Chapter 18 #3
Chloe crossed her arms, and I recognized the stubborn set of her jaw.
"Okay, but then why put us through all that?
The interrogation, the threats, making us think you were going to—" She gestured vaguely, drawing a finger across her throat, her cheeks flushing that delicious shade of pink that made me want to kiss her breathless.
The elder's smile turned knowing, almost indulgent. "Ah. A fair question." She looked at me. "We have seen you before, Nansar. You respect the land, take only what you need, harm none unless forced to defend yourself. We knew you were not like the others."
She turned her attention back to Chloe, her gaze softening with something that looked almost like affection. "But your arrival was... curious. We needed to be certain she was truly safe with you. That you meant her no harm."
"And?" Chloe asked, her voice small, vulnerable in a way that made my chest ache with the need to pull her close and shield her from every hurt the universe could throw at her.
"And we saw all we needed to see in the first few moments." The elder chuckled, a warm, rich sound. "The way you defended each other, spoke for each other, stood together even when you thought we might kill you both." She waved a hand dismissively. "After that, well..."
"Then I noticed Nansar scratching his horns," the elder continued, her smile turning positively mischievous. "And I decided to help you two find the desire the rest of us could plainly see rested between you." She shrugged, utterly unrepentant. "I am old, child. Sometimes I get bored."
Chloe's mouth fell open in indignation. "You—you were playing matchmaker? While threatening to execute us?"
"The threat was never real," the elder said with a laugh that seemed to come from deep in her belly. "But the entertainment? Very real indeed."
Chloe glanced at me, her brow furrowed, and I knew she was wondering about the comment regarding my horns. But thankfully, she didn't ask. Not here. Not now.
Though I suspected I would have to answer that question soon enough.
And what would I tell her when she asked? The truth felt like a cruelty I couldn't inflict—that the itching meant my soul had chosen her, recognized her as my mate in the most elemental way my species knew.
But I was a prisoner and would be until she was old and gray.
Chloe deserved more than that. She deserved someone who could give her a real life, not a fugitive existence.
Someone who could grow old alongside her, not watch helplessly as she wasted her life waiting on my freedom.
Someone who could offer her the stars instead of hiding in the shadows. Someone free.
So when she asked—and she would ask, because my curious, stubborn human never let anything go—I would lie.
I would tell her it meant nothing. Just an irritation, a minor discomfort.
Anything but the truth that was carving itself deeper into my chest with every passing moment.
That I wanted her more than I'd ever wanted anything, and that wanting her was the most selfish thing I could possibly do.
The elder's expression shifted, becoming more serious as she gestured to someone behind us.
I turned to see a young Welati female step forward, her arms cradling an ornate wooden box.
The craftsmanship was exquisite—dark wood polished to a deep sheen, the surface carved with intricate geometric patterns that seemed to dance and shift in the morning light, mimicking the living tattoos adorning the Welati's skin.
The young female knelt before the elder, presenting the box with both hands in a gesture of reverence. The elder nodded her thanks and carefully lifted the lid, revealing a cushion of woven fabric inside.
She reached in and withdrew something small that caught the light—a green stone, smooth and glowing like captured starlight.
As she held it up between her weathered fingers, I noticed the intricate carvings etched into its surface, geometric patterns that perfectly mirrored the sacred tattoos marking every Welati.
The craftsmanship was breathtaking, each line precise and deliberate, forming symbols that seemed to pulse with meaning beyond mere decoration.
"This stone," the elder said softly, her voice carrying the weight of something sacred, "is a symbol of our people.
A token of friendship." She pressed the stone into Chloe's hand, her dark fingers closing gently around Chloe's pale ones.
"You are friends of the Welati now. If you ever need help, show this to any of our people. We will come."
Chloe stared down at the stone cradled in her palm, her eyes wide with wonder, tears gathering at the corners. "I... thank you. I don't know what to say."
"Say nothing," the elder replied, her weathered hand patting Chloe's with affection.
"Just remember. You will always have safe passage through Welati territory.
You will always be welcome at our fires.
" Her gaze shifted to me, and something knowing—something that made my chest tighten—passed through her expression. "Both of you."
My throat tightened with emotion I hadn't expected. Such a gift was not given lightly among the Welati. "We are honored," I managed, bowing my head in respect.
The elder's smile softened, transforming her weathered features. "You have good hearts, both of you. The universe needs more of that." She gestured toward the village center with a sweep of her hand. "Now, let us see about getting you properly supplied for your journey."
Several Welati had already gathered, their arms laden with supplies. A young woman stepped forward first, offering two water skins that looked freshly treated and sealed. "These will not leak," she said simply, pressing them into Chloe's hands with a warm smile.
Another followed with cloth bags that smelled of dried meat and herbs, the scent making my mouth water. "Enough for many days," an older man said, his weathered face creasing with a smile. "The journey through the mountains is long and unforgiving."
More came forward—a pouch of dried fruit that gleamed like jewels, another of bread still warm from the morning ovens, a small clay jar sealed with wax that the elder explained contained healing salve made from mountain herbs.
Each gift was given with quiet dignity, no fanfare or expectation of thanks.
Just the simple generosity of a people who understood what it meant to travel far from home, to be strangers in a strange land.
Then I heard a familiar snort that made my lips twitch.
Starfield was being led toward us by two young Welati males, and I barely recognized her.
The mare's coat gleamed in the morning light, brushed until it shone like burnished copper.
Her sides had filled out considerably, and there was a contentedness in her eyes I hadn't seen since we'd left home—perhaps not even then.
"She did not want to eat at first," one of the young men said, stroking her neck affectionately. "But once she tasted our grain..." He grinned, his teeth white against his dark skin. "We could not keep her from it."
Starfield tossed her head as they began securing the supply bags to her saddle, but it was a half-hearted protest at best. She kept turning to nose at the young man's pockets, clearly hoping for more treats, her ears pricked forward with shameless begging.
When I approached to check the saddle, the mare actually shifted her weight away, as if reluctant to acknowledge that departure was imminent.
"I think she's made some friends," Chloe said softly, running her hand along Starfield's neck with gentle affection. The mare's ears flicked back, then forward again, and she released a long, resigned sigh that seemed to say she knew the good times were ending.
"She will miss the grain," the young man said with a laugh that rang warm in the morning air. "And we will miss her. She is a good kuda. Strong spirit." He gave her one final pat before stepping back, his expression fond.
I watched one of the males adjust the supplies on Starfield's saddle, making sure everything was balanced and secure. The Welati had been more than generous. We had enough provisions now to make it to the rendezvous point with ease. It was a kindness we could never truly repay.
I mounted first, settling into the saddle with familiar ease, then reached down to lift Chloe up. She settled in front of me like she'd been made to fit there, her body settling against mine like it had always belonged there. Like we were two pieces of a puzzle finally clicking into place.
After giving us directions that would take us to the rendezvous point in just two days, the Welati saw us through the gates, a sea of dark faces marked with sacred tattoos. The elder raised her hand in blessing, and the others followed suit, calling out farewells that echoed off the mountain walls.
"Safe travels!" someone called.
"May the mountains guide you!" another voice rang out.
"Come back to us!" a child's voice added, making several adults laugh.
Chloe lifted her hand in return, her smile genuine and bright as the morning sun. "Thank you! For everything!"
I added my own farewell, feeling the weight of their generosity settle warm in my chest. Then I urged Starfield forward, and the mare—despite her earlier reluctance—responded with only a single longing look back at her new friends and their grain stores.
The path led us up and away from the village, winding through stands of trees that released their sharp, clean scent into the air with every brush of wind.
Behind us, the calls and waves gradually faded until there was only the steady rhythm of Starfield's hooves and the whisper of wind through the trees, a peaceful symphony that seemed to celebrate our freedom.
Chloe relaxed further against me, her head tilting to rest near my shoulder in a gesture of trust that made my heart clench.
I felt each breath she took, the rise and fall of her back against my chest, the steady beat of her heart that seemed to sync with my own.
My arm came around her waist almost without thought, steadying her as the path grew steeper, holding her close because I couldn't bear not to.
She didn't pull away. Instead, she seemed to sink deeper into my embrace, her body soft and warm against mine.
We rode in comfortable silence as the sun climbed higher, painting the mountain peaks in shades of gold that took my breath away.
The trail opened up onto a ridge, and suddenly the world spread out before us—valley after valley rolling away into blue distance, slopes thick with forest that seemed to go on forever.
"It's beautiful," Chloe breathed, and I felt the words as much as heard them, her voice full of wonder that made something in my chest expand.
It was. But more than that—it felt different now.
The same mountains, the same endless sky, but without the constant edge of danger that had shadowed every moment.
No one lurking in the shadows. No need to scan the tree line for threats.
Just... peace. A peace I'd never known I craved until this moment.
I let Starfield pick her own pace, trusting her instincts on the narrow trail. The mare seemed content now, her earlier reluctance forgotten as she settled into the familiar rhythm of travel. Though I noticed she'd grown a bit rounder during our stay—the Welati had clearly spoiled her rotten.
The trail wound through a meadow dotted with late-season wildflowers, their purple and gold heads nodding in the breeze like waves on a painted sea.
A bird circled overhead, its cry sharp and clear, a sound of pure freedom.
Somewhere in the distance, water tumbled over stone in a soothing rhythm that seemed to echo the beating of my heart.
Chloe's hand came to rest over mine where it lay against her stomach, her fingers curling gently around my own in a gesture that felt achingly intimate.
"Nansar?" Her voice was soft, almost hesitant, and I felt the vibration of it against my chest. "What did the elder mean? About your horns itching? I noticed it too."
My chest tightened, my breath catching. The longer she went without asking, the more I'd hoped she'd let it pass. But of course she would ask. My Chloe was curious by nature.
"It's..." I cleared my throat, searching for the words to explain without revealing the truth. "It's a sign of attraction. Among my people."
"Oh." A pause. I felt her shift slightly against me, though she didn't pull away, her body still warm and soft in my arms. "So when someone... when you're attracted to someone, your horns itch?"
"Something like that." The words felt wrong on my tongue, tasting like ash.
Attraction seemed too small a word, too simple.
It didn't capture the way my entire being recognized her from the first moment, the way every instinct I possessed screamed mine whenever she was near.
The way the thought of her leaving felt like losing a limb—no, worse. Like losing my soul.
But I couldn't tell her that. I couldn't burden her with the knowledge that she was my mate, my one true mate in all the universe, when my sole purpose was to get her to safety, off Palaydium and out of my life forever.
When I had nothing to offer her but a life in the shadows, always running, always hiding.
"That must be... inconvenient," she said, and I heard the smile in her voice, warm and teasing, with an undercurrent of something else.
I forced myself to breathe normally, to keep my voice steady and casual. "It passes."
Another lie. The biggest lie I'd ever told. It would never pass. Not after she was gone. Not as long as I lived. The itching would fade, yes, but the ache in my chest? The knowledge that I'd found my mate and let her go? That would haunt me until my dying breath.