Page 54 of Badmouths & Bards

Concern—genuine concern was rare for Tala. Sure, Cercel and High Conservator Aelidon cared, but it was hard not to think they were required to. That it was concern that sprung from a place of responsibility. The way a tutor would care for their student. There was always a layer of propriety involved. A requirement that made the affection feel less real, less whole.

Tala might have been thick when it came to people, but she wasn’t oblivious to Casimine. Not to the way he was looking at her, or the way Ameriden’s body shuffled closer to her own. His grip was tight, like he didn’t dare let her go the same way Casimine’s eyes said as much.

To be worried about—not because of rules or tradition, but just because? Tala hated how much it made her heart quicken, how desperately she wanted someone to worry about her. To actually give a shit about her. It was embarrassing and not at all something she was comfortable admitting out loud, but nevertheless, Tala clung to Casimine’s hand.

“I’m okay,” she assured. “Whatever that poison was—I can feel it still, but it’s not bothering me… I know, it makes no fucking sense, but the monks taught me how to check in with myself. How to tell when we’ve been manipulated with magic or poison. I can feel the poison—it’s still in my system, but I don’t feel like it’s trying to kill me.”

It was a strange sensation, like when her parents had the doctor visit in her youth and she was inoculated from certain illnesses. A blooming warmth that made her skin hot, but showed no other symptom. Whether it was immunity or not—well, Tala wasn’t a healer. She only knew that her body wasn’t screaming at her to seek immediate medical attention the way it did before.

“Did you…”

“Amer and I healed your wounds, but we aren’t alchemists or herbalists,” Casimine explained. “My family taught me how to identify poisons—but it was only the basics. I don’t know a thing about how to treat it. Amer and I wanted to call for a doctor, but you kept fighting us.”

“That… sounds like me.”

“You have a mean right hook when you’re angry.”

“Shit. I didn’t hurt you guys too bad, did I?”

“No,” Casimine shook his head, a small gesture against her forehead. “Amer got the worse of it, but he’s very hardy. Nothing a bit of water and makeup can’t hide.”

“Fuck, I can only imagine what your fans would do to me if they found out I beat up their favorite bard group,” Tala groaned.

“Luckily, they won’t know,” Casimine smiled. “They might have access to us, but our fans don’t have access to our lover.”

Lover.

Damn.

The word was for books—the kind that Avie would read, not for girls like Tala. It was intimate and personal and—

“Your face is warm,” Casimine whispered.

“Gods damn it, Casimine,” Tala cursed. “Shut up.”

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Amer and I—well, we really enjoyed our time together—with you. We never really spoke about doing it again, but I think he and I are in agreement that we’re happy to continue this… whatever this is, for as long as you’re willing,” Casimine murmured. “It doesn’t have to be a one time thing…it could be more.”

Resistance—Tala’s default—roared in her ears at the proposal. Why her? Why would either of them want her? Tala wasn’t a catch the way Avie was—fuck, the way Cercel was. She was the rotten apple at the bottom of the barrel. A problem, somebody’s problem meant to be solved. Tala wasn’t meant for softness, for sweet words spoken in the middle of the night, for strong arms wrapped around her athletic frame.

And even if she were to say yes, this wouldn’t last forever. Eventually, her bodyguard job would be over. Her fate rested on the job—passing or failing would determine if she stayed with the Valiant Circle or if she would be sent off to the next monastery with a brand new god to appease. Eventually, one way or another, she would have to say goodbye.

Fuck all of this.

Without a word, Tala pressed her naked body to Casimine’s and kissed him harshly.

Chapter 24

Ameriden

Ameriden woke to find himself unconsciously rutting against an ass.

Not just any ass, but the one belonging to their disgruntled bodyguard. Hardly a bad thing under normal circumstances. He was naked and her ass was equally naked, but the part of Ameriden’s brain that wasn’t focused on pleasure was quick to remind him how he ended up in this position in the first place.

Poison, she was poisoned and you’re rubbing your dick all over her like some asshole… unless this is a wet dream?

Ameriden stilled, hand firmly pressing into Tala’s hip with a question on his lips. It stalled when he heard Tala moan and realized that she was making out with Casimine. Ameriden wasn’t upset at that—if anything his dick twitched at the enticing thought—but it still left him with more questions than answers.

“Not that I don’t love this scenario, but are we okay?” Ameriden asked.