Page 147 of Kingdom of Embers and Ruin

Listening for any movement to discern which room she could be in, Herrick was silent. A few moments later, he heard the scuffing of boots on the wood floor to his left, so he moved toward it and reached for the handle.

That was the moment Maude decided to open the door, however, to find Herrick standing with one hand outstretched toward her. She was wearing only her leather pants and a white tunic that was too big for her.

Face slightly flushed from the whiskey, her deep moss eyes were bright as she stared at him in surprise. Her boots were off to the side on the floor, and she had let her long tresses out of its braid, which was normally pinned behind her head. Hanging over her shoulders, the sheer volume of her hair hung to her waist, and Herrick pictured it wrapped around his wrist. He felt his face flush slightly.

For the love of the gods, you’ve already had your tongue between her legs; this shouldn't be so difficult, Herrick scolded himself.

“Herrick?” Maude asked, her voice unusually quiet.

“I came to see if you were okay,” he said lamely.

“Oh,” she said as she twisted her fingers in front of her.

“Were you just leaving?” Herrick asked.

“Yes,” she said quickly, Herrick deflated for a moment before continuing. “I mean, no…”

Herrick remained silent, not wanting to move or speak too quickly in case she changed her mind.

“Did you need something?” Maude asked instead.

“I actually wanted to talk to you. Do you have a few minutes?” Herrick asked.

Maude hesitated but then stepped back and motioned for him to enter the small room.

Immediately to the right of the door was a small dresser that already had Maude’s weapons laid out in a neat row, only her dagger missing. Directly across from him was a small window that looked dirty both inside and outside the glass, with a single candle burning on the sill. In the corner, there was an old chair that had some of their packs on it and Maude’s hood, which she usually kept wrapped around herself.

Herrick tried not to look at the bed to their left, the narrow mattress becoming its own presence in the room. The door closed behind him, and Maude moved to stand in front of him, her arms hugging her chest as if it were armor that would protect her from any blows, either verbal or physical.

“What’s this about, Herrick?” Maude asked, moving the candle on the windowsill so she could lean against it.

Herrick noticed that Maude had a knack for finding the other single escape from a room and standing by it casually. The sight broke his heart. What kind of life did she have that would’ve prompted her to find the closest exit so she could escape in a pinch? Herrick reminded himself that this was the daughter of the Tyrant King Helvig.

“I’ve been wanting to speak with you about this since we were in Ljosa,” Herrick began, the formality of his words not lost on him. He cringed at himself before he continued. “I think that we’ve been traveling and fighting together for a while now, and we’ve had some moments together that I am extremely fond of—”

“Herrick, spit it out,” Maude said, a smile playing in the corner of her lips.

He relaxed at the sight. He was being ridiculous. This was Maude, the person he never had any trouble talking to, even if she was more likely to throw punches than exchange words.

“I think we both know how I feel about you,minn eldr,” he said, inching closer to Maude.

At his words, she went rigid. Herrick took a few more steps into the room, into her space, until he stood right in front of her. Her jasmine and burning cedar scent washed over him, emboldening his words.

“I know that you don’t mind my touch,” he continued, running his fingers down the side of her face where the scar stretched from her temple to her jaw. Maude closed her eyes and leaned into his touch slightly.

Herrick decided to lean over her and get close to the shell of her ear to whisper, “And I know that you positively respond to my touch. I would even go so far as to say that youlikeit when I touch you.”

Herrick put his other hand on the side of her neck as he placed a soft kiss under her ear causing Maude to let out the most delicious groan. Moving to cup her face between his hands, he lowered his forehead to hers for a moment as Maude stood and put her hands on his chest but didn’t push him away. His breathing became heavier, matching the rapid speed of Maude’s breathing as he leaned down and gently kissed her.

The whiskey they had drank was still on her breath, mixing with her smokey scent. He felt Maude go molten at his touch, her flaming skin almost radiating heat as she reacted to him.

Before Herrick could do or say anything else, he felt Maude pull away. He let her go, prepared for the possibility that she might do something like this.

“Herrick, I don't know if I can do this,” Maude said, beginning to twist her fingers as she always did when she was anxious.

“Do what exactly, Maude?” he asked carefully, watching her begin to pace in front of the window she had stood against.

“This.” She motioned between the two of them. “It’s not a good idea. The people closest to me get killed.”

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