I was cold, but also not. My toes were frozen, and my cheeks felt stiff from the temperature, but watching Uttin practice had been titillating and warmed my core considerably.
“Uttin warm me?” I queried, biting my lip.
Uttin grinned at me. “Soon.”
Sticking my lip out in a pout, I edged closer without pressing myself up against his sweaty skin. I liked it when we were naked in bed together, but I couldn’t say I wanted to rub my clothes against him and get them dirty.
A barbarian with long braids and a smirk on his face clapped Uttin on the shoulder, his words slow like he was used to speaking around tributes. “Einar will be gone a while. Go see to your tribute.”
“He’s not a tribute,” Uttin grumbled, and a part of me felt I had to be imagining the disappointment on his face. Did he wish I was?
Why did that thought give me butterflies?
The man looked curious about the distinction, but Uttin didn’t stick around to explain. He pulled me away from the group, rubbing his hands up and down my arms to keep me warm. I was considering ignoring the sweat to cuddle against him when he spoke again.
“You go tent,” he demanded with a frown. “You cold.”
I made a face at him. “You warm.”
He huffed a small laugh, shaking his head. “I train. You rest.”
Well, that sounded like no fun. Simon was busy with his barbarian, and I wanted attention from mine. I stuck out my lip in a pout, looking up at him through my lashes, a move Abdul said would convince any enemy to give me what I wanted. I watched as Uttin wavered, his expression softening as his hand came up to gently caress my cheek. He said a word I didn't recognize, but it was said with such exasperated affection, my heart skipped a beat.
He sighed and capitulated, making me grin as he nodded until he told me what we’d be doing. “Fine. We train. Cloak off, tavi.”
I backtracked, shaking my head rapidly, but he grabbed me by the front of my tunic and pulled me closer, tugging the ties holding the cloak together and yanking it off me. I would have been turned on by that move if he hadn’t exposed me to the wind and cold.
“Asshole! Give me that back!”
“In my tongue, tavi,” he called back with a smirk. “Want warm? Keep moving.”
I ran after him, trying to grab my cloak back, but whenever my fingertips brushed it, he yanked it away again, grinning. The rest of the barbarians who’d gathered started shouting encouragements I only half understood, but I recognized a few that were meant for me and were supportive. Things that Uttin would say to me before he started rewarding me with sex.
“Keep going!”
“You can do it!”
In my own language, Simon shouted, “Ignore the cloak! Go for the asshole instead!”
Snickering, I took his advice, taking Uttin off guard as I twisted and tackled him. I was aware I only pulled it off because he wasn’t expecting it, but I took immense satisfaction when he let out anoomphas he hit the ground with me on top of him.
“Up! Before he—” Simon began, but Uttin got the advantage before he could finish, rolling to put me beneath him with my arms pinned like he did when we were in bed together. I didn’t get a chance to make a suggestive comment or even feel the cold on my back before he yanked me back onto my feet, taking a few steps back and beckoning me with a smug smirk.
“Come on, Tavi. Come get me.”
It became a game of me attempting to tackle him and Uttin dodging me or pushing me away. Every once in a while, he’d correct me, nudging me into a better position before stepping back and beckoning me again. Usually when he did that, I tried to take him off guard before he could fully get into position, but he didn’t seem to mind my cheating. He just laughed and bearhugged me until my bones squeaked and I had to beg him to release me. It was the most fun I’d had in a long while, and no one made snide comments or shamed me for not getting the best of my barbarian, no matter how many times he won. The teasing shouts all seemed to be directed at Uttin, while the encouragement was all for me. I could get used to this kind of treatment.
UTTIN
I wasn’t sure if Zakai was even aware we were training. He enjoyed the play, doing what he could to knock me down, and laughing all the while. I figured with his bratty disposition, he would take offense if I trained him as I would a new fighter. He didn’t take it well when he didn’t learn things correctly the first time. His language skills said as much, and only when I took Simon’s advice did he truly start learning. He needed the lessons to be fun to wish to continue.
After he managed to knock me on my back by tripping us both, I helped him up again and said, “Your turn.”
His frown was full of suspicion when he asked, “My turn?”
I lunged at him, and he only escaped being tackled by the skin of his teeth. If he had been wearing my cloak, I would have grabbed him easily. He yelped and took off, racing away from me, but I was faster than he was and dodged in front of him, capturing him in a big hug and twisting to dump him onto the ground. I came with him so he wouldn’t be embarrassed, catching my weight on my hands to not crush him underneath me.
“Cold!” he protested with a wince. Before now, whenever he fell, he’d landed on top of me or I yanked him up quickly, protecting him from the snow beneath our feet. With all the training, I didn’t feel the cold anymore, but Zakai was unused to the snow. He didn’t like lying upon it.
