It was cold.
I enjoyed the cold, I always had, but I could tell there were those around me that didnotenjoy it.
Who would have thought a star elf could be so persnickety? “Are you sure you’re wearing enough clothing?” I said, trying to stifle my laughter as we walked through the forest nearest the villa, following the gushing river. I’d needed a breath of fresh air and some exercise, and Draven had requested politely that I take Rhys. I also had Mesmer and assorted guards back a little behind us, so Rhys and I felt pretty isolated, even though we weren’t.
Rhys, who was bundled up in two super-soft sweaters, snow boots that hit just below his knees, a pair of pants that had fleece material inside of them for insulation, a beanie, ear warmers, and a face mask that wrapped around his face, only letting his eyes peep through, glared at me.
“Not all of us have the money for a high fae charm!”
I reached into my jacket and wrapped my hand around my new heating charm that Draven had insisted I take with me. “Yeah, these things are awesome!” I gushed. I mean, I didn’t even think I needed the jacket, I wasthatwarm!
Rhys looked like he wanted to toss me in a snowdrift. I cleared my throat and tried to assume a very stoic expression. “Yeah, they’re really no big deal.”
Crunch, crunch, crunch,went our footsteps as silence lulled for a minute. Followed by the distant crunching of the guards’ footsteps. “Then you won’t mind if I borrow it, will you?”
Well, his lipsdidlook a little blue. He gave me nebula puppy-dog eyes, and I caved. “Ugh, alright! But don’t tell Draven! He’ll kill me.” I looked behind to Mesmer and the others. “You all are sworn to secrecy!”
Mesmer nodded, and my heart actually warmed as I handed Rhys my charm. It was a silver panda key-chain that glowed faintly with magic. “Huh, I think Mesmer likes me better than Draven.”
“Aaaahhhhhh,” Rhys sighed. “That’s better.” Then he flicked the ends of my hair. “Of course he likes you better. You’re fun, and Draven is a fuddy duddy.”
I pinched him and he howled like I’d thrown him in boiling lava. “Why do I get pinched when I compliment you!?”
“Because you said something mean about Draven.”
He scowled at me, then forgave me in an instant, and swung an arm around my shoulders. “How sure are we that Mesmer likes you? He could just be setting up a long con, and go in for the kill later.”
I twisted to see Mesmer again. Only Mesmer could look adorable in a dark-blue puff coat and black tactical pants. “Mes, you going to kill me later?”
Mesmer, who always registered in my empath senses as a slow moving, powerful storm, shrugged and said, “I’m more likely to kill Rhys. He sometimes annoys me.”
I was curious about this. Rhys had annoyed Mesmer? I mean, I knew he’d annoyed me a time or two, but Mesmer wasn’t quick to anger. “How?”
Mesmer glared at Rhys. “He keeps sneaking into your showers.”
I laughed and swung back around. Yep, that would do it. After the first few times, Draven had asked Rhys to shower in a different bathroom of the villa, or, hey, here was a thought, at his own home! But Rhys loved to tweak Draven and Mesmer’s noses, and he found new and creative ways to sneak past the villa’s barrier spells, and past the mass of guards, to steal some time in my shower. His excuse was that none of the other showers available to him relaxed him as much as mine did. Personally, I thought it was because he loved me and liked being around me. And with him and Dice being on the outs right now, he was becoming downright needy!
A loud popping sound ripped through the still forest, and, I don’t know if I hit the floor because of instinct, or something knocked me down, but I found myself eating snow before I could blink.
My ears were ringing, and I shook my head a little to get them to stop. I tried flipping over onto my back to see what was happening, but before I could make the attempt, Rhys was there, flipping me over gently and cursing up a blue streak. One of his hands was above us, giving power to one of his hardened starlight domes of magic.
There were rapid pings against the dome that hit with enough force that they created cracks, but after a second, the cracks smoothed again. It befuddled me for a moment, my sluggish brain trying desperately to catch up. I could hear Mesmer roar and burst into his full gargoyle form, and the other guards, werewolves and other shifters, shift immediately and take off running.
They rushed away, chasing after someone.
Rhys was saying something, over and over, and I tried to focus my attention on him, but his words kept slipping and sliding around like a badly tuned TV.
I gave up on hearing him, and tried to read his lips because of the ringing in my ears, and that’s when the pain hit. Had I been shot? I didn’t know why I wasn’t freaking out about it, but I wasn’t. My thought processes were sluggish and hazy. I recognized, distantly, that I was probably in shock. “Oh,” I said, as I looked down and saw my white coat stained with red. “I really liked this coat,” I said inanely, shivering.
My hearing tuned back in and I could hear Rhys growl at me, “It’s just a stupid coat, Mia.” He said as he stripped out of his own coat and one of his sweaters. He balled them both up and pushed them into my shoulder, holding it tightly there. He wasn’t even shivering from the cold which confused me until my sluggish brain reminded me that I’d given him my heating charm.
He took the charm off and shoved it into the hand opposite my wounded shoulder. “But you’ll be cold!” I slurred. There were some weird things happening with the trees. They moved and swirled around us. I closed my eyes; the swirling was making me nauseous.
“Mia,” Rhys growled. “Just accept the stupid charm!”
I thought this was unfair. I was only trying to be a good friend! Chapter 21 in my book talked about the importance of thinking of others, and how important it was to be selfless sometimes in friendships.
I think I blacked out a little for a time. I came to again with Rhys vibrating with cold above me as he huddled close to me, keeping us both under the cover of his shield. I looked at him, and my heart ached to see his red-rimmed, glossy eyes.
