The Ardglass marketplace was alive with energy—ripe fruit perfuming the air, vendors haggling loudly, and stalls bursting with every color imaginable.
Esther’s laugh cut through the noise as a scrappy kid darted past, likely with a few extra coins in his pockets. Her joy was contagious, tugging a smile from Jasper even as his eyes swept the crowd for trouble. Old habits die hard when you’ve spent years watching out for danger.
They wandered from stall to stall, Esther picking up herbs and bits for her healing work. Every so often, she’d stop to point out something cool—a bright flower, a gnarly root, or some weird fruit from gods-know-where. She’d lean in close to explain, her breath grazing his ear, her arm brushing his just enough to send a spark through him. Each time, his mind flicked back to that dream—the shadowy figure, the heat of the night.
At a spice stall, the air was thick with rich, exotic scents. Esther was in her element, practically bouncing as she described what each spice could do, her fingers delicately pinching samples.
“Try this,” she said, offering a pinch of deep red powder. Jasper popped it in his mouth, and fire erupted on his tongue. His eyes watered, and he coughed, much to Esther’s delight.
“Oops, forgot to mention,” she teased, eyes sparkling. “It’s a little hot.”
Jasper choked, fumbling for his water skin as the burn lingered. Through his watering eyes, he caught Esther watching him, a look in her gaze he couldn’t pin down—same as when she’d whispered about “love” in the soup that morning.
They moved on, but that look stuck with him, nagging at his thoughts. He was so caught up in it that he didn’t notice a small rock sticking up from the path. His boot snagged, and with a grunt, he lurched forward, arms flailing.
“Esther!” he yelped, but it was too late. He crashed into her, and they both went down in a heap on the dusty street. For a dizzy second, Jasper found himself sprawled on top of her, their bodies tangled, faces inches apart.
“Jasper!” Esther gasped, her blue eyes wide. They froze, her breath warm against his cheek, her heartbeat thumping in time with his. The closeness sent a flush creeping up his neck.
“S-sorry, Esther,” he stammered, scrambling to his feet and offering a hand. She took it, dusting herself off with a soft laugh.
“No harm done,” she said, but the glint in her eyes said she found it more entertaining than she let on.
Their tumble had drawn eyes. The market’s hustle paused as onlookers gawked, some smirking. Jasper’s face burned under the attention, but Esther didn’t miss a beat. She adjusted her cloak, flashed the crowd a sunny smile, and strolled on like nothing happened.
“Think we’ve given them enough of a show,” she said, leading the way. “Let’s wrap up our shopping, yeah?”
Jasper sat alone by the campfire, its flames casting restless shadows across the clearing. The only sounds were the occasional chirp of a night critter and the soft crackle of burning wood.
Footsteps broke the quiet, and Esther stepped into the firelight, her face glowing warmly. “Jasper,” she said, her voice gentle but hesitant, “I’ve been thinking about the treasure from the dungeon.”
Jasper shifted, giving her his full attention. “Yeah? What about it?”
“I’m worried about Oman, Zarah, and Nia,” she confessed, her tone saintly, as if choosing her words to avoid causing offense. “They’re… not always wise with coin, bless their hearts.”
Jasper chuckled. “That’s putting it mildly.”
Esther’s lips curved into a small smile, but her eyes stayed serious. “I fear giving them their full shares now might be unwise. They could spend it all in one go, leaving us no safety net for emergencies or future needs.”
Jasper rolled a gold coin between his fingers, mulling her words. She wasn’t wrong. Oman and Zarah loved their ale and dice games, and Nia couldn’t resist shiny trinkets or fancy clothes. But something about Esther’s suggestion nagged at him—maybe it was the way her voice seemed a touch too careful, like she was hiding a sharper motive. Still, her logic held up.
“You’re right,” he said after a moment. “But we can’t just hoard it all. That’d be unfair.”
Her eyes met his, the firelight glinting in their depths. “Of course not, dear Jasper. Perhaps we could… steward it for them? Dole out a little at a time?”
Jasper nodded, seeing the sense in it. “Yeah, give ‘em a few coins each, say we got lucky and found ‘em. Should keep ‘em happy for a bit.”
Esther’s smile widened, relief softening her features. “I’m so glad you agree.”
Jasper returned her smile, comforted by her familiar kindness, though a faint unease lingered. Despite the odd moments and strange feelings swirling around him, Esther’s steady presence was an anchor.
As the last sliver of sunlight sank below the horizon, raucous laughter echoed through the trees. Zarah, Oman, and Nia stumbled into camp, faces flushed and spirits sky-high.
Zarah, the towering barbarian with dark red hair cascading over her rugged leather armor, waved a half-empty ale bottle. Her muscular frame, capable of felling ten foes single-handedly, swayed as her red eyes gleamed with a drunken grin. “Jasper! Esther!” she slurred, her usual fierceness replaced by sloppy cheer.
Oman trailed her, his lanky, pale form almost ghostly in the firelight. His stark white hair fell messily over his silver eyes… His petite frame, draped in a dark blue robe, wobbled as he tried to look sober, but his red-rimmed eyes betrayed him. “You should’ve come with us,” he mumbled, words tripping over themselves.
Nia, the lithe rogue with black hair and sharp green eyes, giggled uncontrollably, her arm looped through Oman’s. Shorter than Jasper but matching Oman’s height, her slight curves and small breasts were hugged by skintight green rogue’s gear. “We had so much fun!” she chirped, her youthful energy barely dimmed by the booze.
Esther and Jasper exchanged a quick glance before he stood, holding out a few gold coins to each. “We didn’t just sit around while you were off carousing,” he said, a smirk in his voice. “Got lucky, found these while you were gone.”
Their eyes lit up at the gold, drunken glee giving way to surprise, then delight. They snatched their shares, the alcohol’s haze briefly forgotten as they marveled at the coins.
Jasper snapped awake, a familiar heat coursing through him. Soft moans and the rustle of tent fabric filled the air, stirring him fully. His heart thumped as he focused on the source—a shadowy figure kneeling between his thighs, lit only by faint moonlight.
Her head moved with a steady rhythm, each motion sending jolts of pleasure through him. His cock throbbed in her warm, tight grip, pushing him to the edge. But it was her eyes that locked him in place—glowing violet, piercing the dark, pulling him into their depths.
His mind spun, lust drowning out reason. He couldn’t think, only feel, his body giving in to the raw intensity. As he neared climax, those purple eyes held his gaze. Then, abruptly, she stopped, her lips pulling away, a thin strand of saliva and precum glinting between them. She giggled, teasing, having edged him. Her hand glowed faint blue, and before he could react, his vision blurred, and he passed out.
When Jasper woke, the tent was sealed shut, no sign of her.
