bChapter /bb43 /b

60%

We stop at sunset near theke, and like the day before, I handle the horses while Drystan prepares our camp. No fire. We’re close to the

Twisted Forest, and we don’t want to tempt fate.

“Maybe you want to bathe. Tomorrow we’ll reach

ra nods. I see her stretching her legs, stiff from so many be

heads to theke in search of the most secluded area.

1 repeat what I didst night, following her a few meters behin

water. The waterfall drowns out all other sounds. With

Drystan walks off–for who knows what reason–and ra

b20 /b

I until she reaches a spot surrounded by protruding rock

3

a pool of

“Are you nning to stay there the

wrenched fists, she turns toward me.

asks seriously. “You’re a pervert.”

“Have you considered that maybe I’d also like to present myself clean and tidy to the banshees?” I arch a brow. “Besides, I need to make sure you don’t get yourself killed. I wouldn’t want to see so much blood go to waste.”

“Turn around,” she growls.

I do, but not without tossing onest jab.

“It’s not like I haven’t already seen your whole body at the Red Auction.”

I did. I saw every soft curve beneath that little red scrap of silk that did nothing to hide her nudity. The weight of her small breasts, the curve of her waist and hips, and the little hollow between her legs. I clear my throat to rid myself of the sensation.

She throws the simple dress at my head in response to my bitingment. I smile, pleased with her unpredictable reactions. I hear the sound of water as she dips her feet. I can imagine her wading in slowly–and then decide I don’t have to imagine anything when I can see it with my own eyes. I turn just enough to catch, from the corner of my eye, the moment the water conceals the curve of her backside and touches the tips of her hair.

Once she’s fully in the water, she lets out a tiny squeal.

I turn fully, watching as the day’sst rays hit her and the water, making it look like thick blood. They call it the Blood Lake not only because the kraugs‘ massacres often tint the water red, but because the stones surrounding it are reddish and, in sunlight, create a whole spectacle. I will admit to myself that the sight before me is beautiful. I take a few steps toward the shore and begin to unbutton my shirt.

“Have you ever seen a naked man, rab?/bb” /b

One beat.

Two.

Three.

“No.”

Her response is music to my ears–though I don’t know why.

b“/bThen bdon’t /bturn around if you don’t want that to changeb./bb” /b

bThe /bbwater /bkisses my feet as I walk toward herb. /bra’s bbreathing /bbgrows /bragged bas /bbshe /bhears me benter /bbthe /bbke/b. bShe /bbkeeps /bbher /bbeyes /bblocked /bbon /bbthe /bbwaterfall/bb, /bbbut /bbno /bmatter how bmuch /bbit /bbtries /bbto /bbmuffle /bbthe /bbsound /bbof /bbher /bbnervous /bbpulse/bb, /bbit /bbcan’t /bbpete /bbwith /bbmy /bbears/b.

b1/3 /b

13.25 bMon/bb, /bb4 /bbAug /b

The water reaches my mid–abdomen. I scoop some in my cupped hand and run it over my arms, my neck, and my chest while my eyes remain fixed on her. She knows a predator is behind her so she begins to swim, farther toward the waterfall and away from me.

60b% /b

+20)

I give her some privacy by turning ar

and wetting my hair with my fingers. I close my eyelids, absorbing thest rays of the sun. Even though the sun has never been forbidden to me for being Pure, I don’t enjoy it as much as I’d like. It’s as if my skin, after so many years of existence, threatens to turn to sandpaper as punishment for staying too long under the sun.

I’m almost done and feel benevolent enough to get out of the water and leave her alone, but she screams behind me and my head whips in her direction. I see her submerged up to her chin, struggling to stay afloat. I swim toward her and arrive so quickly that circumstances I would have startled her. My hands take her by the waist, I lift her enough for her head to be out of the w my lips, I show my fangs.

en, baring

I hiss at the creature beneath the water. An undine. I can see her small twisted horns tangled in her thick blue hair, matching her eyes. The creature shows me her row of sharp teeth. ra’s hand rests on my chest seeking support.

The undine sinks her nails into ra’s ankle and pulls again, ready to drag her to the bottom of theke. I snort like a wild animal, feel the veins in my neck about to burst. The ground trembles along with me and the undine finally understands she’s facing a predator far superior to her. She retracts her fangs, removes her hand from ra’s leg, and slowly retreats. She’s a creature of stunning yet deceptive beauty. Like most of us: a pretty wrapping that contains deadly poison.

I don’t take my eyes off the water until my sharp vision guarantees the undine has gone and has no intention of returning. I feel ra’s trembling fingers against my skin. I focus my attention on her face, paler than usual and a quick nce confirms that her breasts are pressed against me. I feel her nipples.

I pull away from her before she can feel what is awakening near her thigh. We are connected at almost every point, and she’s so frightened that she doesn’t even feel shame or gift me with her blushing cheeks. I get out of the water, back to her, feeling her eyes pinned on me. I don’t wait to dry off before dressing, I let the fabric of the shirt cling to my chest and my hair drip down my neck.

“What was that?” she asks.

“An undinei./i” I nce briefly at the water, where she’s still hugging her body with her arms. I turn iso /ishe cane out. “A water nymph. They’re usually more friendly, but I suppose being in a ce so close to violence has made them irritable,”

Hearing here out of the water with the drops sliding down her skin makes me tense immediately.

“Was that the same nymph Drystan spoke about?”

The question catches me off guard. I didn’t expect what piqued her curiosity to be whether the infamous nymph who made mee in my pants with her blood was simr to theke undine.

“You were almost eaten and you ask something so stupid.” I shake my head, holding back augh that she wouldn’t like at all. “Anyone would think you’re jealous, little beast.”

“I’d rather dig into your love life or whatever it is you have, than think about how I was almost dragged to the bottom of theke to possibly be eaten alive.”

The sound of her clothes sliding back over her skin distracts me for a second. bThe /bsensation of bher /bbreasts against bme/bb, /bbthe /bbsoftness /bbof /bbher /bthigh tangled with mine, the memory of her hand over my heart that doesn’t beat, all persist in the memory of bmy /bbcells/b. bHunger /bbmakes /bbme /bthink of my teeth dancing over the silkiness of her skin and sinking into that tender part of her thighb… /b

1 blink band /brelegate that bthought /bbto /bba /bremote part of my mind.

b“/bbWell/b, I bwouldn’t /bbwant /bbto /bbleave /bbyou /bbcurious /bbabout /bbmy /bblove /blife or bwhatever /bbit /bbis /bI bhave/bb./bb” /bI bnce /bbat /bbher /bbwhen /bI bthink /bbI’ve /bbbeen /bbgentlemanly/bb. /bbenough /bbfor /bbtoday /band bthe /bbnext /bbten /bbdays/b. I bcatch /bbher /bbslipping /bbthe /bbremaining /bbsleeve /bbof /bbher /bbdress /bbon/b. b“/bbShe /bbwas /bba /bbforest /bbnymph/bb, /bba /bbdryad/b.”

b“/bbAnd /bbwhat /bbwas /bbshe /bblike/bb?/bb” /b

13.25

bMon/b, 4 bAug /b

“ck hair that covered her breasts.” I savor every word. “Gray eyes like mist. Pronounced and dangerous curves. Pale skin kissed by

death…”

“What you’re describing…”

1 cut her off before she continues.

“Don’t goparing yourself to a dryad, ra. You’re a human.”

1 spit thest word with disdain. Her features contort into an expression of disgust and anger. I’m not willing to endure w she’s about to spew from that pink mouth, so I turn and go back to Drystan. As soon as he sees me appear, he raises his e

“What happened?” He rummages through his bag. “I felt the ground tremble.”

bD0/bb% /b

b+20 /b

omments

surprised.

“A little ident.”

Neither of us adds anything more. I lie on the ground, feel the small stones pressing against my back, and use my arm as a pillow, cing it behind my head. When ra joins us again, I don’t bother to look at her. Soon the night swallows everything.

Drystan insists on keeping watch from a tree branch. The mound of nkets where ra hides doesn’t seem enough to warm her, I can hear the chattering of her teeth. I clench my jaw, insisting on focusing on anything else. I see the ssh of stars in the sky, the only thing capable of casting some light on this night, even if I don’t need them to see through the absolute darkness. I hear the hoot of an owl and the sound of the nkets as ra moves under them. From the rhythm of her breathing, she must be asleep or about to fall asleep.

I listen to her without looking directly. If I had, I would have realized in time how close her body is to mine. She’s seeking anything that gives

her warmth.

I know Drystan has an eye on us, so I open my power and my senses toward him.

“She must be freezing, Cassian.”

So? It’s not ilike /imy body gives off heat. We’re pretty close to dead, remember?

From here I see him shrug.

I let out a growl so low only he can hear it, but there are more important things to focus on, like the human glued to my side. I turn my face in her direction, her head well below mine and her brow furrowed as if upied with something in her mind. If she were awake, she’d die of embarrassment to see how she seeks me in the middle of the darkness. Her fingers emerge from under the nkets, hook onto my clothes and pull until she’spletely pressed against me.

I burst into mes. Her body is a damn bonfirepared to mine, cold, frozen, and unchanging over time. She lets out a small sigh of relief.

“Fuck,” I growl through clenched teeth.

Her head rests against my chest and for a moment I don’t breathe. I fear that doing so will carry her scent into my nostrils and I won’t be able

nd stay li

bto /bbcr /b

bon /bbt /b

ding the