Aligning Stars (Fate's Intent Book 1) (10 page)

“And how would you think he would know that?” I asked.

“I don’t know. How do you make it then?”

I sighed and shifted my eyes towards Darius. “She likes it done but just, not too dry but not too chewy like it were raw. Jaylyn is the more ‘I need to eat now before I wither away and die’ type so you don’t have to cook hers that much. She’ll eat just about anything the way it is.”

Ruby quivered. “I can’t stand that.”

“And you?”

I let the question linger on my mind before I looked away. “I won’t be eating.”

“I’ll have hers!” Jaylyn smiled.

Darius held back his smile from her sudden upbeat desire to have my portion of the food and he looked towards Zayden like he was waiting for the final decision.

“Set it aside to be saved. She
will be
eating it.”

My eyes rolled from Zayden’s tone like he planned on making me if he had to but they never landed on him. I kept my silence and all looks of my detestation shrouded away by turning my back from everyone and leaning up against the log I once sat on.

I heard Zayden move and he spoke in a soft private voice. “You know, you have serious issues. Did you know that?”

I kept my eyes from him. In fact, I closed them completely. “Goodnight.”

“All right. I understand your disposition but if you think I’m allowing you to stay out in the open like this, you should probably think again, Love.”

I sat up a little and looked at him for the first time in the minutes I spent next to him and it was like I was frozen cold all over again. “What?”

Zayden merely looked up at the shelter. “Don’t make me make you because you know I will.” I remained quiet and was tapping my foot rapidly on the ground that caused Zayden to raise with a heavy sigh. “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

He turned to me and clutched my hand, pulling me to my feet. “Hey!”

“Do I have to point you in the right direction?”

I glared at him and shot back with my own sarcastic remark. “But I might get lost walking ten feet. Maybe you should carry me so we know I’ll make it there.”

Zayden raised one eyebrow as he flashed his charming crooked smile and did something I didn’t expect. He quickly tossed me up over his right shoulder.

I was caught completely off guard to the surprise of it and had a hard time trying to get free. “Zayden! I wasn’t serious! Put me down right now!”

He didn’t listen and I was taken inside the shelter. I feared to be alone with him but I couldn’t stop it.

Chapter 13

Troy

I tried holding in my laugh while Zayden carried Adele into our sleeping quarters. She obviously wasn’t thinking he’d do that but my laugh was more in amusement to how Darius must feel right about now. Zayden makes the rules and if he wanted to show Adele a thing or two about who’s in charge then he had a right to.

I looked at him and just as I thought, he didn’t look pleased but I knew Zayden. He probably wasn’t in the mood to show her anything.

“Is that allowed?” Ruby’s voice was anxious while her thumb pointed back over her shoulder.

Darius only briefly glanced up at our sleeping quarters and continued tending to the cooking meat. “He’s the one in charge so apparently.”

Ruby’s breaths were becoming quick and she looked at Jaylyn. “I bet she wasn’t expecting it to turn out like this!”

“You don’t know that it’s him.” Jaylyn replied low enough to be thought a whisper.

“Why else would she be so angry?”

“I could think of a few reasons.”

I looked at Darius with my own curiosity and he asked the question for me. “Don’t know that he’s who?”

Ruby and Jaylyn both shifted their eyes towards us, maybe a little unsure if they should answer.

“I’m sorry. You did not hear me just say that.” Jaylyn said.

I smiled to the nervousness in her perfect beautiful voice. “We kind of did. You know something?”

“It’s nothing relevant. Just a past thing.”

Ruby was very vague and Darius looked over at me even more curious than before. “You mean to say that they know each other?”

“Well, not exactly. I mean, he doesn’t know her but if we’re right, she knows him.”

“How?”

“We really shouldn’t be talking about it.” Jaylyn started fiddling her fingers together cutely from the nervousness of the topic. “It was a long time ago.”

“Well, how do you know it’s him?” I asked.

Ruby grabbed her hands to stop her while she answered me at the same time. “She’s been to your city on sort of a little vacation before we got into this life. She’s seen him before. His eyes are what she remembered most. They’re unique in a way that would be unforgettable to one seeking them. She’s described them to us as the color of the crystal waters of the south.”

“It runs in the family.” Darius smiled.

“See? I’m telling you it’s him.”

“Okay but even if that’s true, I don’t think it’s going to change anything.” Jaylyn told her. “She’s clearly already accepted it now that she knows who he really is. Her attitude has proven that.”

Ruby took a breath in and let it out like an agreeing sigh. “Yeah. That’s so like her.”

“Here.” Darius had two pieces off the pan and on two small tin saucers. “First two are yours.”

“Thanks.” Jaylyn leaned across the fire and took both plates, handing one right off to Ruby.

She kept it in her hand and stared down at it. “You wouldn’t happen to have anything to eat it with over there, would you?”

Darius looked around and started digging through one of the bags. “Sorry. We’re a little shy on utensils but I’ll let you have one of these knives if you promise not to kill me with it.”

Ruby smiled. “Murder never made it on the list of things I want to do to you.”

Jaylyn quickly elbowed her but it wasn’t quick enough. Darius already started to smile and looked over at me. “How long do you think he’ll be?”

I laughed. “Not long enough. Just let her have that instead.”

“Damn.” He moved himself forward just enough to hand off two small daggers. “Here you are. You can have this one, Blondie.”

“Thanks. I had no idea I was blonde.”

“Sorry if that offended you.”

“It didn’t. It’s pretty obvious what color my hair is in any light.” It was true. Her hair was so blonde, almost white even; the perfect shade of ivory.

Ruby grabbed everyone’s attention when she let out a pleasured moan with a mouthful of food.

“You all right?” Jaylyn asked.

“It’s
so
yummy.”

Jaylyn scooted herself a few inches away from her just by the gratifying tone she used to say it and I laughed again. She was so cute. Anything she did was only pulling me in further.

“I’m glad.” Darius said.

“That’s great.” I sighed. “Now get ours going.”

“All right. All right. Give it a few minutes.” He put two more pieces on the pan and let them cook.

“Psst.” Jaylyn was quietly trying to get my attention but was still heard by everyone because it already was quiet. “How exactly am I supposed to eat this without—”

Her eyes moved to Darius and he questioned it before I could answer. “What? Don’t want me seeing your face?”

“That concern crossed our minds.”

“It’s okay. You have nothing to worry about. You won’t be first. Once you see me get to her, then you can worry.”

Ruby moaned again. “Why can’t it be now?”

“I’d like more than anything for it to be now but Zayden has made it clear that won’t happen and I’ll keep it that way until he changes his mind. So, Jaylyn, you’re perfectly safe.”

“Thank you. Sorry that I assumed.”

“I’m sure it was actually Troy’s worry and he was just trying to protect you since he claimed you from the beginning.”

Oh, no. I couldn’t believe he just mentioned that and I felt so embarrassed.

“What does that mean?” Ruby asked.

Jaylyn looked just as curious and Darius laughed. “Oh, Troy, you didn’t tell her? You should really tell her.”

“Tell me what?”

I had no choice now and just hoped that she didn’t see bad in me. “Well, we knew you were coming at some point and I did a routine check to see when that would actually be. I saw you before you even got to the border and knowing what was going to happen to you, I requested not to have to share you.”

Ruby laughed but my focus was on Jaylyn. She said nothing and it was starting to worry me until she smiled. “You picked me to rape over them? That’s so sweet!”

That was completely not the reaction Darius nor I were expecting but I took it. Jaylyn came over to me with her smile and removed her mask, kissing me for a second time. I wasn’t expecting that either but I couldn’t refuse her.

“Yippee, Jaylyn.” Ruby muttered. “You win again.”

“Don’t feel bad about yourself.” I said. “Darius wanted you firstly because of your name then asked if you were wearing red and your fate with him was sealed when I told him you had red hair.”

“Really?”

Darius cleared his throat and I was glad it was his turn to be embarrassed. “I know what I like and you—well, I need to stop thinking about it. That’s what I need to be doing.”

Ruby smiled and crawled over to him as best she could with her injured ankle and planted a kiss on him. He was stunned by the surprise but it didn’t take him long to retaliate and start kissing her back.

Jaylyn and I smiled as we looked over at each other and let it continue while Jaylyn inched herself just a little farther towards me with her food. “Should have seen that coming.”

I laughed and glanced in their direction. “Yeah, he’s been wanting something, obviously mad because I already had but I think that’s enough before Zayden senses misbehavior.”

I cleared my throat loudly but Darius put up one finger for me to wait. I just laughed and leaned over, punching him in the arm lightly so he would actually stop or who knows where things would have gone. That was an expression mostly. I knew where it would have gone and he would have done her right in front of us but they did finally stop.

“I think you’ve made your point.” Jaylyn laughed. “You’re happy.”

“Yes, well, I may have.” Ruby looked at Darius and kept her seat next to him.

“Happier?” I asked.

Darius kept his smile and still had his eyes on Ruby. “Much.”

We all laughed, not even noticing Zayden walk out of our sleeping quarters alone. I think I noticed first and immediately wiped the smile from my face. Others did after me and looked up where my eyes were. I was frozen, even my breath stopped when Zayden was staring at us.

Here it comes.

Chapter 14

Zayden

I knew leaving them alone may have been a bad idea. They were all sitting close to each other and laughing together like there was no war.

“Having fun out here, are we?” My eyes were focused and still, almost threatening to what I was seeing.

The girls looked at each other and both moved a few inches away, maybe hoping to ease some of my stare. It only helped a little.

“Better. I’m gone for five minutes and you four feel it necessary to get acquainted.”

Troy looked worried. “Zayden, we were just—”

“Enough. You don’t need to explain it to me. Really. They need to explain.”

Jaylyn looked over at Ruby nervously and spoke slowly like she was really wondering if I noticed she wasn’t wearing her mask. I noticed. I already assumed it would come off so she could eat and this was the first time I was seeing her. “Explain what?”

I was just so mixed about what to do. The fury was just growing inside me and I approached her, pulling her viciously up to her feet. “About this.”

I didn’t give anyone time to protest, not even Troy when I struck Jaylyn across the face with a dagger in my hand.

“Zayden!” Troy sprung right up when Jaylyn reacted to the pain but I wasn’t buying her innocence.

“What are you?”

Jaylyn turned her head back to me with her cheek covered and slowly lowered her hand. Blood smeared against her skin but there was no cut.

Troy turned her chin to him with an annoyingly high level of concern and saw it for himself. “What just happened?”

“The lovely Kalu Assassins have been hiding a secret.” I said. “Want to see another?”

Ruby hurried to get to her feet and back away even with her injured ankle. “Zayden, wait.”

“Why? Don’t want to get angry?”