Valeriya didn't answer. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. He couldn't help the half smile on his lips. The image of her, naked as the day she was born and yet fearless, spear in hand, pounding on whatever Rowan had made, demanding to face that creature...she was glorious.
And probably furious with him, he didn't doubt. Those nails likely wanted to rake his flesh in her frustration. Something he didn't necessarily mind in most circumstances. One did not consort with the likes of her without scars. But it was a fair trade usually. Probably not in this case, though.
Instead, the low hush of shared words between the two came to him. He didn't really hear what was said. He was too far away for much of it. But he caught the gist.
Not that it really mattered, anyway. Something was nagging at him. An uncomfortable feeling. One he needed to tease out. A side road let him pull off into a clearing. The sound of the engine suddenly silent filled the open space with vacuum. Curiously, there was a lull in their conversation. He stood and turned to make his way to the back.
Valeriya was there, dressed in something more sensible than what she had worn before. At least when it came to combat. For some reason, he didn't know if that made him happy or not. Odd.
His eyes went to Rowan, wound bandaged but lower half of her dress red still with blood. His stomach churned. She seemed well enough, though weak. He got a bottle of cold water for them both of them, saying nothing.
The bond between the two was palpable. Something he could almost touch. At times- such as now- he felt an interloper. An outsider. The experience seemed to stab him, though he allowed nothing to show.
It was not like him to run, he knew. Never. And yet without thinking, it was his first inclination. He needed to get Valeriya and Rowan to safety. Yes, they were something beyond. Incarnation. And he loved Valeriya with his entire soul. But he had loved Jova too. And yet they hunted together with never a thought of retreat.
But the feeling of...he couldn't even put his finger on it. Whatever it was, the possibility of losing them, it had overwhelmed him in a way he could not explain. He had to get them to safety.
He studied one, than the other. Sapphire blue and emerald green in turn. He searched for words. For something to say. Maya watched him through three eyes. Night and day. Light and dark.
And yet, the thing lay in the lake. Now that the adrenaline had fled, he could think clearly. It was a danger. Was it one to eliminate now? They were on a mission. Finally, "It seems you both...." For some reason he couldn't say the words. You both are my undoing. A slight shake of the head. Regroup.
Something of what they had said had filtered to him. A small smile as he looked to Valeriya, his uncertainty hidden in a mask of bravado. "When we return from our quest, beloved, I have no doubt the creature will fall at your hand." Not that he was interested to watch her skin the thing. Still, it was their way.
He looked at Rowan, voice warm. "Would you like help to the back?" He wasn't sure why he trod so carefully. He expected Valeriya to be the one to help, but that was up to her. There was a delicate nascent balance here. Of what, he wasn't sure. And he knew it would only take one wrong step to shatter it.
And probably furious with him, he didn't doubt. Those nails likely wanted to rake his flesh in her frustration. Something he didn't necessarily mind in most circumstances. One did not consort with the likes of her without scars. But it was a fair trade usually. Probably not in this case, though.
Instead, the low hush of shared words between the two came to him. He didn't really hear what was said. He was too far away for much of it. But he caught the gist.
Not that it really mattered, anyway. Something was nagging at him. An uncomfortable feeling. One he needed to tease out. A side road let him pull off into a clearing. The sound of the engine suddenly silent filled the open space with vacuum. Curiously, there was a lull in their conversation. He stood and turned to make his way to the back.
Valeriya was there, dressed in something more sensible than what she had worn before. At least when it came to combat. For some reason, he didn't know if that made him happy or not. Odd.
His eyes went to Rowan, wound bandaged but lower half of her dress red still with blood. His stomach churned. She seemed well enough, though weak. He got a bottle of cold water for them both of them, saying nothing.
The bond between the two was palpable. Something he could almost touch. At times- such as now- he felt an interloper. An outsider. The experience seemed to stab him, though he allowed nothing to show.
It was not like him to run, he knew. Never. And yet without thinking, it was his first inclination. He needed to get Valeriya and Rowan to safety. Yes, they were something beyond. Incarnation. And he loved Valeriya with his entire soul. But he had loved Jova too. And yet they hunted together with never a thought of retreat.
But the feeling of...he couldn't even put his finger on it. Whatever it was, the possibility of losing them, it had overwhelmed him in a way he could not explain. He had to get them to safety.
He studied one, than the other. Sapphire blue and emerald green in turn. He searched for words. For something to say. Maya watched him through three eyes. Night and day. Light and dark.
And yet, the thing lay in the lake. Now that the adrenaline had fled, he could think clearly. It was a danger. Was it one to eliminate now? They were on a mission. Finally, "It seems you both...." For some reason he couldn't say the words. You both are my undoing. A slight shake of the head. Regroup.
Something of what they had said had filtered to him. A small smile as he looked to Valeriya, his uncertainty hidden in a mask of bravado. "When we return from our quest, beloved, I have no doubt the creature will fall at your hand." Not that he was interested to watch her skin the thing. Still, it was their way.
He looked at Rowan, voice warm. "Would you like help to the back?" He wasn't sure why he trod so carefully. He expected Valeriya to be the one to help, but that was up to her. There was a delicate nascent balance here. Of what, he wasn't sure. And he knew it would only take one wrong step to shatter it.