Page 55 of Horn in My Side

JASMINE

One year later . . .

Jasmine held up a hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun as she focused her gaze on the distance. She searched through the puffy, cotton-like clouds floating high above the vast rolling hills until she found what she was looking for.

There.

She spotted the tiny dot on the horizon, a minuscule speck, really, set against a sky-blue background.

It grew bigger, coming at her, forming into a familiar shape—four legs, a long tail, and large wings flapping rhythmically.

When it was finally overhead, the fully grown dragon drifted down, landing in front of Jasmine, its paws thumping softly on the grass.

“Excellent job, Clawdia. That was the best take-off and touch-down yet.” Tossing her a treat, the dragon fledgling quickly gobbled it down.

Jasmine rubbed her chin, prompting Clawdia to purr and trill.

Pride and joy washed over her like a gentle wave.

“Yes, you should be proud. You’ve come such a long way. ”

“Indeed, she has.”

Warmth pooled in her chest, and she glanced over her shoulder to see Mal walking toward them. “You’re home early.”

That tiny line between his eyebrows appeared. “I had to get out of there. The elders were driving me nuts, trying to tell me how to do my job.” He raked a hand through the mess of his dark hair. “I change my mind about coming here. Let’s go back to Dewberry Falls.”

Even though Mal had declined their offer, the Orc Historical Society was apparently desperate to work with him.

Not only had they been impressed with Mal’s skills, but also his passion about orc history and culture.

They told him in no uncertain terms that he was the only orc for the job and they would be willing to do anything to have him come on board.

And so, Mal worked out an agreement to come in as a consultant on the project with a crew he had hand-picked himself, working remotely and only traveling to the site every few months.

Jasmine hated it whenever he had to leave, but thankfully he was only gone for a week at most. However, after a year of planning, they were ready to break ground, so he needed to stay in Ghalad-Dur for at least a month.

This time, he had set it up so Jasmine could come with him, and they’d decided to bring Clawdia along.

Jasmine glanced up at Mal, barely able to keep the corner of her mouth from tugging up. “Go back home? Why? I mean, how bad was it? Were those grumpy elders trying to tell you how to make things more efficient? Were they messing with your system?” she teased.

He shot her a wry grin. “For the record, I never messed with your clipboards. And if I haven’t said it, it’s a brilliant system and you run a tight ship at Fantastic Tails.”

“As I should—after all, I am the co-owner now.”

Mal had initially wanted to give Fantastic Tails to Jasmine, but unfortunately her pride wouldn’t allow it.

So, instead of using the loan she’d eventually gotten from the bank to purchase the entire shop, she bought out Mal for half, and he agreed to co-own with her.

They used the remaining money to renovate and upgrade the facilities.

Mal also started renting the storefront next door and opened a hardware store and occasionally took on small renovation jobs.

Of course, he was still an active member of the Dewberry Falls Volunteer Fire Department, responding to calls every now and then, though so far, no more three-alarm fires, much to Jasmine’s relief.

Slipping an arm round her, he pulled her into an embrace, his body relaxing. “I’m just glad I snuck out early. I’d rather be spending the day with you.”

“Me too.” She pressed her cheek against his chest, and they stood there, arms around each other, just enjoying the moment. It was hard to believe that she’d almost missed out on this.

The last year had been a dream. Sure, there had been some downs, but the ups more than compensated for them.

They’d had a few tiffs, but that was understandable considering they spent nearly every moment of the day together.

However, they always made up after, specifically with lots and lots of makeup sex.

Jasmine had also officially moved in with Mal a few months ago, though she already spent all her time at his house anyway, so it was more of a formality when he asked her.

She loved coming home to a place that was theirs, falling asleep in his arms at night after a vigorous lovemaking session and waking up with his hands all over her, coaxing her in a round of lazy morning sex.

An annoyed chirp interrupted their repose, and impatience snapped at Jasmine.

“Oops. Sorry, Clawdia.” She and Mal disentangled themselves from each other. “We’re in the middle of a training session,” she explained. “Harry said we have to stick to a schedule and routine, or else it’ll throw her off.”

Once the one-year nesting period was up and she could go outside, Jasmine had started bringing Clawdia to the Housen Hatchery’s dragon-training ranch where Harry himself gave her lessons on further caring for Clawdia.

They also worked on controlling her fire, so she wasn’t a danger to anyone or anything.

Most recently, once she grew to her full size, they’d begun teaching her how to fly.

She was a natural at it, of course, though she’d only flown around an enclosed area.

One of the reasons Jasmine agreed to come with Mal to the orc homelands was because, out here, Clawdia could fly through the skies freely.

Mal rubbed at Clawdia’s chin affectionately. “All right. Sorry for taking away your mommy. Why don’t you show me what you’ve learned?”

Jasmine shook the bag of treats strapped to her hip. “Clawdia,” she called. “Heel.”

The dragon sat at her left side, eyes sharp and focused. They went through all her tricks, including a few new ones she had learned to do while flying, like catching a ball Jasmine threw in the air and hovering just above their heads.

“She’s really good at this,” Mal said. “Was that last trick new?”

“Yeah, your relatives taught her that one.”

Since they were in Ghalad-Dur, they spent some time with Morlak’s horde, who lived on their farm not too far from the house the Orc Historical Society had provided for Jasmine and Mal.

Just like his mother, Mal’s distant cousins had been warm and welcoming, and she had gone to visit them a couple of times with Clawdia.

The fledgling loved spending time there because she got to socialize with other dragons.

“I hope she won’t be too sad when we leave here.”

“We can’t prevent that, but she’ll be fine.” Clawdia was growing into a strong and intelligent dragon, and every day Jasmine could feel their bond strengthen.

“Speaking of home,” Mal began. “How are things at the shop?”

“I spoke to Sophie this morning. She said everything was great.”

Now that Fantastic Tails was actually turning a profit, they could afford to hire one full-time employee and a few extra part-timers when needed.

Sophie Martinez was a gem of an assistant manager, and the only reason Jasmine even agreed to leave for a month was because she trusted her so much.

“But she did say one of our regulars got a bit snippy when they came by today. Apparently, their pet lindworm was depressed and they wanted me to examine him.”

Oftentimes, previous customers would come to Jasmine, asking her to check why their pet wasn’t eating or sleeping too much or acting out of sorts.

While her magic could not heal sick creatures, she could feel if an animal was truly in distress.

It made trips to the vet easier, and she loved being able to help the creatures and their owners.

“Clawdia. Come,” Jasmine commanded. “I think we should head back inside.” She sent Mal a small smile. “It’s time.”

They walked hand in hand, Clawdia happily trotting behind them, sniffing at bushes and rocks as they strolled back to the house.

Jasmine went to their bedroom, washed off and changed into a long white dress and re-did her braid.

When she emerged, Mal was already suited up in a gray tunic shirt and matching long pants.

He held a white urn in his hands—Vrig’s ashes.

“Ready?” she asked.

He replied with a grunt and a nod.

The drive to the Victory Fields was short and somberly silent.

Once they reached their destination, Mal parked the car in a small, unpaved lot at the bottom of a hill.

From there, they hiked up a dirt path worn away by all the orcs who came here to lay their loved ones to rest. Today, there was no one else around, and only the occasional sounds of Clawdia tittering and chirping as she trailed behind them disturbed the tranquility.

When they got to the top, Jasmine looked out and gasped. “It’s beautiful.”

The Victory Fields of Ghalad-Dur spread out before them, like an emerald sea dotted with yellow wildflowers. A strong breeze blew by, sending the blades of grass rippling and shimmering and dancing. The greenery seemed to stretch on forever and ever, disappearing into the distance.

“This is where our ancestors celebrated all their conquests and triumphs, back when the world was young,” Mal began.

“As we transformed and evolved as a species, this place became a place to commemorate and honor those who have gone before us, not just the ones who fought and conquered, but also those who drove us toward a path of peace and prosperity.”

“I think Vrig will be very happy to rest here,” Jasmine whispered, her throat tight with tears. The grief of losing her friend hadn’t gone away, and it never would, but that was what happened when someone you loved passed.

“He’ll be joining his ancestors, his parents, and my father.” Mal opened the urn and poured its contents out, the fine gray ash raining down on the verdant carpet. The dust scattered, carried away by a passing breeze over the field, before drifting down to become one with the earth.

They stood there in silence, watching the sun slowly dip behind the hills, washing the clouds overhead with the pink and orange hues of sunset. Jasmine could stay here forever, except Clawdia’s excited chitters told her it was time to go.

“Someone’s impatient for dinner.” She frowned. “Hmm . . . that’s weird.”

“What’s weird?” Mal asked.

“I can usually feel her hunger pangs by now.” Flashes of sparkles and shiny objects materialized in Jasmine’s head. “But she wants something else.”

Mal scratched Claudia’s head. “I think I know what she wants.” Slipping a hand into his pocket, he retrieved a strip of leather. “I made her a new collar.” The silvery tag at the end jingled as he shook it.

“That’s lovely, Mal. Thank you.”

Mal got down on one knee and fastened it to Clawdia’s neck. “I had the tag personalized too, in case she gets lost. Can you check and make sure it’s got the right information?”

“Of course.” Leaning down, Jasmine slid the silver ID tag to the front to read the inscription:

Will you marry me?

“Mal?” When she turned to him, he was still down on one knee, but he had a black velvet box in his palm.

“Well?” He opened the box to reveal a breathtaking princess-cut diamond ring inside. “Will you marry me, ashak’a?”

“Yes!” she burst out before he could even complete the question. Once he slipped the ring on her finger, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the love and passion she could muster. He pulled her close and deepened the kiss, and they were both breathless when they broke apart.

“How . . . You . . . When . . .” Her mind scrambled for the words she wanted to say, but the sparkly rock on her finger distracted her. “Mal . . . it’s beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it.” His grin was ear to ear. “Your dad actually helped me pick it out.”

“My dad ?”

Jed had come to visit them a few times in the last year, and while it had been awkward at first, the two men eventually became comfortable around each other. Her dad told her that he had never seen her so happy, so he heartily approved of Mal.

“Yeah, I didn’t know who else to ask. Kap, Nick, and the guys were no help,” he snorted.

Jasmine laughed. “When did you even find the time?”

“On my way back from one of my trips here, I stopped by Pittsburgh for a day,” he explained. “I wanted to ask for your dad’s permission to marry you. He said that it wasn’t needed, but he appreciated me asking and gave his blessing. Then we went to shop for this ring.”

Her heart had never felt so full. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, ashak’a.”

As he leaned down to kiss her, however, a soft trill and insistent clawing made him pause. Clawdia stuck her head between them, rubbing her nose against their shoulders.

Joy and excitement burst across Jasmine’s skin like goosebumps. “She’s happy.” Visions of kibble danced in her head. “And hungry.”

Mal grunted, then stood up. “Let’s go home then.”

Her heart soared higher than Clawdia could fly. Home had always been a foreign concept for Jasmine. After all, what was home to her, when she had been wandering all her life? Was it where she was born or where she chose to settle down?

Now, however, as she stared at Mal’s face, his indigo eyes shining with love, she knew that her wandering heart had finally found its home.