Page 137 of Between Despair and Hope

“I think we can manage avoiding it,” he replied. The side we stood on was a gradual decline, and he walked in slowly. “Alright, I’ll admit it’s still a bit cold. Come, keep me warm. Don’t make me drag you in here like I did the last time we visited this place.”

Shooting a devastating grin over his shoulder, I took a moment to admire him. Halfway turned to face me, the indentation of muscle over his hip was stark, countered by the rounded curve of his backside. My eyes were drawn downward, where I found the only remaining visual evidence of his turmoil in Folterra. A scar the length of my hand ran down the back of his thigh, puckered at the top.

“What’s that from?” I pointed.

“I actually don’t know. I woke up with it in the dungeon.”

“Have you tried to heal it since you’ve been back?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. A reminder, I suppose?”

“You need to be reminded?” I moved forward, stepping into the cool water and wincing as I let my fingertips brush over the top of the scar.

“A scar I can see helps me remember the memories are lies.”

Raising my hand to his lower back, I walked my fingers across skin peppered with old wounds, and I remembered his words to me. “Your scars are proof.”

He cocked a brow and smiled sadly before continuing into the water. “That they are.”

Turning to face me and walking backwards, he grabbed both my hands and led me into the water. It was shallow, waist high where we stood, and he dragged my body against his.

“You’ll be in all future council meetings.”

“Really?”

“You should have been in them already, but I was afraid talking about Declan and Folterra…” He trailed off.

“Would trigger the thoughts about the shifter.”

He nodded as he brushed my hair off my shoulder. “We believe he’s going to make moves on Lamera first and use it to push east.”

“Is Nereza going to help defend the Supreme?”

“That’s what we’re working on. I’ve already sent soldiers. I left word for Ven to leave now. We need the seaborn. With them, we might be able to avoid any confrontation in Lamera—especially if Nereza cooperates.”

“Your sister is going to be furious with you for making her miss the coronation.”

“You know, I think she might be relieved. She’s got a lot on her mind. I told her to take Hyše with her. I hope that’s fine. And no, the council still isn’t over the dragons.”

“Hyše was the best choice. She’s ruthless. But the others? They’re harmless!” He smiled down at me, and gods had I missed it.

“While I don’t agree with you, that’s not the issue. They don’t like knowing you can make them.”

“Then tell them I can’t make more; that it’s dangerous.”

“Ah yes, I should make it public knowledge that you’re tied to the dragons and when they hurt, you hurt. Good thinking.”

I slapped his chest as I leaned back on a laugh. “Irses is probably just as mad as Ven. I wish I’d gone to see them before we left.”

The dragons we’d brought from the Cascade had been living near the hot springs I’d visited with Shivani and Lavenia. The same family who tended to the cabin agreed to take them on with the added benefit of extra pay. Ryo had grown quite a bit in the last few weeks, and I’d planned on taking Elora the next time I visited. Now that Rain seemed to be ready to move forward with caution, perhaps we could plan the trip together. Though I couldn’t help but feel like maybe he was just on the edge of slipping away from me again. My stomach was already twisting with anxiety over it.

“You’re nervous.” He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me flush against him. The cool water and the serious conversation had calmed him down some, but not enough I didn’t feel every bit of him bob against me beneath the water.

“I just don’t want you to go back to—to before—to when—“

---