Agni, a loud and sarcastic astronomy student from the University of Chicago, is suddenly transported to another world filled with mythical creatures. Unfortunately, fulfilling the role she's brought there for is difficult in ways she never expected...
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I feel the sun start to caress my face and it gently nudges me awake. I can't decide if the nudge is strong enough to coax me out of my warm cocoon of blankets.
Wait, blankets. As in plural, blankets, with an s. How in the world did I end up with more than one blanket?
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sit up and look around. It doesn't seem to be morning quite yet; the sun appears to be just rising and the birds are starting to wake from their sleep to greet the day. Three bodies are strewn around the non-existent campfire.
Tink is closest to me, her little nose all scrunched up and a small smile on her face. Of course she would smile in her sleep.
Laying on her back, straight as a board, Alvina is out cold. Even in her slumber she looks like she has a stick up her ass.
Then, on my right side, is a sleeping Mordecai, snoring softly. It looks like he finally decided that he needed a good night's sleep. Staring at his face, my eyes begin to scan down his body. Troubled lines emphasize the scar above his left eyebrow and I begin to wonder if he's having a bad dream. His cheeks look flushed, like he's been in the cold a little too long, which confuses me because it may be a little chilly without the sun, but it's not that cold. As I begin to roam downwards I see his arms are pulled tight to his chest and his legs are bent so he's in a ball. Small shivers carry themselves up and down his body. I peer around wondering where the hell his blanket is only to look down and realize that must be why I have two blankets.
The big oaf decided to give one to me! Why? I don't know. He's an idiot who, for all his talk about how I couldn't get sick yesterday, could very well have done that to himself.
He truly is a big ol' idiot. "What are you staring at there Love-bug? Like something you see?"
The sudden sound of Cai's voice startles me and I let out a small yelp. "Holy shit! How did you know I was looking at you? Your eyes are still closed!"
"Perks of being a warrior. Our senses are heightened. I can sense my surroundings in my sleep and I sensed two blue eyes judging me."
"Hell yes I was judging you! Why the fuck would you give me your blanket? You looked like you were turning into a human popsicle!"
"What's a popsicle?"
"You know what, doesn't matter. You're stupid and don't do that again."
"You were cold and I wasn't. So, there was no reason for me to keep the blanket. Simple as that." His eyes are still closed as he rolls onto his back and shrugs.
"First, can you open your eyes? It's unnerving talking to you while your eyes are closed." One eye peeks open to look at me. "Second, you were cold. I just saw you, you were shivering."
Sitting up, he stares at me. "I wasn't cold."
"You were shivering!"
"Trust me, I wasn't cold." He rolls his neck in a circle, cracks accentuating every jerk. When he arches his back it pops and he stands up. Stretching his arms up to the sky, the 118 on his wrist is facing out. "Why are you so concerned over my comfort anyway?" He smirks slightly. "Aw, you don't actually hate me, do you Ni?"
