Page 17 of Naga General’s Mate (Nagas of Nirum #2)

Mila

Hot water cascaded down Mila’s back as steam swirled around her in the small shower stall. Her fingers traced the worn tiles, but her mind drifted to that night—to strong arms wrapped around her waist and the heat of his scales against her skin.

“This is ridiculous.” The words echoed off the shower walls.

But the memory persisted. The way Brivul had pulled her close, his chest rising and falling with each breath. The subtle scent of leather that clung to him.

She ducked her head under the spray, letting water run down her face. Five days. Five days since she’d woken up in his warm, comforting embrace.

“He’s just protecting you,” she muttered, reaching for the soap. “Don’t read more into it than that.”

But her traitorous mind replayed the gentle way his fingers had traced patterns on her arm, how his tail had curled protectively around her legs.

The soap slipped from her grasp, clattering against the floor. “Perfect. Just perfect.”

She bent to retrieve it, remembering how Brivul had looked at her that morning—his violet eyes soft with something more than mere duty. The way his voice had roughened when he’d whispered good morning.

A knock at the door startled her from her thoughts.

“Mila? You’ve been in there a while. Everything all right?”

Her heart skipped at the sound of his voice. “Fine! Just… washing my hair.”

“Breakfast is ready whenever you are.”

“Be right out.”

She pressed her forehead against the cool tile, trying to steady her racing pulse. This was dangerous—these feelings, these thoughts. She had to focus on rescuing Priscilla and exposing Kurg. Not on how perfectly she fit in Brivul’s arms or how his smile made her forget every horrible thing she’d endured.

But as she stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel, she couldn’t shake the warmth that bloomed in her at the thought of him waiting for her outside.

Mila picked at her breakfast, watching Brivul stretch his massive frame across the room. The scales on his bare chest caught the morning light streaming in from the window.

“See? Good as new.” He rose to his full height, his muscles rippling beneath his skin.

“Sit down before you tear your stitches.” Her cheeks flushed as he twisted, showing off the defined planes of his chest.

“The stitches are fine. Watch this.”

He dropped into a fighting stance, executing a series of precise movements that made her breath catch. His tail swept in an elegant arc, and she forced herself to look away.

“Impressive. Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold.”

“You don’t sound convinced.” He slithered closer, and her pulse quickened. “Need another demonstration?”

“What I need is for you to stop being ridiculous.” The words came out breathier than she intended.

Brivul leaned over her, reaching for the juice pitcher. His arm brushed her shoulder, sending electricity dancing across her skin. The spicy-sweet scent of him filled her lungs.

“Your face is red.” His voice dropped low, teasing. “Worried about me?”

“I just don’t want to have to drag your body back to bed again.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she realized how they sounded. Brivul’s eyes darkened, and her stomach did a slow flip.

“Back to bed, hmm? ”

She shoved her chair back, needing space between them before she did something stupid like trace the scar on his jaw with her fingers. Suddenly, the data chip felt heavy in her pocket, a constant reminder of everything at stake.

“Now that you’re healed, we need to figure out what to do next,” Mila blurted out.

Brivul settled into a more comfortable position. “Well, the evidence you have on the data chip could bring Kurg down permanently.”

“If we can get it to the right people.” She traced the rim of her cup with her finger. “The council would never grant us an audience. Not with both our faces plastered across every security terminal in the city.”

“What about Kurg’s enemies?” Brivul’s eyes gleamed. “Someone who’d love to see him fall?”

The name hit her like a bolt of lightning. “Talis.”

“Another kingpin?”

“Yes, a rival. She and Kurg have been at each other’s throats for years.” Memories of heated arguments and thinly veiled threats flooded back. “He always said she was trying to steal his territory.”

“Would she help us, though?”

“Maybe. We’d still need to sneak into her estate, but…” Mila’s mind raced with possibilities. Breaking into Talis’s compound would be dangerous but not nearly as impossible as reaching the council. “It could work.”

“Tell me about her compound.”

“I’ve only seen it from the outside. High walls, armed guards.” She closed her eyes, picturing the sprawling estate. “But nothing like the council’s security.”

“And you’re sure she’d want to take Kurg down?”

“The last time they met, she promised to destroy everything he held dear.” A bitter smile tugged at her lips. “She just needs the right ammunition.”

The data chip seemed to burn through her pocket now. Evidence that could change everything—or get them both killed.

Mila spread the worn transit map that Ellri gave her across the table. Her fingers traced the faded lines that wound through Jorvla’s districts. The evening sun cast long shadows through the hotel window, painting stripes across the weathered paper.

“The cargo train leaves at dawn.” She tapped a station marked in faded red. “It runs straight through to the outer districts where Talis’s estate sits.”

“Same trick as before?” Brivul leaned close, his scales shining in the dying light.

The warmth radiating from his body made it hard to focus on the map. “Similar. But security will be tighter this time. The outer districts are…”

“More dangerous?”

“More exclusive,” she replied. “Rich people don’t like uninvited guests.”

His tail shifted, brushing against her leg. “Good thing we’re not planning to stay long.”

The contact sent sparks dancing across her skin. She stepped away, pretending to study another section of the map. “We should pack light. Just essentials.”

“Already sorted.” He gestured to two small bags in the corner. “Ellri helped me gather supplies while you were checking the train schedules.”

The thoughtfulness of the gesture made her chest tight. When was the last time anyone had thought ahead for her?

“Thank you,” she managed.

Mila rolled the map carefully, her fingers smoothing the worn edges. The paper crackled beneath her touch as she secured it with a piece of twine.

“Mila.” Brivul’s voice carried a weight that made her pause. “You know Talis might not see you differently than Kurg does.”

“You mean she’ll see me as just another slave.”

“She could sell you. Or worse, send you back to Kurg.”

Metal clinked against metal as Mila tucked the map into one of their bags. “I know that.”

“And you’re still willing to take that risk?”

She turned to face him, lifting her chin. The evening light caught his violet eyes, making them glow with concern. “For Priscilla? For a chance at real freedom? Yes.”

His tail shifted restlessly against the floorboards. “There might be safer ways—”

“There aren’t.” She touched the pocket where the data chip rested. “And even if there were, we don’t have any more time. Every day we wait is another day Kurg could grow impatient and hurt my sister.”

Brivul’s massive frame seemed to deflate slightly. “I just don’t want to see you back in chains.”

The genuine worry in his voice made her heart ache. She stepped closer, close enough to catch that familiar scent that clung to him. “Thank you. For everything you’ve done. For caring about what happens to me.”

“I have no regrets.” His hand reached out, but then he hesitated and dropped it back to his side. “I’d do it all again.”

Mila’s heart thundered against her ribs. The certainty in Brivul’s voice and the unwavering devotion in those violet eyes cracked something deep inside her. A lifetime of keeping her emotions locked away shattered in an instant.

“You shouldn’t say things like that.” Her voice trembled slightly.

“Why not?”

Because it made her want impossible things. Because every protective gesture, every gentle touch, every concerned look had carved a space for him in her heart. Because she’d never meant to fall in love with him, but here she was, terrified and exhilarated all at once.

“Because I believe you.” The words scraped her throat.