”You jest,” she answered, a slight flush to her pale skin, a shy smile on her lips. Her expression changed quickly to one of confusion though, lost to him as he settled behind her. Every muscle tensed as he felt the small of her body press against him. Any sharp retort was snatched from his tongue. The scent of her, all pine and ice and winter’s cold kiss, fogged his mind. He tried to focus on his directions, on the beast beneath him who would surely feel the shift of his emotion, but his gaze wandered. Her thick silver hair was pulled up in that familiar messy knot she wore, revealing one high cheekbone and a curious indigo eye peering back at him from beneath a loose weft of hair. He followed the curve of her lean neck to the dip of her shoulder, a sudden longing to press his lips against the smooth skin. ”Fuck,” was all he could think. He had to focus. Taking her hands in his he tried once more to focus on teaching her the basics, feeling Shadow shift beneath them, picking up on his master’s tense emotion.

Her body shuddered against him as he wrapped his arms around her, and that odd warm ember that had settled in his chest earlier bloomed suddenly into an inferno. Fire burned through his veins in a primal need to pull her against him, to feel that same tremble as she lay beneath him, to touch and taste and devour until she came apart. Until she could barely gasp his name. Fuck, he had to think of anything else but this closeness, or she was going to feel very soon the evidence of her effect on him. When had that started, he wondered. She had always been beautiful, strikingly so. He was a man of course, even coming to her door half dying that first night he’d met her she’d looked like a divine force. Unsure if she was a savior or a haunting angel of death, come to beckon him to peace. He supposed he would have welcomed either.

”Like this?” He let her question pull some of his focus back on where his hands laid against the top of hers, watching as she leaned the rein lightly into the horse’s neck, feeling the shift of her legs to urge him on. The horse moved to her whim, walking briskly through the forest. ”No jest, you are a natural, Ekosha. Just like that.” His normally gruff voice felt thick on his tongue. He had to find a distraction, anything to pull his mind from the image of her long limbs wrapped around his waist, urging him for more.

He forced his gaze forward, away from the path it had been wandering down her slender neck, the exposed skin of her shoulder. Taking a steadying breath, he watched the forest through Shadow’s dark ears. It was some distance back to the busy city of Lavalles still, he was not sure how to keep his mind from the woman in front of him that long. ”How long will it take to get to where we’re going to?” Her voice echoed his thoughts, clearing her throat. For a moment he wondered if he was having some effect on her as well. That was probably more of his ego talking then anything though he mused. How long had he known the doc now, and she’d never been anything but kind and professional.

He glanced down at his hands covering hers, to the dark band around his right ring finger. ”It’s still a ways away, but I have a shortcut if you can keep a secret,” he smiled, releasing her hands. Slipping the ring from his finger, he threw it out over Shadow’s head. As soon as it struck the ground it seemed to snap open in an instant into a void of seemingly nothing. ”Hold on,” was all the warning he had time to give before Shadow made his way through. The cold caress of the magic against his skin was familiar and eerie. It had made him a bit nauseous the first few times he’d discovered the ring's ability.

One moment they were in the bright sunlit forest, and the next they were standing in Shadow’s stall, behind the tavern, hidden in the dark alcove. The portal snapped shut behind them, closing back into the familiar dark ring that appeared once more on his ring finger. He slid down from the horse's back, desperately needing to put space between him and the warmth of her. Matthias turned to face her with an apologetic smile. ”It can be quite disorienting, and make you a bit queasy at first, I apologize.” He stretched a hand out to her, offering to help her down if she wished.

”O-of course I can!” She replied quickly, the warmth of her pressing back into him. He could feel the tension ease as she grew more comfortable. “I-I mean, yeah sure humor me.” He almost laughed as she righted herself. Humored she was. He waited for the yelp or scream of surprise, but of course she had none of that to offer. Even without seeing her expression he could feel her curiosity already trying to study and absorb every moment, another puzzle to figure out. She was so smart, so clever. Why did he feel such a sense of pride at her reaction? Her fingers met his in the dark, lacing between them as a source of comfort. He did smile then, squeezing gently in response, a few sweeps of his thumb against the palm of her hand.

”All good. Gotta show me how you do that some time – or at least let me study that artifact you got there.” He watched her settle herself, her gaze darting around the dark stall. ”You are welcome to anytime.” What was he saying? Would she want to if she knew the depths he’d gone through to find it, the things he’d done, the people killed. For that matter, why did he feel like handing it over to her now? ”that was brilliant, if I say so myself.” He smiled, reaching to take her hands. ”I’m always happy to impress,” he laughed then as he eased her from the horse's back. Though her feet were on the ground, he hesitated to let go, telling himself it was only to make sure she wasn’t going to lose her balance. ”Feel okay standing?” Slowly he eased his hands from her, taking a step back to peer out into dimly lit stable.

”Ed! Can you wipe Shadow down for me, lad?” Footsteps hurried along with the bouncing glow of lantern light. ”’Course, sir!” the young boy bounced into the stall, bowing his head respectfully to the doctor, ”Evening, miss!” and then he set to his work, all business. Matthias smiled, watching him set to work. He turned to the doctor, ”Ready for that drink?”