I shudder thinking about those fangs. The memory of my fear that I’d lost Royo and maybe the others for good sends ice down my spine. Royo said there’d been four zaybears. Four. I don’t know how they survived. Except that with the gods on your side, anything is possible.
The one good thing is I don’t think there are zaybears this far north. I haven’t seen the yaks or califers that could sustain them, and I cling to the comfort of that.
But it’s nearly sunset and we haven’t found a spot, which means we’re going to have to make camp at the edge of the forest—exactly what Royo said not to do.
So, we ride a little longer.
“What is that?” Royo points a thick finger to the northeast.
I’m so surprised he’s speaking that it takes me a second to look. The sun is setting in pinks and oranges, making it difficult to see. Not to mention the constant falling snow. But smoke or steam rises from somewhere in the distance.
At first, I think it’s a campfire, but the longer I look the more I’m convinced it’s steam. And steam can only mean one thing.
“Hot springs!” I exclaim.
I spur my horse and take off in the direction of the steam.
“Aeri, wait,” Royo calls from behind me. “What are hot springs?”
“They’re warm, natural pools, and a hot bath sounds like reaching the Heavens right now.” I curl my toes, so ready for the dip.
“Aeri!”
He canters until he’s next to me. I raise an eyebrow and flash a smile at him, daring him to keep up. I spur my horse harder, clicking my tongue. Royo looks annoyed at first, and then I make out the gleam of his teeth. A smile! Gods, what a sight.
We gallop through the fresh snow, racing until we come to boulders lining a hot spring. It’s not terribly large—about the size of two rooms in an inn, which is perfect.
I dismount, tie my horse to a tree, and start taking off my jacket, eager for a bath. I’ve washed, but I haven’t had a full bath since before we left for the ball in Quu.
In seconds, I amble down to the water level.
“Aeri, wait,” Royo says. “How do you know that water isn’t scalding?”
Honestly, I hadn’t even thought of that. I scan the surface at the edges, and it seems okay.
“Because it’s not bubbling. But here, pass me a piece of dried sausage,” I say. “If it’s too hot, it’ll scald the meat.”
He frowns at the water, then finally nods and climbs down. He hands me a dried sausage link. I dip it in. When I lift it out, the casing is fine, just warm. I put my hand in the clean water. It’s hot, a bit warmer than bathwater. But I can’t tell if it feels hot because it actually is or because the air is so cold. Easier to tell once I’m submerged.
I slip off my boots. Royo, killjoy that he is, continues to stand there.
I take off my shirt and pants, leaving on my undergarments so I don’t scandalize Royo. I’d like to note that he doesn’t stop me from stripping down.
“Come on, Royo,” I say. “Don’t just watch. That’s weird.”
He stares at me, unamused. I smile.
I get in carefully, because it’s hard to say how deep the spring is, but there’s a boulder right beneath my feet. As soon as I step in, the water feels incredible. Just hot enough to sting, but not in an unpleasant way.
I walk in a little deeper, so I’m just up to my chest. I look back at Royo. He sighs and starts taking off his boots and jacket.
“That’s better,” I say.
“Debatable,” he mutters.
He takes his shirt off, and I’m free to ogle him—the broadness of his shoulders. His arm and chest muscles. He’s not pretty like Mikail or lean like Euyn. He’s something that’s perfect for him.
I wait for the pants to come off, cradling my face in my hand. The second smile of his breaks through that tough exterior. It wasn’t until Royo that I realized a hard-fought smile is so much better than an easy one.
