Ugh… my partner.
I grabbed a change of clothes and some food from my pack, then padded toward the house. But I stopped abruptly when I saw the gigantic vine in the distance.
Whoa.
In the light of day, the thing was even more intimidating. A stark reminder that we’d be climbing into the sky with nothing but ropes and hooks, and the precarious ledges formed by the branches.
For two days!
With the man who’d pressed me up against it and told me in no uncertain terms just how much I’d want him.
The treasure gods were laughing at me.
I was in so much trouble.
But I’d survive. Want and Gavin was nothing new. I’d spent years living with it. That kiss was the culmination of too much built-up tension. A powder keg with a fuse lit the day we met based on the games we played.
Pick my pocket. If I die. Steal the seeds.
All games.
I could ignore it. And I would. If playing these games helped Gavin alleviate some of his guilt, he wasn’t going to quit now.
Besides, the sneaky thief still had my only pair of shackles. And he wasn’t going to give them back just because I asked nicely.
Slipping into the house, I made my way to the kitchen to top off my flask. I bit into a hunk of aged cheese, leaning againstthe counter, and wondered if Gavin was still standing guard by the vine.
Was I supposed to bring him his gear? Breakfast on a silver platter? Fat chance. In fact, it was still early, and we had a long, arduous climb ahead of us. I eyed the sink pump Gavin had replaced and wondered what the odds were he’d repaired the one in the bathroom.
Only one way to find out.
I stuffed the last of the cheese into my mouth and headed for the main staircase, taking the steps two at a time. The master bathroom was at the end of the hall and had been outfitted with the latest luxuries thanks to my father.
He’d installed the hot water pump system, heated by a magic rune that had cost a fortune, for my mother before she’d died. It had been near the end when her sickness had settled in her lungs. She used to say the steam helped her breathe easier, and she'd sit for hours in the warmth.
But by now, the rune would have needed to be replaced, along with the copper fittings. I wasn’t expecting much. However, Gavin had always been a man of simple pleasures, and hot water ranked high on that list.
The bathing tub was deep and made of brass, sitting in front of a large window overlooking the sea. I ran my hand over the polished surface, delight curling up my spine. Gavin had replaced the pump handles here too, and I moaned with pleasure as hot water spilled from the faucet into the basin.
It filled quickly, and I tossed my itchy tunic and leggings to the floor and climbed inside. I sank beneath the surface, letting the hot water close over my head. The water had been frigid inside the prison. A bone-deep chill I thought would never go away.
This felt like paradise.
When I surfaced for a breath, I leaned against the back of the basin. Steam rose from the water, coiling in the chilly morning air as I blinked the droplets from my eyes.
And then, my mind just… stalled.
A faint sheen of scales shimmered along my legs. I flexed my toes, half-expecting them to transform into a translucent fin. But nothing happened.
Not yet.
My fingers tightened around the long blue strands of my hair. I couldn’t escape who I was or what was coming. The sea queen’s curse and Tivara's dark magic still owned me, and time was slipping away. But now I had a purpose. A chance to make things right. My blood had given Tivara her power, and my blood would take it away.
Until then, at least I wasn’t cold or hungry. In pain.
I was home.
Pushing my dark thoughts aside, I noticed a fresh bar of soap sitting on a small ledge near the tub. It looked unused, with a stamp of a leaf pressed into the top. I brought it to my nose.
