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Cal shoved the key into his pocket, then began taking off his clothes.

'What are you doing?' she said, forcing her eyes to remain on his face.

'Undressing,' he replied, his shirt following his cloak and padded leather doublet to the ground.

'Thank you, I can see that,' she said. 'But why?'

'I don't want my clothes to get wet.'

'You're going to swim through?'

'Do you have a better option?'

She didn't, and she couldn't let him go by himself.

'Feel free to leave your clothes on,' he said, 'but we have no way to dry them, and I needn’t remind you we're in the frozen north. If you wear wet clothes, you will most likely die.'

Fyia huffed. 'You're not worried about booby traps?'

'Not particularly,' he said. 'Why would anyone booby trap the water supply?'

'Because it comes through a secret passage.'

'That leads to a library owned by my people.'

Fyia picked up a rock and threw it into the water. Nothing happened, and Cal kept undressing, removing his boots and socks.

She picked up a second rock and threw it as far through the hole as she could. Again, nothing.

'Happy now?' said Cal, as he pulled down his breeches, not bothering to turn away. She didn't give into the temptation of letting her eyes roam south.

'You go first,' she said with a sigh, pulling off her own boots.

'Yes, that was my plan.'

Fyia slipped her shirt over her head as he bundled his clothes and weapons in his cloak. He didn't wait for her to finish undressing before lowering himself into the water. It wasn't particularly deep, only up to his waist, and if it was cold, he didn't flinch. Fyia wrapped up her clothes, watching carefully as he reached the hole and ducked down, so only his face and hands were out of the water, keeping the torch and his clothes dry.

He turned to face her just as Fyia dipped in a toe. 'Mother!' she said, pulling her foot back.

Cal laughed, and Fyia couldn't even bring herself to care that his eyes studied her naked form in the shadowy light.

'You have special northern blood that keeps you warm, don’t you?'

'Not that I know of,' he said, chuckling. 'You just have to do it.'

'Great pep-talk, thanks.' She sat on the edge of the aqueduct, took a few deep inhales, and then pushed herself into the water.

She gasped, but refused to whimper, concentrating on breathing through the cold. She picked up her clothes with shaking hands, then followed Cal.

He cocked an eyebrow as she came up behind him, her tightly balled clothes only partially covering her naked breasts, her nipples peaked against the cold. She cared more about preserving body heat than Cal seeing her naked form.

'See you on the other side,' he said, 'and try to avoid the water snakes.'

Fyia flinched. 'Ha ha,' she said, but her pulse spiked, because she wasn't completely sure he was joking.

She didn't have time to dwell, as Cal was already through the hole and moving away on the other side. She had no desire to be left in darkness, so quickly ducked her shoulders, her breaths becoming staccato, her whole body trembling at the shocking cold.

Fyia stood as soon as she emerged on the other side, a sea of gooseflesh covering her skin as the air hit. She shivered, unable to concentrate on anything but making it to where Cal was now dressing. Somehow, he'd already replaced his breeches, socks, and boots. He offered her his hand as she reached him.