Valene and Alena also went to assist the men, though both looked at me in a way I didn’t understand as they passed. I brushed it off and focused on my task. Once Raikidan finished his, I showed him how to set out the utensils and supervised his work. While a mundane task, it helped me gauge his ability to follow directions and learn on the fly.
I did find myself taking in this new look of his. Valene wasn’t wrong, he was an impressive looking man… dragon. Whatever… And even though I told the others I was indifferent to the haircut, that was turning out to be a lie. He’s actually quite handsome…
I stopped that thought and focused on the last two plates that needed utensils. That idiotic road needed to be avoided. I’ve learned from past mistakes.
Once all the food was set out and everyone seated themselves, we dug in. Conversation went well. Nothing that happened five years ago came up, and I was filled in here and there on the goings-on of the village and any juicy gossip the more social individuals had. Valene’s infatuation with Raikidan showed throughout the whole meal. She’d be the first to hand him food, refill the water pitcher if it emptied just before he needed it, and just about anything else under the sun besides feed him herself. Most of us found it amusing, especially since he showed no signs of understanding any of her overly personal gestures.
Raikidan had surprised me with how well he managed to handle the group meal. At first he looked out of place—Alena even commented that it was a clear sign he’d lived alone for a long time. My dragon companion ran with that and crafted some story of living in the woods in isolation for personal reasons, and how his family never had meals like this when he had lived with them. Valene tried to pry a bit more into his personal life, but he either gave little information or deflected. It amused me.
Once dinner ended, we said goodbye to Alena and her family. Valene and I then cleaned up, making sure Daren didn’t lift a finger since he did all the cooking.
Valene smiled wide at Raikidan when he brought in the last of the plates, but frowned when he didn’t react to her. He promptly left so we could clean the dishes.
I shook my head. “We really need to talk about that.”
She grinned wickedly. “You’re not jealous, are you?”
“No. And I’m not dating him either. But you really shouldn’t set your sights on him. It’s not going to work out.”
She crossed her arms and glared at me. “And why not?”
“Besides the fact we’re not going to be here long, he’s got a lot of secrets. It’s why you couldn’t get anything out of him during dinner. Also, he isn’t noticing your interest in him. I think it’s safe to assume he isn’t going to.”
Her shoulders sagged as she dried a clean plate. “I know… I just… hoped maybe I could get someone’s attention for more than a single night. I figured if he’s good enough to travel with you, then he’d be a good candidate for something more.”
I patted her on the shoulder with a wet hand. “You have time. Don’t rush it. You’ll regret it if you do.”
“Says the woman who lives forever,” she muttered.
I snorted and scrubbed a plate. “I won’t live forever. I won’t even live as long as an elf.”
“Yeah, well, still longer than me.”
I shook my head. She’d learn one of these days she was better off not rushing if she wanted to make the right match. Hopefully this talk would help get her off Raikidan’s back and now I could focus on more important matters.
Chapter Five
I ran. I kept running. No matter what happened, I was to keep running down this seemingly endless stone hall. They ran beside me—my comrades. We would either escape together or die together. That was the plan.
A light could be seen at the end of the hall. A glimmer of hope sparked in us all. That was, until she fell. I stopped and tried to go and help her.
“No, just go!” she shouted.
“But…” I couldn’t leave her. She was the only thing I had left to remind me of—
“You have to go. Live! Like she wanted you to. Don’t get yourself killed because of me.”
My female comrade yanked on my arm. “C’mon, we gotta go!”
Guards had caught up and were shouting orders to close the gate. Either we got out now or we all died in this spot.
“Run and don’t look back!” she ordered.
I did as I was told. I ran as fast as I could, but I looked back when I shouldn’t have. There was blood; so much blood. My heart felt like it was being crushed. She lay there in a crumpled heap with blood pooling out around her. If I could have cried I would have. I had lost her just as I had lost everything else I had ever cared for.
“Jasmine!”
My eyes snapped open and I bolted upright. Sweat dripped down my back and my breath came out in hard gasps. It was so horrible to remember. Why did I have to dream of that night? Why now?
I looked around the room, taking deep breaths. Light of the full moon peeked through the curtains, falling on the scales of Raikidan’s natural form as he slept. A smaller version of his normal dragon form, but a dragon form nonetheless.
It hadn’t taken me long, two or three nights, tops, to figure out one of two things. Either he didn’t enjoy being in his human form, or while he slept, he couldn’t maintain that form. If it was the latter, it might pose a problem. I’d have to remember to talk to him about it later. Once I get into a better mindset after that dream.
His scales shimmered in the moonlight, his sides rising and falling as he slept. At least one of us will get a good night’s sleep.
I needed to clear my head, and the best way to do that was to go out for a run. I didn’t want to wake him, so I tiptoed over to the window and slid it open. The old wood groaned and squeaked in protest and I mentally swore. I looked back at Raikidan when his sounds of sleep halted, to find him rousing from his slumber. He looked at me with bleary eyes.
While he didn’t need to know what I was doing, I figured it best to tell him just in case. “I’m going out for a run. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
I slipped through the window and onto the overhang of the front entrance, and then leapt off the building. Tucking and rolling, I made it safely to the ground and picked the northbound path out of the village.
“Eira, wait,” Raikidan’s hushed voice hissed. I looked up to see Raikidan in his human form hanging halfway out the window. “I’d like to go with you.”
“I’m built for running,” I said, my voice also hushed so as not to wake anyone. “I don’t want to be slowed down if you can’t keep up.”
“Nu-humans are faster than regular humans, right?”
“Well yeah.”
“Then I’ll take that form again and give it another test.”
I noted his shirtless nature again. “Fine, just throw some clothes on while you’re at it.” He rolled his eyes and grunted. “I’ll be at the north end of the village. Meet me there.”
Without waiting for him to agree, I jogged to the northern path. The high, full moon in the sky cast silver light over the town and surrounding forest. The woods itself had its own life about it with the different sounds it gave off. After a few minutes of taking in the peacefulness of my natural surroundings, I heard the sounds of footsteps behind me. I turned to find Raikidan approaching. He’d already taken his nu-human form. The moon above bathed him with silver light, making him look almost ethereal. If I didn’t know any better, I’d believe I was dreaming.
A thin smirk crossed his lips. “So, where are we going?”
I jerked my head toward the north path. “There’s a ravine about three miles north. Sufficient distance for a run and to test your form.”
Raikidan shifted his gaze around the woods. “Will we have trouble with that Guardian thing?”
I shook my head and produced two flames identical to the one I created when we first met the Guardian. One floated over to Raikidan and circled him. “That will keep him from bothering us.”
Raikidan watch
ed the flame, enthralled by it.
I chuckled before jogging off. “Focus, Raikidan, or I’ll leave you behind.”
He caught up to me, but I picked up the pace, the light of our fires illuminating the path around us. Some nu-human experiments had the luxury of good night vision. My night vision, on the other hand, wasn’t terrible, but I wouldn’t brag about it, either.
My pace continued to pick up, the trees blurring by. The brisk air gripped my lungs. Raikidan managed to keep up, showing he’d done well with his transformation, but I could hear his heavy panting. I figured he’d naturally gravitate toward strength over agility, which would come in handy in its own right. But tonight, he’d regret that decision.
The road veered left, but I continued my course into the underbrush. Leaves crunched underfoot, and Raikidan cursed me when I pushed aside a low hanging branch only for it to swing back at him. I snickered and pushed myself faster.
I cleared boulders and fallen trees with ease. Several felled trees that had caught on something else were too tempting to ignore, so I ran up to them. Raikidan chose to keep his feet on the ground, but kept his eyes trained on me.
I’d jump off the wooded plants and land with grace. Raikidan would gain ground on me, but my speed didn’t allow it for long.
My intense military training flashed through my mind.
Short quick breaths left my lungs as I ran, a male voice yelling at me to run faster—Shyden pointed at me as he reprimanded me for not jumping correctly, his one good golden eye bearing down at me with great intensity—Gunfire blasted close to my sensitive ears and I tried not to jump, not wanting to fail this test.
I shook the memories from my mind and focused on the present.
This was exciting, fun even. Fun. It’d been some time since I had that. I liked it. I liked how easily this took me away from that nightmare.
Light from the moon cascaded through the forest canopy. The light grew as the trees thinned. Bursting through the tree line, I skidded to a halt, barely stopping before the ground gave way to the cliff face of the ravine. Raikidan was by my side moments later.
In quick, shallow breaths, I took in the crisp, clean air, my head clearing.
“You”—Raikidan took in a deep breath—“run fast.”
I laughed. “That’s my job.”
I sat down, allowing my feet to dangle over the edge of the cliff, and Raikidan joined me. Closing my eyes, I took in all the sounds and smells around me, my nightmare long forgotten. When I opened them again, I found Raikidan watching me, the light of the moon cascading over his muscular form. I smiled at him, unable to keep a stern demeanor. Besides, I needed to get along with him in some way or this alliance wouldn’t work out. Still, I need to be careful. He is a dragon, after all.
“You should smile more,” he said. “You’d be more approachable.”
I smacked him in the arm. “Shut up. Like you’re much better.”
“Loners like myself don’t want others to approach us.” He snorted. “I guess that’s why you do it.”
I tilted my head. “You said loners like you. Sounds like it’s not all dragons. What’s your society like?”
“Complex, like I’m gathering yours is. We have clans and colonies, each with a head leader who keeps it all together. Interactions between colors is limited for the most part unless territories border each other. Loners, like myself, don’t have to deal with a lot of that complexity, but we still have to abide by certain rules.”
“Why do you choose a solitary life?”
“I like peace and quiet.” He grunted and looked at me accusingly. “Some peace I got.”
I tried not to laugh, but a giggle slipped out, which caused Raikidan to chuckle. Before we knew it, we were both roaring with laughter. I got myself under control after a few moments, smiling despite myself. “Thanks, I needed that.”
“You have a nice laugh.” I raised a brow and he looked up at the moon. “The unrestrained and blissful nature of it reminds me of songbirds.”
Warmth spread to my cheeks.
The wind picked up and he closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. “Your scent… it’s also nice. Better than that. It’s one of the most pleasant things I’ve smelled before.”
My eyes widened. It’s what… He glanced my way and I grinned, pushing away the strange feeling bubbling up inside. “Watch out, ladies, we got a charmer here.” I looked up at the sky. “Lucky for me I’m immune to such tricks, or I’d be in trouble.”
He looked at me, confused, and I laughed. “We have a lot of work to do with you before you can pass off as not so clueless.”
A smirk spread across his lips. “Maybe that’ll be my quirk the entire time we work together.”
My lips spread into a tense line. “I hope not. I’d like to work with someone who comes off as competent, thank you.”
Raikidan regarded me for a moment. “I’d like to talk to you about that, if we can. You mentioned a resistance but didn’t go into details. Anyone I need to be aware of when we do work with them?”
“That’s a lot of ground to cover, so I won’t bore you with so many details all at once. But the group I’d like to stop in with first would be the main subgroup you’ll get to know most. There’s Rylan, Ryoko, Zane, and a few others. I’ll introduce you to each of them, as long as they’re still alive.” They’d better be, or I’ll drag their spirits back to their corpses, Cosmic Law be damned. “One thing to note, don’t stare at Ryoko when you meet her. It pisses her off, and she’d be the first to throw you through a brick wall.”
His eyes widened while his brow furrowed to show his mixed emotions. “Why would I stare?”
“She’s half-wogron, and her figure is… well, let’s just say the person who designed her really wanted her to be a distraction. So, she has a few features that are hard to miss.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay, I’ll keep that all in mind. But, half-wogron? I didn’t think there were any more left. Between the curse that keeps wogrons in that humanoid-wolf state and their toxin-filled bites and scratches, I would have thought it’d be impossible for them to exist now.”
I gave him a sidelong glance. “Experiments, remember? Doesn’t take more than some DNA and some science for humans to pretend they’re gods.”
“Fair.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Are you really indifferent to this short hair that broodm—elf woman gave me?”
I looked at him, perplexed at such a sudden topic change. I found him looking my way from the corner of his eye, his lips set in a way I’d never seen before. Is he concerned I don’t approve of the change? Of course not, Eira, don’t be ridiculous.
I decided to be honest with him. “Well, at first I was, but the more I’ve seen you with this new haircut, the more I like it. It suits you and can also be styled with a product called hair gel to look different. I can teach you how to use that when we get to the city.” I looked him over. “Better question, do you like it?”
He shrugged. “I guess.”
I lifted a brow and he ran his hand through his hair again. “It’s just different. I’ve never had it this short, and knowing it will remain this way, no matter how I feel later, is a bit…”
“Scary?”
“Alarming.”
I grunted. “Same thing.”
Fluttering green wings just out of clear sight distracted me. Looking up, I saw a large luna moth hovering above me. So beautiful… I extended my hand into the air, and it landed on my index finger. I smiled. Sadly, the moment didn’t last forever. The moth fluttered away and disappeared into the silver light of the sky.
“To us, the luna moth is special.” I looked at Raikidan to find him staring up at the moon. “Most active on the night of a full moon, they’re seen as little messengers from the moon goddess, Lunaria. With their brief lifespan, it’s an honor to be graced with their presence, even for a short time. It shows that you are an especially graced being.”
I snorted. “Well, looks like a part of your phi
losophy is wrong. I am nothing special, unless, of course, you call monsters special.”
“Is that how you see yourself?”
“Of course.” I looked out at the vast ravine below. “If you saw the life I’ve had to live—the blood staining my hands—you’d think so too; believe me.”
“I don’t believe you.”
I waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. He didn’t even look at me.
What is going on in that head of his? He was an odd one, but was I much different? The two of us stared into the sky, and it brought a question to mind.
“Raikidan, what’s flying like?” When he didn’t answer, I spoke again. “Never mind, it was a stupid—”
“No, it wasn’t. I’ve just never had to think about it before. I’ve never been asked.”
I should have thought of that. It only made sense since he didn’t associate with anything but dragons, who knew how to fly.
“I guess the best I could compare it to would be the way you had been running earlier. My wings are your feet, and the sky is your ground. The only limitation is the one you place on yourself. The higher and faster you go, the better you feel. The air whips around you, but you can’t be contained by it.”
“So, in a single word, free.”
“Yeah, I guess that sums it up. Not sure if that was much help.”
“No, it was,” I admitted. More than you know. He looked at me, expecting more, but I kept my thoughts to myself. He had shown me that, even if I had wings, I would never be able to fly.
“I want to ask you something now. The song you were humming while bathing, where did you learn it?”
Ah shit, he did hear me. I looked up at him through my lashes. Should I tell him? It wasn’t necessarily a big deal, but may lead to more questions, especially from me. If he were asking about it, did it mean he knew it too?
“I learned it some time ago from my mother.” I looked up at the moon, her face and all the memories rushing back to me.
Destiny (Experimental Heart Book 1) Page 8
