Page 26 of Samuel
For someone who seemed so dedicated to his profession, someone who’d spent years fighting, training, and killing, it was hard to imagine him contemplating anything else.
“And? What did you come up with?” I asked.
He let out a short, humorless laugh. “Nothing. Hunting’s all I’ve ever known.”
He sounded so defeated, like he’d already resigned himself to a life that, as far as I could see, was eating him from the inside out.
My dragon growled softly in response, feeling the need to protect, to shelter.
“There must be something you’re good at, something you’re interested in pursuing,” I said, almost challenging him.
He looked down at his hands, the corners of his mouth twitching.
“I like to draw,” he admitted, his voice barely a whisper. “Never been really good at it, though.”
I turned the thought over in my mind, an idea sparking.
“Well then,” I said, “why don’t we head into town later? Get you some drawing supplies.”
His head whipped around to look at me, eyes wide with surprise.
“What? Are you serious?” Blake asked.
I shrugged, enjoying the way his face lit up, even if it was just a little.
“Yeah. I’ve been meaning to restock our supplies anyway. Wouldn’t hurt to pick up a few extras,” I told him.
Blake blinked, a flicker of emotion crossing his face before he looked away, trying to hide it.
He was still too proud, too wary to show much of what he was feeling, but the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth was enough for me.
“Thanks,” he muttered, his voice almost shy.
We sat in silence for a few minutes, both of us staring out at the forest.
I felt the weight of his loneliness, the years he’d spent training, fighting, and killing.
He’d never had a chance to just live.
To explore the things that interested him, to have a life that wasn’t dictated by duty and danger.
And I’d be damned if I let him run from the chance he had now, here, with me.
Eventually, he broke the silence.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” His tone was defensive, but there was something fragile underneath it, a vulnerability that tugged at something deep in my chest.
I turned to him, letting him see the truth in my eyes.
“Because you’re mine,” I said, voice steady. “And I take care of what’s mine.”
He swallowed, his face a mixture of shock and confusion. I could see him struggling, grappling with the intensity of it all.
But I knew he felt it too. The bond between us was undeniable, a force that neither of us could ignore.
“You don’t even know me,” he said softly, his voice trembling slightly.
I leaned closer, brushing a strand of hair from his face.
