Page 133 of Mountain of Mirrors and Starlight
“You all right?” he asked.
His face was inches from hers, his breath warming her face. “Fine…”
He stood up, offering her his elbow. Aislinn clambered back to her feet and scooted up the stairs.
Most of the space on the upper level was taken up by a series of beds, all now occupied, and a couple of private rooms. Caer pushed open the door to one, inspecting the occupants. “Taken,” he announced, turning to the second. “This one’s free…” He scrunched his forehead. “Umm… Ais? Can you check this one? I think my weak mortal eyesight is playing tricks on me.”
“Why? What’s wrong with it?”
“There’s only the one bed.”
Aislinn peered inside, making out the outline of one large bed. “What of it?” She crawled inside, too tired to think of much but crawling into the sheets.
Caer was still looking around, as if hoping another bed would pop out of nowhere. Aislinn had no idea where the bedrolls were, or any spare bedding. She was too hazy to care. What was the issue?
“They did this on purpose.”
Aislinn shucked off her boots and belts. “They were drunk and not thinking.”
Caer’s eyes widened as she wrestled out of her trousers, keeping nothing on but her loose shirt and undergarments. His gaze screwed into the floorboards. “I will, of course, take the floor.”
“Because I’m a delicate female?”
“Because I’m the one that can kill you in your sleep.”
Aislinn laughed. “Sure. Let’s pretend I’m not capable of that too.” She looked at the bed. “Are you a wriggler?”
“No, but—”
“Take the left. It’s daft for anyone to sleep on the cold floor when there’s a mattress available. We’ll put some blankets or something in between us.”
“If you’re sure—”
“Sure I don’t want either one of us to be cold all night long and grumpy all of tomorrow? Pretty sure. Get in.”
Caer swallowed, but went around to the other side of the bed. He took off his boots and belt, but kept on everything else, bunching up one of the blankets between them.
Aislinn tried not to laugh at his discomfort, reminding herself of where it came from. “We were closer in the cave.”
“We would have frozen to death there.”
Sometimes not touching you feels like freezing to death,she thought dimly.
“Did you say something?”
“Did I? I was hoping that was my inside voice.”
Caer barked a laugh. “I… don’t like not being able to touch you, either,” he said, after a pause.
Aislinn rolled towards him. “Have you tried making a list of where you’ll touch me when we return to the palace?”
Caer’s gulp was audible. “I may have done.”
“I have quite the list too.”
“Oh?” his voice warbled. “Care to share it?”
“And ruin the surprise?”
