Chapter 10 #2
It was the opposite actually. If not for the overwhelming guilt at leaving Katrin alone when she had the time and humanity to spare, Odessa would have liked nothing more than to hide away in the emu enclosure with him and laugh at every ridiculous thought that came out of Jax’s mouth, just like she had during their hours of work together.
She could ask him to join her, but until she had Katrin’s blessing, she wasn’t about to disrupt their safe place with the presence of a strange man any more than she had already had to that evening.
“It’s alright.” Jax interrupted her train of thought with a brief touch to her arm, causing her to flinch in surprise. He held up his hands in apology again. “Sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I’m just…not used to physical contact.” She blew out a long breath and tried for a joke to smooth over the awkward tension in the air between them. “Swans aren’t known for being very cuddly.”
“You’d be surprised. Swans mate for life, you know, and they form deep bonds within their family units.
As far as birds go, I’d say they’re some of the cuddliest—definitely more than chickens.
” He gave an exaggerated shudder, then tilted his head curiously as his eyes roved back and forth, searching her face. “Do you want a hug?”
Her heart nearly tripped over itself in surprise. “What?”
“Do you want a hug?” he repeated. “Swans require at least one good hug a week; it’s part of a balanced and healthy diet. It sounds like you’re woefully malnourished.” His feet stayed rooted in place, but he held his arms out invitingly.
“I didn’t realize swans required so much hands-on care,” she drawled, crossing her arms over her chest in an effort to resist the sudden pull she felt toward him.
“I’m a Bird Catcher. If there’s one thing I understand, it’s the care and keeping of water fowl.” He wiggled his fingers, gesturing her closer. “Come on. My arms are starting to get tired.”
Odessa rolled her eyes, but she moved forward a step.
He was right. She was malnourished.
She wanted a hug.
Jax took her step as an invitation, and he closed the distance between them, tipping her against his chest with her arms still crossed as a barrier between them.
His own arms wrapped around her shoulders and upper back, holding her snugly but not too tightly.
He was silent, and as time stretched on, Odessa slowly felt herself relax against him.
Her head fell forward onto his shoulder, and she squeezed her eyes together as long-buried emotions rose to the surface in unexpected tears.
“I was worried I had imposed upon your hospitality, Dessa, but I’m beginning to wonder if I should come back later.”
She jumped back at the sudden sound of Dmitri’s voice, pulling herself easily out of Jax’s embrace. He gave her a soft smile and turned to the prince, as calm and collected as if he handed out the world’s most perfect hugs every day.
For all she knew, maybe he did.
Jax wrinkled his nose. “If these are your regular business hours, remind me to never become royalty.”
Dmitri raised an amused eyebrow. “Is that a possibility you’re concerned about?”
He shrugged. “You never know.”
Odessa let out a watery laugh as she wiped her tears with the heel of her hand. She felt the moment Dmitri’s eyes locked on her. His voice took on a hard edge. “Dessa, what’s wrong? Did he do something?”
She tried to reassure him with a smile. “I’m fine.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why don’t I believe you?”
“I don’t know. It sounds like you may have some personal things to work through.”
Jax tried unsuccessfully to hide a snort, which caused Dmitri’s glare to swing his way.
Jax met the expression with an unworried tilt of his eyebrow, and after a few moments of some sort of manly mental communication, Dmitri returned his attention to Odessa.
“I was hoping you could help me with something.” His eyes darted back to Jax. “Two things, I suppose.”
She clasped her hands in front of her. “Of course. I’m always happy to help.”
“First of all.” He hooked a thumb to Jax. “What’s the verdict here? Mother’s been asking about our mysterious guest, but I didn’t want to give her an answer until I spoke with you.”
Her face crinkled with confusion. “Why me?”
“You’re the one who pulled him out of the lake.”
“What does that have to do with anything? You’re the Crown Prince. Shouldn’t you be the one to decide your own guest list?”
Jax raised his hand. “Pardon the interruption, but as the one most directly impacted by this discussion, I would like to point out that I am not from this realm and therefore have nowhere else to go.”
Dmitri spared him a brief glance as he blandly parroted Odessa’s words, “It sounds like you may have some personal problems to work through.” He turned back to her. “I don’t know if he told you, but claims to be a—”
“Bird Catcher and Dragon Charmer,” she finished for him. “I know.”
“And Assistant to the Assistant Keeper!” Jax added, grinning widely and winking at her.
She rolled her eyes. “He’s harmless, Dimi. But if you don’t have room for him, he can stay here.”
Dmitri shook his head. “Absolutely not. He’ll stay in the palace.” He waited a beat. “You believe him, then?”
“I mean, the evidence is pretty solid.”
“What evidence?”
Bean, as if having waited for the correct moment in the conversation to introduce himself, waddled out from the shrubbery and sat at Odessa’s feet.
He looked up at Dmitri. The beginning of an adorable growl rumbled in his throat, then was promptly cut off as he sneezed three times, sending fireballs streaming toward Dmitri’s boots.
The prince jumped to the side with a yelp. “What is that?”
Odessa scooped up the little dragon and held him close to her cheek as if he were a soft, cuddly kitten. “This is Bean. He’s my dragon.”
“My dragon,” Jax corrected.
She ignored him. “He hatched from the golden egg that Jax brought with him in his purse.”
“It’s a satchel. Purses have far less utility.”
Dmitri just stared, wide-eyed, at Bean. “Dragons don’t exist.”
Odessa scratched under Bean’s chin like she had seen Jax do. The dragon immediately went limp in her hands. “I’m pretty sure he’s real. And since Jax is the one that brought him here, I think it’s safe to say that he’s probably telling the truth as well.”
“Right.” Dmitri exhaled deeply and ran a hand down one side of his face. “Alright then. Jax can stay—at the palace with me—until we figure out what we need to do to get him back to wherever it is he’s from.”
Jax’s smile had yet to waver, but Odessa saw the moment that his shoulders lost a bit of tension, as if he had truly been worried that Dmitri would cast him out.
“Your hospitality is appreciated. If you find yourself in need of either Bird Catching or Dragon Charming services while I’m here, I’m happy to help. ”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Dmitri answered drily.
Odessa looked up at the sky as she tucked Bean back into her pocket. It was nearly midnight; whatever tasks Dmitri had needed to take care of must have been tedious and drawn out if he had only just completed them. “What else do you need?”
The prince blinked and shook his head as if to clear it. “Right. Remember our conversation yesterday, about Mother wanting me to find a wife? I’ve decided to host a party.”
“You want the Menagerie to be available as a location,” she said, nodding. “Boris let me know this afternoon.”
His eyebrows rose. “Did he? I suppose you’ve already had some time to think about it, then.”
She squinted at him. “Think about what? You using the Menagerie? Of course you can; you’re the Crown Prince.”
“No, I mean attending the events.”
“Boris is the one who normally does the demonstrations. I’m not sure if he—”
“I don’t want you there working, Dessa,” Dmitri cut her off. “I want you as a guest.”
I’m sure I misheard that. There must still be lake water in my ears.
“What?” was her eloquent answer.
The prince shrugged. “I got to thinking after we talked. You’ve known me longer than almost anyone, and you said yourself that the women act differently around you than they do me. I want your perspective.”
“But I…there’s not…Boris will have to be the one to approve my absence.
” It took three tries before she was able to formulate any kind of answer.
And while she was flattered that Dmitri thought so highly of her, she also wanted to scream and shake her fist at the fact that not only would she be unable to do what he was asking of her, but she also wouldn’t be able to explain to him why.
“As you have reminded me several times tonight, I’m the Crown Prince.” Dmitri crossed his arms. “Boris doesn’t have much of a choice.”
Odessa looked to Jax for help, willing him to say something to put a stop to what was nothing more than a futile plot.
The frustrating man just grinned and snapped his fingers. “This is perfect! Odessa can help you find a wife, and you can help her find a husband.”