The three went down for dinner at that cozy inn.
As they approached the dining room, the tempting aroma of grilled fish and fresh seasonings enveloped them, further increasing their appetite.
The table was laden with platters of grilled fish, sautéed vegetables, and a variety of side dishes.
The inn lady greeted them with a warm smile, indicating their seats.
The travelers settled at the table.
The three, tired from their journey, couldn't help but feel a little more relaxed with the inn's hospitality.
Colin took a piece of grilled fish, the flavors exploding in his mouth. The fish was fresh and deliciously seasoned. He savored each bite with pleasure.
Brighid, beside him, filled her wine glass with a smile. She handed Colin a glass, and they drank.
"This fish is wonderful!" Colin said with a full mouth.
"I think I have to learn to cook to make things like this," Brighid said with the glass near her mouth.
Their eyes met, and a knowing smile formed between them.
"Here, Colin, eat this"—Brighid broke off a piece of carp and brought the fork to Colin's mouth.
He chewed a bit and nodded. "Really!" He swallowed. "If you learned to make something like this, you'd be the perfect woman."
It was an unpretentious comment, but it caught Brighid by surprise. It was the first time Colin had acknowledged her as a woman. Her cheeks flushed, and she shyly looked away.
Sapphire, sitting on the other side of the table, watched the two.
She felt a little uncomfortable being completely excluded, but in part, she was happy they got along so well. She remembered her parents, who were just as loving, and nodded. Satisfied, Sapphire smiled and stood up.
"I think I'll go up to rest," she said. "Enjoy your dinner!"
"Already?" Colin inquired. "You haven't even enjoyed everything."
"I'm full, don't worry!"
She walked away from the table, leaving Colin and Brighid alone.
Brighid became more nervous, and Colin became more at ease. They weren't content to finish one bottle of wine alone and already asked the lady for another.
"Colin," the fairy called, her fingers playing with the rim of the glass. "If we pass the selection test... what exactly will you want to do?"
He took a sip of his wine. "The plan remains the same. Create a guild, perhaps, climb the hierarchy of Ultan, who knows. Aren't you curious to know how far we can go?"
Brighid looked away, a little downcast. "You, me, and Sapphire could go north..."
"And do what there?"
She shrugged. "I don't know... buy land, build a farm... have a simple life... me, you, and her..."
Colin nodded. "Is that what you want? It's not a bad plan, but Ultan is an expanding empire. Sooner or later, it will reach us, so we have to get strong first; I have to get strong. Don't get me wrong, Brighid, but I don't want to always depend on you." He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "It's embarrassing to say this, but I don't want you to always protect me; I want to protect you and Sapphire too. I would feel better if I could do that."
Brighid understood his reasons, although she didn't mind protecting both. Being stronger than Colin wasn't a problem for her, but apparently, it was for him.
Colin picked up the bottle, the two empty glasses, and stood up. "Come, let's go to the sauna."
It was an unusual request that caught her by surprise. They would already sleep in the same bed, but going to the sauna together was something entirely different.
She wondered if it was an innocent request or if Colin had ulterior motives. Brighid was annoyed with herself for a moment for not having the strength to refuse that request, which seemed more like an order.
She was curious to see where it would end.
"Okay..." Brighid stood up.
"Madam!" Colin said to the innkeeper in the back. "Dinner was great, thank you!"
"Breakfast will be even better, I promise!"
Colin nodded and retreated to the back, with Brighid following him. With each step towards the sauna, her heart pounded even more, as if it would burst from her chest. She had already read about situations like these in the romances she had recently finished. She didn't really know how it would end, but her curiosity spurred her on.
Upon arriving, they saw a spacious area with a cabinet in the corner holding some towels and some small pools on the wooden floor, exhaling steam like hot springs.
Colin walked to one of the pools and placed the bottle and glasses on the floor. He walked to the cabinet and began to change.
Colin undressed with the same naturalness he displayed in all his actions. His body, now visible, displayed a masculine strength that could not be ignored. His firm muscles, tanned skin, and the confidence with which he moved captured Brighid's attention, making her even more nervous.
Brighid, in turn, began to do the same without questioning, slowly undressing, feeling Colin's eyes on her.
The soft light of the sauna enhanced the curve of her feminine forms, creating an image of pure seduction. She tried to ignore the blush on her cheeks and the feeling of vulnerability that grew with each piece of clothing she removed.
Naked and with his back turned, Colin walked to the edge of the pool, steam rising around him.
He entered, feeling that comforting warmth. More embarrassed than usual, Brighid covered her body with a towel and tied her hair in a bun.
"You should come in soon; the water is great." He extended his hand to Brighid and, with a smile, invited her to join him. "Come, I'll help you."
She didn't need help, but she accepted, carefully entering the pool, the warm water embracing them.
As they shared that space, Brighid struggled with her conflicting emotions. It was her first time sharing such a personal environment with someone, especially with a man.
Colin, on the other hand, seemed at peace, enjoying the warmth and company.
Silence dominated the sauna as the warm water relaxed their muscles and warmed their souls.
"Want some wine?" Colin broke the silence with an unpretentious tone.
"Yes..." Brighid nodded, her voice sounding a little softer than usual.
He filled one of the glasses and handed it to her. Both took a sip, feeling the warmth of the alcohol mixing with the heat of the sauna.
"What was it like where the fairies lived?" Colin inquired.
Brighid focused her eyes on his. "It was good... very green, and it had a lot of distinct races. It's been a very, very long time since I left home... I don't know how things are now..."
"You fled when that elder went to the island, right? After that, where did you go? What did you do for a thousand years?"
Brighid took another hesitant sip of wine.
"I met some people... they taught me a little about magic. Everything I know I learned from them."
"And what happened to them?"
She shrugged. "They weren't who I thought they were... but what about you..." She looked away shyly, as if wanting to change the subject as quickly as possible. "You're not from here, are you? Where did you come from?"
"I don't even know for sure... it was a strange place. Magic doesn't exist there, but they manage to do incredible things. It has a variety of biomes, cultures, cities... but I didn't have a good experience..."
Brighid was closer; she had unconsciously moved closer, interested in what Colin was saying. "Why? What happened?"
"A lot..." Colin drank his wine. "My parents died, the world was hit by a pandemic wave, I ran out of money, became unemployed, and my fiancée left me for a rich guy."
"I'm so sorry for all that..." she said with a sweet voice. "I hope you're better now..."
He nodded. "You and Sapphire were the best thing that happened to me in years, so, yes, I'm better now. I can do what I want here, I became the leader of this small group of ours, and who knows, I might become king. It's a world of possibilities."
"King?"
He nodded. "Do you think I'm exaggerating?"
"No... you're capable of it, I'm sure, but don't you think it's too much work? You have to take care of a lot of people, and managing a kingdom is difficult..."
"Yeah... you're right, but even so..." He took a sip of wine. "Well, time will tell if that's possible or not."
Brighid looked away. "That woman... your fiancée... what was she like?"
Colin shrugged. "She was kind at first... but with time you get to know who a person really is." He looked at her. "Are fairies like that too?"
"No!" she exclaimed, getting a little agitated, realizing she was getting too involved. "W-Well... fairies live a long time, and we rarely get involved with anyone... when fairies get together, it's for life, even after death... that's why it's hard for them to get involved too..." She looked deeply into his eyes. "When fairies fall in love with someone, it's because they want to spend the rest of their lives with that person... marry... have children..."
"I see... an eternal state of passion?"
"Something like that..."
Colin couldn't help but observe her the closer she got.
She was beautiful, and the intimate setting of the sauna made her even more attractive. The shimmering green eyes, the inviting lips, the curvaceous body slowly revealed by the steam—all of it exerted a strange charm over him.
However, there was something deeper in Brighid that intrigued him.
She seemed to be a powerful creature, but at that moment, in that situation, she revealed a vulnerability that was both intriguing and captivating.
"And fairies... do they usually have many children?"
"Not so much... we live for about five millennia, even from my parents, I only heard that one couple or another had more than one child..."
Colin nodded.
"It must be a bit lonely... I'm an only child, and apparently, so are you... I guess that's why I always wanted to have a very large family, a house full of children running around, but far from the city. Big cities aren't good for big families..."
"We can have one!" Brighid said, seconds later realizing what she had just said, becoming even more embarrassed. "I-I didn't mean to say that, I-I think I drank too much..."
Colin smirked, finishing the wine in his glass and resting it on the rim. "You're right, we drank too much... but it's not bad here, is it?"
Blushing, she shook her head. "If I told you... that it was the best night of my entire life, would you believe me?"
Colin said nothing.
Brighid's eyes were a mixture of expectation and desire, like two emeralds shimmering in a midnight forest.
They met Colin's intense eyes, burning with an equally ardent passion. At that moment, the tension between them was almost palpable, an electricity in the air that enveloped them.
Colin slowly approached, his rough hands wrapping around her waist, the distance between them sharply diminished, and the warmth of their bodies intensified.
It was as if the outside world was disappearing, and all that remained was the promise of what was about to happen.
His lips were almost brushing hers when they felt the pressure in the air increase, as if a storm was about to break.
In sync, they looked at the entrance. A wicked mana came from outside the inn, perhaps miles away, but it was so powerful that it put them on alert.
"The aquatic witch?" Colin stood up, went to the cabinet, and began to get dressed, even wet. "Damn it! I'll go ahead! You wake Sapphire and follow me!"
Brighid nodded. "Alright!"
Enveloping his body with electrical sparks, Colin disappeared, leaving Brighid alone in the sauna. She sighed, regretting that they had come so close, but there would be other opportunities, at least she believed so.