Chapter 30
“Y
ou are lying!” Her shriek came out a bit louder than she had wanted, “You are telling me you were born with it?”
The hearty laughter from Akua filled her with joy, but also concern.
Was what she said really that funny? Hopefully, he didn’t find her accusation of him lying to her hurtful.
She had even jumped out of her seat at his proclamation and slowly resettled herself in the lounger that sat adjacent to him.
“Yes, Azahara, all descendants that are blessed with the Spirits, are born with them already attached.” His gaze was hard focused on her, never once taking his eyes from her, “Why is that so hard to believe?”
Inhaling deeply, she released a heavy sigh, leaning her elbow onto the armrest and cradling her chin in her palm. “It just feels off, you know? It’s like you’re not given a choice about becoming a Spirit Rider.”
Another chuckle resounded from him as he responded, “We don’t have to answer the call, or rather, receive our marks. While we have connections to our dragon’s spirit, if we don’t receive their mark, we don’t complete the bond.”
She remembered the marking on her back and glanced over her shoulder.
Not that she could see it, she wore a dress that covered her completely, from neck all the way down to her ankles.
After being naked in front of Rah, and then slapped with scales around her private areas as if that did anything, skin was the last thing she wanted to show off.
“I’m not talking about your Connection,” he continued, “I’m talking about the one on your palm.”
Opening her hands and looking down, she could see the yellow lines that created two separate symbols.
Neither of them meant anything to her, and if she had to describe them in any way, she’d say one looked like an “L” with lines through it, and the other, a “T” with the same sort of scribble.
They were interesting, to say the least.
“May I?” He was leaning towards her, and she nodded.
When he leaned in, she outstretched her hands to him. “Ah, I should have figured.”
“What?” she quickly asked.
“I bear only one symbol, while my sister carries the other.” He extended his palm, revealing a symbol distinct from hers – an “A” embellished with tails on every point.
Closing his hand and gently placing his fingers over her symbols, he explained, “These are Ilkiz’s portals to this realm, manifested through you.
” Tracing a line up her wrist and pressing onto her veins, he continued, “It courses upward, connecting to wherever your Spirit resides within you. My conjecture is, it’s likely nestled within your heart. ”
“He doesn’t need to touch you for this story, little one,” Ilkiz hissed.
Azahara slowly pulled her hands away and placed them in her lap. “What do they say, the symbols, that is?”
Leaning back and casually crossing his legs, Akua remarked, “Mine stands for Acquiescence.” Her assumption for that would be subdued demeanor, yet evident readiness to take action.
“Oh, so they are letters.”
“Not necessarily. Kaen’s is a swirl, with a line through it. I attributed it to her crazy personality, but don’t tell her I said that.” He winked.
It elicited a chuckle from her, and she nodded. “Noted.”
“If I may be so bold,” his almond-shaped eyes slanted at her, revealing a depth of insight, “Considering your history with time—” it seemed that in her absence, the crew had divulged more about her than she had anticipated, “one of them symbolizes that. As for the other, I would venture to guess it possibly represents love, or even, beauty.”
Her eyebrows furrowed, but before she could voice her thoughts, Ilkiz interjected, “He has been diligently studying. It doesn’t excuse his insufferable flirting, but he is accurate.
” The shift from irritation to surprise was swift enough to bring a wide smile to Akua’s face.
“Your markings indeed signify time and beauty.”
Ilkiz had advised Azahara to engage with a Spirit Rider to gain insights into their experiences and knowledge, given her newfound Power.
The caution about not depending too heavily on Ilkiz for historical information lingered in her thoughts.
She had been warned that inadvertent revelations from before the Reshaping could potentially fry her brain.
Azahara emitted a soft groan and nodded, “You’ve hit the nail on the head.”
Akua seemed proud of himself, and ran his fingers through his silky black hair, tossing it over to one side. “I didn’t spend so many years in the Academy for nothing.”
She noticed his gaze trailing over her shoulders, and curiosity got the better of her, prompting a daring glance.
It was Jayce who held his attention, casually propped against a post, absentmindedly dismantling a leaf.
Despite her request for a private conversation with Akua, she had offered him the choice to linger nearby, a choice he willingly accepted.
After their kiss, Xol, Akua, and Kaen swarmed around them, practically pulling her back to the village in a flurry of excitement.
Xol had covered her after prying her from Jayce’s arms, scolding him for being a weak male and not being decent.
With the irony of it all, she couldn’t help the laugh that had been brought to her lips.
The festivities were confirmed for today, a celebration marking the union between a new Spirit Rider and their Dragon.
It wasn’t exactly a tradition for an outsider to undergo such a ceremony, let alone the ensuing celebration.
Her markings were already a part of her, eliminating the need for the customary process.
The revelry would extend over the next week, honoring Ilkiz and, by extension, Azahara.
Her attempts to protest the attention conferred on her were met with resistance, especially from Kaen, who bluntly advised her not to be selfish.
The celebration, she clarified, wasn’t solely for Azahara but for the people.
Ilkiz, in stark contrast to Azahara, reveled in the anticipation of being celebrated, showcasing their striking differences in their appetite for attention.
“Is there anything else you’d like to know about us?” Akua redirected her attention back to him, sensing her momentary distraction while she was lost gazing at Jayce, momentarily forgetting her surroundings.
“Hmm?” Slipping back into her seat, she looked at him, “Oh—sorry. Do you have a, what did you call it, Connection mark?”
“It’s just simply called the Connection and we don’t have them.” Her eyes widened. “The mark, it is specific to those that are blessed by Ilkiz, and her alone. The Connection is not meant for the two of you, but for those that look upon you.
“Your kind has held many titles, but the Keeper has always held true to its name. The Keeper holds the balance in their hands for what will be the future of this world. When the people look upon you, as they will, what they see matters. The Connection was created for people to see themselves in you. While not everyone is as beautiful, or as short—” she narrowed her gaze, “or as smart, or strong, as you, they will see something of themselves when they see the Connection.”
She shifted her gaze away, focusing on her fingers as they idly picked at her nails. With a slight groan, she mused, “That sounds like a lot of attention I really don’t want.”
Akua sighed, “Even without seeking it, their eyes would find you. Whether you desire it or not, you’ve stepped into the light, and their gazes will follow.”
She closed her eyes, acknowledging how right he was.
Ignorance wasn’t an option when it came to her appearance, and although attractiveness naturally drew stares, now, with this newfound power, the looks directed her way would carry a different weight.
Witch. Whore. Succubus. Seductress. Manipulator.
These were the labels she braced herself to confront in the inevitable conflicts that lay ahead.
“You should live here, when everything is said and done.” Akua suggested, gently pulling her from her contemplative thoughts.
“Why?”
“You would truly belong here. We would embrace you, and treat you as one of our own,” he expressed with a sheepish smile, his cheeks tinted with a blush. “You know, that family stuff everyone yearns for.”
With her own smile, she said “I appreciate that, but I’m not sure where I’ll end up after all of this. Will I even be alive?” Her words carried a breathless laugh, “Will this world still stand? I haven’t even thought about the ending; my focus has been on figuring out what my next move will be.”
“I think I can speak for all of us here, when I say that we would accept you if you decided to stay.”
“Thanks, Akua,” she expressed, feeling a warmth rise at the back of her neck as her smile broadened, “This place would make a wonderful home.”
“Good.”
“Here it comes.” Ilkiz presented both an intriguing sensation and a touch of annoyance. She realized she would need to establish clear boundaries with her.
“So, the celebration tonight. You will need to have a partner for the sealing process.”
Sealing process? She asked Ilkiz.
“It is their tradition; I didn’t realize they still did it.” The response was swift enough that she was able to refocus on Akua without missing a beat.
“I can stand with you for that, if you would like.”
“No, you can seal yourself.” It was akin to navigating two conversations simultaneously, attempting to concentrate on one without overlooking the other. Her head was starting to spin from the effort.
She laughed nervously, “Akua, I’m not even sure what the sealing process is. Can’t I do it myself?”
“It’s painful, and the person standing with you can take half of it from you.” As Akua explained, she could feel Ilkiz sigh so prolonged it felt like her body was vibrating. “It is no problem, really.”
Taking a deep breath, she put a weak, very nervous looking, smile on her face, “Ilkiz says I need to do it alone, but thank you.”