Chapter 38
A
fter their fit of laughter, he swept Azahara into his arms and unveiled a wether. As they emerged on the other side, he relished the audible gasp he elicited from her—a reaction he had hoped to cause.
During her three months in Ilkiz’s Tomb, he found himself with an abundance of time.
Remaining with the crew only heightened his anxiety, and he had been cautioned multiple times that attempting to retrieve her from tomb would result in his confinement.
They clearly had no understanding of his capabilities, and while he could effortlessly escape any mortal prison, he preferred not to earn enmity.
Most days, he roamed the Isle of Ilkiz, discovering several noteworthy places he intended to share with her, and this was one of them.
“Welcome to the Floating Mountains of Xi,” he announced as cascading mountains suspended in the air surrounding them, moving so gradually that they were nearly imperceptible to the naked eye.
Hundreds of towering mountains with jagged cliffs jutting out from their sides, adorned with veils of waterfalls that shimmer and sparkled like liquid crystals in the sunlight.
“Xi was one of Ilkiz’s first five children, and his element was Space.
For fun, he would often lift the entire island from its place and move it effortlessly.
Ilkiz, being the concerned mother she was,” he gently set her down, watching the wonder in her eyes expand and her mouth widen.
It prompted a chuckle from him before continuing, “She granted the southernmost part of the Isle of Ilkiz to Xi, allowing him to create and play as he pleased. These mountains are suspended with his Spirit, serving both as protection and a warning to those who dare to harm his people and Spirit Riders.”
“By the Mother…” He watched her take a step, and outstretch her hand as though she could touch the towering mountains that were hundreds, if not more, feet above her. “This place is unbelievable.”
For Jayce, there was no greater joy than witnessing her excitement about exploring the world.
As he observed the spectrum of emotions crossing her face—from astonishment to a beaming smile, and then back to awe—he couldn’t help but hum.
While he might not have experienced everything the world had to offer, he had seen enough to usually be immune to the thrill of discovering something new.
Yet, with her, everything in his life felt refreshed.
He looked forward to experiencing it all anew through her eyes.
Approaching her, he lifted her once more into his arms. She gasped in surprise, clutching his shirt. “You are a marvel, my love.” A tingling sensation ran down his spine, accompanied by a gust of wind bursting from behind him. His wings unfurled, stretching to their maximum without any constraints.
“Wait—Jayce...” Concern laced her voice as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“You flew on Ilkiz; what’s the difference?” He flashed her a toothy grin.
“She’s a Dragon.”
“I’m hurt. Do you fear I’ll drop you?” Leaning in towards her, she bashfully sunk below her arm, attempting to hide her blushing face.
She shook her head. “That’s not it,” her voice was so gentle that his heart leapt to his throat. “I was just going to ask you to go slow, that’s all.”
Slow my beating heart, jeez, he chuckled while shaking his head. “As you wish.” Placing a quick kiss on her forehead, he bent his knees and launched them off the ground. The takeoff would be the fastest part, but as soon as they were in the air, and he could allow for a slower speed, he did.
He focused on avoiding the smaller rocks that had, over time, broken off from the floating mountains.
They were not merely lifeless formations; they teemed with energy and power.
The air around them hummed with a vibrant aura, and the wind that drifted around them carried them higher, without him needing to exert much effort.
Brilliantly colored vines dangled from their cliff-sides, while flowers of all arrays of colors bloomed, casting a feeling of home inside of his chest.
Azahara was in awe, and while he didn’t risk looking down at her, he could hear her soft bouts of astonishment. He could feel her heart, and the fact she never felt fear.
While he would still need to work on her being more forthcoming about certain aspects of her life, he felt she did trust him. She always tried to protect him, even when he didn’t need it, and that just melted his heart.
As they were coming up to his point of interest, he slowed, his wings shifting to push backward and slow their descent until his feet landed flat onto one of the many floating mountains. He placed her down, but she gripped onto him for dear life.
“Is it safe up here?” She asked, tapping her foot around to ensure the ground was solid.
He laughed. “You think I’d put you up here if it weren’t?”
“I suppose not,” she moved away cautiously, “Though you could be messing with me because of what I did. Was showing me this place what you had in mind?”
Moving forward, he laced his fingers into hers and tugged her forward.
“Yes, but more specifically, this mountain.” Before them was a crystal-clear pond of water that was being overfilled with a cascading waterfall.
It smelled like nature had been untouched, and the surrounding greenery infused with the crisp water created a refreshing aroma around them.
The air was tinged with the slightest hint of minerals, a testament to the pristine nature of the water source, and just how clean it was.
The might of Dragons that once ruled the skies never ceased to astonish him.
Inhaling deeply, he felt the warm mist on his face. “I thought you could wash up here,” he said, looking at her as she turned to him, “From your dip in the salty sea.”
Her cheeks were turning pink. “There was a bath...” he stepped to her, and her head tilted all the way back, his fingers against the bottom of her chin, “in the room...” When she spoke so breathlessly, he felt his resolve wavering.
The want in her tone, as it had been the last couple of days, was fighting with him.
“I can join you here; the bath, it’s a bit of a tight fit.” His eyes wandered to her lips, which parted slightly, and then back between her mismatching eyes. “Is that okay? I don’t have to join—”
“Yes—I want you to.” She was quick to cut him off, and he watched her bite down on that damn bottom lip. He took a deep breath, his eyes rolling back.
She turned away from him, beginning to slip her shirt up and over her head.
The Connection mark on her back drew his eyes and demanded their attention.
Her pants, still damp, stuck to her backside, making removing them a bit more of a challenge for her.
She was fumbling around, embarrassed at her own doing, likely cursing herself for not removing her clothes before going into the sea.
The full view of her bare back was incredible, and he was shocked to see that the wings moved down its entirety, and the tips curved around her butt to her thighs. He leaned his head to the side, watching as they seemed to quiver with his gaze.
She was looking over her shoulder at him. “Are you going to come in clothed, or...”
“No, absolutely not. Not after you asked me about glamouring my—” The yelp that escaped her lips as she ran made him laugh jovially.
As he watched her gracefully splash into the pool of water, he couldn’t help but feel a rush of affection.
Seeing her rediscover that carefree side of herself and bringing her back to the light filled him with indescribable joy.
He cherished the moments when he could make her feel this way and would be content with just that, without ever touching her physically.
Slipping off his shirt and then his pants, he joined her in the water, which was much warmer than he had expected. It likely had to do with its elevated position above the clouds, being much closer to the sun than the sea. Its warmth felt akin to a bath, prompting a grin and a sigh of relief.
He watched her for a moment, her back still turned to him as she stared up at the waterfall, the cascading waters tracing lines down her back.
“Mind sharing what’s on your mind?” he asked, resisting the urge to reach out and take her into his arms.
Her shoulders rose and fell with a sigh.
“Just that I wish I could share this with them.” Finally turning towards him, he could see the neutral expression on her face—not upset, but not exactly happy either.
“Kaed, Illy, and Zhal. I miss them, and I know that they would love this place just as much as I do. Okay—” he watched her as she rested her arm under her chest, feeling his cheeks burn.
“Maybe not Zhal. She would say something like ‘This is unsafe, how could this even be possible?’ It’s even possible Kaed would say, ‘Magic has no limits. There are plenty of waterfalls on the ground.’” She laughed, and that beloved smile graced her lips.
“Illyan would just be happy to look at you.”
Rolling his eyes, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Too young for my liking, sorry, Illyan.”
Her mouth dropped in utter shock, making him throw his head back and laugh.
“I think Kaed is younger, if I’m not mistaken,” she said, her pondering eyes calculating.
“There are always exceptions,” he shrugged.
“But let’s be honest, his taste will likely only be for you, anyway.
Which, I’m fine with.” She watched him, assessing his truth.
“I’m possessive of your safety and your happiness.
You have plenty of love to give, and that body was not meant to belong to just one. ”
She dipped so quickly under the water that he swore she used the dyspoxii to disappear. He chuckled, seeing her pop up, eyes simmering.
Standing back upright, she took a step towards him, “You really do feel that way, don’t you?”