Page 25 of A Kiss of Flame
“It will grow fully dark soon,” Sil said. “There are lanterns that will light when it does.” They followed the path around the largest pool at the base of the hill, where creatures frolicked and swam. A pixie woman with short pink hair darted through the tall reeds nearby and splashed into the water with a delighted whoop. Barith chuckled.
“The quieter pools are up the hill,” Sil told them. “If you’d prefer?”
“That sounds lovely,” Levian replied, retaking Barith’s arm and stroking his bicep with her fingers. His skin tingled under her touch.
Sil nodded and led them up a stone path ascending the hill until they reached a more tranquil and sparsely attended pool toward the top. The dozen or so others took sharp notice of their arrival and grew quiet. Sil led them to their private nook near the water’s edge, which had already been laid out with fresh plush towels, large lounging pillows, wine, and snacks.
A threesome of curious naiads with slightly translucent, watery skin caught his eye nearby. Two of them giggled and smiled at him, while another pulled herself up to sit on a stone at the water’s edge, exposing her bare breasts before coyly lookingat him over her shoulder. All three were naked, as was common with a nymph.
“If you want to play with the water nymphs, I won’t stop you,” Levian told him with a tone of stark indifference, letting go of his arm. She kicked off her slippers to step into the water. “I can entertain myself for a while.”
Barith had a weakness of sorts for nymphs—they were all ethereal beauty and open sexuality—he’d even fallen madly in love with a wood nymph once. He knew Levian was putting on a show for Sil, making it clear they were here together but also free to indulge in whatever struck their interest—just as they had planned. Yet there was something to her tone that felt cutting and raw.
He came up behind Levian as she stepped into the water, put his hand at the base of her neck, bent down, and grumbled seductively in her ear, “What are naiads to you, darling.”
Barith couldn’t see her reaction, but by the way she stiffened under his touch, he knew she was at least a little surprised. Sil ate it up, flashing a knowing grin before issuing one last encouragement to call if they needed anything.
When Sil was gone, Levian pulled away from Barith’s touch and stepped back out of the water. “This place is truly spectacular,” she said, glancing around the large room. Her demeanor suddenly shifted from playful to academic. The enchantments must have cost a fortune.”
Barith huffed a little laugh and poured them each a glass of wine. When it came to enchantments, Levian was like an artist who was always intrigued by another artist’s work. “A mage to the bone, aren’t ye?” he teased, handing one to her, which she took happily. “Who else would notice the complexity of the enchantments.”
She rolled her eyes and glanced back up at him. “Most Folk are bores, and I know what kind of work these things take,” she retorted as she had countless times before.
He smiled warmly down at her. “Aye, I knew ye do.” There had been many times in the past that he’d been subjected to Levian’s ramblings over the complexity of some spell or enchantment she was trying to puzzle out. He’d never understood a word but always loved hearing her mind at work and her captivated excitement as she talked about magick. “What’s wrong with this one?” he asked, giving her an opening.
Levian looked at him as if she’d been about to ramble but felt compelled to hold it in now that he was anticipating a tangent. “It’s fine work,” she replied.
Barith chuckled. “But—” he prodded.
She huffed and fiddled with one of her necklaces. “No, ‘but’,” she clipped. He waited for a second, his smile widening. “However,” she started, unable to help herself, “the mage they used could have woven some of the details more accurately.” She pointed to a bit of grass nearby and several blooming flowers. “These grasses don’t grow in the valleys around Vasan. The flowers do, but these particular ones only bloom in the early morning, not twilight. I don’t know why they didn’t choose a bubble primrose or a blood moonflower. Both are lovely and bloom at night. Also, in high spring in Vasan, the temperatures are much warmer. I would guess their mage hasn’t spent much time with the spring fae.”
Barith munched on a strawberry. “I wouldn’t have noticed any of that,” he admitted. “It’s too bad ye got caught up working with Sirus and me. I’m sure the Eldreth would have poached ye to do all their weaving if they’d known what was good for ‘em.”
Levian huffed. “I’m not sorry about it. Besides, I doubt they would have paid my rates, and I’m not easy to blackmail.” She sipped her wine and looked about the room once more. “I knowwe’re here for more than fun,” she pivoted, “but we should indulge in what Kamár has to offer a little. Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this impressive, even if it isn’tperfect.”
He smiled, appreciating the balance she struck—staying on task but willing to enjoy herself. Levian was intelligent and stubborn, but above all, she loved indulgence. Barith raised his glass to hers.“To a night of revelry that would make Carvatticus jealous.”
Levian laughed breathily, her violet eyes twinkling in the dim light, and clinked her glass against his. “Cheers to that. I’ll enjoy rubbing this in his face the next chance I get, especially since I know he’s never been invited, though he’s tried his best to get in.”
They both drank, the decadent flavors from the wine mixing with the enchanted warm spring air. Barith felt indulgent already. More than he had in ages. And he felt somewhat cocky over the knowledge that he’d achieved something His High Daemon Lordliness hadn’t. The night was off to a good start.
Barith made a note of the others in the pool. Beyond the three naiads that swam about on the other side near the rocks, a few older pixie gentlemen sat deep in conversation. Three beautiful dark-skinned fae lay on the shore’s edge, lazily eating, drinking, and laughing. A beautiful witch with long red hair and two male companions were swimming near the naiads. Everyone seemed occupied with themselves, except for the naiads, who continued to look back at him, but Barith felt the attention of the others on them, even if they were subtle. He was used to being ogled when he went out amongst the Folk. Dragons often kept to their hordes, and those out in the world rarely socialized in such settings.
Barith stepped out of his slippers and into the edge of the waters, which were tepid and welcoming. He sat his glass on a rock set up to be a table and held out his hand for Levian.“Shall we have a little swim, then?” he asked. “Since we’re to be enjoying ourselves.”
Levian smirked at him. “It would be a shame if we didn’t,” she agreed. The mage sat her glass next to his and, with a little swirl of magick, bound her vibrant pink curls atop her head in a messy bun. She untied her fine silken robe, and Barith’s jaw nearly hit the floor as she let the delicate fabric slip from her shoulders.
His gaze ran down her long, lithe figure, taking in every inch. Levian’s dark blue bikini was nearly sheer, her dark nipples obscured but vaguely visible beneath the triangles of dangerous cloth. Her bottoms were tied into little knots high above each hip and barely covered her backside. She threw her robe over the cushions nearby, and her necklaces dangled between her breasts like chimes, beckoning him closer.
Levian smiled smugly at him. Under any other circumstance, she would have thrown something at his head and called him a lech for looking at her like that, but she seemed pleased with herself here. Barith suspected she’d kept the outfit hidden to catch him off guard in an attempt to win their bet.
“You like it?” she asked mockingly, taking his hand delicately before stepping into the waters with him. The touch of her skin to his sent a skitter of awareness rioting through him.
Barith swallowed a lump of air. “Ay—ahem—Aye,” he replied with more success the second time.
He stood frozen as she slid by him, brushing her fingers along his stomach for balance, her bum rubbing along the top of his thigh. To her credit, he nearly gave in to the bet right then and there. She turned her back to him and stalked deeper into the water, sighing contentedly as it reached her hips. That little sound made him shiver, and his tail swished along the top of the water. He wasn’t aware of much except that he wanted to follow her, so he did.
“You could yield now,” she said playfully over her shoulder.