So hot

So hot
"The rain doesn't seem as though it'll stop anytime soon. I'm going to go look for anything dry enough for firewood. You should rest." He nodded at the bedroll before slowly turning his eyes back to me. His eyes were glowing nearly golden in the dimly lit space and it made me tremble with a strange warmth.

All I did was nod and that was enough of a response for him. Caliban strode past me on his long legs and was out of the small cave in an instant. Alone, I looked around the space again noting every nook and cranny along the earthen walls.

In the silence I could hear that trickle of water leading back into the dark pit of the cave and the sounds I heard drew my attention. Resting was the last thing on my mind. After hanging up the wet blanket on an outcrop of stone in an attempt to dry it out I began to follow that trickle of water.

With my hand along the wall I followed a bend in the cave that went deeper underground. The air was cool but not as oppressively cold as it had been outside. Even less than the mouth of the cave which I thought seemed odd.

That was until I stepped into the entrance of a larger cavern. My eyes adjusted quickly due to the stalactites glowing with a feint blue light high above like natural chandeliers. I gasped at the sight in awe of the hidden beauty underground. But when my gaze drifted down, I noticed the crystal blue water emitting steam and reflecting the stalactite's light.

There was a hot spring within this cave hidden behind a waterfall and my heart was doing summersaults inside of my chest as a large smile spread across my face.

Caliban was gone and I didn't know for how long and I certainly didn't care. I began stripping my dress from my damp chilled and damp body, peeling the fabric away like a second skin that was clinging to my curves. Leaving the filthy thing in a pile I stepped to the edge of that crystalline water and dipped in a toe.

The hot spring was warm, but bearable and I desperately wanted to submerge and scrub myself as clean as I could. It was easy enough to slide over the edge and that the heat swallow me whole.. The spring wasn't too deep, and I was able to cross my legs and sit with the warm water kissing my cheeks. Closing my eyes, I leaned back and allowed the soothing water to draw out the tension and stress aching my entire being.

The residual pain in my ankle I hadn't realized was still there seeped away along with the aches in my behind and back from riding on that shadow horse for so long.

If we had been in direct sunlight all day those pains might have gone away sooner or not have existed at all. But that damn storm had taken that away from me.

After giving myself several moments to relax I finally submerged my head fully under the water where I gently brushed through the long red strands. I scrubbed my skin as hard as I could with my hands wishing for the flowery soaps back home.

Memories of bathing and playing in the bathhouses at the palace with my sisters came flooding to my mind. I thought of days when the flower petals would drift into the warm waters and delight our senses. We would splash each other, and braid fallen petals into one another's hair. My heart ached again.

Willow, Dawn, Helaine, and Lyra.

Did they realize yet that I was missing? Captive or lost in the woods after not making it to Ayden? Was father worried about me?

I'd always had more freedom and less responsibility as the youngest, until I was last to be married off. It hadn't been long ago that I was living freely however I pleased within Galad. Coming and going from the palace and throughout the capital as I pleased. Enjoying parties and men in disguise.

Those days were gone. Perhaps forever if I didn't get out of this situation. Already we were past the border and I knew that after our half day of travel we were within the shadow kingdom of Gwathendor.

So very far from home..

I sunk my head under the surface of the water again, letting the heat warm my heart and soothe the empty feeling inside my chest. It only did so much against the hole that seemed to be growing in my chest where my heart was supposed to be.

"Adora!" Caliban's shout had me jumping in the water. "Adora! Where are you?" He yelled with alarm.

"Back here!" I cupped my hands around my mouth to shout in the direction of the cave entrance. As I began to rise from the steaming water, I heard his heavy boots thundering through the cave as he ran in my direction.

While wringing water from my hair his silhouette appeared in the dark entrance to the hot spring. The glowing blue stalactites above illuminated him as he stepped into the cavern. The light reflected in his ever-glowing eyes and they were narrowed as he glared in my direction. "I thought you had been taken or perhaps run off."

"Running off might have been an option if not for the rain and my lack of supplies," I quipped back as I stepped fully out of the water and onto the ledge of the spring.

As I stepped forward the cold air kissed my skin and goosebumps rose along my body. I threw my hair back over my shoulder and brought my eyes forward to look at Caliban again.

However, he was now standing to the side, avoiding looking my way with tight fists at his sides. His chest rose slow and heavy with each deep breath he took while keeping his eyes away from me.

"Don't avert your gaze on my behalf, Your Majesty," I mocked. "Sharing a bath is common in Laernear."

"That is not the case in my kingdom. Thanatens don't have the same propensity to bask nude under the sunlight as Mithrans." He seemed to be shaking, it was almost imperceptible in the dim light.

"We need the sunlight, almost as much as we need air to breath." He still wouldn't look at me. "Would you like to get in? The hot spring's water feels amazing. You might enjoy it after being out in the rain."

His head snapped towards the water without lifting to look at me. Those amber eyes studied the pool and briefly flitted up to the glowing blue light overhead.

Finally, he brought his eyes back to my face without looking at my body. I lifted my chin and brought my hands to my hips, narrowing my eyes at him.

Without looking away from my challenging gaze Caliban began lifted his hands and pulling away the black layers of his clothing. My breath hitched as I realized what he was doing.

In my attempt to bait and tease him it seemed that he was going to repay my efforts. Despite trying to ignore there were this undeniable physical attraction lingering in the air around us.

I felt it in those light touches or hours he'd been pressed against me on the horse, and in his tone when we battled with words.

Caliban looked... hungry.

My throat went dry and I tried to swallow past the lump formed there as Caliban removed his long dark sleeves and slid the fabric over his head. In the glimmering light I saw his pale and immaculately sculpted upper body and stopped breathing.

This man, no monster, I reminded myself as if scolding my feverish thoughts. This monster was a cold-blooded killer with countless lives on his hands. It wasn't right for me to feel like this while looking at him undress.

Caliban's face didn't change while he continued to peel away soaked fabric from the hard lines of his body. He was built so wide and tall, corded heavily with toned muscle. My eyes were drawn to faded scars across his chest and shoulders.

When my ears picked up the sound of a low, deep rumbling in his chest I snapped my eyes back to his. There was a knowing, cruel smirk jerking up the corners of his lips. He knew I was nearly devouring his body with my eyes.

Heat flooded my core and red stained my cheeks. My entire body felt flushed and hotter than it had when I was submerged in the hot spring's waters.

"Do you like what you see, little flower?" His husky voice had a shiver run through my body. Directly between my legs and butterflies sprang to life in my belly.

"Not bad. I've seen better," I answered. Until he let loose a harsh chuckle and dropped his pants.

I hate him. I hate him. I hate him.

Did I hate him because of how he made me feel or because of who he was or what he's done?

My heartbeat was erratic as he stalked forward, eyes locked on me the entire time until he was in my personal space. Just a hair's breadth away.

Instinctively I flinched when his hand lifted and gently brushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear. Our eyes were locked, and it seemed as though we might drown in the depths of each other's eyes. Something dark flickered in his eyes when I flinched and my lips parted, maybe as though I would apologize for it.

"Not bad, indeed," Caliban rumbled causing my legs to tremble. Then his eyes finally looked down and scanned my body just as I had done to him. 

The energy between us sparked. Light clashing with dark in a dangerous dance. Just when I thought the king was leaning his face closer to mine, he stepped around me. I closed my eyes and released a breath. Whether in disappointment or relief I wasn't sure. And that worried me.