn’t look much different than he did before. In fact, neither did the inn, but the hole in the middle of the floor had been patched up, and Maron looked like he hadn’t slept a wink since I left.

  “Good eve, travelers,” he greeted from behind the bar, and the glass in his hands squeaked as he ran a warm cloth along the edge of it.

  “Same to you, Maron,” I replied.

  The man stopped and peered hard at me from over the bar. His dark eyes looked me over, then to my friends, then back to me again before a small smile tugged at his lips.

  “Gryff of Njordenfalls, is it?” he chuckled as he set down his glass and rag. Then he leaned over the counter to shake my hand.

  “How have you been?” I asked him and accepted the gesture warmly.

  Maron gave my hand a tight squeeze before he let go altogether. Then his gaze dropped, and he swallowed tightly.

  “I’ve been better,” he admitted after a moment, “but look at you! You’re all official now in your cloak and jewels.”

  “I suppose I am,” I agreed with a soft laugh.

  “Ditched the ol’ man, I see,” he commented in regards to Maelor.

  I couldn’t blame him. I’d spent a couple of months at this inn working with Maelor, and Maron had rarely seen one of us without the other in tow.

  “Not at all.” I shook my head. “He actually ended up following me to Varle and made his base there for the time being.”

  “Is that right?” Maron quirked an eyebrow. “After all of the shit he talked about Enclaves, he gave in and moved into one?”

  “I was a bit surprised myself,” I expressed, “but it was a choice he made all on his own.”

  Maron nodded, but said nothing more on the subject. Instead, he came around the bar and stopped in front of us.

  “You looking for a room, then?” he questioned.

  “Aye.” I nodded. “We’re to be meeting with a larger party over the next few days.”

  Maron drummed his fingers on the bar and pursed his lips. His brows furrowed in thought, as though he were having an internal debate with himself. What that could be about, I had no idea.

  Finally, he put his hand down on the polished wood with a grunt and looked at us again.

  “Very well,” he said.

  I looked between him and my friends, then bowed my head graciously.

  “Thanks,” I hummed, and I had to admit I was a little excited about the idea of staying here again. The beds weren’t great, but the food and drink out in these parts were always the best. I didn’t care what anyone said. Small town food was the way to go.

  “You know the drill,” Maron started as he walked behind a small desk by the stairs. “Meals are at seven, noon, and six. Showers are communal, and don’t lose your keys.”

  Maron made an emphasis on the last bit that made me laugh.

  “C’mon, that was one time,” I protested, “and I told you it was Anya’s fault.”

  Then I paused. How could I have forgotten about Maron’s daughter? We’d spent quite a few nights together during my stay here, before Sleet came and took me to the Academy. She was a sweet girl with long dark hair, tawny colored skin, and breasts that seemed almost too big for her tiny body.

  Maron shot me a look as though he’d been waiting for me to mention her, and I winced at his sharpness. Had she been waiting to hear from me while I was gone? Part of me hoped she had, but another part of me felt guilty for making her wait without a word, if that was the case.

  “How is she?” I asked slowly.

  I waited for Maron to respond, but he had nothing to say. He just handed me the keys to our rooms in silence before he went back to drying the glasses for the nighttime rush.

  With a shrug and a sigh, I handed the keys out to my friends, who appeared to be just as bewildered at the situation as I was.

 
“Rest up while we have some time,” I told them. “We don’t know what lies ahead, and once we start translating, who knows what we’re going to find.”

  Everyone nodded, and we trudged up the stairs to do whatever it was we were going to do. As for myself, I planned on getting cleaned up before going down to dinner then turning in for the night. As excited as I was about what secrets the ciphers could tell me now, I couldn’t imagine keeping my eyes open much longer. They were already incredibly heavy with sleep.

  I was only in my room long enough to drop my belongings before I made a break for the shower. Thankfully, the washroom was empty, and I wasn’t forced to bathe with some random traveler, not that I hadn’t before, but I was looking forward to the silence and the ability to simply let the lukewarm water spray across my back.

  I rid myself of my clothes rather quickly and set them aside in a pile to be washed later. The room was smaller than I remembered for some reason, but then again, I’d seen my fair share of inn bathrooms in the last year. None of them compared to the wash houses at the Academy, but I was sure none of them ever would. It was hard to compare to that kind of luxury.

  Here, the wood on the floor was cracked in many places, but still sturdy. Whoever constructed the bathroom had done a nice job of it. I’d definitely been in worse washrooms, where the floors were iffy, and the idea of turning on the water and adding to the weight was terrifying.

  No, this washroom was still in fair shape, all things considered.

  There were three small stalls lined up against the left side of the room, each with their own shower head and a wooden wall that barely covered anything from the waist down. As I stepped into the one at the end and turned the nozzle, immediate relief flooded through me. Even though the water took a while to warm up, it was still nice to feel the water start to cut through the dirt, sweat, and blood that clung to my skin.

  Once the water warmed, though it wasn’t by much, I stuck my head under the spray and audibly sighed. Yes, this was exactly what I needed to relax after the events at the volcano.

  Behind me on the wall were small vials of shampoo and soap. I picked up the shampoo and could already tell these had been sitting there for a long time, probably before Maelor and I came around the first time. It was nearly solidified, but with a few good shakes, it was back to the proper consistency. I poured a bit of it into my palm, put the vial back, and then ran my hands through my hair to work up a lather.

  My eyes slid shut as I massaged my scalp and lathered the soap through my hair. It wasn’t much, but the luxury of soap was nice. There had been plenty of places that didn’t have it as nice, but then again, there were places that had it much better. Nonetheless, I wasn’t any less thankful for the opportunity to clean the events that transpired at the volcano away.

  I dropped my hands and simply allowed the water to run over my body as I rinsed the soap off, and I didn’t hear anyone else come in. It wasn’t until I felt the slide of fingertips over my torso did I realize I wasn’t alone. My eyes shot open, and my skin jumped under the sudden touch.

  “Ashla?” I questioned as I drank in her naked body.

  Her sun kissed skin was partially covered by the length of her dark hair, which she normally kept in braids. This, though … this was a nice look on her. The waves in her hair from the tight braids framed her supple breasts in a new, delightful way that made my cock stir to life with an aroused twitch.

  “We thought you might like some company,” she cooed, and then stepped a little to the side to reveal she wasn’t alone.

  I glanced up to see Erin standing just outside the stall with a towel wrapped around her petite frame. Her eyes were darkened with lust, and she licked her lips as she unraveled the towel. It dropped to the floor and pooled at her feet, and I was left with the gorgeous sight of her nude body.

  There was nothing imperfect about her. Erin was all creamy skin and soft curves, and I groaned as I noted the small silver barbels pierced through her pert, rosy nippples.

  “She’s beautiful, right?” Ashla purred in my ear as she, too, looked Erin up and down, and the palm of her hand grazed over my length.

  “She is,” I replied in a husky tone, and I crooked my finger to beckon Erin closer. Then my body leaned into Ashla’s touch, desperate for friction I didn’t know I needed until I’d been given a taste of it.

  Erin stepped into the spray of the water and sandwiched herself in. Her slender body was so intimately pressed to mine, I couldn’t resist the need to touch her.

  “To what do I owe this pleasure?” I asked her as I pressed my palm flat to the small of her back and trailed it down to the curve of her ass.

  “You looked like you needed a distraction,” Erin giggled as she pushed into my touch, “and there is nothing more distracting than two insanely gorgeous women willing to bend to your every whim and fancy.”

  The very idea of two wildly beautiful women offering themselves to me was enough to make my cock stiffen painfully.

  “What did you have in mind?” I pressed, and I was answered with a soft touch of Ashla’s finger to my lips.

  “Just relax and let us help you,” she whispered against the shell of my ear, and I couldn’t resist the shiver that raced down my spine as her fingers curled around my cock and Erin sank to her knees.

  I couldn’t believe my eyes, and I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t been staring at Erin myself as Ashla offered her my cock. Erin’s tongue darted across her lips as she tentatively leaned in, then swiped her tongue across the tip experimentally. She sat back again, as though she were savoring the first taste of something new, before she leaned in again and took me into her mouth.

  “Oh, fuckkkk,” I drawled as Erin’s tongue massaged the vein along the underside of my cock vigorously. My lashes fluttered against my cheeks as I watched her through half lidded eyes. Her head bobbed as she sucked my cock in long, neat strokes, and I groaned as her lips molded around my tip. She was exceedingly good at this, and I was more than happy to be on the receiving end of such care.

  Erin devoured me eagerly. Inch by inch, my cock disappeared into her mouth, and then my tip hit the back of her throat. When she pulled back, a long trail of saliva came with her, but she simply went back in for more.

  I could lose myself in the wet heat of her glorious mouth.

  “She’s good, isn’t she?” Ashla teased. She lifted her hand from my cock and threaded her fingers through Erin’s wet hair to keep it out of her face.

  I managed a groan in response and nodded. Then I wrapped an arm around Ashla’s waist and pulled her until she was flush against my side before I kissed her. Our tongues clashed, and she moaned as she ground herself into my side. She was also desperate for friction, and who was I to deny her of what she wanted? So, I snaked my hand down the curve of her back and over her sweet, full ass before I plunged my finger between her folds.

  Ashla was soaked, and not in the way that a shower got her. No, this dampness was hot and sticky, and she all but came with just the faintest brush of my fingertips over her entrance. Maker, she was a gorgeous mess, and I wished I could have gotten a better look at how pink and hot she was, but these close quarters didn’t allow for such a delectable luxury.

  So, I would make due with what I could.

  I swirled my finger around her and worked her up with each teasing pass of my finger. Her legs quivered, and she so easily came undone for me as she wriggled, twisted, and greedily attempted to get my finger to slide into her.

  Below us, Erin worked my cock to the point where I was beyond painfully erect. I knew once these two were done with me, I was going to come so hard I would ache for hours, and I was more than okay with that.

  I tore myself away from Ashla reluctantly and brushed the knuckles of my other hand along the mimic’s jaw.

  “Come here,” I beckoned, and Erin complied like an obedient kitten. She got to her feet, and I drew her up to my lips to claim them in a long, deep kiss.

  Erin moaned into my mouth, and it
was a delightful noise. Her magic tingled against my tongue as it collided with hers, and though I had kissed her before, this was a whole new level. She left me wanting more, and I found myself quickly becoming addicted to the taste of her.

  However, this space was barely large enough for one person, much less three. I needed to do something about that before anything else happened.

  “Why don’t we take this somewhere a little more spacious?” I suggested, and both women nodded with hungry, needy expressions. I took my fingers from inside of Ashla and then ushered both of them to the counter on the other side of the washroom.

  Now, how did I want them?

  I smirked to myself as they stood side by side in front of me, pressed against one another, aching and wanting. Their hands roamed each other’s backsides, and I could see in the mirror they were taking turns dragging their nails along the other’s back before teasing the cleft of their asses.

  I had an idea then. I sat on the floor and tipped my head back to look at them. With excitement coursing through my veins, I reached for Erin and pulled her around to sit in my lap, and then I looked up at Ashla.

  “Let me taste you,” I begged, and Ashla flushed a fantastic shade of pink at that, but followed through all the same.

  She braced herself on the counter and spread her legs expectantly. Then her eyes drifted over her shoulder, and she chewed her lip coyly.

  “Don’t forget about her,” she giggled and nodded to Erin, who had taken to flicking her nipples gently with her nails so the barbels clicked against them.

  “Oh, don’t you worry,” I assured her with a shit-eating grin and watched as Erin seemed to writhe just from the small action of toying with her rosy buds.

  “Does that feel good?” I asked her. Obviously, it had to or she wouldn’t be doing it, but I wanted to hear it from her.

  “Yes,” she hissed in pleasure, and her legs shook as she continued to play with herself.

  A quick glance at her bare pussy told me there was no mistake in how aroused she was. I knew we’d just come from the shower, but there was a particular sheen to her folds that water couldn’t replicate. Putting my fingers over her only confirmed it. Erin was already dripping with need, and yet I’d barely touched her.