Page 46 of Ecliptic

“I know, and I will welcome it.”

Satisfied that Rowen would aid and abet me in murder, I let Maddock’s warmth seep into my bones and lull me to sleep.

19

I blinked awake and immediately collided with Rowen’s verdant gaze. His face was etched with pain, yet his shoulders loosened in relief. “Oh, thank fuck.”

My first thought was how I wished I could wipe away the deep smudges under his eyes and the lingering trail of blood from his nose. The second was that I was sweltering, feeling trapped inside an inferno. Even though the sun had barely begun to rise, the heat was unbearable.

A blazing fire licked at my limbs as a massive weight suffocated me. I squirmed, realizing Maddock’s arms and legs were draped over me, his bare chest radiating heat everywhere our skin touched.

I was spooning my enemy on the ground in front of the man I loved. But was Maddock my enemy still? My hatred toward him felt less boiling, less all-encompassing.

Though I was grateful he helped save me, we didn’t need to cuddle.

Rowen turned to check my clothes drying by the fire. I squirmed and stirred to get Maddock off me. When suddenly, Ifelt a growing bulge press into my lower back. I shot him a feral look over my shoulder.

“Is it bigger than his?” he asked with a smirk that showed off his perfectly straight teeth.

“Not even close,” I said, shoving him away, my strength already returning. “And I was just starting to like you.”

Maddock sat upright with a groan. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it with all your . . . wiggling.”

My eyes shot to Rowen. “The water, it’s flowing now,” I said, changing the subject. I don’t think Rowen heard. If he had, Maddock’s face would be punched in by now. I imagined my soul flame was in enough pain as it was. We didn’t need to address Madds’ hard-on. “I was able to control it. For the most part.”

“Sure you were. If that’s what you want to call it,” Maddock remarked beside me, pulling his shirt over his head. “Were you trying to get yourself killed?”

I stood on shaky legs, swimming in Rowen’s tunic. The collar was so wide it hung off one of my shoulders, revealing a few of my shimmering scars. “Though the execution was a little rough, the outcome was as intended. Right? Please tell me it worked?” I asked, suddenly afraid I’d failed.

Rowen’s face lit with pride, and he nodded in the distance. “Yes, I can hear the creeks flowing again. You were magnificent. Even if you did scare me to death,” Rowen said, his eyes leveling with mine before rising to Maddock’s. “Thank you for keeping her alive. Though it doesn’t make me want to kill you any less.”

“Don’t mention it,” Maddock said, his gaze trailing up Rowen’s bare torso. His expression was a mix of admiration and fear until he winced, noticing the mottled scar above my soul flames heart. “So, no one’s getting murdered tonight?”

Rowen cocked a thick eyebrow. “That remains to be seen.”

“Are my pants dry yet?” I asked. I didn’t want to spendanother minute here. I’d done what I set out to do and nearly killed myself in the process. I also didn’t want to examine what Maddock had done for me too closely.

“Not yet,” Rowen replied, his murderous stare softening only for me, "but your stockings are.”

I plopped on a rock and put on my shoes and socks. I may not be able to fully dress, but this was good enough.

“What are you doing?” Maddock asked. “You need more rest. In case you missed it, you died.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” I said, my eyes fixed on lacing up my boots. I couldn’t bear to look Maddock in the eyes. Even though he helped save me, I wanted to be nowhere near him. Plus, I’d been writhing and begging in his arms, something I would never live down. “I want to get back to the village and take a long, hot bath.”

Rowen gathered our things, holstered his ax, and extinguished the fire.

“Rowen?” Maddock asked incredulously, rising to his feet. “You know she still needs rest.”

“You’ll learn soon enough that once Keira puts her mind to something, she is going to do it,” Rowen said, his eyes tipping up to meet mine with a smirk. “If she says she’s ready to go, then she’s ready to go. Do you want me to tie her to a tree?”

“Yes! That would be preferable,” Maddock said as he rubbed his hand down his mouth. “I swear, I’m the only one with any sense around here.”

“Sure,” Rowen replied, tossing the waterskins to Madds. “Go fill these up for us, will you? There should be a small creek just beyond those trees now.”

Maddock caught the flasks and eyed Rowen skeptically. “You won’t desert me out here, will you?”

“I think we’re far past that,” Rowen said, the first rays of sunlight highlighting his bare chest. “Don’t you?”

---