We worked on the fence.

So far, according to Aelin, none of the Bramble Skeletons had tried to get around our fence, but I wasn’t sure that would stay the case. Especially if they started trying to sneak up on us.

The dirt on the trail was too hard for us to plant a stake without hammering it in, and we couldn’t do that until everyone woke up. But what we could do was tie the stakes to each other. We’d have to drive a couple in to hold everything in place. But I decided that I would give that job to Edward when he woke up. I could probably do it faster, but having him do chores seemed like a good way to motivate him to get stuff done.

After we defeated the second Bramble Skeleton, it was time for a shift change. Aelin laid down while I went to wake up Ether.

“Ether.” I stroked her cheek with the back of my hand. "It’s your turn on watch.”

I had debated just letting her sleep, but I knew that I wouldn’t hear the end of it if I didn’t wake her.

“Mnmb.” She snuggled tighter on my jumpsuit pillow.

I leaned down and brushed a stray white lock of hair away from her face and kissed her cheek. I rubbed her back as I whispered in her ear. "Ether, it’s time to wake up.”

Her red eyes fluttered open and she stretched. She smiled when she saw me leaning over her. "I like being woken up like this better.”

I remembered the way that Trant had me wake her up on our first morning. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay." She took my hand as I helped her stand up.

She looked around. "Finishing the fence?”

“Aelin and I needed something to do.” I walked over towards the woods and stepped over the fence that was there. "It needs stakes to hold it in place, but it will at least slow down a Skeleton.”

Ether tested the wood and decided it was solid enough.

“So what did you and Justia talk about?” I hooked my arm around her shoulder as she walked over to where I was standing.

“Why do you think that we talked?” Ether gave me an innocent smile.

“Because you’re you.” I raised an eyebrow.

“We talked about you a little.”

I swallowed. I hadn’t told Justia what exactly I’d told Ether. Hopefully the one piece of information that I’d held back had stayed hidden. I felt like I could trust the white-haired woman, but I didn’t know how Trent, or the ArchBishop for that matter, would react if they learned that she knew everything.

“All good things I hope.” I smiled.

“Good enough.” She looked up at me. "You didn’t try anything with Aelin, did you?”

“What? No!” I shook my head. "Why would you think that?”

“Just because you have a history of moving really fast with blondes.”

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My ears were burning from embarrassment. “That wasn’t... I mean I didn’t… I mean, it did… but I didn’t try…”

She put a finger against my lips. "You’re going to be very popular in the future.” She started running her finger down my chin to my chest. "You’re going to have to be careful who you let get that close to you.”

“Like red-eyed Tanks?”

She smiled as she pushed against me with a single finger. "I’m already here.” She twirled her finger around in the center of my chest and I became very aware that I was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and boots.

“So you’re going to protect me from anyone who tries to get close to me?” I ran my hands up the sides of her arms.

“Justia will help.” She walked her hand back up to my ear and wove her fingers into my hair. "And we’ll only keep out the ones who don’t belong.”

I raised an eyebrow. "You’re not going to keep me all to yourself?”

“You’re going to be too powerful for me to try to monopolize you.” She had to stand on her toes so she could nibble on my ear. "As long as you remember who is first.”

I was breathing hard. Panic, fear, excitement, and joy were mixing with pleasure. “Wha-?” I had so many questions and yet I couldn’t get the words to leave my lips. I felt another shiver of pleasure roll down my spine.

“Aren’t we.” I braced as she nipped my ear, then moved her lips down the side of my neck. "Supposed to be on watch?” I couldn’t believe I was about to stop her. I grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. "Look, I want this. By the Gods, I want this. But we’re supposed to be on watch right now. How would you feel if…” I almost said Edward and realized he was nowhere close to being allowed on watch. "Justia and Aelin were supposed to be on watch and you woke up early to find them doing this?” I shook my head. "Justia will kill me if she catches us doing this on watch again. But trust me, once we rescue Rix and get out of here I will find a way to get some alone time with you.” I looked into her red eyes. "I really like you a lot and it sounds like you like me a bunch too. So let’s focus on the problem at hand and then take some time later to have fun.” I nodded over her shoulder. "When we don’t have to worry about a monster.” I swallowed. "Or Justia. Interrupting us.”

She stared at me for a little bit, then kissed me quickly. "You pass.” She took my arm and brought it around her, so that I was holding her as she backed against me.

“I…” My mind was muddled. "I what?”

“You passed." She looked up. "Justia and I were curious if you were just a horndog since you’ve tried to screw every woman you’ve been alone with when given the chance.” She pulled my arms tighter around her. "I was seeing if you were really just a horny dickhead." She smiled. "and you passed.”

“Wait…” I was trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. "Justia knew about this?”

Ether nodded.

“Just how far were you going to go?”

She brought my hands up so that they cupped her chest. My heart sped up as she rubbed my hands against her. I became acutely aware how turned on I had gotten and just how much she was pressing up against my lower half.

“As far as you were going to take it.” She purred. “And I look forward to seeing how far that is once we get out.”

I found myself hating the responsible speech I had just given.

“You are a tease.” I squeezed her.

She kissed me. "A tease offers something and takes it away when you try to take it.” I saw a hunger in her eyes that dared me. "I haven’t moved.”

My chest tightened. I could take her right now and she wouldn’t resist. I had a feeling there was a part of her that was hoping I would. I had the same part inside me that was wanting something else about this exercise to distract me from the bad thoughts that I had been cramming down inside my head.

I closed my eyes as I struggled with myself. "You have no idea how hard it is not to do this.”

“I can tell exactly how hard it is." She giggled as she pushed her butt against me.

I closed my eyes as I fought the temptation. After almost a minute of enduring, I was able to feel more in control of my body. "Let’s just stay like this while we wait for the next monster to spawn.”

She relaxed a little and sank into me. The sexual tension was replaced by a feeling of comfort. "I like that plan.”

We stood like that for a few more minutes. I felt her tense just a little, then she looked up at me.

“Really? Aelin and Justia?”

I groaned. I wasn’t going to have to worry about the second years killing us at the end of the week, Justia was going to kill me herself.