He did not think twice about his offer or how quickly she accepted it. He just smiled and accepted her by his side, letting her lean into his own heat. He did not often miss the wings that had once graced his shoulders (they had been unnatural to him and had taken far too long for him to grow used to), but he did miss the ability to better warm others. There had been several times where it had come in handy—when Minette had been shivering from fear, when Amorette had been fascinated by the feathers.
And now, glancing down at the mare freezing by his side, he found himself missing them.
Still, he did the best he could with his own body heat, curling around her and giving a low laugh when she teased him. “Well, let’s see,” he mused. “I am fairly good at making young mares feel old.” He winked. “And I am not half bad at finding good conversation.” It was reassuring to know that despite all of the changes around Beqanna that you could still run across someone with a good heart and an easy smile.
“You are very welcome, Shariden.” For a moment, he relaxed into the silence between them, feeling at ease in her presence before he glanced down. “So, other than to nearly freeze to death, what brings you to the field on a day as cold as this?” One corner of his scarred mouth lifted into a crooked grin. “Unless, of course, freezing to death was your end game, in which case, why on earth would you do that?”
And with that, he simply regarded her, his gold-flecked eyes kind and curious. It seemed unlikely that she had wandered all the way out here simply to enjoy the frosty water, but you never knew.
magnus
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