When I woke again, the problem from earlier had thankfully resolved itself, and Clover was packing up our makeshift camp. Ignoring the soreness in my spine, I stood and waved. “Need any help?”

She shook her head, tucking her unused bedroll into her pack. “It's mostly done now. Are you awake enough to keep going, or do you need a minute?”

My stomach growled in response, and she raised a brow. “Or would you like to make breakfast before we head out? I had some leftover Rock Snake, but given what happened last time you ate that…”

I winced at the memory of sharp pain in my gut. “I'll cook my own.”

Sitting by the fire, I dragged my pack closer and took out a few Rock Snakes to clean. Clover's gaze followed my every move, and I snuck a glance at her.

She watched intently, without the teasing I had expected given last night's events. It was nice, though surprising. Even without our impromptu cuddle, I thought she'd distance herself after what she'd said yesterday.

Her words echoed in my mind, and doubt rose like a wave, drowning the warmth from last night. There were so many obstacles and potential pitfalls. My heritage alone could cause massive upset, not to mention the quest ahead and the downright feral possessiveness I felt when I thought of her sleeping with someone else after me.

I might not have much experience, but even a fool knew a reaction like that wasn't suited for casual flings. I wanted her–all of her–and if we started this, I wasn't going to share. If that wasn't what she had in mind, I'd have to refuse. For both our sakes.

Disappointment twisted in my chest at the thought, despite it being the most logical option.

Don't get ahead of yourself, Frederick. She hasn't even fully explained what she wants.

For all I knew, all this worrying was for nothing. Until we talked it out, I couldn't make any assumptions.

“Frederick, fire!” Clover's shout jolted me back to the present. A stray ember from the fire had caught on my pants, smoke rising in a plume. Alarm snapped through me.

I slapped my hand over it, smothering the ember just as it started glowing brighter. Pain licked over my palm, but I ignored it, sighing in relief when the ember died out. That had been close.

I focused back on the Rock Snake, thankfully it wasn't burnt in my daze. Clover caught my injured hand, examining it with a frown. “At least it didn't fully catch on your pants.”

I gently took my hand back and shook my head. “Serves me right for being distracted while cooking. I tell the others not to do that at least once a week.”

Something flashed over her features before she sighed. “You're thinking about what I said yesterday, aren't you?”

I jerked, heat climbing up my neck. “I-.”

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What was I supposed to say to that?

Thankfully, she didn't make me come up with something. After a minute of silence, she continued. “I understand how distracting it is, trust me, but we have to set that aside while we're here.” Her eyes softened and she patted my arm. “I need you in the present, not in your head, alright?”

I nodded, pushing aside the sinking doubts. There would be time for those later. I couldn't afford to be distracted with monsters like Giant Spiders around.

Hopefully, we wouldn't run into any more, but I couldn't rule it out. I squeezed her hand on my arm. “You're right, I'll try to stay focused. I'm just… excited, I guess? Sorry if that sounds childish.”

Excited was one way to put it. Filled to the brim with nerves was another, decidedly more accurate, option too.

She took her hand back and laughed. “I wouldn't call it childish, since I'm feeling the same way.”

I hesitated, caught off guard. “You are?”

She leaned back and hummed. “Of course. If we weren't in a dungeon, I already would have had my wicked way with you, with your express and enthusiastic consent, of course.” Her impish grin faded into a softer, curious look. “Why is that surprising? You already know I'm interested in you.”

I shrugged, avoiding her gaze as heat trailed up my neck. “You seem more experienced with these things, so I figured it wasn't a big deal to you.”

She tipped her head. “I have slept with other people, but it's not like I'm out every week looking for my next conquest. Even if that were the case, I don't think it would change anything. I want you, specifically, and that's not going to just go away. If you weren't interested, it would fade with time, but knowing you are just hikes the suspense higher until we can actually do something about it.”

She grinned, sweeping a heated glance over me. “Besides, by the sound of it, I'm going to be the only woman to have you like that. It's a tantalizing thought. You'll soon find that I'm quite possessive.”

Well, she didn't sound like this was going to be a one-and-done.

See, you're worrying over nothing. Quit overthinking, focus on the quest, and then talk to her, as planned.

I let my shoulders relax a bit and asked, happy to leave the doubts behind for now. “And it doesn't bother you that I'm not going to know what I'm doing?”

I understood the mechanics, of course, but I'd overheard conversations between women in Dawncrest. The amount of times they spoke of their husbands being unsatisfying were staggering. I'd be going in blind and, while the thought hadn't occurred before, it did now, and my stomach twisted into knots.

Before I could spiral, Clover cut in with a raised brow. “Darling, there are men out there who've slept with dozens of women and can't satisfy a single one of them. I've had the misfortune of meeting a few myself and, without a doubt, you won't have that problem.”

At least one of us was confident in that…

“How do you know?” What could possibly tell her that?

She snorted. “Because you listen when I tell you to do something. If I tell you what I like, you'll use that and make sure we both enjoy it.”

That sank in slowly, and I shook my head. “That's not normal?” Under my breath, I added, “No wonder the married women back home seemed miserable all the time.”

Clover barked a laugh. “So they have those kinds of partners? No wonder they were all panting after you. If any of them had a lick of sense, they would've jumped on their chance before you left.” She grinned and swept another heated glance over me. “Not that I'm complaining. Their loss is my gain.”

I fought the urge to squirm in place. Having someone stare so openly and with such visceral heat was new but not unwelcome. By the sound of things, I'd be experiencing it a lot more often from now on.

I couldn't bring myself to mind the thought.