Bound to the battle god

45

We camp in Liar Aron’s camp that night, since it’s already set up and the hour’s late. The woales are tethered to a nearby tree and fed, and Yule

This could have ended badly. I could have died. I can still feel Bad Aron’s hand on my neck as he gazed down at me. I nearly fucked it up for both of us, and I can’t stop thinking about how Bad Aron just…faded away.

And now my Aron is both of them.

I don’t know what to make of that. I know that he’s supposed to be here in the mortal realm to purge all the bad stuff from his system, so why is he now unable to speak the truth? What happens to him once all four are put back together like the fantasy version of Voltron? Does my Aron disappear forever, lost inside the god himself? That makes me sad.

Another thought occurs to me—what happens when we find the Hedonism Aron? I eye Yule

Or…just cry a lot. One or the other.

Eventually, the soldiers come back from burying their comrades, their expressions sober. They keep their distance from me, silent as they wash up and head to their tents to sleep. Aron points me to the big tent, where old Aron slept, and I can’t fight my yawns back any longer. I head inside, and I feel a stab of relief when Aron follows me in. He’s still going to sleep with me.

Yule

I look at Aron.

“This is not Faith’s tent now,” he declares. “She does not make the rules here.” And he puts a big hand on my shoulder.

I bite my lip, wondering how much to push, and then decide that fuck it, I’m pushing. “Aron won’t need your services anymore. You can sleep in the wizard’s tent.”

With an uncertain look, Yule

The tent's definitely better living than Aron and I have experienced so far…well, except for maybe Tadekha's Citadel. Lush tapestries hang on the walls, and thick blankets are tossed atop a plush pad of a mattress. There's a freaking mattress out here in the woods, and I practically squeal at the sight of it. It's atop a woven reed mat to keep the dirt off it, but there's no mistaking the thickness of it, and I kneel beside it to touch, just because I'm so shocked. A real mattress. With pillows, even. They're pretty, decorative pillows for the most part, but still pillows. Nearby, coals rest in a hammered brazier in the center of the room and there's a scent like incense. Off to one side is a flat-topped trunk with a cushioned seat for a lid. "Holy crap, he's living in style in here," I breathe, scarcely able to believe it. I pick up one pillow and am surprised to feel that the embroidered unicorns on the front are as soft as velvet.

Aron just grunts, and he sounds irritated. "All of this is necessary for travel."

"I don't care if it's necessary or not, it's awesome." I run a hand over my face and arms, feeling for any last flakes of mud, and then touch the bed again. "Can we use it? Even if it belongs to the bad guys?"

"It is not yours now," Aron tells me. " If we plan on making good time to the Spidae's tower, we are not leaving all of this behind."

His emphasis tells me the truth of the matter, and I sigh. All this bedding was too good to be true after all. I know he's right. But tonight, these luxury accommodations are mine. "Is it safe to sleep, do you think?" I ask him, lowering my voice to a bare whisper. "Or should we stay on alert?"

"What is there to guard against?" he whispers back, a mocking edge in his tone. "Do they not serve Aron of the Cleaver? Am I not the only one here?"

"Point taken," I agree, and give him a little pinch just because he's back to being his normal ass self. "If it's safe, then I'm undressing and sleeping now."

"You should not," he agrees, putting a big hand on my shoulder. "We will not be rising early in the morning. You do not need your sleep."

I pull off one boot with a nodded yawn, then the other. All the adrenaline is leaving my body and I feel like a sleepy mess. I haul my dirty tunic off my head before I realize I'm almost naked in front of Aron. Oh well, it's not like I don't have goods he hasn't seen before. I smack my lips and adjust the leather band I'm wearing around my tits so they don't bounce, and then crawl into bed in nothing but leggings and a bra-band. "Tonight, I get to sleep in luxury at least. Come here, my pretty," I tell a pillow, and tuck it under my face. Oh man, this is heaven. "I'm going to be sad to leave you all behind tomorrow. Shhh, don't cry." I stroke a pillow. "I will remember you in my dreams."

Aron snorts.

"Oh, what's that?" I tell the pillow, still pretending to have a conversation. "Aron's a dick? I know, right? I'm not sure why he's so against you either, considering this is his tent. Well, not his tent, but Bad Aron's tent. It's okay, though." I pet the pillow one more time and fight a yawn. "If you love something, set it free and all that. You'll be free in the morning, pillow. Just right after I'm done with you."

I tuck the blankets under my chin and a moment later, Aron stabs me in the side with a finger.

"Ow. What?" I roll over and look at him. He's squatting next to the bed, one arm resting casually on his knee.

Aron just smirks at me. "You think this is my tent? Why would I have a bed? I do not sleep, remember?"

My tired brain processes that for a moment, and then I remember that he doesn't lie when he's asking questions. Then, I sit upright, shocked. Shit. He's right. I look around the tent and notice the feminine touches I didn't see before. A shawl draped over the seat. Fringe on the pillows. Freaking embroidery. Dudes don't care about that shit. I bet if I open the pretty trunk, the clothes in there will be dresses just like the filmy one Yule

"You think I would cuddle with the wizard?" Aron asks mockingly.

I give him a wry look. "Good point. I didn't realize this was hers, though." I touch the unicorn pillow thoughtfully. "Should we bring her back in here?"

"Yes," Aron says flatly.

"Okay, okay, don't get touchy. I'm trying to be polite."

"Why should you be polite to the conquered?" he asks, and reaches out to brush a stray lock of hair off my shoulder. I get goosebumps at that small touch, and not just because of the shockwaves.

"Right," I say, distracted. I'm trying to think about Yule

She can sleep in the wizard's tent tonight.

I lie down again, gazing up at Aron. "What do we do with her? I suggested freeing her and you'd think I was talking about execution."

He grunts. "Give her to the soldiers?"

I blanch. "Aron, no. She's a person. She just makes poor choices. Or maybe she didn't have choices. Either way, she doesn't have to service anyone if she doesn't want to. Let her figure out that she doesn't have to earn a living on her back and maybe she'll choose a different way."

Aron just arches an eyebrow at me, clearly disagreeing.

Sheesh. I reach out to swat at him. "Be nice. I didn't want to be a slave handed off to men. Why would I wish that on someone else?" Even if she thinks she should be servicing Aron right about now?

"And the soldiers? Any plans for them?" Aron murmurs, his voice taking on a more intimate tone. "Assuming they will not prove themselves, that is."

Ugh. I'm not sure I like the idea of riding around with a posse. It's very different from how Aron and I have been traveling so far, and it feels very…conspicuous. It might be safer, but I just don't know. I feel like everything's going to change. Then again, everything already has. Aron can't speak without spouting lies, and when I close my eyes, I can't stop seeing Bad Aron bent over Yule

"Novoro," he agrees, and then reaches down to pull the blankets up to my chin again. "You must not sleep, Faith. I won't watch over you."

I smile up at him. "You won't, huh?" I tease, unable to resist, and my heart flutters just a little when his mouth curves in a hint of a smile. If nothing else, I like that I can make him smile. Lord knows we have little enough to smile about lately, what with being hunted down and chased out of every place we stop. Maybe we're safer with a posse after all…provided they don't betray us.

The thought makes my soul ache. Is there no one Aron can trust to not screw him over but me? Poor Aron. How are the gods supposed to learn anything on this little test the High Father sent them on? They're too busy being attacked by the power hungry.

Unless the only thing they're supposed to learn is humility. Then, I'd say this is working fantastic.

But it makes me worry for Aron all the more. I lie back down and turn on my side, but when I close my eyes, this time, I don't see Aron and Yule

There's a one in four chance—now one in three—that my Aron's going to have the same fate. The thought makes me sick. I reach over and grab Aron's hand, pulling him forward. "Lie down in bed with me," I tell him. "I know you won't sleep, but I'll feel safer with you close."

For a moment, I expect biting sarcasm or even a flurry of lies. Instead, Aron just lies down next to me, sliding under the blankets. I don't mind that he's got his boots on or that he's fully dressed, because he puts his arm around my waist and tucks me close against him, and that familiar electric shock jolts through me and then settles away. I breathe in his scent and feel his warmth, and some of the worry relaxes.

But only some. I put my hand over his at my waist, holding him closer. "Promise me everything will be all right," I whisper. "That we've got this handled."

"I promise," Aron murmurs.

Yeah, that was kind of what I figured.