Chapter 8 #2
“You screamed a lot, but that was the name you said ‘no’ to. So, who is Goddrick?” His anger was palpable. He remained eerily still in his chair, devoid of visible signs of agitation. There was no need for shouting, wild gesticulations, or loud outbursts.
Her chest tightened, “It doesn’t matter who he is.”
Jayce narrowed his eyes, “It does.” The pure rage radiating off of him would consume the space around them.
Steading herself, she straightened her shoulders and placed another strawberry into her mouth. She was buying herself some time, and he knew it.
“Azahara.”
Every time he said her name, it wasn’t just her ears that heard it. Every part of her felt it. Why are you here, Jayce?
When she swallowed, he moved his hand from his face, taking another berry and putting it into his mouth.
“He’s a piece of shit.” That wouldn’t be enough for him, and she wanted to redirect the conversation elsewhere. “These are good strawberries; how do they keep—”
The sound of the chair sliding against the wooden floor caused her to pause well before Jayce stood before her, towering over her. Her heart was in her throat, and she couldn’t swallow it. He didn’t scare her, or did he?
“I will give you everything within my power and more if you tell me who he is. I will jump from this damned ship, Azahara, if that is what you wish.”
I don’t want that… A huff of air released from her lips as they parted.
Her life began to spiral when she told Kaed who had taken her life away from her. Was this the beginning of the downward spiral of Jayce’s life?
Would she be damning him the same way as she did to Kaed?
Her jaw trembled as if she were cold, trying to find the strength to do what was right.
You have to lie to him, and this time, be better at it than ever.
Save him from your darkness, no matter what it takes.
“Someone from my past. He enjoyed torturing me for fun.” She took a deep breath and continued, “What I dreamt was him attempting to drown me. The other night’s events must have triggered it. ”
He closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring as he breathed deeply through them.
She dropped her head, and he was so close that her forehead pressed against his chest. Her own breaths quickened the moment she felt his heart and its rapid beat. Never before had she heard a heart race as fast as his. It wasn’t human—there was no possible way. He should be dead.
His hand was then gently pressing against the back of her head. His fingers laced between the strands of her hair as he held her to him.
“I’m sorry,” she felt his chest rise.
“For being overbearing? Or…” She wanted to lighten the mood. What was he going to do, go out and find Goddrick? It made her want to laugh, but she knew it wasn’t the right time.
“For not being there.” He didn’t falter from his current demeanor.
She leaned back and stared at him, “I don’t—” pausing to search for the right words, “think that would have been possible if you didn’t know me.”
“Then I’m sorry for not knowing you sooner so I could have protected you.”
“That is very knight-y of you,” she stepped around him, “I appreciate the sentiment… I really need to get those nightmares under control; how embarrassing.” Her hand was on another strawberry when she felt his arms coming around her. “Jayce—”
He pulled her to him with one arm across her chest at her collarbone, and the other snaking around her waist.
She dropped the strawberry that was in her hand. “What are you—”
“Can you tell me something to calm me down?” His tone was low and grumbly, and the heat radiating off him threatened to burn this ship to ash.
Azahara had no idea what to tell him, and with every second wasted, his grip on her was tightening, creating a fog in her brain.
“I’m from the North,” she began talking about the only thing that she knew for certain. “My name; you said it was unique, and that is because it is. The way you say it, Azahara, with the ‘z’ pronounced, it’s wrong.”
He was beginning to loosen his grip but was far from letting her go.
“You pronounce it with a ‘th’ instead of a ‘z’, and you roll the r at the end. Like A-tha-ha-rr-a.” She swallowed, “My name is Azahara Starfall, and I prefer the Moon over the Sun because it’s far calmer.
My favorite color is green. I enjoy writing, especially when it is to tell a certain Commander they are bad at dancing.
” Her accent was soft and had an omission of certain consonant sounds.
Her vowels were elongated, and she rolled the r’s in her words, which was the prominent feature of her vibrant speech.
His grip began to slowly release, and it was then that she realized both of her hands were gripping his arm.
“Thank you,” his words a mere whisper in her ear, “Azahara.” He said her name correctly, and it made her smile.
“You can keep the z—” She leaned back against his chest, “I’ve come to prefer it that way.”
A rumbling chuckle vibrated against her back, “As you wish.”
After another second, he leaned back and let her go.
Not that there wasn’t a single good thing to say about Jayce, but the one thing she could say for sure was he didn’t make things awkward. Once he had released her, he returned to enjoying the strawberries at the table. He was much more relaxed, and they sat silently until the basket was empty.
It was strangely calming. It was probably the calmest and safest she’d felt in a long time.
She realized she couldn’t leave him at the port in Celadon.
Despite any ulterior motives he might have had for being with her, she felt deep down that she could convince him to stay on her side.
Even without being an Elf, she could see the truth in his emotions.
Some part of him, whether large or small, did care for her.
It just begged the question, why? It wasn’t as though they had known one another long. They hadn’t spent that much time together.
She was determined to understand why he cared about her so much that he would defy or leave the King. As well as figuring out how to stop the incessant nightmares of Goddrick. While getting to Ilkiz to try and control whatever powers she had inside her.
The most important one of all: heal from losing Kaed.
She had a long road ahead of her.