“I think it might be a distinct possibility.” One he didn’t care to contemplate just yet, but if they could take her out now, before they dealt with the Dead God, it might allow them to avoid that god altogether.
Eno took the lead along the rocky slope to the stream cutting its way along the mountain. Water raced between the banks lined with large boulders that had been smoothed by centuries of wear from the stream. This was going to be awkward as the clear water wasn’t incredibly high, and they hadn’t brought anything to help scoop it up. Rayne wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about the idea of simply dunking his head.
After setting his footing as close to the bank as he could get, Eno turned and extended his hand to Rayne to help him climb down. “Do you trust her?”
“No, of course not.” Rayne took his hand and squeezed his fingers. “But then, I didn’t trust her when we first met her. This little scheme of hers changes nothing. I only wish I’d seen this coming. Because of the terrain, I always thought we’d see an attack coming. I counted us more vulnerable in the towns. What about you? Do you trust her?”
Eno remained silent for several seconds while Rayne lowered himself to the ground. He removed the spare set of glasses Eno had brought him after the first set was lost in the fight. With care, he tucked them away in his pocket. He leaned on one of the rocks and attempted to cup handfuls of water to drop onto his crusty hair. A pained hiss escaped him as the bitter cold of the water sank into his fingers. This water was from snow melt and was lucky to be flowing without chunks of ice in it.
“Here. Let me.”
Rayne shifted on the boulder he was using for support to watch Eno carefully climb around him and kneel on the rocky bank. The shadows were lengthening, and the evening light was draining away, deepening the shadows on Eno’s stern face. His expression was nearly a scowl as he likely concentrated on getting just the right position that would allow him to be close to Rayne without crushing him.
It was a fierce look, but it brought a smile to Rayne’s lips as he watched him. Every line and scar on that face was familiar to him. He knew the quirk of his brows and the sneer that tugged his upper lip higher. So many long years had passed memorizing that face, allowing him to carry it into his dreams at night.
“What are you smiling about?” Eno asked as he reached out to dip his hand into the frigid water. “Bend down closer.”
Rayne moved as instructed, lying on the rock with his head out over the water. He closed his eyes as the first scoop damped his hair just a little. Eno carefully added a few more scoops before his fingers threaded through, trying to break through the nasty crust. The power in those hands had taken him apart time and again over the past few months, but they could be so careful and gentle, as if Rayne was a fragile piece of spun glass.
“I was just trying to remember when I first fell in love with that face,” Rayne answered, soaking in Eno’s touch. It had been too long since they’d last been able to steal a moment to themselves on this journey. Maybe Caelan knowing their secret would mean they’d have a few more opportunities.
Even if they couldn’t steal more time, this was nice. As Eno removed the blood, bits of stress and worry flaked away as well. He relaxed, trusting his lover to protect and care for him. Water splashed and burbled in its rocky bed and the wind rustled over the broken dirt terrain, but even that seemed to drift far away as Eno lifted his voice above the stream.
“Two years ago. Your birthday,” Eno said, still working the blood out of Rayne’s hair.
“What?” He opened his eyes, but his head was turned at such an angle that he could only see the tiniest bit of Eno out of the corner of his field of vision.
When Eno spoke, his deep voice was like a caress down his spine and Rayne felt himself getting swept away. “We got drunk in your apartment after we celebrated with Caelan and Drayce. You were so damn cute. It was the first time I’d ever seen you intoxicated. Your face was flushed, and you’d torn off your tie. Sprawled on the sofa, you stared up at me with these enormous green eyes and a crooked grin. In that moment, I was utterly lost. It was like I could see my entire life spread out in front of me, and I knew I’d never love anyone as completely as I loved you.”