My face burns with humiliation.
The things I did—the things Isaid.
“I’ll take your reddening face as a yes.” Zevayr strides over and unties his belt from my wrists, then removes the rope from my ankles.
His hands linger as he massages circulation back into my wrists. There’s a quiet tension in his jaw, and his eyes are shadowed, like he didn’t sleep at all.
“I removed the gag after you fell asleep,” he explains, an apology in his tone.
I can’t meet his gaze.
Wordlessly, I rise and eat my breakfast in silence.
Tides, how will I ever face him again?
If only we had an earthwielder with us. He could split the ground beneath me and let the earth swallow me whole. Maybe I should ask Zevayr to incinerate me with lightning. Maybe if I try hard enough, I could stop my own heart. Or maybe if we find a stream—
Zevayr clears his throat, dancing eyes lingering on my warm cheeks. “Remember when I said I had shared my power before? It was one of my soldiers—a powerful earthwielder. We were running low on food, all our reserves near drained. Normally, he could grow an entire field—carrots, potatoes, berries—ready to harvest, in about an hour.
“But he’d been injured in the last battle and hadn’t fully recovered. So I channeled some of my power into him. And he grew enough food for two battalions in thirty minutes. But afterward…” Zevayr chuckles. “It took eight men to restrain him. He kept trying to sneak into my tent.”
I want to scowl. Or crawl into a hole and never emerge. But when Zevayr says, “he kept trying to sneak into my tent,” I lose it. A startled laugh bursts from my lips.
Zevayr grins, bright and unguarded.
“What did you do?” I ask, still giggling.
“He injured his guards with his wielding. After that, we used valerian root to sedate him. His wife still lords it over him.”
Another laugh escapes me, and he smiles broadly, as if the sound brings him joy. “You didn’t try half as hard as he did. I’m a little offended, if I’m being honest.”
Tears stream down my cheeks from laughter. Zevayr just watches me, eyes bright, his lips curved in a half-smile.
When my laughter subsides, a question lingers on my tongue. I quietly ask, “That couple I told you about, the one caught power sharing … they were just, they—” My face flushes, and I can’t finish my sentence, but Zevayr understands anyway.
“I’ve known couples who power share for … recreational purposes.”
“Have you ever done it?” The words escape before I can cage them.
He shakes his head. “It takes a great deal of trust.” Something soft flickers behind his eyes. “It’s not something I’ve found yet.”
We sit in silence before I can summon the words.
“Thank you.” He arches a brow. “For saving my life. I would’ve died if you hadn’t shared your power with me.” I cut my gaze away. “And … for not taking advantage of me last night. I know I didn’t make it easy on you.” My eyes linger on the love bites lining his neck. “And for your kindness about it now.”
He doesn’t say anything for several heartbeats, his gray eyes just studying me with something akin to wonder. Then slowly, his lips curve into a soft, genuine smile.
We’re packing up camp when he says, “You called me Zev last night.”
I freeze. That’s what his friend had called him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“I liked it,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “It reminded me that … maybe I’m still someone worth trusting.”
My chest squeezes tight.
“So, yeah,” he continues, eyes flicking to mine. “You can call me Zev. If you want.”
Chapter Twenty-One
