4. Fersen

Jaega's touch made Fersen's heart race so fast he was certain the dragon shifter would be able to hear it. It sent heat searing through his body, making him tingle all over in a way he had never experienced before. He was in danger of losing himself in the depths of Jaega's warm, amber eyes.

The moment between them was broken when Grisden appeared with another servant, both carrying trays of food. "Dinner is served."

Jaega hesitated before he moved his hand away. Fersen immediately mourned the loss. While Jaega gracefully rose from his seat, Fersen all but scrambled out of his to follow as they moved to the table to eat.

"Here is your vegetable stew," the other servant said as he sat a bowl in front of Fersen while Grisden served Jaega.

"I confirmed that no meat stock was used in its creation," Grisden added.

Fersen bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Thank you for making sure." The delicious smell of it was enough to make his stomach rumble with approval. "I'm sorry for the hassle."

"It was no trouble," Grisden assured him. The two servants then disappeared in the blink of an eye.

When Jaega used his left hand to lift a drink, it drew Fersen's attention to a vicious scar and his ring and pinky fingers not being able to bend. Because shifters had healing abilities, it was rare to see a shifter with a permanent injury.

"I was stabbed by a Divine weapon about a century ago," Jaega explained, although Fersen hadn't asked anything. "Any damage created by a weapon from the Divine Realm is impossible for any shifter or healer to cure."

"That's awful."

Jaega waved away his concerns. "It was a long time ago. I barely notice anymore."

As starved as Fersen was, he wanted to inhale the stew. Instead, he took his time eating so that his stomach didn't revolt at the sudden arrival of a hearty meal. It warmed his soul as he savored each bite. He did his best not to coo his way through eating the savory dish. "Wow, I never would have expected a military camp to have such delicious food."

Jaega chuckled as he continued to eat. "I am a firm believer that if my men are willing to put their lives on the line to fight, they deserve for their food to be the best it can be. If it is to be their last meal, it will be one of the best they have."

It was a sobering thought, but Fersen admired the sentiment. "You're really good at taking care of people."

"I am a protector, through and through." Jaega smiled before he took a sip of wine. "I always have been, and I always will be."

"You really are nothing like what I would have expected the head of Valzerna's army to be like." Fersen couldn't help but be impressed by Jaega's thoughtful kindness.

"You can thank my mate for that."

The comment confused Fersen. Jaega only had shifter markings belonging to him; the intertwining lines for his mate were absent. "Your mate?"

"She was a wonderful woman." Jaega's pride was tinted with sadness. "Caprina was as wise as she was tough."

Fersen had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Was?" It was unusual to hear a shifter talk about their mate in past tense when shifters lived such long lives.

The light in Jaega's amber eyes dimmed. "Unfortunately, my beloved and our two daughters were killed while I was away fighting Ishibiya on the front of the Necromancer War." That explained why his mate's shifter markings were missing from his skin. They faded when she passed to the Beyond Realm.

Tears welled up in Fersen's eyes. "I'm so sorry to hear that. That's awful." Although he didn't have a mate or children, he couldn't imagine losing them in such a horrible way. How could anyone go on after that?

"Their loss still pains me to this day." Jaega stirred his stew before he took another bite. "Caprina was a commoner when we met, so she always kept me grounded in reality."

"Is she the reason you don't act like royalty?"

Jaega chuckled. "Indeed. She had no patience for the high-and-mighty approach to life. No one had ever cut me down to size quite like her. It was why I fell in love with her."

The romantic sentiment made it even sadder that Jaega had lost such a wonderful mate. "She sounded amazing."

"She was certainly that." Jaega smiled fondly at her memory. "So were our daughters. Thankfully, our son I mentioned earlier still lives. But their loss is why I could not bear to have him fighting on the front lines with me anymore."

"I'm glad you have him, at least." It would have been too sad otherwise.

"He kept me going in the darkest of times. If it were not for him, I would have joined my girls in the Beyond Realm." Jaega shook his head with a rueful sigh. "I am grateful that part of Caprina still lives on in this realm through him."

"And through you." It was obvious how much of an influence she had on his kindness and thoughtfulness.

He smiled. "I suppose so."

"Speaking of which, thank you again for offering to take me home. I'd really appreciate not having to make that long journey alone."

"Given how your kind was hunted down, I would not feel right with you traveling all the way to Morven without an escort to keep you safe. The roads are too dangerous. It would be my pleasure to make sure you get home safely."

In truth, Fersen would feel better having somebody as strong as Jaega protecting him on the long journey. "Are you sure you don't mind? It's so far out of the way from Valzerna." Morven was one of the most western kingdoms of Talwyn, while Valzerna was the farthest east.

"I would not offer if I did not wish to accompany you." There seemed to be no limits to Jaega's kindness.

It filled Fersen's stomach with butterflies. The more time he spent around the dragon shifter, the more attracted to him he became. And now that he had washed the scent of the battlefield off him, he smelled downright divine. Fersen's unicorn lay dormant most of the time, but Jaega's appearance had clearly piqued his interest. They were drawn to the kind general in a way they had never experienced before. It was enough to bring heat to Fersen's pale cheeks.

Those were thoughts best left alone, so Fersen focused on eating instead. He was less likely to get into trouble that way.