Chapter 34 #3
“I never left the Kingdom after that, and came to the Idle Fox every day, even just to pass and ask if you had returned. It wasn’t until five years later, that you showed.”
“It’s been what, five years?” “Where have you been beau!” “My god you haven’t aged a day!” “I’ve missed you!”
“I could feel your panic. I didn’t even need to see your face to know something was wrong.
You couldn’t breathe, and you were screaming for help.
I could hear you through the winnox and swore you were calling me.
” It was as though there wasn’t anyone else in the Idle Fox but past-Azahara and past-Jayce.
He surged through the crowd, a resolute determination etched on his face as he made his way towards her.
They observed as he guided her towards the rear of the Idle Fox.
When he turned away from her, the emotions playing across his face were a tumultuous blend, too intricate to dissect in that fleeting moment.
Shock, fear, joy, happiness—all were inscribed on his features.
Only when he gathered himself did he turn to be strong for her.
“Did they hurt you?” Maybe it was because it was his memory, but his tone had shifted. What once sounded like mere concern now carried an undertone of pain.
“I saw the scar on your face, the change in your eye, and nearly destroyed everything around me. It was why I had no restraint to lift you to look at me. I knew it was stupid,” he laughed, “especially when you immediately shrugged away from me. A fire like I’d never seen from you was there, and I knew right then that this time was different.
“Your friend came to save you, and I couldn’t believe it, but you had a friend– a travel companion; you weren’t alone.
Then to find out you had the Elder Fae’s great-grandchild traveling with you and a half-elf who was obviously madly in love with you, just as I was.
Man, was I way over my head.“ He laughed again, shaking his head, and pulling her from the memory, bringing her to the King’s castle.
“Karver, she’s here.” Past-Jayce was pacing back and forth, and right beside him, was Karver.
“Brother,” A smile on his flawless ebony face, “this is wonderful news.”
“Something is wrong though,” past-Jayce was flustered, and she could see a purple glow slowly rising from his skin, “something happened to her. I don’t know what, but she’s…”
Karver put his hand on his shoulder, stopping him with force. “We will figure it out. Did you speak with her?”
“Barely, she isn’t alone this time.”
Karver smiled, “That is wonderful news. Maybe whatever was ailing her before has now—”
“No, it’s still there, but I feel it again. That power that lingered in the realm after Rah—”
She felt her eyes widen, and she trembled.
“Jayce, that is a bit of—”
“I know what that feeling is, and it isn’t just that. Someone has her soul. It’s why I couldn’t feel it, it’s why she never felt our connection, and it’s why I cannot leave her ever again.”
Karver furrowed his eyebrows, “How did you find out?”
“When I touched her this time, it called out for help. She called out for help.” Without hesitation Karver embraced his dearest friend, his brother.
“Let’s protect her together then.”
The moment shifted, and as he released his grip, she stepped back, casting a questioning gaze at him. “You knew?” His expression turned sheepish. “I did call out for help, but I didn’t realize I had shot it through any form other than in my head.”
Jayce was shaking his head then, “No, what I meant by you calling for help was your life force, your heart, your body, your mind—it was screaming for its soul. You were never complete without it, and when you gained Light and Devilite, you realized it was missing without consciously knowing it. The closest soul to yours, was mine.”
“Why?” She asked, “Why yours? Why not Illyan or Kaed?”
She saw him taking a deep breath, “A story for another time, let’s just say it was fate. My soul was ready to save yours in that moment.”
She conceded with a nod, her eyes scanning the grand archways of the King’s castle enveloping her.
“When you appeared before the King, I nearly lost it, again. Seeing the way he was speaking to you, and Kaed not saying anything—” he paused, taking a quick breath to steady himself, “I understand he couldn’t.
The only thing I fault him for is bringing you, although, to be fair, you were probably too stubborn to sit it out. ”
She narrowed her eyes, “I didn’t want to come in the first place. I told him to send a raven.”
He laughed, “I know, you told the King that, which I thought was… quite hot. That tongue of fire.” His hand was outstretched for hers, and she took it. “Let’s move on—”
“Wait, can I ask you something first?” She stepped to him, “You were drawing your sword; I think I know the answer but were you—”
“I was prepared to kill all of them for even entertaining the thought of harming you. The sword was just a formality; I could snap my fingers and reduce them all to nothing more than memories in an instant.” The revelation of his strength sent a shiver down her spine, and a selfish desire welled within her to witness it, especially when it came to a particular god.
“You weren’t afraid of me then,” her cheeks igniting, and an almost embarrassed expression wrapped around her.
“Never,” she couldn’t stop the smile forming, “and I’ll never fear you. Even in the end, when you are stronger than I am.”
She chuckled, “Me? Stronger—pfft.” It wasn’t that she didn’t wish that were true, but the idea of him effortlessly snapping his fingers and causing someone’s demise compared to her, who had to lose control for even a semblance of that power, didn’t quite match up.
He drew her closer to him, “Yes, stronger. Strong enough to kill Goddrick. Strong enough to only need yourself, which is all you have ever wanted.” His lips met hers, capturing her in the intensity of the moment. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the depths of his kiss.
Being the gentleman he was, Jayce didn’t linger long.
He pulled away after a moment and smiled.
“That night,” as her eyes opened, they found themselves back in the Idle Fox, “I was determined to tell you everything. I ran through portal after portal just to gather the courage, searching for some semblance of myself strong enough to reveal everything. However,” his hand gently rested against the side of her neck, lifting her gaze to meet his, “you had been drinking, and you were so against me even being there. Which, truthfully, I couldn’t blame you for.
I conceded to dance with you, and even that turned out to be a mistake.
“I was hopelessly in love with you and having you that close was blinding. I forgot who I was and what I was there for. All that mattered in that moment was that I had you in my arms, and I never wanted to let you go. It was stupid of me to even try and kiss you then, but after waiting for so long, it was torture. I couldn’t believe myself and was thankful that Kaed came to save you. ”
She avoided scanning their surroundings, focusing solely on his eyes as they absorbed her presence. Part of it was to avoid catching sight of Kaed. The fear that it might be too painful weighed heavily on her.
“It would have likely made things worse, and when I left, I left the Kingdom. His decision to go to the balcony, while hot—”
“I think I’ll just go now,” she tried to pull away, but he held her in place. Embarrassment flooded through her, her entire body ablaze with discomfort, and all she wanted was to escape the moment.
“Oh, no you don’t,” he wrapped his arms around her, grinning and burying his head in her neck. “Don’t be shy or embarrassed.”
She groaned, realizing they were no longer in the Idle Fox but elsewhere in the Kingdom. “I’m pretty sure he did it on purpose.” Her voice carried a hint of anxiety. “I’m so—”
“Don’t apologize,” he cut her off, tilting her backward. “As I was saying, while it was hot, obviously I was envious. I just didn’t want to watch; I wasn’t angry at him or jealous. I was jealous at first but for a completely different reason.”
“And that was for…?”
He brought her back up, her head craning to meet his gaze, “They were making you happy and I wasn’t.”
“Gods be damned, Jayce.” How could her heart hurt more? She dropped her head to his chest, and she could feel the rumbling under her as he let out a hearty laugh. “How is it that I can be happy, and sad, at literally the same time?”
“Because you are the epitome of a good person, Azahara Starfall.”
Grumbling, she asked, “Where are we now?” Determined to press forward before her heart chose to depart and never return, she leaned back and surveyed her surroundings.
“That night, before I left, I put some of my Magic inside you. Right—” he placed his hand over her chest, “—here. So that I could always find you if something were to happen. I was resolved that I wasn’t going to be able to leave with you.
The King had your name laced on his tongue and I’d be damned leaving it there.
While Karver was fully capable, the best place for me was here, keeping you safe from afar.
You had the great-grandchild of the Elder Fae, a Vaeragi, and a man that loved you.
Who else could better protect you?” He groused, “My judgment was lackluster, to say the least.”
Somehow, she laughed, “Trust me, I felt the same. It was never my plan, none of this. Never to see the King, never to go find the Yuul—that was the King’s doing, ordering Kaed to find out who killed the Elder Fae.”
“He did?” He cut in, “I must’ve missed that. I thought you suggested the Yuul, knowing your history with Death.”
Shrugging, she sighed, “Nope.” A shiver went through her, too close, too close…
“Helgum?” He continued, brushing his hands up and down her arms. He must have noticed the chill that ran through her at nearly saying the word ‘no’.