Séa Gets Lucky

17. Soliloquy

Tash knelt and held the roll of linen by the chiseled pillar of Séa's leg. The red stain that cascaded down the outside of the knee and calf accentuated the limb's form and potent function. Muscle and bone, thought Tash, gristle and blood. She's saved my life twice in two days. Maybe I saved hers in return. How would a sage weigh these offsetting debts?

The rogue said, "Your leg's not too bad. Somewhat chewed up."

A swish of cloth stirred the dead air in the underground chamber. Tash glanced up past a shadow-wrapped crotch, sculpted belly, and sleek breasts to meet Séa's eyes. The linen shift dangled from the paladin's hand. If bloodstained bandages counted, she wasn't entirely nude. Gauze wrapped succubus injuries at both hips, one thigh, one arm, and chest. Gentility blanketed the warrior's broad face, and her voice soothed. "Just bind up the worst bits. A proper cleaning can wait."

Tash's swift fingers shuttled the roll of gauze around and around Séa's gashed thigh and knee. Her taut skin radiated warmth. The cool cave air brought Tash the sweet coppery tang of fresh blood, and also the scent of Séa herself. Warm, thought Tash. Wholesome. It is like the scent of bread fresh from the oven, or a pie cooling on the windowsill. Aiee, my eartips are tingling.

The rogue tore gauze from its roll and tucked the end into her wrappings. She rose to her feet. She would have to lift her gaze a little bit to meet Séa's eyes, but she didn't. She pretended to study the half-dried rivulet of blood that flowed over the paladin's upper lip and chin. Why are my eartips tingling?

"Sorry I'm so much trouble," Séa mumbled.

Tash allowed herself to meet Séa's gray gaze. Gray like the sea on a cloudy day. Like rain falling in sheets. Like the pewter hammer that dangles from her corded neck. The rogue swallowed. "Hush. You're not. Where's your canteen?"

"Um, right there." Before the nude woman completed her gesture, Tash zeroed in on the container and pounced on it. Séa babbled, "I'm sorry if I'm being awkward, or making things awkward for you. I mean, I sort of feel awkward right now. Do you feel sort of awkward? Maybe it's because I'm all naked, but usually I don't fuss over that. Not usually. It's my skin, after all. Nothing weird. Do you feel awkward?"

The rogue doused a petite wad of gauze with water and dabbed at Séa's chin. "You are a complete horse's rump, Séa, that's what." She shot a scowl at Séa before attending to her cleaning once more. "Yes, this is awkward. I'm way beyond my usual limits. I'm a loner, in case you somehow failed to figure it out. I'm used to taking care of myself and only myself."

"Naw, I think it because I'm naked. It's bothering you."

The rogue scrubbed the knight's lips, bringing her flow of words to a temporary halt. "Horse butt. Pig rump. Buffalo hiney."

Tash dabbed the wad of moist cloth across Séa's lips.

Irrepressibly, the paladin spoke past the interference. "I just can't figure out which way you're bothered."

Tash said, brusquely, "Give me your shoulder. I'm going to be unnecessarily rough." I'm bothered every which way, you idiot. I always had eyes for men, but no man ever made my eartips tingle before. Mother talked about her eartips tingling for Roberg. I assumed I couldn't feel it because I'm only half elf.

The paladin broke into a grin, which snapped flat a moment later. "Ow. You weren't kidding. That hurts. I think some morning star spikes got through and poked me. Tash?"

Tash, she says. She's trying to get a rise out of me. "What?" Tash discovered several dark pits among the bloody cuts on Séa's shoulder. After she wiped blood away, fresh liquid welled up in the punctures.

"You can lick, if you want."

"What?" Tash quivered. A tactile hallucination of her face nuzzled deliciously into Séa's crotch exploded into her forebrain.

"I mean, if you want," the paladin hedged. "To taste my blood. I think it's awful strange, but I'll let you."

Tash tightened her lips to a straight line and applied herself to wrapping the shoulder. Where's your quick comeback, Tash? Your sarcastic tongue's all tied up.

Séa's eyes widened to circles of trust. "Do you think my blood would give you strength even if I'm not dead?"

Tash used her teeth to tear a length of gauze free of its roll. "I don't dare lick your blood. What if I got some of your idiocy instead?" I'm fecking salivating. Feck.

The paladin giggled. "Dare. I dare you."

The rogue's eyebrows shot up and she met Séa's eyes again. "Mischievous brat. You're actually kind of evil. Does Torugg know?"

The paladin offered her bloodied upper arm. "Go ahead. I think it's gonna tickle."

In an impulse, Tash opened her mouth and clamped it on one of the bright rivulets that twisted down Séa's arm. She swirled her tongue on the warm skin, and the delectable blood coated her taste buds like savory gravy. But the paladin's wholesome, bready essence also washed over Tash's rolling tongue. A low vibration thrummed in the rogue's throat.

"Oo!" Séa said. "Tickly, but very nice. Soft."

Tash tore her head from the warm skin. She licked her lips and lifted an eyebrow in challenge. "It's official."

"What's official?"

"You have blood."

A bemused pout curled Séa's lower lip. She draped the bloodstained shift back over herself.

Tash crossed her arms. "Séa?"

"Mm?"

"I don't know how, but we're getting along decently well, after all."

"Amen, sister."

"And, you're wrong."

Slowly, Séa's forehead wrinkled. "Which thing am I wrong about?"

"The part where I only like men."

Several expressions chased themselves across Séa's face, ending with eyes wide and a mouth shaped like a small "o."

A bluish light brightened the room. Ghomarck's voice drifted over. "All clothed? Somewhat? Close enough, I suppose."