Chapter 18: Eighteen: Gear and Gratitude

“Did anything happen while you were out?” I asked, testing my theory on why she’d leveled up.

“No, not particularly,” Lira said, swinging her leg over her horse and dropping lightly to the ground. “I just rode into town, bought some gear, and came back.”

I nodded, her answer expected. She’d leveled because she’d slept with her God. I wondered if I could level her again the same way.

She led the stallion to the same tree she’d used before, tying him up. Then she walked over to me, her eyes lingering on my nakedness. “Sorry I was so long,” she said, as she came right up to me. “The leathers had to be adjusted to size.”

“No problem,” I said, staring at her the way she was staring at me. She was so damn beautiful, and though I still hadn’t come to really believe it, she was somehow mine.

She stopped inches from me, then gave me her playful smile. “I was going to press myself against you, but you’re awfully sweaty.” She went up on tiptoes and kissed me. “Don’t get me wrong, I like you sweaty,” she added, waggling her eyebrows, “but the clothes I brought you are clean.”

I laughed and turned toward the stream. Maybe she was checking out my ass; she was welcome to do so. I had nothing to hide from Lira. I washed off quickly, then dunked my head and pushed back my wet hair. It was getting noticeably longer, and so was my beard.

Lira had untethered her horse and walked him down to the stream while I’d been bathing. No doubt the stallion needed a drink after his long ride, but I didn’t think that was her main reason. Her eyes were all on me.

She waited until I was finished, then gave me one of her smiles. “Do you want to see what I got?”

What I wanted was to take her into my arms, but her enthusiasm was obvious. She clearly wanted to show me, and I wanted to see.

“Sure. Let’s take a look.”

She tied the horse back up, this time with enough slack to graze, then hefted the large bag from his back. It looked heavy, and I stepped forward to help.

“I can manage,” she said, lowering it to the ground with a small gasp of effort. Hell, even her gasp was sexy.

A bow protruded from the top of the bag, and she pulled it out first. “A new short bow, Therin’s best.” She held up a coil of string. “Two strings, just in case one breaks.”

Smart thinking. I pulled the info card on the bow.

Weapon: Short bow. Type: Bow. Quality: Masterwork. Speed 8.

I’d never examined my previous bow this way, so had nothing to compare, but this one looked better made, and it was masterwork.

“Perfect,” I said.

“A quiver of arrows, also his finest,” she said, unstrapping it from the side of her saddle. It was wrapped in oilskin for protection.

Weapon: Arrow. Type: Arrow. Quality: Masterwork. Attack 5. Armor Piercing.

“Wow, armor piecing,” I said, impressed. That would be a huge help against the goblins.

“How did you know?” she turned to me in surprise. “That was my secret!”

“God, remember?” I shrugged nonchalantly. “Some things I just know.”

“Of course.” She smiled, then placed the quiver next to the bow. She unstrapped another long package, then turned to me with one delicate eyebrow raised. “What’s in here?”

She was testing me, but it was easy enough to focus on the package.

Weapon: Rapier. Type: Sword. Quality: Fine. Attack 6. Speed 9.

It would do, but I wanted the other one back. While I was sure this was the best Rolf had at short notice, the other one was Masterwork and had the Keen Edge attribute. I hoped the gobbos had kept it safe for me.

“Rapier. Very nice, too. Thank you.”

She gave a small laugh and set it down, then bent over her pack.

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“Two new shirts, and two new shorts,” she said, pulling out clothes that, while not as fine as what she’d given me at the temple, were probably the best Fernwick had to offer.

“Is that a hint to get dressed?”

She made a point of laying them down on the grass, then firmly placing her bag on top. That was a no, then.

“Leathers,” she said, pulling out a weapon belt, jacket, trousers, and a pair of sturdy boots. “I hope they’ll fit you. I had them adjusted to your measurements.”

“How do you know my measurements?” The armor she’d given me in the temple had fit perfectly.

“Divination, remember?” she said, imitating my earlier tone and nonchalant shrug.

“High Priestesses that imitate their God get spanked,” I said, only half-joking.

Her eyes widened, and she blushed pinker than I’d ever seen. “Is that a promise?”

Her blush threw me off. Lira, the composed, divine priestess, had a kinkier side? That was unexpected, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure what to think. I’d been thinking of her as this goddess-like figure, poised and perfect—but now, I was seeing something else. She was… human. Playful. Maybe we weren’t so different after all. The idea of testing how far I could push her made my pulse quicken.

“Imitate me again and you’ll find out,” I said, pretending to be stern. It was hard to pull off assertiveness while standing naked, but I was pretty sure I managed. Her gaze flicked downward, and she wet her lips.

She turned away, delving back into her pack, but not before I saw her teeth chew on her bottom lip. She was so damn cute.

“Dagger,” she said, pulling it out and laying it beside the bow. “And a set of throwing knives.” She was holding a leather wallet from which three short handles protruded.

Weapon: Throwing Knife. Type: Throwing. Quality: Masterwork. Attack 4. Speed 12. Puncturing.

“Wow,” I said. “Those are beautiful.”

She beamed. “You like them? I wasn’t sure if you’d want throwing knives.”

“They’re perfect,” I said. And so are you. The knives would be an awesome supplement to my bow. I could already imagine throwing them in rapid succession at a charging goblin.

She spun back to her bag of goodies, which was still looking surprisingly full. “Healing ointment, just in case.” She placed a small tub on the grass. “Bandages, much though I like it when you rip up your shirt.” She flashed me a wicked grin, a playful glint in her eyes, as she placed the folded linen strips on the grass. “Lock picks, because Rolf had a set.” A jangle of metal hooks and long spikes went on top of the pile. “And last but not least … a bar of soap.”

She dropped it on the ground and turned to me, her hands clasped in front of her. “Did I do good?”

“You did great,” I said, pulling her close. Her coarse clothing was rough against my skin, but her arms slipped around my neck as I kissed her thoroughly. “How much was it all?”

“Just under two hundred gold,” she said. “I negotiated as best I could, but I wasn’t sure I could tell them it was for you.”

It was probably just as well she hadn’t. But now I owed her two hundred gold, and I’d only earn a hundred from clearing the mine. The goblins would likely have treasure, or things I could sell. I was also realizing how much I was being underpaid. No wonder they’d offered me a house so quickly.

“I’ll pay you back,” I promised her, holding her to me.

“There’s no need, Kaelan.” She shifted her hips slightly against me, and I knew the little minx had done it deliberately.

I shook my head. “I insist.” Behind her, the bag still didn’t look empty. “What else is in there?” I asked, gesturing with a jerk of my chin.

“Just some dried meat for emergencies, and dinner for tonight.” She placed a kiss on the side of my neck. “I figured you’d be hungry once I was finished with you.”

I slid my hands down to cup her ass, pulling her into me again. “I’ll never be finished with you,” I said, earning a soft moan from her as we kissed, her body melting against mine.

*

I lay in our bed, watching Lira cooking in the nude.

She was a deft hand with a knife and certainly knew her way around a kitchen. I checked her sheet, and sure enough, Cooking had appeared, listed at rank 14. The rich aromas of stewing meat and herbs filled the air, making my stomach rumble in anticipation.

We were both hungry. We’d spent much of the afternoon catching up, then walked outside together and Lira had watched me try my new throwing knives for an hour or so. As neither of us had dressed, it wasn’t the most productive of sessions, but I’d gained Throwing as a skill and raised it to three, and Willpower had ranked a point, much to my amusement.

In the end, Lira had tried more and more blatant ways to distract me, and we’d ended up back in bed.

A perfect afternoon.

I didn’t even have sore muscles. When she’d found out how I’d spent my day, she cast a trickle of green restoration energy into me, and that was that. She really was amazing. It wasn’t just the magic, but the way she cared, how she seemed to know exactly what I needed.

She added fresh potatoes and carrots to our pot, then gave me as a kiss as she walked by. The bed wasn’t en route for the fastest way back to the chopping board, but neither of us bothered to point that out.

“Your beard is coming in nicely,” she commented as she sashayed her ass more than was strictly necessary.

I raised a hand, rubbing it across my chin. It was more than just stubble now. “Do you like it?”

“Yes, I do.” She smiled. “Not too long, though.”

“Well, that might be a problem. I don’t have a razor blade or scissors.”

“What’s a razor blade?”

“Er … a shaving knife.”

“Oh,” she said. “That explains it. And don’t worry, I have scissors.”

“You do?” I hadn’t thought there were any scissors in this world.

“Of course I do.” Her tone carried a hint of playful condescension, as if to say, silly man. I wondered what I was missing.

“Will you trim it for me when it gets too long?”

She smiled. “Of course, my God.”

It was like we were playing house, and I was more than content. Every moment with her was a welcome escape from the pressures I’d placed on myself, a reminder that amid my urge to grow stronger, there was still joy to be found.

But tomorrow I was going back into that mine. I wanted my rapier back, I needed to have words with Tark, and I figured I’d relieve Manchee of his staff while I was at it.

I would face whatever came. But for now, I allowed myself to bask in the warmth of Lira's presence. This fleeting peace was worth holding onto for just a little longer.