Kael let his eyes roam over her, lingering on the curve of her neck where a few stray hair rested peacefully.
He pressed closer, his hardened cock now plunging deep into her soft ass through the layers of their clothing. The sudden pressure made Ellie gasp, her body arching back instinctively against him.
She could feel every inch of him grinding against her, the heat radiating through his trousers as he pinned her hips against the counter. His breath hitched into her ear and she trembled, her fingers curling into the wood.
"We can't," Ellie whispered desperately, her voice cracking as she strained to hear the dining room chatter. "Lady Lyra and Master Alaric are right there—they'll catch us."
Yet even as she protested, her thighs clenched around his thrusting hips, her body betraying her words with shameless hunger.
Kael silenced her with a rough bite to the exposed skin of her neck.
"No they won't," he murmured, his voice thick with lust as his hands slid beneath her apron, finding the soft swell of her breasts.
He squeezed hard, thumbs circling her stiffening nipples. "So big... perfect for my hands," he teased, grinding his erection deeper into her ass.
"Mmhh..." Ellie whimpered, her head falling back against his shoulder as her hips rocked helplessly.
Her hands continued to stir the pot. The bubbling stew splattered droplets onto the stove as her stirring grew uneven, her knuckles white around the spoon's handle. She bit her lip to stifle a moan when his fingers pinched her nipples cruelly, the sharp pleasure-pain shooting straight to her core.
"Kael," she gasped, arching her ass further. "Please—they'll hear—"
His teeth scraped her sensitive skin of neck. "Then be quiet," he growled, one hand abandoning her breast to slide down her trembling belly. His fingers hooked beneath her skirts, pushing the fabric up her thighs until cool kitchen air kissed her damp skin. She whimpered as his hand brushed the soaked fabric of her inner wear.
"So wet already," he murmured darkly, fingers tracing the outline of her pussy through the thin barrier. "All for me?"
Ellie couldn't answer as his fingertip pressed firmly against her clit. Her hips jerked forward, chasing the pressure just as—
"Kael?" Lyra's voice sliced through the kitchen's humid air. "What are you doing?"
Ellie froze. Kael's hand jerked away from beneath her skirts like he'd been burned. He stepped back swiftly, putting respectable distance between them just as Lyra appeared in the doorway. Ellie frantically smoothed her dress, her cheeks flaming scarlet as she kept her back turned, pretending to stir the stew with trembling hands.
"Nothing, Mother," Kael said smoothly, leaning casually against the counter. "Just helping Aunt Ellie. The tray was heavy." He gestured vaguely toward the clean plates stacked beside her.
Ellie kept stirring the stew, not daring to look at Lyra. "Yes, Mistress Lyra," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the bubbling pot. "Young Master Kael was... fetching spices for me."
Lyra smiled warmly, dismissing the tension entirely. How could she know her son and the maid were having intimate thoughts?
"That's thoughtful of you, Kael," she said, her eyes soft with maternal pride. "But come back to breakfast now—your father wants to discuss security arrangements." She lingered for a moment, oblivious to Ellie's trembling hands or Kael's flushed face, before turning back toward the dining room.
Kael waited until Lyra's footsteps faded. His gaze locked onto Ellie again, dark with hunger.
"Later," he promised, making her thighs clench tighter. "When the house sleeps."
Ellie nodded, unable to speak as she watched him stride back to the dining room—his posture relaxed, betraying nothing of the animal who had just pinned her against the counter.
Kael went back to the dining hall and settled beside Lisa, who immediately leaned against him with the easy affection of a beloved younger sister.
Alaric smiled proudly as Kael took his seat. "Kael, you have awakened purple talent, but talent amounts to nothing if you don't put in hard work."
Kael nodded respectfully, settling into the familiar rhythm of his father's teachings. "I understand, Father."
Alaric's expression grew more serious as he leaned forward, clearly relishing the opportunity to share his knowledge with his gifted son.
"Good. Now that you've awakened, it's time you understood how the world truly works beyond our village borders."
What followed was a comprehensive lecture that covered much of what Kael already knew from his encounters with Nyx. Alaric explained the mana system in detail—how practitioners progressed from Initialization through Stabilization then to Apprentice, Elite, Master, and so on. He described the delicate process of mana cultivation, the importance of proper technique, and the dangers of attempting to advance too quickly.
Kael listened attentively, occasionally asking questions that would seem natural for someone newly awakened.
However, when Alaric shifted to discussing the political structure of the Ernia Kingdom, Kael found himself genuinely interested.