Shadow Wings (The Darkest Drae Book 2)(89)

Tyrrik reached forward and grabbed my wrist. He reeled me in and tugged me into the bathroom. “There was only one side for me to look at,” he said with a lop-sided smile. Tyrrik pointed at the strawberries and carrot. “Did you bring those for me?”

“You can have the carrot and one strawberry. The other strawberry is for Dyter,” I said.

I put some space between us, trying to steady my breathing. I went to the wash-basin to clean the dirt off my produce. I set one berry on the countertop, my gaze crossing over the gold-flecked granite, and thought of my new treasures. I smiled. I couldn’t wait to set up some kind of dark warm cave with all my objects.

“They’re bringing up some potatoes for you,” I said then snickered. “I know how much you love potatoes.”

I turned to offer him the berry, but he’d dropped the towel and was slipping back into the large tub. My mouth dried up, and I averted my gaze.

Holy Drae Babies.

“What are you doing?” I whisper-screamed. I stole another peek, unsure whether to be relieved or disappointed he was submerged in the water. Tyrrik watched me with dark, magnetic eyes.

“Do you want to join me?” he asked, a hint of Drae in his voice.

Yes. “No,” I blurted. “I—” Was it just me, or was the room getting smaller? “I should probably leave.”

No probably about it. I should leave, but I didn’t want to go out into our room and listen to Dyter snore. Because that’s a really solid reason not to leave a bathroom containing a naked Drae? Totally solid.

“Then stay,” Tyrrik said, slipping down deeper in the water. “I won’t pull you in; I promise. Not unless you ask me to.”

I rolled my eyes, but part of me wanted to ask. Jerking my thumb at the strawberries and carrot, I asked, “Do you want either of these?”

“Yes, please,” he said, his gaze still fixed on me.

I stared at him, and he stared back. The temperature rose a million degrees. Were we both thinking about the moment I’d have to pass him the fruit?

“Which one?” I ground out.

“Either.” His gaze dropped to my hands. “Both.” He frowned. “What do you have in your pockets?”

My hands went to my skirt, and then I forced them behind me, acting as natural as I could when the gems clinked together. “Nothing.”

I grabbed the carrot and one of the berries and threw them at him. In a blur of movement, he caught one right after the other, thankfully while keeping his lower half submerged. Obviously, I hadn’t thought that through.

He ate the massive strawberry in a few bites and started in on the carrot.

“So, King Zakai isn’t as bad as I thought,” I said, trying to alleviate some of the extreme awkwardness—not that Tyrrik would care. “Did Dyter tell you Gemond will fight with us?”

“Yes,” he answered between bites. “Do you think his people will be strong enough to be a force when the time comes?”

He made a good point. If all of Gemond looked like their king, there was no way they could fight soon.

“So what’s our other option?”

“We have no other option.” He took another crunching bite of the carrot, his dark gaze resting on me once more. He heaved a long breath and closed his eyes as he reclined in the tub, resting his head on the edge.

The water steamed, and I was reminded of a time not that long ago when he’d warmed my bath water in his tower. I fanned myself quickly while he wasn’t looking.

“May I ask you something?” I asked, glancing around the space for a chair. I settled for a towel on the stone floor. The only other space was on the edge of the bath, and that was asking for trouble.

“Will you tell me about the Drae?” I asked.

Tyrrik’s face smoothed. He volleyed, “What do you want to know?”

“About our powers. Like you can breathe fire; somehow you warm up the bathwater. You can read my mind. You’re stronger than me—”

“You’re faster, remember?” he said with a smile.

“Yes, which is probably the most important skill,” I grumbled. “But what else? You can pull the shadows to you and become invisible. Can I do that?”

He shook his head. “Probably not. The male acquires all of the skills necessary to protect. In our culture”—he paused at my outraged growl—“that has always been the way.”

“What if the male dies and the female is alone?”

“That never used to happen. Most mates die when their other half passes on, so that is a moot point.”

I shrugged. “The emperor has female Drae who were mated, doesn’t he?”

Tyrrik shook his head, his expression darkening. “Only the ones who were single survived the trip to Azule.”

“Well, I think everyone needs the ability to protect themselves,” I said.

“You will not need for protection with me here.”

“You won’t need my foot up your butt, but it could still happen.” Somehow, I knew pointing out to Tyrrik that I’d literally been protecting him for most of a week was a bad idea. “I’m only good for giving you an energy boost? That’s it? My magical Drae power?”

“Everything you do is magical,” he murmured in a rough voice. “Drae were the protectors of the realm. We only fought to preserve the peace for the humans. Drae are naturally a peaceful species. You do not possess the weapons I have because you are pure . . . you are beauty . . . you are worth dying for. The females of our kind are revered; they are more precious than any treasure, which is why the males spend years collecting a stash to give to their mates. We do not give it to her because this will make her rich. We collect and give her these things because this fulfills a need she has and makes her happy—because we know doing so will settle an instinct within her.” He pinned me with his heated gaze. “You are my reason for being, my purpose, my world. I would do anything for you. Anything.”