Chapter 18 #2
Returning to that moment, after being thrust out of the portal, she was assaulted by the sun.
It blinded her, but that wasn’t enough to keep her from running.
Feeling the sand between her toes, and the feeling of fresh air hitting her skin, it made her open her eyes.
While she couldn’t see anything, it was not Goddrick; that was all that mattered.
Then she heard him call to her Aza…
“That I had to be the luckiest person,” she looked down at the ground, but almost immediately, Jayce lifted her head and turned her gaze out to sea.
Sealife leaped from the waves, splashing and sending sparkles through the air.
“That you were there, and you hadn’t forgotten about me. That I hadn’t lost you too...”
Jayce let out a soft laugh, not out of humor that she had said something funny, “How could anyone forget you?”
“That is your takeaway?” She, too, laughed softly. It felt good; her chest seemed to loosen, and her heart fell back into a steady rhythm.
As he came to a halt, she mirrored his action.
Gently, he placed his hands on her shoulders and guided her to face the sea that stretched out as far as the eye could see, its vibrant life dancing in perfect harmony with the ship.
Standing behind her, he enveloped her with his arms, aligning his gaze with hers.
He maintained a respectful distance, leaving a few inches between them, granting her a sense of freedom, unencumbered by any restraint.
“You won’t lose me,” he said, placing his chin against the top of her head.
“Kaed once said that to me,” she felt that familiar sting in her eyes, “he actually said that to me so many times, and yet, here we are.”
She felt Jayce nod and began to move when her hand rested on his. “Don’t go, I didn’t mean it that way...”
“I’m not going anywhere, your hair is in my mouth.” She wasn’t sure why, but that made her let out a full laugh. His hand slipped from hers, grazing down her head and moving it back quickly, but this time over hers. “That’s better, it’s not as delicious as it looks.”
They shared a chuckle, and she leaned back slightly, signaling her invitation. He gladly accepted, moving closer to her. Together, they leaned forward, aligning their heads side by side, each supported by one of their arms.
“Kaed meant what he said because I can’t imagine someone loving you as hard as he did and not meaning it.
” He watched her, ensuring she was okay with talking about him.
She turned to him and nodded, wanting to hear it.
“Karver told me how much love you both had for each other. That you both would have sacrificed the world for one another, he would not have left you willingly. No one would.”
She felt a pain in her chest, and Jayce wrapped both arms around her, “If I were Kaed, I would not want you thinking I left you on purpose. I would want you to know I fought like hell to come home to you because you were the priority, above all else.”
Looking at him then, he had a genuine smile, and while she felt the sorrow of losing Kaed all over again hit her like the waves against the ship, she returned one to him. “Thank you.”
He nodded and placed a gentle, quick kiss on her temple. “Anything for you.”
They stood there for some time, his arms keeping her cocooned and safe.
There would be no stronger force to take her when he was around, and she truly felt that now.
This was the safety she felt behind her wards before Jaakobai ruined that for her.
She wasn’t sure what Jayce would be to her at the end of all of this.
She just knew that she wanted him to be there until the end.
She didn’t know if she could give him what she gave Kaed, especially after everything that transpired with Goddrick. If there was enough love for her to give to him and Kaed because even in the end, her heart still had a place with him. For now though, she would do her best not to overthink it.
Jayce was here, and they were closing in on Ilkiz. That would be another chapter she would struggle to overcome because what was she even looking for? She had no idea what to do once they ported into the abandoned Ilkiz.
At that point, she would be drawing a line blindly, and without thinking, she sighed out loud in frustration.
“Do you want to go back inside?” Jayce leaned back from her, and she shrugged her shoulders. “This was an amazing first step, Aza.”
“I know,” she turned from the sea and looked up at him, worry in her expression, “I’m just not sure what to expect in Ilkiz, and I’m, of course, overthinking it.” She watched his shoulders rise and fall with his soft laughter. He made her smile.
“The overthinker, and the overbearing one; I couldn’t write it better myself.” His arm snaked over her shoulders and pulled her back into step. “Let’s start off with the easiest question, what do you want from going to Ilkiz.”
Placing her head into the crook of his arm, she walked in stride with him, “Power.” She felt his thumb rub gently against her arm.
“Good, so now, how do you get it?”
“That is the thing, I don’t know—” While she had been so confident in her decision to go to Ilkiz, she never thought about what to do when she stepped foot onto it. In the darkest part of her mind, she wondered if she felt that she would never make it there.
“I think you’ll find answers to what you’re seeking at Ilkiz’s Tomb.” He said it so matter of fact that she didn’t even react at first. When it registered, she leaned her head up and stared at him. “What, you think I wouldn’t have done my research?
She narrowed her eyes, “And you are just now sharing it with me?”
“Uh oh,” he was beginning to slip away from her, but she pulled him back with force, “Don’t hurt me. I’m fragile.” He let out a gentle yelp when she pinched his side, his weak excuse of a plea not working on her.
“Tell me, Commander, or else.”
Only when she heard Xol laugh did she remember that she had been following them this entire time. It seemed as though Jayce had also forgotten and turned to give the ‘don’t test me’ look.
“Be nice.” She whispered, placing her fingers again at his side.
“I know, I’m sorry.” He pulled her closer and grabbed her hand for safe measure. “Many texts regarding Ilkiz have either been destroyed or locked away. They truly feared Dragons and felt that keeping their history would somehow bring them back.”
“Could they?” She cut in, “Come back?”
Jayce took a deep breath, his fingers playing with hers before interlocking them, “I’m not sure.
When a rogue Spirit Rider killed the King that ruled, which set off the War, there were thousands of them.
They were gentle, unless provoked. They were a symbol of Power but utilized for keeping the Realm safe.
It was Ilkiz’s call, and they had been peaceful for nearly four thousand years.
“When Kuraiō, the Spirit Rider, was captured, he claimed his innocence. The problem was, thousands saw him riding Zuru, and destroying the Kings Keep. Or so says the written text. Ilkiz didn’t want War, but she didn’t want to see her kin and their Spirit Riders perish.
So, she made the ultimate choice to wage War with the mortal realms.” Not only did Jayce sigh, so did Xol, “We all know what happened in the end.”
She felt Ilkiz’s pain, she never wanted to fight either. All she ever wanted was to live in peace, to have her own life that belonged to her. “I can’t believe that mere mortals could even win in a battle against Dragons.”
Jayce let out a huff, “It’s because the gods got involved, again, says the texts. These are all accounts likely rewritten over, and over, so take from them what you will.”
Her lips pressed together, “Did the Fae fight with them?”
“They tried to stay neutral, at least in the beginning they did. They ultimately sided with the mortal realm.”
“I see.” She wondered if Helio had been a part of that, and—
“Getting back to what you need,” Jayce cut in before she could get the thought out, “Ilkiz’s Tomb, it maybe the best place to start. Maybe there are books written by Rah himself, or even her Spirit Riders, that could help.”
She nodded, “We will start there then, and Jayce?”
He looked down just as she looked up, “I need you to promise me something, and I’m so fucking serious.” She wasn’t sure why, but whenever she used profanity, he fought the biggest smile. Like it was funny to him.
“I already know what you are going to say, so I promise.” They came to a stop, right at her room.
“I’m still going to say it, so there are no misunderstandings,” Turning to him she felt his hand coming up to rest at the side of her neck.
“Do not, and I repeat, do anything stupid to get hurt. Don’t be a hero.
Don’t die—” Tears had fallen so quickly, she hadn’t even felt the heat in her eyes, nor the all too familiar stinging sensation that crossed over both cheeks.
Jayce was leaning in, his forehead pressing against hers, “I will never leave you. Ever. You are stuck with me. Until you no longer want me here.”
“Ugh—”
“Xol, I swear to the Mother.” Jayce straightened his back and glared at Xol.
They were about to start bantering, and honestly, she didn’t want to stop them. This was the normal she wanted, not the inevitable depression that would come with her lying back in bed. Even if she felt exhausted, seeing the two of them about to go at each other’s throat, brought her back to life.
Her eyes slipped from Xol to Jayce, I’ll never be able to thank you enough, and I trust you. I trust that when the time comes, we will be ready.