To Blackreach and beyond, I agreed, before taking flight.
Chapter 38
Dain
My visions were a curse that plagued my every waking moment, but this was a special kind of agony.
Last night, I’d dreamed of Fern. That was unsurprising as it felt like she haunted my dreams more thoroughly than any revenant might manage, but that dream…? I’d woken with a groan, my body on fire, my cock throbbing as it pulled hard against my stomach.
Trees, I remembered that part. Me walking through them, bending down to pick up branches, my way lit only by the moon. Closer and closer I got, though I didn’t know what until I came to a stop, because there she was. Naked, gleaming silver, the moonlight caressed her body in all the ways I wished I could. My hands flexed around the saddle horn as the dream replayed inside my head. The generous flare of her hips. An arse plump enough to sink my teeth into, sure it’d taste as sweet as the peach it resembled, and then there were those breasts. Swollen slopes with nipples?—
Slate’s rider says we are landing here for the night.
Argent’s voice was like a slap to the face, breaking me out ofmy reverie and forcing me to realise my body was just as responsive now as it was then. My cock throbbed in time with my heart and ached the exact same way. Ignoring that, I leaned left, following my dragon’s spiralling descent until finally we landed in a clearing.
The trees around us? I recognised those silver birches. The trunks were pale in the growing gloom. This was the place I dreamed of last night. My teeth ground together as I gripped the saddlehorn tight.
“We camp here for tonight,” Kael said as everyone landed. “There’s a small lake just off over there. Lorien, take the waterskins and fill them before anyone has a wash. Dain…”No, I thought furiously.Don’t say it. Don’t say it.“You grab some rocks and set up a campfire. Find some sticks and kindling while I go and see what I can shoot for dinner.”
He pulled his bow and arrow off his saddle, slinging them over his shoulder, only for me to intercept him.
“I’ll go and hunt.” No, that’d take me into the trees. “Or I’ll go and fill the waterskins.”
That would take me to the lake. Gods, I didn’t want that either.
“You’re a terrible shot,” Kael said, hefting his bow. “Couldn’t hit a bunny if it bounced up and bared its fluffy tummy at you. Lorien will just get distracted and wander off if he collects firewood.”
“Hey!” my brother snapped, sliding off Brightfang’s back.
“You know it’s true.”
Kael and I looked at each other, having said the same thing at the same time. Sometimes it felt like it was only during life and death situations that Lorien managed to stay focussed.
“Then I’ll dig the latrines,” I said.
“Nah.” He glanced back to where Lance was helping Fern down from Auren’s back. My eyes did not fixate on the way the other man’s hands gripped her waist. “We’ll leave the lieutenant to do that job.”
“I’ll be standing guard as Fern washes.” The lieutenantwalked up to us, his eyes narrowing slightly. “The general sent me?—”
“To keep an eye on us because he doesn’t trust what he can’t control,” Kael replied with a grin. “Which says a lot about you.” He peered past the other man to where Fern was pulling things from her saddle bags. “But if you want to stand there as our girl bathes, that’s fine.” His smile faded. “Just make sure to give her your back the entire time.”
“You—”
Lance had a sharp retort ready, but it was then that Fern joined us. Her hand rubbed at the small of her back.
“Gods, somehow I forgot how hard a full day’s ride is on your body,” she groaned.
My eyes followed the movement against my will. Did she actually have little dimples at the top of her buttocks, just as I saw in my dream? That question was enough to force my focus elsewhere.
“If you need me to ease your aching muscles,” Kael said, “I’m told I have very strong hands.”
“The hell—” Lance growled.
“I’m fine, thank you.” Fern was perfectly polite, but you didn’t need to have my extra senses to detect discomfort there. “I wouldn’t have thought I could get all grimy from riding through the clouds, but I am, so I’m going to wash.”
When she turned to go, Lance followed hot on her heels.
“Get the firewood, Dain,” Kael directed. “Tonight will be a cold one, and while I would like very much for our girl to come snuggling up to me when the moon rises…” I could see that in my mind, but it was difficult to tell if it was a true vision or not. “It’d most likely be Lorien, so let’s make sure we have enough wood to keep it burning all night.”
