Chapter 19

Kayla

We were led out of the house down a winding path along which many of the dekes’ houses were built. They all looked unique in their own way, but they were all about the same size.

At the end of the path stood a much larger house. It wasn’t a mansion by earth standards, but it certainly stood out. I wasn’t surprised in the least when Scaron led us to the door of that house and knocked. Of course, this jackass would be living in the largest house in the valley.

“Enter,” a voice sounded from inside and Scaron opened the door to a well-furnished home filled with fur rugs, an ornate table, and a large wooden chair next to the hearth.

Atop the chair sat the Savrix looking like the smug stuck up prick that he was.

“Come, join me.” He beckoned us inside, and without taking his eyes off Taylor and myself, he dismissed Scaron.

“You can leave now.” He waved him off as if he were an annoying fly, easily discarded.

“Yes, Savrix,” Scaron bowed with his fist to his chest and saw himself out.

“Come, sit.” The Savrix invited us to sit on the smaller chairs provided in front of his much larger one. He wore an ornate vest embroidered with a fancy border along the neckline and a criss-cross pattern along the front. His white hair was braided with shiny thread and wooden beads throughout. Even his leather shoes were dyed a rich blue instead of the normal brown I’d seen all the other sirrets wear.

This male lived like a king and he didn’t deserve any of it.

“Have some fruit. The valley has numerous fruit trees that are ripe for harvest in almost every season.” He handed us a bowl of what looked like pink peaches with a feline grin that looked about as trustworthy as a hungry lion.

I looked at the bowl, unimpressed with his offering, and asked, “What’s your name?”

“You may call me Savrix,” he answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“You are not my Savrix and I am not a sirret.” I quipped, and his smile faltered.

“Does your planet not have leaders with titles?”

“It does, but even they have names. I simply want to know yours.” I batted my eyelashes at him as if I were asking the most innocent question in the world.

“I am Dameron, son of Rhashul, awarded the title of Savrix during my twenty-sixth season of life, and as I said earlier, you may call me Savrix.”

There was something about the inflection of this male’s words and the tone of his voice that was so familiar to me. It was like I’d heard his voice before, but that was impossible. I’d only just met him. I brushed that thought aside. I had bigger things to worry about just now.

Dameron picked up a pink peach and took a bite, letting the juice run down his chin.

“Grab that cloth for me,” he commanded as if I were a dog.

Taylor looked offended, and I looked around the room, confused.

“Who are you talking to?” I know he’s not trying to talk to me like that.

“Either of you will do. It doesn’t matter to me.”

We both just stared at him as if he’d grown a second head until finally he huffed and picked up a cloth from a side table and wiped his own chin.

This man was about as arrogant as they come.

“Why don’t we go outside? The valley is beautiful this at time of year. The teal leaves are turning purple and the flowers are putting on their last show of the season before the snow comes.”

Dameron held the door open for us and I welcomed the fresh air into my lungs as we stepped outside.

“The valley might get cold in the winter, but it looks beautiful covered in snow. I bet you’d look beautiful in the snow as well.”

He grabbed my hand and ran his thumb over my wrist. “Such a beautiful shade of brown.”

I ripped my hand from his grasp. “I don’t plan on being here this winter, so I guess I’ll just have to miss it.”

“I’ve heard the mountain never gets cold in the winter.” Taylor added. “The cookfire keeps it nice and warm in the main cavern and my mate keeps me warm in our bed cave.”

Taylor emphasized the word mate as a stark reminder that we were off limits.

I would pay money to see Brexl get close enough to anyone to keep them warm. He was about as shy as they come. But Dameron didn’t need to know that. As long as Taylor and I could get the guys out of here, he might never know the truth behind our lies.

“Of course,” he smiled, but it was too stiff to be sincere.

“Look at the beautiful…meadow…” The last word caught in his throat as he looked out on the vast landscape of wilted flowers, hundreds of them. When we entered the valley, it was covered in bright blooms, but now they were gray and wilted as if marred by a disease.

Drovo…I doubt he even realizes he’s doing this. He did say he didn’t control the forest, he just listened to it. Well, it seemed as if it listened to him too. The terrain must sense his sadness and iwas mourning for him. For a moment, I feared that the flowers had wilted because he’d died, but I pushed that thought aside. Drovo was strong. He and Brexl could fight off anyone.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Trivix walking with Drovo’s brother. They caught sight of us and immediately silenced their conversation. I hoped that meant they were making plans to free the guys. I feared Taylor and I wouldn’t be able to do so on our own.

“Where are our mates?” I asked.

Dameron gave me a side-long look. “They’re safe.”

“I’d like to see the proof of that with my own eyes,” I replied.

“I give you my word as the Savrix of this dekes. They are safe.”

“You know,” Taylor began with a wicked gleam in her eyes. “Brexl tends to get a bit agitated if we’re separated for too long. I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep us apart much longer.”

This gave Dameron pause. He knew Brexl was a lethal killing machine, the grim reaper incarnate. It wouldn’t be in the Savrix’s interest to let that beast roam free in his valley, and I doubt whatever ropes they used to tie him up would keep him bound for long.

“They will join us for dinner around the communal fire. You will see them then,” he huffed.

We took a sharp turn away from the path toward Trivix’s house. I had a feeling Dameron was growing tired of us and our tour of the valley was about to be cut short.

“It was nice speaking with you both,” he smiled stiffly as we stood outside the familiar small house.

“I will see you again this evening.” He turned and walked back to his house, looking more agitated than ever.