Everyone seemed to remain frozen for one moment before breaking into movement. Liv glanced at Bryn before standing and pivoting for the door, but not before she grabbed Hakon from under his shoulders roughly, dragging him from the dining room in his drunken stupor. Dahlia left with Gunnar, the two arguing about him staying behind, while Astrid followed close behind them seeming to want to disappear into the walls. Sharing her story had taken a toll on her, Bryn was glad that she would not be traveling with them. She deserved peace.
Herrick and Maude were the last to break their stillness, the pair having some sort of silent conversation as Herrick turned to leave. Letting out a dramatic sigh, Maude turned to Aeric and asked, "You're coming with us?"
"Of course," he said as he peeled the fur-lined cloak from his shoulder to drape over the chair he had been sitting in. "That is, if it's okay with you."
"I don't care," Maude said a little too quickly.
"Okay then," Aeric replied smoothly. "I'll see you in one hour then."
Maude nodded and glanced at Bryn, inclining her head to follow her into the corridor. She followed her sister quickly, the flowing dress around her legs billowing with the air she pushed behind herself to catch up to Maude's speed. How ridiculous that she had ever worn this gown. But Bryn had wanted to feel like her old self for once. In all the horrible things that had happened over the last few weeks, Bryn had retreated into herself and had found she did not like the woman who wore her face and used her voice.
She spent so long pretending to be the ruthless prodigy of war for her father that when she was finally separated from that life, Bryn realized she had spent too long pretending. Now, that was who she had become. And she didn't like it.
Maude could only hear the pounding of her heart in her ears as she made her way back to her room, Bryn behind her and trying to catch up. She didn't think she was moving so quickly— she wasn't even pushing the air around her like she usually did to speed up.
When they reached the long hall that led to their rooms, Liv was exiting Hakon's with a sour look on her face. A slight breeze came from behind Maude as Bryn finally caught up to her.
"The drunken fool," she muttered to herself as she righted her skewed clothing before walking to where Maude stood with Bryn. "He's finally dressed for the journey, but it was no easy task. Herrick is finishing up; I couldn't take the slurred questions and half-plastered face a moment longer."
Maude shook her head. "Something needs to be done about him. I thought Herrick's return had fixed things."
"He has used alcohol as his escape from his grief for too long now," Bryn replied, smoothing out her silver gown. "It will take more than Herrick's return to pull him from that crutch."
"I agree, but what will do the trick?" Liv asked as she let out a long breath. "A question for another time, unfortunately. We have to get ready to leave."
Maude nodded shallowly as Bryn took off with Liv and disappeared around the bend in the hall, where their rooms all sat next to each other, leaving her alone. They were about to set out on another mission, one involving the very gods she had spent most of her life running from. A mission she was going to embark on with her birth father, forcing her once and for all to really speak with him.
And all Maude could think of was the way Herrick ran his nose down her throat to pull her from her fury. The words he had whispered to her about causing trouble. The velvet of her gown felt oppressive now as she continued to stifle the anger and desire that fluctuated and burned in her veins.
As if her impure thoughts summoned him, Herrick stepped out into the hallway, her blood heating from the memory of his touch. They each started moving toward each other, magnets that were compelled to remain close to each other, no matter the cost. The tension that had built during dinner, in between all of the rage and news of their new enemy, had built into an inferno that threatened to swallow her whole.
As soon as Herrick was within her reach, Maude wrapped her fingers in his shining dark hair and pulled her mouth to his. They crashed together like violent waves during a storm crashing against the rock. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her until her feet hovered over the plum runner.
They had no time to spare before they needed to leave Nida behind and head for the unknown, but Maude couldn't care less as her tongue flicked against Herrick's in their battle to devour each other.
He walked them toward her door as Herrick's hand started to trace the moon phases inked into her skin beneath the velvet green dress, causing shivers to run up her spine. Her breath escaped her as her body came alive under his touch, thereverence and possession that echoed in his desperate fingers as they explored every dip and curve of her body.
"Is this the trouble you were looking for?" Herrick whispered against her neck as his tongue flicked over her rapid pulse.
One large hand coasted down her side until it wrapped around her thigh before bringing her knee up to rest on his hip. The movement brought her aching core closer to the heat of his body. She reached behind her, fingers grasping for the door handle that would let them into her room. Finally feeling the slippery metal under her touch, the door opened behind them in time for Herrick to swoop down and lift Maude to straddle him as he carried her into the plush bedroom.
He kicked the door shut as he made his way into the space that had become hers in the short time she had spent in Nida. Littered across the room were discarded weapons and clothing, along with her mother's journals sitting in a neat pile by the window. Herrick noticed none of this, his focus only on her as he surged forward to kiss her exhaustively.
But as much as she wanted to keep drowning in Herrick's embrace, a lot had been revealed tonight that they needed to talk about. She couldn't believe she was going to be the one to stop their descent into madness, but one of them needed to be the one to pull away.
Coming up for air, Maude leaned back far enough to force Herrick to meet her eye as she said, "Don't you think we should talk about all that happened tonight? My head is spinning from it all, yours has to be too."
Her words came out breathy, but she tried to keep her face stern. Herrick had no interest in stopping his distraction, however, as he continued to run his mouth down her neck until he reached the hollow of her throat. She shivered, the sensation of his hot breath on her skin enough to fill her mind with haze.
When they reached her bed, Herrick caught her lips with his again roughly before muttering against them, "Nope."
Before she realized what he was about to do, he dropped her onto the bed, forcing a small shriek to escape her as her back hit the cold silk sheets.
"You bastard," Maude started to say, her voice thin in her surprise, but Herrick pounced.
Covering her body with his, Herrick grabbed one of the thin straps of her dress with his teeth and started to pull it down her shoulder while his hand removed the other. Her body tingled with anticipation as his soft movements screamed with the promise of what was to come.
Shit. She was talking to him about something, wasn't she?
