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Everyone clapped. No one stared. They just looked at her with contented faces. Except Lio. He stared at her knee freckles with a drowsy, besotted grin.
“It suits you,” Lyta said. “Now you are ready for your rose of victory.”
Cassia rejoined her by the prize box. Lyta lifted out a jeweled brooch, perfectly wrought in the shape of a life-sized white rose.
“Oh, Lyros, this must be your gift,” Cassia said.
“White opals,” he replied, “in a copper setting with just the right patina to give the stem and leaves a lifelike green color.”
“It’s beautiful,” Cassia managed. “I shall wear it with the greatest pride.”
Lyta pinned the rose to Cassia’s tunic.
The box appeared empty, but Lyta reached inside once more. “And finally, my gift to you, because you have fought as hard as anyone I know for Orthros.”
She held out her hand. On her palm was a set of speires.
Cassia thought of climbing through a murder hole in Solorum Fortress, of racing through the hidden passages in the palace, of clawing her way out of an avalanche.
She did not hesitate before the Guardian of Orthros. “I am honored to accept your gift.”
Lyta gave a nod of approval and set the speires in Cassia’s hands.
Cassia wound her braid into a knot at the nape of her neck and secured it with the speires.
The cheer that went up among their small gathering was more overpowering, and more precious, than all the roar of the crowd.
MORTAL PLEASURES
Lio gazed at thewindow seat and wondered how much longer he could remain on his feet. “This is embarrassing.”
Cassia laughed and got the rest of his robes off of him. He collapsed onto the bed with a groan. He just wanted to sleep forever, but this was worse than the drowsiness of approaching Dawn Slumber. Exhaustion held him in its grip, inside and out. Every inch of him hurt as if someone had beaten him with a blunt object. Oh. Chrysanthos had. With his fist.
While Cassia stood beside the bed and pulled off her athletic tunic, displaying her naked body and his blood mark, Lio actually had trouble keeping his eyes open.
“Ihatethis,” he said.
“Well, I plan to enjoy it.” She untied her speires and let her braid swing free. “Imagine, the Hesperine seducer at the mercy of the innocent maiden for a change.”
“Your seducer can’t move, much less seduce.”
“Hmm. Perhaps I can show you the effect coffee has on mortals. A sip of me should demonstrate the effects nicely.”
“Unfortunately that requires being able to reach your neck.”
Cassia sat down on the bed beside him and caressed his forehead. “If you’re too tired tonight, you can just drink from me and rest.”
“We can try that the night I’m dead.”
“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about if you don’t feel like feasting. You are always so considerate of me. You know if you need the same patience from me, you have it.”
Lio blinked up at her and focused on a new thought. “This is how you feel all the time.”
Cassia stroked his hair. “It probably feels worse to you than to me, because you’re not used to it the way I am.”
“I shudder to think of being used to this.”
“You’re right, you shouldn’t only experience the downsides of mortality. You should get to enjoy some of the…well, I won’t call them benefits. Consolations, perhaps.” She slid into bed beside him, touching her bare body gently to his. She lifted his hand to her temple. “Let me show you. In here.”
