They did not stop until the Cradle was a red glow behind the horizon and the night air finally cooled enough to breathe without pain.
They found a hollow among wind-carved boulders, ringed by black sand still warm from the day's heat. The horses were tethered nearby; the First Shard, now set into a simple leather cord around lira's neck, pulsed gently between her breasts like a second heartbeat.
No one spoke at first. They simply dropped packs, unrolled cloaks, and stood in a loose triangle, staring at one another in the starlight.
Then Seraphin laughed: low, wicked, relieved.
"Gods, I thought my voice was gone forever."
The sound broke the spell.
Kazeal crossed the space in two strides, cupped lira's face with both hands, and kissed her like a man who had been starving for sound. She made a soft, hungry noise against his mouth and kissed him back just as fiercely, fingers tangling in his silver hair.
Seraphin pressed against lira's back, hands sliding under the loose jerkin to palm warm, heavy breasts. "My turn," she whispered against lira's ear, teeth grazing the lobe.
Lira turned in Kazeal's arms and met Seraphin's mouth with the same desperate gratitude. Tongues tangled, breath shared, hands everywhere at once.
Clothes came off in a rush this time. No slow unveiling, no lingering shyness. Lira's jerkin hit the sand first; her breasts spilled free, nipples already peaked from the cool air and hotter memories. Kazeal groaned and bent to take one into his mouth while Seraphin claimed the other, both of them licking and sucking until lira's knees buckled.
They lowered her to the cloaks together.
Kazeal knelt between her thighs, eyes dark. "Tell me what you want tonight, love."
Lira's voice came out breathless but sure. "Everything. Loudly."
Seraphin laughed again, delighted, and straddled lira's waist facing Kazeal. She guided his hand between her own legs, already slick, then leaned forward so her breasts brushed lira's as she kissed her slow and deep.
Kazeal entered lira in one smooth thrust. She cried out: no hesitation, no pain, only perfect, overwhelming fullness. Seraphin swallowed the sound, then shifted higher so lira's mouth could reach her. Lira licked eagerly, tasting salt and violet magic while Kazeal set a hard, steady rhythm that rocked all three of them.
Hands and mouths bodies: they moved like they had been lovers for centuries instead of weeks. Seraphina came first, thighs trembling around lira's head, crying out Kazeal's name and lira's in the same breath. Kazeal followed moments later, buried deep, groaning lira's name like a prayer. The feel of him pulsing inside her sent lira over the edge again, back arching, voice breaking on a wordless scream that echoed off the boulders.
They weren't finished.
Seraphin rolled lira onto her stomach, spread her thighs, and used tongue and fingers until lira was sobbing with pleasure. Kazeal watched, stroking himself back to hardness, then took Seraphin from behind while she continued devouring lira. The chain of sensation looped through the bond, amplifying every gasp, every thrust, until none of them knew whose climax triggered whose.
Later: much later: they lay sprawled and boneless, limbs tangled, skin glowing with sweat and starlight. The First Shard between lira's breasts burned steady gold, content.
Seraphin traced lazy circles around one nipple. "I vote we celebrate every trial this way."
Kazeal's voice was hoarse. "Seconded."
Lira laughed, soft and wondering, and pulled them both closer.
"Thirded," she whispered.
Above them, the desert sky wheeled with indifferent stars.
Below, three hearts beat loud enough to drown out the whole world.Somewhere far away, the second trial stirred and began to wake.But tonight belonged to them and to the sounds they finally had permission to make.