Page 95 of Enchanted Shadows
As I walked to my room to grab a quick shower, I noted Miles and Emric standing in the hall whispering. “You good?” I called.
Emric looked to Miles and back to me. “I—” he cut off before blurting out. “I believe I am in love.”
I laughed and nodded toward the door where the team was all getting ready. “They have that effect on you.” I thought of this entire training group. How they’d been late and lazy on day one, and how by the end, they framed and apprehended three men. “It’s not just because they are women, they are...” I fumbled for words, “them.”
Emric put his hands out at his sides. “How did you do it? How were you around so many dazzling women for ninety days?”
I laughed again. “Em, I married one of them.”
Miles smirked. “Fair point, General Raikes. However, not all of us are under their spell.”
“You sure about that?” Emric asked him. “You seem awfully hard on Wren.”
Miles gestured to me. “He has spoiled her. Much like he’s doing to the next generation of princes.”
“Do me a favor?” I shot him a grin. “The next time you’d like to call my sister spoiled, please do so to her face so I can watch the fallout.”
Emric laughed.
Miles huffed. “You both can be all enamored by the women, but I’m not. They are a decent team, I’ll give them that.”
I had to state the obvious. “You’re jealous.”
“Of a team of women?” Miles asked, chin going back.
“Yeah. One with a water wielder, and our first dual Enchanted woman. Three of the five Enchantments of the realm are on this team.”
“I’m not jealous. I’m just realistic.” As if realizing his words he added swiftly, “Look there are some missions that Team One will always be more adept at.”
“I agree, and there are some missions they will be betterequipped for. They are strong. Even now. But that doesn’t have to be an insult toyourstrengths, Miles.”
He put up a hand. “I’m not irritated they exist as a team. I’m irritated they got off so easily for sneaking out!”
And there it was. The root of the problem would always bear its ugly face.
Emric turned to look at him like he had a horn protruding from his head. “That was weeks ago. Let it go, man.”
While the two of them continued to bicker in the hall, I moved into my room to shower, otherwise I would be late. And the general being late seemed like the wrong message to send after an otherwise successful training session.
I turned the water to scalding, knowing that if it was borderline too hot, I would shower quickly. As the water ran over me, I considered all the last three months had thrown at me. Was I easier on the group of women than the groups of men I had trained? Hard to say. Maybe. But the end result was that this team was a group of women I couldn’t be prouder of. They weren’t Team One ready, but they were ready for whatever came next, together.Thatwas my job. A job I had succeeded at. And their training wasn’t complete either. I still had two more rounds with them.
As I turned the corner to the closet to grab my formal guard wear, there was Kessara. In my room. In a black gown that left most of her back open.
She was looking at a few pictures I had up by the fireplace and hadn’t noticed me, so for one brief moment in time, I allowed my eyes to travel along her. Travel that defined line down her back. I allowed myself to ogle my wife. She was... well she was the damn sunset. The way the purples and pinks dipped together, reminding you that another morning would be coming, enticing you with the lure of the night.
I was reminded of the fact that I was only in a towel when she turned toward me, and gasped. “Oh. Sorry.”
I found I couldn’t speak as I demanded and focused my eyes on not checking her out again. Once was allowed. Twice was creepy. But dammit, my eyes did not want to listen to me.
“Emric told me to bring my things over and head down with you versus the rest of them.”
I smirked. That damn pot stirrer.
Her eyes traveled over my bare chest as she inhaled sharply. “Would you like a moment to change? I can?—”
“Stay.” I kept a hand at my towel and headed for my clothes to take to the bathroom to change.
I changed into my formal guard wear quickly, ready to head down. Happy to blend into the background and let the women have their night.
