Page 38 of Aryn

I swallow and look away, staring up at the strange moons through the window. “Get some sleep, Aryn.” My eyes squeeze closed, willing the feeling to fade.

“Yeah,” he whispers. “You too.”

Aryn

“If anyone is curious, it’s so cold out there my piss froze before it hit the ground,” Cameron says as he steps inside. “So if you see any weird little yellow snakes lying around, just ignore them.”

Cato grunts from his sleeping bag, opening one eye to glare. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

Cameron shrugs. “Only sort of. I’m pretty sure those were ice crystals, and my balls are definitely playing hide and seek right now. Jokes on them, though. I can feel them in my asshole.”

“Think I can just hold it until we’re somewhere warm again?” Cato asks, hair standing up on end from his sleep.

I fight a smile at the way he rubs his eyes. “That’s probably not the best idea. And don’t even consider foregoing water. Dehydration won’t do you any favors.”

He grumbles but doesn’t argue. It’s either a reluctant agreement or it’s too early for him to mouth off just yet.

Cameron digs through his pack. “Ronan’s outside keeping watch, in case anyone else is interested in some casual exhibitionism during their morning routine.”

Cato groans as he climbs from his sleeping bag. “Great. An audience for my retracting balls. Fan-fucking-tastic.”

“I’m sure he’s not looking at your…” My eyes drop of their own accord, stopping at his crotch before I swing them back up to find him smirking. “Anything.”

He looks positively thrilled at my fumbling, pure cockiness and smugness rolled into the curve of his mouth. “Don’t worry, pretty boy,” he says with a wink, “even in the cold, there’s plenty to play with.”

Heat rises in my cheeks as I drop my gaze to the ground. “Noted,” I mutter.

He chuckles to himself as he heads toward the door. Morning light shines through the windows, and the snow has stopped. It’s warmer than it was last night, and with any luck, the temperature should continue to rise with the sun. Cato swings the door open, then pauses as he gawks at the landscape.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he says quietly. “If that ain’t the fucking wildest shit I’ve ever seen.”

I follow him and stare over his shoulder, taking in the dusty orange sky and the sun rising beyond the trees. It’s much larger here than in the human realm, though not as bright, and its light shines through the deep purple leaves of the trees ahead.

“The atmosphere is thinner here,” I explain, “and the sun isn’t nearly as hot.”

“It’s sure as shit bigger though,” he mutters.

“Not bigger, but much closer, yes.”

“So why the fuck’s it so cold?”

I blink at him as he glances over his shoulder. “Do you really want me to explain it to you?”

He snorts a quiet laugh. “Yeah, no, now that you mention it, I’m good.” He chuckles to himself as he steps out into the morning, boots crunching against the snow-covered ground.

Ronan stands at the corner of the house, bundled in every bit of clothing he could find. His long hair is loose with a thick hat covering the top of his head, and a gloved hand wraps around the hilt of his sword, always poised to strike. He peeks over his shoulder to watch me approach.

“How long have you been out here?” I ask.

“Most of the night. Couldn’t sleep.”

“You’re going to be tired later.”

He lifts a single shoulder in a shrug. “I’ve been on plenty of missions where I only got to take a few quick naps. I’ll be fine.”

“We’ll start keeping watch in shifts,” I say, but he only grunts. It’s a non-answer if I’ve ever heard one. “Ronan, you can’t do this alone.”

“Wanna bet?” he mutters.