Recent content by Zaire

And so Zaire opened his mouth and did as Thraah suggested: he just talked. He would speak of many things, anything that popped into his mind in that moment and even things that had been there for a long time. When Thraah was ready to talk, he’d take his turn to listen, all the while thinking...

It took him too long to notice that she was hurt. He hadn’t realized it until she even had the makeshift sling already over her shoulder. Still, she moved forward, unable to be deterred from her wounds. Houri was on the right path to being a true dreadlord while Zaire was still so far behind—...

He followed her gaze. Another long pause of silence, which he suspected Thraah wouldn’t realize if she was as baked as she claimed. He didn’t even complain about her getting her hands all over his pillow. “Can I talk about something else?” Zaire asked, hesitant and hopeful at the prospect that...

“You think I could buy a growth potion? Maybe one from Elbion?” He sat straight up, suddenly eager before remembering one of the first rules of magic: it wouldn’t last, there would be an end. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the cost of a potion that lasted for years, much less one that would...

A hand was scratching at the back of his neck as Zaire brought his gaze elsewhere. It was rather embarrassing being complimented like this, even more embarrassing that it came from Thraah after they had both admitted to liking two people who, at least in Zaire’s opinion, they shouldn’t like...

The scary part was, with Zaire’s commitment to this path, that it was entirely possible it would all be for nothing. In Zaire’s mind, everyone liked Houri— or at least they should like her. She was beautiful, competent, honest, strong, a good cook, and perhaps best of all, generous. He liked the...

It took Zaire a moment too long to realize that it was hitting Thraah. He got off the bed, collecting a waterskin and an apple he had snuck from the dining hall. He gave both to Thraah as she spoke about Maseno’s handsome brain. His lips had quirked up into a smile at her gushing but went back...

He didn’t let go of her hand, not because of his hopeless romantic heart but because of the fear coursing through him. If anything, he squeezed Houri’s hand tighter than he had before and closed his eyes. He hoped a fall from this height actually killed him instead of just paralyzing him from...

Was his room always this hot? He only ever felt this hot when he was around Houri, and even then it wasn’t that he felt hot but instead clammy and sweaty. Sometimes a little sick in the gut but he wasn’t going to admit that to anyone. “You like… like-like Maz?” Zaire asked, brows raising up...

Everything was happening too quick for Zaire to process anything other than reacting. He felt like he was standing still, everything around him happening so fast because one moment he was on his feet, the next on his back, and then once again on his feet and being shoved to the door. He looked...

Zaire looked at Thraah, oblivious over how she couldn’t decide whether Maz was cool or hot or both. Zaire thought he had to be both, but if he said that to Thraah would she take it the wrong way? Zaire didn’t want to be known for having a crush on Houri and Maz. Just Houri. “Say anything like...

Zaire grimaced at her impression of Leander, not because it was bad but because he really didn’t like the image of Houri and Leander doing it. It also brought forth another insecurity he had. He had seen Leander naked too many times, and when he had been younger, it hadn’t bothered him. Some...

Zaire wasn’t going to correct Thraah and tell her that he liked Houri when she was scary. He hadn’t heard the rumor of her turning a castle into a boiling inferno— surely there were other initiates who could boil and turn things into an inferno— but he wasn’t about to make any corrections when...

The monstrosity began to lift itself out of the hole, fists the size of small tool sheds and each gangly finger easily the length of Zaire. He was silent as he stared at the size of the monster. How could the elves not know that this thing was underneath their home? The giant goblin blinked...

He tried too hard? Zaire had felt that at the dance, Zinnia had told him he hadn’t tried enough— that he hadn’t been trying at all. But that was the issue, listening to everyone else, listening to his negative inner thoughts. That was the issue because it was how he got to where he was now...