Kingdom of Ash

groan. He carefully, with near-reverence it
seemed, began easing the ache away.
These hands had slaughtered their way
across kingdoms. Bore the faint scars to prove
it. And yet he held her foot as if it were a
small bird, as if it were something ... holy.
They had not shared a bed—not when these
cots were too small, and Elide often passed
out after dinner. But they shared this tent.
He’d been careful, perhaps too careful, she
sometimes thought, to give her privacy when
changing and bathing.
Indeed, a tub steamed away in the corner of
the tent, kept warm courtesy of Aelin. Many
of the camp baths were warm thanks to her, to
the eternal gratitude of royal and foot soldier
alike.
Alternating long strokes with small circles,
Lorcan slowly coaxed the pain from her foot.
Seemed content to do just that all night,