Page 8 of Her Dryad Dom

"Dom, what's wrong?" Aspen's concern was evident in her voice, and she reached out to steady me as I stumbled away from the barrier.

"Salt," I gritted out, clenching my fists at my sides. "It's harmful to me, and other magical nature beings. The town spirit clearly doesn't want us to go to the mayor." I shook my head, unable to make sense of it. "This doesn't add up."

"Wait, so the town spirit is trying to stop us?" Aspen's brows furrowed in confusion. "But why?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Frustration bubbled within me, threatening to boil over. We were so close, and yet this new obstacle stood between us. "All I know is if the town spirit is putting this much effort into stopping us, we won't make it to the mayor."

"Can't you just... move it? Like you did with the trees?" Aspen asked hesitantly, her fingers brushing against my arm in a gesture of comfort. The touch sent shivers down my spine, a mix of pleasure and pain.

I shook my head, grimacing. "It's not that simple. Salt is more than just an irritant to me. I only have control over trees and nature. While salt is found naturally, it kills my kind. I can't control it like I can with the forest."

"Then we'll find another way," Aspen declared, her eyes blazing with determination. "We've come too far to give up now."

I couldn't help but admire her resolve, even as I cursed myself for dragging her into this nightmare.

"Won't work," I bit out, my voice gruff but resolute. "If we found a way around, the town spirit would find a new obstacle for us. We won't get there unless the town allows it."

"Then I can go to the mayor alone," Aspen suggested, her voice steady despite the uncertainty in her eyes. "You don't have to come with me."

"Absolutely not." The refusal escaped my lips with more force than I intended, but the thought of her wandering the woodsalone sent a shudder of panic through me. "The town spirit wouldn't allow you to go alone."

I knew what town was trying to do. It didn't want me to get anyone involved. Instead, it wanted us to stay with each other until Aspen had made up her mind on whether or not she wanted to claim me as her mate. Which wouldn't happen. So I had to endure all six remaining days next to her. This would be a living hell.

"Then what do you suggest?" Her tone remained calm, but I could feel her frustration simmering beneath the surface. She was used to taking charge, solving problems. But here, in this cursed town, her usual methods were insufficient. No amount of debating or recounting laws would change the town's mind.

"Let's return to my house. I'll contact the mayor from there," I proposed, trying to keep the guilt from seeping into my voice.

"Fine," she agreed, her shoulders slumping with resignation. As we retraced our steps back to my home, I couldn't help but dwell on my mounting frustration and guilt.

Once we arrived at my house, I retrieved the magical landline that connected me directly to the mayor. The ancient device hummed with energy as I dialed the number, its vibrations sending shivers up my arm.

"Dom, why do you have this?" Aspen asked, her curiosity piqued by the old technology.

"Because of my role in maintaining the barrier, I must report directly to the mayor," I explained, avoiding her gaze. "But I prefer to stay isolated outside of town. Besides, since the barrier went up, we haven't been able to communicate with the outside world. Outside technology doesn't work here, but we have a few internal amenities technology wise."

"Isolation seems to be a recurring theme around here," she murmured, her tone tinged with sadness. I wanted to reassureher, to promise that things would change for the better, but I knew better than to make promises I couldn't keep.

"Let's just hope the mayor can help us," I said instead, my voice thick with unspoken helplessness as I braced myself for the conversation to come.

Chapter 5: Aspen

Icouldn't help but watch Dom as he spoke into an old landline, the cord tangled around his tree-like arm. Honestly, it looked like something out of a bad nineteen-eighties movie. The gruff tone of his voice intrigued me. It was low and strained, leaving me a little too turned on.

"Absolutely not," he growled into the receiver, his brow furrowing. I quickly picked up on his agitation with the mayor.

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