Page 18 of Wayfinder
Turiak rolled his dark eyes and, with a respectful nod in Jutuk’s direction, picked up Rollak and carried him from the room.
“I will let the Baron know his faith in you is not misplaced.” Qaimus recovered from the outburst, although his wide webbed hands fanned his face copiously. He waited until I nodded in acknowledgment before turning to the others. “I declare the first challenge of the competition complete. The second challenge will begin at dawn. I suggest everyone retire for a good rest. Tomorrow’s contest will prove more difficult as we hunt for creatures of the air.”
I stayed quiet as we made our way to my chambers, pondering tomorrow’s challenge. Killing the behia proved surprisingly easy, but now we faced a new task—taking down a creature that could fly away. I didn’t expect it to be easy, but with Jutuk by my side, I couldn’t help but feel confident. I felt a sense of awe and admiration for Jutuk’s abilities. I wanted to thank him for what he’d done, but how exactly did one go about thanking a guy for beating up another guy for you?
When we entered the room, Jutuk headed straight for the sofa and began meticulously removing his weapons one by one, placing the gleaming blades on a nearby table. I made my way to the bathroom and went straight for the shower. Although it was only chemically enhanced steam, the warmth cascaded over my body, easing the soreness of overused muscles. I dialed up another nightgown, this one sleeveless and knee-length in cottony soft fabric. By the time I emerged from the bathroom, Jutuk had already settled onto his pallet on the floor, his body relaxed and at ease.
I crawled onto the mattress, fidgeting until I found the words. “Thank you... for today.”
Jutuk turned his head slightly, the corners of his lips twitching upward. “It was my great honor to assist you.”
Seriously, could he be any sweeter?
“I’m not just talking about your help with the behia. I mean, for later, too, the way you protected me from Rollak and Uilay.”
Jutuk rolled onto his side to face me fully. He’d dressed for bed, and the thin blanket fell to his waist, the muscles of his chest and torso seeming to gleam in the dim light. “It was my honor and duty as a Vaktaire warrior. I gave my vow to my Chieftain and your friend Emmy that I would keep you safe.”
This was new for me… this feeling of being grateful to have someone at my side. It felt strange and foreign, but not altogether unwelcome. Just like every time I pondered the reason for my inability to trust, Donovan’s handsome face floated through my mind. It was a damn shame I couldn’t rip him from my brain, so Jutuk could beat him up.
For so long, I had been used to standing alone, facing the world by myself, unwilling to trust enough to let myself be vulnerable. But now, with Jutuk, everything seemed a little less daunting. His presence brought a sense of comfort and security that I never knew I needed.
“How did you become a warrior?” I asked the question not only to fill the awkward silence but also because I wanted to know more about him.
Jutuk rolled onto his back, curling a heavily muscled arm under his head. “I am Vaktaire. Being a warrior is in my DNA.” A faint smile played over his full lips. “I have Jala to thank for my position aboard the Bardaga. When our parents died, she took over my upbringing and insisted upon my continued studies.”
“You said you were a Wayfinder?” The word was familiar to me, although I had no idea what it meant. “What is that exactly?” I asked at Jutuk’s nod.
“It’s like being a navigator, but more.” Jutuk turned his head slightly, just enough where he could gaze at the starryfilled space visible from the skylight. “A navigator uses maps and compasses to plot the course of a ship. A Wayfinder possesses an inner compass that allows me to find my way without the need of maps.”
“No Google Maps for you, huh?” I teased.
“Google Maps?” No good tease goes unpunished.
“It’s how most people tell directions on Earth,” I chuckled.
“What was your life like on Earth?” He shifted slightly to glance at me. In the din, his golden eyes glowed like twin suns.
“Just like here, pretty much. I was a chef.” Granted, on Earth, an ugly frog-faced bastard didn’t think he owned me, but overall, pretty much the same.
“Did you cook for royalty on Earth?”
I didn’t quite consider Baron Oappo the definition of royalty. “No. Some chefs work for royal families, but I owned a few restaurants.”
“Did you always want to cook?”
The question had been posed countless times by countless interviewers. And every time, I regurgitated the same stock response, claiming that I loved food and had always dreamed of becoming a chef since practically birth. But the truth was far from that.
“Cooking was always a comfort to me.” The words came from my soul, like a confession. “I was such a disappointment to my parents, but my grandmother always understood me, and she taught me to cook. I named my most successful restaurant after her.”
Jutuk raised up on an elbow, eyeing me with a mix of curiosity and disbelief. “I do not understand why you would be a disappointment to anyone. You are a strong and accomplished female. Your parents should be proud.”
“Thanks,” I murmured, feeling oddly embarrassed. “Believe it or not, my parents didn’t want me to be a chef.”
“Why not? You are an excellent chef. The dish you made tonight is the most delicious food I have ever tasted.”
The unwavering conviction in Jutuk’s voice was heartwarming. It reminded me of my grandmother, the only person who had ever truly believed in me. It made me feel both humbled and empowered and more than a little tingly.
“You might not have noticed, but I’m a lot taller and bigger than most human women.”
