Someone whistles, and we both look up to find Nero sliding into another spring. Bracken and Zetros are standing against the wall. Every single one of their gazes is filled with heat.
“Don’t look at me,” Zetros says. “It was the fey’s fault. He said he heard screams, and we thought you might be in trouble.”
Bracken grins like he knew exactly what kind of screams he heard.
Grimus chuckles on a breath and scoops me up, pulling me back inside the water. “You’re lucky I have a woman to attend to, or I’d get out of this spring and beat you,” he teases.
“Oh, I’m so scared,” Bracken responds with a grin. “Save me, Goldie, before the big bad minotaur gets me.”
I giggle and nuzzle closer to Grimus, despite my cheeks flaming red. My body throbs from my releases, but mostly from the magic that sang in my blood and exploded out of me.
Now, I just have to figure out how to do it again.
ChapterSixteen
Isleep so soundly, with no dreams or nightmares, that I wake up refreshed, and I wonder where I am for a moment. It takes me five long minutes to pull myself completely awake and realize why I’m so comfortable. I slept in Grimus’ arms, nestled against his warm side, with Bracken and Zetros near, but at some point in the night, Nero had twined around all of us, his coils forming a sort of nest that we’re all inside. He lies on top of his coils, hanging over the side nearest me, his arm just a hairsbreadth away from touching my own arm, as if he wanted to touch but didn’t want to without permission.
Smiling at the scene, I begin to move, attempting to withdraw myself from the warm bodies, but Grimus pulls me in tighter and cracks his eye open.
“Settle down, little human,” he grumbles.
I giggle and pull harder. “I have to relieve myself.”
Grudgingly, he lets me go, and then I have to climb over Bracken’s reaching arm, Zetros’ large form, and Nero’s piled coils. It’s a task, especially with the soreness between my legs, each movement pulling on my pussy in a deliciously painful way that reminds me of just what—no,whomI did last night. Nero opens his eyes when I touch his body, a smile pulling at his lips as I straddle him and slide over. As I step away, I trail my hand across his scales in a teasing caress. When he hums low in his throat, I flush and go to relieve myself like I planned. When I return, everyone is getting ready, preparing for the trip to the mountains.
“We’re almost there,” Grimus says when I reappear dressed in Nero’s clothing. His eyes drop down to the outfit, and I can see his admiration for the quality, despite his clear jealousy.
I tug at the shirt that hardly looks like it’s made out of snakeskin and smile. Nero, it seems, knows my exact sizing. The pants hug my form, the scales creating a sheen as I walk. I wondered if they would be see through, but whatever magic Nero worked means they are not. They fit my legs all the way to my ankles and come up to my waist. The top is looser, flowing around my midsection, and though you can’t see through the outfit, it’s certainly breezy. Anytime I walk into the light, I’m reminded of Nero, because of the scales and their sparkle. It’s beautiful, and yet the outfit looks like it’s meant for a warrior.
I don’t have proper shoes, but I slide on the leather slippers Grimus made me. They’ll have to do for now, even though they are starting to get worn.
“Do you think we can make it there by tonight?” I ask.
“It depends on our pace,” Grimus answers, and I know what he means by that—it depends on whether or not I’m able to keep up.
Nero perks up. “I can give you a ride, and we can make it there within hours.”
I turn with furrowed brows. “A ride?”
His eyes meet mine, and he grins. “My body is plenty large enough. You simply sit on a length of my body and ride there. I move far faster than you do.” He winks at Bracken. “It’ll be a struggle for the others to keep up.”
“I don’t want to inconvenience you—”
“Nonsense,” Nero argues. “You’re so slight, it’s no hindrance at all. We can make it to the mountain pass in a few hours if we do it my way.”
Grimus seems to grunt in agreement. “You’ll ride. It’s better to arrive in the orc kingdom in what little light we have than in the dark.” He glances at Bracken. “That way, the fey can handle his affairs.”
Bracken shifts as if he’s uncomfortable, but his grin completely counteracts the movement. “Daylight is better, yes.”
And that’s how I find myself riding on the back of a naga like he’s a gilded horse. Honestly, Nero is far cooler than any horse in the Gilded Lands I’ve managed to see. We don’t have them in the Shadow Lands, only other types of livestock. Horses are relegated to the rich and powerful, like the king, but I have a feeling if I returned to the Shadow Lands on the back of Nero, his scales shining for all to see, there would be a proper commotion.
I kind of want to see the king piss himself.
I thought riding on Nero’s back would be uncomfortable, but it’s the complete opposite. I’ve never put much thought into how Nero would move, but when I see him, his human body erect in front of me, the snake body twisting back and forth to propel him forward, it’s almost majestic. He has me ride just behind his human torso, my hands on either side of his waist to keep myself steady, and as he moves, the muscles tensing, I find myself getting wet at the vibrations. When he looks over his shoulder at me with a knowing gaze, I flush and try desperately to mask my feelings.
It’s difficult to do with monsters who have a heightened sense of smell.
Grimus, Bracken, and Zetros don’t have as much trouble keeping up as Nero made it seem they would. Either Nero is purposely keeping pace for them, or they are faster than he thinks. I decide it’s the former when the mountains rise high above us, casting their shadows until the world grows darker, though it’s only been a few hours.
