Page 38 of Primal Call

Oh. Jasper nodded, but the motion felt hollow. "Yeah, that's the plan." His voice was steady, practiced.

He'd spent years hiding his true feelings, after all. Now was no different.

The idea of leaving Vasz — and leaving Kyral — felt odd. Unsettling. The thought should have filled him with relief, but instead, it just left a strange ache in his chest.

He pushed the feeling down, burying it beneath layers of practicality and self-preservation. Stupid. Of course he had to go home. Of course he couldn't stay on Vasz.

Kyral unfurled the ragged hand-drawn map, the edges worn from countless times being opened and studied. Jasper leaned in closer, his fingers tracing the lines and marks that represented their path to the treasure. They both looked out at the landscape before them, a rugged expanse of jagged peaks and deep valleys, bathed in the morning light.

Jasper squinted against the brightness, trying to match what he saw with the terrain on the map. They'd done this every day, trying to spot any landmarks that might match something on the map.

And every day, they'd eventually closed the map again and hoped that tomorrow would be better.

In the distance was a river, its waters glinting under the sun. Jasper eyed it, chewing his lip. "What about that?" he asked, pointing. "Could that be this line down here?"

Kyral went still beside him. His gaze followed Jasper's finger to the river in the distance, then back to the map. He studied it with a furrowed brow, silent for a long moment.

"I thought that line was marking a mountain ridge," Kyral finally said, his voice thoughtful. "But... you might be right. It could be a river…"

Jasper felt a flicker of satisfaction at having contributed something useful. He watched as Kyral's expression shifted from skepticism to realization.

Kyral nodded slowly, his eyes gleaming with new determination. "Good catch," he admitted gruffly. "If that river really is this line, then we might be closer than I thought."

"That's great!" Jasper tried to keep his face neutral, but inside he felt a rush of conflicting emotions.

Pride at being helpful…. and that odd sense of unease about what would come next.

Both of them looked at each other, the excitement in their eyes tempered by caution. Jasper could feel his heart thudding in his chest, a rhythm that matched the anticipation crackling between them.

Kyral broke the silence first. "We should start heading to that river," he said, his voice steady and practical. "See if it leads us to any other landmarks."

Jasper nodded, swallowing hard as he prepared himself for the journey ahead. He packed his gear with efficient movements, but his eyes kept drifting back to Kyral. The Borraq's broad shoulders, his golden skin catching the morning light… He seemed so solid, so dependable.

A stark contrast to Jasper's own swirling emotions.

As he tightened the straps on his pack, Jasper couldn't shake the strange feeling gnawing at him. He knew he should want to leave Vasz — get back to human space, where he'd be safe from Borraq slavers. That had been his goal from the moment he'd been captured.

But now, that goal felt foreign and ill-fitting, like wearing someone else's clothes.

The thought unsettled him.

He hoisted his pack onto his shoulders and took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Zee trotted up to him, her six legs moving with a weird grace that made him smile despite everything.

"Ready?" Kyral asked, already moving towards the edge of their makeshift camp.

Jasper nodded again, falling into step beside him.

If they really were close… then all this was about to end.

Chapter sixteen

The river was even more beautiful up close. The water was clear and cool, running over smooth stones. Trees lined the bank, their leaves rustling in the breeze…

And in the distance behind it, were twin peaks.

Just like the ones on the map.

They'd done it.

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