Page 16 of Fire Forged

“Oh, Britt, you had such a shitty day.”

“Yeah, then I attacked an Etterian.I’m so sorry, Mom.I thought he was a stalker.”

Why did she apologize to her mother and not to him?“Medic Aldur, will this take long?”Nerx demanded, clipping each word.

“Nerx?”Britt whispered as she drew closer.

Aldur proceeded to scan Nerx with a med-gun—its beeps comforting.

“I do not wish to speak to you, female,” Nerx said.“My eyes still burn.”Though the sting was fading fast.A good sign.

“I just wanted to apologize,” she said.“If you’re going to be a baby about this…”

“You dare call me adamu?”he roared, sitting up to swing his face to ‘look’ at her, even when he squeezed his eyes shut.

“I’ve apologized, twice now.Maybe you should apologize to me, after all you were in the shadows, staring at my mother’s house.I did give you an opportunity to explain why you were spying.”

“Spying?”His breath caught.“I should apologize?”he boomed.

“If you’re sorry, and I’m sorry—” she began on a teasing note that flooded him with anger and…a heat that settled in his core.

“I amnotsorry, female.”

“Neither am I.”She chuckled in that raspy way of hers.“Apologizing should be sincere, don’t you think?”

“Maker,” he grumbled.“This woman’s audacity astounds me.”

She cupped his jaw, brushing her thumb over his lips.His world titled at her soft touch.His heart leaped and galloped.He jerked away from her, though it took all his control to do so.He’d wanted to nuzzle her palm, to savor the silkiness of her skin.Madness.

“You stay away from me, and I’ll do the same.Deal?”

Ice exploded outward, cooling his anger.It had a similar tinge as sadness, but why her leaving him alone would summon such an emotion he wasn’t about to figure out.Time away from her to regain his control would be wise.

“Agreed,” he said then lay down to try and calm his erratic heartbeat.

She brought out the most powerful emotions he’d felt since Kyerx died.Which worried him.He may be a ‘grumpy’ male, but he never lost his control.Why did this one woman affect him so?He shuddered.He relived her gentle touch on his jaw, his now tingling lips, as if she’d seared or marked him.

Her soft footfalls faded, then she said, “Show me how this thing works, Sena, please.”

“As you wish, Lady Britta,” Sena said, then started explaining the rehydrator’s functions.

“Alodon’s balls,” Aldur grumbled as he waved the med-gun over Nerx’s eyes, first cooling then lessening the stinging.“I have never seen you react like this.What are you so angry about?Is there anything she did that could justify such a reaction from you?”

“No,” Nerx answered hoarsely.“Her reasons for the attack were sound.Perhaps because she blinded me or is truly unrepentant?”

“You can open your eyes,” Aldur said.“She used what they call pepper spray.It is meant to incapacitate and not blind.”

Nerx blinked his eyes open and moaned in gratitude for his restored vision.They were a little gritty but otherwise good.“Thank you, Aldur,” he said.

“Edon is escorting them to their quarters.I suggest you take the time to calm yourself.”

Wait, are Aldur’s eyes ice blue?

Darkness engulfed Nerx’s chest at the thought of Britta being Aldur’s.Though his reaction made no sense.Any woman triggering the Ethera, no matter who, was precious to Etteria.

He jumped off the bed and grabbed the medic’s shoulders, holding him still.“Your Dar Eth—”

“Is Lady Dahlia.”Aldur beamed.

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