Chapter 29
“Why are you walking like that?”
I sent a glare over my shoulder at Arrazyl. He’d been teasing me all morning.
“Maybe because I had an oversized sausage slammed into me over and over again for far longer than any man could have gone.” I muttered.
“What was that?” he grinned. He’d heard me just fine.
“You’re despicable.”
“But you love it when I’m despicable.”
I buried my face in my hands to hide my smile and promptly tripped on a plant. Strong arms caught me.
“My hero.” I snarked, my expression softening when I gazed up into his strong face.
“I’ll always be there to catch you, Jacqueline.” The intensity in his eyes when he said it frightened and thrilled me all at once.
“Don’t promise me something like that.” I whispered.
He was about to respond, but something he saw caused him to step back instead. I looked up and found Tatiana running over, waving something at me.
“Look at this.” She was so interested in her discovery that she was completely oblivious to the intimate conversation she’d just interrupted.
“What is it?” I leaned close to look at what she was holding.
“I found it in that stream over there.”
“It looks like a tranquilizer dart.” I studied it, then turned to Arrazyl, who was also looking at it. He was frowning. “Do you dart animals around here?” I asked.
“No. We don’t have anything like that.” His eyes flicked to the east. “Ryys is not far from here,” he said, clearly talking to himself. He looked back at Tatiana, any earlier playfulness gone from his face. “I’d like to keep that.”
“Oh, of course.” She handed over her find.
I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but knew he wouldn’t be comfortable revealing his thoughts in front of Tatiana.
“I need to do something. Don’t stray from the group.” With that, he was gone.
“That was strange.”
I continued looking in the direction he’d gone. “That was concerning.”
Tatiana stayed with me and we worked together, gathering up smaller basketfuls of what I was just simply calling eggs and taking them to the massive baskets to empty them.
We worked through the day, and Arrazyl didn’t come back.
I tried looking for him during the midday meal and as we moved around, but I didn’t see him anywhere.
I was worried, but I didn’t know what it meant.
Why would something that looked like an animal tranquilizer dart cause him such distress?
There was information I wasn’t privy to. I knew that without a doubt.
Dinnertime came around and Arrazyl finally showed himself again. His expression was somber as he settled next to me on the ground near one of the cooking fires.
“I’ll get you something to eat.” I set my plate to the side.
“You don’t have to.”
“I’m not doing it because I have to, I’m doing it because I want to.” Anything to help ease his stress, if just for a moment.
I got a large, juicy chunk of meat and a few sides and brought them to him. Vorpyr still ate heartily even when camping.
“Thank you.”
Jaron and Tatiana and some new friends of theirs did their best to communicate in the intergalactic tongue, all having difficulty with it. It made for some amusing conversation.
A familiar face came toward us. The older female who’d refused to serve me brought something to Arrazyl. Jyyl.
She spoke in vorikaan in a formal manner, then presented Arrazyl with a tray filled with food and drink.
He said something back to her, something that sounded similar to what she’d said, and she left with a clap of her wings.
“Here, try this. She makes the best drinks and sweets.” He settled the tray between us.
“What was that saying? You said something similar to each other.”
“It’s a formal greeting. ‘May your ancestors in the other realm bless you.’”
So many things to learn. But I had time.
Arrazyl brought one of the drinks to my lips and I took a sip. My eyes widened. “That’s so good.” The taste lingered on my tongue, fruity and bright.
He trilled and took a sip himself.
Arrazyl polished off both the food I’d brought him and half the tray, prompting me to eat the treats with him. I snuck some to Tatiana next to me because I was so full.
I missed the teasing, happy Arrazyl from this morning and wished I could support him somehow.
As darkness descended, I surreptitiously slid my hand over his, squeezing gently.
When I moved my hand away, he grabbed it and held tight.
We sat like that silently, listening to the conversation around us.
“Let’s get some rest.” He helped me to my feet and we quietly left the group.
“Will you tell me what I can do?”
“There is nothing for you to do. I will deal with it.” His wing curled around me, tucking me next to him. “I have dealt with many things as the Vorazyr. You don’t need to be worried.”
If I knew what the issue was in the first place I might feel better with his assurance, but I didn’t, and he didn’t volunteer any further information.
The mood was subdued when we went into the tent.
I was tired from the long day and constant activity, but worry kept my mind going as I tried to figure out what this could mean.
If vorpyr didn’t have tranq darts and I easily recognized the item, did that mean that this was from the Consortium?
If so, why were they firing animal tranquilizer darts? It was concerning.
I slipped into the bed after changing, my mind full of thoughts I couldn’t verify or fix.
Arrazyl’s heat enveloped me as he slid in next to me.
He pulled me against him and I basked in his scent and the safety I felt in his powerful arms. I wondered if he would initiate something.
I was tired but I wouldn’t have said no.
But he didn’t do anything except hold me.
His lips touched my neck in a gentle kiss. “I’m going to have to go back to the city tomorrow. I’ve instructed others to keep you safe while you finish gathering.”
“Is it the Consortium?” I threaded my fingers with his, my heart jackhammering at the thought of renewed contention because of this.
He pressed his face into my neck and breathed deeply before resting his chin on the top of my head again. “I only have theories.”
I waited, but he didn’t expound. “Is it really bad?”
“I believe it is.”
I tightened my hold on his hand.