Page 63 of Don't Fae With Dragons

I nod, avoiding their gaze, and keep mixing the poultice. Without thinking, I grab a bottle of lavender oil and pour a drop into the mortar. I frown at myself –my mother’s magick is running through my hands. I don’t like it; I ran from it for a reason.

I sigh shakily and mutter, “I ran, too. From the East.”

“Anyone worth a damn does,” Chrysthinia smiles.

I smirk, despite myself, and shrug. “Maybe so.”

The poultice is done, but I’m hesitant to leave. As much as I’m skeptical of Chrysthinia, they feel familiar, somehow. Almost,almostI feel myself wanting to tell them everything, to bare my soul. They would understand, wouldn’t they? They’re from home, too; they know the danger, the wicked magick, the dry and brutal land. For once in my life, I feel like I might have met someone who would understand.

Then Chrysthinia says, “Go bring it to her.”

I feel my walls cement themselves in place once more. I nod, not even trying to fake a smile, and turn to go. Chrysthinia’s hand lands on my elbow, though, and I turn to see them frowning at me.

“I’ve never met someone from back home,” they say.

I shrug. “Neither have I.”

Chrysthinia nods knowingly. “It’s hard that way. It’s impossible to explain that place –the way it strips you ofeverything good, tries to punish you for being honest. The people, too. You understand.”

“I do,” I reply –and I mean it.

–––

I enter Mili’s room –alone – with the poultice and the intention of soothing her as she sleeps, then leaving quietly. I walked past Cory and Port, whisper-begging one of them to help Mili instead of me (Realm’s Mother knows I’ll probably be terrible at it, fool that I am). Both of them refused. As such, I steadied myself before entering, trying to muffle the sound of her quiet heartbeat in my ears, and decided to be as peaceful and calm as possible.

All that goes out the window when I see her.

Her arms are flung wildly about her head, as though she fell back and immediately passed out. Knowing that she and Cory had amomenttogether, it doesn’t seem unlikely that that’s exactly what happened.

Still, my breath catches in my throat at the sight of her. Her hair is strewn over the fluffy pillows, dark locks spiraling out from her beautiful face. Her eyelashes flutter softly, betraying her dreaming mind.

I wonder what she’s dreaming about. Is she afraid of what she’s seeing, at war with her mind? Does she have nightmares like me? I push the thought out of my mind and walk over to her.

I kneel beside the bed, setting the thick fabric holding the poultice on the small stool that Chrysthinia must use as a bedside table. Mili sighs in her sleep and my heart turns in mychest. What I’d give to kiss her, hold her, wrap her up and bring her to bed with me –but now’s not the time for that.

As much as I crave intimacy with her, I’m still afraid to hurt her. She’s told me she’s stronger than I think, and I believe her ... but she doesn’t know my past, where I came from, the vile things I’ve done for freedom.

My head drops to the bed, and I suppress a groan from my frustration with myself. I’m here to help Mili, not pine over her. Without another thought, I inhale a sharp breath and spread a heaping amount of poultice on my fingers.

Chrysthinia told me to spread it over her heart, so I gingerly lower the thin sheet from where it’s covering Milica’s chest. The sight of her breasts rising and falling slowly with her breath knocks the wind out of me, and my hand freezes over her.

I shake my hair out, letting some of it fall over my eyes –some silly attempt at self-preservation, I suppose –and reach my hand until it lands gently on Mili’s sternum. She winces in her sleep, probably from the cool of the damp herbs, and I pause before slowly rubbing it into her chest in a circle.

As my hand moves slowly, my eyes fall back to Mili’s breasts, then her arms, then her slightly-parted lips. I grit my teeth as an erection strains against my pants, cursing my lack of self-control.Focus on the poultice, I think to myself.

Focusing on the smooth motion of my hand helps for a moment, then I feel a strange pounding radiating from Mili’s chest. Her heartbeat starts racing wildly, and my eyes fly to hers, prepared to apologize for waking her (and, no doubt, for terrifying her).

To my surprise, her eyes are closed, although her eyelashes aren’t fluttering anymore. I’m sure she’s awake, but she’s pretending not to be.Interesting.

In some strange way, it’s easy like this –with her awake, so I know she’s not upset with me, but her eyes closed. She must know it’s me, since my scent is close enough for her to pick up, but she’s not angry. I feel a rush of excitement at the realization that she feels safe enough with me to stay resting, stay peaceful.

I think I might be able to enjoy myself a little bit here.

“Tell me if you want me to stop, okay?” I whisper, nearly silent.

Mili doesn’t respond, but her heart races faster and I know she’s heard me. Then, almost imperceptibly, she nods. I smile, trying to calm my throbbing cock in my trousers, and lay my palm flat on her chest. She shivers under my hand, and I slowly spread the poultice all the way from her sternum to the top of her left collarbone, then to the right.

As I run my hand over her chest, my eyes fall to her hardening nipples. I lean forward and kiss one softly. Mili breathes heavily, a long exhale escaping her, and I let my tongue move in a torturously slow circle.

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