The weather gradually grew warmer the further south we travelled, it was the first time I had felt such warmth from a scorching sun that I had always dreamt of gazing upon, now the sun felt forlorn as its harrowing rays burned into my corneas. I held my hand over my eyes as I squinted my gaze to get a better view of the flawless sky that glanced down on us, there were no clouds in the sky much to my chagrin, I wanted to experience every aspect of the world that surrounded me. I wasn’t sure if I was capable of sitting still once I helped Odin regain his throne as there were many things about Gliese that were left to be explored, the only thing that caused my heart to speed up was the knowledge that my mate may not go with me as he held responsibilities here.
Only time will tell, I thought as I swallowed back my anxiety.
“Let’s go have a bath,” Immoenne said with a hint of a smirk.
A bath? I thought curiously.
“There are some hot springs nearby, plus you’re filthy,” Immoenne stated as she glanced over my dirt-covered body.
“Hot springs?” I asked curiously as I reluctantly followed behind her.
“Take Essen with you,” Odin ordered without taking his gaze away from his current task.
“What?” I asked confused.
“I think she has suffered enough, take her with you and get her cleaned up, Ure and I will watch over the other prisoners,” Odin said as he nodded at the other two prisoners.
“You’re ordering me to bathe your ex-girlfriend?” I asked bewildered.
“I’m asking you,” Odin corrected as he lifted his gaze to meet my glare.
His blue eyes displayed his deep trust and affection towards the only woman who he held within his heart, a blush caressed my cheeks as I read his mind with ease, he was the one person on this earth who I was determined to protect no matter the cost. I nodded slightly as I quickly turned to divert my gaze on anything else but the incredibly attractive man who I was yearning to become one with once again. The memory of our first time flashed through my mind causing me to stumble on my feet as I followed behind Immoenne as she retrieved Essen’s restraints.
“I-I’ll follow you,” I stammered as I gripped the back of her shirt to prevent myself from stumbling and crashing into the ground.
Why is he so irresistible, I thought as I caught the smirk that spread to Immoenne’s eyes.
“Get your head out of the gutter,” I hissed at her.
“I think you need to be saying that to yourself,” Immoenne murmured as she pressed into Essen’s back to force her to continue walking.
“You don’t know what goes through my mind!” I murmured as I looked away from her with my cheeks beat red.
“Right,” Immoenne said with a chuckle.
The lush green grass finally parted to reveal a rocky surface with a grainy ash undertone, we were miles away from the base of a volcano that resided beneath the raging sea and yet its distinct properties continued to reach the land as it warmed the springs close to the shore.
It’s the first time that I’ve been so close to the deciphers Sea, I thought to myself distantly as clouds slowly formed over the horizon.
The Deciphers Sea was disconnected from the Dead Sea and was less salty with the vast waters thriving with marine life, it was the bases of all life of Southern Thallyn with its waves breaking at the shoreline and the salty water purifying itself within the nearby rivers and lakes. I stumbled on my feet as we approached the bedrock that housed the deep channels that fed into the hot springs, the air was warm and welcoming as I watched as Immoenne reached for the hemline of her shirt and hiked it over her slim frame with ease.
“Common or else you’ll be left behind,” Immoenne said as she stripped naked and removed Essen’s restraints.
“Aren’t you afraid she will run away?” I asked uncertainly.
“Of course not, because then Odin would hunt her down and kill her,” Immoenne said with a smirk as she gazed at Essen.
“I wouldn’t run away from my man,” Essen mumbled as she rubbed at her bruised wrists.
“You’d better watch your words because Odin never ordered Caoimhe to not harm you,” Immoenne snapped at her.
“What a good idea,” I thought as my eyes alight with excitement.
“Clothes, off!” Immoenne ordered pulling me from my mischievous thoughts.
“Fine,” I mumbled as I lifted my dirtied dress over my head and stood before the two girls completely naked.
“Damn, you have a nice figure,” Immoenne said with a smirk.
“Just shut up,” I murmured as I pushed past her and jumped into the hot spring while holding my nose closed.
The heat within my reddening face blended in with the warm water as escaping bubbles caressed my curves, the sun beat down on me as I remained under the water for a moment longer as the sensation of being surrounded by the liquid was all too familiar.
It’s different from the Dead Sea, I thought happily.
I never wanted to return to that godforsaken place.
The only way I would be summoned back to the Dead Sea and become its prisoner once again as if my mate died, the temptation of the pull would forever tug on my dead soul until I was once again released from its cold grasp. Odin’s safety was my utmost priority and yet it would only aggravate him if I continued to linger around him like a lost puppy, the only way I could ensure his safety was erase the threats that continued to jeopardize the lingering of his precious life.
“Get in the spring, Essen,” Immoenne ordered as she pushed into the naked girls back and forced her into the water.
“Hey!” Essen cried out as she plunged into the warm water.
I lifted my head from the warmth that embodied me like a living blanket and glanced at Immoenne with a look of amusement as Essen thrust her head out of the water and gasped for breath with newfound desperation.
“Common, you deserved that,” I said as I turned my back on her and suppressed a laugh.