Exhaling, I buried myself against him, craving warmth, wanting nothing more than to collapse and pretend nothing had just happened. Laying my head against his chest, I listened to his heartbeat.
Memories swirled in my head. The screams, the child, the deaths.
Eleos. He’d risked his life to save another, and I’d abandoned him to his fate. Tears brewed in my eyes, and I sniffled, desperately trying to wipe them away.
Seth ran a hand through my hair and tucked my head beneath his chin. “The scholar’s right. You’re too hard on yourself,” he sighed, “and my inability to express myself isn’t helping.”
“You expressed yourself just fine.”
“No. I said everything but what I meant,” he paused, nudging me in an attempt to cheer me up. “Percy used to call me emotionally constipated. You would have loved watching him try to get me to open up. Did you know he serenaded me, once?”
I chuckled, wiping the last tear from my eye. We listened to the storm in silence until he spoke again.
“I stole you a damn good horse, princess.”
Breaking into a grin, I opened my eyes and stared at the blonde mare lying beside us. “I suppose she’s earned a name.”
* * *
Though I fell asleep in frigid cold, I woke in pleasant warmth. Heat surrounded me like an inviting blanket, and I longed to simply close my eyes and drift off again. Consciousness found me, despite my wishes.
Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I slowly roused, stretching my limbs. My leg swept over someone else’s, and my fingers flexed around what felt like a firm bicep. The mattress beneath my head rose and fell. Breathing.
Pressing my palms to the cold cavern floor, I raised myself up off of Seth and glanced around. Our tiny cavern had weathered the storm, and rain had ceased falling. Yellow light rose over the horizon as morning arrived.
I should have moved, but I loomed over him like a creeping witch come to steal his soul. Morning sunlight danced across histanned face, drawing my attention across his sharp features and prominent collarbone. An impulse to trace a finger across his jaw and down his neck consumed me. I gasped when I noticed my hand had lifted from the ground to do just that of its own volition.
Seth woke, eyes drifting from my face to my chest. Still soaked through, my dress clung to my body, leaving little to the imagination.
“Not a bad thing to wake up to.” He mumbled, openly ogling my breasts.
Crawling off him, I nearly hit my head on the opposite wall. Cursing, I stumbled outside, wringing the water from my hair and clothes. My curls fell in limp, pathetic clumps at my shoulders when I finished, and I felt like a sorry, wet mutt.
Seth emerged after me, shaking his hair and brushing it back. His ebony waves fell neatly around his face, curling around his ears and framing his eyes perfectly. A smirk traced his lips, as though he were well aware of his effortless perfection.
“You know,” I said, brushing my hair out with my fingers. “You never apologized for the way we met.”
“Didn’t I?” he tilted his head, thinking.
“Not well.”
“Hm.” He smiled. “I’ll do you one better. Thank you for being such a good hostage. You performed your role admirably.” He bowed his head respectfully.
“. . . why does Percy like you?”
“You should drink with us sometime. I’ve been told I’mhilarious.”
“It takes more than words to impress me. I was raised to have a silver tongue.” Not the best retort, but I wasn’t in the mood for clever words. Ducking back into the cave, I took my horse’s reins and led her outside.
Seth patted her neck. “What’s the good steed’s name, then?”
“Athena.”
“It suits her.” He rubbed her nose and studied me. “You know, mounting and riding would be easier if you wore pants.”
“I am.” Parting my skirt, I revealed the thin hose that covered my upper thighs.
“Those arenotpants, princess. We’re traveling. Fighting. Shouldn’t you wear something more practical?”
