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He flexes, rolling his shoulders as if working the muscles out, and the breath catches in my throat, because…damn. That one sensual movement just made my brain fry. Aron tilts his head back and forth, working his neck muscles, and then shakes his head, his long, dark mane flapping right in my face.
That kills the attraction a little, I admit. "I hope you know you're going to do your own front," I tell him defensively.
"Am I?" He sounds amused, and I can feel my cheeks heating. "It wasn't too long ago you couldn't keep your hands off my cock."
Grr. He would have to bring that up. I throw the towel into the bathwater. "Fuck you, I'm done for now."
Aron only laughs and takes the cloth up, washing himself with oddly awkward movements. "You are too easily offended."
"Maybe I'm the one wanting a bath considering you've been telling me for days how bad I smell."
"You can have the water soon enough…unless you'd like to climb in here with me?" He looks over his shoulder at me, and it's less of a sexy invite and more of a challenge.
I think.
Either way, no. "One, there's no room, and two, the only thing I want to do with you and that water is hold your head under until you twitch."
He throws his head back and roars with laughter. Nothing like a little murder humor to amuse a god, I guess. It's hard to stay mad at him when he's laughing, though, and I move to the edge of the bed and sit there, picking through the bedding we've been given. It's scratchy and full of small holes but seems to be clean enough.
"So we're staying here for a few more days? I kind of hate this place,” I say.
"It is not my favorite, either," he admits, rubbing the soap along one corded arm. "Dirty hovels built atop the ruins of a once-glorious civilization."
"Oh? So Katharn was not always Katharn?" I guess Rome went through several iterations itself. It shouldn't be surprising to me.
"No. Long ago it was part of a grand empire. This place was once called Suuol and it was one of many great cities ruled by the Mephisians. The Mephisians were fierce warriors who took over all of this land by might. This land and everything surrounding the sea was dotted with temples in my name and that of Kassam, Lord of the Wild. They conquered people after people, and a great many wars were fought in my name." He leans his head back, contemplative. "I miss those days."
"What happened to them? Why'd they end?"
He shrugs. "All empires get too large and crumble from within. When the last Anticipation happened, the magnificent kingdom was splintered and lords fought each other over petty land squabbles." He looks thoughtful. "That was the last I saw of Kassam, as well."
"Kassam? The other god?" I can feel my eyebrows rise high. "You mean not everyone returns from this little trek you guys are doing?"
"Not always, no. I assumed that he had not finished whatever lesson he was intended to learn." Aron shrugs and gets to his feet, water sluicing off his pale body into the tub. "He always was hard-headed."
"I don't know anyone like that," I say dryly and offer him one of the towels from the pile of linens.
He turns to me and grins, wrapping it around his hips and then stepping out. "He will turn up eventually, Faith. When it is his time, he will return to the heavens."
"Mmm. You done with the tub?" My skin's starting to itch just thinking about how dirty I am. When he nods, I get to my feet and start stripping off my layers. I'm past the point of caring if he sees me naked, or if the water's warm, or even if it's clean. I just want to wash my damn hair and get half of the grime out of it. I'd be real happy with half. When I'm naked, I plop into the water and then reach over and add the rest of the water from the pitcher into the tub. It's all lukewarm, but it's the first genuine bath I've had since I got to this hellish land, and I plan on enjoying every bit of it. I sink down into the tiny tub, my knees practically at my tits, and sigh, closing my eyes.
"Do you have to do that?"
I don't even open my eyes. "Do what?"
"Make those noises."
I crack open one eye and glance at him. He's got a perturbed look on his face, as if he can't quite figure me out. I'm about to ask just what noises he's referring to when his gaze flicks to my breasts. Oh.
A wild thought occurs to me—did he watch me while I undressed like I watched him? I ignore the fu
He grunts a response, and then I hear the jingle of his bracers as he puts them on again. Probably for the best.
I make my bath as quick as possible, scrubbing myself hard and giving my hair a quick rinse. I'm a little horrified at all the dirt rising in the water, but that can't be helped. At least it's now in the water and not on me. Once I'm done bathing, I step out of the tub and grab Aron's wet towel, noticing that he dressed while I bathed.
I dress, too, in my one change of clothing. It's an old gray tunic of Omos's that goes past my knees. I think it's meant to have trousers of some sort under it, but mine are dirty. I just wear it as a dress anyhow. It's not like it's sexy.
Of course, I don't think sexy matters to anyone in this land. They'd rape me if I was covered in dog poop, I think. I shudder at the thought and stuff my dirty clothes into my bag, and glance over at Aron. He's busy polishing his weapons and strapping them onto his forearms, as if we're going to be going somewhere in the next few hours. I guess being comfortable doesn't matter if you don't sleep, though. I examine my shoes. I have a pair of leather sandals that seem to be more straps than protection, and a pair of old boots that are a little too big but protect my feet. I'm wondering which ones I should wear tomorrow for more snooping around the city when there's a heavy thump at the wooden door to our room.
Aron and I both look at each other.
I slip my boots on, unlaced, and then get to my feet as someone jiggles the door. It has to be either a drunk or a person making a mistake. I open my mouth to call out only to find a hand over my lips. Aron.
“Quiet,” he murmurs into my ear. “That’s not the i
His hand slides away from my mouth and it’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him how he knows, when someone screams below. Not a small scream, a long, brutal scream—that cuts off abruptly in midstream.
Oh fuck.
More screaming starts, and the door to the room thumps again, the handle jiggling as if someone’s desperate to get inside. “He’s in there,” shouts a voice. “Burn the place down if you have to, but get him!”
Aron and I exchange a look.
Immediately we separate and grab our things. The screaming downstairs gets louder, except it’s not just one voice, it’s a dozen of them. The door’s not shaking anymore, but when I look over, I see a wisp of black smoke.
Aron grabs my arm, hauling me against him. “Time to go.”
Even as he touches me, I can feel the weapons covering his arms and his belt practically clanks from the knives hidden there. “Should we stay and fight? I mean, you are a god of battle.”
“And I know when a war ca
Oh fuck, that’s right. Another scream pierces through the night and I feel sick. “What do we do?”
Aron points at the window. “Out to the roof.”
I get a flashback of when we fell from the Citadel and groan. Is that what this is going to involve? Falling out of building after building while people try to murder us? This place sucks.