To wake on a breath between life and death was like taking a dip in ice and emerging to a flaming room. 

To put it mildly, it burned in a way that made me want to peel my skin from my bones and submerge it in a vat of salty water. 

I came to with a violent gasp, clutching the cloth above my rapidly beating heart as though it could help contain the pulse that jolted my insides with every flutter.

  My blood felt alive, like fire and ice on either end of my veins, each trying to fill it and make a claim to the temperature. 

“You’re awake. That’s good. I was a bit concerned it would take longer to snag your fleeing soul.” The words were low, spoken like a professor in the process of teaching facts. I glanced at the man that had ruined my life. 

Bracken Stormrider stood tall, a black hole sucking all the light from the room and imprisoning it within that corner he loomed in. Dark curls hung into darker eyes, a crooked nose that had definitely been broken once or twice perched above a mild sneer that bordered on smirking. 

Like the devil had been waiting for his prey to wake. I shuddered, a cough wheezing from my lungs as I tried to remember why I was here. 

Shaky public speaking. A declaration of martyrdom. A smile. 

Death. 

Chaos. 

The deal. 

My breathing steadied with the memory. This was the plan. I could follow a plan. 

“Please tell me it worked. I definitely don’t want to have to do that again.” My words felt like paper sliding across a gritty sandstone slab. He chuckled, walking closer and pulling a cup out of literally nowhere. It began to fill with a clear liquid on its own, as though poured from an invisible pouch. 

“Here. You sound like a broken dryer.” He was definitely smirking now. 

I gave him my best unimpressed look before forcing myself to sit up and take the offered beverage. It tasted like a flavored water packet, clearer than anything natural and flavored in peach and mango. I gulped it down quickly, mildly impressed when it refilled immediately after being drained. 

“Your performance was perfect. Everyone now believes you to be dead and we….. Extracted your body before they had a chance to burn it. Lucky really, considering your people’s penchant for quick cremation after death. Probably hoping to prevent unplanned revivals like this.” He stroked a hand across his chin, the other slipping into a pocket in his comfy slacks. 

I shivered, cold sticking to my skin like a layer of cloth. 

“Yeah. Lucky.” I doubted that, but what was the use in complaining about something that clearly worked in our favor? This was a crazy plan to begin with, so all the luck we could afford was welcomed. 

“Where are we?” I glanced around the spacious room, reminded of a modern castle with the stones and electronics mingling across the space. There was a giant fireplace across from the bed where I laid, open-faced and lit as it poured heat into the cold room. I was definitely cold, even with the fire melting my veins. 

“My place. I figured it was the safest place to take a dead man with a reputation like yours.” He sat on the bed next to me, folding a hand into his lap as he regarded my slightly shorter frame. He might have been a savage beast but we really weren’t that different in size. Maybe it was just because our ages were similar. His muscles were definitely better than mine though, which was just plain unfair. I was forced to work out constantly to shoulder my heavy kingdom so why oh why was he just effortlessly perfect? 

Whatever. 

“It’s nicer than I expected, what with the reputation that follows you.” I smirked up at him, enjoying the slight clench in his jaw at my words. 

“Funny.” His voice was lower, muttering as though it were a secret. I was hilarious and he totally knew it. I let out a sigh, laughter mixed in just a little as I leaned back against the fluffy pillows behind me. So much softer than they should have been. 

A rustle drew my gaze back to him, his hand pulling against the air as though it were a pocket of untapped wealth. 

“Here.” A strange red plant appeared in his hand, shiny and new like it had just been plucked. 

“Is that…. A fruit?” I asked poking its shiny exterior tenderly. 

He grasped my hand and forced the food into my fingers, the only answer a small grunt like the savage he was. 

I regarded it closely, wondering if it was sweet or sour before just popping it into my mouth. I chewed slowly, a small explosion of liquid and sweet juice spilling onto my tongue. 

“Whuh iz thiss?” I mumbled through the flavor, eyes sparkling when I met Bracken’s own. 

“It’s called a Pomply. They have lots of little berries inside just like that. I thought you might like to try some of my people's natural cuisine.” 

“I like it. Do you have any more?” I glanced around the room, searching both his hands where they rested in his lap before meeting his eyes again. 

“Later, maybe. Now we have to discuss the next stage.” He was smiling fondly like we were about to do something fun. War was a game and we it’s willing players. 

Savage. 

“Must we?” I pouted, sighing loudly when he gave me a look of raised brow and tilted head. 

“Fine. May as well get this over with. “ I placed my full cup on the nightstand to my right before regarding the sitting king of beastly wilds and untamed power. 

“Did you take care of everything before the conference?” He tipped a small vial forward, glowing white sands falling from its lip. They coated my cupped palm where it lay on the bed, a grimy texture of magic and contract. 

“Of course. I really only had so much to do before I went out to die, ya know?” The sand was sinking into my skin like a tiny avalanche, finding my bloodstream and closing against that still-present heat tipped in icicles. It felt soothing, like it latched onto the pain and dulled it around the edges. 

I sighed, closing my eyes and letting my head fall back as the magic did its work. Like a trickle of cool water on the tips of my fraying nerves. 

“For what it's worth, you did great. Even the public speaking part. I know you really didn’t want to have to do that.” His fingers were rubbing the sand into my hands, the smallest hum vibrating through his chest as he worked. 

“Thanks. It was my idea to have a public appearance though.” I muttered, watching the man who had ruined my life work against the pain in my body like a professional physician. 

It wasn’t completely his fault I had ended up here, but I liked to lay blame on him as much as possible while I still could. At the rate he was going, I would have to be thanking him every other day instead of my preferred anger. 

“That should do it for now. If you need more later just have one of the guards let me know.” He made a wavy gesture with his hand and the empty vial vanished into the air. 

My skin was tingling in each little cell, something shaky and numb that crawled across my spine. Maybe sleep would be a good idea. I was really tired. 

“Yeah, you should probably get some rest. We can discuss the rest later.” The bed creaked as Bracken rose to his feet, that large shadow darkening across my sinking form. His hand brushed some hair on my face, the other dragging the comforter up further and tucking me in. It was a funny thing for a savage beast to do, but I allowed it on the premise of exhaustion. 

I was just tired is all. 

“Good rest, Colden.” A soft whisper brushed my falling eyelids as the light went out in the room and the door creaked shut.