AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do I stink?”
“You smell like smoke, and you’re covered in dirt.” I kiss her forehead. “But you were fierce. Every bit the goddess of my dreams.”
12
ADELAIDE
DAY SIXTY-TWO
Yesterday wore me out, but of course it did. Madigan and I trained for hours, pushing our power to limits we didn’t know we had. That’s how growth happens, and we’re going to need every inch.
Today, I awoke feeling brand new. Taking some time off from training is probably for the best, though the idea doesn’t pacify my busy mind. There are still so many things to figure out… Including why I’m back to having an escort every waking moment of the day.
The guys are freaking out about me being lightheaded. I keep telling them I didn’t pass out, but that doesn’t help. They just nod and agree, and then do whatever they want… Which is why Talodus is following me around at the moment.
“Rinya is finding the Mongrel women who delivered my clothes when I was staying in the guards’ barracks,” I mention absently as we walk along the outskirts of the village. “That’s one thing that has been taken off my plate, although I still want to question them.”
“She shouldn’t have an issue finding them,” Talodus acknowledges, then huffs in annoyance. “Why are you focusing on that right now? Shouldn’t you be resting after passing out yesterday?”
I roll my eyes and continue talking. “Having my underwear stolen is probably the strangest thing that’s happened to me. Other than the royalty bit, and the elemental powers, and the krakens... And the goddess stuff too, I guess. But it never happened on Earth, and I feel like that’s the one place it would make sense to steal someone’s underwear.”
“What?” he asks, shaking his head like he can’t understand me.
“I mean, missing undergarments made it on my list of strange shit that’s happened to me, which makes it more strange than anything else,” I ramble.
“But is it?” he challenges. “Undergarments that you never even wore aren’t really that important.”
I shrug. “Sure... But what were they planning on doing with them? And what if I had worn them?”
“That’s a good question, but I’m still stuck on this.” He glances at me as we veer toward the outlying neighborhood. “So, appearing in a whole new world doesn’t make that list? Or drowning a man on dry land? Or—”
“My shoes.” I snap my fingers and point at him. “That’s just weird, too.”
Talodus grabs my hand and pulls me to a stop, concern creasing his brow. “I know we’ve been asking this quite often, but are you feeling okay? Did you hit your head when I wasn’t looking or something?”
“Yeah. I’m feeling fine. Are you?”
“Yes,” he drawls, his narrowed gaze studying me. “I’m just trying to understand your thoughts right now... And I’m struggling.”
“I’m a little spacey,” I admit. “My attention is running in thirty different directions. Ecaeris is right; there are too many things happening at once, and I can’t solve any of them until I narrow down my focus to one thing at a time.”
“So, undergarments?” he agrees, the tiniest bit of humor replacing his worry.
I scrunch my nose. “It’s the easiest and quickest problem to solve.”
“Which is what we’re doing?” he speculates.
“I don’t know what you’re doing,” I snark. “I’m going to Cotear’s house to sort through the rest of their belongings.”
Talodus grins, returning my sarcasm. “And I’m going with you.”
“Not that I have complaints,” I begin as we meander through the neighborhood. “But don’t you have guard duty today?”
“Marren is taking my shift,” he explains. “I’ll go in later. I wanted to sleep in after yesterday. Getting knocked around so much really wears on the body.”
He side eyes me like that’s some kind of hint I need to take. But I really do feel fine. I suspect he does too; he’s just trying to keep me from overexerting myself.
I can’t be sure until I ask Spiran, though my educated guess after talking with Isolde’s husbands is that they’re just as immortal as their wife is… And that makes me wonder if my guys are too. Or they will be at some point.
