Chapter 24 #2
“Nothing just remembered something, that is all.” She was slipping the straps of her dress off her shoulders when he turned away, looking at the walls.
“Can I be let in on the memory?” She pressed, and he heard the dress hit the floor with a resounding thump.
Looking at nothing in particular, Jayce’s eyes wandered the circular room, “How this place reminds me of home.”
“You haven’t told me where you’re from, now that you mention it.” He could hear her rummaging through her things and would wait for her cue that she was dressed before looking at her.
“South of Avlyrra, near So’ol.”
“Such a beautiful place,” she commented, “but I’d rather never see it ever again.” He heard the frustration in her tone and then shuffling. “Okay, I’m dressed, thank you.”
He already knew why, but still asked, “Why don’t you like So’ol?
” When he caught sight of her, his knees almost gave out.
The green silk shirt and matching shorts were beautiful on her, and when she stretched her arms over her head to pull her hair into a bun, he saw her belly button.
The thin straps gave him a view of her perfect shoulders that were curved and called for him to kiss.
By the Mother, the things you do to me.
With a resounding sigh, she pulled at the bun and crossed the room, “I won’t peek; you can change.” He couldn’t help but turn to see her backside as she stood looking out the singular window, cracking it open to let some of the crisp outdoor air in. “Fae captured me there and brought me to Howl.”
Turning away from her to get ready, he sighed.
He wasn’t aware of the circumstances of how she had arrived in Howl, but when he felt her presence there, it sent him into a frenzy.
It was the one place in the entire world that he could not go, at least not physically.
He had a connection with a prisoner, an old friend who reached out to him.
Thankful that he had placed Magic in her the night they danced at the Idle Fox.
His friend, who technically would be the Sam in her life, felt its presence.
“Why…” he was angry, which translated into his tone.
“You don’t need to worry about it, really,” He would worry about it.
“It was a misunderstanding. At least I learned of Jaakobai’s true intentions with me.
What he really wanted, which is why I know for a fact that Thall was all a distraction.
A means to begin some plan to either reshape the world as we know it, or simply take-over ruling the realms.
“You know, now that I say it out loud, I guess I didn’t learn too much. What a waste…”
He quickly took his shirt and pants off and slipped into loose-fitted pants and a shirt when he saw her looking at him. “You peeked.” he said, tying the loop on his pants.
“Thought you could tell when I was lying,” she countered, crossing the room to the bed.
“It was where I met Sam; since then, he’s been around to save me.
I don’t think I deserve him, truthfully.
I’m sure he will get tired of having to step in and protect me at some point.
” Her fingers were running along the sheets of the bed.
“If it hadn’t been for him, I would just have been a slave to another tyrant.
I would have been curious to see what Goddrick would have done.
Since Jaakobai was ready to risk it all and make me his.
” She was mocking him by waving her other hand near her face and implementing a jester tone into her words.
While he knew the outcome, it still pissed him off, “I’ll kill him too.”
“Good,” she tore back the blanket and closed her eyes, apparent frustration lining her crunkled nose, “Anyone who has ever touched me without my permission has or will die.”
“He—”
“He didn’t get the chance.” He was prepared to release every Yuul unto him if he had, “Though, honestly, he seemed more interested in hurting me mentally than physically. Which, I guess, is better…” As she sat down on the bed, he crossed the room to blow out the single candle and moved back to join her.
She rubbed at her eyes, “I think I’m tired; I’m talking crazy—”
“You aren’t crazy, don’t ever think that Aza.” I’m going to enjoy killing that fake Elder, he slipped under the sheets beside her. The bed was not meant for two people, so immediately, he turned to his side. She was there, mirroring him, but to his surprise she put her back to him.
“Is this okay?”
“Are you asking for my permission to lay a certain way?”
She chuckled, “I guess so.” He pulled her to him, her head rested against his bicep, and he wrapped it around her chest, just below her chin. The other lay across her stomach, his grip sandwiched between her hip and the bed.
His head rested behind hers, and he felt her heart racing against his arm. Not that he didn’t hear it already, it was pounding against her chest hard enough.
“I do feel crazy sometimes,” she whispered, nuzzling her head against his arm.
“Which I guess is better than feeling nothing at all. I just want in the end of all of this, to not hurt, whether that’s in this world or not.
” What ached him the most was knowing that she would choose death to get away from the pain.
She had made it abundantly clear that she would join her love in the afterlife if it meant being free of her suffering.
If she were to go, he would as well. He would separate himself from his wings and depart from this realm to be with her in the next. If that were what she truly decided in the end, nothing would stop him from going. He had lived long enough without her.
“I’ll help you to find that freedom.” His head tucked into her neck, and she relaxed more into him. “To the end, no matter what.”
“To a new beginning, that sounds happier.” Her voice was low, and he knew she was slipping into a slumber.
“Then, to a new beginning, my sweet girl.”