“I’ve yet to ever think that! So don’t give yourself undeserved credit.” I sighed and sat on the ground, leaning my sweat-soaked back against the beast. Dysis blew a snot-filled huff out of her nose at the guard.
“So, you’re going to stay here until your clothes dry?” Fisher wiped his face. “Seems like a brilliant plan,” he mocked. “Maybe you’ll be ready by morning.”
I leaned my head back toward the twilight sky. The pink and orange hues beaming across were stunning.
In the distance, Col and Amalee spoke low, and from what I surmised by their gestures, the conversation wasn’t going well for either of them. Even they knew just how useless my magic was in fixing the issues their kingdom faced.
“Let’s go,” Col called out as he strode past me.
My eyes tracked him as he made his way to Zalzre, but I remained seated.
“C’mon, Guard.” Amalee gestured Fisher to Ralti. “I’d like to get back in time for dinner.”
“We’re not leaving her here,” Fisher argued. “Take Audryn and I’ll ride her beast back.”
Dysis lifted her head, shrieked in his direction, and snapped her maw for good measure. I tucked my lips under, making my best attempt to hide the emerging smile.
“Are you stupid? We aren’t leaving her.” Amalee patted theback of her wyvern’s neck. “But if you don’t get your ass up here, I’ll be leaving and you can walk back.”
“Audryn,” Col called out, “you’re with me.”
Dysis nudged me gently with her head and trilled.
Rising, I walked to Zalzre, throwing my jacket on as I moved. “I’m going to get you dirty.” I gestured down to my pants and the bottom of my shirt.
“Looks like we don’t have much of a choice.” Col pulled himself onto his wyvern. “Climb as far as as you can and I’ll help you the rest of the way up.”
“We’re stopping to see mother,” Amalee called before launching into the sky with Fisher. I couldn’t tell what he said, but from his tone, he was protesting her decision.
I made it halfway before Col pulled me up and helped me swing a slippery leg over Zalzre. “Thank you,” I muttered as I slid backwards into him more forcefully than I intended.
He didn’t respond, but set a wide hand across my belly a second before the beast leapt into the sky. The ride home was quiet, and though I commented on the weather and the sunset, he remained silent.
“They’re oily.” I frowned at the wyverns standing in the street; both Dysis and Zalzre had crude streaked across their skin.
“You need to wash off before you traipse inside.” Col disappeared into the townhouse and returned with a towel in hand. “Sky isn’t here to help you, so you’re stuck with me.”
He gestured to the back of the building and led me into a gated yard. Gathering two buckets of water, he handed me a bar of rosemary-scented soap.
“I pour, you scrub,” he directed.
“I guess,” I murmured, and waited for him to pour the water.
“You’re going to have to remove your pants to get all of that oil off.” He flicked a hand out toward my clothes.
“You’re kidding, right? Or are you just trying to get my pants off?” I huffed a breath and crossed my arms.
He set the bucket down slowly while keeping his darkened eyes on me. Each step was filled with dangerous intent as he moved closer. I stepped backwards until the wall kissed my back. Col placed a palm against the building, boxing me in. I sucked in a breath as he reached toward my neck, but he stopped short and twirled my mother’s pendant in his fingers.
He leaned in close, the warmth of his breath brushing over my ear. “I assure you, Audryn, if I wanted your pants off, I wouldn’t have to douse you with water. You’d willingly remove them for me and enjoy every moment in doing so.”
My breath hitched as butterflies floated deep in my core.
“Take off your pants or stay out here for the night—it’s your choice.” Col’s gaze landed on my lips just before he took a step back.
Kicking off my boots, I put a hand against the wall and balanced. I removed my pants and motioned to my underwear; he threw out a hand, stopping me. I unbuttoned and removed my shirt, leaving me in nothing other than my undergarments.
For the next several minutes, I scrubbed my lower half while he poured cold water over me. It wasn’t entirely effective, but removed most of the crude from my skin. Twenty minutes later, I was inside the house and exiting the tub, free from the residue of the day’s adventure.
