Page 54 of Her Ivory Flame

An odd sense of relief washed over her in surprise and she didn’t realize how safe he made her feel until this moment. If there was a spy in the castle, this would be the best time to strike when things got thrown into chaos.

“Of course.” Kaden nodded and turned to head back to her room.

“Alyra.” Declan said as she turned away from him. “You are not the same warrior you used to be, you need to be careful.”

She paused her steps and turned to him, his eyes glaring all the fury she could muster towards him.

“You have no idea.” She let her flame flicker in warning on her hand, his eyes widening slightly and she walked silently back to the room with Kaden following behind.

Once the door shut she threw her sword on the table and let out a frustrated growl. Kaden tossed his on the table as well and just leaned against it, crossing his arms and looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Well this will be different.” he grumbled.

“I’ll see if Raine can bring you a cot or something that is more comfortable than the couch.” she started towards the rope hanging by the door.

“No, it's fine.” He held his hand out to stop her. “No need to fuss over me.”

She just stared at him, her face forming into a questioning stare and then her eyes ventured all around his body.

Blood was splattered all over him, his fighting leathers just as dirty and disgusting as hers. He had taken out just as many as she did and she wondered if he even broke a sweat.

“Could you have taken them all down alone?” she asked casually as she kept her eyes on him,

“Of course.” he scoffed.

“Someone is sure of themselves.” she muttered back. “Did you even realize I killed one that was about to eat your backside?”

“Of course I did.”

She looked at him in disbelief but he didn’t falter his stone expression he was giving her. It was like talking to an actual wall sometimes and it was starting to get on her nerves.

“I’m going to bathe quickly and then the bathroom is all yours.” she grumbled and started towards the bathroom.

“I’ll send for my stuff,” he replied casually and she just rolled her eyes as she closed the bathroom door.

Now she would be stuck with him all day and night, no peace to herself after their grueling training session and now she had to worry about the Trenchers outside the castle.

She let the bathwater run but not fill the tub, the thought of sitting in the grime from the battle making her skin crawl and decided to try and wash it all off before sitting in the bath.

Thirty minutes later she was wrapping her towel around her now clean body and winced at the dirty rags she had to use to cleanherself on the floor. If she used that many, there was no doubt Kaden would use more.

She walked out into the main area, the fire already warming the room and she saw Kaden sitting on the couch staring at it.

“I’m going to send for more rags before you bathe, I used all the ones we had,” she said quietly while holding her towel against herself to keep it up.

“I already did,” he mumbled back.

“Oh.”

He didn’t look up at her but she could see the exhaustion on his face, the weight of the day hitting him full force just like herself.

“I’m sorry you are stuck here with me,” she said casually.

“It’s my job.” He shrugged. “Nothing more.”

She took that as a hint to keep moving, his capacity for conversation clearly at its end and she walked behind the couch to her wardrobe.

It was only a few minutes later she heard the entrance open and Raine’s voice filled the room.