Page 15 of Primal Call

He tried to push aside the nagging voice in his head that kept reminding him how reckless he'd been, spending all his savings on this human. "Doesn't matter," Kyral said, more gruffly than he intended. He softened his tone a fraction, seeing Jasper's nervous reaction. "You'll do."

Jasper looked at him as if he was trying to read something deeper in his eyes, some hidden intention or trap.

Well, let him. "Come on," Kyral said, turning to lead the way. "That den of scum will be waking from their hangovers soon. We need to get moving."

Zee fell into step beside him, her presence a comforting constant. Jasper hesitated for just a moment before following, the oversized coat flapping awkwardly around him like a shroud.

As they walked, Kyral tried not to think about the coins he'd handed over to that slimy slaver, Rivek. The price had been exorbitant. It had wiped out nearly everything he'd saved for supplies.

All for a human who might not even know how to help him properly.

But there was no going back now. He'd made his choice, foolish or not.

"You'll do," Kyral repeated under his breath, more to himself than to Jasper.

For better or worse, they were stuck with each other now.

Kyral cast one last glance back at the frontier outpost, still shrouded in the early morning darkness. The place lay silent, not yet stirred by the day's activities. He knew his ex-crewmates were likely still there, sprawled out in a drunken stupor from the night before.

They knew they were competing with him for the treasure, now. They wouldn't take that lying down.

Kyral turned his attention to Jasper, who was watching him with a mix of curiosity and wariness. The human had been surprisingly quiet during their preparations, but Kyral could see the questions bubbling just beneath the surface.

"Aren't you going to… tie my hands up or something?" Jasper finally asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"No."

Jasper's brow furrowed in confusion. "Aren't you worried I'll try to escape?"

Kyral let out a low chuckle, more humorless than anything else. "You better not think about it," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "For your own good."

Jasper's eyes narrowed, trying to gauge the sincerity in Kyral's words. "Why should I trust you?"

Kyral sighed, feeling the weight of Jasper's mistrust pressing down on him. He understood it — hell, he'd be suspicious too if their roles were reversed. "Look," he said, gesturing to the coat Jasper wore, far too large for his slender frame but necessary for survival in this climate. "Other Borraq would want to tear clothes off you, not put more on."

Jasper flinched at Kyral's words, his face twisting with misery. Kyral felt a pang of unhappiness at having to be so blunt, but he pushed it aside. The human needed to understand the reality of his situation.

"I'm not going to sugar-coat it," Kyral said gruffly. "Other Borraq wouldn't hesitate to do terrible things to you. You're safer sticking with me."

Jasper's shoulders slumped, and he nodded slowly. Fear clouded his eyes, but there was also a flicker of resignation, as if he recognized the truth in Kyral's words.

Wanting to move on from the grim topic, Kyral reached into his coat and pulled out the worn, folded map he had been studying. He carefully unfolded it, the creases in the paper as familiar to him as the scars on his own hands.

"This is why I need you," Kyral said, holding the map out for Jasper to see.

Jasper leaned in, studying the intricate lines and faded markings. "What is it?"

"A map," Kyral replied. He traced his finger along its winding lines. "This shows the location of a valuable treasure hidden long ago. But..."

He sighed, feeling the weight of his quest settle heavily on his shoulders. Actually putting it in words made it sound ridiculous. "It's in this valley — but I don't know where this valley actually is. I've been searching for landmarks, trying to match them to this map, but so far..." He shook his head.

Jasper leaned in, his brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of the intricate markings. "That sounds impossible," he said, incredulous. "You're really looking for a single valley that could be anywhere on the planet?"

"There's a snowline marked here," Kyral pointed out, tapping the edge of the map. "That means it has to be somewhere up here in the polar region. Not much of Vasz gets snow."

Jasper's skepticism didn't fade entirely, but there was a flicker of understanding in his eyes. He nodded slowly, processing the information.

"I expect you to use your medic skills to keep me operational," Kyral stated bluntly. "In turn, I'll ensure your safety. Do we have a deal?"

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