Page 26 of Primal Call

Kyral lay a few feet away, his silhouette barely visible in the dim light. Jasper tried to compose himself quietly, pulling his blanket tighter around him as if it could shield him from the terror still coursing through his veins.

"What’s wrong?" Kyral's voice cut through the silence, rough with sleep but tinged with concern.

Jasper flinched at the sound, not expecting Kyral to be awake. Damn. He swallowed hard, trying to force down the lump in his throat. "Nothing," he muttered, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Just... a bad dream."

Kyral shifted slightly, his sharp eyes glinting in the faint moonlight. "Just that, huh?"

Jasper's hands trembled as he ran them through his hair, the memory of rough Borraq hands holding him by it still vivid in his mind. "Yeah," he said, more firmly this time. "Just a dream."

Kyral didn't respond immediately. Jasper could feel those intense eyes on him, scrutinizing every shiver and twitch. The silence stretched out uncomfortably until Kyral finally spoke again.

"Dreams don’t usually make people scream like that," he observed quietly.

He'd screamed outside the dream? Jasper’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He hated feeling so exposed, so vulnerable in front of Kyral. He lay back down, pulling the blanket over himself as he willed his racing heart to slow down. Even with Kyral nearby, he couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched by unseen eyes. His body trembled, soaked in nightmarish adrenaline.

Get a hold of yourself, Jasper scolded himself. He ground his teeth together, trying to make them stop chattering. It was just a dream, just some stupid dream…

His shivering didn't go unnoticed.

Jasper tensed as he felt Kyral's presence beside him. Before he could react, Kyral's strong arms were around him, lifting him effortlessly from his makeshift bed. Jasper's initial alarm manifested in a soft gasp. "What are you—"

“Easy,” Kyral muttered, his voice a gravelly rumble. “You’re shaking like a leaf.”

Jasper felt the world tilt as Kyral carried him over to his own bedroll, laying him down with surprising gentleness. The warmth enveloped Jasper immediately, seeping into his chilled bones.

“Kyral... What...?” Jasper’s voice was shaky, a mix of confusion and lingering fear.

Ignoring the question, Kyral settled beside him and pulled the blanket over both of them. His large frame curled protectively around Jasper, creating an almost impenetrable barrier against the outside world — and against the terrors still lurking in Jasper's mind.

“Shh,” Kyral whispered, his tone uncharacteristically soothing. “I know the kind of horrors that memories can conjure.”

Jasper lay still, heart pounding but beginning to slow under the steady reassurance of Kyral’s presence. The Borraq’s body heat was a balm against his residual terror, grounding him in reality.

“Just breathe,” Kyral continued in low tones.

The words washed over Jasper like a tide, each one chipping away at the fear that had gripped him so tightly. He found himself relaxing despite everything, his body sinking deeper into the shared warmth.

Kyral’s hand rested lightly on Jasper’s back, a touch that spoke volumes without needing words. The steady rise and fall of Kyral’s breathing became an anchor for Jasper to cling to.

Jasper slowly relaxed in Kyral's arms, his racing heart gradually finding a steadier rhythm.

Still, something else gnawed at him. Something that wasn't as easy to dismiss as a night terror.

"I couldn't save them," Jasper murmured into the quiet night. His voice was thick with guilt and regret. "The other humans Rivek took."

"There were more?"

"Yes." If Jasper shut his eyes, he could still see Asher and Finn, looking to him in horror for help as they were dragged away.

Kyral’s grip tightened slightly around him, a silent acknowledgment. "It's not your responsibility," Kyral's deep voice rumbled in reply. "You did what you could."

Jasper shook his head against the blanket. "But I should have done more. The others I was locked up with… They needed me, and I couldn't help them."

Kyral's tone softened. "Once we find the treasure," Kyral said with conviction, "you'll have the means to find them. Save them."

Jasper's breath hitched at the sheer certainty in Kyral’s words. He wanted to believe it — wanted to cling to that hope with every fiber of his being.

"Do you really think I can?" Jasper whispered, unable to mask the uncertainty in his voice.

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