The Seer by Rowan McAllister (reading comprehension books .TXT) 📕

his balls were empty, and he was so exhausted he probably couldn’t have climbed out of that bed if someone had set it on fire.

They made love once more, sometime in the night. Ravi’s ass was too tender to try that part again, no matter how tempted he was, but Daks was either incredibly imaginative or had tons of experience to draw from, because Ravi’s suddenly insatiable libido was not in any way left wanting.

For once in his life, the gods had been generous, handing him so much more than he would have ever thought to ask for. Which, of course, meant something horrible had to be waiting for him right around the corner, but he’d worry about that tomorrow.

Chapter Thirteen

DAKS HAD overdone it as usual. But he wasn’t sorry.

The sun streaming through the small window in the room Eben had given them made Ravi’s messy auburn hair blaze red and painted warm yellow streaks across his body, but luckily hadn’t woken him yet. Daks could have a few more minutes of laziness to look his fill without getting caught.

He’d tried to rouse himself earlier in the morning and at least go down and order breakfast, but his body had quickly countermanded that idea. Was he really getting too old to fuck all night? What a horrible thought. He’d blame it on being knocked unconscious for two days after nearly drowning instead.

He shivered. Even thinking the D-word made his stomach quail.

He forced his gaze back to Ravi and let it wander over the hills and valleys of his lanky body, which was a much more pleasant usage of his time. He couldn’t afford to deal with any of the rest right now. For one thing, Eben’s ale was far too expensive for him to buy enough to drown his sorrows in, especially since he wasn’t 100 percent sure the High Council would actually cover his expenses this time. And for another, he still hadn’t heard anything of Shura.

Ravi was awake and watching him when Daks’s gaze climbed back up to his face.

“Morning,” Daks murmured, grinning even wider when Ravi’s cheeks darkened.

He had a feeling that would never get old.

“Morning,” Ravi replied quietly.

But as Ravi continued to study him soberly, Daks’s grin faded.

“Something wrong?”

“Just thinking.”

Daks winced internally. Quirking an eyebrow and forcing his grin back in place, he rolled off the mattress and moved to collect his clothes, despite the loud complaints of his body.

“Thinking goes better on a full stomach. I’ll pop down to the kitchen to see what I can get for us.”

“Daks,” Ravi said, his tone far too serious.

Daks froze, bent over with his trousers half on, and reluctantly met Ravi’s gaze. “Yeah?”

“I had a Dream last night, after… you know.” Ravi’s cheeks grew a little darker.

Daks ducked his head and pulled his trousers the rest of the way on, though he didn’t bother to knot the ties at the front.

“A Dream about what?”

“I know what you’re going to do.”

Daks snorted and dropped onto one of the two plain wooden chairs by the table so he could tug on his boots. “Even I barely know from one minute to the next what I’m going to do.”

When only heavy silence met his words, Daks sighed, set his shiny new boots back down, and met Ravi’s gaze. Impatience, irritation, worry, and something else all chased across Ravi’s face. The man really was going to have to learn to hide his feelings better or the crusty old bastards at the Scholomagi would eat him alive.

“I Dreamed,” Ravi repeated. “But even if I hadn’t, I’m not an idiot. You’re going back for her. You can’t not go back for her, because you love her.”

Daks slumped against the back of the chair and dragged a hand down through his tangled hair. Ravi couldn’t have waited just a little while longer for him to have some caffe’ before bringing this up? He hadn’t even acknowledged the plan to himself yet. He kept hoping any second she would walk through that door. Damned Rassans and their prohibitions on magic. If they’d been able to carry message or tracking stones, he’d know she was safe. He wouldn’t have to cling desperately to hope.

“Because she’s family,” Daks replied tiredly.

“I know.”

Ravi’s tone was gentle with acceptance and even approval, and Daks met his gaze again as that familiar sensation fluttered in his chest.

“When will you leave?” Ravi asked neutrally.

“Tomorrow, I think.” No sense in trying to avoid it now. “I’ll make the arrangements today and give her just a little longer to get across or send a message, but it’s been three days since the flood. I should have heard something.”

“Yes.”

“Your Dream didn’t happen to say whether or not I was successful, did it?”

Ravi winced and shook his head. “Only that you were going. Which was as useless as always, since I could have figured that out on my own.”

Ravi’s jaw tightened as he scowled. He drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, forcing Daks to join him on the bed and pull him into a hug.

“It’s okay,” he murmured into Ravi’s hair as he pressed a cheek to the top of his head. “Can’t expect you to win all my battles for me.”

Ravi barked out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, right. I should have known the one time I actually want a Vision, my curse refuses to cooperate. When it could get me killed, I was having one practically every day, sometimes more than one. And now that it could actually be useful, of course they’ve stopped.”

“When we get you to the Scholomagi, they’ll be able to help you figure it out. Until then, no one, not even you, should blame you for not being able to control it. Give yourself a break.”

His leg was starting to cramp, so Daks eased back into the pillows and tucked Ravi more comfortably against his side. They lay in silence for a while until Ravi sighed and lifted himself over Daks, straddling his body