Aethernea : Soulbound [Book 1]

Episode 48 - Ring Crafting

In the previous Episode:

Elaru brought Kiel to Black Pearl restaurant. The privacy of the restaurant will ensure that what transpires between them will be known only to the two of them. Elaru takes out a strange black pearl and Morphs it into a ring shape.

* * *

Kiel's eyes widened, realizing what she was doing. She intended to craft the ring herself!

Elaru stretched out her other hand towards him. "Give me your right hand."

If she had requested his hand in any other situation, Kiel would have snorted and ignored her. But this time was different. This time, Kiel understood the reason behind her actions.

With a slight frown, but no reluctance, he offered her his right hand. She took it into her own smooth hand, turning his palm upwards.

Soothing warmth spread from her flesh onto Kiel's. Her actions seemed so tender and careful as if his hand was a fragile piece of crystal that with a single wrong touch would shatter.

At a normal state of mind, Kiel would have found her actions amusing. But when the silky surface of her palm rubbed against the back of his own hand, when her velvety fingers came into contact with his own fingers, his state of mind was anything but normal.

A strange sensation came over him. The touch was extremely comfortable, even pleasant, yet at the same time, this innocent touch seemed strangely... erotic.

When that word entered his mind, Kiel's entire body shivered, and he averted his gaze elsewhere, trying to find something else to distract himself with.

Yet, the hands were among the most sensitive places on the body; no matter how he tried to ignore her touch, he was unable to focus his thoughts elsewhere.

The mark of the bond, residing on the back of his hand near the wrist, seemed restless. It pulsated as if calling Elaru's fingers to move just a bit downwards. Just a bit down and they would come in contact with it.

While Kiel was trying to understand the strange behavior of his mark, Elaru picked up the ring-shaped marble and slid it on his ring finger. When it reached the base of the finger, she tightened it until it fit perfectly, then loosened it a bit so that it didn't touch his skin. When she estimated the size to be right, she removed the ring and placed his hand down on the table.

The sudden loss of warmth jolted Kiel awake from his contemplation. He blinked a few times, clearing his thoughts. His eyes rose up to see Elaru picking up her needles from the table.

"Something strange happened just now. My mark was responding to your touch." Kiel's voice came out huskier than intended.

Elaru's actions paused, and she stared at him with an unreadable look. Her lips tightly pressed together, trying not to show that she found the current subject unsettling. Her throat suddenly dried up, and she grabbed a glass of honeymead to take a sip.

Kiel inspected his mark of the bond and abruptly his eyebrows furrowed. "Look! The mark has grown a bit."

Still wearing a poker face, Elaru looked down at the black mark and nodded. "Yeah. It grew a bit."

Kiel's eyes lit up. This is excellent news! The distance they could be apart from each other would most likely grow too! "Quick!" Kiel extended his hand towards Elaru.

"Touch it. If it grew like this just because you held my hand for a few seconds, maybe it can grow further if you touch it directly."

Elaru's eyes widened into saucers, without any warning, she spat out the honeymead she was drinking straight in Kiel's face. Her grip on the needles loosened and they slipped out, their fall creating a melodic high pitched ding.