“This diamond is real,” Dalris interjected after inspecting the stone. “Judging by the size, I'd say it's possibly worth a hundred noris.”
Turning the ring back to Moore, he added, “So you might want to cash it in.”
Immediately, the barbarian held up his hands and shook his head. “No, really, I'm too grateful not to be a pile of wyvern shit to keep it. So please, take it.”
Dalris couldn't help but grin at Moore's comment, and nodded in acceptance. “As you wish, and you're welcome.”
With a friendly smile, Moore moved on to assist his shipmates with their work while Dalris returned his attention to the ring. Sadly, it wasn't extravagant enough for his tastes to be a suitable gift for his mate, yet he wondered if he shouldn't give it to her anyway.
The chances were good he wouldn't be able to find anything better for a while now, and at the very least, the diamond could always be set in something more fitting later.
So he pocketed the item, deciding to surprise Jada—once she was no longer glaring daggers in his direction, that was.
After briefly locking gazes with his mate across the way, she immediately busied herself with their preparations again, reminding him of their misunderstanding. But he'd have a chance to explain things soon enough, and if Novak was right, it might be a better idea to wait until she cooled off enough to request an explanation without being prodded.
He just hoped it didn't take long.
CHAPTER 22
The port city of Westmere had grown in the years since Jada's last visit.
Easily spotted from the ocean, the metropolis rose up a vast mountainside dotted by the tiny lights of various buildings under the late evening sky. But it seemed that with the city's growth came an increase in traffic because the docks were currently occupied to full capacity, forcing The Cutlass to anchor in the harbor and send their departing people out on a long boat to make landfall.
It was just as well in Jada's estimate. Actually taking up a position at the docks would've allowed people to sneak on and off of the ship more easily, and Novak agreed to stay at sea to prevent such occurrences from happening.
So Jada left the ship in the company of Karina, Salt, and Dalris, thankfully finding the task of docking their small vessel much easier than a large galleon like The Cutlass.
The following trek through Westmere was accomplished using a number of less populated back streets to make it easier to spot anyone following them. Yet they never saw the same face twice, and Salt accompanied them with Karina to make certain no one would witness the illusionist splitting from the group with the barbarian and question her true location.
But it wasn't until they'd reached a wooded grove outside of town that they felt safe enough to part ways. The trip through the city was peaceful, leaving little room to doubt their solitude, and Jada gave her sister a sentimental look once they'd stopped.
“It seems strange to think you won't be there when I open the doors,” she lamented.
“I know, but if it means making sure you actually get the chance, then it's not wasted.”
Smiling, Jada stepped in for a tight hug. “Just be careful, okay?”
“I will, and you stay safe, too. Or, well, as safe as possible.” With that said, Karina parted from their embrace and turned her attention to Dalris to add, “And you better keep an eye out for her!”
“Yes, ma'am,” the draconian promised.
Jada checked a groan, still incensed by their earlier exchange—and she got the distinct feeling Dalris was about to insist on explaining himself as soon as they were alone.
But for now, she ignored him to say her goodbyes, and Karina gave Dalris a hug while Salt offered a nod Jada knew meant good luck.
Following the gesture, Karina took Salt's hand and used a pendant to make them invisible so they could slip away undetected.
The moment the pair was out of view, Jada hoisted her backpack onto her shoulders and over her swords. Inside were various supplies, including rations, light spheres, a compass, and healing tonics, leaving her as prepared as possible, and she started walking.
Dalris automatically followed—surprisingly without saying a word. Jada could only wonder if he was waiting to make sure Karina and Salt were out of earshot, but whatever his reasons, the silence didn't make their trek any less awkward.
At least the scenery's nice. Jada took it in to distract herself, the thicket surrounding them scattered with tiny white flowers beneath the swaying branches of the trees. The sky above was already obscured by the storm clouds closing in, but the scent of rain on the fresh air was invigorating.
Such was just a small taste of the beauty Sadonia boasted, a continent known for its lush landscapes and historic places. Not only was it home to the Great Dragon, Da'Vir, several hundred miles to the south was The Black Dales, a large valley draconians considered to be the most sacred place in Ithelyon.
Yet the most perplexing Sadonian landmark was The Circlet Islands off the southeast coast. Their name was derived from the fact that the islands formed an oddly perfect ring, and geographers believed the deepest point of any ocean in Ithelyon was located at the center.
Jada had considered visiting the islands for study once her grandfather's work was completed. But for now, she had enough to research, and considered the trip ahead.
According to Morwin's tome, the wooded trail they followed would eventually lead to a large gorge with the Westmere River flowing through it hundreds of feet below. All they needed to do was find a way down into the valley where they'd follow the river south to the swamp, and her grandfather mentioned the existence of several rocky slopes that would easily do the job.
As for predators, the most ferocious that called the region home were green wyverns and forest giants. Jada wasn't worried about the former, but latter was a different story.
Sometimes, a giant's size made them easy to avoid, but once the creatures had a target in sight, they were nearly impossible to outrun, particularly in open areas.
Still, the longer they walked, the less she focused on thoughts of giants, and the more she wondered about Dalris. For over half an hour now, he'd accompanied her in silence, and she thought he would've tried to explain himself the moment they were alone.
He was eager enough to follow her on The Cutlass and do precisely that. But now, not only was the draconian silent, he was also maintaining a short distance behind her, as if giving her space.
The thoughts nearly had Jada looking back to gauge his expression. Yet she didn't want him knowing she was curious about anything he had to say, and resisted the urge.
But after another fifteen minutes passed without a single word, she couldn't handle the silence any longer.
Finally spinning around to face him, she demanded, “Are you ever going to explain yourself?”
Dalris lifted a brow. “Explain myself?”
“You know what I'm talking about.”
In response, the big draconian shrugged. “If you actually want to hear what I have to say, then it's simple, but you'll have to let me continue to the end.”
“Fine,” she retorted in an attempt to give off a casual air. “Go ahead.”
Nodding, he started, “The simple truth is that I didn't expect you to name Menlor as a past lover. I'd already considered the fact that you'd engaged in previous relationships, but no matter how often I thought about it, I was eaten up with jealousy. Even now, it … ”
A growl sounded as he trailed, his voice more guttural in adding, “Let's just say I'll never like the idea, but I'd never hold it against you, either.”
During his explanation, Jada had faced forward in their walk again, though the rough tone of his voice tempted her to look and see if he was in Wrath.
Still, she kept her focus ahead while stating, “That's nice, but if you're so accepting, why did you have to think of something to say when I asked about your past?”
He didn't answer at first, and she finally took a quick glance left to see that he was
… smiling.
But before she could guess at the reason, he answered, “I was celibate for a long time. But one night, I became drunkenly convinced that it wasn't meant to be, and broke my vow.”
Out of sheer curiosity, she inquired, “How old were you?”
“Just over five hundred years.”
Jada found her head snapping left to stare at him, unable to help her incredulity. He actually waited half a millennium to be with his mate?
Talk about dedication.
“Who was she?” she asked before she could think better of it.
“Just a succubus in need.”
Jada pursed her lips in a frown, making sure to keep the expression directed away from Dalris. The idea of him with some gorgeous succubus made her as jealous as he'd claimed to be a few minutes ago, but at least, with a succubus, the sex was only for the sake of sex itself, and nothing more.
Proving he realized the same thing, Dalris qualified, “I knew it didn't mean anything, and while I was drunk, it seemed like a good idea. But then I woke with one of the worst hangovers I've ever had, consumed with guilt and regret.”
After a silent moment passed, he added, “So feel free to be pissed off, but only if you understand that I wasn't upset you didn't wait for me. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
His voice carried an honest weight she couldn't ignore, and Jada stared down at her feet, realizing she'd made an impulsive mistake. Of course, she hadn't been prepared for the type of blinding jealousy she'd experienced in response to thinking of him with other women either, but that was no excuse, and she apologized.
“I'm sorry, Dalris. I shouldn't have been so quick to judge, and I won't make any excuses for it.”
By the time she was finished, he'd moved in next to her, proving his previous lag was purposeful to keep her happy. Jada tried to suppress her smile over the thought by pursing her lips, and also resisted the random urge to take his hand.
But she'd be lying if she said it was easy to do.
It seemed Novak was right about Jada's flash fire, and Dalris was glad to find her temper easy to quell once he'd explained his earlier reaction. In fact, once he caught up after hanging back to placate her mood, he was surprised to see she looked guilty while apologizing for her impulsive ire.
In return, he smiled with a shake of his head. “You don't have to apologize. I know why you were upset, and I didn't react well to what you told me.”
“Maybe, but you were right. I should've given you the chance to explain. But Novak says I have a flash fire, and I guess this is a prime example.”
Dalris decided not to inform her that Novak had already mentioned her temper in such a way, uncertain she'd like hearing they'd discussed her once she'd exited his cabin. So instead, he changed the subject entirely in the hopes of getting past this misunderstanding.
“So, now that I've explained things, are you ever going to tell me what happened between you and Menlor?”
At his question, she let a loud groan, but he couldn't tell why until she asked, “Are you sure you want to know?”
Realizing she was worried he'd become upset, Dalris nodded. “I do. How did he go from lover to enemy?”
“Actually, he was always an enemy,” she began. “I was living outside of South Crest when we met. He was working as a merchant in town, or so he said, and made deliveries on a weekly basis, mostly just food and other necessities, and we got to know each other.”
After a pause for thought, she went on, “At the time, I had a hideaway in the Keskin Mountains where I did all my research, but I didn't reveal my studies into Papa's work until we knew each other a lot better.”
“How did he react?”
“Oh, he acted as if thoroughly impressed, and wanted to know more. So I finally showed him to the hideaway.”
“And?”
With obvious contempt, she answered, “Three days later, we were attacked while several of Novak's crew were visiting, and most died defending the cave. Salt was nearly beheaded saving my life. But Menlor didn't know about Adravi, who returned during the attack and did more damage to his men in five minutes than we managed to do in fifteen.”
Dalris thought that over, able to feel his anger at the elven tracker redoubling, but didn't say a word as Jada added, “I had no idea when Menlor decided to do work for Onoria, or if he'd been with them all along, but I made certain to let him know how I felt about his betrayal before he escaped.”
Completely interested in learning what she'd done, Dalris inquired, “How so?”
With a confident smirk, she looked up and asked, “How do you think he lost the eye?”
So that was the source of Menlor's scar. Grinning, Dalris remarked, “Fitting. An eye for an eye.”
At that, Jada frowned in confusion. “What?”
“It's a Terran saying about revenge,” he explained in short.
Nodding, she looked ahead again, and in turn, Dalris took notice of the changing scenery. The woods were beginning to thin out, and just beyond them was the edge of a cliff—the gorge.
From their standpoint, it looked like a large chasm with mountains stretching out on the opposing side for as far as the eye could see. They'd have to find a slope to take down to the river for the next part of their journey, and he just hoped they could reach one before the rain hit so the walk would be a little less treacherous.
But Jada's solemn expression and low tone distracted him from the task when she admitted, “I felt like I'd been incredibly naive after Menlor's betrayal because I truly believed I loved him. But I worried what might happen if I didn't bond with an elf, or anyone except a draconian, so I wanted to try.”
Her comment reminded him of the assumption that life in a convent would've driven her to search for a mate that wasn't forbidden, and it seemed he was right. In turn, Dalris almost felt badly that she hadn't managed to escape that fate, but only because he didn't like the thought of her unhappiness—and it made him wonder.
If the only way to make Jada truly content was to give her up, would he do it? Could he?
The thought called to mind Edith's search for a way to break a fated connection between mates, and Jada's question of whether or not he'd accept her findings. When she'd asked, his response was a vehement no, and he'd meant every word.
Yet now, he wondered. Jada's happiness was much more important than his own, and even if he believed they could have a life together, what kind of life would it be if she was miserable due to the circumstances?
Dalris wasn't sure, but the more he considered it, the more he could see at least a remote reason to entertain the findings of Edith's research after all.
But would Jada still want to take that path? On The Cutlass, she'd requested they test the waters, which indicated a rising interest in the possibility of being his mate. Yet it was too soon to ask if her opinion had changed when no one knew how time might strengthen—or weaken—their bond, and what she'd say from one day to the next.
Still, he reached over and took her arm to get her attention.
Briefly coming to a stop, Jada looked up with a curious gaze as he stepped in and leaned to press a gentle kiss to her lips.
It was heartening to find her hands cupping his cheeks in return, and once it broke, she sounded dazed in asking, “What was that for?”
“Because I'm sorry about what he did to you, and even more sorry that he only managed to pull it off because of what I am.”
Jada's brow furrowed in confusion. “You had nothing to do with what happened.”
“No? You were looking for someone to bond with in the hopes of proving your fortune wrong, and it wouldn't have happened if you'd had a mate other than a draconian foretold to you.”
He started walking again to keep them on their way, and Jada held his hand, qualifying as they moved, “Maybe not, but I could've run into him anyway, especially if I'd decided to continue Papa's work.”
“True, but there's a chance you wouldn't have bonded with Morwin so well i
f you'd never been sent to a convent, meaning you may not have been as interested in finishing his work.”
There was a blank look on Jada's face suggesting she'd never considered that possibility before. But after mulling it over for a few moments, she countered, “That makes it the fault of the clergy, and perhaps my parents. Not yours.”
Dalris smiled, parting his lips to say that he supposed she was right. But the moment he managed to get two words out, he trailed to a stop and exchanged a questioning look with Jada.
Apparently, she was just as perplexed by the soft rumbling they'd just felt in the ground, and in waiting another moment, a second tremor came, then a third, like … footsteps.
Recognition dawned, and simultaneously, the pair remarked, “Giant,” in conclusion.
“Come on,” Dalris urged, knowing if the creature spotted them, it would give chase—and the large steps it took to catch up would make it extremely difficult to outrun.
Jada was in full agreement, heading toward the gorge to locate a way down. Thankfully, it wasn't hard, and they soon accessed a rocky slope that allowed them to duck out of sight.
The only question that remained was whether or not it led all the way to the valley below, but they had no other choice if they wanted to escape the giant's sight.
Dalris just hoped the creature was moving in another direction entirely.
CHAPTER 23
Jada wasn't completely surprised to find herself running from a giant, though she hadn't expected to encounter one only an hour's walk from Westmere.
Still, it didn't matter how the creature had arrived so far north, and the couple quickly accessed the closest slope in the hopes of escaping its sight.
With thunder rumbling loudly overhead, they moved down the incline lining the cliff while small rocks tumbled across the walls. Sadly, the further they went, the louder the tremors seemed to grow, but it was difficult to tell if the giant was actually getting closer, or the sound was just being amplified by the echo in the cliffs around them.
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