“And say what instead? That you’re the only man who ever satisfied me, who made me soar to such heights of pleasure I could barely remember my own name?”
I patted the arm wrapped around my waist. “See, that wasn’t so hard.”
“What? That’s not what I meant…”
She was still capable of cursing me in at least four different languages. Impressive.
“Just ride us home, you impossible man.”
I fell silent and obeyed. Her head rested against my back, her warmth penetrating through my clothes into my very soul. I was a fool in many things, but even I wouldn’t disturb this unfamiliar but wonderful sense of contentment within me. Our time of peace would be oversoon enough.
CHAPTER
39
Rada
The moment Noctis brought Nacin to a stop in the farm’s courtyard, I slid off the stallion’s back and made my way toward the barn.
Unsurprisingly, Noctis called after me, a hint of frustration in his voice. “Where are you going?”
“As you said, there is a lot to do,” I threw over my shoulder without turning around fully. “We should get to it as quickly as possible.”
I knew that despite his earlier agreement to go to Dalath, he would try again to dissuade me. It was better to get the necessary tasks out of the way before facing this inevitable battle.
I scooped up Bane, who had come running to me with a mew as I entered the barn. “Stay with me, little one,” I murmured, stroking his soft, dark fur. “I can guarantee he will be grumpy the rest of the day.”
My prediction proved true. Noctis’s face darkened further every time I caught a glimpse of him as we both bustled about the farm, taking care of the animals and dealing with the small damages the storm had left behind.
The sun was already setting when I finished up in the barn and moved toward the house. Its reddish glow cast a foreboding hue over Noctis’s face as he stepped between me and the front door.
“Rada,” he said, his tone firm. “Really, we need to—”
“Did you put the water barrels where I told you to?” I asked, veering out of his way and making for the back of the house instead.
“Yes, but…” With an annoyed growl, Noctis trailed after me.
I ignored his grumbling and gave him an overly bright smile. “I’m just taking a quick shower, and then we can go pack things up in the house. You could make yourself useful and get me a clean dress.”
To my utter surprise, he simply nodded and whirled around to return to the house, though his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
After he left, I deftly opened the bindings of my blouse and let the sweaty garment fall to the wooden planks, followed by my breeches and chemise. It was a warm summer evening, the cool water a welcome relief on my skin as I stepped underneath the spray of the shower. While I had kept up an unbothered facade around Noctis, the events of this morning had shaken me more than I wanted him to see, leaving a lingering sense of horror and fear that even being back in our little sanctuary couldn’t dispel.
I tilted my head back, eyes closed, reveling in the way the water cleansed me. It washed away not only the exertion of the day’s hard work, but also the oily feeling that had settled on my skin since we had found the Chiasma’s gruesome handiwork.
The wood creaked outside the shower, signaling Noctis’s return. “I’m putting your dress with the towels,” he said gruffly.
The sudden realization that I was completely naked, with only a wooden wall separating us, shot through me. I hurried, swiftly toweling myself dry before reaching for the dress he had brought.
A frown appeared on my face when I unfolded the garment andsaw it was just one of the short cotton dresses I wore around the farm, nothing else.
“Isn’t there something missing?” I asked.
Noctis’s voice was full of barely contained laughter. “You only asked for a dress.”
I scoffed and slipped it over my head, the thin material clinging to my still-damp skin, and finally stepped out of the shower. My narrow-eyed glare only deepened his insolent smile, but I chose not to comment.
“Fine,” I said instead, aware I could not postpone this discussion any longer. “Tell me about that Chiasma. You know which one of them it is, don’t you?”
