Page 32 of Never Run from an Immortal

A small waterfall flowed off a rock garden, and she hummed quietly to herself in approval as she dove into the warm water, breath held, exploring beneath the surface for every turn in the pool. Water had once been a punishment, but Rae had learned to turn it into a comfort. To remind herself that she wasn’t just existing; she was alive. Nim had reminded her of that too. Had given her a reason to show up every day, even when her thoughts were too loud, too much, too messy.

A bark registered over the sound of the falls and Rae broke the surface to find Quinn at the edge of the pool beside her, dancing from one foot to another. “Relax,” she told him, swiping water away from her eyes. “I can hold my breath for a little while longer than that.”

“Should I ask why?” Baelin’s voice echoed quietly through the natatorium.

The answer wasn’t pleasant, and she didn’t feel like a heart-to-heart tonight, as much as Baelin had put her at ease back in Cosia. In truth, he reminded her of Seylan, and hearing the Vampire crack jokes at Cosia to make her feel comfortable had made her homesick for the first time in as long as she could remember.

“I’m part Siren,” Rae said with a mocking grin as Baelin rounded a mosaicked column, running a hand over Quinn’s sleek head.

“A likely possibility, given what you did tonight.” He crouched at the water’s edge, one hand swirling in the water, watchingthe ripples he made. “There’s no news about her yet,” he said quietly.

Rae resisted the urge to swim closer, just to hear more information about her friend. “Do you want what’s best for your lord, or do you truly care if she lives or dies?” she asked, treading water as she swam closer.

“Can’t it be both?” Baelin glanced up, a boyish smile on his face, and Rae decided to believe him. “He’s in here a lot, by the way. It’s kind of his safe space, but don’t tell him I told you that.” He waved a hand at the pool.

“Whyareyou telling me that?”

“Because he told you he’d give you space here, but I don’t see why you can’t both peacefully coexist until this arrangement reaches its conclusion.” Another of his boyish smirks.

Rae scoffed. “Until one of you tries to kill me, you mean?”

“I’m fairly certain that’s the opp—”

“Baelin.” There was no mistaking the command in Aidan’s tone. For someone who’d just tortured a prisoner, if Rae’s guess was correct, he looked surprisingly unruffled as he joined Baelin at the side of the pool. Then again, he could have gotten whatever information he needed without lifting so much as a finger. Dispatched a life without even breaking a sweat.

Baelin shook off his hand and pushed to his feet. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” A flick of his chin. “Quinn.”

The beast didn’t move.

“Traitor. Have it your way.” Baelin winked in Rae’s direction before he turned to Aidan. “Good morning, my lord.” And with that, he left them alone.

Aidan ignored his Ascendant. Ignored Rae and lay down beside the pool on a ledge that jutted out from one of the columns before lighting a joint. Quinn leapt up to sit beside him.

“Would you like me to arrange a lifeguard? Quinn’s a strong swimmer, though I don’t think he can hold his breath for… close to ten minutes, I believe you were down there for.”

Rae’s attention fell to the hand Aidan ran over Quinn’s coat and the tattoos on his forearms where he’d rolled his shirt up to the elbows. How quickly she’d forgotten he knew her every movement in this house. Her every breath. But Rae wouldn’t let him latch on to any emotions, tucking everything away as carefully as she could. Even now, with the small space she’d allowed for him in her mind, it was like she could feel him everywhere. In every breath that passed through her lungs, in every push of her hand against the water surrounding her.

He’d been kind to her earlier, but she wouldn’t let that cloud her judgement, not when he needed something from her. “Quinn’s his daemon?” she asked, dismissing his question. Rae knew a little about the Elymas Vampires, but Baelin was the first she’d met, rare as they were. Which made Quinn her first daemon. He seemed to spend more time with anyone other than Baelin, from what she’d observed since meeting him.

A hum of agreement from Aidan.

“Anything I should know?” Rae floated on her back, mimicking Aidan’s position, wishing she could have a drag on his joint because her swim certainly hadn’t been the quiet escape she’d hoped it would be.

“Other than the fact that he and the dog are basically one mind at this point? No.”

That answered every other question she’d had. Rae still preferred to hold onto her adorable bodyguard story. For now. She swam closer, settled onto the underwater bench that lined the edge of the pool, and reached out a hand for the joint. “Do you always have a joint or a glass of visk in your hand?”

Aidan didn’t look down, just lowered the hand with the joint for her. He hadn’t been lying when he said he could feel her then.

“You file metal at all hours of the day and night, make scratches with lead onto parchment. I have this.”

“Valid,” Rae said on an exhale. Rae had both those things too. Had whatever she could get her hands on in an attempt to silence the noise in her head.

Another hum.

She passed the joint back up to him. “You ate the food earlier.”

Silence.

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