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“Odd fellow,” I said before taking a sip from my drink.
“Eat so we can sleep,” Kelia mumbled with food in her mouth.
I eyed my companion. Sleep. I wish I could sleep. Since I had been around this human in such close quarters rest was impossible. Her scent alone made my mouth water. Half the night was deliberating on how I could create a scenario that would give me a chance to touch those plush lips with my own, the other half was convincing myself not to just strangle her in her sleep and be done with this farce of good little slave boy. I wondered if she could sense how bloodstained my soul was. Did she know of the monster she was truly traveling with?
We ate in silence and though I normally wanted to chat with my odd companion, I thought on tonight. If we ventured into the Underground tomorrow then tonight would be my last opportunity to break free. Sure, I could lose Kelia in the tunnels, but then I would have to face the queen if she didn’t have her spies already waiting to ambush us.
Killing Kelia left me with two choices: run from the magi or deal with Queen Merelda. Neither of those options sounded enjoyable. If I had learned anything useful about Kelia it was that she followed her orders. If the magi offered freedom for my assistance then I would make sure this little sparrow wouldn’t get us killed before that.
Finishing the soup and ale, the tavern keep led us out to a small stable with an empty stall filled with fresh hay. He quickly bid us goodnight and scuttled off.
“What are the chances of our host slitting our throats while we sleep?” I said, stepping into the cramped stall, I closed the latch on the door behind us and dropped the bags we carried.
“My shield will protect us while we sleep.” She stretched out, her arm nearly bumping into my chest. “Do you need to relieve yourself at all before I put up the barrier?”
“No.”
With a nod, she sat on the hay, spreading out the bedrolls. The ten-by-ten space was more than enough room for us, but with the temperature dropping it would get colder. Lying down, facing the opening above the stall door, I threaded my hands behind my head and gazed out at the night sky.
Kelia lay on her side, the thin blanket wrapped around herself. “Have you ever seen the surface sky at night?”
“Yes,” I said, admiring the tiny pinpricks of light that created images in the sky that told stories of their own. “And it never gets less beautiful.”
Turning my head toward her, my breath caught at how close she was . . . too close. Needing to keep my wits about me I asked, “Do you know how the Starlit City got its name?”
She shook her head, the moonlight touching the button tip of her nose, making her look more innocent than she had the right to be.
“Centuries ago, there was a quake that ruined many tunnels and areas of the Underground. When that happened, it also caused one of the life tree’s roots to shatter and fill the caverns with crystal shards. One area had been so impacted by the shards it created a starlit ceiling with a light source the Underground has only seen in the lower oasis, miles below the surface.”
Kelia’s eyelids fluttered as she listened, sleep slowly taking over. She flicked her palm and a tingle washed over me, most likely her barrier spell—I wondered if it also shielded her. “That is where your people made their home?”
“Some, yes. Others, like the deep fae shunned from all the light and stayed in other areas that were free from light crystals.”
She shivered and hugged herself.
“Cold?” I asked, turning to lay on my side and face her.
“I’m fine.”
Curling more into herself, I could see she wasn’t. “Here, turn around.”
“Why?”
“Body heat. It’ll keep us warm.”
She scoffed. “I have survived worse.”
“No need to boast about your conquests, little sparrow.” Her gaze narrowed at the nickname, and I continued. “We need our rest, and our dear host has neglected to give us better shelter.”
“Fine,” she said, rolling to her other side so her back faced me. “But if you try anything, our agreement is over.”
“Relax. I’ve no interest in anything other than sleep.” Wrapping an arm around her waist, I tugged her into my chest.
Her petite frame melded into me as if the All Father himself had created her to fit perfectly in my arms. Though my arm stayed directly curled around her stomach, her head snugged right under my chin. Warmth spread through my chest and the tense human relaxed in my arms, even adjusting herself to be completely flush against me.
She was delicate, yet muscular, trained to not just fight with her magic but with her fists. The tempo of my heartbeat sped up and I slowed my breathing, ignoring the desire that followed whenever Kelia moved. Keeping my breaths even, I cleared my mind, focusing on the mission, not how conflicted this human made me feel.
The sensible part of my brain screamed, kill her.
The rest of me wanted nothing more than to sleep and keep her warm.
With another few steadying breaths, I stilled my warring thoughts and decided that tonight, I would let her live.
