Chapter 26: Chapter 26
The warm water soaked into her aching muscles as Nya sank deeper and deeper into the heat of the tub. The servants had graciously filled the basin with steaming hot water that smelled of lilacs and rose petals, and when Nya had climbed in, she’d sank up to her chin. It was delightful to be so completely consumed by the warmth of the floral scented water. Not only did her muscles feel soothed, she felt her mind clearing as well.
She hadn’t been completely honest with Slate about what she’d seen. But then… this newfound ability of hers, to see the future, it wasn’t necessarily one hundred percent accurate. After all, she’d just realized she had it a few months ago. Even then, she wasn’t sure she was actually seeing the future. The only times it had really served her had been when she’d been fighting those idiots in the military barracks and when she’d taken on Slate himself. Of course, she hadn’t even realized she had been projecting his movements then until after she was on his back and he was flying away. So really, at the end of the day, was it really lying for her to tell him that she had seen him being captured while she took possession of the gem? It wasn’t like she had seen her betraying him completely and taking the gem and running away. For all she knew, she’d choose to save him, give him the gem, and everything would work out in the end just exactly how Slate wanted it to.
“Not that there’s even any guarantee he’ll choose to attack right away,” she mumbled to herself. Her voice echoed around the large bathing chamber, which was constructed mostly of stone in a light tan color and lit by dozens of white tapered candles in golden stands and candelabras. It was beautiful. But it wasn’t home, and that’s where she wished she was at the moment. While she was glad that she’d made the decision to chase down the dragon so that she could discover the truth about Gavin, she wasn’t happy that she was now a prisoner here, and the last thing she wanted was to be stuck in the dragon’s lair indefinitely.
It seemed like he was putting off an actual attack, after all. He’d been building this army for decades. How long was he willing to wait? In the meantime, Beelzanborg was getting stronger, too. There was no reason for Slate to assume that he could ever usurp Beelzanborg’s power, so he may as well just launch the attack already. Now that he had her, not only because of her power but because of her skills on the battlefield, he was as prepared as he was ever going to be.
She wondered if there was a chance she might be able to get Rok to talk her father into bringing the army of Frindom into the fray. If Gavin’s father had any say in it, he would surely choose to fight alongside his son, especially if he realized that was the best way to bring him home for good. But there was no way for her to send word to Rok, not easily anyway, and the idea of suggesting it to Slate would muddy the water she was already trying to clear. No, for now, she’d be forced to keep her suggestions limited and just pray that he accepted what she’d already proposed.
As the water turned from hot to warm to tepid to cold, she decided it was time to get out before her muscles stiffened up and she undid everything she’d just done with the soaking. Standing, Nya reached for a soft towel the servants had provided her and wrapped it around her body. It was so large, she could almost wind it around her thin frame twice. She had to imagine it was Slate’s and would only go about halfway around his broad shoulders.
She took another towel and squeezed the water from her hair as she stepped out of the deep basin, ready to get some sleep. Once she was done drying off, she headed to the bedroom where Slate had had his servants lay out a nightgown for her. She had no idea who it belonged to, but it was soft and warm. The white fabric was long enough to reach the floor as she dropped it over her head.
Nya pulled the blankets back from the bed and snuggled beneath them. The bed was comfortable, the mattress soft, and the room went dark the moment she put out the lantern, probably because there were no moon or stars in the sky to filter through the window. The red glow she’d noticed earlier was still illuminating the area outside of the window, but it wasn’t nearly as bright, and with thick drapes hanging over the opening, all she could see was a faint glow between the crack of the curtains.
Her eyelids were heavy, despite being in a strange place. Nya took a few deep breaths and let herself drift away, praying she didn’t dream about any dragons--or the handsome man who could shift into the beast--but she had a feeling her dreams would be filled with both.
***
Breakfast was hardier than what Nya was used to eating. Rather than just some buttered bread and fruit, the table was spread with meat and thick rolls, as well as the normal fruit and cereals made of grain.
She got her fill of bacon and rolls, as well as a few strawberries and grapes, and washed it down with some of the sweetest, coolest water she’d ever tasted, which Slate had told her had come directly from the ice caps on the mountainside. It was refreshing and woke her up more than even the sweetness of the berries or the savory flavor of the bacon.
Once she was finished, she wiped her hands on the cloth napkin supplied by the servants and waited for her host to finish. He took his time, putting away more calories than even the top four of her father’s warriors combined might do at any given meal. She watched in awe, not sure where all of that food might go. He was perfectly chiseled from his wide shoulders to his strong calves. She thought he must burn it all off during whatever training he did throughout the day. Thinking about where he stored excess calories had her thinking about his body again, and that was dangerous. Nya felt her cheeks pinking as she lowered her eyes to the spot where her plate had been before the servants took it away only a few moments ago.
She’d intended to wait until he was finished eating to bring up the topic she was waiting to discuss, but at this rate, she thought he might still be packing away the morning meal at lunch, so Nya hazarded bringing it up. “So… have you given any thought to my request?”
He looked at her blankly for a moment, as if he wasn’t sure what she was getting at. Nya scoffed, tipping her head so she was looking at him sideways. “You mean attacking now?” he asked.
“Not attacking,” she clarified. “Not exactly. Just… scouting it out. That’s all.”
Slate inhaled deeply through his nose, held it for a second, and blew it out slowly through his mouth before shoveling a huge slice of ham into his mouth. He chewed for a second and then swallowed what Nya had to assume were pieces the size of a normal bite for her. “I’ve thought about it,” he said with a casual tone, like he wasn’t deciding her fate. “I think it’s too risky.”
“Too risky?” she said, both hands on the table as she pushed herself up slightly in shock. “Too risky for who? Not for you! If you have a problem, you just fly away.”
“And leave you there?’ he asked, shaking his head, his eyes on his plate. “No, I couldn’t do that. We have a strict code here. We never leave one of our own behind, and like it or not, you are one of us now, at least for the time being.”
His words haunted her as she remembered the visions she’s seen, of him in chains and her holding the gem. She hadn’t taken any such pledge to never leave a man behind, but she understood that he counted her as one of his own now. Would she really be willing to leave him there and take the gem?
Nya shook her head to clear her thoughts. “Listen, I’ve already told you what I saw. I won’t get left behind. I know it.” That, she was certain of. She hadn’t seen any scenarios where she was the one who was caught.
Slate stared at her for a long moment before spearing another large hunk of ham on his fork and plucking it off with his perfectly white teeth. He chewed a lot more carefully this time, which seemed to take forever. Eventually, he said, “Let me speak to my second in command, Granite. He will give me his honest opinion.”
Nya was frustrated, but she’d rather have him speaking to someone else about the situation than going back to the strict pass he’d given her a few minutes ago. “Fine,” she said. “And what am I to do today?”
The dragon in human form smiled a sly smile at her. “Why, train of course.”
Nya raised an eyebrow, not exactly sure what it was about the statement that had him looking at her that way. She was no stranger to training, so why did he grin at her like he thought it would be humorous to see her training?
The sound of him chuckling under his breath got the better of her. “Why is that so funny?” Nya demanded to know. “I train most of the day when I am at home.”
“I’m sure you do,” he said, finally picking up the napkin next to his plate and wiping his mouth and hands. Nya was just relieved to know the meal was finally over, even if it did mean the beginning of an amusing day of training for her. “But not with my warriors.”
She folded her arms and narrowed her gaze. “I guarantee you don’t have any warriors who can best me.”
“Tell you what,” Slate said, folding his arms across his massive chest in response to her posture. “You prove that to me today, and I’ll take you to Beelzanborg tomorrow morning.”
“Deal,” Nya said, wishing she was sitting closer to him so that she could extend her hand.
Again, that smile illuminated his face, and for the first time in a long time, an uneasy feeling crept up the back of Nya’s neck as she wondered if maybe she wasn’t good enough after all. She pushed it aside. If beating his top warriors meant that she could go to Beelzanborg, get the gem, and then go home to her people, then that’s exactly what she would do. There was no doubt in her mind that she could do it--not that she was willing to acknowledge anyway.
Slate pushed his chair back and gestured for her to leave the room in front of him. The chair squeaked across the stone floor as she scooted from beneath the table, and with her head held high, Nya walked out of the dining hall toward the front door, praying she was as strong as she thought she was. She needed to get home and would do whatever it took to get back to the people that needed her most--the subjects of the kingdom of Frindom.