Chapter 48
Forty-Eight
Vaskel helped Korl heave Marina’s still-unconscious body into the back of the wooden cart beside the two young hellkins Vaskel had knocked out earlier and stepped back.
“Where are we taking them again?” Val asked as they gathered around Vorto and Klaff’s cart in the dark. The blacksmith workshop remained quiet, as did the rest of Wayside.
“The nearest port town is Eldu,” Erindil said. “You should find a ship looking for sailors. Some of them won’t ask questions.”
“Best if you pick a ship with a long, dangerous voyage ahead of them,” Thrain added. “With any luck, those two won’t wake until there’s nothing but open water and sea monsters.”
Korl hefted himself onto the buckboard, and Val followed, but not before Sass, Iris, and Lira came running from the tavern. Crumpet rode Lira’s shoulder with his fluffy tail curled around her neck for balance.
“Wait,” Lira called out, slowing to a stop when she reached the wagon. “Where are you going?”
“Your charming fiancé and his burly friend are taking our prisoners to Eldu,” Erindil said.
Lira peered into the back of the cart, her eyes widening at the sight of the hellkins.
Sass huffed up behind, complaining loudly about her shorter legs. When she spotted Thrain, she threw her arms around him. “You’re alive, and you didn’t fall under that she-beast’s spell again.”
Thrain patted her gruffly. “Course I didn’t. I saved Vaskel, didn’t I? Helped break the bind.”
Sass pulled back. “Did you now?”
Vaskel pushed up his sleeve to reveal his unmarked arm.
“It worked!” Lira clapped her hands. “I can’t believe it actually worked.”
“I can’t either,” Iris whispered. She was hanging back, her eyes not quite willing to meet Vaskel’s yet.
“I beg your pardon, ladies.” Erindil drew himself up to his full height. “You doubted my potion?”
“Aye, let’s be fair.” Sass flipped her dark braid behind her shoulder. “Potion in a cookie seemed like a long shot.”
Even Vaskel laughed along with the rest of the group at that. It had been a long shot, and it had only worked because of the efforts of everyone working together to help him. He doubted he could ever repay them all.
“You should get going.” Erindil said once the laughter faded. “They might be tied up, but we don’t want them waking up on the way.”
Lira hurried over to Korl, and he bent down to kiss her, dark splotches on his green cheeks evident even with only the moon for light. Sass hurried to Val’s side of the wagon, giving the guardswoman a kiss that wasn’t nearly as shy as Korl’s.
In the flurry of the reins being jiggled and the horses being urged on, Iris stepped closer to Vaskel. “I’m glad you’re rid of the soul bind, but I wanted to apologize for my enthusiasm earlier.”
He tilted his head at her. “You mean the kiss?”
Her cheeks mottled, and she flicked her fingers through the curls near her temple. “Yes, well, I might have gotten swept up in the moment, but—”
Vaskel wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush to him as he curled his tail around her legs. “Then consider this me getting swept up in another moment.” Then he crushed his mouth to hers, pouring all his feelings, all his suppressed longing, all his desire into a kiss.
When he finally pulled away, Iris blinked heavily at him. “Oh, my.”
“Unless you have any objections, I plan to get swept up with you much more in the future,” he husked.
Her chest hitched, and lifted a hand to his head and ran her fingers along the ridges of his horn before tangling in his hair. “I have no objections.”
Vaskel was about to pull the apothecary into another kiss when he realized he could no longer hear the flapping of reins or the creaking of the cart’s wheels. He turned to find that the cart had rolled off down the road and over the bridge, and all their friends were gaping at them.
Iris giggled. “Maybe we should continue this discussion in my shop?”
Vaskel knew he should probably debrief with everyone and spend more time thanking all his friends. He also knew it could wait a few hours. They would understand.
He took Iris by the hand and tugged her toward the village. “I think we should.”