Page 178

The sexy Fire Druid is sitting at the foot of my bed with a vial of liquid in one hand and a jar of ointment in the other.

"This," he says, holding up the ointment, "is for the rest of those cuts."

I glance down at where he's looking and see my legs are pretty scratched up.

"And this," he says, indicating the vial, "is for the headache you have."

I raise an eyebrow. My head started pounding while I was in the bath. But… "How did you know?"

"It's a natural byproduct of pushing yourself too hard. You used some really advanced magic today and didn't give yourself time to recharge. There are going to be consequences."

I take the vial and down it in one gulp, cringing at the foul taste. "Why do these always taste like ass? Can't you make something that tastes like strawberries?"

"Sure, I can, but it won't be medicinal. It's the rule. The worse it tastes, the better it works," he says with a wink.

"That's a terrible rule. By the power vested in me by the Mother of Dragons, I petition a change to this rule."

Liam laughs and pats the bed. "Settle in and I'll rub the ointment on you if you'd like."

By the gods, I would like nothing more than to feel his hands all over my body, though I'm still too bloody pissed at Derek.

Still, I nod and let my robe fall to my feet. He studies my body with clear desire, but doesn't move until I'm lying on my stomach, eyes closed. Then he proceeds to massage out all the cuts and bruises, as well as the sore muscles that a day of intense—everything—has left. By the time he's done, I feel more relaxed.

"Thank you," I say, turning over to look at him. "I needed that."

He nods and heads to the door, then pauses. "I know we are all a pain in the ass at times. But know that Derek is just trying to protect you. We all are."

I sigh. "I know. But I'm not a broken little girl in need of protecting. Ana is though."

"I think Derek knows that. It's a complicated situation and he feels lost. He's used to being in charge of things, and he doesn't feel in charge of this. It scares him."

Damnit, I wanted to stay angry longer, but his words are softening my resolve.

"He's at the lake," Liam says. "In case that matters. He feels badly about the fight."

Well, shit.

Liam closes the door softly behind him and I sit in my bed stewing and trying to decide if I should go to the Water Druid or try to fall asleep, but thanks to Liam's words, sleep seems impossible now.

"Damn them both," I say as I climb out of my comfortable bed and aggressively put my robe on.

I make my way to my balcony and sigh. I guess I'm doing this.

Using my magic, I fly towards the lake just over the rise of trees to the north. It's part of our property, so it doesn't take too long, and I land at the edge of a large body of water, the Dragon's Breath shimmering off the glassy surface, making it look like a different kind of portal.

It's surrounded by trees, and in the stillness of the evening it feels like the middle of nowhere.

Derek's clothes are folded neatly into a pile on a rock, and he is swimming laps in the water. When he turns to swim towards the shore, he sees me and stops. "Eve, what are you doing here?"

"Liam told me you were out here," I say. "I… I'm not sure why I came. I just don't like fighting with you."

"I don't like it either. Join me for a swim?"

I hesitate, but it's been so long since I've swam, and the night is perfect, and why the hell not? I let my robe fall to the ground and step into the lake, Derek's gaze unwavering from my body.

The water is cold and refreshing, and I don't cheat and use my fire magic to warm it. Instead, I let my body adjust to the temperature until I am submerged. Then I dunk under and swim towards Derek, popping up just in front of him.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper," he says softly, his dark, wet hair gleaming under the Dragon's Breath. "I'm still conflicted. Protecting you and our family is my top priority, so it's difficult making decisions that go against that."