Page 23 of Galadon
Titan nodded. “Of course.”
Lorcan gestured down one of the paths leading away from the worship area. “It’s getting too late for you to travel farthertonight. We have guest quarters over a tavern that are currently vacant. You can eat and rest before you continue.”
“No one will mind me staying there?” Rayna asked, surprised. She’d barely been tolerated by the Faegud in the past, even when fighting by their sides during the war.
“The humans running it won’t,” Lorcan said as they began walking down a darkened stone path. “As for the dragons, only a few shifters go there, and they’re all afraid of Galadon.”
Rayna scowled. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“He made it clear months ago that if anyone from the Faegud lays a hand on you, he’ll rip them into pieces.” Lorcan glanced over at her with a knowing look. “Everyone is aware that you’ve slept with him, and he’s assumed responsibility for you.”
She stumbled to a halt. “What? There’s no way he would do that.”
Titan also frowned at this news, so at least she wasn’t the only one confused.
The Faegud male turned to face her. “I don’t pretend to understand the lone shifter, but one thing I’m sure of is that he sees you as his in some manner or another. No one here will harm you.”
Damn Galadon. Every time she thought she had a handle on him, something like this happened. “He hates me and made that clear just a couple of hours ago.”
“No.” Lorcan shook his head. “Hewantsto hate you, and that makes a difference. No one here is foolish enough to think otherwise. Whether you see him again or not, he won’t let a slight against you pass, and Zorya help anyone who harms you.”
Titan grunted and gave Rayna an apologetic look. “I have noticed possessiveness in his eyes every time he’s near you—even today. Perhaps he doesn’t want to be with you, but he has difficulty resisting the urge to protect you.”
This was so utterly ridiculous. How could they not see what she did, and why did this revelation only hurt her more after Galadon’s rejection? He confused her even when he wasn’t present and scowling at her.
“Fine. Please take us there,” she said, looking forward to a good drink or two to drown her sorrows.
Lorcan turned on his heels. “Follow me.”
***
The craggy peaks of the mountains south of the Taugud fortress came into view. Titan beat his wings harder to gain altitude so they could fly over them. They’d hardly spoken during their return trip, with each lost in their thoughts after a night of heavy drinking to help them forget themselves for a while. It had almost worked.
Rayna was coming to grips with the fact that no shifter other than Lorcan had gone near her during her brief stay at the jakhal—just as he’d predicted. The few who entered the tavern sat far away. Oh, sure, they didn’t hide their disgust, but wariness had also reflected in their gazes. At least the humans running the place had been friendly and given her a massive feast with delicious foods one would expect from natives of Texas. They’d also kept their mugs full.
She just couldn’t understand why Galadon granted her his protection even as he made it clear he never wanted to see her again. Why would he do that? Did he still mean it, or had hedone it during a moment of weakness months ago? All questions she couldn’t ask him.
Titan reached the mountains, landing on a semi-flat peak.
“Why are we stopping?” she asked as he released her to take a step back.
His dragon face revealed little of his thoughts.I wanted to speak to you before we arrive at the fortress. Something tells me you don’t plan to stay long, and I want to make something clear before you disappear again.
It would take too much energy to shift so he could speak aloud for a few minutes, but she was still surprised he wanted to have a discussion. The tone of his voice in her head was stern.
“Titan, I’ll be fine. No lectures needed.”
Says the slayer who will recklessly put her life in danger because she thinks she doesn’t matter to anyone.He paused and let out a growl.But youdomatter to more people than you realize—even to that fool, Galadon.
Rayna crossed her arms and glared at him. “I don’t want to hear his name anymore.”
She really didn’t. If she never heard it again, it wouldn’t be long enough. The absolute best thing for her to do was forget him and move on with her life. She told him to stop saving her, and she hoped he kept his promise.
Fine, if that’s what you want, but it doesn’t change facts. There are others who care about you—Bailey, Aidan, Conrad, Rosalie, and even Freya.He referred to the people who she’d worked closely with last fall before and during the war.Most of all, I care. I already lost my best friend, but somehow, you’ve grown on me, and I won’t lose you as well.
Her eyes misted. The pain in his gaze was always there to some extent, but it especially gleamed there now. She could also see the concern that weighed heavily on him. Though she’d known since Eliam’s memorial that he’d grown attached to her, it still shocked her. A shifter who truly ignored her slayer status and saw her as a person. For too long, she’d accepted that no one cared about her like that. Even Rayna’s mother had written her off years ago.
She ran a hand through her tangled, wind-blown hair. “I promise I won’t get close to the Kandoran nest, okay? All I plan to do is return to my tower and hunt to the north, away from them. You know I have to do that much.”
