Page 34 of The Demon of the Wood

“You and Kaemon will have the most perfect children. Your temperaments are so aligned.”

She coughed a laugh, stealing a glance at Kaemon, who had gone preternaturally still as he tended the food. She looked back at the satyr, sitting up straighter and twisting her hands absently in her lap. “I’m not able to have children, Silenus, but that is such a nice compliment.”

Silenus’ ears turned down and his eyes became wide. “I’m sorry, Melina. Oh, I say the most careless things!”

“Please don’t fret! It’s not worrisome at all. I’m perfectly content with my life now; I need nothing more.” She patted Silenus on the arm.

The words were true. She had more than she had ever dreamed of. So why wouldn’t her little daydream let her rest? Why did she sometimes feel such an ache in her arms to hold a little baby?

“Do you want children, Silenus?” she asked as Kaemon brought the food over. She stood to help serve, but he placed his hand on her shoulder again, making her sit. Silenus glanced from one to the other and gave a sly smirk.

“I do not. My nieces and nephews are quite enough for me. Thank you very much.”

She laughed, and Kaemon sat down as they ate. She glanced at him, finding his gaze set on her heavily, but he shifted his attention so quickly back to his food that she couldn’t read it.

Silenus stayed well into the evening, regaling her with tales of his exploits, and how he used to play the flute for the Lord of Elf Glen.

“Are the elves as beautiful as they say?” she asked, resting her chin on her hands.

“Even more so! Their faces are like clear cut stone, pure and beautiful! But their hearts are as corruptible as any others. I moved to this forest to escape the drama of court life and I have never been happier.” He took a lock of her hair that fell about her shoulder and pressed it between his fingers. “You have such fine hair, Melina.”

She beamed. No one had ever told her that before, and truthfully, it had previously been so limp and dull that it hadn’t been beautiful. She’d seen it in the mirror each day and suspected it was quite pretty now, but she was too shy to ask Kaemon for confirmation, and he was so kind he would probably say yes even if it wasn’t true.

“You’re so full of compliments, Silenus, I think you should come by more often,” she said.

“Is Kaemon not complimenting you enough? Should I teach him how?”

Kaemon’s brow furrowed, and she quickly spoke, “Oh, it’s not that. Kaemon is so kind. Only your compliments make me think I’m pretty.”

“Do his compliments not?” Silenus asked, and he had such a wicked grin on his face that she was certain he was playing a game with her.

“That’s not…” She glanced at Kaemon and saw a tortured look on his face that turned to irritation as he leveled his gaze at the satyr. “There is no need for me to be complimented that way.” She glanced wildly between the two males who were staring at each other, and she felt a loss for what to say or do. She didn’t fully understand what was happening, but she hadn’t meant for it to turn into something that made Kaemon feel bad.

Silenus stood and came behind Melina, taking a strand of her hair in his hand. “Will you let me braid it? I know just the one that would look excellent on you.”

She nodded wordlessly, happy that she would learn a new braid as she had only ever learned a plain one, but she glanced at Kaemon to see him watching Silenus, nostrils flared. His eyes dipped to her, something like hurt shining there, and then he looked moodily away to the fire.

She wanted to reach out, to touch his arm and soothe whatever was happening inside him. Did he think she didn’t appreciate him or all he’d done because he’d never told her she was pretty? She knew well enough she wasn’t very beautiful. Silenus was just a flirt. She didn’t need Kaemon lying to her on top of everything else he provided.

Silenus’ hands ran through Melina’s hair delicately, soft as a caress, and she closed her eyes, making a low, satisfied sound. The motion was soothing, and she realized, once again, how starved for touch she’d become over the years. She heard Kaemon exhale a heavy breath, and she opened her eyes to see him staring fervently.

Silenus laughed. “I think our little bat is jealous.”

Melina’s brow furrowed in confusion as Silenus continued to trace his long fingers through her hair, laying the strands over and under each other.

“He doesn’t want another male touching you,” Silenus explained, leaning around so that he faced Melina. Silenus gave Kaemon a wink. Kaemon flexed his hand irritably. “You don’t have to worry about that, friend. You know I don’t step on other’s toes. Though I would enjoy it greatly if the three of us had a little fun.”

Melina’s confusion made her pick at her nails as she glanced between the two males again, trying to determine what Silenus meant. Kaemon growled, which only made the satyr laugh loud, his shoulders rocking up and down.

“Oh, don’t fret. It would all be consensual. I’m sure you’d like it if you tried, Kaemon dearie. I know what goes on in the House of Shadows and what the demon colonies do to celebrate the harvest moon.”

“What happens during the harvest moon celebrations?” she asked, trying to turn her head to see Silenus, but he directed it forward so he could keep braiding. Instead, her eyes landed on Kaemon, whose cheeks were flushed bright red.

“They have orgies. Big, huge orgies in moon caves. Often that’s how the youths find their mates, and often they enjoy each other’s mates on that night.”

Melina’s mouth dropped open. “That’s true, Kaemon?”

Suddenly, she wondered if that’s what he would like, or if he had done it. Her first feeling was that it was surely wrong, but then she wondered what it might be like, having multiple males at the same time. Her cheeks heated, and she shoved the thought away. She’d have to have one male to begin with, anyway.

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