Page 73 of Wanted: Rogues and Bards

Maxie bit his lip, but it didn’t completely stop his giggles as he likely imagined getting revenge on someone threatening him, and he accomplished it with nothing more than a cookie.

“Can you handle water at all…?” Lirion fetched a cup from the cupboard. “Just try filling the glass with water.”

Maxie ladled water from the barrel, then handed it over to Lirion. Lirion tested it with a silver needle and shrugged.

“Safe. So it is the combination of fire and water that engages your talent. Or just fire itself.”

Maxie stared at the cup for a long moment before he broke out into a huge grin. “Well, I can help by chopping up ingredients or fetching things from the market with no need to worry. Thank you very much, Lirion, Malfas. This is such a relief to have even this small understanding of my gift.”

“Of course, my pleasure.”

“Excuse me!” Fenric called from the table, holding one hand in the air. “I believe there was talk of an apple cobbler, but I currently see no progress being made on such a dessert.”

“Oh yes!” Maxie darted over to the table and plopped onto the empty spot on the long bench next to Fenric. “I would also like some cobbler.”

Malfas started to run over to the table and join them, but Fenric held up a hand, stopping him. “Before you sit, don’t you think you should update Hapi on what you’ve learned? You’re going to forget.” Fenric jerked a thumb topside. “He’ll want to know all of this.”

“Excellent notion. He has been very concerned about the manifestation of Maxie’s powers and was determined to uncover the limitations and reach of said magic. I’ll be back momentarily.”

“Yes, me too! I can’t wait to tell him.” Maxie and Malfas dashed away in a swirl of robes and hammering of feet on the hardwood.

Lirion bent his head down, apparently to track where Maxie was, before he commented, “It’s very odd to see someone of his age who doesn’t understand the basics of his ability. Is he a late bloomer?”

“I have no idea, but he didn’t even know he could poison people when we first met.” Fenric rubbed his forehead.

“Where is his master? He should have already had one by now.”

“No, if we’re asking questions, let’s start with why his family threw him out and then had him buried alive.”

Lirion quickly halted his cooking, voice going into the realm of bad operas. “He was what?!”

“Keep cooking,” Fenric requested, letting out a tired sigh. “I’ll fill you in. It all started a week before I first met you, actually…”

Abreeze danced through the small porthole window, kissing the sweat as it dried on Lirion’s bare skin. It was the perfect touch combined with the heat of Fenric’s body pressed against his. Their breathing had just evened out to normal following some delicious early afternoon sex. No complaining when Fen remained adamant about both of them getting off. It was more than enough of a meal for him to simply bask in Fen’s orgasm, but if the man wanted to give as good as he got, who was Lirion to argue?

They were only a day into the voyage but already running a bit behind schedule thanks to a surprise storm that had blown in late yesterday afternoon. Ferocious enough that it had forced them to drop anchor, it had put them half a day behind schedule. Seemed the clear blue skies yesterday morning had been a facade for what the day would bring them. It grated to already be delayed, but on the waters you were at the mercy of the goddess Nuna. Luckily, though, with the skelebabies at their beck and call, when the weather was nice there wasn’t much for them to do most of the time. Other than fuck and watch the world sail by.

However, Rain said they would reach Dead Man’s Curve soon. Both the pirate and the rest of the team seemed confident they could manage it without a problem. Lirion had never sailed through the pass himself, but he’d heard too many horror stories of creatures rising out of the depths to sink ships and devour crews. Lirion wished he could relax like the others.

For now, he was content to soak in the cuddles Fen somewhat grudgingly supplied. The man wasn’t a cuddler by nature, but he also didn’t jump from the bed the second they finished. It was promising. The rogue could be taught.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered an incubus or succubus,” Fen said in a conversational way. “Your people, are you just loners by nature?”

Lirion lifted his head from where it rested on Fen’s shoulder and stared at the man. When was the last time any of his partners had asked about his people and it not be about sex? He honestly couldn’t remember. Fen’s seemingly endless interest in him as a living being and not a vessel for sex squeezed his heart in unexpected ways, but he was careful not to let any soft feelings show lest his reluctant cuddler leap from their bed.

“Eh. Yes and no.” Lirion returned his head to Fen’s shoulder and released a happy sigh. “Kids are kicked out of the house by the age of eighteen if they haven’t left on their own sooner. We’re all forced to make our own way in the world.”

“Really? Isn’t that…I don’t know…a little dangerous? No offense. Just…”

Lirion chuckled. This man was too adorable. “Can’t you remember being a teenager with a bottomless pit of appetite, whether it’s for food or sex?”

“Oh, shit.”

Lirion huffed a small laugh at the horror resting in those two words. “Yeah, we’re no different. No parent wants to constantly deal with their sons and daughters bringing home random partners. Our parents teach us what we need to know to survive—the basics, at the very least—and then shove us out the door with a kiss and a prayer.”

“Did you leave early?”

“Fuck no.” Lirion cackled. “I think my mom was one step away from drugging my dinner and dumping me out in the woods to get me to leave. Exploring the world sounded interesting, but I’m also a lazy creature who likes to be pampered.” He stretched out his legs, spreading his toes to feel the breeze sweep between them. Hell. Someone would have to drug him and physically pull him away from Fen right now. He lifted the hand he had resting on Fenric’s chest and started tracing a finger along Fen’s body, following old scars and swirls of coarse hair. “Besides, I was close to my sister. I wasn’t ready to leave her behind.”