Page 22 of Fated to the Grumpy Dragon
“Physical damage is one thing,” he said, looking away uncomfortably while we walked, the path leading up toward the bluffs now. Below to our left, the earth fell away vertically until it met the sea, the blue-green mass of waves stretching out to the horizon. “If allowed to, the damage will be healed. You were hurt before, however, and now, there’s no telling what’s physical and what may be mental.”
“Are you calling me psycho?”
He rolled his eyes, and I felt the frustration in my head, frustration that wasn’t my own. “That is not what I said, so stop attacking me, will you? The brain is beyond fickle. Nobody knows how it works exactly. Especially when it comes to memories. I’m sorry for giving you your life back but not your memories. Next time, I’ll try to do better.”
With that, Rhyse set off again.
Cursing myself, I ran after him. “Wait, Rhyse. Hold on. I’m sorry. I’m not having an easy time with this. With all of it. You’re in myhead! How is that even possible?”
“After food,” he said, gesturing to continue heading up the bluffs. “And showers.”
“I don’t have any clean clothes,” I pointed out.
“Then you can wear mine. But you’re getting out of those and into something else. No excuses,” he said.
Again came the surge of protectionism flowing into me as he spoke. It was quite unnerving to both be able to hear it and feel it. Yet it was also relaxing. Because he meant it, and Iknewhe meant it. All Rhyse wanted was to look out for me. To keep me safe.
And it was working.
We walked up the rest of the bluffs in silence. I had a million questions, but he didn’t seem interested in answering them. So, instead, we shared companionable silence. Whether that was because of our mental connection or something else, I wasn’t sure.
But I didn’t hate it.
“Here,” he said at last, heading left off the main path onto a barely maintained trail.
As we had ascended, the path veered away from the bluffs, keeping a safe distance between any walkers and the edge. We were heading toward the edge once more. Only, this time, we were descending down, the path meandering sharply to the right and then back to the left in an S-shape, serving to hide our destination from the path itself.
“Are you sure? It doesn’t feel like anyone lives here,” I observed, noticing the lack of care that went into the path, which made it feel like little more than a worn corridor in the rock
“That’s the point,” he said, heading around one more bend as the rocks loomed higher on either side of us, reaching above my head.
A moment later, the path spit us out onto a flat ledge easily half an acre or more in size. Straight ahead, stairs led down to a basement entrance to a modest, one-story brick house. But that wasn’t what drew my eye.
“Wow,” I whispered as Rhyse bypassed what I had figured to be the front door to head around out back.
He glanced back at me then out across the ledge. “You like it?”
“What a view,” I whispered, mesmerized by the seemingly unending horizon of the ocean far in the distance. The sun was on its downward track and already beginning to light up the ocean. In the distance, clouds were forming, but they just added to the panoramic view.
“That it is.”
“I can just imagine breakfasts out here as the sun comes overhead and lights the horizon,” I murmured.
“And the sunsets are killer, too,” he confirmed with a smile.
Drinking deep the saltwater air, I started to wander closer to the edge.
“Shower and food first,” he said. “You look like something out of a cheesy horror movie, and I’m not much better. Let’s get clean, then we can eat out there if you’d like.”
“Okay.” I let myself be led inside.
The house was roomier than it looked, with high ceilings and open rooms. A large sitting area dominated the rear, allowing for beautiful unobstructed views out across the sea. Beyond that was a kitchen to the right as we entered from out back, and to the left was a set of rooms that I took to be sleeping quarters.
“The only shower within a room is mine,” he said apologetically. “But you have this one to yourself. There are towels in there. I’ll set some clothing on the floor outside. Just leave yours in the tub. We’ll figure out what to do later, okay?I’m going to shower, and I’ll have food started by the time you’re done.”
I nodded, entering the bathroom and locking the door behind me. I didn’t sense any maliciousness on his part, but I wasn’t risking it either. Then I stripped, peeling the dried bloody clothing off me.
As I did, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and gasped.
