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Pyetar ran his hand across the edge of the desk, over the top of her thigh, and then pressed those fingers between her legs. She almost screamed from his touch.

“Iri.” His voice was ragged and deep, sending chills down her spine. “Do you want it like this or—”

“I want you inside me,” she rasped.

He shuddered, then pushed down her pants all the way, bunching the fabric of her skirt around her waist, and sank into her.

Iryana threw her head back, mouth slack, as she moaned.

The desk creaked with each thrust of his hips, but Iryana didn’t care, locking her feet behind his back and moving with him.

Pyetar set a punishing pace, and Iryana urged him faster, needing him to make her feel so much that she forgot why they shouldn’t be doing this.

“Bend over the desk,” Pyetar ordered, pulling out.

She rushed to comply, legs unsteady, and then he sank back in, the feeling even more intense. It didn’t take long before she was erupting, the muffled sounds of her cries against her fist sending him over the edge.

She gasped for air, her whole body still tingling. Pyetar braced himself on either side of her, pushing her hair to the side so he could place gentle kisses on her neck. She never wanted it to end.

A knock sounded at the door, sending them both groaning.

“Come back later,” Pyetar ordered.

“You have an important visitor,” came a muffled voice from the other side of the door.

“For fuck’s sake,” Pyetar dropped his head between her shoulder blades.

“It’s alright,” she whispered.

“He says it’s urgent!” More knocking followed.

Pyetar stepped away from her so she could slide off the desk, and then he quickly set about cleaning them up. A pleading sort of look graced his face, like he wanted her to find a way for the moment to last longer. There was nothing to be done about it, though, so they smoothed their hair and straightened their clothes before Pyetar called for the visitor to be sent in.

“Do I need to step out?” Iryana asked, glancing between Pyetar and the soldier who had opened the door.

“No need,” Pyetar answered as the soldier said, “Actually, Third, the visitor is for you.”

Iryana blinked, eyes darting to the door as she waited for someone from her clan to step inside. Waited for whatever horrible news could have been so urgent. But the visitor who stepped into the room wasn’t from her clan.

It took her a moment to recognize him without his robes. “Scholar Alar? What are you doing here?”

“I received your letter and headed straight for your post, but you weren’t there. They said I could find you here,” He stepped a few paces in front of her.

“You found me. What do you want?”

“Based on the explanation you sent of Karvek Horvol’s forging, the way the dual-forging was achieved, it sent me down a research path I hadn’t considered.” He spoke so slowly, each word carefully enunciated. “You see, there was this cult on the fringes of the order. I thought it was gone, but I think—”

“The Steelsworn,” Iryana finished for him. “They’re still around, yes.”

Scholar Alar froze, blinking at her. “Yes, how did you know that?”

“I was summoned to meet with Thelbiz again. We learned a few things.”

“I look forward to that report. But what I was getting to is that I think I found a way to settle your magic, but it will take a few weeks and be quite unpleasant, but—”

Iryana cut him off again, “There’s no need. Voordiza will settle it herself once we do something for her.”

He snapped his mouth shut, eyes narrowed at her. “I see I have missed much.”