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I slipped away from the threshold, feeling a bit creepy staring at him while he slept, and tiptoed back to my own room.
“Arya?” A hoarse voice called behind me.
Damnit.
“Yes?” Maybe he didn’t know I’d been watching him for the last ten minutes.
“Why’d you leave?”
All right, maybe he did.
I retreated to the spot where I’d been observing him and snuck my head around the corner. He now faced the entryway with a soft smile wandering on his lips.
“I thought you were sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake you.” A half-truth.
He nodded and patted a spot next to him, silently requesting for me to join him. I glanced down at my bare body, only partially covered by my underthings, and those were damp. If he saw me like this, he’d see pretty much everything my body had to offer. I didn’t know if the idea excited or frightened me—the feelings were always too similar to discern.
“I’ll close my eyes if you don’t want me to see you,” he offered.
I stood shivering in the hall, feeling completely ridiculous. I’d just faced a horned water serpent with more courage than this.
“It’s okay, Arya, don’t fret over it,” he said in a voice so sweet, the rest of my clothes nearly fell off on their own accord.
I stepped to the side without further hesitation, letting my figure fill the short entryway. His gaze dragged from my toes, to my hips to my chest, and finally, my face. I tried to relax under his inspection, but his quiet reaction gave room for my insecurities to shout. I quickly strode across the room, sitting against the wall and crossing my arms to cover the thicker scars discoloring my stomach.
“You’re as beautiful as you are deadly, Huntress,” he said, grazing his hand against my own to test the waters, somehow sensing I needed the lift. “When the gods blessed you with your gifts, they cursed the rest of us.”
“I don’tfeelblessed. I feel sore as hell.” I replied, messaging my upper arm with my opposite hand. Waving his sword around wasn’t exactly a familiar movement, and my muscles reminded me of the learned skill.
“It was maddening, watching from the shore and being unable to help you.” He pulled my hand into his lap, and I flushed as my fingers skimmed his bare skin. “But you wielded the blade better than any trained watcher I’ve ever dueled with. There’s no doubt in my mind now you’re a huntress.”
My lips pressed in a tight line at the word. “What does being a huntress even mean? I’m good at killing things? Doesn’t sound like a divine blessing if you ask me.”
He shook his head, sending small drops of lingering ocean water down the nape of his neck. “The Blessing of the Huntress was created to keep the scale between mortals and divines at a balance. You don’t have an unrelenting urge to kill everyone who pisses you off, thank gods. But the creatures of the night, those who hurt you and those you love, the enemies of the divine, they trigger your power. The mountain trained you to be a runner, when all along it was sharpening your talents and refining your innate abilities.”
A slow breath escaped my lips, accepting his words as they conceptualized into real meaning. I’d always been a bit better than the other runners, caught on to things quicker, more precise, more accurate, my senses sharper than the rest. “In that case,” I drawled, “who do you think would win in a fight? Me or you?”
The idea made him smirk. “That’s a great question. I think I would be a good match for you. But I’ve got nearly a thousand years on you, darling.”
“Aye, but I’mblessed.” I teased.
“Don’t get cocky, Huntress. So am I.” His brow arched with the curve of his mouth.
A giggle forced itself through my taut lips, creating an obnoxious sound exploding against the bare walls. I turned my body to sit on my hip, leaning against the limestone. His gaze glanced down at my chest and the fullness the position created, unintentional but unashamed. He showed no apology for the slip.
“So, what’s my reward for doing so well?” I asked.
He swallowed, and the silver in his eyes darkened like a distant star. “Did you have something in mind?”
“I might. But first I want to ask you something.”
He furrowed his brow. “What would you like to know?”
I bit my lip in a moment’s hesitation, considering where this question might lead. “Why did you kiss me today in the boat when you were so reluctant to last night?”
His voice changed then, the lightness falling deep, easiness turning sharp. “You know why.”
“Maybe,” I muttered, pulling his head back to face mine with a single finger beneath his jawline. “But I want you to tell me anyway.”
