"Go!" Eira called out through her plush mask that warded off the cold. She looked more like a marshmallow bundled up the way she was. She was on duty with Cassian as Ana and Azriel were taking a day for themselves.
When Eira declared they could begin, everyone who wanted to participate in the challenge pulled themselves up. Klaus kept an eye on their form, ensuring anyone whose chin didn't go above the bar was eliminated.
"Keep your ankles crossed," he reminded, watching their legs, "I'll start eliminating for flimsy legs if I see it again.'
"No legs!" Eira repeated, earning a laugh from the participants.
Nova and Hollis, along with their group and a few Winter Court warriors, competed in who could do the most pull-ups—those who didn't join kept track of a specific person and how many they had at the end.
Hollis dropped into the ice water at eleven. He broke the surface with a shudder, slicking his hair back as he climbed out. It was seven more than he'd done last time. He'd take it.
In her clunky snow boots, Eira took a towel as he walked toward them. He smiled as he took it, "Thank you."
Giggling, she skedaddled away to stand next to Cassian's trunk of a leg.
Nieve fell next at fifteen, followed by a Winter Court soldier at twenty-three. Eira was prompt with every towel she handed out, careful not to go past the line Cassian had drawn to keep her away from the water.
Soon, four remained. Finch, Kole, Bran, and Nova. Though Hollis had a feeling Kole and Finch were only competing against each other. Finch lost his grip at sixty-two, and Kole dropped in a moment after to grin and say, "Ha! Sixty-three!"
A soldier pointed at Kole, "Sixty-two."
The way Kole's face fell to brutal disbelief was laughable as Finch threw his head back and cackled. As they too joined the others, shivering with cold, they watched Nova and Bran continue past the hundred mark.
Crossing his arms, Cassian watched as Klaus stood next to him. "What do you think?"
"They're both disciplined. I don't think I could say."
Steady with her pace, Nova focused on her tree on her Island. Imagining fragrant flowers and the soft hum of bees surrounded her. The cold seeped through her imagination, and she gritted her teeth, willing herself to push through when she heard a splash. Opening her eyes, she looked down at Bran, who had fallen into the ink pool below.
Claps sounded behind her, but she didn't stop. Keep going. Don't let the cold win. That was, until it was no longer just cold, but a stinging pain. Her palms burned as though she'd touched a hot skillet. Gasping, she released her grip, and a searing pain erupted over her hands as she went below the surface.
Coming back up, she swam to the edge, where Bran and Hollis were already helping her up. On her feet, she looked down at the ice where droplets of red tinged the surface. Opening her hands, she stared at them and realized she'd ripped the skin of her palms off.
"Oh…uhm…" Hollis's eyes widened.
Klaus nodded, "I'll retrieve Wolfe."
A tiny scream erupted from Eira as she placed her hands over her pink cheeks. "Your hands fell off!"
"No," Finch corrected, "Her skin ripped off."
Eira screamed again just before Cassian scooped her up in his arms, "That's enough training for you today." He pointed at Nova and said, "Good job, now take a break." He said, walking out with her, holding her, so he took the brunt of the wind.
As they entered the palace, Cassian helped her take off her snowsuit and fix a mug of hot chocolate before heading to the parlor, where Ana and Azriel waited. Ana looked much better today after having taken some tonic. The pink in her cheeks had returned, but her body was still tired.
Kallias and Viviane sat at a table, playing chess, while Rhys and Feyre read by the fireplace.
Glancing up, Rhys smiled, "How did it go?"
"NOVA'S HANDS RIPPED OFF!" Shouted Eira.
Ana placed a hand over her heart as she and Feyre responded with panic, "What?!"
"No, no….no." Cassian put his hands up, staring at everyone's wide eyes. "Her hands were dry, the bar was cold. It took some skin off when she dropped. Her hands are intact."
Breathing with relief, Rhys shook his head, shoulders shaking with laughter as Ana sighed. "Eira, would you like to color?"
"Yes, please." She waddled to her, put her mug on the table, and then pulled herself up between her and Azriel.
"And, yes," Cassian said, "she was the last to fall."
Rhys grinned.
In the cabin, Nova and Hollis entered shivering. Despite their heavy coats, they were still damp from the plunge they'd taken, and the wind was unforgiving. They stripped down to their underwear, and Nova nodded toward the bathroom. "Go take a shower, and I'll get a fire going."
"Are you sure?" Hollis asked through chattering teeth if he was cold; he knew she had to be freezing.
"Yes, I don't want to take one."
Finally, he conceded and retreated to the bathroom, where he turned on the water and waited for it to warm. While he did that, Nova slipped on a fresh pair of dry clothes: a white t-shirt and a pair of black leggings, along with gray wool socks. She shuddered with glee, quickly poked a fire to life in the hearth, and looked around as a thought occurred to her.
"Do you need a towel?" She called to Hollis down the hall.
"Oh, yes, I forgot one…"
Nova withdrew one of the plush white towels from the cabinet and hung it across the gate that contained the fire. She was careful not to let the fabric get too close to the flames. Sitting back in the rocking chair, Nova looked down at her hands. They'd been scrubbed with an antiseptic and intricately woven in a wrap. For now, she had limited use of her hands, but it could have been worse.
Rocking back and forth, Nova waited patiently, and when the shower water turned off, she stood to her feet and took the towel off the rack. Proceeding down the hall, she walked into the bathroom through the already open door just as Hollis was about to step out. She smiled and offered him the towel.
"Thanks," he smiled sheepishly as he took it. His brows raised as he wrapped himself in it, hunching his neck down into the heat. "It's warm…" He said with surprise.
Nova nodded, "I put it in front of the fire first, is that alright?" It was something that she and Adira had done for each other often. Especially if it was the middle of the day during a cold rain, they hadn't wanted to shower only to go back out and get messy, so during their break, they'd return to their cabin and heat their towels by the fire. If one were out and the other wasn't, they'd offer the same favor.
Blinking, Hollis nodded, "Thank you…" He'd never experienced a gesture like that, not from a partner. He held the towel around himself as they returned to the fire, where he picked out a few pieces of clothing. A black button-down and jeans, keeping his feet bare as he hugged the last bit of warmth from the towel and dressed.
Nova ran her fingernails through her hair, trying to itch away the sweat from working out and the drying saltwater from when she'd finally given in.
"Finch mentioned going to the pub in the village. What do you think about that?" Nova asked, recalling the conversation as Wolfe had wrapped her hands.
Nodding as he turned, still buttoning his shirt to the top, he smiled. "That sounds fun. It's been a while since I've been there." He used to go with Nieve and Kole all the time, but with everything that happened, he experienced a massive drop in business. Now, though, with the latest meeting and things seeming to turn around for the better, the village has been more active. It's been cold, but not as cold as other days. It was like everyone could see hope on the horizon, and they were latching onto it as quickly as they could.
She smiled, "He said to meet them there at six." Glancing at the clock, they had plenty of time to themselves first…perhaps they shouldn't have dressed so quickly, Nova thought as she glanced at him and watched him hide the last bit of his chest.
"Oh," Hollis said as he approached her while she rocked in the rocking chair, "you did amazing today." He pressed a tender kiss against her lips.
"Hm, so did you."
Shaking his head, he grinned, "You are a liar."
Nova laughed, "Did you do more than last time?"
"Yes."
"Then you did amazing." She pecked his lips and rubbed the back of her head against the head of the rocking chair.
Sitting on his heels, Hollis smiled, and it slowly dropped with concern. "Are you alright?" Had she hit her head or scraped it on ice while going under?
Nova nodded, "I'm alright. I usually wash my hair after training." She said and held her bandaged hands up for him to see. "Can't really do that right now."
It wasn't lost on him why she'd be uncomfortable. He'd felt that same uncomfortable itch any time he wore a helmet while training with the horses. It had always been a relief to watch the sweat from his hair.
"Come on," he said, and patted her thigh, "I can help with that."
Nova raised a brow and smiled, "Oh?" She asked, watching him stand, so she stood, too. Following him to the bathroom, she watched as he retrieved a cup and a towel. He laid the towel over the edge of the tub to cushion the surface.
"Lie back, I'll wash your hair."
Smiling, relief filled her at the prospect of getting rid of the itch. Moving to her knees, she bit her lip, staring at the tub. The last time she'd been bent over a tub hadn't been a good time. But this was not that…and every chance she could get to replace a bad memory with a good one, she was going to take it.
She looked down at her shirt and then glanced at Hollis with playful eyes. "I don't want to have to get a new shirt." She said, before peeling it off and setting it aside, before undoing her braids. She relished in the way his eyes drifted down, lingering on her breasts. To be looked at with want by him was to touch the sun. She never knew how much it would mean to her until she had it. Now, instead of shying away with worry about what he thought of her body, she displayed it for him openly.
Keeping his hands to his sides, Hollis wanted nothing more than to hold her in his hands and taste her with his tongue. But that wasn't the purpose of this; he was to help her feel better by washing her hair. Still, as she lay back, he swallowed dryly. It was like she'd arched her chest for him. Glancing up at her eyes, goosebumps erupted over his skin as he saw the glint of mischief in her eyes.
Oh, she knew exactly what she was doing.
To distract himself from his growing erection, he turned on the water and slipped his fingers under her neck to pull away any hair that hid beneath. Filling his cup with warm water, he poured it carefully over her hair, starting at her hairline. He continued pouring cup after warm cup until her hair was fully saturated.
Nova's eyes fluttered closed as Hollis poured shampoo into his palms and began working it through her hair. He was meticulous as his fingers massaged the soap against her scalp. Her moan was involuntary, and Hollis couldn't help but grin, but raised his brows as she arched her chest further and pressed herself against his arm.
Swallowing, he gazed down at her before letting his hands venture. He kneaded the back of her neck, down to her shoulders. Sweeping the shampoo suds down further, he massaged her breasts and watched as her mouth fell into a soft moan. Hollis settled himself over her, his hips straddling hers as he focused his hands' attention on her chest. He pinched her nipples between his thumbs and index finger, letting the slip of the soap slowly pull from his grip.
Nova gasped and instinctively lifted her arms, curving her back to fit the tub's shape so he could play with her at a new angle. And he did. Hollis tweaked the hard peaks of her nipples, over and over twisting until Nova lifted her hips against his with the sudden desperate need for friction between her legs.
Without hesitation, Hollis rinsed one hand clean and promptly slipped it beneath her leggings. His middle finger swept across her bulging clit that begged for attention while his other hand continued tweaking and twisting her nipple. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss against her throat as he worked three fingers against her with slow but deep pressure.
Nova gasped as she leaned up and caught his mouth, sucking his lower lip into her mouth and sucked, earning a soft moan from him and quickening the pace of his fingers. She could feel it already, that tightening of her core, threatening to explode at any moment. Pulling her lips from his, she trailed down his jaw, moaning against his neck as she picked a sensitive spot to continue sucking.
With a soft, sensual moan, a wave of arousal rushed out of her as she came on his hand. She whimpered with each pulse as he continued swirling his fingers through her release. When he didn't stop, she squirmed her hips and sucked the spot on his neck harder, clamping her teeth on his skin. Fireworks erupted in Hollis's brain as he groaned from the pinch of pain, suddenly moving his hand in a fast back-and-forth direction, forcing another orgasm from deep within her.
This time, Nova couldn't keep her body still, and cried out as another orgasm rocked her, and the sound in the cabin turned off. It slowly returned as she came back down, gasping for breath as Hollis shuddered against her chest and his cum seeped down his pant leg in a sticky mess.
He was going to need another shower.
The pub wasn't chaotically busy, but there were enough patrons to fill most of the tables. Their friends were already waiting for them at a large circular table in the corner to the front left of the room. It was clean, Nova noted, as they shed their coats walking toward them. Their feet didn't stick to the floor from spilled beer, and the air didn't have the taste of stale piss. She wouldn't mind making this a regular spot.
Finch smirked as they took a seat at the two seats left, "Nice hickey…" He nodded at Hollis, who quickly reached up to his neck and turned a playful glare on Nova, who grinned proudly.
Honestly, he didn't mind. He quite liked being marked by her, but he wasn't so sure he wanted her parents or his to see. He pulled the collar of his shirt up to hide more of his neck as a collection of empty tankards was set out in a tray along with three massive pitchers of ale.
Passing the vessels out, they took turns pouring out their drinks as Bran asked, "How do your hands feel?"
Nova nodded, sniffing the amber liquid and took a small sip, only to scrunch her nose at the taste. "Sore, but it's not terrible."
"You don't have to drink that, you know," Kole chuckled as another pitcher of water was set down.
Smiling, she handed her ale to him before pouring herself some water. Hollis sipped his, having already set a limit on himself. He was allowed one and no more than that.
As natural conversation ensued, mainly about the Summer Court visit. They wondered what Court they might be able to visit next, even if they wouldn't be able to for some time while the lands repaired themselves.
"I like her," Kyra shrugged as the topic of Adira was brought up. "I know it probably didn't seem like that in the moment, but I think we were all just a bit shocked."
Shocked was an understatement, Nova thought as she gulped her water. They'd said a rather stiff goodbye that morning and hadn't spoken since. She wasn't entirely sure what to say or how to reintroduce her back into her life.
Nieve parted her lips to respond when her eyes widened while staring at the door. Hollis hadn't noticed as he swallowed another mouthful, but Nova glanced over her shoulder. A woman had entered. She looked much like any other Winter Court resident, but it seemed she wasn't a patron as she entered with an apron tied around her waist.
The stranger turned her head, and her harsh, blue gaze settled on their table. Nova arched a brow as she realized she was staring at one member in particular. Glancing at Hollis, then back to the woman at the door, Nova narrowed her eyes.
"Maybe we should go…" Kole murmured, exchanging a look with Nieve. He knew she'd been given the task of cleaning business floors and toilets outside of her prison sentence, but he hadn't anticipated she'd show up before closing.
Hollis looked up from his drink and frowned, "Go? We just got here." Frowning, he looked over his shoulder, and his heart stopped. Ice coated his veins as he stared at Reign, and she stared back. Turning back, he caught the expressions on Bran's face, but it was Kyra who scowled at her.
"What's the matter, Hollis?" Reign's silky purr drifted across the pub as she walked toward their table. "Still can't look me in the eyes?"
Nova slowly turned her head in her direction, and her hand stilled on her tankard. A slow curl of smoking rage began to unfurl in her gut, expanding inside of her as she settled a stare on Reign.
Reign, who now turned to Nova and smirked. "You're with her?" She asked as she looked her up and down. Snorting, she said, "I can't say I'm surprised."
Quipping his head around, Hollis turned to face her, as Finch started to stand. But Nova, with a neutral tone, said, "No," and slowly they lowered themselves back into their seats, keeping their fierce gaze on her.
Putting a hand to her mouth, Reign let out a laugh, and Hollis cringed. "Wow," she said, "Are you a dog? She trained you well."
"That's enough," Hollis said as he stood to his feet and turned to Reign.
Reign grinned at him, "Hm… Look who grew a pair," and as Hollis parted his lips to retort something, Reign put her attention on Nova again. "What? Just going to sit there? With muscles like those, I'd have thought your cock would be bigger than that."
A slow, feline-like, predatory smile graced Nova's lips as a glint of something wicked lit her eyes.
In a subdued voice, she said, "Confidence is quiet. You are neither."
Reign bristled but covered it quickly with a scoff. "Let me guess. You think you're more intimidating than you are, but the truth is, you are nothing more than an ignorant brute."
A suffocating silence settled over them as Nova watched sweat bead Regin's forehead and listened to the erratic thrum of her heart.
"I can smell your fear, Reign," Nova murmured, and Reign's smirk faded as Nova slowly rose to her feet. "Do not mistake my restraint for ignorance. Don't talk shit if you won't act on it, because I will happily make an example of you."
Reign swallowed, crossing her arms defensively over her chest, as heat flushed her cheeks. With anger and embarrassment, she jumped at the sound of a clanging pot behind the counter and, without another word, retreated.
Glancing at Hollis, Nova couldn't help but wonder if she'd gone too far. Was it wrong for her to act as she did, especially with an audience? Still, the sheer rage she felt from the words she'd said to him, to her mate, was enough for her to toss out any and all societal rules.
But Hollis, hands on his hips, puffed out a sigh as he said, "Damn, that was hot," which was followed by a chorus of snorting laughter.