“What’s happening?” she asked, her tone wary but not the full-blown panic it was when we first started.
“It’s all you, baby.” She lifted her head and slightly turned to look. The dazzling display of magick hummed in harmony, and her skin glowed like a moonbeam in response. “It’s your magick finally coming out to play.”
She glanced down at all the sparks of light, then at her skin and the dusting of scales I wasn’t sure even fully registered. The few I could see were pale green and reflective. Fucking captivating and devilishly sexy rolled all into one.
“I don’t know how I’m doing it.”
I snorted. Understatement of the year. “That’s kind of the whole point of why there’s a tutor here,” I deadpanned.
She stuck her tongue out at me, and immediately, I felt lighter. Playful Rani meant she felt safe, possibly even content in this moment, and I’d prayed for nothing more since I locked us in this house. That she could tease me while sitting chest deep in water, in mylapof all places… fuck, it was such a good sign.
The silence that followed was a comfortable one. Despite my balls being frozen enough to become deadly weapons, I enjoyed watching my bond fall in love with her magick. It was such an inherent part of her. To hear her giggle as she learned to control the waves, as the light crystals in the water reacted to her like excited puppies trying to play, I don’t think she realized the healing that was happening.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and when she started to shiver from the cold this time, I knew we’d been in here long enough. There was a healthy flush in her cheeks and a spark in her eye that had been missing for too long. We were definitely on the right track to getting her better. A regular routine of water therapy and she should be good as new in no time. I hoped.
“I know my magick manifests in ice,” I said, gently interrupting her attempt at making more whirlpools. “But if we don’t get out soon, my favorite body part is going to freeze and fall right off. I swear.”
I didn’t wait for her to comment. Gently sliding her off my lap but still between my legs, I kept my hands on her waist until she met my gaze.
“I’m going to stand up, okay?”
She nodded, putting her hands on the side of the tub so that when I moved, she came with me. Our clothes clung to us, trapping the cold in an extra layer that was already beginning to leech the fresh color from Rani’s lips. I pulled the plug with my foot and carefully reached around her to lift the lever for the shower.
The water that came out was immediately warmer than what we were standing in, and it didn’t take long for it to grow hot. Thank the gods. Rani was back to trembling, her arms wrapped around her waist so tight she hunched over with it.
I tried to walk her back under the spray. “Let’s warm you up, beautiful.”
“No!” She jerked hard enough to send me teetering back into the tub.
My quick reflexes were the only thing that saved us as I slammed one hand out onto the tile wall and the other around her waist to anchor her to me when she slipped. She all but tried to bury herself in my chest. Beyond confused, I watched the confidence she fought so hard to gain fade back under a layer of fear.
What the hell? Everything was going so well, what changed? Behind her, the spray from the shower hammered down onto the few inches of saltwater remaining in the bottom of the tub, and that’s when it hit me.
Settled back on our feet, I cupped her face to make her look at me. “Showers too?”
Her eyes fluttered open, revealing a swirl of guilt and shame that I wished I could erase. “Any water that touches me… that reminds me…”
She didn’t have to finish.Iwas the stupid one to not assumeanyform of water would be a trigger for her.
“Any specific parts of your skin?” I asked, rubbing a thumb across her cheek. Some of the spray reached her back, but she wasn’t cringing away from it like she had when I tried to move her all the way under.
“Mainly water that covers my head or face.”
I nodded. That made sense. Before the shame could build from her newest confession, I wrapped my arms around her and slowly turned us until the shower was entirely hidden behind me. In little steps and small movements, I walked back until the downpour fell directly onto my shoulders.
I was almost a head taller than her, so a majority of the spray was diverted. Plenty of hot water ran down my arms and onto her. Hopefully, between the steam building in the room and my own growing body heat, she would get the warmth she needed. A few minutes passed with her gripping my shirt between bleach-white fingers, but she didn’t fight or stumble away.
Slowly, so slowly, she softened in my arms. When her head rested against my chest on a relaxed sigh, I thought I’d collapse right there from the relief. My bond was letting me hold her, comfort her. Shetrustedme.
I finally did something right.
Taking care of Rani was second nature. No, beyond that. It was instinct. I thought for sure my instincts were fucked all to hell because everything I tried to do to save her backfired in the worst ways. But this? This feltright.
When we drained all the hot water from the tank, I shut off the shower and reached for the fluffy towel hanging on the hook past the curtain. It was large enough to wrap around her twice, so it wasn’t hard to bundle her up and lift her out of the tub. Her eyelids were drooping, and I knew we were racing the clock before she gave in to her exhaustion.
I set her on the counter. “Keep those eyes open for me, baby. I’ll be right back.”
She nodded and made a faint agreeable sound, but that was all. I bolted into the bedroom, over to the dresser, and grabbed the first shirt I set my fingers on. I was back in the bathroom just in time to keep Rani from falling face-first off the marble countertop. I helped her lean against the wall, then made quick work of removing my soaked clothes.
