Chapter 429: Revenge in the Night

Reuniting always added an extra edge to their sex, even after a relatively short time apart. Omilaena was usually the insistent one, but that night Zin Nim seemed ravenously hungry for both of them. Even though Omilaena had a good guess as to why, she ignored such details and just enjoyed it until they all fell asleep together.

In the middle of the night, she was woken by Zin Nim slipping from under Kai's arm and out of their bed. Omilaena pretended to be asleep and watched Zin Nim smile fondly at the two of them, then pull on a robe and creep out the front of their tent.

Well, that was interesting. Most of Omilaena wanted to just keep lying there, since Kai made a nice pillow, but she found herself yawning and stretching. Someone might get murdered, which was fine, but this murder might not benefit them, so she might as well get involved. She found a robe of her own and pursued into the cool night air.

Instead of anything she'd imagined, Zin Nim was just seated at the heating crystal they used in place of a campfire. Less easy to detect, but nowhere near as atmospheric. Omilaena went to sit down beside her and the other woman immediately leaned into her, body still entirely relaxed. Hmm, so it was that way.

"Funny coincidence, how Nirka ended up in the tent right next to us," Omilaena said.

"It's not so much of a coincidence," Zin Nim insisted, though she wouldn't meet her gaze. "There aren't that many tents."

"Mmhmm, I'm sure. Given how you feel about her, I'm surprised you were so enthusiastic about our intimacy. Good on you, for completely putting aside past vendettas, not even thinking about her at all."

"I was merely happy to see my spouses again."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. Kai certainly wasn't complaining." Omilaena leaned over Zin Nim and stroked her hair. "But if you can't be open with me, when will you?"

For a long time Zin Nim was silent, then she slowly nodded against her chest. "You already understand. It is just... a lingering sort of jealousy. I don't like to think about the woman I could have been, in a different life, and she brought up all those old memories. You were... thinking I might go kill her, weren't you?"

"It crossed my mind."

"I wouldn't do that. But... when I was at my loneliest, she rubbed the fact that she was with Kai in my face. I'm still petty enough to return the favor."

"A very dry sort of revenge," Omilaena said sagely. "Or it might be more accurate to say a very wet revenge."

"Omi, no!" Zin Nim squirmed against her and looked around furtively, as if there would be someone else who might overhear and disapprove.

The irony after their recent escapades entertained Omilaena and she couldn't help but chuckle. She also held the other woman close and Zin Nim eventually relaxed against her again. Whatever the emotions and past memories involved, it had been good to be together again.

"We already discussed our strategy tomorrow," Omilaena said, "but I thought we should chat a little more, just the two of us. Now seems as good a time as any."

"Yes, I suppose. I already said everything I noticed about the Verdant River sect, though."

"What do you think our odds are on just acquiring what we want by uncomplicated means? Stealing it or murdering everyone in the way, I mean."

"I don't know." Zin Nim shifted and looking over her shoulder into the darkness, as if she could see the enemy sect. "This is one of the most protected strongholds on Cloudspire, so they'll operate on the assumption that everyone is considering those strategies. They won't be expecting our abilities, but they'll be expecting direct attempts."

"So we stick with infiltration?"

"Perhaps."

"If you do get access to this new source of immortality," Omilaena said, "let me take a good look at it. I only have some knowledge about chakra-based immortality, so I might be able to learn a lot from their methods."

"Do you think you could duplicate them?" Zin Nim's eyes widened slightly.

That wasn't exactly what she had been thinking, so Omilaena hid her wince by stroking the other woman's hair. "Probably not, since they seem to be going to so much effort to gather materials and experiment with different systems. And it seems like there's a very strong chance that their method requires using the Loam of the Gods."

"Most likely that's why they have such defenses. Any sect or clan anywhere on Cloudspire would be eager to get their hands on a controlled Insanity."

"Any sect, clan, or Omilaena. Omilaeanas like Insanities."

Zin Nim nodded somberly. "I will do my utmost to get you access, if I can. We need to do more than simply match our opponents, we need to surpass them. Utterly."

"Because of what you saw at the Frontier?"

"Yes, that, but also... I don't know what all we will face." Zin Nim shifted in discomfort, clearly easing anxieties. "I feel guilty that I still haven't uncovered any way to develop my Physique. Both of you are stuck at the D rank, and I think if only I could help us learn more, you could advance beyond it."

"For most of the world that's considered the peak," Omilaena pointed out, "and advancing beyond that seems to have limited returns. But that's why you were talking about surpassing everyone."

"Exactly. The Brightwind sect taught me that there was no point to advancing beyond E rank, and I've seen they were clearly wrong. What else might they be wrong about? I know I'm behind you in some ways, but I want to be able to clear a path for you. The two of you have done so much to help me chart a path when I thought I had hit a dead end..."

"Hush, you're fine." Omilaena pulled her in closer and stroked her hair affectionately. "Considering how this immortality affects the body, that might help me understand more about it. Of course any Brightwind manuals about the Blackblood Physique would help too. You already found enough that I have a strong basis, I just need specifics."

"Oh... it actually wasn't a Brightwind technique, originally. We had access to it, yes, but it was a rare technique from the Heavenly Mountains and Lakes."

"From there, then. The point is, with a little more information I think we might be able to take you over the edge. Be patient and don't make any false steps."

"It would be easier to be patient if we were all immortal." Zin Nim sighed heavily and finally relaxed against her chest. "For so long, I just wanted to escape my father. To live a free life, where I could make my own choices. Over the past few years, I've been able to do that, and I love you two so much, it's wonderful, but... we need strength to defend that life. I have no idea how much we need."

They lapsed into silence, because there were no real answers to questions like that. Omilaena wasn't very comfortable with such sentimental declarations of love, and didn't go that direction herself unless things were getting hot and heavy.

Staying together with the two of them forever, though? She could live with that. There had been a time when she had worried about getting bored, but she'd come to realize there were real advantages to fucking partners who she trusted more and more over time. They were both excellent for her experiments, figuring out the road to power together, so she could imagine a future together. Putting any of that into words risked teasing Zin Nim when she didn't mean to, so Omilaena kept her thoughts to herself.

"Do you think the rain to the south will let up?" Zin Nim eventually asked. Clearly it was time to pull back from the heavy conversation, though Omilaena kept her close.

"I expect it won't, actually. There's an element of chakra in those clouds, not like I've seen on Cloudspire before."

"Do you think it's the dryad matriarch, then? Nymidria?"

"It could be, but more importantly, I think the rain clouds are collecting there so it rains forever. Maybe the dryads prefer it that way."

"I see." Zin Nim's glower could be felt against her body. "We need some kind of countermeasure, then. There are Brightwind techniques to keep off the rain, but they have no combat applications, so I never learned them. Getting wet in these robes would be very indecent."

Omilaena chuckled and tweaked her side. "I wouldn't mind seeing that, and I don't think Kai would complain either." When the other woman started to speak, Omilaena intercepted her. "I know, I know, you're saying that's only for the two of us, right? Not for public view."

Zin Nim nodded against her chest. "Good, you understand. But I... also understand you. There are... certain waterfalls where cultivators go to train. To the very north of the Southern Rivers, or around the edges of the Heavenly Mountains and lakes. Maybe we could... go there together."

"Well, look at you! That sounds like an intriguing idea, so it's too bad we're heading further south. But speaking of, maybe we should get some sleep for tomorrow?"

"Yes, perhaps we should." She didn't seem inclined to move, though, still resting and staring into the light.

"You know, if we sleep hard enough and wake up early, we can have fun waking up Kai, then we could try to wake up Nirka."

At first Zin Nim blushed and squirmed, but then she pulled Omilaena back toward their tent.