Hideaway Strath The sun caught in her raven hair Is blazing in me out of all control

Lotte considered the idea of remaining during the act. Her kneejerk reaction was to decline, but her heart turned over in her chest at the naked vulnerability in Hemlock’s eyes. “I will not suffer,” she reassured the fiery woman, unsure as to whether or not she was lying. “I will stay with you — with Arturo — but if at any point you desire me to go, promise me you will be honest.” It was bold of Lotte to demand honesty when she herself was keeping secrets, but she didn’t stop to think about it or feel guilty. Her lie and this incongruent plea for truth were equally designed to contribute to the wellbeing of the Family.

“I want you to forget it,” Lotte insisted. “When your moment comes, I want you to forget what you feel you owe and what you feel you are being given. I want you to feel only the pleasure and the demand of your body, and know that you are Hemlock, powerful and strong and capable of joy.” She bathed her sister-wife’s face in gentle kisses, dropping her shoulder to lay on the ground in front of Hemlock. “Lay with me,” she begged, puppy-soft and submissive as she whined up at the viridian-eyed dryad. “I want to show you something. I want to give you something. Please lay with me, liekkikukka.”