Chương 76: Chapter 30: Unusual Sleeping Arrangements

Wynnie's extra weight made her warm and comfortable. In so many ways, she was the perfect snuggling partner. But it wasn't just that she was all soft curves—she had a protective energy, too. Stern, but understanding, like how she always imagined teachers were. Shivai snuggled in closer, feeling the squishy midsection of the elf. That squishy midsection was the only thing separating her from the stupid, judgmental, always-in-her-business dragonkin on the other side.

If the constable really wanted to help, she'd take watch outside the inn, rather than taking up precious real estate in her bed. Just what was Lady Talia playing at, anyway? Did she intend to drive a wedge into the budding throuple? She was clearly jealous. Shivai didn't need a succubus's intuition to figure that much out. Watching the way the dragonkin trained Drew, to the way she stopped in for a drink almost every evening, to the girlish way she always tucked her hair behind her ear when she talked to him.

Trying to show off her fancy sparkle cheeks. Oh, gods, and the swimming! What was with that!? But how ironic would it be if Shivai squeezed her eyes shut, trying to make it darker. Or sleepier. Anything to shut out the rest of the world, quiet her brain, and finally fall asleep. Wynnie's soft snores—if you could even call them snores—would normally calm her heart like hearing the gentle purr of a content cat. Yet instead, all she could focus on was the soft, steady breathing from the other side of the bed.

There, Lady Talia was dimpling her mattress on her bed where Wynnie usually slept. Her perfect, sweat-free body was probably sloughing off microscopic scales. Trying to mark her territory. Overhead, the rune glowed a pulsing, dim blue. Glacial air cascaded down on her from above. Wynnie's warmth shielded her from some of it, but that was only her right side. Her left was slightly exposed. Shivai turned, tugging the covers a little to keep them from falling off her shoulder.

"Thief." Shivai froze. Who said that? For nearly half a minute, she didn't dare move. Her breath caught in her chest, unwilling to resume until the danger passed or outed itself. Or perhaps she was just being silly. It was late, she was sleepy, and it certainly wouldn't be her first auditory hallucination while at the edge of consciousness. And if the voices in her head wanted to call her a thief? Well, it stung, since she'd been on the straight and narrow since starting this job. She was a good girl.

Wynnie and Drew had even told her so. When no more words came, she finally let out her breath. Once more, she adjusted her position, tugging the covers another inch over her shoulder.

"Stop stealing the covers, you cover thief!" That hissing voice! It wasn't an auditory hallucination at all! Though truly, she wished it had been. The reality was so much worse.

"The sheets are all bunched up on your side! I'm getting cold," Shivai whispered her reply.

"Then ask. Don't just take. Nobody likes a thief," Lady Talia whispered back.

"I didn't think I had to ask for my fair share!" Shivai complained.

"And besides, I thought you were asleep, so you wouldn't even notice. Or mind."

"That's the problem with criminals. You all think that just because something appears available, that you can have it. You never think about what other people want. It's all me, me, me. So selfish. So unfeeling." Shivai's cheeks burned with shame, but her heart burned with fiery anger. Lady Talia had no idea what she was talking about. Nobody who knew anything about succubi would ever accuse them of being unfeeling. Stolen novel; please report.

It was all she could do not to spit out the first, meanest, most hot-headed reply she could think of. She could just imagine her forked tongue spitting venom—her canine fangs biting out something cruel. But… what would that even be? As much as she wanted a fight, they were both playing to their strengths. Shivai was in close to the situation. That's where she was the most dangerous. She could use it to her advantage, finding Lady Talia's weaknesses and sticking in the verbal knife.

All it would take would be a few choice words about how she hadn't just been accepted by some regular townsfolk, but that she'd slept in their bed. With them. The jealousy would destroy the dragonkin. Yet Lady Talia was also in her element. She was approaching the standoff at a distance, and she had a lifetime of practice keeping people at arm's length. Maybe she felt something now, but it wouldn't be hard for her to close her heart off again and treat them all with her usual cold indifference.

Would Shivai really feel safer with one of the derpy deputies patrolling around the inn? No. And did she want to live in a town where the constable ruled with an iron fist and had it out for her constantly? Also no. And would it be so bad if Lady Talia spent more time with Drew and Wynnie? Even if she—ugh—wanted to take him swimming again? Or show him how to swing around those bigger, longer blades that he still hadn't quite mastered? Or stick around after closing to push in chairs and say a quiet goodnight?

Shivai let out a long, tired sigh. None of those things sounded so bad on their own. And despite their checkered past, they'd never truly come to blows before. If anything, Lady Talia had been… Lenient. Maybe even understanding at times. She'd given Shivai chances that other city lawpersons never had.

"I don't just think about myself, you know," Shivai said, her voice measured and as calm as she could make it. Her insides were an inferno of roiling emotions.

"It's just really cold on this side of the bed. And I'm over here without enough blankets, while the two of you are totally covered up and fine."

"So then just ask!" Lady Talia said. Shivai's jaw clenched until her teeth hurt. The stubborn dragonkin always insisted on doing things a certain way. Her way. The "right" way. She was so focused on justice that she never thought about equity. But, fine. If it would end this stupid, pointless, argument.

"Can you give me some more covers?"

"Yes." Shivai felt the tension in the blankets release. She tugged, and immediately, inches of free, warm fabric finally covered all of Shivai's exposed skin.

"Was that so hard? To share?" Silence. It stretched on a few beats too long. Then, mercifully, "No." Lady Talia's whisper came meek. Almost chastised.

"Sorry."

"Sorry for what?" This time, Lady Talia let out a sigh.

"Sorry for giving you a hard time instead of just giving you the covers. I might've read the situation wrong. You deserve comfort, you know. I've always believed that. Just… as long as it doesn't come at someone else's expense."

"Thanks, I think."

"I'll try to do better, Shivai. And, just so you know, um. It felt good. Uh. To share." Another beat. What was Lady Talia even trying to say? When the dragonkin didn't continue, Shivai prompted her.

"Huh?"

"I mean I'd be happy to share. Covers. Or whatever. In the future. With you. Ugh!" The constable's faltering speech and frustrated cry revealed a woman far outside of her comfort zone.

"It's just… dragonkin culture is… my parents raised me to…" Despite herself, Shivai didn't want Lady Talia to spiral. And it wasn't just because the dragonkin was there to protect them against pirates. The poor woman was heading toward some kind of personal crisis fueled by a no-doubt rigid past. If anyone could understand that, it was Shivai.

"I get it," Shivai said.

"We're good." She could practically feel Lady Talia's muscles unclench through the mattress.

"Then… you understand?"

"I do. We'll have to get better at communicating, but yes, I think we can share." Honestly, Shivai wasn't entirely sure what they were talking about anymore. All she wanted were some damn covers to keep her warm. The dim rune above her was turning the bedroom downright wintry. Yet she knew that wasn't everything. Lady Talia's truncated stammering told her as much. As she lay on her side, she fluffed the pillow under her head until it supported her. One horn dug in. It was annoying, but she was used to it.

She stretched out her legs, feeling the tension in them, then relaxing it away. Then, she did the same with her tail, letting it rest delicately against Wynnie's thick thighs. Her relationship with the elf was growing stronger, and she liked to feel connected. The skin-on-skin reminder soothed her racing heart, letting calm settle in after the uncomfortable and somewhat weird conversation with the dragonkin.

"Did you two figure it out, then?" Ice ran through Shivai's veins. Was Wynnie awake the whole time!?

"Y–yes, Wynnie," Shivai stuttered. Why did the sweet elf make her so nervous!?

"Right, Lady Talia?"

"Right. Sorry to wake you."

"It's okay." Wynnie's hand gently felt for Shivai's shoulder, and she rested it there—a long-distance spoon.

"I just want to make sure you're both on the same page about things. I'm hoping we'll all be able to share this bed together. Without issues." Oh, hells. Just how many nights were they going to be on pirate watch, anyway?