A/N:I've had this two-thirds finished for a while, but got distracted by writing a fic about why Roach is called Roach and two more chapters of smut for my PwP fic, plus a little crack fic about the 3rd season trailer... Sorry for the delay and enjoy reading!

Oh, also, if you don't want smut then just skip the first section of this chapter until the first break.

She huddled into his embrace and he held on to her with selfish need, uncaring that if anyone would bear witness, they'd think him soft for relishing the warmth of her.

"Now that I remember everything, I'm even more baffled that you're still with me," he said. "Why would you ever let me anywhere near you, let alone in your bed? Not that I'm complaining. At all. "

She chuckled against him. "It might have had a little to do with some unhealthy curiosity."

"How so?"

"You remember that on the island I was reading your thoughts for most of the time…"

"Mhm…"

"I accidentally read them that night when you and Yennefer went at it while I was sleeping. Ended up dreaming some… things." He raised his eyebrows at her words, so she clarified. " Explicit things."

"Oh… Oh! So Yen was right when she thought you fancied me, had dreams..."

"No, not really," she huffed. "Didn't look at you that way. Actually, I don't think I was in the headspace to think of anyone like that and, after Avallac'h's experiments, the last thing I wanted was anyone touching me. So… no, I didn't fancy you, but what you were doing mixed in with my usual nightmares, so at first I dreamt it was Eredin who was…" She stopped and cleared her throat. "Then he turned into you and it became… tender. When I woke I was more confused than anything else."

"Damn!" He sighed, once again unable to find a more eloquent way of conveying his apologies. "I was expecting you to confess to having a little crush, not tell me I unwittingly abused you in your dreams. I don't know what to say… Sorry doesn't seem to cover it."

She huffed a small laugh, then cupped his jaw, rubbing a thumb over his cheek in response to his apology.

"It wasn't your fault, so there really isn't any need to apologize. I was the one reading minds, besides, it was just a nightmare, nothing more. And later on, I blocked it out. Forgot it ever happened until I saw you again and you ended up sleeping in my bed. Then I remembered how tender your hands were on Yennefer… How good you made her feel… Maybe I got a little curious… Maybe I was a little lonely… Maybe it was a little too tempting to see what it would feel like." She rearranged herself in his lap, straddling him.

"Then I suppose it felt good if you're still with me now," he replied, sliding his palms along her legs until they reached her ass.

"Good, but…" She tilted her head, searching for a good description.

"But?"

"But different," she eventually said. "Not as tender perhaps."

It was his turn to huff a laugh. "That's only because you seem to prefer a little roughness. It took a while until you let me come even close to being tender and you'd bite me nearly every time I tried to be gentle. Or straight up ask me to take you harder."

"Only because I… Well, I was afraid of becoming too attached." She paused and nibbled on her bottom lip before continuing. "Of what kind of a loss it would be when you eventually left. Thought it was only a matter of time before that happened."

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere," he soothed her, stroking her hair gently and searching her eyes in the dark. It broke his heart that she still thought he might leave. "I'm really not," he repeated.

She gave him a faint smile. "You almost did tonight."

"Oh…" He finally understood her meaning; she was worried he might die. He drew a breath to reply, but she placed a hand on his chest to stop him before he got any words out.

"No, I'm not blaming you or asking you to change. We always said we'd let the other do what they needed and that needs to remain how things are. It's just that I know there are risks that come with it."

"So that's why you don't appreciate my attempts to be tender?"

She bit her lip. "I do appreciate them," she said before kissing him long and soft as if to prove a point. She pulled away with a smile and eyes sparkling with mischief.

"But you'd rather appreciate the occasional ass slap?"

She clicked her tongue and smiled. "I appreciate both, but what girl doesn't?"

He raised an eyebrow and snorted. "Plenty don't."

"Yennefer?" she asked with a hint of amusement.

He couldn't suppress his laugh. The mere thought of doing that to Yen sounded like a death wish.

"Let's just say I wouldn't advise anyone to try that on Yen unless they want to find themselves tied to the bed with their balls in a magical vise."

"That bad, huh?"

"Probably worse," he huffed. "Never tried. Care too much for my life… and my balls."

She laughed. "Well, she's missing out. You're always the right amount of rough."

"Not how she'd see it."

"Her loss."

She leaned in and softly kissed him again before pulling his bottom lip between her teeth. It seemed that she craved a rougher touch once again, so one of his hands slid up her back and into her hair. With a firm grip, he pulled, not hard enough to hurt, just hard enough to make her tilt her head back so he could kiss her neck. Just like he knew she would, she gasped and rocked her hips, brushing against his hard length. His lips ghosted over her collarbone, then his teeth scraped the skin and she shuddered.

"Mhm, Geralt," she hummed while he continued kissing up to her ear. "Exactly the right amount."

He knew her well. It would be so easy to flip her onto her back and pin her to the mattress, continuing to give her that mixture of soft and rough that always set her off. So easy, but not what he wanted or needed. He eased up his grip and spoke low and soft.

"I know this is what you usually like, but what if I don't want to be rough with you tonight?" he said against her skin as he released her hair and caressed her nape, moving from her neck to her cheek and then to her mouth, tasting her lips. "Would you mind me being gentle for one night?" he asked, meeting her eyes with hope.

"Not at all." She leaned into his embrace and returned his kiss.

She shifted on top of him again, seeking him out, driving him inside her with a soft sigh. He let her lead, taking as much or as little from him as she needed, just enjoying her in the darkness. His hands sought her under the cover of night, grasped and caressed, tenderly drawing a map of her body while gasps and small moans pierced the silence. She rode him, her thighs flexing as her hips rocked slowly, gradually going lower until he bottomed out inside her.

Little hands clasped his shoulders, looking for support while every muscle in his body tensed to keep from coming undone under her. Slow and steady, she grinded up and down on him as her breath turned laboured and heavy with lust.

It was exactly what he needed. That languorous pace gave him time to absorb every detail and to worship every part of her body. He cupped her breasts, bringing them to his mouth and kissed each one in turn until she arched towards him in delight. She looked at him through lowered lashes, sighing a satisfied moan, then another slightly louder. Already she was tightening around him and he fought to keep from spilling inside her as her orgasm finally hit like a rolling wave.

"Damn!" was all he could say as he kissed under her jaw while she squeezed her inner muscles around him.

He held her tight, letting her enjoy the high while he nibbled on her ear, watching the gooseflesh that rippled over her skin when his breath washed over her neck. To an outside eye, this was just a moment of hedonistic lust, but for him, it was the intimacy and trust he had sought for the longest time. And he cherished it. Cherished how she abandoned herself, how she didn't have her guard up, and how she made him lower his own. At that moment he was just a man. Not a witcher, not a warrior, nothing else but her man . Her lips pressed against his and she swayed once more, drawing his attention back to her body and the pleasure he felt building within.

She rocked her hips a little faster, bouncing shallowly on top of him and steadying herself on his shoulders while he returned his attention to her breasts. Alternating between licking and sucking on the sensitive peaks, he delighted in their softness as he thrust minutely up into her. Another night he might have graced her with a small bite to get her heart racing, but not tonight. Tonight he wanted to give her all tenderness she denied herself.

Her fingers drifted from his shoulder up his neck and into his hair, pressing him lightly against her as she sped up further, bouncing higher and dragging a desperate moan from him. She felt so good.

"Please don't ever stop," he begged in a daze, his mind focused on how he wanted her to be his forever.

"I wish I could, but I don't know how much more my legs can take," she replied, chuckling a small laugh without breaking her pace.

He cupped her ass, lifting her off him for a moment before shifting himself on top of her so he could take over. She hooked both legs around his waist and hummed, pleased as he slid inside her once more.

"I envy your witcher stamina," she moaned. "You always seem to be able to go on forever."

It was his turn to huff a small laugh, breaking off the string of kisses he was leaving on her collarbone and neck.

"I put on a good front, but I'm barely hanging on."

"Sorry," she said, suddenly contrite and making to shift on top of him again. "I don't mean to be demanding. You're tired and I should…"

He chuckled. "No, love. I only meant that you feel so good, I might not last as long as I'd like tonight."

"You don't have to," she moaned between two slow thrusts. "There's no need to prove yourself. I just want to make you feel good."

"You do. Always. "

He ended his words with a deep kiss that made her clench around him hard and he found himself close to the brink. One of his hands stroked up her waist, gently drifting over a breast, grasping it for a moment while his hips thrust firmly forward driven by lust. He could have come then and there but both pride and love stopped him. She didn't want him to prove anything, and yet he wanted to push himself a little more just to feel her come again and let her high carry him along to his own end, but he needed a distraction to hold him back for a while. Something that wasn't sexual. Something repetitive and uninteresting. The only thing that came to mind was the traditional Redanian wedding dance, so he began counting the steps in his head.

One, two, three. Turn. Hang on.

His hands wandered, gentle over her. Lips met. So soft. He hummed against her and moved slowly atop her, inside her. She enveloped him, limbs entwined and soft palms drifted over his jagged scars while she met and matched his every touch.

One, two, three. Turn again. Not yet.

Anything to keep his mind off how good she felt under him, how her moans echoed alongside his heavy breathing, how her hips pushed back on his every thrust, driving him deeper. Driving him insane.

One two three. Spin. Just a little more.

Her fingers threaded his hair, clenching against his scalp, pulling and holding him against her as she arched forward to kiss him.

One two three. Kick. So close.

"Fuck," she gasped.

That's it. Let go.

Her legs wrapped tighter around him while she moaned against his lips, and he was overcome by his need for her. She shuddered under him as her climax rushed through her. This time he didn't fight the waves; he sought her mouth and swallowed her moan as he joined her, letting the ripples flow through him until they matched her rhythm. Even when they abated, he didn't want to leave her and their kiss lasted for a long while, until he felt her smiling against his lips.

"You really were gentle," she said, breaking their long kiss into small delicious tastes of her lips.

"You doubted me?"

"Never."

He kissed her again, easing out of her, but still not ready to end their embrace, so he extended their tender moment through slow kisses. Her legs wound tighter around his hips, mirroring his need. It was a long while before either of them sketched any desire to pull back, and even when he leaned away, it was only because he saw her eyes blinking lazily with sleep.

"Damn." She heaved an annoyed sigh and pulled herself upward on the mattress once their embrace ended.

"What's wrong?"

She huffed a laugh. "Sorry, didn't mean to worry you, I just realized I'm too tired to conjure up any spell, let alone a bath, so I'll be sleeping in the wet spot tonight. Sorry… that's probably the most unromantic thing I could have said."

He matched her amusement with a smile of his own. "If that's all, hold on."

He leaned back on his heels and got out of bed, trying to disguise his own fatigue, but feeling pins and needles in his thighs. Somewhere beside the basin, one of the girls on staff had left a stack of clean towels, so he grabbed the one on top before returning to bed.

"Thanks," she said, taking it from him and cleaning herself while he settled beside her. "That will have to do for now." She shifted again, trying to avoid the wet sheets underneath her, so wordlessly, he turned her over to his side, trading places. The sheets stuck to his backside, but he didn't mind them and the gesture earned him a grateful kiss.

"Tomorrow morning I'm going to take a trip to Idris and a few other places. I promised to rally some allies for our upcoming fight and this is as good a time as any. Been meaning to take Cinnamon for a ride, so I think I'll make a portal at Drahim again."

"Alright, I'll come with you."

"No, you might be needed here. I heard some whispers tonight that they plan on having Radovid's trial tomorrow. Ciri might think of attending, and she won't listen to anyone but you."

"Tomorrow? Really? Dijkstra really is in a hurry."

She shrugged. "I don't blame him. If the deposed king still has supporters, they might try to rally against the new queen and her future consort. Better to end it quickly and consolidate their power."

He gazed at her fondly. The sweetness she always showed him sometimes made him forget how practical she really was.

"Come here," he beckoned her into his open arms.

"You're awfully sweet tonight. I hope it's not out of some misplaced guilt." She fit herself next to his side, laying her head over his shoulder gingerly.

"No, it's not guilt." He kissed the top of her head and brushed his fingers through her hair and down her back. "Maybe a little selfishness for wanting you close."

"If you're worried about tomorrow, don't be. I'll be perfectly safe where I'm going."

"No, it's not that. I just… I love you, that's all." He kissed her again. "Can't a man want to cuddle?"

He felt her smile against his chest; an arm wound around his waist and a leg swung over his thigh as she drew herself closer.

"I love you too," she replied so softly that his hearing barely caught it.

Morning found him still entwined in a sleepy embrace, but the rhythm of her heart told him she was already awake.

"Mmm… morning," he said, unwinding the arm he had around her. "You been up long?"

She turned and rested her chin on his chest, gazing at him with fondness.

"Maybe half an hour."

"Should have woken me up." He leaned in to kiss her.

"Thought about it, but I took mercy on you," she replied, smiling. "It's not often you sleep longer than I, so I assumed you needed every ounce of rest you could get."

He rubbed his sleepy eyes and stretched out his spine. "You weren't wrong."

"Sorry, I feel like last night contributed to it. We really should have just slept."

"Maybe, but I don't regret it one bit. And I certainly needed it."

"We both did," she said before kissing him again. "And now we both need a bath and breakfast."

She scooted out of bed and with a flourish conjured enough water to fill the tub halfway before heating it up. He smiled looking at her naked behind and decided the day's troubles could stand to wait a while longer as he bent her over the wooden slats.

"You two heard that Radovid's trial is today?" Dandelion asked over a plate of assorted meats and a pint of ale.

"Mhm. I heard the cook tell one of the serving girls last night," Criss replied.

"If you ask me, they should have just killed him quietly and privately. Everyone knows what the outcome of the trial will be," Dandelion continued. "But of course, that won't stop me from attending. You two had better eat fast if you want to get some good seats for this farce. I would save some for you, but sadly my constitution, as robust as it may be, is not as strong as a witcher's and I cannot hope to keep the gawking rabble at bay."

"I appreciate the thought but I don't think either of us is going to attend. Criss has business elsewhere and I'd rather stay back at the Chameleon with Ciri."

"Oh, no you don't! You're not babysitting me!" Ciri said, raising her head and fighting to speak through a mouth full of scrambled eggs.

"I'm not babysitting, but I do want to make sure you don't get any ideas… like going to see the trial when no one is supposed to know you're alive."

"You can rest assured that I have no intention of doing that. There's something about a ruler's execution that strikes a little close to home. However," Ciri continued, "I do intend to spend the day with Bea, so unless you plan on third-wheeling us, I suggest you find something more productive to do."

"More productive?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Anything, really! Anything that isn't following me around," she replied with an annoyed sigh.

He huffed and turned to Criss. "Looks like I'll be joining you after all. Unless you'd also prefer seeing me do something more productive ."

"I think you deserve a rest, maybe spend the day with Lambert and catch up, but if you want to join me, you're welcome," she replied.

"Yeah, don't think that's happening anytime soon. He's… erm, busy with Keira. Witcher's hearing and all that," he said, tapping his ear. "So you're stuck with me it seems."

"Then if you insist on joining me, we'll go as soon as I've had a word with Avallac'h. I need to know how far along he's gotten with his… travelling project."

"You'll find him upstairs," Ciri told her. "I saw him in passing yesterday and he seemed quite pleased with himself, so I think things are going well."

"He hasn't told you?" Geralt asked.

"No, not really." Ciri shrugged. "Well, to be fair, I didn't ask. And I haven't been around the inn much."

She blushed and Geralt didn't have to ask to know that it was Bea who had kept her away. Young love always looked the same - desperately hopeful as well as oblivious to any other concerns. For a moment he was tempted to warn her about keeping her head on her shoulders, but he refrained, knowing it would only seem like he was babying her again.

As soon as they were done with their meal, they headed up the stairs to the Ruby Suite. The elf answered the door after just one knock.

"Ah, I've been expecting you," he said, looking at them.

"You have?" they asked in unison.

"Of course. I assumed that sooner or later you'd come around to inquire about my progress with finding a path to Tir na Lia. The portals…"

Footsteps and happy chatter reached Geralt's ears, so he interrupted the elf.

"Maybe we should keep this discussion private," he said, shooting him a pointed look.

"Come in," Avallac'h replied, moving aside and welcoming them into his room.

"So. How far have you gotten?" Criss asked.

"Quite far. I expect that our destination is perhaps a few portals away. Of course, it's very dependent on chance, but my last trip has taken me to a place where… well, let's just say I've been before. I've yet to explore it thoroughly, but if nothing shifted significantly, Tir na Lia should be just one step away."

"So it's just a matter of days."

"Yes. My next expedition should tell me all I need to know and then we have to discuss our other preparations more seriously."

"That's exactly what we mean to do. Hopefully, by the end of the day we'll have secured a few more allies," Criss replied. "Is there a way to reach out remotely to Ge'els? I mean before…"

"Before we make our final foray?"

"Yes."

Avallac'h shook his head. "No, I don't think there is. Not without leaving a trace that could be followed. Perhaps only if…" His eyes lost focus as his gaze pinned a random spot on the blood-red carpet. He shook his head again. "There might be a way, but first I must ensure that the path I've carved does indeed lead to Tir na Lia."

A little while later, both Criss and Geralt were busy tacking their mounts in neighbouring stalls.

"Not worried about losing Cinnamon, given what happened to Cookie? We'll be leaving the horses alone while we portal away."

"I'll cast some wards around the tower for both Cinnamon and Roach's sake. I suppose you wouldn't want to lose your mare either."

He shrugged. "Small chance of that happening. As sweet as she might seem to you, she's got a nasty bite and a hell of a kick for the rest."

"Just like her owner."

"I am anything but sweet, love."

"You were sweet when you showed up with breakfast and a posy of flowers, and you definitely were sweet last night."

He shot her a crooked smile and her heart swelled in her chest at the soft look he had. Yes, he was definitely sweet, though he loathed to admit it.

Soon they were ready to set out, leading their horses down the main street towards the gate. The Eternal Fire preacher she had seen on her first day was still on the same street corner, the crowd in front of him just as large as it had always been. It seemed that Radovid's imprisonment had done nothing to dampen the religious fervour of some of the citizens. Some shot nasty glances at Geralt as they passed by. A few more spit after their passing and one even hissed a curse aimed at 'the Butcher of Blaviken'.

"The Eternal Fire will bring justice today!" the preacher foretold. "An army blessed by the Fire will rise up and righteous flames will raze the guilty and stand in the path of the blighted Nilfgaardian sun! The fire-kissed queen will stand at the forefront and -"

The rest got drowned out in enthusiastic cheers.

"That sounds like bad news," Criss commented.

"What?" Geralt asked, his attention focused on not trampling anyone.

"You didn't hear the preacher?"

"I don't pay them any mind. Always something about sinners and such."

"Well, it sounded like the new queen has embraced their religion. That could spell trouble if she also embraces burning people on pyres."

He shrugged. "Doubt she will. It's probably just propaganda. Mages helped her gain power and the whole city knows it. Even if she converts, it's just to bring the rest of the people into the fold. Her fold."

She hummed her assent, knowing he had to be right. After all, they were all invited to the queen's wedding as her esteemed guests. Her thoughts quickly moved to the people she was about to enlist - or at least, try to enlist. Even her close friends would need convincing, given the unusual situation.

After a quick trip to her private residence, using a tracking spell she managed to find four out of the five people she was searching for. Lyari, Akira and Olir were out for drinks as far as she could tell from the location, while Tezzi was at his workshop, but Ila was nowhere to be found on Idris. Naturally, she and Geralt headed for the first three and a short while later, the five of them sat at the same table while she explained why she needed their help.

"So let me get this straight… You want us to help you sneak into an elf world and assassinate its ruler? Just like that? No contract, no proof. Unmarked on top of that," Lyari asked on behalf of the rest sitting across the table from her.

Akira and Olir were staring at her with equal amazement and she couldn't blame them; her request was unusual and she was sure that if it had come from anybody else, they would have already got up and left the table. Geralt clasped her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. She drew a large breath, trying not to focus on how much was at stake.

"I know this is unusual. And I know this is an elven world, which would never qualify as hunting grounds, but we have strong reason to suspect that what we'll find there will justify our actions. Geralt fought one of the elven generals and mid-fight, the elf became possessed. It wasn't happenchance."

"Then therrre is a chance therrre might be morrre?" Akira asked with her usual purr and a grin that spoke of eagerness.

"Why am I not surprised?" Lyari chided, reading her expression for what it was - enthusiasm. "You'd pick a fight with anyone just for the fun of it. Do you really want to risk banishment or worse, to have a contract out on you?"

"Hey, the biggerrr, the betterrr," Akira replied, her shit-eating grin still in place. "Besides, you should be one to talk. You helped her brrreak someone out of prrrison while we had to stay back. Why should you get all the fun?"

" That was something different and I didn't kill anyone in the process."

"Alright, blondie," Olir cut in. "Enough of your whinging. We all know you're lazy. You wanna stay back? Fine. I'm going. I haven't had a good fight in ages. Come to think about it, last good one was when Geralt here showed up. Must be something with him, ey?" he said, elbowing Akira. "And we at least owe her the benefit of the doubt," he added pointing to Criss.

"Yes, Lyarrri. Since when do you back away frrrom a fight?"

Criss didn't need him to answer that, she already knew his reason - this was an elven world and beyond all things, Lyari was a trueblood elf.

"Listen, I'm not going to lie and say we can do this without you," Criss said, saving him the trouble of admitting that he loathed killing his own kind. "And I'm not asking any of you to break the rules. All I ask is for you to have a look and if we get there and everything is absolutely normal, no hint of corruption anywhere, you can just walk out, no explanation needed. None of us wants to kill for the sake of killing and believe me I wish nothing more than for Geralt to be wrong… But I know he's not."

Lyari crossed his arms and rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"Fine," he said. "At this point, I'd look like an asshole for refusing to even take a look. But," he held up an index, "I have no problem walking out on you if it turns out he's wrong."

"Perfect," she sighed a breath of relief. "Now I just have to talk to Ila and bribe Tezzi. You don't happen to know where Ila hangs out these days? My tracing spell came off empty for some reason."

She wasn't necessarily expecting them to know, but the awkward glances they exchanged were even more unexpected.

"What?"

Silence fell around the table.

"No one told you?" Lyari replied. "She… well, she died."

Her breath caught in her throat. She'd known Ila since the first day she set foot on Idris and it didn't matter that most of the time they'd be on different worlds, doing their own thing, whenever they needed each other, she was a call away. That would never happen again, she realized with a sinking feeling.

"What? How?" she asked, crestfallen.

"Titan. Big one. Ate a whole twenty-person crew and the contract's still up," Olir answered. "No one wants to touch it. No one aside from that madman that you used to…" He glanced at Geralt and stopped. "...That you used to hang out with."

She rubbed a hand over her forehead, still reeling from the news. Hang out, that was a euphemism if she ever heard one. What he meant to say was fuck but Olir was just being tactful. As for the death part… they all knew better.

"And he's only interested in the spoils, couldn't give a shit about Ila," Lyari continued.

"Titan means…" she said, meeting his eyes.

"Mhm, it does."

"We'll have to…"

"We will, as soon as a good crew is put together," he assured her.

"She must be in agony," she said, realizing all the implications and knowing that it was the worst time for this to happen.

A heavy silence settled over the table. She couldn't run off to help her. Not now. As if guessing her thoughts, Lyari pushed another drink in front of her.

"Don't think about it too much. There's no point for now. We'll help you with your possessed elves, and maybe by the time we get back enough people will enrol for a raid."

She took only a sip from the drink, her eyes staring blindly at the bottom of the glass. Gone. Just like that. No warning. Just a contract gone wrong. Lyari's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Speaking of which, you didn't mention when you want to go to the elven world," Lyari reminded her.

She took a deep breath and shook her head as if the physical act could also clear her mind. As much as it pained her, the world didn't stand still due to one death.

"As soon as you all are willing, though there's a wedding we have to attend first, so if you come back with us now, there'll be a few days of downtime before we set out. If you prefer, I could send out a message when we're ready so you don't waste time while…"

"If we're doing this, we might as well have some fun beforehand and a wedding sounds like fun," Lyari commented with a grin.

"Well, you won't be able to attend the actual thing, but the whole city will be celebrating." She turned to Geralt. "Do you think Dandelion would mind if I asked him to put them up at the inn? I'll pay him, of course."

The corner of his mouth curled up. "Not sure that's the right question to ask. Problem is they're not exactly inconspicuous. Even without Radovid in power, we're going to have a tough time explaining what they are without them ending up on the end of a spear. How are we going to get them into the inn without drawing attention?"

The elf grimaced. "I hope sewers won't be involved again. If they are, better tell me now before I ruin another perfectly good suit of armour. You know what cleaning cost me last time?"

"No, no sewers this time. A few things changed in the meantime and though I can't speak on how welcomed non-humans are, at least now illusions work. It shouldn't be too difficult to enchant Akira and Olir to look like regular humans." She shot a glance at their exceedingly large frames. "Well, maybe not exactly regular, but close enough."

"Alright, then we'll pack up and meet you back here in a bit," Olir said as they all got up to leave.

And just like that, their little meeting was disbanded and they were on their way to Tezzi's workshop, walking side by side under the two scorching suns.

"Losing someone is hard," Geralt said, weaving his fingers with hers.

She shook her head. "We should be fine as long as I can convince… or bribe Tezzi to come with us."

"That's not what I meant." He squeezed her hand and she felt compelled to meet his eyes. "I wasn't thinking of Eredin. I'm just sorry about your friend."

Her lips quivered and she had to bite her cheek to stop herself from crying. Thank you she meant to say, but the words were stuck in her throat and she didn't dare open her mouth for fear a sob would come out instead and then there was no stopping her tears. She just nodded and picked up the pace.

"You know, it's fine if you need a moment," he said, but she refused to stop.

Keep going , that was her single thought. Keep busy, don't think about it, bury it… Bury… Bury… Her steps stuttered. There was nothing to bury. No body. Nothing. Nothing left of her friend. She shook her head and pushed on. Not going to break down. Not now. No. No. No! With hurried footsteps, she rushed to escape her thoughts and Geralt followed her in silence. She cast him a side glance, acutely aware of his eyes on her. Despite the worry that was etched on his face, he remained silent and she was thankful for that. She didn't think that she could deal with talking about Ila without breaking into a pitiful wail and crying her eyes out. And she had no intention of seeing Tezzi when she was a mess because more than likely he'd find some way to use it against her.

"So…" Geralt eventually broke the silence, "who puts up these contracts I keep hearing about? And why are they so important?"

She sighed in relief that he wasn't trying to discuss her feelings about Ila's death. In fact, his questions were a good distraction from her own thoughts.

"Who puts them out is sort of hard to know. Usually, when a problem is big enough to attract attention and ruin the balance, they just appear on the noticeboard in each guild centre. There are places where contracts are always open, like the one you visited with me last time. But for regular worlds, we can't go around killing whatever we don't like and if we do, there are consequences."

"And will you have to face consequences if we kill Eredin?"

"No, not if he's anything like Imlerith it would only be a matter of time before a contract would be put out. He just hasn't attracted enough attention yet."

At last, they turned the last corner and ended up in front of Tezzi's workshop.

With a deep breath, she settled herself and pushed her emotions back down. A graveyard lay under the surface where she buried everything that hurt. The door to the workshop opened with a hiss.

Tezzi greeted her with his cunning smile. Most would have mistaken him for charming, but their history had taught her better than to confuse the two.

"Ah, I'd say I didn't expect to see you here so soon, but then I'd be lying. You've heard about Ila?"

She nodded tersely.

"Mm, such a shame," he continued, shaking his head as if he actually gave a damn. "I'm organizing a team to finish that contract. You're welcome to join if you wish…"

"I heard. That's not why I'm here, though."

"Oh? I thought you'd be chomping at the bit to exact some vengeance for your friend's death and help her escape endless torture. Plus, it would be the perfect opportunity to complete your part in my experiment."

She fought the urge to curse as she watched his calculated expression while he spoke. Every word he uttered was meant to stab at her guilt, then twist and salt the wound. She knew exactly how he was trying to manipulate her and yet a part of her still was racked with remorse for having to refuse him.

"There's something else I need to do first and actually that's why I'm here." She explained in short what they thought had happened to the Aen Elle elves.

He gave Geralt a short glance while she spoke, then returned his eyes to her. In the end, he nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, I can see how big of a problem that would be if all you say is true. Unfortunately… if there's no contract, I can't interfere. And neither should you."

"I'm willing to pay…"

He shook his head with a wry smile. "No, not this time. No contract. No deal. Simple as that."

"Not even if I promise to join your team when we return?"

"Not even."

There was no point in begging, he was a practical man and wouldn't be swayed by such things, but he did have one weakness. So Criss had one last card to play, though Geralt was probably going to give her grief for it.

"Believe me, I'd never ask this if it wasn't important. But you see, Geralt's daughter is who the King of the Hunt seeks. And should he find her… then I'd no longer have reason to help you in your experiment."

She gave him a second and watched as the wheels turned while he made the connections. Yes, she had judged him correctly. This was the one thing that would move him - his own interest and his curiosity to meet Ciri.

"You've grown more cunning lately… Maybe even a little cutthroat to use your lover's daughter like that," he said with a malicious grin. "But I'll admit you've piqued my interest, so I'll join your little unsanctioned expedition party, though I make no promises. If your information is false…"

"You'll leave. Of course. Same as all the rest."

Tezzi nodded with a raised eyebrow. He was one person she definitely didn't want around for more than was necessary.

"Fine," she continued. "Then I'll send word as soon a

"Can't say I'm thrilled about him being around Ciri," Geralt commented as soon as they left Tezzi's shop. "You sure he can be trusted? I mean, you've never told me what exactly happened between you…"

"He's not going to do anything like that to Ciri," she replied before he could inquire more into her past mistakes. Those were embarrassing enough without him knowing about them in detail. "His main motivation is curiosity, not malice. He likes to understand things, collects them, takes them apart and puts them back together… "

"That doesn't make him sound any better."

She sighed, struggling to explain. "Despite his many faults, knowledge is all he seeks." It's why she had found him so attractive in the first place, but that was not something she was about to tell Geralt. "And his knowledge is going to come in handy to us. He's worth more than the entire Lodge put together when it comes to combat ability."

"Alright, if you say he'll be useful, then I believe you. I trust your judgement. Though I'll admit I'm glad you didn't invite him to the wedding festivities along with the rest of your friends."

"I'd never!" She couldn't repress a scoff. "I told you before, this is just business. Neither of us has any interest in spending more time than necessary in each other's company. But I'm sure Akira, Lyari and Olir will have a blast at the festivities, although I might have to tell Zoltan to supply some extra liquor."

"Oh, I'm sure he's got that covered already. Went to the cellar to get some wine last night and it was stacked floor to ceiling. There's no way they're getting through all that in one night."

"Mm, you haven't seen Olir down a whole barrel of wine when…" Her smile faded as she remembered the occasion had been Ila's birthday.

"When what?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, pointing ahead and the three friends who waited for them.

He looked at her with a slight frown but didn't push her further. Instead, he threaded his fingers through hers and gave her hand a little reassuring squeeze as if saying I know you're not ready to talk, but I'm here for you .

"They moved fast," he said. "And it looks like your elf friend is much more enthusiastic than he was an hour ago."

Indeed Lyari had a bounce in his step as he met Geralt and Criss halfway.

"You know, I forgot to ask… That firecracker friend of yours, is she going to be at the festivities?" Lyari asked once they were close enough that he didn't have to shout.

"Mhm, she'll be there," Criss deadpanned, aware of Geralt's raised eyebrows as he silently mouthed "Yen?" .

For a split second, she considered if she should tell Lyari that Yen was currently with someone else. The last time she tried to give him advice it hadn't been well-received and it wasn't any of her business, but leaving him blindsided was unkind. So, with the risk of being the messenger that gets shot, she continued.

"But she's not alone this time. You might not be so well received."

"That's an understatement, considering the hoops Istredd made her jump through to prove that we were over," Geralt muttered.

"Mm, I admit I'm a little disappointed… but there's plenty of fish in the sea," Lyari replied with a grin.

Once through the shimmering portal and back at Drahim Castle, they had to deal with their means of transportation. There were five of them and only two horses.

"Should have thought of this and brought a few more horses just in case," Criss said with a shake of her head.

"It's not far, so the best option is to saddle the horses with your packs and walk beside them," Geralt commented.

"If that's the place," Lyari said, pointing at the tall city walls looming in the distance, "then it's no trouble at all. Though I think it's best I carry my own pack. I wouldn't want to break your horses under the weight."

"Nonsense." Geralt made to grab his pack off his shoulders and almost dropped it under its surprising weight. "What the…? Did you put rocks in this?" He eyed the satchel, wondering how its straps could bear the inordinate weight without breaking.

Akira cackled a laugh at his surprise. "His bag is bespelled to fit as much as he likes into it and to be as light as a feather to him. And blondie packed his whole warrrdrrrobe."

"Just a sword…"

"...or three," Olir muttered.

"...or five," Akira added.

"...a couple of daggers, that armour set I crafted last year and a backup, then a second backup for that one…" Lyari continued, unbothered. "Oh, and that neat one with dragon scales! And festive clothes for the upcoming party… And an axe, you can never forget an axe. And a torch. Plus everything I need in case I feel like fishing one morning… You never know when something might come in handy," Lyari ended with a shrug before taking the satchel back from a slack-jawed Geralt and heaving it onto his shoulder with a thud.

Criss nudged Geralt's side with a crooked grin.

"Is he serious?" he mouthed silently.

"Mhm. He's a bit of a hoarder, but you get used to it," she replied before turning to her friends and pointing down the path that led to the city. "Let's get going, the cook has something special in store for dinner and we haven't had a bite to eat since this morning."

A/N: Initially, this one was supposed to include Radovid's trial too, but I felt it was a little too long as it is, so that will be in the next one. Hope you liked the chapter and don't be shy about dropping a comment. Tbh, I could use some encouragement and it would be nice to know that people are still reading. Like someone else said, I'd be happy with an emoji as long as it's not the puke face, lol 😅