He pauses, considering my words, and then shakes his head, mumbling something about stupid humans. The top is closed, and I am left in relative darkness. I keep the spell light close to me for a long while.
It pulses lightly against my skin. Gentle reminders of the troll who protected me. A curious sensation creeps up my neck.
He cared for me.
My head throbs, and I lower myself to the ground.
Melisa?Ra'Sa says again.
I let out another long breath.
I'm fine. The giants came. They were just looking for...I trail off, remembering the sound of the giant dying. It was quick, but I knew what was happening.
Ah. I understand.
I don't know what to say to that, only that the entire evening felt like some fever dream. I can picture how the guard dropped into the pit, and Ra’Sa followed him.
Close your eyes. Don't watch,he said.
Why did he risk that for me? Does matehood also take away common sense?
Eneko returns soon, and I will go back to his bed. I need to know what he learned in the mines. He won't be satisfied with a quick hand and spilling over my dress.
My lungs seize.
Sleeping with the foreman has never been a particularly pleasurable experience, nor something to look forward to. But thinking about doing it when Ra'Sa is in my head, taking care of me...
It feels like... it feelswrong.
I rub my hand over my face. The plan was to find someone to take care of the girls, to make him care about me so much that he would do anything for me while I remained emotionally unattached.
I wasn't supposed to feel anything. Not the brush of butterfly wings against my heart when he says my name. Not heat at his touch or loyalty to him.
Fuck.
I feel Ra'Sa smirk in the corner of my mind.
Fuck off,I say darkly, recognizing that I'm having a harder and harder time of keeping my heart in my chest.
It sounds like you are feeling better,he says back.Just so you know,I brought meat to the girls this morning.
I brace my hands on either hip.
You did what?I growl.
They were hungry when I stopped by, so I found them some food.
Did they not have food?I demand, skin heating.
They did. But they’re growing. They needed more.
Relief cools my hot skin.
Thank you,I grit out.
He smiles again, that little shit.
He barely smiled before, why does he have to be so... so...