Day Three- Eliza
A night of wine and chocolate...sort of.
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April 17, 2024 Newsletter
Why do I scent more than one female in the cave, Eliza?
The words were laced with a growl as they filtered down their bond. He was back early tonight, not that it mattered. She would have invited Scarlett and Juliette over either way. After a week from the Pits of Torment, chocolate cake and wine had sounded like the proper reward for not stabbing anyone today, particularly Cyrus.
Especially Cyrus.
The point was, she was already cranky; she wasn’t keen on dealing with a broody dragon on top of her own mood.
Because there are three females here, she retorted, reaching for the wine bottle. Congratulations. Your senses are working just fine.
There was a pause on his end, and she could feel him debating how to respond to that as she added more wine to her glass that wasn’t even close to empty.
“He’s back already?” Scarlett asked, eyeing the wineglass while passing another piece of cake to the Fire General. She’d clearly picked up on Eliza’s diverted attention.
“It’s fine,” Eliza replied.
“I thought he was going to be gone all night? Something about the Runic Lands?” Juliette said, leaning forward and cutting off a piece of Scarlett’s cake with her fork.
“There is an entire cake right there, Juliette,” Scarlett snarled, slapping the High Witch’s hand away.
Juliette just shrugged, smiling as she ate the bite.
“Anyway,” Scarlett said, drawing out the word while glaring at her sister. “I’ve told him plenty of times I will help him in the Runic Lands.”
“For a price,” Razik grumbled, stalking into the main room of the spacious cave. “Tell me again why the three of you are here and not at the Fire Court?”
“The palace is full if busybodies,” Scarlett said with a dismissive wave of her hand as she plopped on her back. “Besides, is the price really all that steep?”
“It is when you want something that is mine,” Razik growled, weapons clunking as he dropped them atop the dining table. “Then again, you’ve already helped yourself to my wine.”
Eliza watched him, sipping on her drink, and when he glanced at her, his eyes were vertical pupils and glowing blue.
What is wrong with you? she asked. Are you really that upset we are here?
But he didn’t answer her. Instead, he swiped up one of the bottles of wine and wandered away down the passage that would lead to the hot springs within the cave system.
“Is he all right?” Scarlett asked, her and Juliette watching him go as well.
Eliza sighed. “He’s irritable.”
Scarlett snorted a laugh. “What else is new?”
Fair point, but she wanted to be the crabby one tonight. It was never good when they were both in foul moods.
“He could have drank with us,” Juliette chimed in, choosing to drink her wine directly from the bottle.
“That would be a disaster,” Eliza muttered. “He and Scarlett would have ended up bickering the whole time.”
“But the entertainment would have been worth it,” the Witch replied, draping her legs over the edge of her chair.
Raz… she tried again down their bond.
When she was still met with pointed silence, she sighed and got to her feet. Swiping up a plate of cake, she said, “I’ll be back.” Then she pointed at Scarlett. “Do not touch my bottle of wine.”
“Me?” she cried in outrage. “Juliette literally ate my cake when she could have gotten her own.”
Eliza left the two to their own bickering as she followed the same passages she knew Razik had taken. Faint black flames illuminated the path casting shadows along the stone walls, and she cut off a bite of cake as she walked, taking her time. Maybe this was what she needed after all. Wine and cake and solitude.
Her twin flame was exactly where she’d expected him to be in. Resting against a side of the hot springs, his head was tipped back, damp strands of hair falling across his brow. One arm was propped along the edge, the bottle of wine in hand.
She didn’t say anything, and neither did he. She ate her cake, and he drank his wine.
Finally, he broke the silence and said, “I can’t believe you left her out there unattended. She’s going to steal something.”
Eliza clicked her tongue. “She is not going to steal anything.”
“She stole my wine.”
“What happened today to put you in such a mood. I thought you were spending the night with Cethin and Kalia,” she replied, setting her plate aside before removing her boots and socks.
When she started to roll up her pant legs, he said, “You could just take those off, you know.”
She sent him a frank look. “Scarlett and Juliette are still here.”
“I do not care.”
“You cared fifteen minutes ago,” she retorted, moving to sit on the edge beside him and dip her feet in the warm water. He immediately began dragging his fingertips up and down her calf.
“Tell me of your day,” he said after a minute.
She reached over, grabbing the wine bottle and taking her own drink before answering, “Cyrus bested me in sparring.”
His fingers stilled, and when she glanced at him side-long, she saw his lips twitch.
“I swear to Anala if you laugh at me, Razik Greybane, I’m sleeping at the Fire Court tonight without you,” she snapped, shoving at his shoulder.
“Such a godsdamn liar,” he murmured, his fingers resuming their motion.
She tsked again. “What’s your excuse for your foul mood then?”
“Besides your queen stealing my wine?”
“You were in a mood before you even stepped into the cave.”
“Because they are here.”
“Razik,” she snapped.
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He sighed. “I lost a bet to Lia.”
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She went still. Because of course Kailia had done this. Again.
“I thought we agreed no more wagers with her,” Eliza said.
“Yes, well, she knows how to goad me,” he grumbled.
“You do recognize she is the only one able to do so, right?”
“I’d let you talk me into all manner of things.”
Eliza shoved at his shoulder again, but her lips tilted up in the smallest of smiles. “What do you have to give her?”
“A bowl to keep rocks in.”
“Rocks?” Eliza repeated, her brow furrowing.
“She is not actually going to keep rocks in it,” Razik growled, his eyes flaring bright once more. “She’s not going to keep anything in it.
She is only doing this to be a pain in my ass.”
“So you are upset you lost a bet and now have to give her a bowl? Give her a wooden bowl and be done with it.”
“That is not the point.”
“I know, I know. The point is the bowl is yours,” she said, rolling her eyes.
And then she was gasping as her entire body went under the water. She pushed to the surface, spluttering and cursing, but Razik was already pulling her into his lap.
“You’re naked,” she said on a breath, feeling him against her. She already knew this. She’d seen his pile of clothing when she stepped into the chamber, but—
“I do not know why you are still surprised by this. It’s my cave,” he replied, his voice low as he pushed her hair out of her face. He leaned in, pressing his mouth to hers before she could argue or snap a reply.
“Do you ever think we’re too godsdamn competitive?” she asked as his hands began to roam, and she leaned into his touch.
“Of course not. We’re perfect,” he answered, and she huffed another laugh.
She’d been wrong.
She hadn’t needed wine or chocolate cake or solitude.
She’d only needed this.
“Please tell the others to get the fuck out,” he murmured against her lips, tugging at her wet top that was clinging to her.
But a fire message was already flaring bright.
“Done,” she replied, pushing her fingers through his damp hair. When he leaned forward to pull her tunic off, she pounced. Catching him off guard, she shoved his head beneath the warm water with all her strength.
This time it was him pushing back to the surface spluttering and spitting out water. His smile was sharp and all teeth when he met her gaze, nothing but lust and heat staring back at her.
And she laughed as he snagged her around the waist, his mouth descending on hers, nipping at her jaw, sliding down her throat.
Because he’d only needed this too.
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©Melissa K. Roehrich, 2024