Jaax, Jahrra noticed, had already eaten and was sitting comfortably in his raised corner of the room reading a book. She shuffled over, plunking her bowl down onto the table she always used for dining and finally took a real bite out of the biscuit. She savored the buttery flavor before starting in on her stew. Jaax waited until she was done eating before speaking to her.
“How was class today?” he asked.
“Good,” Jahrra responded, intending on ending the conversation there as she leaned back in her chair.
“Merely good?” he pressed.
“Yes,” Jahrra said, “merely good would describe it. But I could say that sword practice with my friends was superb.”
She grinned, recalling earlier that afternoon when she had managed to lock swords with Dathian before tearing his weapon from his hands. Senton had clapped and cheered while Torrell had gaped in surprise.
“Hmm,” Jaax said. Then he took a breath. “I was talking to Neira earlier this evening.”
“Uh huh,” Jahrra said boorishly, tapping her feet as she balanced her chin in the palm of her hand.
“And I asked her the same question I asked you when you got home this afternoon, about any news I might need to know about.”
Jahrra stilled her tapping feet. Where might this be heading?
“And, funny thing, she informed me there was something that happened earlier this week that was noteworthy enough to tell me.”
Jahrra froze. She knew that tone of voice, that tension in the air. But what could Neira have told him?
“She informed me that you had a visitor early in the morning, two days after I left for Nimbronia to be precise.”
Uh oh. Jaax wasn’t supposed to know about Shiroxx stopping by. Why had Neira said anything? It wasn’t that big of a deal.
Jahrra tried to tell Jaax so but he didn’t seem to be paying attention. He was still reading his stupid book.
“What did you discuss?” he queried.
“Honestly, Jaax, she was only here for five minutes,” Jahrra insisted.
She stood up and turned her chair around, sitting in it with the back facing the table and her arms crossed over the top.
Finally, Jaax looked up from the great tome and gave her a hard look. “Five minutes? One minute with Shiroxx can be damaging. Jahrra, I want to know what was said.”
Jahrra heaved a great sigh and tried to remember back to that day. Finally, she repeated, in so many words, what had happened; how Shiroxx had made small talk and then tried to ask her where Jaax had gone. About how she wasn’t pleased when Jahrra wouldn’t give her details. About how she lied and told the other dragon she didn’t know where her guardian had gone.
“What do you mean she wasn’t pleased?” Jaax asked, his voice growing harsher.
Jahrra shrugged. She hated this. She hated repeating the words of others for she was always afraid she would get something wrong and get the other person in trouble. Of course, she wouldn’t mind getting Shiroxx in trouble, but she knew that the female dragon could hold a grudge and for some reason or another she already despised Jahrra. She didn’t need to go about making the red dragon angrier at her.
Finally, she gave in, knowing that Jaax would hound her until he got every last detail out of her. “She tried to say the reason you didn’t tell me your whereabouts was because you didn’t think I was trustworthy.”
Jahrra wasn’t looking at her guardian, so when he slammed the book shut with great force she nearly fell out of her chair. Shocked and afraid he was irate with her once again, she braced the table for support.
“Why did you not tell me of this?” his voice was low, almost a hiss.
Jahrra swallowed and found the gumption to look up. Jaax was angry, there was no doubt about that, but his ire didn’t seem to be aimed at her.
Breathing a small sigh of relief, Jahrra cleared her throat and answered him, “It wasn’t as bad as you think, Jaax. I didn’t want to cause any more trouble with Shiroxx. I thought it best to just let it go.”
Jaax’s eyes smoldered for a bit longer but finally his jaw unclenched and he took a breath. Jahrra couldn’t help notice the tinge of smoke that accompanied it as he exhaled. After that, the room grew deadly silent, the only sound coming from the slight wind and rain outside and the crackle and pop of the fire.
Jahrra felt her dinner churning uncomfortably in her stomach. With a half mumbled complaint of a stomach ache, she scooped up her dirty dishes and headed for the kitchen. Neira was there, cleaning up the mess. Jahrra stopped short when she saw her and the two women locked gazes. It was clear from Neira’s brown eyes that she had heard at least a little of what had been said in the other room.
Neira spoke first, “Jahrra, I’m sorry, I didn’t think you didn’t want that dragon’s visit repeated, or else I never would have said something, but the way she treated you . . .”
Neira always spoke in run-on sentences when she was nervous or frightened or worried.
Jahrra had been slightly angry at first but she reminded herself that she’d never asked Neira to remain silent, so she let her irritation go.
“It’s okay, Neira,” she sighed, “you did what you thought was best.”
Neira nodded. “I’ll draw a bath for you then.”
Jahrra shook her head. “Let me help you with the dishes first.”
With both women working it didn’t take long to get the kitchen cleaned up. Jahrra enjoyed her bath afterwards but didn’t linger in the hot water long. She was tired and still a little disheartened by her conversation with Jaax. She sighed and pushed herself out of the copper tub. Her class was taking a trip outside the city tomorrow and she wanted to be well rested for the hike they would be taking.
With the close of last session’s classes, Jahrra had been very disappointed that she would no longer be enjoying her wildlife class with Anthar and Dathian. That is, until her professor informed her that he gave a second class; a continuation of the previous course. She, Senton and Torrell had been the first three students to sign up. Jahrra grinned, drying her hair as she imagined all the animals they might see this time around.
She rose early the next morning, despite spending a good deal of time trying to fall asleep the night before because of the situation with Shiroxx. She quickly got dressed, packed her bag with the necessary items, pulled on her good boots and headed downstairs. She met Neira in the kitchen and the maid gave her a packed lunch and a few leftover biscuits from the night before for breakfast.
Jahrra thanked her and headed through the great room, grabbing a few strings of dried apples for Phrym on her way out. Jaax was already gone, she noted, but he was rarely home in the mornings anyways. Stepping out into the crisp air, she picked up her pace and at the bottom of their hill joined the few early risers already up and moving.
As she made her way to the stables, she shuffled the conversation she’d had with her guardian the night before over and over again in her head. Perhaps she had been wrong; perhaps Jaax should have known about Shiroxx’s visit right away. For all Jahrra knew, the female dragon could be plotting something against her. Highly unlikely but not impossible. You’re not the insignificant little Nesnan you were in Oescienne, Jahrra, she told herself. You could have enemies lurking around every corner you never even dreamed of. Not surprisingly, the thought didn’t make her feel any better.
-Chapter Nineteen-
Confessions, Accusations and an Inevitable Banishment