Zane's eyes widened fractionally, then a slow smile spread across his face. "I'm amenable to that arrangement if Winter is."
They both looked at me expectantly.
"I... sure?" I managed, my heart suddenly racing. "I mean, we're all adults here."
Fenric's eye twitched again. "Indeed. Follow the attendant to Hot Spring Suite 7. I'll be monitoring the situation from the meditation garden."
"I bet you will," I muttered as he walked away.
The blue attendant led us down a candlelit corridor to a private room where a steaming hot spring bubbled invitingly. Unlike the main pool, this one was smaller, more intimate, with just enough room for two people. The walls were lined with luminescent crystals that cast a soft, ethereal glow, and the ceiling opened to the actual night sky, stars twinkling overhead.
"Enjoy your soak," the attendant bowed slightly before leaving us alone.
I stood awkwardly by the edge of the pool, suddenly very aware of Zane's presence beside me.
"We don't have to do this if you're uncomfortable," his voice was gentle. "I can find somewhere else to relax."
"No, it's fine," I answered quickly, perhaps too quickly. "Like I said, we're adults. We can share a hot spring without it being weird."
Zane's lips quirked in a half-smile. "Not weird at all."
I rolled my eyes and stepped into the water, which was the perfect temperature, hot enough to soothe my muscles but not so hot it was uncomfortable. Zane followed, settling on the opposite side of the small pool. Our knees almost touched beneath the water.
For a few minutes, we soaked in silence, the only sounds the gentle bubbling of the spring and our own breathing. The relaxation elixir was definitely taking effect; I could feel a pleasant heaviness in my limbs, and the constant background anxiety I'd been carrying since this whole prophecy business began had receded to a distant hum.
"This is nice," I let my head fall back against the edge of the pool. "I didn't realize how tense I was."
"Carrying the weight of a prophecy will do that. Not to mention being surrounded by four supernatural bodyguards 24/7." Zane chuckled softly.
"You guys aren't so bad," I opened one eye to look at him. "Except maybe Fenric."
Zane chuckled. "He grows on you. Eventually. Like a very orderly fungus."
I laughed, the sound echoing off the crystal walls. "I'll take your word for it."
Another comfortable silence fell between us. The steam rose in lazy spirals, carrying the scent of minerals and something floral.
"Can I ask you something?" I finally spoke.
"Anything."
"Why did you accept this assignment? To protect me, I mean. You could have said no, gone back to your yoga studio, and your date with that succubus you mentioned."
He considered the question, his expression thoughtful. "Several reasons," he finally answered. "Curiosity, for one. Class 1 prophecies are rare. Professional obligation, for another. Despite leaving the demon-hunting business, I still have certain responsibilities to the Bureau."
"And?" I prompted, sensing there was more.
"And," he leaned forward slightly, the water rippling around him, "sometimes the universe puts people in your path for a reason. I've learned to pay attention when that happens."
The intensity in his gaze made my breath catch. The relaxation elixir had lowered my defenses, made everything feel more immediate, more real.
"Is that what I am?" My voice barely above a whisper. "Someone the universe put in your path?"
He moved closer, the water lapping gently between us. "I think you might be," he admitted. "Though I'm still figuring out the how and why."
The air between us felt charged, electric. I was acutely aware of every detail; the droplets of water clinging to his eyelashes, the faint scar that curved along his jawline, the way his mismatched eyes reflected the crystal light.
"Zane," I wasn't sure what I was going to say.
