From Iron and Ruin

Ainthoch.

Chapter 25: Ainthoch

I woke with the feel of a hand trailing through my hair, pulling a strand up into the air only to let it fall softly back once again. I hissed as I woke, my mind still heavy with good sleep. My mouth was dry, and I clenched my eyes shut again, burrowing my nose further into warmth.

"You snore." The hand trailing through my hair paused.

I blinked at the rough, barely awake voice. Awareness filtered in as slow snippets and I raised my heavy head, blinking balefully at the Captain. I could only smell snow and soil – "Mahon!"

He propped himself up onto his elbows, his dark hair mussed. The Captain stared back, his lids heavy. "Aviana?"

"How did we end up like this?" I asked, my voice garbled.

The Captain surveyed me underneath his lashes, his lips pursed thoughtfully. "You fell asleep when you told your story. One moment, you're snoring and the next, I am entangled in the hold of a woman with enough skill to kill me bare-handed."

"You could have woken me up." I pointed out, sitting back on my heels.

"That would have been pointless. My aim was to get you to sleep and I did," Mahon explained, before adding. "I am a patient man."

I snorted. "You let me sprawl across you like a limpet. That is a dedication, and it has nothing to do with your patience."

Mahon smiled softly. Outside the tent, the camp was silent. No one had roused yet for the morning. I began to run my fingers through my hair, scrapping the mass of unbrushed hair away from my face.

"You're watching me," My cheeks coloured and I hoped that my voice wasn't as breathless as I felt.

His head tilted, his smile sharpening. "Does it bother you?"

Heat shot through me as my gaze jumped to his. I let my hands drop from my hair, annoyed that he had pulled a reaction from me so easily. He would not best me.

I leaned forward on my knees, pressing a hand down onto the rumpled bedroll. The Captain stilled as I moved closer, matching his smile. Softly, I traced a path of kisses from his jaw upwards to the lobe of his ear. I bit that softly, a snarl in my voice. "Should it?"

He swallowed. I drew back, just enough to see that his eyes were dark and heavy – latched onto me with his lips parted in a sigh. Running my fingers through that mussed hair, I slanted my lips across his.

His breath caught and he slid a hand up the length of my back, gathering fabric in his hands. He pulled me against him, a hum building in his throat.

When I drew back, I was smiling. "Thank you for the tea, Mahon. And for being the most obliging pillow."

He was still staring as I stumbled from the tent, biting down that ridiculous smile. Despite his confidence as a Captain, Mahon was hard to unravel. It had taken him weeks to warm to me, months to become comfortable with me. I couldn't throw myself through open doors, reckless and unbound. Not like I had in Aldwynn. Mahon was easy to startle, hard to reel in.

Dawn was touching the camp – filtering through the trees and casting disjointed light across the grass. I stopped by the dead fire, tipping my face up to the sunlight. Ahead, through the trees, I could hear soft footsteps of whoever had been keeping guard for the last few hours.

I was light on my feet. Something warm hummed behind my breastbone and a giggle bubbled in my throat. I was disjointed – elated.

I was in trouble.