Page 26 of Aryn

“Dear gods, no one is throwing me over their shoulders,” I argue. “I can fend for myself. So can Aryn. The others can run off and hide with their mates and we’ll be fine.”

Ego lets out an obnoxious sound somewhere between a moan and a growl. “Aryn could fend for me any day. I want to hook a leash to those nipple rings and ride him into the sunset. Take that tail for a spin, if you catch my drift.”

“Are you done?” I ask, snatching my cup out of her hand and walking to the counter.

“Oh, someone’s defensive. Touchy subject, is it? Are you embarrassed over that little tingle in your nethers from your midnight rendezvous with the ripped red devil?”

“Rendezvous?” Sakane asks, suddenly far more interested in the conversation.

“Stop making it sound like a scandal,” I say as I point the cup at her. “It’s not a rendezvous. We’re training. And how do you know about that, anyway?”

She shakes her empty glass at me for a refill. “I know everything.”

Bash watches me with those cautious eyes as I pour Ego another shot, then drop back onto the couch beside him. “What’s this about midnight training?”

“Nothing,” I stress. “We spar sometimes.”

Xeni cracks his eye open, looking far too amused. “You and Aryn? Sparring? At night? Alone?”

“You are a child. It’s not like that.”

Ego leans forward with a wicked grin. “Then why are your ears turning red, ginger?”

“They are not.”

Sakane tilts his head, studying me with a frown. “You’ve been sneaking out at night?”

“Not every night,” I mutter. “And it’s not sneaking. It’s training. We both need to stay sharp.”

Bash’s eyebrows climb higher. “And you didn’t mention it because…?”

“Because it’s not a big deal,” I snap. “We swing swords at each other until we’re tired. There’s no big conspiracy.”

Xeni snorts softly. “Midnight sword fights? That’s practically foreplay.”

Ego downs the rest of her drink. “Mm-hmm. This is going to fuel my dreams for weeks.”

I heave a loud sigh. “You’re all ridiculous.”

Bash is still watching me too closely. “Just… be careful, okay?”

I lean back against the couch and close my eyes. “I’m always careful.” The room fills with skeptical hums and a few quiet laughs, but I don’t bother arguing anymore. They can think whatever they want.

“Of course you are,” Bash says with a chuckle. “Seriously though. We need you to come home.”

I glance over and squeeze his arm, ignoring the quiet growl that comes from Xeni. His good eye is closed and his patch is off, exposing the scars on the other, but his lip is curled into a snarl.

“Of course I’ll come home. You think I’d ever leave you behind with only your asshole husband for company?”

Ego scoffs and smacks Sakane on the shoulder. “What are we? Invisible?”

Bash doesn’t smile, just pulls his cheek in to chew on the inside until the skin dimples. “You sure you want to do this?” he asks quietly.

I drop the cocky pretense and give him a smile that’s more genuine. “When the alternative is sitting back and waiting for the world to fall apart around us? Yeah, Bash. I’m sure.”

Dawn comes with a light, misty rain and a stiff neck after tossing and turning all night. The others mill about in the living room. Ego cuddles into Sakane’s side, looking a little worse for wear after a few too many drinks. Bash is dressed in a shirt and loose pair of boxer shorts, pacing a damn hole into the floor, while Xeni is rumpled in a long t-shirt and messy hair. I keep my eyes above his waist, because history has taught me the consequences of doing otherwise.

“Should we come see you off?” Bash asks as I grab my loaded pack from beside the door.