That was too hot to ignore! I’ll bring it up at the opportune moment.

But, the next day, it proved harder than anticipated to find an opportune moment to ramp things up with Vess. First, you had to learn some humility. Raised by a druid who revered the natural world, and having spent most of your life navigating the wilderness on the outskirts of civilization, you had always thought of yourself as a seasoned traveller, able to find and make your way in the wild better than most. That luminous self-image was thoroughly stamped out in the first few hours of travelling with the half-elf twins. You gathered quickly that they were both nimbler than you and vastly more attuned to nature. For example, while you could meditate to commune with your surroundings and reveal secrets hidden to your plain sight, they seemed to flaunt a similar awareness without needing to meditate, sit, or even slow down at all. As a result, they barely ever slowed down. Though it was hard to admit to yourself, it was all you could do to keep up with them.

Your only solace was the fleeting sight of Vess’ perky backside. She had removed her cloak—surely to move better…—, and her toned butt, sculpted by what must have been years of trekking through the woods, peeked through her short, tight-fitting green dress, and through the shadows of the canopies, spurring you on. It was both consolation for dragging behind and motivation to keep the pace. Jax led the way, somewhere ahead and out of sight, leaving you all the room to gawk: Vess sauntered a dozen paces in front of you, glancing at you over her shoulder every now and then, but keeping out of reach. You had the sharp intuition that she evened out Jax’s pace and yours, reigning him down to ensure he would wait for you, and spurring you on by advancing just a bit too fast for comfort.

When the shadows became thinnest on the ground, the sun having reached its highest point in the sky, you saw her come to a halt and sit down.

Thank the Heavens, you thought, breathing hard.

As you approached, you saw Jax sitting in front of her, tying a freshly killed rabbit to his travel sack.

“Colden,” he called when you arrived, “you need a break?”

“I said, we could all use a break,” Vess interjected, weirdly uncomfortable. “We should take a moment to eat. Recover our strength.”

“I ate already,” Jax said, nonplussed. “At breakfast.”

“I know,” his sister started, intently not looking in your direction, “but maybe—“

You cut in:

“I don’t need a break,” you said, determined not to be the weak link. “I have snacks I can chew on as we go.”

Jax got to his feet and nodded at you with what you hoped was a hint of respect for your effort. Vess sighed and looked away.

She’s trying to advocate for me, you realized. Maybe I should advocate for myself.

You remembered that, while most humans valued dignity above all, elf-folks preferred honesty. More than a value, for them, it was a way of life.

“I can keep going for a while,” you continued, grasping for your courage, “but if I’m honest, this pace is a bit much for me.”

This got both of their attention.

“I can eat as I walk, but that’ll slow me down. And anyway, I couldn’t keep up like this all day long. You guys are way faster than me. I’d love to keep travelling with you, especially since the woods seem to be… perilous as of late. And we both seem to want to avoid the Royal Guard. But if you don’t want to be slowed down, maybe… maybe it’s best we part ways.”

“No,” said Vess firmly. “We can definitely adjust our pace to yours. We’re in no hurry.”

Jax rolled his head, evidently easing a kink in his neck, and conveniently delaying eye-contact with Vess and you. By the time he looked back at you, he had found his smile again.

“Of course. I’m sorry, we’re not used to travelling with… anyone, actually. Of course, we can slow down. I get restless, so I might scout ahead a bit. Or hunt some more.”

He indicated the rabbit now hanging off his travel sack.

“If I spot another one, we might have a decent meal tonight!”

Everyone having adjusted their expectations for the journey, the afternoon was way easier on you. Jax disappeared ahead, as he had said, and Vess seemed happy to hang back and match your pace. As you had guessed, your straightforwardness seemed to carry a lot of weight with her. You thanked her for advocating for you and, a true guardian of your dignity, she denied doing so.

“I just wanted to have a little break so we could have a chance to connect,” she said modestly. “Since we’re travelling together. Otherwise, why bother?”

“It’s good to have people to talk to,” you agreed. “It gets lonely on the road.”

“Yes. It’s good to talk to someone who isn’t my brother.”

You chatted, learning more about each other. Amongst other things, you noted the twins’ half-elf constitution allowed them to eat less than humans did; despite their superior agility and endurance, they never needed to have lunch, only breakfast and dinner; Vess’s full name was Vessana, while Jax stood for Jaxian; they had been raised by their single mother. At this mention, you felt a hesitation on her part, so you abstained from prying further.

“I have an idea what that’s like,” you said. “I was raised by my mentor. It was just her and I for as long as I can remember. We lived in the wild, mostly. She’s the one who taught me how to move so slowly through the woods.”

Vessana chuckled.

“You’re not that slow,” she conceded.

“Thanks! But, just to be sure, was that your idea of a compliment?”

“Well,” she said, pensive, “you’re not very fast.”

Your shared a laugh. The playful look she gave you reminded you of the incredibly erotic moment you had shared last night, staring into each other’s eyes in the dark.

“To my defence,” you said, “I’m a bit exhausted today.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“I had a very… vivid dream last night. So vivid, it woke me up. And then I couldn’t tell if I was dreaming or not. I had trouble falling back asleep, I was so… fired up.”

Vess bit back a smirk, before immediately looking away. You peered ahead at the dense forest, making sure Jax was out of sight. You couldn’t see much beyond the thick branches and sunlit foliage. The silence hung, and you thought she might let your comment slide. But, then:

“Last night, I… It’s just been so long since I talked to a guy who isn’t my brother. A good-looking guy… I got aroused by sleeping so close to you, that’s all.”

Your thoughts must have shown on your face because she continued:

“But I don’t want to give you the wrong impression. We’re heading to Rivafiel so that I can become a Sentinel of Rihlien. To be admitted in the Citadel, I’ll have to walk under the Everflow. You know of the Everflow?”

Your lewd brain tripped at the unexpected turn of the conversation, and it took you a few seconds to recall what Segora had told you of one of the sources of magic in Elefior, the realm of the elves:

“The Everflow… It’s a waterfall, right?”

“The Everflow falls down from the Heavens. It’s an extension of the Liel.”

You nodded, remembering your lessons. The Liel was the preternal Source, an infinite pool in the middle of the garden of the Gods where all life originated. The Everflow poured down from the Liel and brought the magic of creation down to Elefior—the realm of the elves.

“It feeds the River Fehlis,” she continued, “which feeds the three other rivers in Elefior.”

“Sygonrae, Shilae, Moaelin,” you recited.

“Yes. I don't know how much you know about the realm of the elves," she said, and you couldn't miss the reproach in her voice, "but in Elefior, the Everflow isn't just a waterfall"—she made the word sound trite—"It's a sacred place. Magic pours from it and streams down through the rivers, all through the realm. The elves in Elefior use the magic to infuse enchantments in all kinds of things, from clothing to weapons to elixirs."

You'd heard of that, of course, but you didn't see the wisdom in interrupting her.

"The magic of the Everflow has many properties, but one of them is to reveal the Truth in one’s character. All initiates in Rivafiel must walk under the Everflow, and only those who are pure of mind and body will be allowed in the Citadel of Rihlein. To pass this test, I must forsake all temptations.”

Before your blank look, she added:

“Like sex.”

Oh, you thought.