Chapter 16
Jah’ruud
I dissipate and call a little breeze to make Yalina think I have left her and regret it almost instantly.
The tears in her eyes cause a physical reaction in me, one that makes me want to give myself a shape again to take her in my arms and hold her until the tears are banished.
I cannot let myself feel these things. Every time I allow her to gaze at me longingly, every moment I stand close and inhale her rich scent, is danger.
It is another moment closer to losing myself to her pull entirely.
As it is, it takes me far too long to drag myself away.
I’ve already done enough harm, though.
Unwillingly, I drag myself back to Kaelun’s guest suite and stuff myself into the metal prison of the lamp.
“Jah’ruud? Is that you?”
I do not move. I will not until I’m commanded. Instead I sulk like a child.
He paces the room. Then he goes to the door and looks outside.
Apparently seeing nothing, he returns to the room and goes to the lamp, holding it up to his eye.
The brush of his hand over the metal is enough to force me out into the air, and I materialize with a huff of irritation. “What is it you want?”
He turns and almost drops the lamp. “Oh, you are here! Did you do it? Did you see her?”
“I did.”
“Well, come on, what did you learn?”
I regard him suspiciously. “She is miserable,” I say eventually. If he has any decency in him he will care.
To my satisfaction, his face falls. “Because of me?”
“You and the situation she is in. She feels she must choose now between you and the dragon, and she does not know who to trust.”
“That’s easy! She can trust me.”
“Can she?”
“Yes!” He scrubs a hand over his face, turning and pacing to the window. “Of course she can. I’ll prove it to her.”
“You will have to. She is going to make you compete against Aurelion to win her hand.”
His expression is horrified. “Compete with a dragon? Good thing I have you, though I can’t say you’ve been much help to me yet.”
I scoff. “I got you here, didn’t I? You will get your wish. The dragon will see himself out if you just tell her who you really are.”
“You know I can’t do that.” He lets out a long exhale. “Gods, I’m going to get scorched.”
“Use your shadows to smother his flame.”
He blinks. “My what?”
I stare at him. Does he not know? “Your shadows, darkling. Call them. Use them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I laugh. “You have to be joking! How do you think you got in and out of a buried city alive? Where do you think you got the magic to summon me from my prison?”
“Wait, slow down. Magic? You’re saying I’m magic? You need to explain.”
“I could do that…for a wish.”
He groans. “You are just impossible. I think I would be better off on my own.”
“Then set me free and lose her favor on your own!” I growl. I’m so annoyed my legs dissipate into smoke, and it swirls around me as I hover in front of him.
Kaelun throws up his hands. “OK, I know, alright? I get it. You didn’t choose this. I know.”
“You do not know. How could you?”
“Because I’m not a complete bastard—well, I mean I probably am. I have no idea who my father was, but I’m not awful. OK? I have a heart.”
I glare at him. I do not know what point he is trying to prove.
“Look, no promises, because there are no guarantees in life, right? But if she picks me, if I win her and still have a wish left, I’ll use it to free you.”
“She is not a trophy to be won.”
He brushes off my grouchy remark with a swipe of his hand. “You’re welcome. Now play nicely. Tell me everything.”
“So that’s what this is? A promise to win me over to make sure I help you?”
“No! Believe me or don’t. I don’t care. I’ll do it if I can.”
I sigh. “It is fine. You must look after yourself. As you say. There are no guarantees.” Despite myself, I soften a little, though.
I cannot tell him everything about my interaction with Yalina, but I sift through my memory, searching for a detail I might share.
“There is a balcony off her room. I could help you get in to see her.”
“A balcony! That’s perfect. Do you think I should go see her?”
I consider. “No. Not tonight. She is too upset. I think you need to do something to soften her heart first. Since you won’t tell her the truth.”
He sinks onto a sofa and flops onto his back with a sigh. “She’d soften fast enough if I could just eat her pussy.”
I roll my eyes, but if I’m honest, I have been thinking of exactly that since I caught the scent of her arousal, so I can hardly blame him. He has tasted the forbidden fruit! Of course he can think of nothing else.
I like the way Kaelun asks for my advice. It has been a long time since my advice has been valued. “Follow her lead. If you prove to her you can allow her to be herself, that is the way to win her over.”
“It can’t be that simple. She’s solha. I should be giving her expensive gifts. Making grand gestures.”
He still has so much to learn. I wonder if he will do it in time. I shake my head. “You think if she wants fancy things she could not have them made or procured for her? As you say, she is solha. What she wants is honesty.”
He just scoffs. “Honesty is overrated. White lies make the world go around. She wouldn’t like my truth. No offense, but I’ll stick to my plan. I just need a big enough gift. A horse? A barge?” He snaps his fingers. “I’ve got it. Let’s get her a new falcon.”
I eye him skeptically.
“What? She loves those birds. You didn’t see her yesterday. Now can you do it?”
“Yes.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do. Can you have it ready for tomorrow morning?”
I sigh. “Your wish is my command.”