Fae Gods: Maze by Philinna Wood

Author:Philinna Wood [Wood, Philinna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9786188576629
Published: 2023-05-30T16:00:00+00:00

I wake to find Nex’s hands pressed against my rock bed, his chin resting on them. He’s staring at me, like a mischievous child who’s waiting for his parents to wake so the fun can begin.

“Sleep well?” he asks.

The stench of rot still clings to my tongue. I rub my nose. “You promised me a bath.”

“Come.” He marches to the shield and pulls it aside.

I tug one sheepskin free and drape it around me, then follow him outside. We crawl through the entrance, and once out, my gaze falls on the walls. Claw marks. Feathers are everywhere, brown and puffy, and I even notice some blood spots that have now dried.

“What is all this mess?”

Nex’s lips press together. “Sometimes when monsters can’t eat you, they eat each other.”

Dread ripples through me as I try to imagine what happened here last night. I don’t think I will ever forget the screeching sounds of their claws scraping the shield. I swallow hard. Never in my life have I been more grateful to a god for his protection.

As Nex walks, I shoot a glance at the small entrance we’ve left behind. How the hell is he going to take the shield out of there? But that is the least of my concerns now.

I smell like a hog. I hope Nex wasn’t lying when he said he was going to take me for a bath—and that it isn’t a place like the dragon lake. My spine prickles. Best if I prepare myself for a frozen dip.

There will be no buckets filled with warm water here, and certainly no servants to scrub my back. Perhaps it’s for the best. My back burns. I don’t even dare to think how many whip marks it has. Those vines were vengeful.

Nex leads me to a small chamber. My eyes water when I glimpse the mass of water in its center. Relief makes me tremble, for it isn’t a vast lake with monsters but rather a small basin with hot water. Steam rises from it, filling the chamber with an earthy smell, not musty or stale, but clean and crisp, with a hint of nature.

All smiles, Nex winks at the satisfaction he sees in my face.

I offer him a bubbling laugh before I doff the sheepskin and run for the water. I test the temperature with my fingers. “Oh, thank the gods! It’s as heavenly as it looks.”

I clamber over the edge, then ease myself into the basin. The water burns my mouth, not with temperature but with flavor. The taste of minerals and brine seeps into my tongue with a warmth that is both comforting and invigorating.

At first I splash around, thankful that my feet can touch the bottom. If I stand, the water reaches only up to my belly button, but I’d rather keep myself submerged so that Nex doesn’t ogle my breasts. For a man who’s never been in my bed, he’s seen enough of them already.

Technically, though, I’ve been in bed with him a few times.

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