She twisted to look down. Neiryn was beneath her, grabbing her with one hand and holding tight to a railing on the house with the other.
“Don’t let go!” she said, her voice unnaturally high and thin.
“I’ve got you. Can you climb down?”
She carefully bent to grab his arm and pulled herself toward him. When she got close enough, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. She looked up at him, watching melted hail drip down his face. The clay had washed away and his cheeks were ruddy with cold.
“You shouldn’t hold me like this,” she said quietly.
He raised his pale eyebrows in a subtle challenge. “Do you not like it?”
His body was pleasantly firm and warm. She liked it much more than she should have. “Someone will see us.”
He smiled wolfishly. “There’s nothing for it. I’ve got to make sure we don’t lose you.” His arm tightened around her, his broad hand spreading over her waist. “It’s my duty.”
Her heart was racing with excitement at the secure strength of his arm around her, at the feel of his fingers lightly digging into her side, and the warmth and breadth of his chest pressed against her. The scent of him cut through the cold—sweet flowers and flame.
He leaned close to her ear. “I could hold you again later, if you’re enjoying it.”
She took a shaky breath, looking out at the road again. Several other soldiers were clinging to buildings nearby. Everyone else, fortunately, had hidden inside. “You’re distracting me.”
“Apologies. I don’t mean to be distracting, but it’s difficult to avoid when you’re as attractive as I am.”
She bit her lip to suppress a smile. “Gods, shut up.”
“You may avert your eyes if you need to.”
“Avert your tongue, why don’t you?”
“I’d like to avert it into your mouth.”
She gaped at him, which she realized left her tongue open to attack, so she quickly shut her mouth again.
She thought of what he’d said when he was dreaming.I’m so pleased to see you. I like you. You’re different from everyone else I’ve ever known.
Had anyone but him ever said something like that to her? No, she didn’t think so.
This was the first time they’d acknowledged the kiss since it had happened. She’d been more comfortable pretending they weren’t both thinking about it. Now he was watching her very closely again, watching her reaction. To see if she would reject him? To see if she would tell him it wouldn’t be happening again?
That’s what she should have told him. But she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She had liked it too much.
“You should probably do something about this before I lose my grip,” he said, looking at the objects floating around them.“Canyou do something about this?”
She twisted in his grasp to look at the gnarled strands of magic around them. She could see now what had gone wrong. “I think so,” she said. “Hold me.”
He allowed her to shift so her back was against him. “I’ve got you,” he said again. She found that she liked hearing him say that.
Turning her attention to the anomaly, she focused all her energy on gathering the small amount of magic she had left. The anomaly sizzled and sparked as she began working it apart. Neiryn’s arm tightened around her reflexively.
“I’ve got it,” she assured him, frowning.
His arm relaxed again, his hand splaying gently over her ribs. “I know.”
That small reassurance settled her nerves. She could do this. She’d done much more before. She was a good mage, even if she was weakened.
She worked at the anomaly, still floating slightly sideways with Neiryn, until she felt the tangle of magic begin to unravel. The field of magic in the air calmed. The balls of arcing lightning shrank. The blocks of crystal and cottony fungus disappeared. The hail stopped, and above them, the clouds began to dissipate. Patches of ice remained caked on the ground, but began to steam as the sun broke through the clouds.
Abruptly, all the floating objects in the air crashed back down to the earth, including her. She stumbled against Neiryn as their feet hit the ground. After being weightless, she suddenly felt immensely heavy. If he hadn’t been holding her up, she would have fallen.
