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Humility. Drake had never realized how attractive it could be. He'd certainly never been subject to it. He'd always thought it a weakness in others. But then, he'd never seen someone so lovely display the trait, either.
She didn't deny his words, either, in some sort of display of false modesty. "I?never thought of it that way. My father?he never thought I'd be able to?he thought I wasn't up to the task of being the key. The keeper of Galohisdi. After mother died, he tried to tell me I must stay away so I wouldn't mess it up." She lay back on the hill, looking up at the stars.
He lay back next to her. After a few moments of silence, she said, "They knew what you are."
"Pardon?" He studied the stars, not looking at her.
"Elf. The?the Little People. The chief called you 'Elf'. How did he know?"
"I'm not certain." He paused, thinking, still studying the stars and realized what had struck him about them. "The stars are the same here."
"Really?" She turned her head, her dark eyes sparkling in spite of the lack of light.
"Really." He pointed. "Do you see that small group of stars there?"
She moved a little closer to see the sky from his point of view. "Yes."
"That's the tip of The Arrow. A constellation."
"It's the tail of our Snake."
He was silent for a long time, then said quietly, "It is odd that so much of our worlds are alike. Even some of the language. You also call the Little People Yundi Tsundi."
She took her turn for silence before replying in a soft voice, "Except the people."
For answer, he raised his hand so it was outlined black against the stars, creating all new constellations for them both. She raised her hand to touch his and he smiled. "Maybe we're not so different."
Did she say it, or did he? It didn't seem to matter when she sat up and turned to face him. He watched fascinated, as she unbraided her hair into a shimmering curtain. She raised her head, her eyes meeting his. "Did you?were you the reason I opened Galohisdi, do you think? Did you?call to me?"
"I don't-" He shook his head, but he couldn't deny it. Maybe he had been calling to her all his life. He touched her face, his fingers tracing the delicate line of her cheek. She leaned a little into the light touch and the small action obliterated his last restraint. Sitting up on one elbow, he dipped his head to touch his lips against hers, and in a moment she had slipped her arms around his neck and he lost himself in the sweet taste of her lips, the even sweeter surrender of her mouth when it opened to him.
They might have kissed for minutes or hours, he couldn't be certain. Every second with her was so precious, he wanted to cling to it, but they kept slipping away. He broke the kiss slowly, lips lingering for the lightest of butterfly kisses before he pulled away, planting one last kiss on her forehead. "You should sleep, my love."
"My love?" She lay her head on his chest. "I like the sound of that." He felt her yawn and then she said sleepily, "Will you be able to sleep like this?"
He doubted he would sleep at all that night, but he stroked her hair and assured her he'd never slept better than he expected to that night. And then he listened as her breath deepened, felt her body totally relaxed next to him. She trusted him. And he felt like a man holding something infinitely precious and exquisitely fragile.
In spite of himself, he'd always considered the brevity of a human life as a serious handicap to love between the races. Less than a hundredth that of an Elf. Over in the blink of an eye.
Yet here he lay with his arms around her and love in his heart. Surely any time at all he could spend in this woman's company would stay with him, guiding him through the rest of his long Elf life.
A low whistle caught his attention. He stiffened, listening. The whistle came again, soft and unmistakable. The sound of an Elf in distress. Garth. So his old comrade had found him before the Little People could find him.
Very carefully, he slid out from under Josephine, carefully cushioning her against a blanket from his pack. Garth did not require assistance. He was trying to lure Drake out of hiding. Still, if he could take care of Garth on his own, all the better. Peacefully, if possible. But if Garth had figured out he'd passed through a portal and was determined to give Selwyn a full report, that might not be possible. He checked that his sword was belted firmly around his waist and glanced at Josephine's sleeping form. Every second he must be away from her felt like an eternity. But if he could take care of Garth, she could lock the portal and he could convince her?somehow?to let him stay.
Drake followed the sound of the whistle a short distance to another clearing and stopped. A fire crackled merrily and Garth leaned against a boulder, his feet crossed, his sword lying across his thighs. He did not appear surprised when Drake appeared alone. "Where's the woman?" He laughed. "I saw you with her. You do work fast, Drake. I'll give you that much. Although your taste for humans I will never understand."
"Go home, Garth." Drake made a dismissive motion. "I'll show you the way. Forget about seeing me."
Garth snorted. "Don't play me for a fool, Drake. I know there's some sort of ?gate between our world and this one. And your girlfriend knows how to open it. You realize of course that this sort of treason is punishable by death? We can take care of that sentence here, if you like."
Drake kept his temper with difficulty. Losing it would be a mistake. If Garth eliminated him, there would be nothing to stop him from taking Josephine back as a prize for Selwyn. No doubt what he had planned, anyway. Drake's fingertips tingled to reach for his sword. Better to dispatch Garth immediately and alleviate that danger.
Instead, he took a cautious step into the clearing. Garth remained still, watching him. Drake motioned toward a rock across the fire from Garth. "May I sit?"
Garth shrugged. "Sure. Sit. Maybe you can tell me how sweet she is. Better than Ayeli humans?"
Refusing to be baited, Drake assumed his spot, making certain his sword was easily reachable. "We've known each other for a long time, Garth. You are a brave warrior. I respect that. I do not wish to kill you."
Garth stiffened. "I do not wish to be killed. But your treachery cannot be abided."
Drake shook his head. "There is no treachery. I left so I would not have to betray Selwyn."
"And fled here, to the home of humans. Our enemy, or have you forgotten?" Garth's lip curled in distaste. "A whole world of humans. How long have they been aiding Ayeli humans?"
"That hasn't happened?and won't. The gate was locked and will be locked again when you are on the other side of it."
"You're so sure of that?"
"I am. You know what he wishes me to do, don't you?" Drake narrowed his eyes. "And you see no problem with it?"
For just a second, his friend looked uncomfortable. But Garth was a loyalist, an Elf who would follow his king no matter what hell he led his followers to. And I am not.
"Eventually someone must win the war." Garth's voice evened out and he straightened a little. "Why should it not be us?"
"Winning a war is one thing. Slaughtering an entire race of innocent people is another." Drake watched the other man closely. "And when did we declare war on the humans, anyway?"
"Are you a fool or just blind?" Garth snorted. "We've been at war with humans for most of my life. I can't remember a day my father did not curse their arrogance and their demands." He shook his head. "They are inferior in every way. Their destruction is inevitable."
Drake drew his sword slowly. "Maybe. But I won't be a part of it."
"And you won't let me go back to Ayeli because you fear we'll find our way back here. To the human world we all thought was mythology." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Does that mean Gadusi exists as well?"
Instead of answering, Drake lunged forward and his sword clashed against his opponent's. He shoved Garth back. "Pity you'll never have a chance to find out."
Garth grinned. "Let's go, then." And he wheeled around to bring his sword to meet Drake's.