Page 47 of Ensnared

My fifty shiny, new humans are standing stock still in front of my house in lines of ten, staring at their feet, because that’s the order I gave them. But this feels like a conversation we should have. I can’t just have them stand around while I talk to Axel for an hour.

Since I’m supposed to make them into fighters. . .I glance at them, and they all look reasonably fit. I push a command to make them all do fifty pushups, fifty sit-ups, and fifty squats. Three times. Talk about a great workout regimen. They all have to do exactly as I push—their bodies won’t let them opt out.

I’m the best personal trainer ever created.

Unless, like, their hearts give out. I slide in a little caveat that if they feel ill, they can take a break. But then, my attention goes back to my mud dragon prince. “Alright, they’re all hard at work. Now tell me what’s wrong with you. You can’t defend my family if you’re on the verge of a breakdown.”

“I’m fine.” I mean, technically that’s true, but the signs of strain are also clear. I can’t really identify any of them specifically. He looks the same, but also, he doesn’t quite.

“You look tired,” I say. “If you were human, I’d say you need a nap.”

He tilts his head. “Are you worried about me?”

“As if,” I say. “I hope you’re tired. I hope you’re drained, and that all of you are really fraying here on earth.”

His half-smile’s back. “You do.”

“For sure,” I say. “But also, you don’t really look like you’re ready to protect anyone. I just want to make sure you’re fighting fit.”

“You going to make me do pushups and sit-ups?”

Unbidden, my mind cuts to an image of Axel without his shirt on—which I’ve never seen—doing sit-ups on the ground. His chest and arms are gleaming with sweat. His abs are contracting and his breathing’s heavy.

That sets my stupid heart racing. Ugh.

“You do want me to do sit-ups?” Axel’s lips twist.

Oh, no. Could he see that?

“It’s much easier when we’re close like this.” He smiles. “You still don’t get it. Any clear thought you have, if I’m focusing on it, I can see.”

I want to die. No, I want to die and be buried and never face him again.

“Do you find my human form attractive, Liz?” He steps closer, his eyes studying my face.

I swallow. “I just said you look tired, and then I was imagining you doing sit-ups, because that’s what I do when I need to prepare for something.”

“Maybe you should be doing them too,” he says. “You have things to prepare for as well.”

I drop immediately—anything for a distraction—and start doing sit-ups. He’s probably right, though. I’ve been slacking off, and that won’t do, not when I’m living among the enemy.

Only, instead of walking away like he usually does, Axel drops down next to me. “Like this?” The insane dragon starts doing sit-ups. “Oh, right.” He whips his shirt over his head and tosses it next to me.

“Where do your clothes go when you shift?” I’m still doing sit-ups, but barely. I’m too distracted to do them very fast.

He shrugs. “Clothes are almost insubstantial. I can make any that I want. Where do they go?” He shakes his head. “I’m not sure.”

Do they even exist? I stare at his shirt for a moment, glad to look at something other than the half-naked Adonis next to me. His body looks even better than it did in my mind’s eye, which is so unfair. It’s not like he’s worked to earn that body in any way.

I suppress a groan.

“Are they tiring for you?”

When I look back in his direction, Axel’s staring right at me. It’s clear that his mind is full of curiosity, not lust, and that’s pretty embarrassing. “Not at all.” I huff. “I’m fine.”

He keeps doing sit-ups, but he’s still staring at me, like I’m a puzzle he can’t quite work out. “We don’t sleep.”

“Yes,” I choke out. No matter how much I lie, it’s obvious that doing all these sit-ups is a little bit tiring. Meanwhile, Axel appears to be totally fine. “You said.”