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Niles nods in agreement.
Niles and Warrose remove their damp tunics, tossing them to the ground.
I look over at Ruth, who is mirroring my open-mouthed expression, staring at them like she’s never seen shirtless men before.
Niles is lean and toned, probably from doing his best to keep a strong physique in the asylum. But Warrose is another breed entirely. With his abdomen cut into bulging squares, arms, and chest like swollen hills. He’s about the same height as Niles, only an inch or two shorter than Dessin.
Although Niles is radiant in his golden skin, Warrose’s darker complexion is another beautiful sight entirely. He’s a light shade of brown with hazel eyes that match the water sloshing by our feet. They turn to the lake, glimmering with drops of sweat. And Ruth and I are gawking like two mindless toddlers.
“Scream if you need help,” Warrose says, slicking his long, dark hair back.
“Solid pep talk.” Niles deadpans.
And the boys go first, stepping into the crystal clear water, sinking into its slow stream.
Ruth puts a hand on my shoulder. “These clothes will slow us down.”
I look back at her, catching the mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes, the shy shrug of her pointed shoulder. “I knew I’ve always liked you.” I smile back. I can’t think of a better way to subtly get back at Dessin and Kane.
While Niles and Warrose have their backs turned, Ruth and I scramble to remove our clothes. I peek over at Ruth’s undergarments. She’s wearing pink silk panties and a matching bra. Her ribs are prominent, sticking out like she hasn’t had a decent meal in years. Sharp hip bones, sunken stomach, flat chest. I look away quickly, sick at what that city has done to her but also hopeful that we can reintroduce her to a healthy perspective of food.
She glances over at mine. A matching black lace set that Runa stashed in my pack, along with a few others. I’ll have to thank her if I ever see her again.
We descend into the cool water.
“Absolutely the fuck not.” Warrose stops, only looking at our faces to avoid our unclothed bodies.
“They’ll slow us down,” Ruth says.
“Put them back on.” His expression is unreadable. Hazel eyes like the glittering sea in the morning sun. “I won’t ask again.”
“Good, then don’t.”Damn, Ruth.
Niles makes anOshape with his lips.
Warrose turns to me, jaw clenching down. “Dessin would cut out my spleen if he knew I saw you…indecent.”
“Dessin doesn’t have a say in what I do anymore,” I say, holding hands with Ruth as we drop ourselves deeper into the canal. We hiss, huff, and groan at the icy stream rushing over our skin. But as I adjust, it’s nice, like a cold drink on a hot day.
Warrose glares at me for a moment, running his wet hand through his shiny hair.
“If anyone tells him I saw Skylenna half-naked, you’ll sleep out in the cold. Understood?”
Everyone nods. Niles does so with a smile, delight reddening his cheeks.
We start swimming, kicking our legs, paddling our arms through the body of water leading into the massive Emerald Lake. I’ve never told anyone this, but I’ve been a remarkably strong swimmer my entire life. The times I went to the Red Oaks with my father, the afternoons we’d spend floating in the lagoon, I would swim as fast as I could from one side to the other.
And even though I’m sore and weak from the run, I glide with each stroke, taking deep breaths through my nose as I push the stream past me, catching up to Warrose.
“Don’t look at me,” he says, only slightly out of breath.
“I wasn’t.”
“I’m not speaking to you.”
Water splashes in my eyes, and I fall behind by a couple of inches to shake it away.
“It’s nothing personal,” I pant.
