Chapter 12 #2
She was stretching up towards him, and he leaned forward for her to gently kiss his cheek. He loved to listen to those rosy lips spew profanity and watch them curl into a smile. They were everything, if not more, than what he imagined them to be.
He stood upright while gazing at her as she smiled ear to ear. “So, I didn’t realize we were porting today. Will you be going to shore?”
“I need to take care of some business on board but will join you, maybe after you do your shopping.”
There was mock pain across her face, and he couldn’t help but laugh, “You think because I’m a woman, I’ll go shopping?”
“Itotaki is a heavy shopping port of the group of Islands, where you could likely find anything. I imagine everyone on board will go shopping. Man and woman alike.”
“I’m still going to take offense to that,” she crossed her arms under her chest and pouted.
“I’ll make it up to you,” he said, brushing his arm against hers and leaning out over the railing, “or we can have a little fun.”
A bright, eager smile crossed her lips, “I like the sound of that. Can I have both?”
A rumbling laugh rolled from his chest, “Greedy, hmm?” he watched her grin and nod, “Sure, I’ll make it up to you. But for fun, let’s have a little bet.”
“Oh yes, what is the bet, and what are the winnings?”
“I bet you won’t come back to this ship empty-handed,” the way her mouth dropped immediately had him grinning just as wide as she had been moments ago, “and if I win, then you will let me win in chess while the entire crew watches.”
The pain immediately ripped through his arm and surprised him, sending a resounding ‘ouch’ echoing down the ship.
“That’s rude,” she was squared up again, ready to punch him, when his hand came up and caught it. He pulled her to him, keeping her hand outstretched and watching for the other.
“So violent,” watching her bite down on her lip, he had to take a deep breath to stifle his natural body’s reactions to his attraction to her. Holy fuck, he cursed to himself. How could that simple action make him feel such a need that he would risk it all for this woman?
“Not that I think you’ll win,” he cleared his throat and spun her out, watching as she steadied herself and quickly turned back to him, “but what would you like if you win?”
“You underestimate me, Jayce Latimer.”
“Never,” he said confidently.
She must have seen his reaction to her biting her lip just moments before because she was about to do it again, but physically diverted to instead licking them, which was no better than the bite.
“I’d like a shoulder massage,” He would give her that without having to win, and now he hoped that she did, “in front of Zephyra and Tillin. Who both seem to have a thing for you.”
He narrowed his eyes and leaned towards her, “Do I sense… some jealousy?”
Anticipating the hand, he grabbed her wrist as she tried to slap him. “No!” Her voice was ill-confident, but he’d let it slide. “I don’t do jealousy. But for whatever reason, both of them seem to hate my guts. So, just a little bit of a bite back without throwing them overboard.”
“It’s because you are beautiful,” he confessed, and the shade of red she was turning made his heart skip a beat, “Sirens deal only in beauty, and Tillin finds yours to be given incorrectly to a human. While Zephyra, who has always felt she was the most beautiful on this ship, finds you a threat to that status.”
“That crown goes to Alyse,” she said sheepishly.
“I completely disagree,” He released her hand and slid his thumb gently across her cheek.
“Okay, okay!” Making her flustered would become his favorite activity. “Do we have a deal?”
“You have yourself a deal, beautiful.”
As if on cue, the crew emerged from below deck and swooped Azahara away from him. Not that he would have fought for possession. He needed to quickly finish his business and reorient himself before returning to her anyways.
Watching her stroll down the deck, he leaned against the railing, the corner of his lip tugged upward. She was turning her head to look back at him, and the notion that she was looking for him brought him pure, unfiltered joy.
Get yourself together, by the Mother, he scolded himself. He gave her a wave, and moved straight towards her room.
“First things first,” he said, peering around before slipping inside.
The smell of her hit him immediately, and he took a deep breath to soak it in.
His eyes, the traitorous things they were, immediately soaked in her bed.
He hated his restraint and the thought he could have been entangled in there with her all night.
It was for her; that was what he needed to continue reminding himself.
Karver, opening the winnox, he called out to his distant friend, are you in a good place to speak?
“Brother,” he nearly instantly heard Karver come through his window, speaking directly to him. “It is good to hear from you.”
Same to you, how are you?
“Oh, you know, taking care of this shit King of yours. How’s your girl?” Karver didn’t even bother to ask how he was doing, which was rude. “You better be caring for her, or so help me.”
Overprotective as always of her, and here I am, the overbearing one.
He groaned outwardly and shook his head.
Honestly, I don’t know how to answer that.
She’s okay, at best. There is more going on than I could have imagined.
However, I did figure out why she doesn’t age…
I nearly destroyed the fucking ship, Karver.
While he went straight into the story of Goddrick and her curse, he was roaming around her room, picking up and looking at items that either belonged to her or didn’t.
From the photo, torn and mangled, of her at the Idle Fox five years before, to a scorched but intact patch.
Everything had her scent, and it made concentrating difficult.
Karver kept quiet for the most part, except when he got to the part about her dreams; that was when he lost it.
“That piece of shit, and here I thought the King and the Elder were her biggest problem. Have you located him?”
I’ve tried; any chance I can get. I’m moving through portal after portal to get a sense of his possible location. He isn’t anywhere on this plane that I can find. I also don’t want to leave her for too long. I’m really worried about her.
“I know, brother, I am too. The battle was a mess. Thall was a means for Jaakobai to get closer to the King and gain his father’s Magic.”
Has he returned since my departure? Jayce moved to the bed and sat down, feeling the comfort below him and knowing this was where she struggled the most.
“Yes, only to look for updates from you. The King has been impatient.”
He can lick my boot.
“As he should, but it’s getting difficult to cover for you.”
I know, a raven should be arriving today. It will inform him that we hit rough seas and had to redirect course. I indicated I was still determining our path but would update at the next port.
“Did you include any details about your girl?”
I did. Nothing of importance other than she hasn’t been attempting to learn or use her powers. Which isn’t necessarily false, but it holds no value.
“Do you know why she’s going to Ilkiz?”
Not entirely, but it isn’t to become the next Rah.
“We both knew that already.” His voice was turning irritable, which Jayce understood.
It doesn’t make it any easier. I should have killed them in that room and ended that part of her torment. He looked at his hand, a deep purple engulfing it.
“Jayce, relax. Don’t be rash. You would have started a War with three of the four major powers.”
For her, it would have been worth it. Jayce’s tone was not to be challenged, even if Karver did attempt to.
“No, it wouldn’t. Then you would be on the run, and they would still be after her. Think with your head, not with that damn soul of yours.”
Karver—don’t talk about my soul like you have any idea what it has been through.
“I can’t imagine. However, if you want yours to survive and to find hers, be in the now.”
He took a deep breath, settling himself. I want you to send me Sunrise, please.
“Coming your way,” He had no hesitation. While Karver was annoying to his own fault, he truly cared about both him and Azahara.
To his left, a wether portal opened, and flying through was a sword covered in a black matte sheath. Got it, thank you.
“Are you going to tell her?”
Soon. Holding the hilt, he pulled out the high-carbon steel blade he gifted her before the Battle of Sunfall. With an adored blue sapphire at its grip, it was a work of art, like she was.
There was silence, and in that time, he placed the sword near her bed, propped up at the base of the headboard. I need to get going. I’ve got to get another raven out before catching up with my girl.
“Keep me posted. We just got your first raven; the King is calling us to the war room. Talk later, brother. May the Mother protect you both.”
For the Mother. Bye, Karver.
Closing the winnox tight, Jayce took one last look around the room to ensure everything was back in place and exited. He needed to hurry and get the raven out and find her. Talking about all the bad things that happened to her made his stomach turn, and the need to be with her that much stronger.
As he rushed down the dock, his eyes laser-focused towards the shops close to the port. There was no mistaking the curly red hair that stuck out like a sore thumb.
It only took him a moment to see that something was wrong. The crowd around her was parting, and she was backing away from something, or someone.
Every inch of him went into fight mode. Just as he was opening a portal to get to her, he heard her scream.
No… Not again…
And then came the explosion that rocked the port town, destroying everything within the vicinity of where she was standing. The sheer force of it sent a shockwave blast, sending him crashing into the side of the ship and straight into the water below.