Chapter 263: Warm and Alive
"You told me Kumoe was safe." Martin drew back enough to search Alexandra’s face. "You said nothing about yourself."
"An unfortunate oversight. I assumed my flawless posture would reassure you."
"Your knee almost folded."
"The road is slippery."
"You took one step."
Alexandra’s lips curved faintly. "A treacherous road, then."
Martin did not smile. His gaze moved over the tear in her armor before he checked her shoulders, arms, and sides.
"Tell me what he did to you."
"Nothing worth remembering."
"Alex."
"My pride suffered a severe and possibly permanent injury."
"Not now."
Her mouth closed.
Most of the damage appeared superficial, and the middle head’s restoration had already sealed whatever wounds remained within reach. Martin kept checking anyway until Alexandra caught one of his hands.
"I’m all right," she said, quieter this time.
"You sent an emergency ping, disappeared from communication, and then told me Kumoe nearly died. You don’t get to wave me off after that."
"The zone cut us off."
"I know." His voice came out rougher than he intended. "I also know what would’ve happened if either of you lost that fight."
Alexandra’s fingers tightened around his hand. She watched him for a moment before lowering her gaze to Kumoe.
"I tried to recall her," she said. "The command failed. I tried again, and nothing happened. Then the warning told me exactly what would happen if he killed her."
The curious head stopped moving as Alexandra stroked the fur beneath her jaw.
"I could still see her. I could touch her. She was standing right beside me, but every protection I had counted on was gone."
Her breath caught. Instead of finishing, she pushed her fingers deeper into Kumoe’s fur and stared at the space between the three white necks.
Martin waited.
"Every time she moved ahead of me, I wanted to drag her back," Alexandra continued. "I wanted to put her behind my legs and make every decision for her, even after I understood that treating her like a helpless pup would get us both killed."
Martin pulled her against him again.
Her forehead struck his shoulder, and this time she made no attempt to straighten.
"One mistake would’ve been enough," she murmured. "One angle I failed to notice, one attack I couldn’t stop, and I would’ve come back without her."
Martin rested his hand against the back of her head.
"You were the one who told me not to shut everyone out and carry everything alone."
"I give excellent advice."
"You’re terrible at taking it."
A weak laugh escaped her.
Martin looked down at Kumoe. "She isn’t the pup you used to tuck behind your legs anymore."
"I learned that rather violently."
"She chose to fight beside you, and you let her. That’s why both of you came back."
Alexandra closed her eyes. "I know. I still hated every second of it."
"You were supposed to hate it. You just weren’t supposed to make her smaller because you were scared."
The right head gave Alexandra the same flat stare she usually reserved for especially foolish statements.
Alexandra noticed.
"Yes, thank you. He made the point quite clearly."
The curious head licked Alexandra’s wrist. The middle made a sleepy sound and pushed deeper between them.
Martin met the right head’s orange eyes.
"You did well."
She lifted her chin.
"Don’t get arrogant. You still scared the hell out of me."
One ear flicked.
Alexandra laughed quietly against his shoulder, and Martin looked down at her.
"You too."
"I remain deeply offended that you’re comparing my elegance to hers."
"You almost collapsed after one step."
"And yet I recovered beautifully."
"You were hanging from my arm."
Alexandra’s mouth curved again. "I’m here, aren’t I?"
The words came out lightly, but her fingers tightened against his back.
Martin lifted a hand to her face, brushed a wet strand of hair from her cheek, and ran his thumb beneath one orange eye. Alexandra leaned into his touch before she seemed to notice she was doing it.
Kumoe remained between them, warm and alive.
Martin’s gaze dropped to Alexandra’s lips. Her eyes followed his.
They had already kissed. They had already admitted what they wanted and faced the jealousy waiting beyond it. Martin did not need another careful conversation. Not now.
He bent down and kissed her.
Alexandra’s fingers tightened in the front of his shirt.
The kiss began carefully, more relief than hunger, but neither of them managed to keep it that way. She rose against him and kissed him back hard enough to send his hand from her cheek into her wet hair.
Kumoe’s curious head tried to force her muzzle between their faces. Alexandra made an irritated sound without fully breaking the kiss and guided her down again.
Martin almost laughed.
Then Alexandra caught his lower lip, and the laugh disappeared with the rest of his thoughts.
Her hand moved from his shirt to the side of his neck. Martin tightened his hold around her waist while keeping his other arm around Kumoe’s three heads, and Alexandra pressed closer.
Rain ran down their faces and slipped between their mouths. Neither cared.
Alexandra had held herself upright from the moment the Beastslayer Zone collapsed. Now that control broke against his lips. Her kiss turned rough and hungry, as if she could force the last hour out of her body by giving it to him instead.
Martin answered in kind. He held her and Kumoe close, not gently enough to pretend he had not been afraid, but carefully enough not to hurt either of them.
The middle head fell asleep between their chests. The right turned away with the patience of someone forced to tolerate human nonsense before dinner, while the curious head watched every movement with open fascination.
A footstep splashed through the mud behind them.
Neither Martin nor Alexandra heard it.
NukEncore came around the bend near the water-gathering tower, breathing hard after running most of the official road. She caught the side of an outer channel for support and raised her head.
Martin stood in the road with one arm around Kumoe. His other hand held Alexandra by the waist, while Alexandra’s fingers remained buried in his hair.
They were kissing.
Golden mana flickered around NukEncore’s hands.
"Martin?"