Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
RAIKAR
The twin suns blazed bright overhead as Raikar watched Jade's determined stride eat up the jungle floor ahead of him.
Five days into the Trial of Shadow, and she moved like a woman possessed—shoulders squared, jaw set, every step calculated to devour distance.
Thirteen miles behind them, seven more to go.
The numbers burned in her mind like a fever, and through their partial mate bond, he felt the relentless drive that pushed her forward even when exhaustion should have claimed her hours ago.
She's going to kill herself trying to break that record.
"We should be further along." Her voice carried that familiar edge of frustration that had become the soundtrack to their journey. "At this pace, we'll barely make it to Lover's Rock by the deadline, let alone break your great-grandparents' time."
Raikar adjusted his grip on the bow slung across his naked torso, his muscles rippling as he navigated around a fallen log.
The constant nudity had been practical—shifting between forms required it—but he'd caught her staring more times than she'd probably admit.
Her desire bled through the bond in waves, making his own hunger spike at the worst possible moments.
"It's not a competition, Jade."
She whirled to face him, her dark eyes blazing with that competitive fire that made his panther purr with satisfaction. "Everything's a competition. That's how you get better, how you push past your limits."
"And that's also how you get injured or exhausted to the point where you can't complete the journey at all." He kept his voice level. Over the past four days, he'd had to rein in her reckless ambition more times than he could count. "We've made good time despite the weather. The storms alone—"
"The storms are done." She gestured at the clear sky above them, frustration radiating from every line of her body. "Perfect conditions today, and you want to waste them by going slow."
Magnificent, stubborn woman.
Admiration warred with exasperation in his chest. Her grit and determination were exactly what had drawn him to her from the beginning, but watching her push herself to the breaking point triggered every protective instinct he possessed.
"Five more miles today," she continued, her tone brooking no argument. "That puts us within striking distance of finishing tomorrow night instead of barely making the deadline."
Raikar studied her face, reading the deeper need beneath the surface ambition. This wasn't just about breaking records—it was about proving something to herself, to him, to everyone who'd ever doubted that a human could stand beside a General and match his strength.
"Fine. Five more miles." He nodded slowly, watching relief flicker across her features. "But we stop before sunset to build proper shelter. No more negotiations."
"Deal." Her smile transformed her face, making something warm and possessive unfurl in his chest.
They resumed their trek through the purple-tinged jungle, Raikar's bare feet finding purchase on the challenging terrain.
The landscape had grown more vertical as they'd pushed deeper into the wilderness, trading the relatively flat jungle floor for rocky inclines and treacherous descents that tested every muscle in their bodies.
She's proven herself countless times already.
The thought brought a surge of pride that had everything to do with witnessing her adapt to challenges that would have broken most people.
She'd killed dozens of snakes with her knife, moving with lethal precision toward danger, and it had made his panther rumble with approval.
And when he'd brought down jungle birds and small game with his bow, she'd field-dressed them with military efficiency, her hands steady and sure.
They'd eaten quite well over the past four days—fish from the streams, the game they'd hunted, even some edible plants she'd identified with surprising accuracy.
But the weather had been their greatest enemy, not hunger or thirst. Four days of intermittent storms that had forced them to take shelter when they should have been making miles. But today, the sky stretched clear and blue above them, and Jade was determined to make up for lost time.
"Tell me about your childhood." The request slipped out of his mouth over the sound of their footsteps on the jungle floor.
In four days of intense survival conditions, she'd shared tactical information, survival techniques, even her thoughts on their strategy. But nothing personal. Nothing that revealed the woman beneath the warrior's facade.
She was quiet for several steps, her gaze focused on the path ahead.
"My birth mother was seventeen when she had me." Her voice carried a matter-of-fact tone that didn't quite mask the old pain underneath. "Too young to raise a child, so I went into the foster system."
After days of careful emotional distance, she was finally allowing him glimpses of the person she kept hidden beneath layers of discipline and control.
"Ten years in the system," she continued, her stride never faltering. "Six different homes. Some were adequate. Others… weren't."
The careful way she said 'weren't' told him everything he needed to know about what she wasn't saying. His jaw tightened with the effort of keeping his expression neutral when what he really wanted to do was hunt down every person who'd ever failed to protect her.
"My adoptive parents took me in when I was ten. Thomas and Margaret Moreno—they were in their fifties, had been trying to have children for decades." Her voice softened slightly. "They gave me stability, love, everything a kid should have. But the damage was already done."
She paused to navigate around a cluster of thorny vines, her movements precise and controlled. "I was angry. Rebellious doesn't even begin to cover it. I got into fights constantly, acted out in every way possible. I had all this rage and trauma inside me, and I didn't know how to deal with it."
"What changed?" His question came out rougher than he'd intended, his voice thick with the emotions he was fighting to contain.
"My adoptive father suggested the Army when I turned eighteen." A ghost of a smile flickered across her lips. "Said I needed discipline and structure more than I needed coddling. He was right. The military gave me focus and purpose. Turned all that destructive energy into something useful."
They crested a small hill, the jungle spreading out below them in waves of purple and green. Raikar used the moment to study her profile, noting the way she held herself—straight-backed and strong, but with a vulnerability in her eyes that she probably thought she was hiding.
"I'm sorry you suffered." The words came from somewhere deep in his chest. "But I'm grateful to your adoptive parents and the military for helping shape you into the magnificent woman you became."
She stopped walking entirely, turning to face him with an expression of such surprise that it made his heart clench. As if she'd expected judgment, condemnation, anything but acceptance and admiration.
"You're not... appalled? By how rebellious I was, how much trouble I caused?"
She's waiting for me to reject her.
This incredible, fierce, competent woman expected him to find her lacking because of childhood trauma that wasn't even her fault.
"Jade." He stepped closer, letting his voice carry all the certainty he possessed.
"You survived ten years in a system that failed you, overcame trauma that would have broken most people, and turned yourself into one of the strongest individuals I've ever met.
The only thing I feel is admiration for your strength and fury at anyone who ever made you feel like you were less than extraordinary. "
Her dark eyes searched his face as if looking for deception, for the inevitable rejection she'd clearly learned to expect. When she found only truth, something shifted in her—a crack in the armor she kept wrapped around her heart.
"Most people hear about my past and decide I'm too much to handle," she said quietly.
"Most people are fools." The response came without hesitation, carrying the ring of absolute conviction. "Their loss is my gain."
The sound of running water reached them through the trees, and Raikar gestured toward the source. "Stream ahead. We should stop to refill our canteens and rest for a few minutes."
She nodded, but he could feel her emotions through the partial bond—surprise, gratitude, and beneath it all, a cautious hope that made his chest tight with protective tenderness.
She's been waiting her whole life for someone to stay. The thought crystallized with perfect clarity as they made their way toward the water. And I'm going to make sure she never has to wait again.
The cool water of the stream was a welcome relief against their heated skin, and Raikar found himself studying Jade's profile as she tilted her head back to drink from her canteen.
Four days of relentless jungle conditions had only sharpened her beauty—her dark hair escaped its ponytail in wild strands that caught the filtered sunlight, and her lean muscles moved with the fluid grace that never failed to make his panther growl with satisfaction.
They'd claimed a large boulder beside the rushing water for their brief respite, and Raikar had allowed himself the luxury of simply watching her.
The way she scanned their surroundings even while resting, the controlled efficiency of her movements as she refilled her canteen—everything about her spoke of a warrior honed to perfection.
She's beyond extraordinary.
The thought had barely formed when his enhanced senses flared to life.
The forest had gone too quiet. No bird calls, no rustle of small creatures in the underbrush.
Even the insects had fallen silent. His nostrils flared as he caught a scent that made his blood run cold—panther musk, multiple sources, moving with deliberate stealth.
"Jade. We have company."