Page 137 of Bane of the Wild Hunt

“He… acquired that skill by…eatingit?” she verified, her eyes widening in uncertainty and wariness.

It was well known that Rian was a Scrios and could unmake any living thing around him, but it was a lesser known fact that he could also consume magic. Fey with his Scrios magic, and Light Wraiths like me, who had the Light of the Sylvan in my veins, were rare phenomena among the aes sídhe. Such gifts had been passed down from our ancient ancestors, the Mavaari Elves, who were the Fallen Sylvan that had gone to serve the Destroyer.

“To take someone’s magic like that, every bit of their essence must be channelled into him. It is not something he does lightly, but he shares any new power he has taken with us through the bond. He can also taste magic more fully and can follow it like a bloodhound. It is how he was able to track you across worlds.”

“He could have tracked Cian O’Duinn,” she realized.

“If the trail had been fresh enough,” I confirmed.

“And… Could he have consumed the Fuath wards?” Summer guessed.

“It is very possible. I have never seen him try to ingest anything that is not organic or elemental,” I admitted.

“Then has he ever tried to ingest the Rot?” she asked.

“He has, but it is dead. There is nothing to consume.”

She hummed, her eyes distant as she contemplated this unnerving revelation. After a moment, she spied the soaps and oils that I’d left out on the rock for her. She seemed to shake off her thoughts and began to move toward them.

“Are you really going to sit up there all afternoon or are you going to get in?” she demanded, stretching up out of the water for the soaps and oils.

I meant to look away, but no part of my body would seem to comply with the intention. I could not tear my eyes from her, hair plastered to her back and shoulders, when her full breasts emerged from the water. I could not prevent the fantasy from invading my mind of my tongue collecting water droplets from every inch of her skin—

“Well?” she pressed, and I blinked, forcefully clearing my head just before she glanced over at me in concern.

“I don’t want to spoil your experience,” I assured her, my voice sounding rough even to my own ears. I tried to shift and discreetly tugged on my clothes to relieve the pressure and constraint of my pants, but it was not nearly helpful enough.

“I can assure you that a beautiful, naked man can only ever enhance my experience,” she laughed as she scooped some soapy paste from the container. She began to stroke it through her hair, fingers working against her scalp, and once more, I was helpless to look away from her.

“I can wait,” I insisted, although I was not sure which of us I was trying to convince.

Or if I was even talking about bathing.

Summer stopped what she was doing and turned to look at me. The water lapped at her shoulders, and one of her furred ears flicked away droplets as she frowned.

“I promise not to look! This is too incredible for you to miss out, Sage!” she insisted adamantly.

The irony of her thinking it was my modesty that was holding me back was not lost on me whilst I fought tooth and nail for every ounce of my composure.

But the water did look inviting, and I certainly needed the bath as well.

Summer had turned away to continue soaping up her hair and body, offering me some privacy, so I rose and stripped off the rest of my clothes. As promised, she did not turn toward me while I walked into the steamy water and sank beneath the surface at a safe distance from her. The water really was delightful, the heat soothing all my aching muscles better even than my fire magic, and I was admittedly thankful I’d taken Summer’s invitation.

I tried to stay focused on relaxing rather than on the gorgeous female across the pool, but it was difficult while still painfully erect. Every breath and sigh, every splash of water around her was captivating.

I tipped my head back to wet my hair and kept my ears beneath the water for several moments, listening only to my own breathing and heartbeat until my blood cooled.

“Some soap?” Summer offered, suddenly right behind me the instant I straightened, and I almost leaped out of my skin in shock. “I can’t see anything under the water,” she reassured me with a smirk when I looked at her with wide eyes. She extended the soap toward me.

“Thank you,” I murmured, our fingers brushing when I accepted her offering. Her skin felt hot, and her scent ofhoneysuckle and rain seemed to be even more potent in the heat, filling my senses with a rich awareness of her.

Summer drifted back a couple steps and sank into the water until her mouth was submerged as she watched me. Trying to ignore the thrilling sensation of those silvery-green eyes on me, I collected some of the soapy paste and lathered it in my hands.

After a moment, she suddenly rose high enough out of the water to speak again. “I know your people are more conservative, but it is so strange to me,” she told me.

I glanced up in curiosity only for all the air in my lungs to abruptly vanish when I saw her eyes on me. Not in objective interest but with the same helpless fascination that I felt whenever I was looking at her.

“What do you mean?” I asked her hesitantly.

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