He had the oddest craving to reach out and caress her, but he was afraid of waking her. He suspected she had learned to sleep with one eye open, being a woman alone in the world.
He took in a slow breath, breathing in the warm scent of her. She smelled of the outdoors and of the smoky inn common room. The air had been heavy with the scent of hot food and strong ale and she had carried it up with her. He found he liked it. It was earthy and real—not false and perfumed to cover the odors around her like so-called refined women used.
He would have to be more careful in the future. She was too observant and too sharp not to begin to question the state he would return in every night. He would have to stay in a separate inn from the rest of the group. His men had never questioned why he showed up bruised and freshly washed every night; nor did they question it when those bruises disappeared come the morning. They knew something was different about him, but as long as he continued to line their pockets with gold, they didn’t care.
The only one who potentially knew the truth of the matter was Dru. He had been by each brother’s side as they had worked through and survived their curses. He hadn’t known the actual details, but anyone with enough skills of observation who worked that closely with his brothers was bound to figure things out. He suspected that was part of the reason the mage had asked to come with him when he had taken his leave of his brothers.
With a sigh Maxum closed his eyes.
He had a long and arduous journey ahead with many dangers in his path. The other men knew what they were getting into but did she? Was he wrong to risk her in such ways? And why should he be feeling so protective of her all of a sudden?
No. She was a tough little thief who had seen her share of hard things. She was making her own choices, and well…if she didn’t know what she was getting herself into, she would very quickly find out.
Because very shortly he would be putting all of their lives on the line.
The next morning Airi woke up pinned against a heated male body with an erection nudging into her backside…again.
She had to stop doing this. He was going to get the wrong idea and one of these mornings the arousal he felt in his sleep might very well carry into his waking state of mind.
Working slowly and gingerly, she extricated herself from his hold. When she was finally able to stand up, she quickly pulled her pants on. She took off her shirt and, standing bare-breasted, she reached for her binding cloth and began to wrap it around her body.
“Don’t do that.”
She yelped and covered her breasts with the cloth. She met his warm green-eyed regard.
“You were supposed to be asleep!” she said, as if she were accusing him of a crime.
“You woke me with all your wiggling and squirming.”
“I was trying to get out of the bearish hug of your body. Don’t you know how to keep to your side of the bed?”
“If it bothers you so much don’t get into bed with me.”
“I didn’t have a choice!”
Maxum stood up and stretched and she could see his erection standing out proudly beneath his drawers. He didn’t even try to conceal it. He reached for his pants and she wondered how he was going to stuff all of himself into the snug fabric of his breeches in that particular state.
She quickly forced herself to look away when she realized she was staring—and that he realized she was staring. She heard him chuckle and her face bloomed with heated color.
Oh, for the sake of the gods! She had been around men before, coarser men than he was. What was she being so missish for all of a sudden?
She hastily focused on binding her breasts.
“I said don’t do that.”
He grabbed the end of the cloth and with a snap yanked it out of her hands. She squeaked in dismay and immediately leapt for her shirt to cover herself…although he had certainly gotten a good look at her by now.
“Give that back!”
“No,” he said mildly. “You’re a woman. Everyone knows it. So why hide your breasts?”
“Because the bigger the breasts the less seriously a man takes you. I find the more boyish I look the more likely I am to be treated like an equal.”
“But you aren’t an equal. Every man knows that, whether they can see your breasts or not. Don’t make yourself uncomfortable just to suit their comfort. Be what you are and be proud of it. That will be what gains you respect.”
“We’ll disagree on that. Now give it back.”
“No.”
With a single motion he tore the binding in two.
“Hey!” she cried in dismay.
“Put your shirt on. Your vest will hide what you’re so eager to conceal from everyone…for the time being. Today we’ll shop for an alternative.”
“I don’t want an alternative. And I don’t have the money to shop.”
“I’ll do the buying, you’ll do the wearing. Consider it a gift.”
“I’d much rather you gift me with a new pair of boots. That would be more useful.”
“You’ll be able to buy your own new boots soon enough. I’ll gift you the way I want to gift you. Now shut up for a change and put on your shirt. Or I can stand here and stare at your bare breasts if you like. Perhaps I can open the door and the whole of the inn can stare.” He moved toward the door and she yelped in alarm. She hastily donned her shirt, tucking it into her breeches, and then pulled on her vest. She tugged it tight and close, feeling naked without her bindings.
Maxum finished dressing in silence, then, just as he was reaching for the door, he turned to her and said, “Thank you for last night. For helping me.” Mischief twinkled in his jade green eyes for an instant. “And for keeping me warm.”
“Believe me, that was not intentional!” she said as she pushed past him out of the door.
“Come on. Admit it. You liked being naked with me.”
“I wasn’t naked with you. And don’t you dare say that in front of anyone.”
“Who am I going to say it in front of?” he asked innocently. “Oh, you mean Doisy? Good morning, Doisy.”
Airi spun around and found herself nose to chest with Doisy, who was standing on the walkway. That was when she realized that the walkway leading to all the rooms was a balcony on one side that looked down on the inn common room. She could see people looking up at her with interest and she blushed with temper.
“You’re an ass!” she declared before pushing past Doisy and making her way downstairs.
Doisy looked askance at Maxum. “I think she meant you. I haven’t done anything to warrant that.”
“Haven’t you? You left her last night without a room. You all know she has no money.”
Doisy looked chagrined. “Ah. I forgot. So sorry. I’ll apologize to her later when she’s not in such a fit. What’d you do to her?”
“Not a thing. And I wasn’t naked with her. Or so she says.”
Doisy chuckled. “Well, I won’t hold it against her. Though I thought she had better taste.”
“She does. It’s not like that,” he made certain to point out. “I’m just teasing her a little bit. Gets the juices flowing. Now come on. Let’s eat a good meal. We have a ship to find. But I promised someone we’d go shopping first.”
He rubbed his hands together in eager anticipation.
—
“I am not wearing this!” Airianne cried.
Maxum was holding the steel boned and leather corset in his hands and examining it with a discerning eye.
“Why not? It’s perfect for you. The steel will protect you and it will bind you just the way you like.”
“Partly. The whole top part of me will be spilling out of this thing!”
“You won’t be spilling out. Just try it on. Wear this shirt underneath it.” He handed her a soft, nearly sheer cotton shirt in black with a gathered ruffle along the neckline. “Do it or we’ll be parting ways here and now.”
Airi snatched up the shirt and corset with a grumble and disappeared behi
nd a makeshift curtained area to change into the contraption. She put on the shirt first and then, wriggling her way into it, put on the corset, which tied in the front between her breasts.
Once she had it on she had to admit it did bind her breasts pretty snuggly, but as predicted she swelled up over the top of it, though not as much as she had feared. The ruffles of the shirt covered her cleavage well enough, she supposed. She slowly came out from behind the curtain, tugging here and pulling there along the way self-consciously. But the minute she saw his eyes light up with what could only be described as genuine male appreciation, she instantly felt more comfortable. Which was funny because she usually tried to avoid garnering male appreciation. But from Maxum…she wasn’t so bothered by it.
He took hold of her arm and guided her to a looking glass in the armory. Airi sucked in her breath, surprised at the image she saw there. Both the shirt and the corset leather was black so they set off the warmth of her skin. She looked exposed and confined all at the same time—and she looked tough. Like she was prepared for anything. The tooling of the hard leather was beautiful and graceful, but the corset was also practical. The leather and steel would protect her in a fight, slow down or glance off a blade that may come at her. She could see the usefulness of the garment.
“You see? It’s perfect. You can look like you demand respect and like a woman at the same time,” he said.
“Well…” She eyed herself a minute longer. “I’m not so sure people will take me seriously.”
“I know I would,” he said.
“You’re just saying that.”
“No. I’m not. I’ve taken you seriously from the start, even though you sat in my lap only minutes after meeting me.”
She gaped at him. “I was distracting my mark!”
“So you say. Now come on. We need to get down to the docks.”
“To catch a boat to Thiss?” she asked, hurrying to scoop up her shirt as he tossed several coins to the armorer carelessly. The armorer scrambled to catch them, but when he saw the surplus, he broke out in a grin. Especially when Maxum left without asking for change. Appalled at the lavish way he spent money when she didn’t even have two coppers to rub together, she hesitated, thinking of asking for the change and keeping it for herself.
But Maxum had breezed out of the shop and she had to scramble to catch up with him. He was a man on a mission it seemed and he wasn’t in the mood to wait for her or anyone.
They were almost to the docks before she could say the corset was comfortable on her. It took some getting used to. It did restrict her breathing a little bit at first, but that took a simple loosening of the laces and then it was fine. She could say this much, she certainly was walking straighter!
She watched with no small amount of awe as Maxum confidently navigated the noisy, smelly docks. He occasionally drew someone aside and asked them a question, until at last he seemed to hone in on what he wanted. The fact was, no one at that dock was going to the Isle of Thiss. Everyone knew it was loaded with weredragons and that it was wisest to steer clear. But Maxum already seemed to know this and was looking for someone else. A certain kind of captain.
“There’s Cap’n Arud’s ship,” a scrawny little lad said, his docksy accent heavy and his clothing worn lightly on his bony body. “Ee’s goin’ to Calandria and ee might stop alon’ the way.”
“Good lad,” Maxum said, handing the boy a silver coin and cuffing him playfully. The boy’s eyes went wide, no doubt because that silver piece could feed him and his family for a full week or more. Airi just shook her head. He had to be out of his mind. That was all she could think. She didn’t care how lucrative their adventures were, spending money so frivolously was insane.
Before she knew it they were heading up the gangway of a mighty wooden ship. The deck was loud with shouting and full of thunderous activity as cargo was hoisted and carried aboard. The ship was readying to set sail and soon by the look of it. Maxum went up to the deckhand nearest him and asked for Captain Arud. The hand nodded to the foredeck where a man stood shouting orders and watching the goings-on on deck with an eagle eye. He was of middling height—about three and a half straps, maybe closer to four, unlike Maxum who was a little ways under four and a half straps and towered over just about everyone. The captain was made of coarse muscle and had weather-beaten skin on his hands and face, a ruddy sort of cracked condition that simply screamed toughness. Adding to that image was a weapons belt slung beneath a slight paunch that held a hefty stryker sword with its curved blade and not one but two sheathed stilettos. There was also some kind of pouch attached at the back and who knew what was kept inside of it. Another weapon perhaps?
“Captain Arud?” Maxum called over the din.
“That I am. Who’re you?”
“A paying passenger is my hope. I need passage for a party of six.”
“I don’t take living cargo,” the captain barked. “Be on your way.”
“Surely you can be convinced to change your mind. For say, a gold sovereign per head?”
The captain did a double take and then eyed Maxum with a look that crossed between curiosity and suspicion.
“What’s the catch?” he asked.
“You’re headed to Calandria?”
“Aye, I am.”
“Then just drop us off at the isle on the way.”
“Thiss? You want me to take you to Thiss? Are you stark? No one of sound mind goes near that place, never mind docking up.”
“Rumor has it you go to Thiss. That you have quite a lucrative trade going with the weredragons.”
“Rumor is wrong,” the captain snapped. “No one in their right mind goes to Thiss.”
“No one said you were in your right mind,” he countered. “There’s several colonies on Thiss. They have to get their supplies from somewhere. No doubt there’s a pretty penny in it for any captain willing to make the route. There’ll be gold in it for you to do this as well. As I said, one sovereign per head just to take us where we both know you’re going anyway.”
“One way?” the captain asked.
“There’ll be the same price per head if you wait a day and take us off the isle as well. One day and another gold per head. Surely you can manage that. It’ll take you the better part of a day to offload your goods on Thiss anyway.”
“I don’t usually spend the night. Much rather sail in the dark than lurk around dragon waters for long.”
“Two gold per head if you wait the full day. That includes horses. And we set sail an hour past juquil’s hour tonight.”
“What?” Airi cried incredulously. “Two gold?”
“Hush,” Maxum said softly to her, never once taking his eyes off the captain. “Do we have a deal?”
The captain hesitated, seeming to think on it very seriously. “I’m not coming back to Docking Bay after Thiss. I’m heading on to Calandria.”
“That’s just fine,” Maxum said.
“Very well.” He eyed Airi. “Keep this one under control. I don’t like women on board. Makes the men restless and stupid.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Maxum promised, hustling her away before she could work herself up into getting offended. “Come on,” he said. “We have to fetch the men.”
“I can’t believe you negotiated a price like that! How am I ever supposed to pay you back three gold?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I am worried about it! Why are we even going to Thiss?”
“Someone there has something I need.”
“Are you always going to be this evasive? Will I ever get a full answer out of you about anything?” she demanded.
“Probably not,” he said honestly.
“Wonderful.” She sighed and let him lead her back through the city to the inn where they had left the men and their horses.
All of the men except Kilon were there waiting. Maxum frowned when he saw Kilon was missing.
“Where is he?”
“He said he had some busin
ess to take care of,” Doisy said with a grimace. He knew what was coming next.
“I told him to wait here!” Maxum snapped. “This is my party and we follow my instructions!”
“Tried to tell him that,” Dru said. “Wouldn’t listen.”
“I’ve booked us passage to Thiss. Pack up and ready the horses. If he isn’t here by the time we’re ready he gets left behind.”
“You heard the man, boys,” Doisy said, jumping to his feet. “Let’s be on our way!”
Suddenly unsure about her choices, Airi went to the stable and saddled up Hero, checking all of her bags and putting her shirt in one of them. She had already grown used to the way the corset felt, but she wasn’t used to the way people were looking at her. Doisy raised a brow at her and Dru flushed when presented with the new view of her cleavage. But Kyno thought nothing of it, probably hadn’t even noticed. She turned to Doisy, who was as well kempt as he was handsome.
“Do I look all right?” she asked.
“You look wonderful,” he assured her.
“All right,” she said, believing his enthusiasm. “But do you think it’s smart to be so…so…”
“Bold?”
“Yes.” She exhaled with relief. He understood her perfectly. “Bold.”
“I think it’s great. The trick to it though, is you have to believe in it. If you act like you’re not to be trifled with, then no one will trifle with you. Got it?”
She nodded. She agreed with that much at least. And that’s what she would do. She would own this new look and to the eight hells with anyone who tried to tell her different.
“So what do you think about this whole Isle of Thiss thing?” she asked him.
“I think that Maxum has made me very well-off so far and I think I would probably follow him anywhere, knowing it meant great rewards were in the offing.”
“What exactly do you do in this group…besides bring a level of charm and companionability?” She grinned at him.
He grinned back. “As a cleric I am the male version of a mem. Some mems, as you know, have the gift of healing. I am actually a very powerful healer. I can help anyone who is injured, both in and out of battle.”