Page 21 of Galadon (Dragon’s Breath #8)

Galadon

The lingering aches and pains from my captivity with the Kandoran were nearly gone. After a deep sleep with Rayna in my arms, I’d woken refreshed and stronger. My mother had prepared a hearty meal to further boost my strength. Finally, for the first time in over a week, I’d shifted to my dragon form, and that boosted my mood further. Flying had helped relieve the lingering tension in my muscles, even if I couldn’t do it for very long yet.

I didn’t like staying inactive except during the coldest parts of winter, and we were nearly halfway into May. The weather was fair and warm now. My inner beast had needed to be set free, especially since the Faegud guards had left. They’d stayed until I’d recovered enough to resume my duties.

They’d done their job well. It helped that I’d insisted on them swearing an oath to tell no one what they saw on my land, and only the most circumspect shifters were chosen for the task. It had been difficult to cede control, though, even briefly.

I finished shifting back to my human form and headed for the tunnel entrance to my lair. Rayna remained fast asleep when I departed several hours ago, and I’d been reluctant to leave her. If not for my need to get into the sky, I might have stayed to watch her rest. Something broke inside of me when she’d plunged that knife into herself. My fears and reservations about her came crumbling down at the prospect of losing her forever. It wasn’t to say they were gone, but I now had a new perspective. She belonged with me, for better or worse.

As the dim tunnel opened to the large cavern I dug out centuries ago and fortified with my flames and support columns, I spotted Rayna sitting at my dining table. She’d nearly finished the meal I left for her. It satisfied me on some primal level to provide for the woman who’d given me her heart.

I could hardly stop myself as I approached her. “It’s good to see you up.”

She lifted her gaze to meet mine. “Where were you?”

“Patrol,” I said, lifting my hand to run my fingers through her hair.

She stiffened. “I’m…dirty.”

She wasn’t wrong. While Rayna and I had been under our forced comas, my mother had sponged off the worst of the blood and grime on us, but only a proper bath would rid the rest. I’d had mine as soon as I was up and walking yesterday inside a separate, underground chamber nearest to an outdoor firepit we used to heat the water.

“As soon as you’re finished, we can rectify that problem.”

She pushed her plate away, still a quarter full, but it had been overflowing. “I’m done, and all I can think about is getting clean.”

“I understand,” I said, watching her slowly rise to her feet with a wince.

I headed to my wardrobe to get another tunic, so she’d have something clean to wear after her bath. Tomorrow, her first new outfit should arrive, and then I wouldn’t get to see her walking about in one of my tops with most of her legs bare.

She gripped the edge of the table. “How far is it?”

“Normally, I’d say not far at all, but you’ll likely think it’s a long distance right now.”

Rayna lifted her chin. “I’ll be fine.”

While I would have preferred to scoop her up and carry her, I understood the desire for independence more than most. Nothing annoyed me more than needing help. My mother and I had fought many times when she began staying in my territory, as we decided who would take care of what. I ceded control of laundry since I hated that task anyway, but we shared the chores of gathering and cutting firewood, hunting for food, caring for the herd of cows and sheep who grazed my land, and cooking. She even went on patrol occasionally, though only with the promise she’d alert me immediately to any issues.

“Go ahead, slayer,” I said, gesturing toward the tunnel entrance.

I stayed close to Rayna as she began taking small, shaky steps. My mother had checked on her earlier while she slept and said the leg bones had reformed, but they weren’t at full density yet, and the muscles would need to be used before they’d regain strength. I had to let her exercise as much as possible so her body would complete the recovery process.

After only ten steps, Rayna’s knees collapsed. I caught her before she hit the ground and helped her stand. “It’s fine. The same happened to me, but it does get easier.”

“I can’t believe how weak I am,” she said, gripping my arm.

That wasn’t only because of her injuries. I didn’t think it was safe to tell her that the elixir stifling her slayer urges had also reduced her to near-human strength. Her immune system was still robust, according to my mother, but the first female who took the potion had reported the other side effects. I’d been told Javier was trying to rectify that problem, but so far, he’d had no luck. Headaches were another possible issue, so I’d also watch Rayna for that.

“You’ll regain your strength soon enough,” I said, hoping that was true.

I let go of her as she moved forward once more. She did fine until the tunnel began its steep and winding ascent, which had her legs shaking. I gritted my teeth when she grabbed the wall for support instead of me, but I didn’t complain. Rayna had to do it in whatever way she found most comfortable. As a slayer, she needed to feel independent and in control. I needed to give her that despite my instincts to intervene.

Normally, it only took a minute for me to get through the tunnel from bottom to top. For Rayna, over a quarter-hour passed before we stepped into the late afternoon sunlight. The birds chirped loudly, and a light breeze blew through her loose, tousled hair. She stopped, squinting after being in the dark cavern for several days. I noted her breathing was heavy and her knees wobbly. The more she pushed today, though, the easier it would be tomorrow. I’d found that to be true with my own injuries.

“Okay, which way are we going?” she asked, gazing around.

I’d almost forgotten she didn’t know my home well. In the past few days, I’d grown comfortable with her presence. It surprised me how easily that had happened after centuries of living alone. I was even more shocked that I wanted her to see and know all my territory.

“That way,” I said, pointing across the clearing to another tunnel entrance near the trees.

“Okay.”

She began walking slowly in that direction, and it ate at me to see the frustration and pain on her face. Every step hurt her. Still, I kept a few feet of distance between us. I was close enough to catch her should she fall, but I gave her enough space not to feel crowded.

Rayna stopped halfway there to catch her breath, sweat beading her brow. “I swear I’m not normally like this.”

“You are recovering from severe trauma to your body,” I said, moving to stand before her. “The fact you’re walking at all is far more than most anyone would accomplish three days into the healing process.”

“I…I just don’t like being weak,” she said, dropping her gaze.

Taking a gentle grasp of her chin, I lifted it. “Even when I hated you, I never once thought you were weak, and I certainly don’t now. I see the strongest woman I’ve ever met.”

“You…” She blinked. “Really?”

“Yes, and it’s taking everything in me to resist carrying you because I can see the pain you’re suffering. I won’t, though, unless you ask, because I respect you enough not to intervene. But if you do, I’ll only see you as stronger for recognizing when to seek help.”

Rayna swallowed. “It hurts so bad right now…I…” She grabbed his arm. “Would you carry me?”

Indescribable relief filled me, and I scooped her into my arms. “Gladly.”

“Thank you.”

She rested her head against my shoulder, and it felt just as right as all the other times she’d done it in the past, though I’d resisted that feeling before. Now, I reveled in the fact that she trusted me enough to take care of her.

My mother came from the tunnel where we were headed, carrying a large metal vat. “I just filled the bath with hot water, so it’s ready for Rayna.”

The slayer glanced between Ujala and me, confusion lining her brows. “How did you know?”

“I heard you coming long before you got this far,” she said, giving her a gentle smile. “A bath will do wonders for your aching muscles.”

“Thank you,” Rayna said.

I nodded in gratitude at my mother and continued toward the tunnel. Most of the ones I built twisted and winded with various offshoots for security purposes, but this one was short and direct to allow some daylight inside and make it easier for carrying the hot water. I set Rayna down on a wooden bench while I checked the bath, finding it the perfect temperature.

The zaphiriam metal tub was one I acquired from the Faegud in a trade deal a few years ago, and far better than my old method of washing, which involved cold water at the nearest river. It was so deep that the rim reached mid-way up my thighs, long enough I could stretch my legs, and wide enough to give me plenty of room to wash.

It occurred to me then that Rayna was in no condition to climb inside safely, and the nervous look on her face confirmed it. “Get undressed, and I’ll help you in there.”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’ll manage it…so you can go.”

I frowned. “You’re not in any shape to climb over a rim that high.”

“Maybe,” she conceded, pushing some of her hair behind her ear. “But asking you to carry me was one thing and hard enough. I need to do the bath myself.”

Looking at her tight expression and the panic in her eyes, I saw she was on the edge of getting overwhelmed. We still had much to resolve between us. She needed to process what had happened to her with the Kandoran, and she hated feeling helpless. Her pride had taken a beating lately, which I understood all too well.

“I will make a deal with you,” I said, thinking through my words carefully.

Rayna gripped the bench. “What?”

“I’ll leave and give you privacy, but I won’t be far, so you can shout if you need me.” She nodded. “Also, I will be back in twenty minutes, and you’ll let me wash your hair.”

Her eyes rounded. “You want to wash my hair?”

“After my mother came here, she added a second basin.” I pointed at where it sat next to a shelf with bath supplies such as soap, washcloths, and towels. “She puts it at the end of the tub so the dirty water from her hair goes in there instead. There is also a bucket she is no doubt preparing with heated water for you to use for rinsing.”

“Oh, that’s nice, especially considering what’s likely in my hair.”

“Yes.” Moving to the shelf, I grabbed soap and a washcloth. I set both on a side table beside the bath for easy reach. “This should be all you need until I return.”

“Thank you, Galadon,” she said, gratitude in her hazel eyes.

I dipped my chin. “You’re welcome.”

After placing the clean tunic on the bench beside her, I left. It was difficult not to take control, but I’d stay within easy hearing distance in case she had trouble. Several minutes passed before I caught whispered curses barely reaching me from where I stood by the fire. The water splashed, followed by a loud sigh, telling me she’d safely entered.

Ujala came from my lair, carrying the dirty linens from my bed. She’d likely put fresh sheets and blankets on there since I had several sets. “Thank you, Ama.”

“It’s no trouble,” she said, then her gaze slid past me to the tunnel entrance. “Is she okay?”

“As much as she can be under the circumstances,” I said, sighing.

Ujala frowned. “Don’t rush her, son. She’s far more used to your cruelness than kindness, and I think it’s confusing her.”

“So, I shouldn’t be nice to her?” I asked, perplexed.

“No, I don’t mean that.” My mother shook her head. “I just think patience would go a long way.”

This was punctuated by Rayna’s faint sobs reaching us. My chest tightened as I listened to her crying quietly. Her hearing wouldn’t be as good as ours, so she probably thought she was careful enough for us not to catch it. The way she sounded, she was suffering a great deal of mental anguish.

“I want to go to her, but I know I shouldn’t,” I said, clenching my fists.

Ujala gave me a weak smile. “It’s good she is getting it out and not holding tight to those emotions. Her mind needs to heal as much as her body. Wait until she’s quiet again. Your presence will be more welcome, and she’ll appreciate that you gave her space.”

I had no doubt she was right.

“Thank you,” I said and leaned forward over the bundle in her arms to kiss her on the forehead. “I know I haven’t been easy on you, but having you here means a lot.”

She blinked and cleared her throat, golden eyes misting. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, son. I hope you know that.”

Surprisingly, I did. “I believe you.”

My mother walked away with the dirty linens, heading for a separate area she used for washing. I was grateful once more that she happily took that chore from me. In the meantime, I checked the pot over the fire and found it boiling, so I took it off to cool a little. Some of it would go to reheat Rayna’s bath, and I’d mix the rest with a little cool water to wash her hair.

I paced as her sobs quieted to the point I only caught the occasional sniffle. It had been nearly half an hour, but I wouldn’t dare embarrass her by rushing down there too soon before she collected herself. She deserved that much. I only wished I hadn’t behaved so cruelly that she couldn’t trust me with her pain.

Never before had I wanted—no, needed—to comfort anyone the way I desired to with Rayna. The fact that she was so strong only made it harder to see her broken by what happened to her. While I had suffered trauma from the Kandoran as well, centuries of living had hardened me more. It was while I slept that it all came back to haunt me.

When several more minutes passed and I heard only water splashes, I took the large pot by the handle and carried it down to the bathing chamber. “I apologize. It took me longer than expected to return.”

“It’s fine,” she said, back facing me in the bath. Her foot protruded from the water where she scrubbed it. “It was nice to soak for a bit. Your mother was right that it helped me feel better.”

In more ways than one, but I wouldn’t say that out loud.

I stopped near the bathtub and looked her in the eyes, grateful for the murky water covering parts of her that would turn my mind elsewhere. “Do you want it hotter?”

“Um, that would be nice.”

Holding out the pot, I poured half of it into the tub. She let out a sound of contentment.

“Wet your hair while I get the cleanser,” I said, moving toward the shelf.

She did as I asked, but when I returned holding the bottle, she blushed. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.” She had no idea how hard it was to keep my hands off her. “But if it makes you uncomfortable, I won’t.”

She stared at me as if she was reading the depths of my soul and trying to find answers. A long minute passed as I stood waiting for her answer.

“You can do it,” she said quietly, crossing her arms over her chest as she adjusted her position so I could reach her head more easily.

I wondered what she’d read in my expression to agree.

Opening the bottle, I poured what I estimated to be enough for her hair. It wasn’t as if I had a lot of experience in such matters. I’d kept my own hair short for several centuries now after I got tired of trying to keep it clean. If I stayed in my dragon form, it hardly grew at all.

I began rubbing the cleanser into her scalp. At first, Rayna sat stiffly in the tub, but as I worked it in with a gentle massage, she slowly relaxed. Her arms fell away, and her pert breasts poked out of the water. My body grew hard at the sight, and I had to remind myself she wasn’t ready yet—not physically or mentally.

Instead, I focused on working out all the dirt and grime, pouring a little water over it several times until it appeared clean enough. Though it took a while, I wished it could have taken longer. Her sighs of contentment made the effort more than worth it.

Reluctantly, I withdrew my hands. “I’ll do a full rinse now.”

I lifted the pot, feeling her gaze on me. There was amusement in her eyes.

“What?” I asked.

“The best way to rinse me fully is if I stand, you know.”

That hadn’t occurred to me until now. I’d planned to just pour it over her head to fill the extra basin while she sat, but the water was dirty after her bathing, and she needed a complete rinse. The pot was large and too heavy to lift herself in her weakened state.

“What do you wish me to do?”

“Just rinse me,” she said, rising to her feet as she faced the other direction.

I could still see her shapely rear and feel myself growing even harder at the sight. Why was it that no other human body tempted me like this? One glimpse, and I wanted to take her no matter the circumstances.

“Very well.” My voice came out in a rasp.

I began pouring as she worked the remaining cleanser from her hair. Concentrating on my job, I tried hard not to notice how she moved. The damn woman was alluring in every way possible. I couldn’t even see her as the enemy anymore, despite her being created to murder my kind.

To make matters worse, I could make out the mottled and jagged lines of freshly healed wounds that covered her. Most would disappear, but some of the deeper ones would remain. Anger and guilt twisted inside me that she had suffered because I failed to accept what she meant to me sooner.

The water finally ran out, and she was clean. I hurried to set the pot down and grab a towel. Rayna took it without a word and wrapped it around her body. I breathed a sigh of relief when all her most tempting parts were covered. She braced one hand on the tub as she carefully got out. I stood close to be safe, but backed up once she regained her footing.

She took slow, measured steps to the waiting clean tunic. There was no wobble this time. I was glad she appeared to be doing better, though I wouldn’t have minded carrying her again. I got one more look at her backside before she pulled the black tunic over her head. This one was slightly shorter and barely reached the top of her thighs. She turned to look at me with a frown.

“Most of my shirts are cut this way so I don’t have to tuck them into my pants,” I explained.

She nodded. “Alright.”

I stayed by her side as we slowly journeyed back to my lair. Rayna took one look at the bed with clean linens and tucked herself into it on one side. I wanted more than anything to join her, but I didn’t trust myself. She needed rest. I was so hard right now that I wouldn’t be able to resist touching her. That would lead to things she couldn’t handle, so I left her in peace and set about doing a few chores instead.