After Severn’s reaction to her mentioning working out, the stoic Haroth would likely have a heart attack or send the enforcers with them as guards. Yup, he took his job seriously, ensuring they were safe, and even more so now after the river incident.
Surely that rebel who threatened her had better things to do than come after a human who wasn’t a Chosen?
Blowing out a frustrated breath, she stopped on the paved path and glanced up at the sky. Despite the overcast day, the dark clouds hung low, letting only a smidgen of sunlight through.
A moment later, Severn appeared with weapons.
“May I?” He held out his arm. “It’s easier for us to get down to the beach if I dematerialize us instead of walking around the cliff.”
“All right.” Leya grasped his forearm, and they reformed on soft sands, the gentle whoosh of the waves rolling onto the shore crowding her ears. Soaring black rocks surrounded them. No, not black, but navy. Veins of light gray and red streaked through them.
Leya toed off her sneakers and removed her socks, her feet having a better grip on the reddish-gold sand—
Help him, please,the words echoed inside her skull, faint as if the person were giving up.
Her heart pounding, Leya spun around, trying to feel where the tug of the voice came from, but only silence remained, thick and heavy. “Where—?”
“Where what, my lady?” Severn asked, frowning as he set the weapons down.
“Nothing,” she said hastily. “How about hand-to-hand combat first?”
“You sure?”
She rolled her eyes. “Let’s hope I can, or my father would have wasted his time teaching my sister and me self-defense.” As a youth, Appa had earned his black belt intae kwon do, but she didn’t think Severn would understand what that was.
Leya pulled off her baggy tee, tossed it aside since she didn’t want it to hamper her, and faced him. He eyed her warily.
Oh, well, no point in dawdling. Since she was much shorter than these Empyreans, she went in with a closed fist jab to his abdomen, and Severn let it happen. Leya wheeled around with another dozen rapid stabs, and he started blocking.
They’d moved onto firmer, damp sand. She spun, unleashing a flying back fist, connecting with his chest. He faltered, seeming in shock. She let free a sidekick to his belly, taking him down.
He fell onto his back and groaned. “Urias! I wasn’t prepared for that.” He cast her a wry smile, pushing himself up as she circled him. “Let’s try this again.”
“Fightme.”
Her head snapped around atthatvoice, but she couldn’t see anyone. Then she looked up, and her heart skipped a beat.
Aerén hunkered down on a tall rock, watching them. He leaped all fifteen feet or so to the shore. Dressed in his fighting gear of loose black pants and a sleeveless tunic, his getup reminded her of samurais from eons ago. He’d pulled his light blue hair in a knot on his head, revealing the strong lines of his hard, beautiful face.
Severn hastily sprung up. “Sire.” After a quick bow, he was gone. The big scaredy cat!
“I think I’m done for the day.”
“Scared?”
“No, tired.” She wiped her brow again and glanced around for her t-shirt, unable to look into those cool silver eyes.
“Then why won’t you look at me?” His tone was so soft, edged with something that made her wary. “Maybe all those things you spewed in your apartment aren’t true? I mean, why else would you avoid me?”
Leya froze. “I’m not avoiding you. I-I got up late…”Because I barely sleep with nightmares haunting me, my worry over you, and missing you so damn much.
She grabbed her sword.
“Indeed.” He pulled off his tunic and tossed it aside, revealing a smaller dressing taped over the demon wound on his side. Hopefully, that meant he was healing.
He picked up the other sword and sauntered closer.
If his bare chest was meant to distract her, it was so working. The sporadic sunlight highlighted the sculpted play of muscles on his pecs and abs. The breeze tugged at his loose pants, molding them against his muscular thighs and his…
