41. Chapter Forty-One
Chapter forty-one
Mindless. I'm completely mindless, only aware of the heavy, muscled body crushing mine into the stone wall and the steaming water lapping pleasantly at us while we lie here, bliss-soaked and panting.
"Feel better?" Zenn asks, pure male satisfaction apparent in his smug tone as a hand traces lazy circles over my collarbone.
I pretend to consider it. "Hmmm, I suppose that was...decent."
He chuckles, making no move to shift off me. "If you think that was decent, I can’t wait to do all kinds of indecent things to you."
Before I can come up with a reply, a sharp, coppery tang fills my nose, replacing the far more pleasant sugary woodsmoke scent of the man I'm intertwined with. Forcing my eyes open, I struggle to make sense of the shimmering liquid running down my chest and arm. Fuck, it's blood. How am I bleeding?
I run my hands over my shoulder and head, not finding so much as a scratch.
Twisting up to look at the hand braced against the rocks, I see a stream of gold and remember I'm not the only Foundation in this pool.
Once again, I'm covered in blood that isn't mine.
Thank the Goddess I don't have any open wounds, but we need to be careful.
"Zenn…" I shake him, trying to extract myself from his weight so I can investigate.
"Just give me a few minutes, and I'll be ready to go again," he grumbles drowsily.
"No, not that. You're bleeding."
Vibrant blue eyes fly open at that. "I am? Where?"
As I gently pull his hand until I'm cradling it in my much smaller one, a deep jagged cut across his palm gushes blood at an alarming rate. "What the hell happened?"
He shrugs, trying to tug it out of my grip. "Relax, it's not that bad. I must've cut it on the rocks when I…" His voice goes quiet, and I look up to see a hint of color on his cheeks for once.
"I'm sorry. Are you blushing, Commander?"
"Absolutely not." He scowls playfully, reaching out with his non-injured hand like he's going to flick my shoulder then stopping, as if realizing there's not a stitch of clothing on either of us.
My cheeks heat and I cross an arm over my chest, making him laugh.
"You're not going all shy on me again, are you?
I think it's a little late for that. Or are you blushing because you made me come so hard, I cut my hand open and didn't even notice? "
I cover my face with my other hand, shaking with silent laughter at his audacity before I swim over to grab his shirt from the edge of the pool, dipping the freezing material into the hot springs before slipping it over my head and throwing him his undershorts.
"Don't suppose you have any med supplies in that pack, do you?
I can tear up one of the towels for a bandage if they haven't frozen solid.
I just want to check the wound and wash it out first."
Zenn grabs my wrist, tugging me back with his good hand. "Slow down. I'm fine. No need to go destroying our already limited supplies."
I shoot him a look of confusion that morphs into concern when he winces in pain.
"All the blood from your brain must still be elsewhere in your body if you think I'm just going to let you ignore that cut.
It looks deep," I say, reaching out to cradle his bloody hand in mine, gently lowering it under the water and holding it there, cringing when he yelps at the stinging heat.
Despite his protests, the short shallow breaths and glazed eyes tell me what his words refuse to: he's in pain.
I know Lira will be able to speed up his healing when we get back, and I'm sure he's been through far worse in his years of being a Shield.
And yet, it doesn't stop my need to ease his suffering.
The man just got me out of my head, made me lose myself to pleasure I never thought possible, and now, he's hurting.
I hate it so much, a sharp ache tears at my stomach.
Intense heat rushes around our hands; we must be floating through a thermal ripple.
"Thanks," Zenn cuts into my worrying. "That's actually helping."
I look up to find him almost smiling, all signs of the pain now hidden behind the familiar mask of the Commander.
His eyes are still soft when he leans down and kisses the tip of my nose.
The gesture is so sweet, a lump forms in my throat, and I distract myself by bringing his hand up out of the water to inspect the wound.
"Let me just check there's no fragments of rock embedded in there, and I'll–" My words falter when his hand breaks the surface, and all I see is smooth skin, no trace of the jagged cut.
My eyes dart to his other hand. Did I get the wrong one somehow?
The other palm does have a scar, but it's one I've seen before today.
Zenn looks just as confused as I do, glancing back and forth between the hands he's holding up, the wound is completely gone.
"How?" he asks, sounding more than a little breathless.
"I have no idea," I answer. “It's the second time this has happened though. First with the arivenne bite, and now this. Do you have some kind of extra fast healing with your five-star magic?"
"No, not unless it's new. I healed normally from the Pavor wolf bite." He reaches out a finger to stroke the curve of my neck. "Your bruise has disappeared too." Even the crescent-shaped marks from my fingernails on his chest and scratches on his back have vanished.
"Ok, so it's both of us. Do you think it's possible the mineral waters have healing properties or something?" The pool is spectacular enough to be something the gods could've used centuries ago. Maybe traces of their magic still linger here, or maybe I'm clutching at straws.
"Have you ever heard of something like that?
" he replies, looking every bit as skeptical as I feel.
I shake my head, not knowing how else to explain what just happened.
We climb from the pool, hurrying to towel off and get dressed in whatever dry clothes we have.
Zenn finishes before me, pacing the length of the small area he shielded.
"You didn't do this, did you? My hand was in yours under the water just before the cut disappeared. "
My jaw drops. "How could it have been me? There's no trace of it. Even the strongest Remedy magic doesn't work that way, and you know it."
"I don't know what to think. It doesn't make sense."
"Preferably not that I'm harboring a secret healing ability I could've used to help Hendrix, not to mention my barely conscious best friend."
"That's obviously not what I'm saying."
"Then what are you saying? Because I'm pretty damn confused at the implication." My words come out a heated snap of twisted frustration and hurt.
Stepping closer, Zenn leans in to trace the place right above my heart. "The tattoo thing, Aly, makes no sense. Why does everyone think you only have one star magic? How would you know what you're capable of without an indicator of strength?"
This again? I shouldn't be surprised. Attempting to slow my rapid pulse, I give him the only fragment of truth not trapped behind a vow.
"I know what I can't do, and it was easier to say I only had one and live with the shame of weak magic than risk the consequences of someone finding out about the tattoo. "
He nods thoughtfully. "And you're sure you can't heal like Lira does?" The question is gentle, all traces of accusation gone. "That's why you say one-star, and why you're adamant you couldn't have fixed my hand?"
"Of course I'm sure. I've tried. I wish it was me so I could help Willa too. I would do anything for her." My stuttered declaration is almost a sob at the memory of her crumpled body alone on that ledge.
"Hey, you've more than proved that. I just don't know how to explain what happened here.
" He takes a step back from me, dropping his hand from where it was resting over my racing heart.
"I guess we test your theory about the pool?
I've never heard of healing waters. Then again, I've never heard of a Wielder without a tattoo either," he mutters, dropping to a knee at the edge of the steaming water.
With the shield dropped, flakes of snow settle in our hair as Zenn conjures a small paring knife and shoves back his sleeve to drag the blade across his forearm. I hold my breath when he holds the cut under the surface; wafts of gold ripple away, but it doesn't seal, let alone disappear.
Disappointed silence is a crushing weight on our shoulders as we give up, collect our things, and start the trudge back to camp.
My own words peck at me the whole way down.
I would do anything for Willa, and yet, there's something I haven't tried.
Someone I can ask for help, again. I just have to hope doing so doesn't get me scorched.
Returning to find the entire group gathered around the fire is awkward as hell.
There's no hiding we spent the day together, alone.
At least I don't have teeth marks in my neck anymore, thanks to whatever happened afterward.
Zenn says he trusts his squad, so I leave it up to him to decide if he wants to say anything about the injury and subsequent healing.
I head straight for Willa, brushing back her hair, relieved to find a tiny bit more color in her cheeks, even if she is still asleep. Guilt gnaws at me when Lira says she woke up multiple times today, though it’s a good sign her body is slowly starting to heal.
I make eye contact with Felix through the fire and watch his face contort into a scowl of disgust as a steaming mug appears and Zenn slides onto the log next to me, careful to keep his outstretched legs away from the flames.
I inhale the bright scent of mint with an appreciative smile, warmth unfurling in my belly that's not just from the tea or the feel of him pressed against my side. Gods, I’m pathetic.
A few orgasms, and I'm developing feelings for the man? Absolutely not. I refuse.