Page 48 of Rory

Chapter Twelve

Elspeth couldn’t bear another night of tossing and turning while she imagined Ben and Ulf starving to death while walled up alive in the work room. She went to the archive where the laird kept his writings and his maps of the castle, and searched through them until she found a drawing of all the original hidden passages in Dun Talamh’s walls. As she hoped, there was a passage that seemed to run behind Benedict’s work room. She went to the kitchens to pack a much larger basket of food and drink, lit a lantern, and then walked up to the infirmary, the passage of which had now been entirely blocked off.

A shudder ran down her spine as she remembered narrowly escaping with Esme’s help. There was no predicting the enchantment now and she might not be so lucky next time. She hurried to the old storage chamber she had seen on the hidden passage map. The panel in the back of the room looked as if it hadn’t been used in years, but at last it creaked and swung out.

In the narrow, dusty space behind the wall, she lifted her lantern high. The hidden passage seemed unblocked and she exhaled. But as she made her way through the confined space, the smell of fresh mortar mingled with the dust. The map had shown three passages branching off to the left, but there were only two now—she broke into a trot.

Up ahead, there were faint cracks of light. Behind her the dim sound of stone grinding on stone pushed her forward. She dared not look back.

“I’m telling you,” said a muffled voice up ahead, “we should knock out the sides of the window slits.” It was Benedict. “At least we’d be trying to escape.”

Ulf uttered a short laugh. “The walls, they’re thicker than two of you, love. You’ll be chiseling stone for eternity.”

Elspeth muttered a prayer of gratitude for the Gods, and ran to the light.

“Benedict,” she cried out, setting her shoulder against the door in the wall. “Ulf.” With a scraping sound it swung inward, and she stumbled out into the work room.

“Elspeth,” Ben gasped, and grabbed her in his arms. “You clever girl.”

She kissed him with a sob, and then turned to do the same to her hunter, who hugged them both.

“Lass, how did you…” Ulf began.

“I nearly didnae,” she said, her heart finally slowing as Ulf took the lantern and food basket from her.

“We should get out of here, right now,” Ben said, and stuck his head in the door to the hidden passage. When he came back out he shook his head. “The enchantment just closed off the passage. My darling girl, you’re stuck here with us.”

Elspeth smiled at him. “Good. ’Tis no other place I wish die than in the arms of my husbands.”

Ulf set the lantern and food next to a dozen identical baskets lined up on one table, which the enchantment had likely provided.

“I think we need to take good care of our lady, and do as she desires,” he said softly. “Then we may all die happy.”

Both men looked at her with so much love in their eyes it was a simple thing to do.

“Take off your garments so I may touch you freely.” She went over to inspect the makeshift bed they had been sharing on the floor. “Did you pleasure each other last night, then?”

The healer cleared his throat. “If we say yes, will you be angry with us?”

“No. You shall show me what you did to each other later.” She had never demanded anything of a lover so bluntly, but the sense of power it gave her proved very gratifying. She quickly shed her gown, chemise, boots and drawers, and lay in the center of their bed. “For now both of you lay still beside me and permit me fondle you as I wish.”

Elspeth took some time to admire her men before she touched them. Her hunter husband had a strong body paved in hard muscle, and he displayed his thick shaft and heavy baws to her by placing them on his hand like an offering to her. Her healer husband rested a hand on her shoulder as he shifted closer as well. When she turned to him her hands trembled as she stroked the long, slim column of his beautiful cock. As men they were night and day, and yet they fit with her completely, for she shared traits with both of them. She knew she would never tire of looking upon these men who loved her and each other, but to keep them waiting was a torture she could no longer inflict, for it caused her to suffer as well.

“My fierce hunter,” she said, shifting her gaze to Ulf’s face while she parted her thighs so they could gaze upon her slick quim. “Shall you do as I ask of you tonight?” When he nodded she looked at Ben. “And you, my sweet healer?”

“Anything,” he said, his voice rasping now.

“Benedict, come closer.” Once he was pressed against her she reached back and patted her hip. “Ulf, I want you here.”

Neither of her husbands spoke or touched her, they seemed entirely enthralled by her issuing commands to them. Elspeth kissed one and then the other, turning this way and that to rub herself against them. Ulf made a convulsive movement, as if he could not help himself, and cradled her breasts.

“Och, lass.” The hunter squeezed her chebs with a delicious roughness that made her grow slick between her thighs. “Look at my hands on you. ’Tis so lovely, your skin.”

“Now ’tis your chance,” Elspeth told them. “Do as you wish with me.”

While he fondled her Ben nestled his shaft in the seam of her arse and slowly rubbed her there, making her rosebud tighten in anticipation.

“I want to come into you here,” the healer told her. “You’ll love it when you have both of us inside you, filling you, pleasuring you.”