Page 57 of Deadly Maiden

As if fearing a bite, Rorsyd rises and approaches cautiously. Then he stands before the mirror, wordless for ten or twenty seconds. “Fuck.” The whispered curse carries.

A little confused, I join him. Shoulder to shoulder at the mirror, I stare at his reflection. “They’ve been like that whenever I saw them—on fire.”

“Oh, Wyntre.” His smile is weak, and thoughts are obviously chasing about inside his mind, ones I must wait for him to say aloud. Whatever this is…

“Is it something dangerous?”

“No.” He pulls me to him and plants a sweet kiss on my forehead. “Let’s get this done. Not a word, Hunder, I will tell her afterward.”

“Of course.” He speaks to me. I must look upset. “Sorry, my dear. Now. Let me getmygear.Haha.Please wait in the middle of the floor, both of you.”

When he leaves the room, I look askance at Rorsyd.

“Later.” His shoulders heave as he draws a long breath. “Once we have a room at an inn, I will explain. Okay?”

“Okay.” My mind is boiling with questions.

I have ideas, make that one idea, but surely I’m wrong? Shifters are known for what I’m thinking. I detour about the thought. No. I will wait. Dragonshifters, there are too few of those for much to be known about their…innards, by anyone, even me.

Hunder returns, arms full of pots of what appears to be paint, brushes, and a basket with two fine, chain necklaces. He brings one to each of us. Below a gold medallion a crystal hangs by a gold link. A warnite crystal. I can detect the etharum seething within the green-hued stone.

“This will still cost you, my boy.”

“I know.” Rorsyd is gruff, taciturn. “I have gold.”

“Of course. Now, be still. Neither of you will move unless it is to breathe. I need to hold this within my head. Toseewhat and who you are.”

Knowing I can’t move, suddenly I have an urge to pee. I grimace. I will have to wait.

He extracts a pot and a brush, paints small designs on us in black and green, beginning at our feet. The symbols swirl and interlink. Mists infuse the air, swirling, conjuring new forms. Rorsyd transforms as Hunder dances lightly about him, exposing more of his skin, murmuring and painting, drawing more and more intricate pictures.

Hunder comes to me and rolls my leggings to knee level, apologizing as he does so.

Soon I am covered to my knees with his paint. My arms suffer the same fate, my face, my ears. The paint warms then cools. The air before my eyes blurs. Etharum is pulsing from the very floor itself, exuding upward from where Hunder pulls it—from deep within Artreos. The crystals, already fully charged, are ignored as the magik feeds into what is inscribed on our skin.

After an interminable period of this treatment, he steps back, paintbrush poised at neck height as he studies us. Then hedeposits the brush and pot on a side table and wipes his hands with a rag.

“Done. My best work for you, Rorsyd.” He opens his arms and blows him a kiss. “You are both wonderful! Slightly smaller and less imposing, less colorful, but still pretty.” He grins.

Rorsyd grunts. “I’d eyeroll and smack you, but the paint might crack.”

“What paint? It’s no longer visible.”

I look down then across at Rorsyd, where the last traces are sinking into him. “Impressive.” Though probably not as impressive as reviving a dead man.

Or killing a dragon.Dang.

Rorsyd looks a tad shorter, a little less muscular, and his eyes are now a boring brown. I bite my lip, wishing this were not necessary.

I’m being ridiculous. I go to him then turn to the illusionist, a man who is perhaps one of the few people Rorsyd trusts.

“Thank you. For this. Truly.” I gesture at my front from breast to knees and bow to him. “You are a life saver.”

“Yes. She speaks the truth. We couldn’t travel onward without great danger without this.” Rorsyd enfolds me and pulls me back into him, crossing his arms over my breasts.

I tuck my face into his yummy arm, smelling him and, somehow, I resist licking him or nibbling. The glow this hug creates in me…if I were a cat, I’d be purring.

“I am a life saver?” Hunder says it slowly. “I’m not going to be depressing. I am not going to think further on that. I am happy to help. Now. Remember this. You will need to replenish the etharum if you need the disguises for longer than a few days. The crystals will use up all their power in that time. Take them off whenever you don’t need the disguise. The magik willnotconsume etharum if you are not wearing the crystals.” He suckson his teeth. “You could ask any mage to do this, to replenish them, but then he will see your real selves.”

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