Chapter 15

Cain rubbed his face before taking a heavy swig of his cold coffee. He felt like he was going cross-eyed as he studied the maps of the Northern land for the thousandth time that evening. He was determined to commit every mountain, creek, and passage to memory. The morning had been spent studying weather patterns of the season, trying to anticipate anything that could creep up on them. He would not be caught unprepared, not when there was so much at stake. Pushing back his chair, he stepped to the window and opened it, thinking the cold air would revitalize him after his hours of stillness. The sky was too overcast to detect the sun so he pulled out his pocket watch, surprised to see it was well past three, and wondered what DG was doing at the moment.

He was still in disbelief over the whole situation, that this young and vibrant woman, his friend and the savior of the OZ, would want a beat up old Tin Man like himself. He initially wrestled with his sense of honor and duty after she had confessed but he soon gave it up as a lost cause. With something so lovely right in front of him, he wasn't strong enough to stay away.

When it comes to DG, you never were.

And may Ozma damn him for it, he wasn't leaving unless DG herself told him to go. This was going to make for one awkward conversation when the Queen and Consort returned.

He had taken to sleeping on her sofa for the past few nights. It was easier than trying to get shut eye in one of those uncomfortable antique chairs propped up outside her room. She always fell asleep next to him and every night he carried her to her bed before settling back down on the sofa.

They spent most of the time talking, her asking questions about his family and childhood in the OZ and him about the Other-side. He now felt lucky DG wasn't any stranger than she was having grown up in such a place. As it was, she was brutally testing his willpower and sense of propriety.

It had been nearly a quarter of his life since he'd held a woman and before that there had only been one other bedsides Adora. That first night in DG's room, he was relieved when she hadn't argued or pressed back down on him. He didn't think he'd be able to resist if she pushed the issue. The next evening she just fell asleep with her head on his shoulder, exhausted from her session with Tutor. But last night she had tried to explain the auras she sensed in people.

"And me?"

"You?"

"You said everyone had one."

DG stayed silent for a minute, chewing the inside of her cheek with her arms wrapped around her knees.

Cain let out a low whistle.

"That bad? What is it? Gunshots and yelling?"

"No! It's not bad… its just-" she trailed off as he looked at her expectantly, "you start out like a warmth-"

His eyebrows knitted together and his lip slightly curled in distaste. "Like the zipperhead?"

"No. More like hug…" she blushed, feeling ridiculous trying to explain this, "that feeling you get pressed against another person. Warm, with a pressure-" she fattened her palm to her chest, "-here."

"I'm a hug," he stated, frowning.

"I said it just starts out as hug-like," she sighed in frustration

Cain inclined his head, indicating she should continue. DG wrung her hands, swallowing hard.

"Then I get this… warm and cool feeling… here," she said, motioning to the side of her head and neck. He just looked even more perplexed.

"Like a breeze?" he asked.

"Uh, no. But...I can show you, if you're ok with that?"

"With magic?" he asked, looking a little uneasy.

"No."

He thought it over a second then shrugged his consent.

DG leaned over and pressed the bridge of her nose to the angle of his jaw, slowly dragging it upward along the curve of his ear, her lips trailing behind. She felt him go very still, the muscles in his jaw flexing. She followed the same path down again before breathing a small sigh right over his ear. His body jerked slightly and his hand tense where it rested on his knee. Pressing forward again, she grazed her lips over the shell of his ear and moved to place a trail of soft kiss down his neck before coming back up to the angle of his jaw. His head turned toward her but she had returned to his ear and pulled his earlobe into her mouth.

Cain pulled away and turned, grabbing her shoulders with his two hands and keeping them extended out as if to keep some distance between them. He looked wild, pupils dilated far more than they should be for even this time of night.

"That happens every time I'm near you?"

"Yes. It's a little different each time but it always feel like my head is buzzing and my legs are weak and-" she cut herself off, looking a little embarrassed.

"I am getting better at anticipating it and can can ignore it for the most part but sometimes when I'm with you and were like this...it can be intense."

"Would it be better if I stayed away?"

"No, of course not," she replied laughing, "You don't have to change anything. It's actually really nice most of time."

Movement off in the distance caught his eye, bringing Cain's attention to the snowy horizon. A single rider was approaching on horseback, full speed through the snow. Cain recognized his military uniform even at this distance and a rock of dread settled in his abdomen. Only one thing would make them send their fastest rider in an overnight sprint back to the castle. The Queen and Consort were in dire trouble.