Chapter 28: The Offer

  (Octokew 4th, Year 665 of the 4th Age)

  My m ritual before school got so ingrained ihat I did it without thinking about it. I found myself at the institution before I processed what just occurred. I suddenly turned around and stumbled into heaven as my lips touched Gellir’s mouth. The duration was way too ephemeral, my lips beseeg him to stay for an iota longer.

  “Hey, geous,” Gellir enunciated.

  “Hi, stud,” I replied.

  Gellir brought his bag to his front and rummaged through it, handing me an item. “I have a gift for you.”

  I took the present, tilting the box in a sundry angles as I ied it. “Thanks. What is it?”

  Gellir winced as I moved the tents around inside. “Please don’t shake it so much; it’s frangible.”

  I stopped and located a spot where I gained leverage to open the package, disc peared to be a writing utensil with a vial of ink. “Is this what I think it is?”

  Gellir grinned. “You told me at our date you enjoyed writing, so I got you the test equipment for it.” He gesticuted the motion of screwing parts together or the exact opposite. “You just uhe ti part and pour the ink i saves you time by not dipping the tip iygian pool any more.”

  I beamed at the rgesse, turning my physiognomy at Gellir. “Thank you so much, but I don’t have anything for you.”

  “You don’t have to worry about it.”

  “But we’re Fenri,” I responded as if Gellir fully ized the unsaid part about fulfillis.

  Gellir shrugged. “Then, you repay me by ing to my house this weekend.”

  I jectured that was too fast for my retionship with Gellir— like I knew anything about drastic escations. “Or we go on another date, and I’ll pay for everything.”

  Gellir nodded, suddenly reverting to a stoic expression, and there must’ve been the briefest of choler in his eyes. “That’ll suffice. I’ll meet you at your house.” He walked briskly to the school’s mairance.

  Feeling giddy, I caught my twin brother out of the er of my eye as I gingerly packed my dispensation into my bag, reversing my blithe mood as I looked at him. “What?”

  Lárus stood where he was behind me when I stared at him, and he shrugged in response. “Nothing.” He walked past me, and I wondered if I sensed enviousness from him.

  My earliest csses enced as usual. The most notable event was from History when the pedagogue gave a two-month-long project about researg a Fenri -dead or alive- and writing about the individual, with bonus points for seleg an orphic person. I defaulted to my father, but those extra points were bewitg— perhaps Tandri wouldn’t mind being the subject. My mind wao my actual begetter before I quickly shook that thought out because my mother would almost absolutely not divulge much more about him, if any. However, I still wondered about him. I’d like to envisage he was a hero and not some deadbeat bastard, but I highly doubted he was a chivalrous champion. I wished to know about him someday, regardless if it was best if I didn’t or not.

  Mr. Haldrow fell ill, and there was no one else capable of Aereki, so I had ara impromptu study hall. I took the free time ao the library to get an early start on my essay for History. After asking the librarian to locate the long aisle taining historical figures, I went to the non-fi se.

  It didn’t surprise me to see the Iysinar?eas on the shelves along with Brákfur. It was a title given to a mase Direfenri úr and his feminine terpart, Hleyen, for being the reasons for ensuring the survival of the Fenri race, and it meant ir’s Great Defenders. They were part of a group that also earhe title, but the assig was strictly about Fenri. I found it perplexing that there were prolix entries about their lives and exploits, yet there was a nullity about whether they procreated.

  I found a superabundance of epochal Fenri in the isle, sometimes plete with autobiographies. There were two det handfuls of individuals who were either too famous for bonus points or insuffit information about them to write the essay, deg on Vueurri íkv?eís?n, the forebear of alchemy and medie, because people sidered him either a magnanimous or a malefit stist. I observed Hjálmveig appear further away from me after I pced an unwaome in its proper pce, and she also returned a book on the shelf.

  “Hjálmveig,” I happily uttered.

  “Hi, Kaera,” the golden-brown Fenri responded jodly. “Did you leave the Red Zone a couple days ago?”

  “I did along with Lárus, our mother, and the stepbrothers.”

  “I thought I saw you and your brother.”

  “We noticed you over at the cemetery for youths.”

  Hjálmveig became a bit lugubrious. “Yeah. I pced flowers on my older sister’s grave.”

  Her mencholic mood transferred over to me, and I frowned my ears. “Sorry to hear that.”

  Hjálmveig’s mood suddenly morphed into one of exigency. “Hey listen, Kaera-” The bell interrupted Hjálmveig. “Shit. I gotta go. My css is oher side of the school, so I gotta haul ass. I’ll make this breviloquent.” She instantly became irascible, stomping her right foot on the floor. “Dammit, Manasína.” She briefly and angrily sighed, returning to normal. “Take your time with Gellir.” I saw her grab a book and quickly left.

  Since all I had was study hall, I was not in a hurry to get there as I waited to borrow a novel about Vueurri from the library. I even lingered in the hallway, staring at the poster about earning money. It would make the date more memorable since I legitimately ear instead of receiving charity. I noticed another piece of paper, and the words on it were about two openings otevéúrokkig team, and tryouts were after school.

  “Pnning on watg?”

  I yipped a smidgen from the sudden startle, turning to my left to a familiar toothy grin. “Gellir!”

  “Apologies for sternating you. So, will you be there?”

  “Why would I be?”

  Gellir had his arms behind his head. “Oh, I jectured you would be since I would attempt to get oeam.”

  “You’re trying to make the team?”

  “Some of my buddies are on, so I want to participate it with them. What about you? You want to see a bunch of burly, mostly-naked dudes and boyfriend knock each other senseless and act aggressive and primal to get your loins burning?”

  My cheeks became flushed. “Gellir!”

  Gellir through his hands up, dissembling surrender. “Just a suggestion. I’ll find out ter. Talk to you ter.”

  I went to study hall and asked the teacher if I was allowed to visit the art room this period because I surmised I didn’t have pressing assigs for any of my csses, and she granted permission. I found the chamber aered it, three groups of students sitting in front of three distinguished Fenri, two males and one female, and I waved at Lárus and Róstran. The instructor catechized me, and I responded by accepting the request to be a nude model. Easiest money ever, I thought, and the art preceptor accepted my offer.

  I didn’t see what the fuss was about letting people draw my exposed physique as I denuded all of my habiliments without being behind cover. Boy, how much could ge in a short time span from beiive about my body to almost being naked ckadaisically every single day. Lárus had a part in it, remembering how he got me to pose for praphic drawings.

  The educator demarcated the rgest group in half, and I got the portion taining Róstran, Lárus, and a member of the Phenomenal Five, a Fenri with white and grey fur. I received an order to stand perfectly still in front of the bunch of artists with my legs parted and my hands on my hips. I did just that, presenting my breasts and pussy to them for twenty Liérés that would arrive by bloodhawk in two days.

  I divided my focus between my brothers as they and the other cssmates drew my nude frame. Róstran appeared the most flustered regardless of the previous instances of viewing me in the buff. Lárus, oher hand, acted insout like a fish in water. Of course— why wouldn’t he be anything but casual? He had plenty of pictures of me in his room if he hadn’t ied them yet. I bethought about those moments, feeling the fai warm sensation of the two of us having some semi-i fun. The lewd postures attempted to creep in to give to Gellir, but they vioted the lecturer’s ukases. Also, no way in hell Lárus would draw me being so sensual in my beseeches fellir if I asked him or if he caught on about it.

  Lárus dreerb picture of me buaked as usual, but I didn’t expect Róstran to be just as adroit in art as him ohe bell gave me a ce to view the results. He did a phenomenal job at making me appear attractive despite my imperfes. Speaking of my corporeal fallibilities, I noticed one of the Phenomenal Five vacate the room, making maledis to myself for ruining the razor-thin probability of being in the exclusive group. I got dressed before leaving with my siblings.

  “I didn’t foreknow you showing up to css at all,” Róstran ented.

  “What he said,” Lárus responded.

  “It was for the money,” I replied.

  “For what?” Róstran inquired.

  “A future date with Gellir. I made it as suggestion for me to settle my debt to him because he gave me a gift.” I immediately turo Lárus.

  “What?” My twin brother acted offended. “I didn’t say anything.”

  “But you thought about it.”

  “Like that’s suddenly a crime now?”

  “No.”

  “I’ll be courteous a you know that ásyv?r will be at our house ter today to work on a group project for Biology and spend the night. Now’s my time to accuse you of thinking such thoughts.”

  I stood still. “ry, but I’ll probably be te ing home.”

  Lárus froze, naturally causing Róstran to pause also. “Let me guess. It deals with Gellir.”

  “He’s attempting to joitevéúrokkig team, and I want to watch him aplish it. We may hang out afterward.”

  “Iing.”

  “If you two are done pavering so perfervidly, we get a move on?” Róstran asked impatiently and nervously. “We’re the only ones in the hallway.” Sure enough— we were.

  Our progress was cut short when Aealst?nn and his ies occluded the path, surrounding us. “Hello wolves,” he spoke, grinning fgitiously.

  “Out of our way, Aealst?nn,” Lárus uttered, baring his fangs, and I exposed my niary too.

  “Not a ot until I get the toll payment.”

  “ you skip this oime?” Róstran inquired— more like implored. “I brought lunch over this time.”

  “That’ll suffice, too, unless you want to repehe other way.”

  “I don’t have anything else to ingurgitate, and I’m famished.”

  Aealst?nn nodded. “The tter it is.”

  Aealst?nn’s friends rapidly closed in on Lárus and me, overp us, and Aealst?nn grabbed Róstran by the arm. It was otiose for Róstran to break free as he dragged him, opening a forsaken locker’s door, and he shoved him in and blockaded it. I never heard him sound so viscerally perturbed as Róstran pouhe metallic door while Aealst?nn nontly had his back against it and ied his cws.

  Something broke within me, flooding my boding with apoplexy. The rage was unlike any acrimony I had felt before, very redolent of the instan the 25th of Jolthek. It assumed trol over me, making me a different person as I acceded its assistance. I tuned out the vast majority of stimuli until it was just the soury umbrage. It was surreal, like an out-of-body experience. I witnessed myself and Lárus break free a into a scuffle with the agitators. We had an edge over them this time and kicked their asses. They had plenty of moments of striking us, but I noticed we were uhis time.

  Aealst?nn didn’t escape our wrath as I watched myself and Lárus close the gap on him. Our increased sinew and endurance made the skirmish more eveween him and us, although his skill and teique gave him the advantage. We fought barbarically still, except we dealt blows to him this time, and I had to wince from myself sock him on the ill, he fared better than us as he fended off most of our assault, nding more strikes against us until Gellir and a couple of teachers broke up the fight.

  I found myself baside my body, still livid and corybantic. I breathed heavily, baring my teeth in a snarl while Aealst?nn snickered at Lárus and me. He expio the faculty that we attacked him unprovoked and uionally locked Róstran in the abandoned locker. I expihe exaverse that he locked Róstran in rather than us because we were izant of Róstran’s fear of the dark. My acerbity persisted and grew once Róstran got out, revealing he had pissed his pants, and Róstran appeared abashed at Lárus ahe three of us were alone in the hallway with Mr. J?rns?n.

  “Your father will hear about this,” he told Róstran, me, and Lárus

  “He’s away on business for the Alpha Prime,” Lárus responded.

  “He’ll hear about it.” Mr. J?rns?n angrily uttered a mixture of a sigh and a grunt, looking at me and my twin brother. “You two o watch who you get into flicts with.”

  “I keep fetting Aealst?nn knows a different way of fighting.”

  “It’s not Aealst?nn himself you o worry about. It’s more of who he has es to.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  “Aealst?nn’s father is Rikka’s brother, and Rikka pretty much stand toe-to-toe against Brákfur in terms of prominence. Rikka is also not indisposed to throw his weight around, so his family is almost untouchable.”

  “What if Róstran speaks up?”

  “That’ll help sihe is between him and Aealst?nn go back many years, but he hasn’t made one pint.”

  I turo Róstran. “Why do you keep the flict hidden?”

  “You wouldn’t uand,” Róstran answered.

  “You’re right; we don’t because you won’t tell Kaera and me much,” Lárus responded.

  “We truly want to help,” I added.

  “You two o know that there are pieces of information out there that you’re not privy to and learn to leave them that way,” Róstran replied, vacilting on the edge between posed adown. “Gellir’s father is keeping a monster away from me, and that’s all I’m going to say.” Lárus and I embraced him when the breakdown prevailed and thought about whether my boyfriend could pull a few strings.

  “Well, that’s a start,” Mr. J?rns?n uttered. “I suspect Rikka will have a few choibsp;words to say onews reaches him. May Faer have mer whatever repercussion es your way after this.” He left aurned mier with fresh habiliments for Róstran.

  Word must’ve reached Beta Kórmóks?n because I sensed him beira brutal toward Lárus and me, and he relished it. The css aggrahe madies in my muscles as they became more evident after I calmed down from the fight against Aealst?nn. The water felt paradisiacal even though the spa in the Red Zone was better.

  I found Gellir once I vacated the pool, still drippi. I should’ve expected him masturbating without a care in the world as soon as I espied him, and he saw me, tinuing to give me an unobstructed view of him choking the chi. Now or never, I thought, and I walked to him.

  “We o talk, Gellir,” I uttered.

  “It’s about Aealst?nn, I take it,” Gellir replied, smearing precum on his penis.

  “Yes. Mr. J?rns?n told me and Lárus that you and Aealst?ned, and I wao know you persuade him to not antagonize Róstran and us any further.”

  “Will do.”

  I caught a glimpse of my brother out of my peripheral vision. “Lárus.”

  “Whatcha chatting about?” Lárus catechized.

  “About me ving Aealst?nn to leave you two and Róstran alone, which I will,” Gellir answered, increasing his strokes.

  “Thanks,” my sibling drawled out as he left.

  I caught Gellir still masturbating out of the er of my eye while I got dressed, and he eventually moaned and ejacuted. “Ahh.” He got up, ed the mess, and ambuted away from my brother aurning his head around before rounding a er. “I’ll see you at the tryouts ter today. Later, geous.”

  “Later, stud,” I replied.

  The remaining bits of my time at school went smoothly, and I alerted my three stepbrothers that I would be te returning home since I would be with Gellir. I walked to the arena, which was adjoining to where I had gym, and I had every seat to choose from. He was on the field in his jockstrap, and there were also naked, virile Fenri there. They were either too abecedarian to know the perils they exposed their genitals to, or, as mom said, they were intrepid or stupid. To my surprise, I descried my twin brother amongst the newers, and he had enough seo rotective underwear.

  I had my book on Vueurri, alternating my focus between it and the trials. I had a notebook to jot notes about what I wao write in the essay, utilizing Gellir’s gift. All I got to was his early life, which was iing since he made a name for himself at age ten because I was distracted by the game.

  Despite not being an actual tour, the petition was still exhirating, and Gellir had skills, sg the most points. Lárus was deadly with throwing smaller rocks at the opposing pyers, nding hits from far away. I jectured my brother was the primary reasoher team barely scored any points. As usual, I had to wince from some of the strikes, particurly the males’ junks, regardless of not possessing the correct genitalia. My progress on the research was also stymied when a member of the Phenomenal Five sat o me, and I reized her from art css.

  “Kaera Brákfurdútir?” She asked, even though it sounded more of a statement.

  “Yes?” I answered, enunciating it in the inverse dire.

  “You may have been already of this already, but several of my friends and me are aware of évéy S?loeridùtir graduating this school year, bringing the group down to four. We ducted resear every female in the institution to find a rept for her. Despite your reputation, you were he top of the list until I saw you today modeling in the nude in art.”

  I started to cat to what the feminine Fenri attempted to vey. “Are you saying?”

  “Kaera Brákfurdútir, we are you an opportunity to be the member of the Phenomenal Five.”