Jovari the Blue

Chapter 34: Jovari's Story

The Gable Mountains

Leah kicked her dangling feet back and forth, taking in the giant cavern before her. It was hard to believe a place like this existed. Twelve levels below, the hatchlings were mere specs of color, darting about as they gathered around Fright's fresh kill. She could just make out the eggs warming in the sand, guarded by their protective mothers.

A flash of movement on the walkway drew her gaze towards Claire and Talon. They emerged hand-in-hand from the room they'd claimed two levels above the hatching grounds. With the sheer number of living spaces, there'd been enough for everyone to claim a small cavern to themselves. Naturally, everyone had paired up, except for her and Jovari, who'd each taken separate accommodations.

Accommodations was putting it mildly. The rooms had belonged to dragons long ago, which meant they were sparse in creature comforts. Her's had a stone crater sized perfectly for a curled up dragon body—a bed, no doubt—and nothing else, unless you counted the bones, which she'd promptly cleared out.

They'd stuck to the bottom most two levels to remain close. Anything higher was a hike none of them wanted. Especially since they spent most of their time on the ground floor. It was used mostly for the hatchlings and hatching ground, however they took their meals there, and used it for a gathering place.

"You shouldn't wander off in a place like this." She tensed at the sound of Jovari's voice. Of course he'd found her. Not that she was hiding or anything. She bit her tongue to keep from responding. "Still freezing me out, I see."

"No idea what you're talking about," she said, keeping her tone even and disinterested.

He sank down beside her, dropping his feet over the ledge. A series of high pitched screeches sounded below. She caught sight of a cluster of hatchlings as they argued over a strip of meat. Fright stood by and watched, but didn't step in. There were frequent squabbles like these, to establish a pecking order.

"I'm still struggling to wrap my head around it," Jovari admitted, following her gaze.

"What, baby dragons?" When he didn't offer a confirmation, she added, "Not sure why. You yourself can turn into a dragon. If anyone should be surprised, it's me."

"For thousands upon thousands of years, dragons were extinct—or so we believed. When a mated pair has a child, it's born human. Males don't fledge until puberty. Seeing a baby dragon is wholly foreign." She pressed her lips together, not interested in carrying a conversation, let alone spending time in his company. When the silence stretched on too long, he sighed and said, "We shouldn't let one kiss destroy our friendship." She scoffed, trying not to look at him. If she did, her resolve might crumble. "It was wrong of me to kiss you back. I enjoyed it, for what it's worth. But...I just..." He blew out a breath.

She stole a glance at him, finally giving in. His brows were pulled tight, forming a small wrinkle above his nose. She fought the urge to smooth it with her thumb.

"Look, I don't do attachments. It wouldn't be fair to lead you on. I'm sorry I didn't make that clearer before you...before you honored me with your lips."

She snorted. "As far as rejections go, I think that's the most elegant one I've ever received."

He was right, she was being unfair about this. They'd developed a friendship leading up to the kiss. Yes, she'd felt an underlying attraction the whole time, and that had partially spurred things along. Still, it hurt a little, the idea that she would never have him.

"Why don't you do attachments, if you don't mind my asking? Something tells me it's not the whole shield thing."

He'd admitted to being in love, once. She hadn't forgotten that glaring detail. Nor the irrational hot jealousy that had rooted in the pit of her stomach.