Chapter 1672
They moved as one body. The circle formed again - not in passion this time, but in devotion. The vines lifted slightly, opening like petals to receive her. Lucy lay down in the cradle, her skin glowing, her breath steady. The moss rose to cradle her body in gentle softness. She looked up at Jude, her legs parted slightly, her arms reaching for him.
Jude’s knees trembled.
Zoey took his hand, led him forward.
"Make her bloom," she whispered.
He climbed into the cradle, the vines adjusting to accommodate him. The warmth between Lucy’s thighs called to him like gravity, like fire. He positioned himself above her, her legs wrapping around his waist, and the others knelt around them, hands reaching in to touch Lucy’s shoulders, her hips, her hair - connecting, steadying, loving.
He entered her slowly, reverently. She gasped softly, her back arching, her fingers gripping his arms. The moment they were joined, the cradle responded, glowing brighter, vines pulsing with golden light. The bud at the base of the nest began to unfold, petals unfurling with each thrust, with each sigh. Lucy’s eyes locked on Jude’s, full of heat and tenderness.
"I’m ready," she whispered.
Jude kissed her, and the rhythm deepened. Around them, the others began to hum softly, the same low tone that the throne had taught them, a melody of life, of binding, of trust. Their hands guided the movement, their touch sacred.
Lucy’s body began to tremble. Not with orgasm - though that too - but with something deeper, more primal. Her glow intensified, golden tendrils stretching from her fingertips to the moss. The petals of the golden flower below bloomed completely now, releasing a fine mist that sparkled in the light.