“Thank you.” I leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Stay safe, Parker.”
He smiled. “Stay safe, Miss Hayden.” He nodded to our group, shifted and trotted off toward the keep.
Chapter Seven
Jasper looked out the window. His brow was slightly knitted together, his jaw lightly clenched. The storm outside showed no signs of letting up.
“It’s been almost three years since you’ve crossed over the first time, Shlova.” He kept looking out of the window.
“It’s amazing how time flies. You’re right. Another four months will make it three years.”
“Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you had never seen that trail?”
“No. Not really.”
He turned toward Hayden and leaned against the wall. “Think about it now.”
She smiled. “Well, if my grades were good, I would be a year and a half away from graduating Vet Med. Unless I wanted to specialize. Then I’d have a few more years to go. Let’s see. I don’t know. I imagine I would still be riding horses and hanging out at the arena.”
He kept looking at her, trying to judge her reaction.
“Why?”
He shrugged.
“What would you be doing if I hadn’t found that trail?”
His heart jumped and he mentally shook his head at himself. He had asked first. It was only fair he answer. “I suppose I would still be patrolling.”
“Do you miss it?”
He blinked and thought about it before answering. “Maybe sometimes.” He smiled to reassure her. “But not very often.” He walked to her and kissed her softly. Since he had started the line of questioning, he decided he should finish. “Do you ever regret coming here? Was leaving everything you know behind worth it?” he asked softly.
She frowned. “Well, I miss my mom and dad. I miss training horses.” She was quiet for a bit. “No. I don’t regret it.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “It was worth it.”
He took a deep breath and some of the tension left him. “That’s good.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
She looked intently into his eyes and he lost himself in the green, gold, and grey in hers. “Do you regret that I came?”
It took a moment for the question to register. He smiled and shook his head. “How can I regret the best thing that’s ever happened to me?” He held her face in his hands and ran his thumb over her cheek bone. He looked deeply into her eyes and wished she could feel how much he meant every word. “Shlova, we could be living naked in the woods and I would never regret the fact that I found you.”
She smiled and started to laugh. “That would be fine and dandy for you. You don’t get cold. I’d freeze to death.”
He gave her a lopsided grin and pulled her close. “Don’t worry. I’d keep you warm.”
She pressed herself against him and leaned her cheek on his chest. “Why all the questions?”
“No reason, really. I was just wondering, that’s all.”
“Hmm. Well, stop wondering. I love you. I love our life here.” She looked back up at him. “And I wouldn’t care if we were living naked in the woods either, so long as you were there to keep me warm.” She grinned and he laughed. Maybe he was worrying for nothing. Maybe she would stay happy here. He obviously had too much time on his hands.
“I think I need a hobby.”
She started to laugh. “Here.” She walked to the kitchen and came back with a handful of plohats. “Peel these and we’ll think of a hobby for you.”
They started to get supper ready while Hayden suggested different things that he could do. By the time the stew was on the fire, they had agreed that he should try his hand at woodworking. Hayden’s winning point was the fact that he was always making little wooden people for the smaller children in Sageden to play with.
She smiled at him and he felt warm all over. He meant to tell her that she was wrong. He wasn’t the one keeping her warm. It was the other way around. But her lips claimed his and he forgot everything he had meant to say; forgot everything he had been worrying about.
Chapter Eight
The snow was finally gone and the chances of another storm were minimal, but the nights were still cool and I was lying as close to Jasper as I could.
“How many days have we been going?” I glanced back over my shoulder at him.
“Twelve.”
I let out a pitiful sigh. “Only about thirty more to go. Tell me again why Dodge couldn’t come? It would take us half the time if I were riding.”
Jasper tightened his arms around me. “You know why. There was no point in putting more beings in danger than necessary.”
“I know. I’m sorry. You know I don’t like being cold.” It made me cranky.
He chuckled. “I know. Do you want me to shift?”
I shook my head. “No. We’re crazy you know”
“I can’t argue with that.”
We had decided that we would keep walking toward Howel until we ran into Maj patrols, state that we wanted to meet with Rainen, and hope to be taken to her. If everything went according to plan, we would have Rainen convinced to join forces with Melana, and be heading home for the winter before marching on Paradin in the spring.
If things went wrong, we wouldn’t have to worry about making it home again.
I laughed. “Crazy. But you know it has to work.”
“And why is that?”
“Well, I’m the Chosen One, right? I doubt I was born just so I could fail at uniting the shifters.”
“When you put it that way…” Jasper started to laugh. “You know, when this whole mess is done and over with, I am locking you in our room and never letting you out again. I’m going to need years to recover from all the stress of being fated to you. By the moons, if this keeps up I’ll have a full head of grey hair by the time I turn thirty-two.”
I smiled. “That’s next year!” I turned so I was facing him and pulled a curl out so it was straight. He was starting to get the odd silver hair here and there. He liked to say it was all my fault.
“So how long until we run into a pack, do you think?”
“It’s hard to say. I would think it would be at least another week, but I’m not sure how far out they are patrolling anymore.”
My heart beat faster at the thought of running into a pack.
Jasper’s arms tightened around me. “There’s no point in worrying about it now. We’ll deal with it when it happens. Besides, it’s what we’re trying to do, right?”
There a rustle in the bushes to our right and Jasper jumped to his feet, ready. I grabbed my swords.
“Jasper, Hayden.”
Jasper stayed tense, but I put my swords down and smiled. “Hey, Damian.”
He smiled back at me, his strange grey eyes bright. I was still shocked how they were a dark grey on the outside and progressively got lighter until they were almost white by the pupil. He sat on the ground across from us and motioned us to do the same.
I looked up at Jasper from the ground, took his hand, and pulled him down.
“What brings you here, Damian?” Jasper was obviously not pleased to see the leader of the Majs.
“I come to interfere.”
“You don’t want us coming to Howel?” I wished he would get on with it, but had learned from my first meeting with him that he was cryptic and full of riddles.
“Nothing would make me happier than to meet you in person, my dear. But I’m afraid I won’t get the chance.” He looked sad. After looking into the fire for a moment, he looked back to me. “Tell me of your travels since I last saw you.”
I started with the last day I had seen him in Sageden and ended with our meeting with Melana. “You were right,” I said. “Nothing is what it seems. Humans are shifters, dragons are good, beings of all sorts are breaking bonds and fating together. It’s insane! And now we’re trying to get all shifters to unite to fight the humans.”
“At the risk of sounding rude, Damian, what do you want that couldn’t wait until we got to your keep?” Jasper was frowning.
“Well, you see, that’s the problem. I happen to know that three days from now you will run into a pack. You don’t make it to the keep.” He let that sink in.
I leaned forward. “What’s going to happen?”
“Unfortunately, you die.”
“So much for my theory on not being able to fail…”
Jasper growled. “How?”
“It’s a pack of fourteen.” He shrugged. “They surround you. When one of them grabs Hayden, you jump to her defense. They get you down and she tries to get to you. You don’t stand a chance, really. Both of you die trying to save each other.”
I felt the blood drain from my face and I swallowed hard. I had known that dying had been a possibility, but actually hearing that it was going to happen was a shock to the system.
Jasper pulled me close. “You said you came to interfere.” I knew that look on his face. All of his military training was kicking in; he was thinking hard, recalculating.
Damian nodded. “I don’t, usually, but I think I need to this time.” His eyes met mine. “You have dream seer’s eyes. Do you dream often?”
I shook my head. “I’ve had five dreams in the past three years. The first two I was able to change what was going to happen. The second two simply happened. With the last one, everything was wrong. The only reason the events of the dream happened was because I was trying to avoid it.”
He started to laugh. “My apologies, dear. I’m afraid that would be my fault. I suppose I interfere more than I should. I knew that Rainen was coming for you. I also knew that Melana was on her way. I saw Rainen take you and Melana getting there an hour too late to help. I also needed you to meet Melana. It was obvious that she would agree to your plan with minimal convincing. I sent you the dream so you would meet her, she helped defeat Rainen and got Rainen to back off for a while.”
I glared at him. “You almost got Jasper killed!” I tried to push down my anger. It wouldn’t help to try and kill Damian. You couldn’t kill a projection.
He shrugged. “That wasn’t my intention. For as much as your mate despises me, I need him around to protect you. The only way you will succeed on your quest is if he is at your side the entire time.” He turned his attention to Jasper. “You won’t run into the pack so you can stop strategizing. I’m going to displace you.”
Jasper frowned. “To Howel?”
“No. There are other events that are to take place before you can speak to Rainen. If you go there before these things happen, you will be killed. You need to leave these parts until spring.”
It was my turn to frown. “But we were going to go to the Northern Regions in the spring.”
Damian smiled at me. “And you will. Trust me, dear. When you go talk to Rainen once the snow melts it won’t take long to mobilize your forces.”
I could tell Jasper wasn’t liking the fact that we were taking Damian’s word on all of this. I gave his arm a squeeze. “So we go home?”
“No. I thought of that, but it doesn’t work. Three months from now you will be attacked in your home. From what I saw it looked like about ten humans. That time, they managed to get you away and kill Jasper.”
Jasper twitched impatiently. “If you see all of this, why aren’t you going to Rainen and telling her to come to us?”
“I can’t wake up. My mind is working, but my body won’t listen. For some strange reason I can only project myself to Hayden and yourself. I can’t tell Rainen anything.” The strange grey eyes turned to me. “I will send you to the crossing closest to your home in the other world.”
I was speechless.
“You need to leave Quelondain until it is time to speak with Rainen. Too much can go wrong if you stay here.”
Jasper shuddered beside me and I knew he was thinking of the pain he would have to live with over there.
I put my hand on his arm. “You can stay here, if you want.”
His eyes widened and he shook his head. “No. I can’t do that again.”
“You said you weren’t going to get a chance to meet me.” I looked at Damian across the fire. “Won’t you be at the keep when we go in the spring?”
He shook his head. “I’ll be using the last of my strength to displace you and your mate. I’m afraid this will be my last act of interference.” He smiled. “I’m hoping it will be enough. Now, I need you to listen carefully. I will displace you to the crossing. I believe you need to cross at the lake crossing by Sageden. You need to stay there until the snow has melted. When you cross back you need to come through the hill crossing where you first met. Rainen will be there.”
“How will we know when to cross back?” Jasper looked thoroughly as amazed as I felt.
Damian frowned. “There’s some sort of occasion that night. There will be a celebration of sorts. I’m not sure exactly, but there’s a blond girl in a white dress. Cross over when the moon is highest in the sky.” He stood. “When you do, be ready to fight.”
There was a chirp from in the trees and I looked up. The blue bird flew down to sit on my shoulder.
“Hi, there.” I smiled and pet her little head. “Did you hear all of that?”
She bobbed her head.
“You’ll let everyone know for us?”
She bobbed again and pecked my cheek before flying off.
Damian’s form wavered. “I don’t have much time. I need to do this now while I have the strength.”
Jasper stood and pulled me up.
“I’ll need you both to think of the crossing.” He closed his eyes.
“Wait!” I let go of Jasper’s hand and walked over to Damian. “Thank you.” I hugged him tightly.
Damian hesitantly returned the hug. “Think nothing of it. Now, go to Jasper.”
I walked back to Jasper and held his hand.
Not sure if that simple contact would be enough, he pulled me to his chest. I could hear his heart beat faster than normal. I closed my eyes and waited for the nudge.
Damian’s voice was just a whisper. “Monave tean.”
I felt the magic touch me and I took the feel of it, wrapped it around us, and felt the ground disappear.
Chapter Nine
Jasper felt firm ground under his feet and opened his eyes.
“Jasper, you’re squishing me.” Hayden sounded a little breathless. He loosened his hold on her.
“Sorry.”
She started to laugh and smiled up at him.
His heart jumped. It was beating a mile a minute from the adrenaline rush of magic and the urge to take her right there overwhelmed him. He closed his eyes and shook his head to clear it. Not now. He had to get her to the crossing. He suddenly realized he had felt the nudge. He had recognized it.
“That was you. You moved us.”
Her smile widened. “I let his nudge touch us long enough for me to get the feel of it then I sort of amplified it. I thought that maybe it would work like with the staff of Laif. I’m hoping it was enough to keep Damian alive.”
He shook his head. “So why could you do it like that, but you can’t do it on your own?”
She frowned. “I’m not sure.” She looked around. “Are we there?”
He laughed. “Yes. You don’t remember this lake?”
“You know me.”
He tilted her head up so he could kiss her. “Yes. I know you. Here you are.” He handed her her swords and she chuckled.
“You would remember to grab those.”
He smiled and took her hand and started walking up the deer trail that led to the crossing. “Let’s go.” He put his free hand in his pocket and pulled the little bag out that contained his crossing stone, Shawn’s crossing stone, and Brice’s shifting stone.
Hayden squeezed his hand. “Are you sure you want to come?”
“Yes. It just about
killed me the last time you crossed and I stayed behind and that was just over a month. This will be close to a year. I’d rather hurt and be with you than hurt because I’m not with you.”
She looked up at him with soft green eyes filled with grey and gold flecks. He could get lost in those eyes.
“It’s just…I saw the look in your eyes the last time. I could tell it hurt you.”
They had reached the fork in the trail and he stopped so he could turn her to face him. “I’ll be fine, Shlova. Just think. Shawn has been doing it for over four years. I’m sure I can handle nine or so months of it.”
She reached a hand up to touch his face and he closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. “It’s starting to get dark. Is there anything important I should know before we cross?”
“No weapons allowed. I’ll bring my swords but once we reach my parents’ place, they get put away. So do our daggers. I’ll keep the boots on with my little knife hidden if you insist on it. Also, no fighting. I can’t see why you might feel you need to fight, but I don’t need to be trying to explain to the justice system why you don’t have any ID or don’t show up in their computers.”
He nodded. “Anything else?”
She laughed. “Yeah. Try to relax and enjoy yourself. After the past couple of years, this is going to be like going on vacation.”
He smiled. “If you say so.” He leaned down to kiss her softly.
Hayden sighed that little content internal sigh that only he could feel, the one she got specifically when he held her.
“Let’s go, Shlova. I’m sure your parents will be overjoyed to see you.”
Her smile widened. “God, I missed them.”
They started down the path that would let them cross. The instant they crossed over he gasped. His legs wanted to give out and he was having trouble breathing. It was like someone was pulling all of his ribs out one by one.
“Are you ok?”
He took a few deep breaths and nodded. “It’s a shock, that’s all. I didn’t quite remember what it felt like.” By the look on her face, she knew he was lying but he was grateful she couldn’t feel what he was feeling. Had she known, he was sure she would have turned back. He took her hand and started walking again. “It’s not as bad when you touch me.”
Journey 'The Chosen One Trilogy: Book Two' Page 23
