by Blair Drake
“Yes, for now. But we need to keep an eye on him. He appears so strong and capable, I forget he’s eighty years old. In his mind, he’s closer to forty because that’s how old he would be if the King hadn’t cast his evil spell on him, but his body’s giving out. It can’t take the stresses he’s been put under this past week.”
“I’ll sit with him through the night,” Willow offered.
Jasper nodded. “We can take turns, if you like.”
She regarded him steadily, her expression somber. “Is he likely to suffer another heart attack?”
Jasper shrugged. “I’m not sure. Sometimes it happens.”
She stared at him. “We need to find that cave and break the spell.”
Jasper felt a wave of impatience, coupled with dread and determination. He held her gaze.
“Yes, we do.”
The three of them sat around the campfire after enjoying a meal of a giant turkey-like bird Willow had caught in a snare and cooked over the open fire. She’d fashioned a makeshift rotisserie with a strong stick and they’d taken turns holding and turning it until it was cooked. They’d eaten a few more bananas for dessert.
Rylan sat quietly on a fallen tree. Though he’d managed to eat a little, he hadn’t said a lot. Jasper explained what happened, and he could tell Rylan was shaken at the thought of his heart ceasing to pump. Jasper was quick to assure him such a thing happened reasonably often in the world where Jasper lived and most people knew how to treat someone who was having a heart attack.
Rylan had listened with interest, but it was obvious he was too tired to do more than nod. Jasper would save his in-depth explanations for another time. He was sure the healer would be just as fascinated as Willow with the ins and outs of it.
With a yawn and a stretch, Rylan stood slowly and announced he was ready for bed. Willow jumped up, took his arm, and helped him to the sleeping area. They’d flattened down a patch of grass and piled more for under their heads. It wasn’t great, but it was enough. A few moments later, she returned and took a seat opposite Jasper.
He was filled with a rush of nerves. They hadn’t been alone since the moment they shared when she treated his injured arm. Again, he wondered if she was willing to take this any further. Just the thought of her full lips against his had him burning with desire. He clenched his jaw and tried to redirect his attention.
“So, are ye a healer, too?” Willow asked softly, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Jasper swallowed a sigh of relief, glad for the mundane topic to distract him from his heated thoughts. “No, I’m not. At least, not in the sense you mean. In my world, a lot of people are given training in basic first aid, and that includes recognizing the signs of someone having a heart attack.”
“So, people—even young people—know how to do this? Bring someone back from certain death?”
Jasper shrugged. “Not everyone, and not really young kids. High schoolers do first aid training as part of their learning. A lot of adults have basic training, too. It’s something the government puts money into. They support education and training to help people recognize the signs of a heart attack and what to do about it.”
Willow scrunched up her face. “Why? And, what’s the government? Is it like the King?”
Jasper smiled. Their worlds were so far apart…
“Kind of. The government is a group of people who make decisions about the way we live and other important stuff. They make laws about health, education, policing, and lots of other stuff. In my country, they’re elected by the people, but this isn’t always the case. To answer your first question, I guess they see value in having as many people as possible trained in first aid. Sometimes it can make the difference between life and death.”
“Like it did with Papa,” she said quietly.
“Yes.”
“Thank goodness ye were here,” she said quietly and moved closer.
Jasper watched, transfixed as Willow came up to him. She was so close her tunic brushed his knees. His heart skipped a beat at her nearness, and when she leaned in even closer, it took off at a flat-out gallop. Her head came down, and her eyes drifted closed. Then…she kissed him.
Soft and fleeting, he barely realized it happened before it was over, but his lips were left tingling just the same. He stared at her in wonder, hardly able to believe they’d kissed.
“I-I’m sorry,” she stammered, mistaking his stunned silence for disapproval.
Even in the firelight, Jasper saw her blush. He reached out and tugged on her hand in an effort to encourage her to remain beside him. She resisted, but he was determined and she eventually sat back down though she averted her gaze from his.
“Willow, look at me. Please,” he whispered, needing her to understand.
She hesitated, but at last lifted her gaze to his. In the dim light, he saw the uncertainty clouding her eyes.
“Please don’t be embarrassed, and most definitely don’t be sorry.”
She shrugged and her blush deepened. Her gaze returned to the ground.
Jasper swallowed his impatience and tried again. “I wanted you to kiss me,” he admitted softly. “And I’m very glad you did.”
That brought her head up and her eyes searched his, as if she needed to make sure he was sincere. A tremulous smile tilted her lips. “Ye did?” she asked shyly.
“Yes. In fact, I’d like to kiss you back.”
Her eyes flared wide, and he felt an answering response low in his gut. Fire licked his veins. His heart thumped. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her properly to face him. She sat very still and watched him. And then he framed her face between both of his hands, and once again his lips touched hers.
It was just as magical the second time. Her lips were soft and warm. He moved his mouth slowly, gently over hers, filled with the wonder of it. Nothing could feel better than this. Willow was so warm and alive and exciting. Her smile just about knocked him out. She was perfect.
Willow kissed him, so she must really like him, right? He knew how much he liked her. In fact, he wanted to kiss her again. So he did.
This time, he cupped her cheek in his hand and angled his head. The kiss deepened. His heart hammered. Blood pounded through his veins. It felt like he might explode. When Willow pulled a little away from him the kiss came to a natural end.
He eased back. They stared at each other, both panting lightly. She smiled at him uncertainly, and he smiled back the same way. Rylan’s gentle snores filled the silence. What they’d just shared was beyond words, beyond description, beyond anything he’d ever imagined. It was out-of-this-world wonderful. It was so good, so right, so amazing. It was nothing short of magic. He barely knew her, and yet that didn’t seem to matter at all. Too bad she lived on a different planet. It was a dilemma for which he had no answer. In that moment, life seemed beautiful, yet so unfair.
With a soft sigh, he leaned back and stared up at the night sky. Millions of twinkling stars filled the heavens. He thought about all the times he’d perched on his window ledge at the Academy and wondered at the beauty and magic of the night. Not once had he ever imagined being thrust back several hundred years to an alternate universe in order to break an evil spell holding a good man captive.
Not only that, but in the process, he’d meet and fall in love with the most amazing woman he’d ever met and she’d feel the same way about him. Well, he didn’t know for sure if she loved him, but if her kiss and her reaction afterwards was anything to go by, she sure seemed more than interested.
A thought struck him. If what Rylan said was true, and Jasper held the power to break King Defyron’s curse, did he also have the power to cast a spell of his own? Was it possible for him to surround himself with enough magic he could return home and take Willow with him? The very idea filled him with excitement…and then his spirits deflated.
She’d only just discovered her father. There was no way she wanted to leave her papa, and definitely not for a boy she barely knew promising her a new lif
e in a world she didn’t know and could never imagine. It was ludicrous to even contemplate she’d want to come with him—even if he managed to draw together enough magical power to make it happen.
“What are ye thinking?”
Willow’s quietly voiced question interrupted his thoughts. She’d moved and was now a short distance away, her back to the fire. The orange flames illuminated her from behind, giving her an ethereal outline. Jasper was reminded of how beautiful she was.
He decided to answer her with the truth. “I was thinking about how little I know about you and yet…I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. An uncertain smile hovered around her lips. “Ye have…fallen in love with me?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know how it happened. I can’t explain it. It doesn’t make any sense, but yes, I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Her smile widened. She moved closer. He stood, and she came naturally into his arms, like she was meant to be there. Their lips met in another amazing kiss, and this time she opened her mouth. He traced the smooth edges of her teeth, loving every moment, every touch.
Their hearts beat as one as the kiss continued. He wanted it to last forever. But finally, she drew softly away and leaned her head against his chest. They were breathing hard in the stillness, and he savored the feel of her in his arms. Slowly, their breathing returned to normal, and he dropped his arms to his side.
She stepped back and took a seat on the abandoned log then reached for his hand, drawing him down beside her. Her gaze captured his, and it was like they were in a magical world where only the two of them existed. And then she spoke.
“I really like ye, too, Jasper. I think I could even be falling in love with ye. I’ve…” Her gaze lowered, a blush stained her cheeks, and then she continued. “I’ve never been in love. I don’t know how it’s supposed to feel. I don’t know what’s right or wrong, or anything in between.” She shook her head, becoming increasingly agitated. “Do ye understand? I just don’t know. I just don’t know…”
Despite her distress, he couldn’t help but smile. She liked him, she might even fall in love with him! How good was that? This beautiful woman, this healer with magical powers liked him. And just like that, determination surged through him. He would honor his obligation to Rylan and do his best to break the curse, but then he’d do all he could to persuade Willow to come back with him to his world. Now that he knew how she felt about him, he couldn’t leave without her. And that was that.
Tenderly, he put a finger against her lips and silenced her. “Shh. Don’t get so worried. There aren’t any rules. I’ve never felt like this before either, but I’m sure this is how it feels to be in love. I want to shout it from the treetops. I want to sing it out loud. I want to tell everyone I know I’ve found the girl of my dreams.”
She smiled tremulously. “Even my father?”
Jasper laughed ruefully. “Yes, even your father, although I won’t pretend the thought doesn’t terrify me.”
She grinned. “I’ve never had a father to look out for me, but I get the feeling Papa might be keen to take on the role. He seems quite protective, don’t ye think?” She shot him a sly smile and he chuckled, hugging her close.
“You cheeky girl! Of course he’s protective. He loves you! You should have seen the way he spoke about you before the two of you met. He was devastated you’d been spirited away from him, gone before he even knew. He yearned to find out the truth of what happened to you. He told me he meant to seek you out as soon as this quest was over.”
Her gaze softened. “He really does love me, doesn’t he?”
Jasper hugged her tight. “Yes, he really does. I just hope he’s okay with the idea of me loving you, too.”
“How’s yer arm?” Willow asked after they pulled apart.
Jasper glanced down at his limb, still wrapped in banana leaves. “It feels fine. In fact, I’d forgotten all about it.”
Willow smiled. “I guess ye had other more important things on yer mind.”
He winked at her. “I guess so.”
In the end, Rylan took the news better than Jasper imagined. Though initially taken aback the two of them could develop tender feelings in such a short time, and wondering how they intended to make things work, he eventually gave his blessing and they continued on their trek.
They had three more days before the full moon—three more days to reach their destination. Then it would be up to Jasper to work his magic and find the golden stone. What happened after that, he didn’t know, and neither did Rylan. The Book of Griffin was silent on the actual mechanics of how Jasper was to break the spell. He guessed he’d figure it out when the time came. At least, he hoped he would. After all, everything depended on it.
Chapter 15
The sun beat a relentless pattern against the back of Jasper’s neck as he picked his way up the hill. Ahead of him, Rylan slowly labored up the incline, his breath coming in short pants. Jasper shot Willow a look of concern. Traveling directly behind her father, she couldn’t miss the fact he was having a difficult time.
The terrain was rough. The hard ground was covered in loose stones, making it necessary to watch where they placed their feet lest they twist an ankle, or worse. Having two experienced healers in their midst helped, but the way Rylan was going, he was in no position to lend a hand to anyone if they needed it.
As if sensing Jasper’s fears, Willow half-turned and looked toward him. Her lips were compressed in a tight line, and worry creased her brow. She glanced at her father and then looked back to Jasper. He understood.
“Hey, Rylan, let’s take a break,” he called. Willow sent him a grateful look.
The old man paused and turned to face them. “We’re only halfway up. We need to keep going.” He took another step forward and loose rocks scattered under his feet. They rolled down the hillside, narrowly missing Willow where she stood below. Rylan flushed with embarrassment and muttered an apology. Jasper tried again.
“Come on, Rylan. Just for a few minutes.” Taking the initiative, Jasper strode to one of the larger boulders along the path and sat down on it. He sighed, grateful for the opportunity to rest. Willow followed suit.
With a muttered oath, Rylan came back down the slope toward them, carefully picking his way through the stones. When he reached them, he threw himself on the ground with a groan.
“It’s a hot one today,” he commented, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Jasper nodded and noted Rylan’s color. It still didn’t look as it should. The old man’s strength was fading, and there was no doubt the heart attack took a lot out of him. In Jasper’s world, the man would be resting in a hospital bed for at least a few days afterward, perhaps even contemplating surgery. But here, on Ardhi, Rylan was up and moving the very next day, and they weren’t strolling casually around a park either. Once again, Jasper marveled at the old healer’s grit and determination.
Willow dug in her woven bag and produced three bananas. She handed them one each, and they gratefully accepted her offering. Jasper’s school shirt was now little more than a modest covering. The sleeves were long since torn off and half of the buttons were missing. His pants were torn and stained. The only thing remaining shinier than ever was his school pin.
He’d worked it out the pin had some connection to this world of mystery and magic. The first time he came close to someone else with special powers or where magic was somehow involved, the pin glowed red. It was that way when he first met Rylan and again when Willow stumbled into his path. It also glowed each time he called upon his supernatural strength.
He wondered what would happen when he finally returned home. Will the pin still glow in the presence of magic? Will I still have my supernatural strength? What if those powers were only contained in this other world, this alternate universe? What if he returned to just being good old Jasper Walker, talented ball player but otherwise ordinary student in his last year of high school? Would he care if he went back to
his old mundane life, where his biggest concerns were keeping his skin clear, attending his eighteenth birthday celebration, and passing his final exams? Did he want to retain his supernatural powers? Probably not. Especially if there were no other likeminded kids in his world.
His thoughts turned to his school mates and the last time he saw them all up on the roof of the Academy battling the ferocious storm. One by one, they were plucked off the roof and catapulted to places unknown. Had they landed in some unfamiliar world, an alternate universe? Or this one, only elsewhere? Were they all touched by magic, like him? And the bigger questions, did they survive and did any of them successfully return?
All of a sudden, he wished he knew. He needed to hear the answers. He needed to know there was an end to this. As much as he enjoyed meeting Rylan and feeling the rush of first love with Willow, he missed his friends, his school, his parents—his life. He wanted to go home.
“Can you show me the map again, Rylan?” he asked.
Rylan finished the last of his banana and slowly loosened the strap of his knapsack. With weariness edging every movement, he dragged the book out and held it on his lap. With fingers that weren’t quite steady, he flipped open the pages until he was almost at the end. He paused when he found the map.
Jasper scooted closer and stared down at the lines and swirls and drawings that made up the map they were following.He pointed to a spot south of where they began their journey. “I think this is where we are now,” he said.
Rylan squinted at the map and nodded. “I think ye are right.”
Jasper moved his finger further along, across a wide open plain, a natural spring complete with waterfall, and then back into the forest. This time though, it looked to be merely thick stands of trees clumped together on a steep rise. He tapped it with his finger.