Page 17 of Of Blooming Embers
Either the critters in this region were long lost to the Withering, orthey were hiding, silently watching as we crept through the sopping wetlands.
We reached Inksalt Loch as the sun prodded its pinnacle in the sky. I scanned the water, following its gentle ripples to the right. Close by, a single coral bloom bobbed in the current.
I crouched. A smile curved my mouth, mimicking the gentle bend of the petal as I ran a finger over it.
“Hydor lilies are in season,” Gavrel mumbled as he strode to the right, following a thin tributary connecting with the loch.
With one eyebrow lifted, I stood, brushing my hands over my thighs.
“She said, ‘hydor lilies are in season’ … thelotus.” His dimple peeked out from the side of his grin, and the shock of it had my head jerking back. He so rarely allowed his face to express joy in that way.
“Why, Gavrel, I had no idea you were so interested in flowers,” I teased.
“The seer was directing us toLotusLoch.”
Bugger me.
Hydor lilies were also calledlotus. My heart tripped and then caught up with itself as we hastened our strides along the meandering river.
My thoughts drifted along with the current. I wondered how Letti was doing, how she’d react when Xeni found her, and if Father suspected she remembered everything. If he cared even a little that I was gone, but my chin fell, already knowing the answer. Did he at least regret what he’d done to Hestia?
My heart pounded erratically as the image of Kaden screaming in the darkness replayed, and then skipped several beats entirely as I wrapped my arms across my middle.
I scrunched my eyes closed, remembering Gavrel’s biceps cocooning my body this morning. The warmth of his front pressed snugly against my back. Heat climbed from the base of my spine to my neck, and my ember purred within me.
Heart fumbling, my focus wandered along the crisp mountainridges as I tried to distract my thoughts from scurrying back into this morning’s wake-up call.
A low hum of frustration vibrated in my throat. I blinked and glanced at him. He was studying me from his peripheral, as he often had during our littleadventure.
One side of his mouth tipped up before settling back in place again. I pulled my eyes forward as a burning rush of heat swept over my face and scalp. Did he know what I was thinking? Ancients, I hoped not.
Absently, I played with the end of my messy plait, tugging on the end before tossing it back over my shoulder. My fingertips brushed over my neck.
A tingling caress stroked down my spine as I recalled my half-asleep body rubbing against his this morning. I’d relished the feel of his solid limbs tangled around mine. His hands squeezing my backside. His hardness pressing against my core.
Pulling my thoughts back, Gavrel coughed lightly, hands tightening on his baldric. He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, and I wished it was me doing that.
Bloody void, you wanton wench.
Kaden was likely suffering, trying to survive, and I was lusting after his brother. My forehead wrinkled at the thought of my best friend’s anguish, his body contorting in pain. My contemplations continued to spiral and bleed into one another.
Confusion.
Longing.
Rage.
Concern.
Nostalgia.
Frustration.
Overwhelming emotions skittered over my bones, poking and prodding me. Trying to find their place within the cracks of my very being. I wiped my damp palms along the sleeves of my dark tunic as I hugged myself.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
