she had never done before, asking her to face her fears. Have I grown so old that I have forgotten what it felt like to be in her position?
He enveloped her in his arms, leading her down to the ground with him. “I'll protect you, Kira. Sleep now.”
She snuggled closer to him, burying her icy hands between them. He pulled his cloak closer around them and waited for her breathing to slow and her body to grow still. She sighed in her sleep, and he strangely found himself enjoying the warmth of her body pressed against his.
CHAPTER 9
A cold drop splashed on Kira’s nose, followed by a second one on her cheek. Unwilling to leave the comfort of sleep, she pulled her cloak over the side of her face exposed to the wetness. A ring of warmth encircled her and pulled her closer to the soft, pounding lullaby that sounded in her ear. She inhaled the smell of old leather and sighed. Although she didn’t know the causes of these sensations, she relished them while she could.
“Kira,” a voice hummed through the darkness. The gentle vibrations traveled through her body and resisted the jostling that followed it.
“Kira,” the voice repeated, this time less soothing than before. Her cloak peeled away, exposing her skin to the icy dampness. She clung tighter to the hard warmth underneath her as the shoving became more severe.
“Kira!” the voice shouted at her this time.
She reluctantly opened her eyes and studied the etched grains of the leather in front of her. A wall of force then collided with her left shoulder, knocking her backwards and leaving her body open to the assault of the falling rain.
“Kira, are you awake?” Galen leaned over her. The rain streamed down his golden hair, and his blue eyes flickered across her face. By the Goddess, she could stare at him all day, despite the weather. He frowned when he stood, and she wondered what she’d done to disappoint him now. “You do realize that you're lying in the mud?”
She bolted up and sent the rivers of ooze trickling down her neck and back. She brushed the mud from her short hair. Brown muck covered her hands—brown like her hair and eyes. She was a mud creature, rooted to the earth, whereas Galen was a creature of the heavens, embodying the sun and sky. She frowned and shook her hands. The rain fell harder, and she lifted her face to allow it to be washed clean.
Her attention turned to his leather jerkin. Memories from the night before flooded into her mind. He’d taken her into his arms to console her. He was the warmth she had been clinging to so desperately. And although she enjoyed lying in his arms, her cheeks burned when she realized that he had to pry her loose from him. She mumbled an apology as she passed him, taking one of the saddlebags with her.
He paused from buckling his sword to his belt and watched her. He was suspicious of her motives again, no doubt. She threw the bag over the horse’s back and turned to retrieve the other saddlebag, still aware of his scrutiny.
“Have you thought about getting new clothes?” he asked and resumed fastening his sword.
“Why do I need new clothes? These don't have any big holes in them. Besides, I'm better dressed than some of the people in the camp. At least I have shoes.”
He leaned on his horse’s back, not moving, and she feared she’d said something wrong. He then began securing the saddle. “I meant, have you thought about wearing a dress?”
His question caught her off guard. “I don't know how to wear a dress.”
“Perhaps you should think about it now that you are out of Elgeus.” He mounted his horse and looked down at her. “Or at least consider growing your hair out.”
She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth out the spiky ends. “I'll think about it, although I'm sure my hair would become a tangled mess if I grew it out.” Not to mention, she wouldn’t know what to do with long hair. “How did you know that I was a
He enveloped her in his arms, leading her down to the ground with him. “I'll protect you, Kira. Sleep now.”
She snuggled closer to him, burying her icy hands between them. He pulled his cloak closer around them and waited for her breathing to slow and her body to grow still. She sighed in her sleep, and he strangely found himself enjoying the warmth of her body pressed against his.
CHAPTER 9
A cold drop splashed on Kira’s nose, followed by a second one on her cheek. Unwilling to leave the comfort of sleep, she pulled her cloak over the side of her face exposed to the wetness. A ring of warmth encircled her and pulled her closer to the soft, pounding lullaby that sounded in her ear. She inhaled the smell of old leather and sighed. Although she didn’t know the causes of these sensations, she relished them while she could.
“Kira,” a voice hummed through the darkness. The gentle vibrations traveled through her body and resisted the jostling that followed it.
“Kira,” the voice repeated, this time less soothing than before. Her cloak peeled away, exposing her skin to the icy dampness. She clung tighter to the hard warmth underneath her as the shoving became more severe.
“Kira!” the voice shouted at her this time.
She reluctantly opened her eyes and studied the etched grains of the leather in front of her. A wall of force then collided with her left shoulder, knocking her backwards and leaving her body open to the assault of the falling rain.
“Kira, are you awake?” Galen leaned over her. The rain streamed down his golden hair, and his blue eyes flickered across her face. By the Goddess, she could stare at him all day, despite the weather. He frowned when he stood, and she wondered what she’d done to disappoint him now. “You do realize that you're lying in the mud?”
She bolted up and sent the rivers of ooze trickling down her neck and back. She brushed the mud from her short hair. Brown muck covered her hands—brown like her hair and eyes. She was a mud creature, rooted to the earth, whereas Galen was a creature of the heavens, embodying the sun and sky. She frowned and shook her hands. The rain fell harder, and she lifted her face to allow it to be washed clean.
Her attention turned to his leather jerkin. Memories from the night before flooded into her mind. He’d taken her into his arms to console her. He was the warmth she had been clinging to so desperately. And although she enjoyed lying in his arms, her cheeks burned when she realized that he had to pry her loose from him. She mumbled an apology as she passed him, taking one of the saddlebags with her.
He paused from buckling his sword to his belt and watched her. He was suspicious of her motives again, no doubt. She threw the bag over the horse’s back and turned to retrieve the other saddlebag, still aware of his scrutiny.
“Have you thought about getting new clothes?” he asked and resumed fastening his sword.
“Why do I need new clothes? These don't have any big holes in them. Besides, I'm better dressed than some of the people in the camp. At least I have shoes.”
He leaned on his horse’s back, not moving, and she feared she’d said something wrong. He then began securing the saddle. “I meant, have you thought about wearing a dress?”
His question caught her off guard. “I don't know how to wear a dress.”
“Perhaps you should think about it now that you are out of Elgeus.” He mounted his horse and looked down at her. “Or at least consider growing your hair out.”
She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth out the spiky ends. “I'll think about it, although I'm sure my hair would become a tangled mess if I grew it out.” Not to mention, she wouldn’t know what to do with long hair. “How did you know that I was a
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