Smiling, she quickly tested the size of the ring to find it fit perfectly on her index, then held it up to admire before kissing him in gratitude, delighting in his groan. But she didn't ask why he'd promised to give her something better—this ring wasn't nearly extravagant enough for his tastes.
However, in her eyes, his thoughtfulness made it perfect, and she nuzzled him sweetly while telling him so.
“It's gorgeous, Dalris, and I can't think of anything better.”
“No?” He quirked a single brow, asking, “Nothing at all?”
Thinking it over, Jada grinned deviously. “Well, unless you're up for making a few more fantasies come true.”
Chuckling, he took her hand and pressed it against his persisting erection. “What do you think?”
Still grinning, she sat up and pushed him onto his back, then parted her legs over his thighs, murmuring, “I think we're in for a very long night.”
• • •
In eight centuries, Dalris had never slumbered so contently.
With Jada cuddled against his chest and her head tucked beneath his chin, he was so comfortable after making love three times in a row, he fell asleep without any problems.
But for as enjoyable as it was to rest with his mate's scent filling the air and her body warm against his, waking to find her smiling down at him with tousled hair and braids was nothing short of heaven. How did I live so long without this?
Despite their intense lovemaking the previous night, they spent the first hour after waking enjoying each other with slow, passionate kisses and gentle caresses. Even when they could finally pry themselves away from bed, they stayed together during their bath.
But the hardest part of all was getting dressed, and even when Dalris finally seized enough control to exit the washroom, he found Jada sticking close and playfully stealing kisses—or pouting when she couldn't lean up high enough to give him one—and it drove him mad.
He was no longer in Wrath, but found himself backing her against the wall for yet another greedy kiss despite his good intentions.
It was almost like a honeymoon, or perhaps he was simply overdue for having a shred of contentment in what he was quickly realizing had become a stark, boring life.
If Jada had never come for her grandfather's tome, he'd be sitting in his study right now, organizing another job or contacting a client to negotiate a payment. But instead, he was trapped in an ancient shrine with the most gorgeous woman he'd ever laid eyes on, and gods, he wanted to make her as happy as she made him.
So he had to agree when their lips finally parted and she teased, “I'm starting to hope we don't find a way out of here. But I guess it's time to look again.”
With a smile, he let her slip back down to the floor, then stole one more kiss—making sure to keep it brief—before helping her clean up the mess he'd made in his haste to claim her the previous evening. Or whatever time it was.
The worst part about being stuck in the shrine was having no idea if it was day or night, but he didn't comment while gathering a pile of books to return to the desk.
As he set them down, Jada sucked in a quick breath, and he looked to see her standing with an open book clutched in her hands.
“What is it?”
Quickly, she turned a set of wide, violet eyes up at him. “There's something written in the curator's diary that's not in ancient draconian.”
Confused, Dalris joined her, looking over her shoulder to see a page near the center of the book with text written in … What the hell?
Across the paper were symbols he'd never seen before in his life, but he could read them as easily as he could read English, and whoever wrote the message refused to identify themselves.
I am not the curator of this shrine, but my identity is ultimately unimportant. So if you've found this message, I congratulate you on reassembling my key and discovering something I went to great pains to preserve. My only hope is that you're a draconian, or a friend of Draconia, as this shrine is a significant piece of their history they'll need to recover.
But how did it come to the state in which you've found it? That, my friend, is quite a long story, best summed up by saying that a tragedy befell the House of Rinora, one the gods themselves could not foresee.
Due to this lack of divine foresight, the pantheon intervened—Udana, Satora, Peros, and Velias all sent aide to correct a horrific oversight that played a hand in the downfall of House Rinora.
So I've written this with a magic encryption that will allow anyone to read it regardless of their mother tongue, and should you care to learn the truth, you must seek Rinora's lair, hidden safely away from the world in Ahm'Ra.
What was once a beautiful country is now a desolate wasteland. Yet, at its heart still lies a vast oasis, shielded by mountains under the cloak of the sky. I've marked the location on the map below, but be warned; Velias, the God of Magic himself, has placed this oasis and Rinora's lair under his protection, and those seeking to cause destruction shall never pass.
If you'd care to test your worth, take this book to the locked door beneath the sanctum stairwell. Inside is a treasure that must be protected and nurtured, but the seal can only be opened by the worthy who have read this message in full.
I sign this only because it is considered polite.
—Anonymous
Below the message was a map marking the location of Rinora's lair, and Dalris looked at Jada when she lifted her head and announced, “Karina was right, it's in The Wastelands!”
The Wastelands was the current name of the continent formerly known as Ahm'Ra, and he smiled. “Guess you owe her a refund for that bet.”
Jada grinned, returning her attention to the book before pointing out, “This message also adds weight to Papa's theory that Rinora's House was caught up in the Battle for Divinity because Ahm'Ra is the same place The Guardian destroyed. Still, I'm worried about the way it describes a tragedy the Gods didn't foresee. Do you think … ”
As she trailed, it became clear that something was troubling her when she turned her violet eyes up from the book and asked more softly, “Do you think this means Rinora's House went insane anyway? I mean it's possible for both to have happened, which means we—”
When her voice cracked, Dalris wasted no time pulling her into a tight embrace to offer comfort. But though her worry was distasteful, he also found a strange sense of contentment in realizing she was actually concerned about their future together.
This made it clear she cared a great deal about him, and he whispered against her ear, “Even if it's true, you know it doesn't change anything, las'ira.”
“I know, I just really want the clergy to be wrong about this.”
“They may still be,” he started, pinning her gaze when she looked back up. “For all we know, this message is only stating that the pantheon didn't foresee The Battle for Divinity coming, and has nothing to do with Rinora's House going insane.”
“That's true,” she concurred, “and I guess the only way to know for sure is to visit her lair. We just need to take this book to that door in the sanctum and find out if we're worthy. Unless … ”
Once more, her expression grew grim, and Dalris finished her sentence. “Unless the Archon is right, and this message is just a trick meant to unleash some dangerous force concealed inside.”
Groaning, Jada muttered, “Damn it, I was hoping you wouldn't say that.”
Sharing in her frustration, he let a low sigh. Things were already questionable without knowing the full truth over what happened two thousand years ago, but hearing both Menlor and the Archon allude to something dangerous being hidden in Rinora's temple put them in a precarious position.
Could something be sealed away behind that door that neither of them expected?
Dalris thought it over, but despite all that had happened, he truly didn't think so. When he'd located the door, he hadn't instinctively felt as if entering would be a bad idea, nor had the magic he'd sensed seemed malicious.
He also pointed out, “I won't say it's safe for certain, las'ira, but that door does possess a seal with the symbol of Velias, which the book mentions. Also, according to your grandfather, the Archon said Rinora's temple could be dangerous, not a shrine like this ruin turned out to be.”
In response to his suggestions, Jada looked much more optimistic, adding, “There could be an exit hidden behind that door, too. So the real question is do we stay and wait, or open it and see?”
All things considered, that wasn't an easy call to make. If they waited long enough, Novak could find them, though whether he'd ever get the main entryway open was another story entirely.
In contrast, the message left in the curator's diary suggested something that needed to be nurtured was locked away in that room—which could be good or bad.
So did they take the risk?
As Dalris mulled the possibilities over, Jada stepped back and looked down at the diary, qualifying, “You know, the more I consider it, the more I keep going back to how I'd trust the person who wrote this message faster than I'd ever trust Menlor. I also trust Papa more than the clergy. Like you said, they didn't know what this place is, they just assumed something might be dangerous.”
At that, she looked up with a remarkable amount of determination in her eyes, adding, “But the only thing we've encountered that's even remotely suspicious is this message. So I don't believe there's anything to fear, and I'm taking this book to the sanctum.”
Dalris couldn't suppress the smile that lifted the corners of his mouth, suggesting, “Seeing is believing, right?”
Jada grinned, excitedly leaning up to give him a quick kiss before stating, “Exactly!”
Locking her against his body before she could back away, he captured her lips for a more thorough kiss, slanting his mouth over hers until she sagged against him. There was no way of telling if she was right, or if they'd even locate an exit behind that doorway, but every instinct Dalris possessed said they needed to try.
And he certainly admired Jada's spirit.
So, once their kiss broke, he stated, “Then let's go find out if the God of Magic considers us worthy.”
CHAPTER 36
Jada never thought she'd be vying for the approval of a deity, but somehow, that was precisely where their journey had led.
She and Dalris wasted little time packing their things in case unlocking the sanctum door revealed a way out, then adjourned to the large chamber with the curator's diary in hand. There, they entered the archway beneath the stairs and stood before the sealed doorway where Jada took a deep, calming breath. Just remember, seeing is believing … .
Looking back at Dalris, she asked, “Ready?”
Standing right behind her with a light sphere in one hand while the other rested upon the hilt of his blade—just in case—he nodded. “Open it.”
At that, she returned her gaze to the door, then took the handle, gently tugging to pull it open with a firm grasp.
But nothing happened.
After a moment of waiting, they both exhaled, though Jada wasn't certain if she was relieved, or disappointed. Guess Velias doesn't think we're worthy after all.
Parting her lips to say so aloud, the words stuck in her throat when the deity's golden seal upon the door suddenly flashed—then slowly faded away.
Still clutching the handle, she exchanged a questioning look with Dalris, and finally gave the door another tug.
This time, it creaked opened.
With her brows arching above her eyes, Jada slowly pulled the door to, holding her breath in wait to see what might be revealed. Those moments had to be the most tense of her entire life, but what awaited them wasn't at all what she'd expected, even in the best case scenario.
“Dalris … ?”
“I'll be damned,” he drew out in both surprise, and amusement. “It's a rookery.”
Down a short flight of stairs before them was a limestone cavern with a low ceiling sporting stalactites hanging over a sandy floor. At the far side of the cavern was a wall possessing a second door sealed with another symbol of Velias—a way out?
It was likely, but most notably of all, over twenty golden eggs of differing sizes were partially buried in the sand at sporadic points across the room.
Jada watched her step on the way in—a difficult task when all she wanted to do was stare at their startling discovery. Yet her attention wasn't so compromised that Dalris' next comment fell on deaf ears.
“I don't sense the magic any longer. We've broken the hold.”
Initially, the news made her smile, but when she considered it more thoroughly, she nearly pointed out her confusion over what this magical hold had been placed upon—living creatures.
Normally, such magic could only be used on inanimate objects. Perhaps eggs qualified as such, but wouldn't the complex beings growing inside them prevent the hold from working?
Whatever the case, as she considered it, the sharp sound of a crunch echoed out in the cavern around them.
Jada immediately gasped, her heart nearly bursting with the fear that she'd just stepped on an egg. But the moment she turned her gaze down, she noticed one of them jolting just before the surface cracked.
“Some are hatching!” she exclaimed, looking to the opposite side of the cavern to realize that three eggs in all were now opening up.
It took several moments, but finally, one of the babies inside broke free—a golden wyvern with tiny spines and glistening wings who shrieked as it clawed its way into the world.
The creature was soon followed by a drake, and then another wyvern, all of them escaping their eggs with only a minor amount of struggle.
As they watched, Jada could barely contain her excitement in pointing out, “This is what the message meant about protecting a treasure! These babies will die without any parents to care for them.”
Dalris nodded in agreement as he knelt before one of the wyverns crawling toward him, mentioning, “And these guys are probably starving.”
“Oh! I'll be back!” she announced, quickly departing the rookery in order to gather the curated meats stored in the pantry.
Soon, she returned to find that the babies had all taken to Dalris with ease—the drake was sitting on his shoulder while the wyverns were clinging to his boots. But just as he'd suggested, they were eager to get their share of the meat Jada tore into tiny pieces, then laid on the ground for them.
Grinning brightly at their appetites, she remarked in awe, “They're so beautiful, but we can't leave them here. We don't know when the rest will hatch, either.”
“True,” Dalris concurred, “so the best idea is to open that door, learn where it leads, and if there's a way out, we'll take these guys with us and get help back as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can leave the meat here so the rest have something to eat if they hatch before anyone returns.”
At that, Dalris knelt and pulled the pallet from his pack, then used the dagger Novak gave him to cut three wide strips of cloth from it.
With the rags in hand, he waited until the babies were done with their meals, then wrapped each of them up to protect their sensitive wings and had Jada place them in his pack to carry. She couldn't help but grin at the sight of their tiny heads sticking out of the flap while tearing the rest of the meat into pieces to leave scattered near each egg, then accessed the second door.
As before, the symbol upon it disappeared when Jada placed her hand on the knob, and it opened to reveal a short tunnel that connected with a much larger cavern than the one they'd left behind.
But this one had a light filtering down from above, and as she searched for the source, Dalris suddenly pointed up and mentioned, “Look, there's an opening in the rock wall.”
Turning her gaze in that direction, she spied an exit about thirty feet up with a starry, nighttime sky visible beyond it. Finally, they'd located a way outside, and in approaching the rock wall, she asked, “Up for a climb? Because I don't see another exit.”
“Nor do
I,” he remarked, and located a good starting point near the bottom.
Donning her gloves, Jada took the ledges in hand to start her ascent up the wall—and wasn't at all oblivious to the way Dalris pushed her up by placing his hand on her ass.
Shaking her head with a smile, she continued on, listening as he started climbing behind her once there was room.
But when a few rocks tumbled to the ground followed by a quick damn it, she asked, “You okay?”
“Yeah, just having a hard time knowing where to move.”
“If you'd like, I can throw a rope down after I reach the top.”
“And miss this view of your perfect ass? I'll manage.”
“Oh goddess,” Jada groaned. “Is that why you're having trouble?”
“Of course.”
She tried to stifle her snickers if only to keep from encouraging him. But her response was interrupted when the babies in his pack squealed contentedly. Must be enjoying the ride.
The thought evoked a particular question she didn't hesitate to ask. “I didn't know baby wyverns and drakes couldn't fly right away. Do they have to learn how?”
“Not exactly. It just takes about a week or two for their wing's webbing to thicken enough to support their weight.”
“Oh,” she drew out, reaching for another ledge to hoist herself up when a worrisome thought occurred. “Wait, will it be safe to have them around Adravi?”
“He won't bother them, though he might get jealous if you show too much affection.”
Hearing this, she grinned, supposing discretion would be necessary if jealousy was an issue because she was already completely in love with the trio.
During her thoughts, Jada finally reached the top, grasping the ledge of the rock to find that it was sturdy enough to hoist herself up. So she grappled her way onto the ground with a grunt, then quickly turned to look down and see that Dalris was getting close.
Fated Fortunes Page 26
