"I was not watching. I was attempting to rest while ignoring the mating display happening in my vicinity. It was most distracting."

"Does Pyrin drive you crazy by constantly talking in your head?" I ask Raith.

He chuckles. "No. Pyrin doesn't speak much. But he's fiercely protective of me. Always patrolling the area and inspecting situations for danger. He's... It's nice having him. I always heard stories, but I didn't realize how much I would appreciate my elemental as an individual."

I smile softly. "Yeah. Typhon is... interesting. But he's kind of accidentally hilarious, and he does care. He just also loves the sound of his own voice."

"Careful, angry human. I am listening."

"But," I add with a meaningful look toward the water dragon glaring at me from the corner of the room. He has doubled in size since yesterday, but is still far smaller than normal. "I know exactly what you mean. Having somebody in your corner no matter what... it's a good feeling. Especially for those of us who got used to doing things on our own."

Raith watches me for a long moment, then nods his head. "Yeah." He rises from the bed, stretching. The movement pulls his shirt taut across his shoulders, and I catch myself staring at the strip of skin revealed at his waist.

"I can feel you staring," he says without turning. "Keep looking at me like that, and I'm not going to be able to wait until we're done with Voss."

I let my eyes linger on the muscular, tanned strip of exposed skin a moment longer before dragging them away. "I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't looking at anything."

Raith eyes me over his shoulder, his expression amused. "Pyrin says you were definitely looking."

"I thought we were friends, Pyrin," I say, not knowing where to look to address the fire panther.

I rise too, my muscles complaining only slightly. The void corruption is almost completely gone from my body, along with the strange waves of cold it brings. My strength is returning rapidly, enough that I feel almost like myself again—though I know better than to say as much to Raith, who would insist on more rest regardless.

"How should we play this meeting with Voss?" I ask as we prepare for the day, my voice deliberately casual as if we're discussing the weather rather than a potential confrontation with the most powerful man at Confluence.

Raith pulls on a fresh uniform, his movements precise and efficient. I try and fail not to stare, especially when he strips down completely naked with his back to me.

Gods. Does the man have no shame? Then again, why would he when he has a body like that? It's carved perfection. Beautiful enough that it's impossible not to stare.