Heshook his head.
“Oh,what a brave lad he is.Dashin’ right to a dragon’s maw, pecker all aflame.Idare say, he’d chisel a mountain on my order.Arrest the heavens in theirpath.”
“I willtoss you off me.”
“Gimmea kiss.”
Sheleaned in, her face covered in green sludge.He craned his neck away,struggling to throw her bulk from his shoulder.Both of their feet squishedthrough the trails of blood and viscera.
“Pleasestop,” Isaac said.
“Oh, whata brave lad, my squire.”
“Zaria.”
“Gimmea kiss.”
“I—youjust—” He struggled over himself.“Gods, you were justeaten!Alive!Areyou alright?Are you injured?”
“I justwanna celebrate.”
“Ithink you need medicine.”
“Theysay love’s the best medicine.”
“Godsabove, fuck off!”
He gaveup on pushing her away.Instead, he squirmed out from beneath her arm, usingthe dragon blood as lubricant.She wobbled on her own, wet and lurching.
“Squire!”Zaria whined, reaching for him.
“You’refine, clearly.”
“Squiiiiirrrre!”
“Gods,stop shouting!”
“Sssssquuuiiiirrrreeeee—”
Shegrabbed for him, he dodged away, and a struggle immediately ensued, full ofreaching and moans and curses, and, even though the gore made it an utterlyrevolting experience, Isaac was struggling not to smile.He wanted to smilebecause whatever game this was between them was very dumb, and childish, andinappropriate, and it made him feel good.
It madehim feel alive.
“C’mere,you little shit,” Zaria said.
“Goaway.”
“I’mgonna fuckin’—”
“Youcan’t touch me!”
Hefeinted to the side, dodging the other way when Zaria took the bluff.Inresponse, she scooped an oozing wad of blood from her chest, so thick it hunglike jelly from her hand.She flung it at his face.He tried to duck out of theway, but a strand struck his mouth, feeling much like the tentacle of anoctopus, and he nearly gagged from the taste.Zaria gave a snickering laughwhen he returned fire with his own scooping of gore.They traded severalvolleys together.And, despite the circumstances, despite all the dangers he’djust faced, despite the perils he knew were still to come, Isaac found himselflaughing just as loud as her.
Helaughed because she was laughing.
Helaughed until he was choking for breath, and he laughed when she slung herselfon his shoulder again, and he kept chuckling as he was burdened with herweight, because it all seemed so simple and pure.
He hadnever felt more happy to be alive.
