Confident that sleep would hold her hostage for the rest of the night, Jarod turned back and headed toward the center of the field. Continuing past the road they had come in on, he made his way to the edge of the forest, searching the ground and the trees for something he could use as a makeshift weapon. Since his vision at night was nearly as sharp as his daytime sight, it took only a few minutes of looking before he came across a long, thin but sturdy branch that would serve as a suitable substitute for a staff. Ripping it loose from the tree, Jarod pulled a knife from inside his boot and proceeded to strip off the small twigs that still covered the sides. Once he had smoothed the edges as much as he could, he ran it across the palm of his hand to be sure it would slide freely in his grasp. Satisfied with the final results, he returned with it to the center of the grassy field, removed his shirt, and dropped into a low stance. Closing his eyes, he drew in several slow purposeful breaths, and on the final release began running through a series of combat formations that had been drilled into him by Aziel during his years of service.
These last few weeks of running and hiding had done nothing to release the anger he constantly battled against. And with them being so close to Oasis and to finally being able to confront his brother, Jarod feared if he didn’t do something to let off some of the angst that was building inside, then at the first site of his brother, he would do something he regretted. Not wanting his first moments in Oasis to be shrouded in anger and hatred, Jarod pushed himself hard. He spun and thrust in angry, frustrated movements until his entire torso glistened in the moonlight from the sweat beading on his chest and back. But even then he didn’t stop, instead he continued to push his body until his breathing grew labored and his muscles ached.
“Jarod?” the voice off to his side caught him by surprise. Whipping around in its direction, Jarod halted the stout wooden staff only inches from slamming full force into the side of Maya’s face. Frozen in shock of what he had almost done, he stared back into Maya’s unwavering expression of serenity as he took a moment to collect his thoughts.
“Maya! What the hell? I could have knocked you out!” he shouted once he was finally able to regain use of his tongue. Lowering the staff, he ran an unsteady hand through his dampened locks, pushing them up and away from his face.
“I couldn’t sleep,” was all the answer she offered as she took a cautious step closer to him. “Jarod, is something bothering you?”
“No, I’m fine,” he replied shortly. “I just wanted to get in some training while you slept.”
Tilting her head, Maya’s brow creased. She released a deep breath she had been holding and allowed some of the tension to ease in her torso. Closing the distance between them, Maya stopped to pick up his shirt along the way. She didn’t believe him, he could read that much in her body language. However, he also knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t push him to divulge more information than he cared to.
“Then, if you are finished, come back and lay down with me.” Still holding his shirt in one hand, she reached her free hand out to run it over the hard muscles of his bare chest. Immediately he stepped away and held out his hand. Fighting to conceal her disappointment, Maya handed over the shirt and turned to head back toward their camp without a word, only to be stopped by Jarod’s heavy hand on her shoulder. Maya paused, glancing back at him.
“It’s not you.” He sighed, releasing his hold on her.
“Then what?” Turning back around, she crossed her arms protectively across her chest. “Because ever since we left Vicaris, you have been pushing me away again, and I don’t know if it is because of something my mom said… or because of what happened between us.”
Pulling his shirt back on over his head, he stepped to her and wrapped his arms around her petite frame. Gently skimming a thumb across her cheek, he leaned over and kissed the top of her head as she curled into his embrace. “Never doubt my feelings for you Maya, I have told you that before.”
“It’s easier said than done, especially when you insist on avoiding my touch.” Gasping as a sudden realization came to her, Maya pulled free of his arms. “Oh. My. Stars! That’s what it is isn’t it? My touch. You’re scared I am going to see something you don’t want me to see. You are hiding something from me.”
“Maya…”
“No, don’t you ‘Maya’ me,” she snapped. Spinning on her heels, she stormed away with him following close behind, at a safe distance. “I’m such an idiot! Here I have been worrying for days that my mom did something to you, or that I had been rushing you into a relationship you didn’t want, when all along we are back to the same issue we have been battling with this entire trip. You still don’t trust me.” Arriving back at their camp, Maya flopped down in her bed with an exasperated huff, and pulled the jacket over the top of her. Jarod stood silent staring down at her concealed form as she turned her back on him.
Opening his mouth to speak, Jarod instantly thought better of it. Instead, he returned to the log a few feet away and lay down. Resting his head on its decaying surface, he stared into the stars above. She had every right to be angry, because she was right. She had blindly followed him out here, risking her life on his word that everything would be okay. And yet, when it came down to it, he couldn’t bring himself to confess a secret that could affect her as much as it did him.
For the next few hours, he laid there listening to Maya as she attempted unsuccessfully to muffle her sobs. Convinced he was doing the right thing, he remained silent, certain it was too soon to tell her about his brother’s deception, especially since he hadn’t the least idea what his tie to K meant for him, much less what he had done to Maya. Eventually Maya’s exhaustion got the better of her and sleep once again evened out her breathing. Thankful that at least in slumber she could attain some semblance of peace, Jarod turned over his shoulder to admire her beauty basking in the summer’s soft moonlight.
She deserved a life so much better than he could ever hope to offer her. For one so young she had already experienced more in her lifetime than most Full-bloods double her age. But despite the relentless mind games, years of abuse, and living in fear of first her father and then the Shadows, Maya had miraculously managed to maintain a pureness of her soul that still confounded him each and every time she touched him. Only in these last few months since she met him, had she allowed the first hint of darkness to tarnish her pristine spirit. And it was this one simple fact that made him push her away even now. For if Maya was too foolish or blind to stop the damage his darkness was doing to her, then he would be damned if he would stand by and do nothing to stop it either.
The next morning, as the sun’s first rays began to make their way into the sky, Jarod rose and stretched the stiffness from his bones. It took a few minutes of wandering the fields to locate his staff from his evenings exercise, and once he had, he made his way with it back to camp, where Maya, now awake, waited impatiently.
“In need of another workout?”
Though she appeared rested and relaxed, the bite in her voice let him know she was not letting him off the hook just yet. “Not hardly,” he grumbled. Picking up one of the blankets still spread out on the ground, he proceeded to tear it into long strips.
“Hey I liked that blanket.” Maya whined, forgetting her anger as she watched him wrap the pieces around the end of the stick, “What are you doing?”
“We need some kind of light to see our way through the forest.” He replied, beginning to shred the second blanket and ignoring Maya’s moan.
“I thought you could see in the dark.”
“I can, if there is any light around for my eyes to pick up on. However, if the rumors are true, no light at all reaches the forest floor, which means I will be as blind as you.” Finishing up his makeshift torch, Jarod turned and looked down at Maya. “Are you ready?”
“I should be the one asking you that.” She remarked, spinning on her heal she trudged through the tall grass toward the narrow path in the distance, “After all, I’m not the one m
arching into a camp full of people who want me dead.” Narrowing his eyes at her snarky remark, Jarod shrugged on his jacket and followed.
At the forest edge they hesitated as Jarod lit the torch, then with the fiery stick in hand, they took their first steps into the darkness. Maya remained close, her hand clutching tightly to the back of his jacket, as they continued to weave their way deeper and deeper into the dark oblivion, all the while trying to ignore the high-pitched shrieks and low growls that filled the air around them.
“Sounds like they are hungry too.” Maya remarked lightly, hoping to ease some of the tension as she scanned the network of the trees surrounding them.
“The noises are fake, meant to scare off unwanted visitors.” Jarod answered, keeping his own vision locked on the trail ahead.
“I can see how that might work.” Suddenly a particularly loud growl from right over their heads had Maya scrambling closer until she was virtually riding on Jarod’s back. “Are you sure there is nothing dangerous out there?”
Jarod hesitated, taking a moment to scan the edges of the forest around them. “I never said there wasn’t anything dangerous out there. I only said the noises weren’t real.”
“Oh well that’s just great! You know, it’s not always a bad thing to lie to someone.”
Jarod’s lips quirked as he adjusted his jacket the best he could, given her death grip on the back of it. Removing his attention away from the forest, he glanced over his shoulder at her. “I’ll remember you said that.”
“I bet you will,” she mumbled under her breath. Suddenly the sound of a branch breaking in the distance caught both their attention. “Jarod, what was that?”
Before he could respond the sound came again, this time only slightly closer than before. Then, in the forest surrounding them, strange lights appeared from behind the trees and began making their way toward them. With a low growl, Jarod tensed, keeping Maya pushed protectively behind him. “Show yourselves,” he shouted to the lights as they continued to close in on them.
“Well, look who we have here.” a familiar voice remarked from off to his left. Spinning his torch in its direction, Jarod groaned audibly as the light revealed a broad-shouldered man sporting a thick black beard. “Nice to see you as well,” the man smirked, before shifting his attention down to Maya, “At least one of you anyway.”
“Rigar!” Maya screeched. Relinquishing her hold on Jarod’s jacket, she ran and jumped into the Full-blood’s waiting arms, “You’re all right.”
“Well, of course I am,” he smiled, wrapping his thick arms around her, “we all are.”
“We? As in all of you?” Maya breathed, looking up to meet his gaze. “Even Dirik?”
Rigar frowned, turning his attention back to Jarod, “You didn’t tell her?”
“It was safer for her not to know.”
After taking a moment to consider his answer Rigar nodded. “So I guess this means you received Jaron’s message,” Rigar hesitated. “Although I was certain he said he was going to meet with you outside the village.”
Confusion marring her features, Maya glanced from Rigar back to Jarod. “I thought you hadn’t contacted him.”
“I haven’t, nor have I received any contact from him.” Jarod answered, his interest now peaked as well. "Why would he be wanting to meet?”
Ignoring both their questions, Rigar glanced from Maya back to Jarod, “If Jaron didn’t reach out to you, then why are you here?”
“We want to come to the camp Rigar,” Maya answered before Jarod could, “we can’t… won’t go back to the Tower.”
“Back to the camp…” Rigar repeated staring up at Jarod, “Both of you?”
“Sir, if I may,” one of Rigar’s companions spoke from a safe distance away. “I heard Jaron had asked the elders about bringing them into the camp and they voted against it, and I don’t think it is our place to go against the orders of the elders.”
“I don’t give a shit what you or the elders think.” Jarod snapped, causing the younger man to retreat back into the woods.
“What he is trying to say,” Maya interrupted, stepping back beside Jarod, “Is that we are seeking sanctuary. The Shadows will soon be hunting for us… if they aren’t already. Please Rigar, if they find us and take us back to the Tower…” Pausing she glanced up at Jarod, “Well, let’s just say it will not end well for either of us.”
“Even more reason why we shouldn’t do this.” Another of Rigar’s companions joined in, snagging both Maya’s and Jarod’s attention, “No offense here, but we don’t need the Shadows showing up here searching for the two of you.”
Beside her, Jarod clenched his fists. Placing a gentle hand on his arm to calm him, she continued to speak for the both of them. “I understand your concern, and I assure you we have covered our tracks on our way here. No one is following us, nor has anyone seen us since we left Vicaris.” Turning her attention back to Rigar she continued, “Rigar, we are asking you to trust us. We are in as much danger, if not more, than the other people you have opened your arms up to. But honestly, this is just a formality. If forced to, I can lead us to the camp by tracking any one of you from Vicaris. But that is not what we want, we want for you to believe our intentions are sincere and take us there willingly.”
Running a hand through his hair, Rigar glanced back and forth from the pair to his companions. After several long moments of silence, he heaved a heavy sigh, “Maya I have no problem whatsoever taking you to the camp, I really don’t.” he paused fixing his gaze on Jarod, “but him… he’s the Enforcer. If I came walking into camp with him it would create panic and chaos. Hell, most of the people in the camp have lost a least one family member to him over the years.”
“And what about the ones he has saved?” Maya retorted.
“Very few people know about that Maya.”
“Then maybe it’s time we tell them!”
Within seconds the conversation erupted into a heated debate as angry shouts and frustrated remarks filled the vacant forest. But no matter what they said, Maya remained unwavering, determined to force them to see the plausibility of the Enforcer coming to Oasis. All the while Jarod stood silently and listened. His cold heart warmed as he watched her defend him. However, the more he listened to Rigar and the other men’s concerns, he too began to have his doubts as to the viability of his decision to come here. After several more minutes of arguing, with neither side budging in their opinions, Jarod became fed up with the whole debacle and grabbed Maya’s arm, turning her to face him.
“They’re right.”
“What?” she gasped.
“I don’t belong there Maya. My presence alone could ruin everything Jaron has worked to build. Go with them and I will stay behind. As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters.” Looking up at Rigar, he sighed, “Take her, I’ll find somewhere else to go.”
“No!” Maya shouted, glancing back and forth between the pair before fixing her gaze back on Jarod. “Jarod everyone knows who you are. And even if they didn’t, you are nearly seven feet tall and as broad as a house. Oh, and let’s not forget about your very distinguishing eye color. So please tell me where it is you plan to go that you think you are just going to blend in?”
Kneeling down to be at eye level with her, Jarod ran his hand gently along her jaw line. “Maya, I will be fine. I can move faster and easier if I don’t have to drag you along everywhere. Just go with them and see your friends, and when you get there, tell Jaron I need him to come meet with me as soon as possible.”
“No, you tell him yourself.” Red flashing in her eyes, Maya turned on a startled Rigar. “I mean it Rigar, you can either walk both of us in there yourself, or I will lead us there on my own. Your choice.”
“It doesn’t sound like much of a choice to me,” Rigar frowned, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Actually, it sounds more like a threat.”
Taking a few deep breaths Maya relaxed, letting the fury die down before approaching Rigar cautiously. “P
lease don’t take it as a threat Rigar, I don’t mean it that way. If anything, it is desperation.” Hearing her voice beginning to crack, Jarod stepped up beside her. He could see the tears building in her eyes as she continued to address Rigar, “I can’t go back to the Tower Rigar, but I also can’t go with you without him. He has saved my life more times than I care to think about, and for me to abandon him, when he is in danger only because of me… I, I just can’t.” Turning her body into Jarod’s embrace, Maya no longer fought to hold back the tears.
Sensing that Rigar’s resolve was weakening, his companions moved in. “We can’t do it sir. It would be the end of Oasis if we brought the Enforcer into our midst.”
Frowning Rigar turned to Jarod, “And you? Do you have nothing to say about all this?”
Meeting his gaze over Maya’s head, Jarod shook his head. “I have never tried to deny who I am, nor the things that I have done. And I readily accept the consequences of those actions. So if that means I cannot go to the camp, then so be it.”
“Jarod…” Maya sobbed in his arms. Running his hand down her hair to comfort her, Jarod continued, “But before I leave, I need to speak with Jaron. If you don’t want me to go to Oasis, fine, take Maya with you. But tell Jaron to meet me in the valley.” Jarod’s voice lowered as he narrowed his eyes at Rigar. “Tell him I know about his lie.”
Conflicted, Rigar glanced from Jarod to the crying girl sobbing in his arms, before finally settling on a decision. “Tell him yourself,” he mumbled, running a hand down his black beard as he shook his head. “I know I am probably going to regret this, but I feel like I owe you at least a chance for what you did for all of us back in Vicaris, especially Janil. However, I cannot guarantee how the others are going to react when they see you.”
Forsaken (The Shadow Chronicles Book 3) Page 3