“Are these chambers built this way so loved ones can leave things for the dead?”
“Just like putting flowers on a grave,” he confirmed.
She smiled, and curiously reached to open another plaque, revealing the same story. Yet one of the items inside caught her attention, being a small, cloth doll wearing a dress. What made it unique were the marks on its arms and face like a draconian—in addition to her pointed ears.
With a soft gasp, Jada tapped Dalris' arm and said, “Look at that doll!”
Canting his head, he inquired, “What about it?”
“She's an elven draconian!”
Though he was smiling, he also seemed confused. “Why is that so surprising?”
It took Jada a moment to figure out why he'd ask, but then she remarked, “Oh right, I guess you've never heard any elves speculating about how Rinora's draconians might've been physically mutated by her blood.”
Hearing this, Dalris rolled his eyes as if such talk was ridiculous. But instead of voicing any negative opinions, he motioned out at the sanctum and changed the subject.
“Before we examine the items stored in these plots, we should look around the rest of the shrine and find out what's here, because I'm curious about what Menlor said.”
Jada didn't have to ask to know he meant Menlor's claim of saving lives, and being unaware of what they'd find inside, admitting, “I'd wondered about that, too.”
Leaning against the wall in a casual manner, Dalris suggested, “Perhaps the Onorian monarchy knows more about Rinora's House than they're saying, and they shared that knowledge with him.”
“Perhaps, or the clergy does. Either way, what could possibly be down here that would risk lives?”
“I have no idea,” he admitted, “but I'd like to see more before we start speculating.”
Jada could agree if only because she didn't want her imagination running wild with what if's. Maybe they'd find something dangerous, and maybe they wouldn't. The only way to know for sure was by taking a closer look at the ruin, and the single archway located to their far right along the catwalk was a good place to start.
So she closed the plaque and replied, “Then let's go have a look, because this shrine won't explore itself.”
CHAPTER 30
Like Jada, Dalris was concerned by the thought that something dangerous could be lurking within the shrine. He didn't put much stock into whatever Menlor thought he knew, but it felt foolish to just toss it all away.
So he kept his eyes open, and after spending an hour inspecting the ruin with Jada, the only trace of anything dangerous they found was the lack of food. Otherwise, it was just a subterranean shrine, and every chamber looked as untouched as the last.
Finding so much of it in such good condition added an undeniable weight to their magical hold theory, but still, Dalris wondered.
Usually, such magic was subject to fading over long periods of time, yet this hold was still going strong after two thousand years. It reminded him of how the energy he'd sensed had seemed so powerful—to the point that it was hard imagining any mage harnessing such strength.
In fact, there were only two he knew of that might come close, and one of them was Edith's instructor, Chandra.
The sorceress was a little older than himself, and if she couldn't summon the power it would take to put a hold on a shrine of this size for two millennia, there was a chance she knew who could.
It was simply a matter of questioning her once they'd found a way out.
Not that they'd been successful in locating any alternative exits, and the shrine wasn't entirely large. Aside from the foyer, sanctum, and a north wing possessing chambers such as a library and a residence, everything seemed pretty standard—and in true draconian fashion, extravagant.
The comfortable furnishings and gold inlays on the walls and décor didn't surprise Dalris one bit. Any shrine built to commemorate a Great Dragon and house the dead would naturally be lavish, making it apparent the elven draconians who'd constructed this one cared a great deal for their patron and her people.
Such dedication made Dalris even more curious to learn the true fate of their House, but so far, they hadn't found any clues lying about to tell them. There weren't even any corpses aside from those laid to rest in the sanctum, suggesting this shrine was abandoned before anything devastating took place.
So by the time they located the furnished residence that had probably belonged to the curator, Dalris suggested they take a short break from exploring and do inventory. There was already a plethora of evidence to sort through anyway, including a book sitting on the desk in the residence that Jada looked extremely interested in reading.
At this point, she'd be busy researching until Dra'Kai's next Resurgence Festival.
So he took their packs and occupied a space at the foot of a bed built into an alcove with silken sheets and an elaborate headboard. Across from it were two chairs settled before a hearth that Jada used her swords to light, offering a touch of comfort.
There was even a washroom through an archway at the back of the chamber, and a closed door stood next to it which Dalris temporarily ignored in favor of finding out how much food they had available.
As he went through the rations of bread, cheese, and pork, Jada took a seat at the desk and opened the book sitting upon it. She also tugged Morwin's record of translations from her pack, and announced after checking the information a few times, “Oh, this is a diary. Maybe the curator wrote about what happened.”
“Or mentioned an alternative exit,” Dalris returned, placing their rations on a nearby table.
Jada smiled, looking up to ask, “How are we on food?”
Standing from his seat, he went to check the unopened door with a sigh. “If we're careful, it should be enough to—”
Dalris stopped himself the moment he pulled the door open, staring into the next chamber until Jada inquired, “Enough to what?”
Clearing his throat, he mentioned, “You should probably come see for yourself.”
Looking curiously confused, she stood and walked over, then peered inside with a soft gasp.
“Udana's light! It's filled.”
That was definitely an accurate description—he'd just located the shrine's food storage.
Curated meats, cheeses, bottles of wine, and unwrapped packages of who-knew-what were all stored on the shelves inside. Most of it should've gone bad after only a few weeks, but here it was, still fresh after twenty centuries.
As Dalris had the thought, Jada mentioned, “Someone definitely put a magical hold on this place. But who?”
“Maybe the answer's in that diary. But at least now we know survival isn't an immediate issue.”
“Right, and Novak will come looking for us, too.”
That was a definite possibility, which made Dalris wonder if the captain would send word to Liam after all.
Yet Jada distracted him from the thoughts when her head drooped forward with a soft sigh as she returned to the desk.
Watching her carefully, he asked, “Something wrong?”
“Not exactly,” she muttered, taking her seat again. “I just keep thinking about Papa and how excited he'd be to see all of this, and it's making me miss him more than I expected.”
Grabbing one of the chairs sitting before the hearth, Dalris turned it to settle at the opposing side of the desk where he asked, “When was the last time you saw him?”
“Just before he was forced out of Onoria,” she began. “They'd already banished him, but he came to see me at the convent despite knowing what could happen if the paladins caught up with him, which they did during our visit. I was fifteen at the time, and didn't really understand what was going on, so the Deaconess had to restrain me when they took him away.”
Dalris frowned. The thought of her being so young and separated from the only person in her family who seemed to care didn't settle well.
But she wasn't reluctant to talk about the experience, adding, “I still go
t to hear from him in letters, though. The Deaconess smuggled them to me, which is funny because Doria was extremely uptight.”
“Then why did she do it?”
“Because she knew what Papa was trying to do, and wanted him to succeed.” With that said, Jada smiled in amusement. “It's actually ironic because her desire to be faithful to Udana is what led her to sneaking letters in. I don't know how much you understand about the Udanian faith, but the Goddess of Light is all about honesty, truth, and revelations. So Doria wanted Papa to succeed no matter what he uncovered.”
Dalris thought it over, and it actually made sense. Udana was said to be a strict but loving deity, forthright and just. So anyone serving her faithfully would value honesty and discipline, which he supposed extended to supporting someone searching for the truth.
Yet he found himself curious about something entirely different, asking, “If Morwin knew visiting you could cause trouble, why did he?”
“He wanted to pull me out of the convent so I could travel with him, but Doria told him no because she didn't want me or the convent to suffer for it. I think he realized that, too, and only wanted an excuse to visit, otherwise he would've found another way.”
It wasn't hard to envision Morwin devising some other means of taking her with him, but since he hadn't, Dalris asked, “Then when did you leave? I know you were only seventeen in Antarctica.”
“That was several months after I left the convent to look for Papa. He'd sent me a letter stating his need to travel to Terra for a while and pursue other interests until cooler heads prevailed. So I sneaked out without permission and never went back.”
Staring down at the desk, she added morosely, “I just didn't find him in time, and you know, they never even recovered his body from the shipwreck for a proper burial.”
Dalris remembered hearing as much, and she sounded so bothered by it he reached across the table without thinking to take her hand in a bid to offer comfort.
The movement drew Jada's gaze, and she slowly threaded her fingers through his in turn.
Feeling much like a giant in clasping her smaller hand, he stared at them, taking in the significance of the gesture as she stood and walked around the desk. Keeping their fingers latched on the way, he looked up once she was standing before him, then sat back as she turned to settle in his lap.
Winding her arms around his shoulders, Jada rested her forehead in the crook of his neck. Dalris wasn't sure if she simply needed comfort, but she soon whispered, “Thank you.”
Turning his head to kiss her crown, he asked, “For what?”
“For not being what I expected.”
That answer had him smiling from ear to ear. He'd wanted to change her perceptions of him after they first met by proving them wrong through his actions, and knowing he'd succeeded meant the world.
Now, his elven mate was comfortably settled in his lap, and he'd do whatever it took to keep her there.
As it turned out, Jada had the same idea, whispering, “Can we just stay like this for a while? I think our walk tired me out more than I realized.”
Considering their trip hadn't been entirely harsh, he wondered if she might be making an excuse. Then again, entering the shrine had certainly taken an emotional toll on her, and it didn't matter if she was making excuses or not.
He'd hold her for as long as she needed.
In fact, he couldn't get close enough, lifting her to carry to the bed where he laid down with her secure in his arms.
That's when he kissed her forehead and murmured, “Of course. Everything else can wait. So just rest, las'ira.”
On a groggy tone, she asked, “Are you ever going to tell me what that means?”
Finally, the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile, and Dalris angled his head to answer against her pointed ear.
“It means my fortune.”
CHAPTER 31
Two Days Later
For two days, Jada buried herself in research, so eager to learn the shrine's secrets that she found herself furiously turning pages and thumbing through books.
But finding answers wasn't her only motive—she was also trying to distract herself from Dalris.
The draconian was driving her crazy, and not wholly because of sexual frustration. On the contrary, when another erotic dream woke her from sleep their second night in the shrine, she'd quickly given into his bid to slake her desires.
He'd already turned to her after hearing her lusty moans, and cradled her close while promising to satisfy her so well she'd pass out again in an instant—and he hadn't lied. Using just his fingers and some sinful language, he brought her to the edge, keeping her there until she was begging him to let her come.
She quickly fell back to sleep after that, wrapped in his arms and cursing herself all the while for her impulsive behavior on The Cutlass. If she'd only taken two minutes to let him explain his reaction to her love life, she could've grabbed the sterility potions and erased the need for worrying over the consequences of giving into what she truly wanted.
But that wasn't an option now, and so far, she hadn't uncovered any information explaining whether or not Rinora's House had gone insane. Instead, most of the books were either fictional tales, or documented facts that were interesting, but not revealing.
It was incredibly frustrating—both because she wanted answers so badly, and because she was falling in love.
The more time Jada spent with Dalris, the more she could feel her heart slipping away. A piece at a time, he was stealing it in plain sight, and she was desperate to know what kind of life they would have—or could—once they returned to the outside world.
So she'd buried herself in research, hoping more than ever to prove Morwin was right and there was no danger in being mated to a draconian, because Jada wasn't sure she could envision a life without Dalris in it any longer.
Yet, after several hours of trying and getting nowhere, she was so frustrated she shut her book and buried her head in her arms. Her latest attempt was turning out to be another fictional tale she had no interest in going through just then, and translating all of the ancient draconian text was starting to give her a headache.
Idly, she wondered when her last meal was, and whether or not eating would improve her focus. But her appetite had disappeared due to her concerns, and besides, she didn't want to take anything from the pantry without first informing Dalris—and he was currently investigating the sanctum.
Groaning, she sat back and stared at the stacks of books, trying to decide what to do next. Start another? Take a break? Check to see if Dalris had found something worthwhile?
For as much merit as the last idea held, her attention was soon drawn to her grandfather's tome—a book she'd neglected to finish reading since they'd arrived in the shrine.
As it stood, there were only a few pages left, but Jada hesitated to read them because completing the tome meant she'd read every word her grandfather had put on paper. Somehow, the thought just didn't settle well, and she was reluctant to draw the experience to a close.
But she found herself reaching for it anyway. At least I won't have to translate.
Cracking it open, she sat forward in her chair to read more easily under the sphere light. But after reaching the end of the page, she turned it to find the next was blank even though Morwin's last sentence cut off in the middle of an entry concerning his move to Terra.
Jada's lips pursed at the incomplete story, and she flipped through the remaining pages to make certain there was nothing more. Had he skipped a page by accident?
As it turned out, he hadn't. Instead, Morwin had made another, final entry toward the end—and Jada blinked in surprise to see her name at the top.
It was only a page long, formatted like a letter, and she read through the words with great interest.
Jada,
I have no idea if you'll ever find this tome, but I'm leaving a message for you here anyway. This book details a journey you inspired, and I'm sorry I never had the cha
nce to tell you that personally. But when I learned my granddaughter was being sent to a convent because of her fated mate, I started researching the stories behind Rinora's House in depth.
You deserved a life of your own choosing, not one handed to you by the clergy out of sheer suspicion, which leads me to something important I never got to tell you as I didn't feel you were old enough to understand. Hopefully, you will be should you ever read this, but it wasn't the crown that had me banished from Onoria.
It was the Holy Archon herself.
I've always known my research threatened the edicts of the clergy, yet I eventually learned that she had a different motive for stopping it entirely. Not long before my banishment, she tried talking me out of locating Rinora's temple by saying there was something hidden there, something dangerous that no one ever needed to find.
What it is, or if she's right, I can't say. But I do know that she believes she's correct, and I fear for those who follow in my footsteps. I've fought the clergy each step of the way, and even here in Terra, I know I haven't escaped their reach. They'll find me eventually, and when they do … never mind that.
Needless to say, a part of me hopes you'll never try to uncover the truth of this matter. But the bigger part hopes you will, and that you'll succeed. If so, take care to avoid the clergy—the Archon will most certainly try to stop you.
As for you, Jada, I'm proud of you. You're as clever as your mother with ten times the heart, and if you should find a draconian as a mate, don't fight yourself. Don't listen to the uninformed opinions of the clergy. Use caution, but always remember; the only person who has to live your life is you.
So seize happiness no matter where you find it.
I love you, and always will.
Papa
The last words on the paper blurred through the tears welling in Jada's eyes. Her chest had tightened with numerous emotions, from love, to remorse, and then anger over learning who had sent her grandfather away—Arja Navari.
Fated Fortunes Page 23