Warmth.
Not enough, but better than cold.
The traumatized crowd stirred as rain and thunder ebbed.Cautious footsteps approached theDaemoenicain the wet dark.Saer forced his crippled body into his pale, human form.Exhausted and near delirium, he moved his hand to touch the edge of one of the humans’ feet as they drew closer.
“Fire.”It was all Saer could bring himself to say before weariness took him into its patient arms.
18
Saersquintedhiseyesopen, took in a deep breath, and immediately wished he hadn’t.A sharp and unforgiving pain flared in his ribs while an agonized grunt trembled along his throat, and he shut his eyes again.“Hells.”
The word stopped as a pair of gentle lips touched his and Saer’s growl of pain turned to one of delicate surprise.Neyu’s elegant hand rested on the side of his face as she pulled back, whispering, “Kalia’s outside.We weren’t certain when you’d wake up.”
Her voice made all the aches and pains feel like well-earned battle scars.
Saer blinked his eyes open, this time without the deep breath.
Neyu appeared radiant, healthy—not a mark on her pale throat.With detached acknowledgment, he realized he’d been moved back to his bed in his living quarters.Nighttime insects chirped outside the window, enough light filtering in to recognize it was either early evening or morning.
“How do you look perfect while I feel like I’ve been chewed up and spit out?”Saer’s voice left in a hoarse whisper.
Neyu’s half-smile reflected his own arrogance.“We’re not sure.Kalia and I suspect it has something to do with your shift back into your human skin.We apparently heal faster in our natural form.”She slid a finger along Saer’s jawline.“And thanks.A lady could get used to being called perfect.”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
“Ironic, coming from you.”
Saer rolled his eyes and tried to sit, flinched, and changed his mind with a groan.“Frenzied Hellsfire.”
Neyu reached under Saer’s shoulders, lifting him to sitting while he hissed through the agony.Deep, albeit cleaned wounds and ugly bruises littered his pale chest and half of his abdomen where Ahraan had bit down, and he scowled.Someone covered his lower half in a pair of linen trousers, but he remained shirtless from the waist up.
He took shallow breaths to stave off the pain.“How long has it been?”
“A day.It’s early evening.”
Saer shook his head and tried to rise.Neyu growled and stood with a restraining hand on his shoulder.
“It’s already been too long, Neyu.We need to strike while it’s still fresh in their minds.”
Neyu raised her perfect, onyx eyebrows.“Our victory over Ahraan is not something I suspect they’ll readily forget.”
With the vaguest of flinches, Saer grasped her palm, lifted it, and rose.“Humans live in the moment.Trust me.”
The door to Saer’s hut slammed open and Neyu jerked her palm out of his grasp.
Kalia stood in the frame, her glance darting from where their hands had been.“You’re up.”Plucking a plain linen top from the floor, she tossed it at Saer.He snatched it out of the air and winced, grabbing at his side with his other arm.“They’ve gathered.They want to see you.”
“They?”His jaw tightened as he shrugged on the shirt with care.
Kalia nodded.“Representatives from the village.Your followers.”She glanced at Neyu.“The ones who lit fires for us to heal our wounds.”Back to Saer.“And most of yours.”
Saer made a noncommittal noise as he considered.“Tell them to call a gathering at sunrise.I’ll meet with the whole town next to the platform’s wreckage.”
“The whole town?”
Saer met Kalia’s stare.“If they don’t come, tell them their good standing is forfeit.”Kalia remained in place as her flitting gaze moved between Neyu, Saer, then back.
A pinch of irritation wrinkled Saer’s brow.“Anytime, Kaliaspher.”
