"Mhm," Elyn hummed as she took another sip, then set the glass down on the counter with a quiet
*clunk!
that barely cut through the tavern's background noise.
Her fingers moved toward the parchment resting beside the glass.
She lifted it, unfolding it slowly—the old paper crackling faintly in her hands as she began to open it.
As the note opened fully, a faint but distinct scent of roses emitted up from it.
Elyn raised a brow, nose twitching subtly at the smell.
Then she read it.
Her eyes widened—just for a moment, as if what she had read surprised her.
Still, she said nothing.
As she began to fold the paper once again, she poured herself another glass of Merekryn White— downed it in a single motion, and pushed away from the counter.
Her boots creaked softly on the wooden floor as she made her way toward the tavern's exit, her steps creaking on the wooden floor in a synchronized manner.
But just as her hand reached for the door—
"Leaving already?" a voice called out behind her—smooth and familiar.
Elyn paused.
She didn't turn immediately—just tilted her head slightly towards the direction of the sound.
Then, slowly, she turned to face the voice.
"Mara," she said coldly.
The woman stood in the shadows near the edge of the room, arms loosely crossed—a playful smile tugging at her lips.
Elyn's arms folded across her chest.
Her eyes sharpened as she tilts her head. "What do you need this time?"
She then let out a sigh, already tired of whatever it might be.
"I'm quite bus—"
Before the sentence could leave her mouth, Mara stepped closer, slow, deliberate—and raised a single finger to Elyn's lips.
"Shh," Mara whispered, her touch light but firm, silencing Elyn without a word more.
Mara then reached into one of her pockets and pulled something out—a small glass vial filled with a thick, black liquid that shimmered faintly under the tavern's red light.
It oozed slowly inside the vial, like it was alive.
She held it up between two fingers for Elyn to see.
"Is that a new variant?" Elyn asked, eyes narrowing as she reached out her arm to take it.
But Mara pulled it back with a playful grin, slipping it out of reach and tucking it neatly back into her pocket.
"Not so fast," she teased—already turning on her heel and beginning to walk away.
She stopped after a few steps, glancing over her shoulder, her smirk then widened.
"Want to find out?"
Her voice was like velvet...
inviting,
dangerous.
Without waiting for an answer, Mara continued walking—her long dress swaying side to side with each step. She moved with purpose, hips shifting slightly, eyes never leaving Elyn's as she headed toward the tavern's staircase.
Elyn stood still for a moment, letting out a long breath as if already regretting the trouble that might transpire ahead.
But then she followed, her boots tapping quietly against the wooden steps as they ascended.
At the top, Mara led her to a private room tucked away from the noise below, one of those reserved for what the tavern called "sophisticated acts."
Once inside, Mara turned and closed the door behind them.
A soft
*click!
echoed through the silence as she locked it.
She then faced Elyn slowly, her eyes meeting hers.
Then, without a word—she raised her hands and reached for Elyn's hood—pulling it down gently, revealing her face to the dim flickering red light of the room.
Elyn's black hair slipped down to the side as her hood fell, strands catching the red light. Her silver eyes locked onto Mara's, calm and unwavering.
In a slow, deliberate motion, Mara lifted her hand and traced her fingers gently along Elyn's pale skin.
Her touch followed the faint black veins running beneath the surface, veins that pulsed with a slow, eerie rhythm.
She moved with care, her fingers gliding from Elyn's jawline to her neck, then across her collarbone.
They stopped once more at Elyn's lips. Mara's gaze remained fixed there, unblinking.
She leaned in closer.
Her breath brushed against Elyn's mouth, warm and quiet—almost touching.
But just before their lips could meet, Elyn turned her head away.
"I thought I was here to sample the Eidra flask?" she muttered, voice low and dry.
She sighed as she gently pushed Mara's hand down and stepped back.
"Haah." Mara exhaled, clearly disappointed.
Her shoulders dropped slightly as she turned away, walking a few steps back toward the center of the room.
"You're always so difficult," she said with a half smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Still, she reached into her pocket and brought out the vial again, holding it up between two fingers like before—extending it toward Elyn.
Elyn stepped forward to take it, but once again, Mara pulled it back.
With no hesitation,
*Pop!
she popped the cork open and tilted the vial to her lips, letting the black liquid pour into her mouth.
"W–What are you doing!?" Elyn gasped, eyes going wide as her voice sharpened with sudden concern.
"That's pure corrupted Eidra!"
Eidra was everything—the energy that lingered in the air, the essence within the food people ate, and the very breath that sustained life.
It was the soul's thread, invisible but always present.
But for Elyn, that thread had long since been stained.
Her Eidra was corrupted, darkened by something deep and irreversible.
And because of that, she suffered from Eidric Sear—a soul sickness that burned her from the inside out.
The pain came in waves, unbearable and suffocating if not relieved.
Only more corrupted Eidra, ironically, could ease it—and an example of that would be the pure black eidra inside the vial that Mara had.
For anyone else, the result would be fatal.
Consuming corrupted Eidra would twist a mortal's soul, turning them into something monstrous—a wretched mockery of life, as all their humanity stripped away.
So when Mara drank from the vial, Elyn's blood turned to ice—not that it had warmth to begin with.
"Spit it out now!" Elyn shouted, rushing forward—her voice sharper than before.
But before she could reach her, Mara suddenly pulled Elyn close—fast.
Their lips met in a sudden, messy kiss.
Elyn's eyes widened as the thick black fluid passed from Mara's mouth to hers, their tongues tangling in chaos.
The corrupted Eidra gushed between them, some of it spilling past their lips, trailing down their chins.
The kiss was wild and overwhelming.
Then came the soothing feeling.
It hit Elyn all at once.
That deep, aching relief that soothed her burning soul.
Like water poured onto fire.
The agony faded—but something else ignited—something foreign.
A warmth.
No, a heat.
It bloomed low in her stomach, then spread like wildfire through her veins, quick and consuming.
Her legs weakened.
Elyn stumbled back, pulling away—wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve.
Her breath came fast.
"W-What... did you do...?" she asked, voice shaky—silver eyes staring wide at Mara.
Mara licked her lips, smirking.
"I told you," she said casually, "just a little experiment. An alternative strain. Something stable. Works for mortals and the corrupted alike."
She stepped forward, grabbing Elyn by the arm and gently pushing her backward until she fell onto the edge of the bed.
Mara then leaned in close.
"And of course," she whispered, "I added just a hint of the forbidden flower, Lilith."
Elyn's breath caught in her throat.
Her eyes widened. "The Flower of Lilith… the devil's aphrodisiac," she muttered, her voice barely audible.
The flames inside her roared now, no longer subtle.
No longer containable.
Mara laid atop her, pinning Elyn's hands down against the mattress.
Her face hovered just above, flushed and glistening with sweat. Strands of hair clung to her cheeks, and her breathing had grown heavier.
A smirk curved her lips.
"I'd say I deserve a reward," she whispered, her voice husky with heat.