Cyrus glanced up at her. "Then should I massage your back after this too?"
The way he asked it, so soft and so willing, made her heart stumble in the most embarrassing way.
She coughed and looked away. "That depends on your performance."
He lowered his eyes again, hiding the smile that was beginning to show.
For a few warm, quiet moments, the room was filled with nothing but the crackle of fire, the soft movement of his hands, and Isabella's occasional tiny huffs whenever he found the exact right place to press.
Outside, winter still held the village tightly.
Inside, however, there was warmth, soft light, and a very obedient red snake finally doing the correct kind of training.
That night, the sky did something strange.
At first, the villagers thought they were seeing falling stars.
Thin streaks of light crossed the dark above the snow, fast and sharp, burning pale white with a faint red line at the center.
