Chapter 16: Fingers in the dark - 6
Lira woke to the trill of birds, their song filtering through the open window, where pale morning light spilled across the wooden floor in long, golden stripes.
The tavern was quiet, its pulse softened by dawn, the air carrying faint traces of woodsmoke and warm bread from the hearth below.
She shifted, but the silk ropes held, their bite softened overnight, now loose around her wrists and chest.
Her arms tingled with numbness, her body throbbing with the memory of last night’s tension, her thighs still warm with unspent need.
She wasn’t alone.
Kio sat across from her, in the high-backed chair where he’d bound Rin days before, its wood scarred from use.
He cradled a steaming mug in both hands, his dark eyes watching her, calm and steady, like a tide lapping at the shore.
His collar was open, his sleeves rolled up, revealing forearms taut with quiet strength.
"You didn’t untie me," Lira said, her voice rough, frayed from sleep and strain.