Page 52 of Of Kings and Thieves

Col didn’t back away, but instead took my chin, gently but firmly. I don’t think of you that way. But I know something about battles, and even if you feel fine now, it’s possible you’ll have more feelings about it later. If you do, I’m here. So are the others.

I swallowed at his intense gaze, and then nodded.

Are you nodding to make me happy or because you understand? he asked with a slight smirk.

I gave him a lopsided grin of my own. When have I ever done anything just to make you happy?

He chuckled and pulled me to him. “I can think of quite a few things, recently,” he murmured, making heat rise to my face.

We stood there a few more heartbeats, savoring being alive and relatively unscathed. Then we searched for a place to camp away from the destroyed tower. Even if it wasn’t soaked in blood, it would no longer be safe.

“We’ll have to move Scarlet,” Col said when we found a dry, protected corner of the keep. “She won’t be happy.”

I didn’t think Scarlet would even be conscious for it, but then I heard a woman cursing from inside the tower.

When Col and I entered, Scarlet was trying to bat Killian’s hand away. He had opened her shirt to heal her remaining wounds, which were closing seemingly on their own. I watched in awe.

Scarlet hissed and uttered a stream of imaginative insults, calling Killian everything from a shriveled-up worm to a frosty dick to a cunt that even a blind devil wouldn’t want to fuck.

Killian ignored the tongue-lashing and continued working with the utmost concentration.

“Incredible,” I whispered to Col, stifling my laughter. “I’ve never known Deviants to use healing abilities like he does.”

Killian must have been listening, after all, because he glanced my way. “That’s because most Deviants spend all their time trying to find new ways to kill people rather than to help them,” he said bitterly. “Scarlet, stop complaining and lie still.”

She made a rude gesture, which he ignored.

Magnus had been by her side the whole time, doing whatever Killian asked of him, but now he rose and came to me. To my surprise, he pulled me into a bear hug that took my breath away, and kissed the top of my head. When he let me go, my ears were burning in embarrassment. Col chuckled quietly.

“What was that for?” I asked.

“A thank you,” Magnus said, “for protecting my sister when I couldn’t. I owe you a great debt, and so does Scarlet.”

I swallowed a lump in my throat and shook my head. “You don’t owe me—”

“But I do,” Magnus interrupted. “If you ever need anything, just say the word, my lady.”

“If you insist, then…” I said, trying to shrug off the embarrassment as I looked around the tower. At the corpses and weapons littering the floor. I steeled myself and began walking among them.

“What are you doing?” Col asked.

“I need a new sword.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“They missed Scarlet’s vital organs,” Killian said as we huddled in the keep later, “but it’s lucky she survived.”

We had risked a small fire, sheltered by the walls from the bitter wind, and I sat as close to it as I dared without turning myself into fuel. There was an ancient well, but it still held water, which Killian had proclaimed safe. We had drunk and cleaned ourselves up as best we could, but I couldn’t help but dream of a proper hot bath. My eyes darted to Col, and I wondered what it would be like to share a bath with him and not be drunk.

Maybe I wouldn’t be so absurd next time, and stroke him with something other than my toes. Gods, I hoped he didn’t remember that.

I do remember.

My jaw dropped open and Col chuckled.

You said you didn’t remember anything from that night. I shoved him playfully.

Col winked. You can stroke me with your toes anytime, my love.

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