floated in the air-lavender, eucalyptus, cedar. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth soak into

phys

enti

ody, but raw all the same. A phantom imprint, buri

d have to

di

ed to r

She wondered. But s

d her, soft ripples bru

d wounded," came the

ve

Be

wed near her when

e barely audible over the qui

en he chuck

last night and decided

id while splashi

ck, still dressed, but close enough that his p

.. different,"

stif

at intense

he said

head from s

pool. "Let me help. Your shoulders... you're

idn't

e before the strike. Her muscles screame

odded

and rolled up his sleeves. He stepped into t

er. No

something el

ng

de of hers, but never touching. His large ha

ts near her neck, and she exhal

nce you could stand," he said. "Sometimes

bitter. "Rest is for

something she hadn't realized she'd locked away. His fingers traced

her body

im. But deeper. Sadder. A heat born

slightly, his ches

given," he whispered near her

again,except it wasn't tension anymo

e

m, just a fraction

ands

er wrists under the water. His thumbs br

voice like smoke."Your people are waiting to congratulate t

in the water just en

her wet hair and floating closer to h

yebrow. "Somet

here he sat, her hands resting on the edge

ased, lips twitching wi

o let the water lap at his knees. "And as my bet

her face. His fingers brushed along her jaw with a reverence that made her ch

e last. "I watched you fight for it, struggle with it. And then I watched you win.

ds lingered on her face, had all the mischief draining from her e

mple, or the way his lips moved around the words,slow and s

A moment. But h

not

her, tugging her back from wherever s

snapping up to mee

bite me but haven't decide

, embarrassed and amuse

u w

s just watching her, the way he always did.

gize for looking at you

't ask

r face, his thumbs lightly brushing her cheeks, grounding her. Around them, the world

do that," sh

wh

ing feel like

e it

expected him to say something like that. Not now. Not while t

the tips of her wet fingers still resting on the edge beside him. H

aid, almost a confession. "Even w

etended," s

s fingers trailing from her jaw to the base of her neck, bar

em again, as if afraid the moment m

u to be prou

ways

held more than warmth. It held question

she felt it echo som

t again," s

em smaller than a breath. "I'm proud of

eavy with history, with what they'

ped to her li

eath c

he needed permission from her soul befor

e a breath apa

his cheek. His skin was warm,

her body

er throat pul

oshing water as she turned fro

instantly a

ere wide.

eve her. But h

robe," he sai

w, though the water was hot. She waited until he disappea

reathless.

rself and staggered to the mi

at looked untouched.

surface,it pul

Silver.

it,and the w

like liquid fire. Her vision blurred.

she

h. A f

oom. Not

t

ro

hair. Shirtless, marked by ancient sigils carved into his skin-o

ss realms, across i

d, though she coul

ching toward the vision. It s

st,hard,and she dr

ror sha

her skin, heart rac

ck was happ

ath her skin, and now... it

er. This was no shif

. Wilder. And

she mumbled

ing. She scrambled to her feet and yanked her towel tigh

he saw the sha

ay

meet his gaze. "I sl

s, the crackle in her veins

every

lize the stranger hadn't jus

piece of him

kind of power that she