Seth’s still kneeling beside the bed, his gaze searching my face like there’s something he doesn’t understand in my expression.
“What?” I ask.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Roarke’s slept the night beside me before,” I say. I hold up my splinted arm to indicate a time when they were all fine with him lying beside me.
“We were there that time. We all discussed it. We had rules, and Killian was ready to make sure they were followed. Imagine how we feel walking into this.”
I groan, about to apologize when Seth’s smile tweaks into mischief. Suddenly, the guy pounces up onto the bed.
“Get off, you’re all wet,” I squeak, shoving at him.
“I could take my clothes off?” he suggests, but he lets me push him off the edge.
There’s a lot going on right now. Killian is potentially still hitting Roarke, they’re definitely having a private conversation and keeping secrets, and Pax is still nowhere in sight.
Pax needs to be in sight.
Not like I want to see him, to check he’s okay with my own two eyes and probably my hands too. Nope – I need to see him.
I swing my legs out of the bed.
“What are you doing?” Seth asks.
“Saving Roarke.” And finding Pax.
Seth crosses the room, leans down, and pinches Pax’s shirt – the one I was wearing on the ride here – between his thumb and forefinger. He holds it into the air – still dripping wet. Then he lets it splat back to the floor.
“All of our gear’s still on our horses,” he says, turning toward the clothes hanging on Eydis’ rack along the wall.
“Where’s Pax?” I ask again – I’m getting more and more anxious without him.
“You already asked that – he’s outside. He’s… dealing with something,” Seth says as he flicks through Eydis’ clothes.
“Forget it,” I tell him, shaking the top cover off the bed. It will have to do.
Seth turns from the rack. Mostly they’re the same kind of white robes that the woman died in. She was tall and lean with very long white hair, and I’m rather shorter, rather less lean, and my hair is a mottled-blond mess – so I’m good with the cotton blanket.
I pull it tight around myself.
“Shit, no. You’re not going anywhere naked,” he declares. “Let’s not test things that quickly.”
Seth grabs the first thing his fingers touch and tosses it onto the foot of the bed – followed quickly by a few other items from the drawers.
“Test what? I’m going out there,” I say, striding to the foot of the bed.
He cuts me off. “Get dressed first, or I’ll get you dressed myself. It’s only fair since Roarke got to get you undressed.”
“Turn around,” I growl at him.
He turns, sighing dramatically. He slouches and stomps just for good measure. Acting like a child who’s been told they can’t have any chocolate.
If I wasn’t trapped in a bubble with the guy, I’d take my thin blue blanket… which is made from cotton so soft it feels like air against my skin – and it’s warm too. Soft and warm – two of my favorite things. Right, getting distracted. The dull pain that is making me want to go back to sleep will do that to a person. But… if I wasn’t trapped with this guy, I’d take my blanket and run right past him.
Rain is still pelting down the window, muffling the view of my three guys out there talking – in the wet. Pax with his arms folded and an angry expression on his face. Roarke still wearing nothing but his braies, and Killian standing at an angle like he’s blocking Roarke from leaving.
Are they crazy?
Or just keeping secrets?
Suddenly, getting dressed is the most important thing on my list. I drop the blanket to the bed and rush to get the dress-thingy on. My leather splint is still firm and comfortable. I grab the first item of clothing. A breastband. Why is Seth the only one to consider the kind of clothing a girl should be wearing?
“Thank you,” I say.
He chuckles as I shimmy into the light wrapping. Then short female braies. I don’t bother looking at the clothes, my mind a mix between dealing with the dull ache and trying to imagine what’s going on outside. Plus, I’m pretty sure that I’m about to run back out into the rain anyway.
I throw the garment over my head, hunt out armholes, and tug it into place. I’m already moving towards the door when I realize the sleeves have fallen back off my shoulders, and there’s a chance I’ve put the stupid Silvari dress-tunic thingy on wrong.
“Wait,” Seth calls, only just realizing that I’m leaving and rushing to catch up to me on the stairs.
I move with my good arm up in a block in front of my face – not sure where I’ll find my wall. The front door is to the left of the stairs and wide open. I don’t even stop to consider the ward might bounce me onto my ass without Roarke. I’m one step outside when Seth’s arm goes around my waist, and he lifts me up off the ground. The ward wasn’t a problem, maybe it's gone, but Seth is.
“Let me go, Seth.”
“No, it’s still raining, and you’ve taken enough hits already.”
“I haven’t taken any hits,” I protest, trying to wriggle free.
The guy just holds me up, my legs swinging in the air, and turns to carry me back inside. “Yes, you have. I’m pretty sure mortals shouldn’t get too wet; you dissolve or something. And you definitely shouldn’t be needing Roarke as your painkiller.”
I grab the doorframe with my good hand, forcing him to stop.
“Seth, put me down. I can get dry clothes again – but you’ll never have dry clothes for the rest of your chuckin’ long life if you don’t let go of me!”
Across the clearing, the other three have turned to look at us. Whatever they were discussing was serious, and it’s left them frowning.
I don’t like that look on
