Page 15 of A Winter Romance
Aryn squeezed Sero’s hand and felt the callouses through his glove. “Why are your hands calloused? Is that usual for a baker?”
“It’s an oread thing. Helps with climbing and gripping. Our feet also have these textured callouses.”
“I saw some oreads climbing a cliff earlier. I’d never seen anything like it. It was completely vertical, and they climbed it like it was nothing.”
“I imagine you wouldn’t see much of that in Bordertown.”
“No. There are some nymphs there. I work with someone who is half-dryad. Her name is Eviane. She helps source new materials from the forest to make perfumes. My parents say she’s the best. Part of the year, she lives in the city. Then she lives in a forest to the west of Bordertown for the rest of the year. But in the city, she doesn’t walk around almost naked. She just wears human clothes. And she doesn’t climb vertical surfaces.”
“Being half-dryad, she probably wouldn’t be as skilled at climbing. At least not cliffs. She could climb trees. Climbing cliffs and mountains is more an oread thing.” Sero paused. “But you wouldn’t get many nymphs in cities. Some who are half-nymphs could live there, but nymphs gain energy and strength from being in nature. Being close to their source. For dryads, that’s forests. For naiads, it’s water. For oreads, it’s mountains. We can be away for a little while, but it starts to drain us.”
The snow crunched beneath Aryn’s feet.
“My mother visited Bordertown once,” Sero said. “She went before I was born. My father took her to stay with a friend who had moved there. They had planned to stay a couple of months. She was curious about the city. She thought she’d be fine, but before the end of the month, she was sick, exhausted, and weak.”
“What happened?”
“Father immediately made plans to return home. But before they had time to leave, she decided for herself that she would walk back. My father said it was like she was in a trance. She just kept saying that she had to go home. Then she started walking towards the mountains.” Sero smiled thinly. “Father said it was a pretty difficult trip. It was like she didn’t hear him. But they managed to get back. She hasn’t been back to Bordertown since. I don’t think she will ever leave the mountains again.”
“Is she all right now?”
Sero smiled. “As soon as she returned to the mountains, she immediately began to recover. By the time she arrived at the village, she was dancing through the forests and ready to climb mountains.”
“And you’ve never been to Bordertown?” Aryn asked.
“No.” He hesitated. “Honestly, after hearing her story, I felt petrified I would become sick and die if I left the mountains.” He frowned. “I don’t think it would be as bad for me. I’m half-oread, after all. Still, Mother said it felt like her soul was dripping from her body, being sucked into the bricks and buildings that towered over her.” Sero’s voice sounded slightly strained. “But I think it would be fine if I went. At least, to visit. As you said, some half-nymphs stay long-term in the city. Her story traumatised me a little.”
“I can understand that.” Aryn wondered about Eviane, if that was why she only lived part of the year in the city.
“I think we should be able to go to Ores the day after tomorrow,” Sero said, changing the topic.
Aryn wondered what Ores would be like. He hoped Sero’s house would be comfortable. Although, to be honest, he’d actually been enjoying staying in the cave. Which was silly; it was dirty, and smoky, nothing at all like what he was used to. His parents would be horrified to discover he liked it.
But the cave was warm, and being there, hidden from the world with Sero, had its benefits. He ran his gaze up and down Sero’s body, admiring the graceful way he moved. Two weeks. That was all the time they had left.
Aryn was determined to make the most of it.
A particular fantasy had been playing in his mind throughout the day. He wanted to tell Sero. After all, what was the worst that could happen? If Sero reacted as Sasha had, it would make the next two weeks awkward. But then he’d never see Sero again. And he didn’t think Sero would react in complete disgust. Or at least, he hoped he wouldn’t.
“Do you know what would have been exciting?” Aryn blurted before he could lose his nerve. “If you had…” He swallowed. “If yesterday, if you had found me, and well…if you had…” Why was this so hard to get out?
Sero frowned, no idea what Aryn was talking about. Which was fair considering Aryn hadn’t completed a sentence.
Aryn stopped walking. He took a deep breath. “It would have been exciting if you’d found me yesterday and saved me, but then dragged me back to your cave… And…well…demanded sex for saving me.” He rushed the last part out, staring at the snow at his feet.
“Maybe you told me I had to repay you,” Aryn said. “I hesitate, but you demand that I have to do as you say or I will be thrown out into the snow.” His stomach tightened with each word, but still his cock ached at the idea of fulfilling his fantasy. “You could be demanding and tell me what to do. Maybe you could be a little cruel. Not hurt me or anything.” He shrugged. “Or maybe just a little.”
Sero stared at him, expression unreadable. “To be clear, you think it would be…appealing…if wepretendedthat I demanded sex for rescuing you?”
Aryn held his breath. He nodded, hoping Sero wouldn’t look at him with disgust like Sasha had.
Sero’s eyes gleamed. He reached out, grabbed Aryn by the front of his coat, and dragged him towards the cave.
ChapterThirteen
Aryn’s blood rushed through his veins as Sero dragged him to the middle of the cave. Abruptly, Sero let go of him, leaving Aryn to squirm. His palms sweat.
Sero knelt by the faintly glowing embers in the firepit. Aryn tried to control his racing heart as Sero built up the fire. Finally, Sero stood, the fire now blazing, and turned towards Aryn.
