Rowan's Journey to Manhood

In the previous chapters…

Rowan, a guy with many sexual inhibitions due to the abuse he suffered in the past, lives in the basement of a big house named “The Cove”, where he meets Alex, a bulky security guard living upstairs, and his 19 y.o. boy Charlie, who unknowingly lets Rowan make the first step in his long journey to a mature sexuality, showing him the joyful side of sex. In the evening, Barry, an oversexed worker, tries to fuck Rowan, but his hysterical reaction scares him. Kale, an Hawaiian school counselor, intervenes. During a dramatic night, Rowan reveals to Kale his past and then they make love. The pale guy meets Hendrick and then Beau, who experiments Rowan’s ‘power’ to block a man’s ejaculation until he begs to cum. The men of the Cove talk about Rowan and decide to help him.

Synopsys (*** Spoiler Alert! ***)

After many years, Rowan yields his ass to another man: Hendrick. Rowan discovers how sweet and pleasurable can be anal sex. In the meantime, the two Sioux, Wahkan and Chayton, make love in their special, mystic way. Later on, Hendrick gives some clothes to Rowan, who looks astonishing in Rick’s fancy outfit. Rick hopes that Rowan has overcome the fear of staying indoor at night, but when the sun sets Rowan panicks and runs away. 

Additional downloads (PDF)

• Cast of Characters with images (PDF)
• The Cove – Floor Plan (PDF)
• Book 01 (Chapters 1-9) with bookmarks

≈ THE COVE ≈

~ Exploring the Cove ~

Hendrick and Rowan, slowly climbing the basement stairs, were both excited. Rowan felt a deep connection with his new friend, who had revealed him he had to suffer, though at lesser extent, his same traumatic experience. Rick felt his heart pound into his chest, knowing that shortly he would make love to his pale, sensible friend who chose him to overcome one of the taboos most rooted in his soul.

Coming from the basement, they landed in the entrance hall and turned left, entering the ample living room. Rick led his friend to the right and pointed a door almost hidden from the large double staircase: “That’s the door to the gym”. Rowan silently nodded, memorizing the house layout.

They climbed to the second floor and stood in the small landing. “There are four suites on this floor: the first is Barry’s, then there’s Kale’s on the right, while on the left there’s the suite that Alex shares with Charlie. At the end of the corridor lives Wahkan with his boy Chayton: you must have seen them at lunch, they are both Native-American, members of the Sioux tribe”.

The staircase to the third floor was narrower than the one coming up from the first floor; the two guys went up and found themselves at one end of a long corridor, similar to the one on the second floor. “There are four suits on this floor too, but only one is used, by me and my master Stewart… you know, the airman with the square-cut brown hair sitting next to Barry at lunch”.

“And here’s my door” – Rick said, opening a wooden door located halfway down the corridor, on the right. “This is my private room; it’s connected to the main room, Stewart’s, but all the rooms have direct access from the corridor. So, if you need me, feel free to knock on my door: you won’t disturb anyone.”

They entered a spacious room with a large window overlooking the sandy beach and the ocean. The walls were painted in a warm shade of yellow that made the room look even more luminous. It was clean and tidy, there were no clothes scattered around, nor objects out of place. Suddenly there was silence in the room, while they both instinctively looked at the large king-size bed under the window.

~ The moment has come ~

They felt a little embarrassed, but Hendrick took the lead: “May I help you?” – he said, picking the lower end of Rowan’s T-shirt and pulling it up a couple inches. Rowan silently raised his arms and let his friend take away the T-shirt. Then Rick removed his own, and they both stared at each other’s sculpted torso. Rick’s was more muscular and buff, while Rowan’s was more lithe and sinewy, but as well-defined as his friend’s.

Rick gently pushed Rowan on the bed and removed his sneakers and socks, and then his old worn-out jeans, revealing his underwear. He was wearing a blue and white striped cotton boxer, sparkly clean. The fly was missing a button, and Rick could spot a tuft of black hair peeking through the opening.

The young chef kicked away his loafers and let his blue trousers drop on the floor, standing naked, except for his tight dark blue boxer briefs that hugged his fine ass and his long cock. He got on the bed and lay next to Rowan. He turned to his friend: “Nervous?” “A bit” – the pale guy replied. “Me too” – Rick said with a timid smile. Their hands reached each other’s chest and caressed it with growing passion, insisting on the tender nipples, exploring the cleft between the pecs and tracing the ridges of the abs. 

Their eyes feasted in awe on each other’s attractive body, while their hand danced on the exposed skin, caressing the back, the legs, the ass cheeks. By now, both of them sported a huge hard-on, but they didn’t feel embarrassed anymore: it felt so natural for them staying there, lying on the bed, exploring each other’s body!

Rick gently pulled away Rowan’s boxers and Rowan did the same with Rick’s; then they reached each other’s cock and started a slow, loving massage the brought them both at a rock-hard erection.

The young chef, still in charge, opened the nightstand drawer and took a jar of lubricant; he dipped his fingers in it and greased his own cock thoroughly. Rowan looked at him with a surprise that was not overlooked by his friend: “Rowan, forget the past, it’s just you and me, now… and we are going to make love”.

Rick dipped again his fingers into the lubricant, and Rowan raised his legs, offering for the first time, to a man he loved, what another man, in another life, had took many times by brutal force. Two greased fingers caressed his exposed anus, and he winced for a moment, but then relaxed under the loving, erotic touch of his friend’s fingers.

Rick circled his fingers around Rowan’s sphincter, until he felt the guy relax, and then gently pushed one finger inside, making his buddy sigh with pleasure and relief: “Aaaaah… It feels so good…”. A second finger joined the first, massaging Rowan’s insides with growing intensity and sneaking deeper and deeper into his man hole, that had remained inviolate for many long years. 

“Do it, my friend” – whispered Rowan – “My body is yours, take me, fill me with your manhood”. Rick placed himself between Rowan’s raised legs and, with utmost kindness, eased his rigid cock into his friend’s ass. His eyes were fixed into his friend’s, so to spot any sign of suffering, but there were none; and while it was true that Rowan’s eyes were filled with tears, there were no doubts that they were not tears of pain.

~ The Sacred One and the Young Falcon ~

In that very moment, while the two buddies were making exquisite love in their room on the third floor, another act of love, though very different, was taking place on the second floor, between the older Sioux Wahkan and his boy Chayton.

They were standing, naked, in front of each other, and Wahkan was gazing with great intensity at Chayton. “Young Falcon” – the master said, using the boy’s Sioux name – “I will now show you how deep two men can connect, without even using words”.

“I’m devoted to you, Sacred One” – the boy replied seriously, following his master’s example and using his Sioux name. “Teach me”.

The man put his hands on the boy’s chest, keeping them still, pressed against his pecs and his nipples. Chayton, following his master’s lead, did the same, resting his palms on the wide expanse of the man’s chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart.

They stood there for some times, keeping their eyes into each other’s, and the sexual undercurrent that flowed between them made their cocks grow hard, until both dick stood proudly up, pulsing with desire.

The boy slowly fell under Wahkan’s spell, feeling his skin tingle and his chest burn under his master’s big hands. “Sir…” – he tried to say, but the man stopped him, talking with his grave, ancient voice. “Shh, don’t talk, young Falcon. You have already told me what you need with your eyes. Your manhood screams for pleasure, but keep it restrained. The moment will come.”

Wahkan moved his hands to the boy’s face, and held it tight, pulling it closer. “You too” – he said briefly. Chayton’s hands moved up to the man’s face, but the boy didn’t even realize he was moving. His master’s willpower was so strong, so overwhelming that overcame his own, and could command both bodies at once.

No words were spoken, but their chests, in unison, pressed against each other, and then their loins, trapping the two hard virile members between their groins. They stood there, perfectly still, eyes into eyes, cock over cock, chest against chest. Chayton felt his master pouring his sexual power into him, and the tension in his groin grew more and more.

It was like his master was fucking his mind through his eyes and his hands placed on his face. He felt on fire, his cock grew stiffer than ever, his nipples sent jolts of pleasure just pressing against the man’s chest.

Then he heard Wahkan’s mesmerizing voice say a single word: “Now”.

His cock exploded. “Aaaaahhh!!” – cried out the boy, wildly shook by uncontrollable spasms. His legs gave up, but his master held him up with his strong, protective arms. His cock, still trapped between the two firm abdomens, throbbed and twitched, spurting all the man juice his young balls could give. For what seemed an eternity, the intense orgasm swept away Chayton’s mind: the only things that existed were his throbbing cock and his master’s eyes.

Then, suddenly, the boy was in their room again. He looked around, uncertain on his legs, and turned his eyes to his master, silently questioning him.

“The mind is more powerful than the body, young Falcon” – he explained. “A trained mind can subdue another man’s at such extent that even his most private, intimate acts can fall under its command. You have experienced such a power, my boy. I will teach you to master these ancient powers, if your heart will remain pure as it is now”.

Chayton looked at his master in awe. He was so powerful, so wise, so… beautiful! “But, sir… Didn’t you cum?” – he asked, looking at Wahkan’s stiff cock still pointing at him – “Do you want me to…” 

“No, my young friend. I chose not to give in to pleasure. There are times when a man must be strong, and tonight the Spirits are talking to me”. Both the younger and the older Sioux stood silent, reliving the intense experience in their mind… Until they heard unequivocal moaning coming from above their heads. They recognized only Rick’s voice and were uncertain about the other man making love with him, but their moans were so sweet, loving and intense that both the Native Americans were intimately moved.

“Love spreads through the Cove, tonight” – Wahkan said with a knowing smile. “Come, young Falcon, let’s clean ourselves and then go downstairs until dinner time.”

~ “I’ve never known!” ~

Upstairs, the room was resounding with passionate sighs and sensual moans, loving whispers and chocked screams of pleasure. Rick had been pumping his cock in and out of his buddy’s ass with long, loving thrusts for what seemed an eternity. For the first time in years, Rowan had surrendered his ass to a young man he trusted completely, and Rick wanted to give his buddy the greatest, sweetest pleasure, so to help him dispel the demons that hunted his tortured soul. 

Rowan writhed in ecstasy, watching in awe his friend’s hot body moving up and down over him with manly confidence. His own cock was throbbing with repressed pleasure, and he started massaging it with his own hand, while floating in his lover’s green eyes. Rick felt he was about to explode, but he stoically held back, because he wanted it to last longer.

“I didn’t know… I’ve never known how sensual it could be!” – Rowan exclaimed with passion – “I feel you inside me, I feel your ardor… You’re making me… Aah… I can’t hold it! Aaaaahh!”

Rowan’s body bucked uncontrollably, shook by the wild spasms of his orgasm. Forcefully keeping his eyes locked into Hendrick’s and without ever closing them, he donated to his lover all himself, his joy, his love, his pleasure. He was cumming for Hendrick, revealing to him the most hidden secrets of his souls.

When Rowan had shouted, in the highest peak of his pleasure, Rick had gasped with surprise, lost in the dark swirl of Rowan’s eyes, as he could see inside him, his tormented soul that, for once, shone with sparkling joy. 

But when Rowan’s ejaculation exploded, Rick gasped again, louder, feeling the strong, frantic anal contractions literally milking his cock and forcefully throwing him over the edge of the powerful orgasm he was trying to delay. “Oh, shit! Oh, shit!! Aaaaaghh!!” – Rick screamed, taken aback by the violent climax, while rope after thick rope of his hot man juice were forcefully shot deep inside his friend’s throbbing ass. And Rick, too, let his overwhelming pleasure flow out of his green eyes and into his friend’s, bathing his soul and his body with the balm of love. 

The spasms slowly subsided, and they fell into each other’s arms; and so they stayed for a while, exhausted and panting, and Rick held his friend so tight that he didn’t realize he had felt, as usual, in a temporary state of unconsciousness.

When they had finally caught their breath, they stood side by side, lying on the crumpled bed sheets. Rowan felt different. He had fought another battle with his demons and had won. Another black veil had been lifted from his heart, and Hendrick was the one who did it. 

Hendrick felt different, too. He had always lived his life on his own, even after he had become Stewart’s boy, but now, for the first time, he had helped a friend in need taking an important step in his life, guiding him confidently, like a master with his boy. And, in return, he got… something he couldn’t really get a grip on. His friend had revealed him his bare soul and his deepest intimacy, with an impossible mix of self-confidence and ingenuity that left Rick astonished.

Rowan turned to his buddy: “My friend, there are no words to express my love for you and my gratitude for what you have done for me”. “We’re even, then” – Rick replied with an affectionate smile – “because I’m speechless, too. It was so different then the other times I had sex. I’m not even sure to understand what really happened. …”

~ Questions and answers ~

Rowan was pensive. He had been somewhat accepted by the group of men and boys living in that big mansion, but there were so many things he still didn’t understand. “Hendrick… May ask you some questions? Unfortunately, I’m not accustomed to the social rules adopted by the people living in this house, and there are many facts that I don’t know about you all. But I’m afraid to be indiscreet…”

“I told you, pal: you can ask me anything” – Rick replied with  comforting grin. “I actually expected you to be a little confused. Go on, shoot!”

“To begin with, I was wondering what is this ‘Cove’ you all mention so frequently…” – Rowan asked tentatively, feeling a little embarrassed for ignoring what all the men took for granted was something known to anyone. “The Cove is this house” – Rick replied simply – “but sometimes we refer to the Cove as the group of men living here. Hey, now you are part of the Cove yourself, isn’t it… grand? It were Beau and Kale who started referring to the house as ‘the Cove’; they were the first to come and live here, soon followed by Barry.”

Rowan’s face was lightened by a large, happy smile. “But you all seem… more than just a group of roommates living under the same roof. There is a sort of… complicity between you!”  “You are right” – Rick explained – “there’s much more between us than just a common roof over our heads. As you might have guessed by now, we are all into man-to-man sex, we feel attracted by each other and we all love and protect each other…. And we also often have sex with each other!” – he laughed. “Of course, there are some stronger, and more exclusive, bonds between us: for example, there’s a special relationship between Beau and Kale, though they’re not exclusive lovers; and there is a special, unique bond between the masters and their boys.”

“The boys, right!” – Rowan suddenly said with great interest – “What… What does really mean you are Stewart’s boy?”

Rick pondered his words. “The relationship between a master and his boy is very special and complex. Master and boy are a bit like father and son, but they are lovers, too, and there’s also a hint of… master/slave relationship, but in a good way… A master nurtures his boy, teaches him, helps him growing up to adulthood, protects him. The boy, in return, obeys without questioning any order given by the master, helps in carrying on the family duties, and does his best to satisfy his master’s needs… including sexual needs, that is”.

~ Something to confess ~

Rowan was dubious: “Do you mean your master can order you to have sex with him against your will??”. Rick knew he had made a faux-pas and looked at his friend with a serious expression: “Rowan, listen carefully, and always remember this: here at the Cove no one - I repeat, no one - will ever force you to do something you really don’t want. Even a master, who expects to be obeyed by his boy, wouldn’t ever ask him to have sex against his will. This is why I was surprised when you told me about Barry’s attempt to force you: that’s something that never happened here, and never should”.

“Besides” – Rick continued, with an air of conspiracy – “now I probably understand the howls and yells I heard from Kale’s suite earlier this morning. I suspect Barry got a rough punishment for what he did to you.”

“But if you are Stewart’s boy and you are sort of lovers…” – Rowan said, concerned – “probably the two of us have broken a rule, making love! Oh dear, I hope you will not be punished! It was I who asked to make love with you, it was my fault!”

“I will surely tell Stewart what happened between us: a boy always tells the truth to his master without hiding anything. As said, here at the Cove sex goes with the territory, it’s nothing to be upset for. But making love to you was… incredible, something far beyond physical sex, and I can’t deny, neither to you nor to him, that I feel something special that binds the two of us. Frankly, I’m not sure how Stewart will react…”

Rowan felt sad for his friend, who could maybe get punished for what they’ve done, and for Kale, who had to bear the burden he had thrown at him; and, in a way, he felt sorry even for Barry, who had been harshly punished. “Since I ran away from home” – Rowan said with trembling voice – “I always tried to stay in the background, to go unnoticed, and live my life on my own, without causing trouble to anyone. And now, look at the mayhem I’ve created here in just a weekend… This is not my place, I’m not one of you… I should better make myself scarce”.

“Buddy, you are one of us! Kale said it’s a miracle you’ve found the Cove, and believe me, this absolutely is the place for you. I haven’t told you everything about the Cove and the wonderful men who live here - I will, when we have time. Most of them, including me, have found here shelter and protection from some traumatic events they were trying to forget. Here, they could rebuild their life; I myself could rebuild my own life. And you will, too.”

~ Hendrick’s story ~

“I’ve told you about the… bad experience I went through some years ago...” – Rick continued, looking down, ashamed – “You want to know what I was doing for living, back then? I was a male escort. I got paid by older men to go with them to parties, events, and even business trips. I was 17, but I lied about my age. Sometimes it was not that bad, my patrons invited me to their luxury villas, and some of them even bought me fancy clothes.”

“But at those parties I could never keep my fancy clothes on for long. They always treated me like a sort of toy-boy, gathering around me and stripping me naked. And then they groped me, pinched my tits, slapped my ass… They fondled my balls and played with my dick, making me hard, and then they took turn in masturbating me, rejoicing at my embarrassment. They assaulted my body with their hands, twisting my nipples, fingering my ass, caressing my thighs and stroking hard my cock, until they forced me to cum, laughing at my shame.”

“And there were times when they wanted to go on playing with me even after I had cum for them, and wanted to force more jizz out of me. I had to endure the excruciating sensation of having my body and my sensitive dick roughly manhandled and viciously stimulated, until I could get hard again and have another humiliating, unwanted orgasm.”

“It was one of those parties that happened.” – Rick continued, after a pause, looking out of the window, to the distant ocean – “There was a group of men that was really drunk, and after they played with me, forcing me to cum twice, they wanted more. The deal with my patrons didn’t include anything more than masturbation, everyone knew it, but they didn’t care: I was just a toy-boy, after all, and they were five beefy, horny men… They dragged me, naked, to a bedroom, shoved me on the bed, laughing rudely, and then… they took turn…” – Rick’s voice trailed off. 

Rowan was holding his friend’s hand so tight that his knuckles were white. He couldn’t speak a word, but there was no need to speak: they both knew well what they were talking about. Rick looked sadly at his friend: “And you know what’s worst? I felt guilty, I thought I was to blame, god help me. Hey, doing what I was doing, I had it coming, right?”

The two guys stood for a moment in silence, looking at each other, feeling their souls tightly bound by the unspeakable pain they had to endure and the irrational - but no less stingy - shame they both knew very well.

“But in the end, I too had a miracle” – Rick concluded with an affectionate smile – “and his name is Stewart. Oh, he’s no guardian angel, for sure, he’s tough and strict, and at first our relationship was stormy, to say the least. But… here I am, with the Cove giving me shelter and a caring master to guide and protect me. I’m happy now, Rowan, and I want you to be happy, too”.

~ A gift ~

“Hey, I’ve got an idea!” – Rick said, standing up and looking at the pale guy, still naked, lying on the bed. “Get off the bed and put on your underwear!”

The young chef opened a wardrobe and rummaged inside. “Put these on!” – he said to a startled Rowan, throwing some clothes, shoes and a belt on the bed. “I’ve worked out in the gym a lot in the last year, and I’ve grown much bigger than I used to be, and these clothes don’t fit me anymore. But I bet they’ll look wonderful on you!”

Rowan, uncertain, let his friend help him putting on the clothes scattered on the bed, then they turned to look at the large floor-to-ceiling mirror. What they saw was quite sensational. A burgundy shirt, made of stretch cotton, hugged tightly Rowan’s lean torso, making his pecs and nipples bulge out; it was open to the third button, revealing the defined chest underneath and a black pendant hanging from a leather string that Rick had put around his friend’s neck. The pale skin showing through the open shirt contrasted beautifully with the dark red tint of the fabric. The tight waist was nested into a dark grey creased cotton pants, held by a black leather belt. Black loafers shone on Rowan’s bare feet.

“Man!” – Rick gasped in awe – “You’re so hot I could tear those fancy clothes away and throw you on the bed again!” 

“Well” – Rowan replied, laughing – “I must admit that I feel so hot I could tear these clothes away myself! I… I don’t think I’ve never seen me this elegant and sexy in my whole life… Thank you for letting my try on your clothes, my friend” – the guy concluded, starting to undress. “Hey, hey, what’d you think you’re doing, pal?” – Rick hastened to say – “Those are for you! They’re a gift, keep them on! Oh… wait, correction: take them off!”

Rowan was amused and puzzled by the torrent of conflicting orders his friend was giving him and started undressing, watching Rick rummaging again in his wardrobe and his drawers. “Here! Take these!” – he said, handing to Rowan a T-shirt, a polo, a jeans and a pair of swim trunks, along with a pair of sneakers and a pair of slippers. “You can’t go around dressed that way in daytime, that’s more suitable for a night out. Here are some more casual everyday clothes”.

“Hendrick, you are highly courteous, but I really cannot…” – Rowan started to say, but he was suddenly interrupted. “Stop it, don’t say it, pal.” – Rick said, taking his hands and looking at him with affection – “We’re friends, we’ve made love, and you shared with me what you have most precious, yourself. This is what friends do: share. Stewart buys me more clothes that I could possibly wear” – he lied: Stewart wasn’t actually that attentive – “and I’m just sharing what I have with you. Tell me you will accept my little gift, please.”

“Of course I will, my friend, if you put it that way” – Rowan replied, any trace of embarrassment fading from his eyes – “My heart overflows with gratitude and love for you”. He moved closer to Rick and kissed him on the lips.

~ Fear ~

With an happy smile, Rowan neatly folded his new fancy shirt and the gray trousers, and then put on the polo and the jeans Rick had given him. He raised his eyes to the window and gasped when he saw the flaming sun slowly sinking into the ocean. 

He was coming.

He suddenly felt nervous and restless. “What’s up, pal?” – Rick asked, concerned – “Is there something wrong?”

“I… have to go. I can’t stay here! He’s coming!” – the guy replied, in a crescendo of anxiety. “Rowan, look at me” – Rick said, with firm kindness, keeping his friend at arm’s length – “No one is coming. Stay, don’t go away, I will protect you, I promise!”

He apparently convinced Rowan, who rationally knew that there was nothing to worry about, and tried to silence the warning bells ringing in his head. He lay on the bed, on his side, trying to relax; Hendrick did the same, and hugged his friend tight from behind. “I’m here, I will protect you, pal. Nothing bad will happen.”

He kept holding his buddy tight, speaking softly to him, and at first he seemed to succeed in calming him down. But then Rowan started trembling; at first it was a light shivering, but soon it became an incontrollable shaking.

“Daddy, no… Please, Daddy, it hurts… No… NO…! AAAAHH!!”

“He’s coming, Hendrick! He’s coming to get me!” – Rowan screamed, jumping off the bed. His mind was racing in an endless loop: he knew for sure that there was nothing to fear, and he knew for sure that his stepfather was about to break into the room! And he also knew for sure that running away he would hurt his friend, his caring buddy who had promised to protect him, but he couldn’t help it.

“Forgive me, Hendrick!” – he said, in a choked voice, fleeing out of the room and down the stairs.

~ Ancient wisdom ~

Downstairs, in the living room, Wahkan and Chayton, the Sioux master and boy, after their intense experience, were engaged in a deep conversation, sitting on a sofa. Kale was sitting in front of them, in his usual armchair, reading his favourite book. Suddenly they heard heavy, hurried steps coming from the stairs and they saw Rowan, barefoot, rushing down with a panicking expression; he ran across the living room and disappeared down the basement stairs. The three man exchanged a concerned glance, and then Kale looked out of the window. Wahkan and Chayton followed his gaze and saw Rowan, on the beach, running like the devil himself was at his heels.

“Strong demons hunt his soul” – the older Sioux said with a grave tone. “May the Spirits help him find his way”. Kale nodded in sign of respect to the wise man, but he knew too well that the Spirits alone couldn’t do much for Rowan: “Yes, Wahkan, but we also have to do our part in helping him.”

The Sioux smiled at the Hawaiian counselor: “You are respectful, my friend, and I thank you for that. But I see you are skeptic, and it couldn’t be any other way. But you see” – he said, looking alternatively at Kale and his own boy Chayton, who was still too young to fully understand his ancient heritage – “for my people, invoking the Spirits to watch over a friend is not just a matter of faith in a supernatural force coming down from the skies to magically solve our friend’s problems: it’s a way to convey our own energy into what we must do to help our friend”.

“You are a wise man, Wahkan” – Kale replied humbly – “and you can see deep inside a man’s soul. You could see my fault, without judging me, and helped me understand. May the Spirits watch your steps” – he concluded, guessing that Wahkan had something in mind for Rowan.

In that very moment, Rowan was still running at breakneck speed along the shoreline, like he had done so many times. Eventually, he stopped when his legs couldn’t take another step, caught his breath for a moment, cursing himself, and dove into the ocean, like he had done so many times.

But this time, when he emerged late in the night from the water, after his exhausting swim back, he saw a tall figure, standing still with arms folded, in the middle of the deserted beach, wearing only a large loincloth made from an animal skin. His long hair were flowing loose in the sea breeze.

The moonlight illuminated his face, and Rowan’s heart started pounding faster: Wahkan was waiting for him.

Footnotes and references:
[none]

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 (End of chapter 9 – Please proceed to Chapter 10)