5.61 – Setting Out


    After Fe, Zoey rushed off to Adrienne''s address, using the directions Sabina had given her. She arrived to a nondescript apartment building in one of Treyhull''s many residential districts. She knocked several times on the door, hoping Adrienne wouldn''t be out and about. And there were good odds she would be, knowing the woman. She was no Sabina, always locked in her workshop.


    But, continuing the good luck for the night—in the sense of getting in contact with everyone—Adrienne opened the door after the second barrage of knocks.


    "Hey," Zoey said. "You have a minute?"


    "Zoey! What are you doing here?" A beaming smile spread across Adrienne''s face, which, of course, tugged a returning smile to Zoey''s own. "Talk? Of course. Just, um, give me a second, won''t you?"


    "Uh," Zoey said, but she didn''t get a real chance to reply—to tell Adrienne that it was urgent. Adrienne closed the door.


    Since Sabina and Fe had gone swimmingly, Zoey wasn''t in as much of a rush. Adrienne was herst stop for the night, and Sabina had even explicitly asked for an hour or two to organize her workshop before Zoey returned to help her pack. So she was on schedule.


    That said, Zoey didn''t want to be idling around, either. If she finished early with Adrienne, then she''d head back to check on Rosalie and Delta and see what developments were happening there. Hopefully, Maddy and Aria hadn''t been difficult to track down.


    Zoey shifted her weight from foot to foot as she waited outside Adrienne''s apartment. A minute or two passed before she returned.


    The door swung open, and for a second, Zoey failed to understand what she was seeing.


    Because she''de back in lingerie. The sheer bra cups barely concealed her full, round breasts. Her cleavage spilled over the top enticingly. Zoey could see through hercy panties. Zoey''s eyes, without input from her brain, drifted across the expanse of Adrienne''s scarcely d form, taking in the curve of her waist and her smooth skin.


    Her brain briefly short-circuited.


    Adrienne had asked for a moment, so that she could … change out of pajamas and into lingerie?


    "Sorry about that," Adrienne said with a cheeky smile. "Just wanted to throw something morefortable on. You know, to get properly ready for this surprise visit."


    Zoey reined in her wandering eyes, snapping her attention upward.


    "Uh," Zoey managed. "It''s no problem?"


    Adrienneughed, then grabbed Zoey''s hand. "Please,e in."


    Zoey let herself be guided into Adrienne''s apartment, trying—and failing—not to stare at Adrienne''s swaying hips and the way her panties clung to her ass.


    "Please, sit," Adrienne offered, and, with Zoey''s thoughts as derailed as they were, she simply did as she''d been told. "You want tea? Or anything? Coffee, since it''s going to be ate night?"


    "Um," Zoey said. The innuendo was obvious, and her thoughts derailed a second time. It took a moment for her to reply. "No, no thanks. That''s fine."


    Adrienne grinned. "Is it maybe <em>another </em>treat that you want?"


    "Uh."


    Maybe at Zoey''sck of eloquence, or more likely because the woman simply didn''t mind taking the initiative, Adrienne stopped wasting time. She sashayed over to Zoey and climbed onto herp. Zoey''s hands went to her waist without conscious input.


    "We can skip the forey if I''ve already got you tongue-tied," Adrienne grinned. "It''s ttering, having this effect on a woman like you<em>." </em>She cradled Zoey''s face in two hands. "I''ve been wondering <em>forever </em>when you would stop by. To think I almost went out tonight, and missed this."


    The sensation of Adrienne''s weight pressing down on herp sent an undeniable signal to Zoey''s body. Her lower half responded, arousal swelling up and into Adrienne—who adjusted herself, wiggling her hips around to rub her ass into Zoey''s swelling cock, obviously wanting it to get harder, faster.


    "Oh, my," Adrienne breathed out, the hot wash of air going directly on Zoey''s face. "That''s … a lot." Her eyes widened as she felt the full extent of Zoey''s size, swelling to full mast rapidly. "Wow."


    Zoey swallowed, her heart thumping as she tried to regain control of the situation. Or to recollect her thoughts at all. The sheer physical response was unexpected and intense—because she was especially vulnerable, right now. Before Rosalie and all of the night''s chaos had barged in, she''d been fourteen inches inside Delta, pping into the woman''s ass and only a few moments away from explosive release. A release that had been unceremoniously cut off, denied, and reced with urgent matters of life and death. Zoey had never gotten to vent that frustration, and here was the aftermath: the way the thoughts of Zoey''s lower half took overpletely.


    Adrienne shifted around in Zoey''sp, grinding her ass in. As she explored—getting a feel for what she was in for—her eyes continued to widen.


    "I mean, I knew you were packing, but this is seriously impressive, Zoey. How big is it?" Her words dripped with appreciation. And despite her attempts to regain herposure, Adrienne''s lingerie-d breasts were right in Zoey''s face. How could she possibly think straight, like that?


    "I''m d you like it," Zoey managed to get out, finally saying <em>something, </em>if not what she should. The rush of heat flooding through her was way too intoxicating.


    "Approve? I''m a little more than approving. How do you even walk around with this thing?" Her hand explored between their lower halves, tracing the outline that strained against the fabric of Zoey''s pants. She leaned forward and murmured into Zoey''s ear, "And let me just say. I''m <em>so </em>d my boss is willing to take a hands-on management approach. It''s a little naughty, though, don''t you think?"


    Boss?


    Because … Adrienne was her employee. Sort of.


    And that was why Zoey hade here. To tell her about their elerated departure. The word finally sparked Zoey''s brain back into a semi-working state. She grabbed Adrienne''s wrist, stopping the distracting stroking happening between their bodies.


    "Adrienne. This isn''t actually why I came here."


    Adrienne paused. She didn''t seem toprehend the words. She looked at Zoey with a nk face. "What?" Her hips wiggled forward and back, grinding into Zoey''sp, undeterred. "What do you mean?"


    Her face burning, Zoey said, "I''m here on business."


    "Business?"


    "Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression." Though, Zoey didn''t see how she could have. She''d said all of a few words before the woman had rushed off to get changed into lingerie—and impressively fast, at that. Not that Zoey was remotely, in the slightest, even a tiny bitining. Just, now unfortunately wasn''t the time.


    Plus, Zoey didn''t know how to feel about the fact she <em>was</em> technically Adrienne''s boss. There was a power dynamic there Zoey didn''tpletely like. That said, Adrienne had been more than willing to y into it. And Zoey was only her boss in a roundabout manner.


    Finally, Adrienne seemed to digest Zoey''s words. Or that she was serious. Her face started to burn red, and, mortified, she climbed off Zoey''sp, who also stood, adjusting her pants.


    "Oh," Adrienne said. "Oh, I''m so sorry. I just assumed, because, well—"


    "It''s fine," Zoey assured her just as quickly. "It''s not—"


    "Usually I can read this sort of thing. I thought for sure. Because you looked kind of—well, um—pent up?—not that—"


    "It''s fine!" Zoey said. "Maybe another time?" Zoey cringed; she hadn''t meant to say that. She didn''t know if she even <em>should</em> be with Adrienne, considering their professional rtionship. "I came here on business," Zoey repeated, brushing past it. "And I have to get back to Sabina soon."


    Not <em>too </em>soon, but being here, in Adrienne''s apartment, her tight, curvy body being hugged by lingerie, Zoey didn''t trust her judgment. She could easily get lost for a few hours, if Adrienne yed her cards right. It''d only been through a miracle that Zoey had remembered why she''de here.


    "Some stuff has happened. We need to leave Treyhull tonight. I came here to tell you that."


    "Tonight?!"


    "And I''m sorry for just dropping that on you, but does it work? Is it possible?"


    Adrienne reeled as she took in the news. And, probably, from the mimunication.


    "I mean, my stuff isn''t finished being packed, but—"


    "Could you grab the important stuff?" Zoey asked. "It''s an emergency. I''ll pay you back for everything you can''t."


    "I—I guess that''s fine? It''s <em>that </em>urgent?"


    "It is."


    "What happened?" she asked incredulously. "Did you <em>kill </em>someone?"


    Zoey winced, since the confrontation with the cultists nearly <em>had </em>been that, and Adrienne''s eyes widened, thinking she''d gotten it right.


    "No," Zoey said quickly. "No. Just, made a few enemies. It''s a whole thing. And we need to get going because of it." She didn''t distrust Adrienne, but she didn''t <em>trust </em>her either, not with the full story. "Anyway, I came here to deliver the message. My party and I will have some extra inventory space, so put your important boxes aside, and we can scoop them up. You shouldn''t have to leave too much behind. We''ll be back in a few hours."


    "O-Okay…?"


    Zoey cleared her throat. "Well, that''s all I had."


    Then, in the world''s awkwardest move, Zoey held her hand out. Adrienne shook it, seeming confused. She would hug her, but that felt—a little inappropriate, right now.


    "We''ll see you then," Zoey said, face burning. "Two hours, give or take."


    "Bye?" Adrienne said, still seeming like she didn''t know what was going on.


    With nothing more to say, Zoey fled the apartment.


    That conversation … probably could''ve gone better.


    Then again, it could''ve gone worse. Adrienne could have kept her trapped there all night.


    ***


    When Zoey returned to her teammates, the rest of the wrap-up errands had been handled. Maddy was there, collected by Delta. The blue-haired girl was the easiest person to bring in, since, as a wayfarer, she was always ready to uproot her life and trek off somewhere new. The only thing holding her down, maybe, would be identifying artifacts from a previous shard, but Maddy had been hanging out in Treyhull for a while; she''d taken care of all that a while ago.


    Aria, the priestess, had also been collected by Delta. She seemed disoriented to be there. Zoey breathed a sigh of relief that she''d been sorted out without difficulty. Zoey owed the woman a long talk—she was obviously bursting with questions about Ephy, and the goddess''smand to act as Zoey''s ''High Priestess''. That would have to wait a bit longer, though.


    Rosalie and Lucinda had handled hiring new guides. Unfortunately, the ones they''d gotten into contact with beforehand were going to have to be left out to dry. There were no means that Zoey could think of to get into contact with them, or at least, none that would be hassle-free and quick. So their previous arrangements would have to go unhonored.


    From there, as a group, they trekked out to Sabina''s and scooped up everything she''did out as important. Following that was Adrienne—who was no longer in lingerie, and who had found a sudden nervousness for meeting Zoey''s eyes. At least she was embarrassed too; they were mutually flustered by the mimunication.


    And so, their squad made the long trip down one of Treyhull''s many enormous tree-trunk spiral staircases, then, shortly, they left the city behind for good.


    Their destination: Mantle, the capital of the Deepshunters Guild, and more importantly, Rosalie''s family.