“Mira, wait!”
But she was already gone.
Rynna huffed, tangling both hands in her ponytail, tugging at the roots like she could squeeze reason back into her skull.
“Fuck.” She was trapped in a secret mountain village, far removed from any war happening in the wider world. No way out, and no plan forward.
A low, hoarse chuckle came from the bed.
“Well.” Kaelith shifted against the covers. “Seems we’ll have the pleasure of more time together, pet.” He gave a pained sigh, settling back into the pillow. “I do hope you like to cuddle. I reserve the left side.”
“Don’t forget the dumplings!” Kaelith called from the bed.
Rynna paused in the threshold, one hand gripping the edge of the deer-hide flap. Her shoulders tensed.Irritating…
“I won’t forget!” she shot back over her shoulder.
Behind her, the bed creaked. She didn’t have to look to know he was sitting up again.
But she did anyway.
Kaelith was propped against the wall, torso wrapped in fresh linen. No blood bloomed beneath the bindings. His color was better, too—less ashen. And his shoulders had regained their shape beneath the bandages.
She exhaled.
Good.
Her mouth clamped shut a second later.
Took him long enough.
As if on cue, he sighed, all theatrical suffering. “Who knows. Maybe I’d be walking already if you hadn’t bounced me against every rock on that trail.”
“You’re lucky I tend to you at all.” The retort bit free before she could filter it, familiar after two weeks.
Still, her mouth twitched.
Catching herself, she forced it flat.
“You look well enough to take the mat tonight.” Her eyes dropped pointedly to the thin rug laid out beside the bed. Plus a single pillow. Worn, but clean.
Kaelith frowned, attention on the same spot she’d claimed each night for the last two weeks.
“What—no.” He coughed once, badly faked, and pressed a hand to his ribs like the motion had nearly killed him. “I’m not nearly well enough for such a hard, cold surface…” His voice dropped. “Though the offer to share this bed…”
The mountain air drifting through the half-open flap should’ve chilled the space, but her skin prickled with heat.
She licked her lips.
As if I’d allow myself that kind of distraction.
“The bedwillbe nice tonight.” The words dropped off her tongue.
Her eyes traced his frame from collarbone to hip, where the blanket pooled low, and the linen clung just enough to hint at thestrengthreturning beneath it.
It wasa very nice frame. Same height as her. The fit would be…
Get it together.
