He moved quickly, pulling out the inflatable bedding and then moved her to it. She crawled under the attached blanket.
He gathered shards of dry frost-lichen from the cave walls, arranged them in a small pit, and struck his flint. Sparks danced, then caught. A warm orange flame bloomed, pushing back the cold.
Mara blinked at the fire, her eyes heavy. “You… found us a cave.”
“I found a little bit of privacy,” Vaelor corrected softly. “You need rest. And warmth.”
He removed the heavy fur skin from his pack and wrapped it around her shoulders. She sank into it, pulling it close, her body slowly relaxing as the fire’s heat reached her.
Vaelor knelt beside her, checking her hands, her face, the pulse at her throat. Her skin was still cold, but color was returning. Her breathing steadied.
“You are safe now,” he murmured.
Her eyes lifted to his, soft and tired. “Because of you.”
Vaelor felt something tighten in his chest, something fierce, protective, and dangerously close to tender.
He looked away, feeding more lichen into the fire. “Because we are a team.”
But the truth was simpler.
He would have carried her across the entire glacier if he had to.
He would have fought the cold, the beasts, the Games themselves.
He would have done anything to keep her safe.
Mara shifted, leaning slightly toward him. “Stay close. Please.”
He didn’t hesitate.
Vaelor sat beside her, letting her rest against him, letting the fire warm them both. Outside, the wind howled across the ice, but inside the cave, there was only the crackle of flames and the steady rhythm of her breathing.
For the first time since the Games began, they were alone.
And Vaelor intended to keep it that way.
Chapter 33
Mara
She didn’t know how long she had slept. But when she woke, she found herself naked and plastered against a warm and very naked Vaelor. Mara didn’t know what to do so she laid as still as possible and enjoyed feeling warm and protected. His hands rubbed her back soothingly.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“I’m feeling better, at least I’m not cold anymore.
He shifted them so they were laying on their sides facing one another. Vaelor reached up and stroked her cheek gently.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” she told him. Those words didn’t seem to be enough.
“You never have to thank me for taking care of you.”
She smiled. “I feel like we’ve had this conversation before. Next, you’re going to tell me that protecting me is an honor.”
There was a short silence, then he laughed. “I was going to say that.”
“I love your laugh,” she told him.
