Chapter 30

~Calea~

For a couple of weeks now, Ryuu has been coming into the underdwelling area. Calea didn't understand why he didn't go back to Kamari, but while he stayed, She went to work teaching him things. The faster he could learn, the better. But she remained careful about how she used her free time. She made excuses that she wasn't feeling well or needed to make potions and charms for Browen, which was true, but she took longer with them.

Ryuu interested Calea; his curiosity about land made him look like a big child. Today, she brought him an Apple. "Ryuu." Calea pulls out an Apple, but Ryuu focuses on his mother's paintings again. Calea's heart sinks a little. "Ryuu, why don't you get back to her? You can't keep coming here—"

"Yes, I can." Ryuu's voice had developed a silvery tone, very smooth, whimsical even, but it reminded her of a teenager. Calea sighs heavily, "You're in danger here. Things have changed, it's not safe." Ryuu says nothing but glances at her with the Aplple. His brows pinch together. "What is this?" he asks.

"An Apple I brought for you to eat, try it." Calea hands him the Apple, he stares at it for a couple of moments, then bites into it, his face instantly contours in disgust, he spits it out and throws it back at her. "Hey! Don't throw things you don't like!"

"Awful." He frowns. Calea shakes her head, "Ryuu, when you don't like something, your action can't just be to throw things or act violently." Kamari would be way better at this; Calea could only tell him so much. His father could show him so much more; they all could.

"Please, Ryuu, go back to your mother." Ryuu looks away from her and gazes at the painting again, "Three others, strong," he says, his gaze distant.

Calea chuckles, "Well, yes, one of them is your father, Koa. Aneth and Nye wouldn't hurt you." Although she wasn't quite sure about Nye, she prayed to Kadea that he wouldn't hurt Ryuu, especially because Kamari would most likely kill him. No. Definitly. Kamari would kill Nye.

 Ryuu stood tall, but not like the other three. She could see how that would be intimidating. "Ryuu, it's understandable to be intimidated by them, but you're mother, she's not someone to mess with, and I know she'd never let anything happen to you. I'm begging you."

"Father," Ryuu says instead of answering her plea to return to Kamari. Calea sighs, "Yes." Ryuu picks up a book, "I remember him. He swims with me." He says.

 Calea heart jolts, "When?"

"Sometimes, he takes me out to sea. There are predators. He teaches me," Ryuu says as he flips through the pages. Calea's brows pinch together. But he doesn't bring you back to the pride?"

"No," Ryuu says, making a slashing gesture on his chest. It's too weak, he says. 

Calea's fists clenched, "That shouldn't matter." How these dragons acted, and their culture annoyed her and made her blood boil. Where else could Ryuu go to find peace? Did Kamari know this? No. Calea assumed her stubborn husband had kept it from her. Calea sighs, "Well, what does he expect you to do to return?"

"Kill and win against a predator," Ryuu says, still flipping through pages. Calea double-blinks, "Predator? Like another Dragon?" Ryuu nods. Calea strides up to him and snatches the book out of his hands, "Then do that, Ryuu, do anything to get back to them because if you're here and you get caught, you will be killed." Ryuu seemed strong but nothing like his father. He's far too young and hasn't made his first kill yet. Calea had to push him out somehow. 

The jiggling of keys up above makes Calea's heart nearly jump out of her throat. She shoves Ryuu towards the pool," Go. Now!" She whispers harshly, "Do not come back! Kill, go back to your pride!" Calea whispers harshly. Ryuu gives her a scrunched nose and then dives into the water. Calea hurries and runs out of the pool area. She fixes her hair, grabs the painting and pulls fur over them, grabs a book of charms, and sits on the staircase. 

"Calea?" Javall's voice, and he comes down the steps, she turns to him, "Oh, hi." Javall gives her a half-smile, "What are you doing down here?" He asks. She raises the book, "I found a charms book in here. I might read in peace. I get drained of the work I have to do with Lyra." It wasn't all a lie. Teaching Lyra gave her headaches. Javall sits beside her, "I'm sorry about that; you're the only one he finds suitable for it." Calea pinches her lips together, "Yeah, well, that doesn't mean I don't get tired of it."

Silence takes over them, and Calea focuses on the pages she's read through a million times until Javall breaks the silence. "I've missed you," he says in a soft voice. Calea snaps her book closed and then turns to him. "You know I'm not your wife by choice, so why say such things?"

Javall looks her in the eyes, and she could see the warmth in them, no matter how much she hated it. "I can't say what's on my mind?" Javall smirks then lets his head fall back. "I understand you don't like what I did. But it kept you safe, did it not?"

Calea turns around. She didn't want to talk about it. "Being your so-called wife has given me the privilege to forever be spiteful, annoying, and a pinch of a pain in your ass." Calea finds herself smiling. "I liked that about you though. You always say whats on your mind, no matter the person." Calea inhales a long breath, then stands, "You know, I'm getting bored of being down here. Lets leave." Javall stands to follow her and as she reaches the top, she glances back to sees he's gone to the bottom of the steps. 

"What in gods name is this?" Javall asks as he picks up a White scale. Dread fills Calea's gut, she slowly walks down the steps, "Did you see this before?" Javall asks, looking around the dwelling, "Are they from the last ones that were here?"

"I suppose, it has been a long time." Calea walks like a zombie, cataonic. As she thinks of something to distract Javall with. Herself. "This might be a problem. Browen should know about this just in case we have to seal off this area—"

"Javall." Calea has to dig deep into feelings she wish would just go away. Javall turns to her, "What's wrong?" His brows furrow. Calea walks towards him with a softer look on her face, "Did mean anything you said to me before, when you came here?" 

Javall's face contourts in confusion, he stalls for a second. "Of course I did." Javall looks down at the ground, "Look, Calea, " He walks towards her, "I wish this were different. I wish we could be like we were before—"

"What? Like crazy young mages. I think those years have passed." Calea sighs, she hated to admit that there were some unresolved feelings she had for him. When he came to Nivillia out of nowhere, she opened herself up to him again thinking he was here for some other purpose. Calea dived into the memories, they had together and couldn't help but feel her eyes burn. Why couldn't he be that man she loved before all of this?

"Love can still turn you into a blundering fool." He stops inches from her, "It has done it to me." Javall lifts her chin, "I remember I used to leave you breathless…" Calea swallows hard, her eyes fleeting glancing at his lips. "You know there's something we haven't done," he says to her.

"What?" She asks softly.

Javall smirks, "Consummate the marriage." Calea gives him a pressed-lip smile, she sucks air between her teeth, " And I was almost about to kiss you…" Javall's eyes soften and he dips his head down to her, "You still can."

 Calea wanted to protect Ryuu at whatever cost, but now she could feel herself slipping into something she had left behind. When Javall gently kisses her lips, she falls apart, and kisses him back. She remembered how he made her feel on nights she couldn't forget, the way his hands roamed her body, it was all bad, and she hated to admit she wanted it. Javall picks her up, and she wraps her legs around his waist, his lips starving for her. 

"Gods I've been praying for this, for you," Javall says between heated kisses that trail down her neck,and before she knew it primal nature rushed through her veins, guiding him to her core and she can't but moan when he enters her. She hadn't been with any other man since him, and by the grace of Kadea she forgot how good this man felt inside of her. As Javall takes her against the hard rock wall he whispers in her ear, "Tell me you love me Calea…"

Calea moans, her mind going back to things unsaid. Javall parts from her locking eyes with her, she bites her lip, "I can't," she crumbles, tears well in her eyes. Would it be betrayal if she told him so? Could she live with herself if she didn't tell him, ever?

Javall presses his forehead against her, " It's all I fucking dream about Calea. Hearing you say those words to me." Calea bites her lip hard, and his thrust become harder, "I don't care if you fake it, I just want to hear it—"

"Ugh Goddess I hate you!" She groans out through her teeth and forces a heated kiss upon his lips, and as she parts from him, she locks eyes with a vulnerable flush in her cheeks and tells him, "I do, I love you…" Javall leans his arm against the wall as Calea relieves her stupid feelings. She'd always loved him, she just never said it, because saying it would make it all the more real, and she already lost so much.

Javall kisses her with such passion it takes her breath away again, and she lets herself become undone by his hands. And for a moment, she lives for herself, forgetting the rest of the world.