Free Curse Of The Dark Wind (Book 6) by Charles E. Yallowitz Page A

the debate civil, but I’ve already heard a few spells go off. I can wait outside while you get dressed and retain your shame.”
    “Does it look like I have anything to be ashamed of?” Sari asks, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. “Honestly, look at me. My body is gorgeous and I’ve no problem wearing clothes that show it off. You city folk need to loosen up when it comes to this kind of thing. I should walk around in my underwear to teach everyone a lesson.”
    “There’s a winter breeze in here and you’re shivering. I thought naiads were able to withstand the cold.”
    The gypsy rubs her arms and breathes on her hands to make them warm. “Apparently, I can only hold out for so long. Guess I need the cold weather dress. Nyx said she made one for each season and bought a few normal ones. I was really looking forward to wearing the blue dress that showed off my belly and enhanced my bust.”
    “I don’t think you really need that,” the warrior interjects. He blushes when she smirks and leans closer to him, his eyes quickly paying more attention to the ceiling. “You said you were proud of your body, so why enhance it? I shouldn’t be getting so worked up here. It isn’t like I haven’t seen a scantily clad woman before. Seen a lot more than that.”
    Sari reaches out to pat Delvin on the cheek before spinning on her toes and returning to the bed. She digs through the pile of clothes, stuffing the warm weather outfits into her belt pouch with very little tenderness. Frowning, the gypsy holds up a dark green dress with white trimming and a simple, one-layer skirt. The garment is heavy enough to keep her warm, but it is not very flashy like the colorful clothes she prefers.
    “You know why you’re flustered, right?” Sari asks as she pulls the dress over her head and looks at herself in a full-length mirror. With a groan, she takes the outfit off and tosses it into a nearby wardrobe. “I’m a close friend of the woman you love, so you see me as off-limits. If you had no interest in Nyx, you’d be admiring my beauty without fear. Should I assume your visit is about her?”
    “I only wanted to know if she’s talked to you about me.”
    “Not much, but only because I haven’t been around lately,” the gypsy replies. She puts on a dark red dress, smiling at how it looks with her blue hair. “She mentions you as another champion and how you saved her from Stephen. Nothing that would lead me to believe she’s interested in you, but we haven’t had many personal conversations lately. Once we’re on the road and sharing a tent, Nyx and I will have some girl talk. Though if Luke asks what we do, tell him I let it slip that we give each other massages. He’s so adorably gullible.”
    The warrior takes a seat in the corner and fidgets with the tassel of a nearby curtain. “Is that why he has a fiancée and a girlfriend? Sorry, that’s the best way for me to explain it. There’s some child-like appeal to him that draws people in. Maybe I should loosen up and go with the flow like he does.”
    “Don’t let Luke fool you, Delvin. He’s nervous about the day he has to choose either me or Kira. For now, he’s putting on a brave face,” Sari explains, shoving the rest of her clothes into her magic pouch. She goes to a long dresser that is covered in daggers of various sizes, which she casually checks and slips into the hidden pockets of her skirt. “I couldn’t tell you what attracts Kira to him, but I like how he’s fun and honest. You get what you see with Luke, which is sweet and rare. Even though he’s striving to be a great hero, he’s retained this country boy mentality. I think. Luke is simply Luke and you shouldn’t try to be him. Besides, if what he had was appealing to all women then Nyx would be in the running for his heart too.”
    “You don’t think they ever considered a romance?”
    The tower shakes as a spell goes off outside, causing Delvin to rush to the window and prepare