Chapter 4 #2
Griselda went back to observing the naga.
He kept his lips curled in a snarl. His entire body angled sharply forward.
Muscles effortlessly worked under his delicious dark scales as every part of his body worked in unison to keep them moving.
Surely her weight wasn’t causing him to work harder.
Glancing down at her legs, she noted how her thighs rolled with his movements and that her feet dangled a couple inches off the ground.
Relaxing her grip slightly, she dragged one of her hands down his spines in awe at how thick and smooth they were.
A ripple itched through the scales beneath her in response as she heard the naga’s breath hitch.
If he had feet, surely they would have tumbled forward and landed in an awkward pose.
Instead, his scales flared and his spines became stiff like a porcupine.
The sides of his neck bulged for a brief moment.
Griselda almost doubted what she saw.
Did his neck expand?
So many secrets. This naga’s body was full of mysteries.
“Sorry.” The word left her lips almost instinctively. Still, her fingers teased around a spine. Gently rubbing and twisting as though it were a lock of hair.
A muffled groan sounded from the naga. She wasn’t sure if he enjoyed or hated the touch. Or if he’d ever experienced touch. Surely he had unless he put the rings onto the spines himself.
The gurgle of rushing water met her as boulders came to view.
More of their surroundings appeared to become mountainous as creeping vines overtook where trees once were.
Large jagged rocks spurt from the ground in all directions, some creating an awning of sorts as though it were an entrance to a hidden location.
The naga slithered toward the very location she was gawking at.
Rocks this size were unheard of. It would have taken maybe three men assisting each other to scale just one of the rocks.
They were sprawled in an uneven manner, yet still seemed to dome over the interior as if intentionally protecting what was inside.
The naga paused at the entrance, turning his furrowed gaze skyward before sneaking inside a few feet.
In the smoothest move, he rolled over and grabbed Griselda by the waist. She squeaked in surprise, clenching her arms and legs together.
Least he could have done was warn her! Her ass abruptly met a cold but soft earth as she was clumsily set on the ground.
He might have been strong, but it didn’t seem like he quite knew how to hold her.
“Wait here.” He shoved his hands at her like one would trying to coax someone to stay in place.
She examined the many cuts on his palms, not realizing his eyes were darting all around.
Some of the scars were recent, most scarred over.
Would he think her any less pretty due to the scars of her own?
It shouldn’t matter. He shouldn’t feel any attraction to her. So, why then was she hoping he might?
Huddled against the wall of the rocks, Griselda’s gaze followed the naga as he trailed further into what she assumed was a cavern.
Wind whistled between the rocks and pulled her attention outside the entryway.
Her white hair was tussled beyond belief and stuck out in the corners of her vision, but that was the least of her current concerns as the large shadow crested the moon once more.
A strangled cry echoed a good distance away.
Griselda sighed against the rock. Once again, with her back against a rocky structure in such a short amount of time.
Her body strained as she tried to force her joints into relaxation.
All this action was surely going to make them swollen and angry tomorrow.
Turning her emerald eyes back up to the moon she noted that it was almost midnight.
Surely the village would send out a search party in the morning.
Though it happened, it was rare for one of the foragers to not come back purely for the fear that was instilled in them.
There would be questions if she showed back up empty handed though. Even more for being injured. And for not having anything to show her efforts of foraging. Even further more for having a naga dragging with her.
Griselda tipped her head back and closed her eyes, subconsciously massaging the pendant at her throat. Something about the texture across her thumb and the way the naga felt seemed similar.
Both had that silky slick texture.
Both had that same eerie yet gorgeous oil-slick coloring.
Subtle vibrations in the ground caused her eyes to flicker open, fighting against the sleep that teased them.
Back down the tunnel, the naga was coming toward her with a slight orange glow behind him.
The shadow of his body bouncing off the walls made him seem larger than he was.
A strange flow burned within his eyes, almost as though eye shine reflected beyond his shadowy figure.
The way he approached sent shivers down her spine.
Let alone his eyes, there was something about his glide.
His shoulders rolling back and forth as he slithered.
The contact point between his body and the ground slid so delicately.
Damn he was large. The way the light behind reflected off his scales made them burn iridescent.
His determined stare bored into Griselda’s soul, almost like he felt her stare taking all of him in.
She forcibly broke eye contact, jolting her own over to the side as a heat crept up her cheeks, across her chest, and burned the tips of her pointed ears.
“Ready?” He asked, voice reverberating through the cavernous walls as he bent and extended a hand to her.
“Huh, what for?” She tilted her head at him.
Hesitation kept her from taking his hand.
She’d rather walk willingly into a boiling pot instead of being thrown into it.
Instead, she braced on the flat of the wall and gently stood on her own.
Maybe if she made herself small enough he wouldn’t take too much interest in her.
Despite her intense amount of interest in him.
“Wound cleaning.” He whipped his maw away and snorted as he wiped his hand across his chest. Clearly upset at her action of refusing his hand. Maybe a smidgen embarrassed too. Why would his ego be wounded?
With nothing further left to say and a scowl on his face, he started back toward the glowing end of the walls.
Griselda hobbled along, keeping a hand on the rock to maintain herself. The naga seemed to be moving just slightly faster than her. His face stayed hidden but she just knew he was scowling. She scrunched her own in response, furrowing her brows together.
First he accuses me of thievery, then saves me, and now wants to act like my knight in shining armor. What the hell is this?
It was now her turn to give a huffy sigh.
She could handle her own. Though, that thought immediately flew away as she replayed the past few hours and how she went from being strong and determined to a cry baby in a matter of moments.
Maybe she did need some tender love and care after all this. But, from a naga?
From a scaled devil? One with such large muscles and a surprisingly… handsome face. What’s gotten into you?
Griselda squinted at the naga. He was breathtaking for what most would describe as a monstrosity. Something so ethereal that it invoked fear into those who were unsure of what they saw.
A blight that would be a blessing to be devoured by.