Chapter 284: Monster Mash
It struck Arwin that telling Lillia he had a potential answer to the positively enormous threat hanging over their heads right before they had been about to go to sleep probably hadn’t been the best idea. It wasn’t exactly the type of thing that encouraged relaxation or deep restfulness.
It was too late to take it back.
Lillia practically flew off the bed as she leapt upright, scattering straw in every direction and nearly strangling Arwin’s leg with her tail in the process.
“What? How?”
“It’s just the beginnings of an idea,” Arwin said hurriedly. “It won’t actually make him any weaker or make the fight easier, but it’ll give us a way out if we do manage to beat him. Don’t get too excited. It’s still only—”
Lillia swung a leg over Arwin’s chest and straddled it. He let out a surprised grunt, but he made no move to try to throw her off. She was like a warm, soft blanket. One that had claws, which he was quickly reminded of when she took the sides of his head between her hands. Her hair pooled on his chest as she leaned forward until their noses were practically touching.
“Arwin,” Lillia breathed, rubbing his cheek gently with her thumb. “The idea, not the reasoning as to why it won’t work. You don’t get to say you’ve got an answer and then spend an hour saying why it might not work.”
Arwin cleared his throat, vividly aware of how close they were. He could smell the distant scent of honey and freshly baked bread that seemed to permanently linger within her hair. He could feel her body pressed against his. It wasn’t like they hadn’t slept in close proximity before. They’d slept in the same bed for quite some time now, but this felt… different. Closer.
“Right. The idea,” Arwin said, fighting to keep his focus. Of all the times to get distracted, this was probably pretty close to the worst. Lillia would probably strangle him if he delayed answering her question any longer. “It’s Raen’s request. A magic item that changes someone’s form perfectly. What if I made it too good?”