CHAPTER 31

One last memory caught her attention. Naia was standing in the woods by a burbling spring when a figure stepped from behind a nearby tree. It was Amymone's tree, and the dryad stood by the figure, a look of excitement painted onto her face.

"I accept," Naia said.

"I'm glad." The voice was soft, and Beth couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. Their features had been blurred away, as if someone had rubbed a thumb over paint before it could dry. When they held a hand out for Naia, the nymph took it. Power rushed through her body and she let out a cry as the nearby ground erupted and the house pushed its way up through the soil. Amymone cheered in excitement as the ground swelled and pushed nearby trees away.

The memories disappeared, and it was just Beth and Naia now. The two of them had become one, a swirling mass of magic that sat alone in the dark. There was a single moment of silence, and Beth realized that she could no longer tell where she ended and the nymph began.

At that moment, they had become perfectly balanced. Then, with a single pulse of magic, Beth's ears were filled with the sound of roaring as it all came apart. The sensation stole her breath and forced heat through her body. Naia started moaning Beth's name over and over again as the energy built between them.

With one final scream, they came. The universe was nothing but light, and then the two of them separated.

Back in her body, Beth realized that she was in the air. She was in a reclined position and surrounded by a watery sphere. Her belly was distended, and she screamed as the orgasm from the soul exchange caused her to tense up and spray water out of her body. This water gradually coalesced into Naia, who proceeded to press herself against Beth.

"That's right, come for me!" Naia demanded as her magic raced through Beth.

Beth obeyed, and the watery orb sprayed outward in every direction, soaking the walls and floor of the bathroom. She fell, but was caught by jets of water that lay her gently down in the tub. Her whole body shook as she tried to grab something, to brace herself as one last orgasm pushed itself free.

Her hands found Naia's, and their fingers locked together as Naia pressed her lips to Beth's. She was surrounded once more, the water of the tub rushing around her to form a giant bubble. Her body was hot and cold at the same time, and steam had fogged up the mirror and windows. Closing her eyes, she whispered Naia's name like a prayer.

When Beth finally opened her eyes, she was above the water. The light that came in through the windows seemed brighter and more vibrant. It was like someone had adjusted the color and saturation hues of the whole world. Birds sang in the distance, their song calling to her. She longed to be outside, to feel the open sky above her and the breeze on her face.

"How do you feel?" asked Naia. "I'm very curious. I've never experienced such a strong bonding before."

"Amazing." Beth's whole body felt relaxed, as if her muscles had been stretched and put back into place. "Am I...different now?"

"Go look." Naia gestured to the mirror. Beth stood, her legs wobbling beneath her. From the bath, she gasped at her own reflection.

It was undeniably her, but there were subtle differences. Her hair was now curled perfectly, despite being wet only minutes ago. Her lips had an extra splash of color that complimented her complexion perfectly. And her eyes. They glowed as if she was staring into a bright light.

Naia rose from the water and wrapped her arms around Beth's waist. She settled her head in the crook of Beth's neck and smiled at their reflection.

"Welcome to the sisterhood," she said, then planted a kiss on Beth's neck. "You've been deeper inside me than any other man or woman, by the way. I don't just say that to anybody."

Beth snorted hard, then laughed. "I can easily say the same," she said between her own tears. "Oh my goodness, I feel so light! Like I can do anything."

"You'll find there are lots of things you can do now," Naia told her. "A touch of precognition, a dash of charisma, and my personal favorite..." One of her hands slid down and cradled Beth's upper pubis. "No more tenderness. You'll be able to handle anything you put your mind to, within reason. That Delightful Dragon of yours should still be handled with caution. Personal lubricant won't ever be an issue again, so that should help."

"Thank you." Beth leaned her head over so that it was on top of Naia's. "This gift you've given me is...I mean...thank you."

"You're very welcome, lover." Naia helped Beth out of the tub. "I'm afraid we made a bit of a mess, so be really careful—"

Beth felt an icy pain stab her through the stomach. The sensation distracted her, causing her to slip on a wet patch. Her legs shot out from under her, but there was nothing to grab onto and she fell. Instead of hitting her head on the floor, the water on the floor rushed together beneath her, creating a thick bubble of fluid that acted as an airbag. It sprayed outward in every direction on impact, turning a nasty fall into a soft bump.

"Oh, shit, that was scary." Beth sat up, now covered in water. "I'm okay though, thanks for the save."

Naia said nothing. Instead, she stared at Beth from her place inside the bathtub, a look of shock on her face.

"That...that wasn't me," she said in a hushed tone, breaking the silence. "I tried to manipulate the water, but it was already being moved with magic. Your magic."

"You gave me water magic?" Beth looked around the bathroom. It was a wet disaster, and even the towels were soaked. She reached out mentally, wondering if she could make it move. All it did was drip off the walls.