“Yes, and it was so worth it.” He smiled slyly, then removed his flask from his tunic pocket, unscrewed the lid, and took a long swig. “Now, about this business of repayment. There is one small thing I’d like to ask of you.”
“What is it?” Raj growled. “Coin? I’ll have you know I carry only enough money for traveling.”
“Nothing like that. I merely want to join you on this journey. Wherever you’re going, I want to come.”
“Not possible,” Raj said. “We’ve already taken on one stray. Two would push my limits.”
“But I’ve saved your lives. You owe me.”
“Barely saved our lives,” Raj repeated.
“Why do you want to come with us?” I asked. “You don’t even know where we’re going.”
“True, but I’ll know who I’m traveling with, which is ever so much more important.”
Raj groaned. “I’ve had enough of tagalongs.”
“You still didn’t answer my question,” I said to Drekken. “Why do you want to come with us?”
“Fine. I’ll tell you this. My people hate me. I didn’t turn out the way my parents wanted. I had no interest in the dark arts, so they banished me. I’ve been on my own ever since. My sole wish is to perform music people will enjoy, and hopefully to stir their souls a little. That’s all. But I’ve learned doing such a thing on my own is a dangerous way to go, as you may have noticed in the dungeons. I need help. In exchange for companionship, I promise I will use my lute to defend you against the vilest of creatures. Unfortunately, that’s all I can offer. I have nothing else. But if you let me journey with you, I give you my oath that I won’t cause any trouble. That is, unless we come upon a comely lass or two.” He winked, then took another swill from his flask.
I looked at Raj. He worked his jaw back and forth, the way he did when he was deep in thought. I tried not to notice how handsome he looked when the muscles in his jaw flexed that way.
“May I speak with Gothel alone?” Raj asked.
“Of course, I’ll wait under that copse of trees just over the hill.” He turned and walked to the grove of cottonwoods, out of earshot from where we stood, and the wolf followed him.
When Drekken reached the trees, Raj turned to me. The autumn sun picked up the copper tones of his skin, and I had the urge to reach up and touch his face. I banished the thought. The last thing I needed was to do such a thing, although a hint of a beard sheathed his jaw, only serving to make him look more masculine.
“What do you think?” Raj asked me.
“Think? Oh, yes, about Drekken.” I straightened, trying to sort out the emotions running rampant through my head. Curse Raj and his unnatural good looks. “I’m not sure he can be trusted, although his lute is impressive. Having him with us may not be such a bad idea, especially as we’ve still got to travel through the wastes of the Outerlands, with who knows what kind of creatures lurking there.”
“I agree. The last time I traveled the Outerlands, the sand demons were multiplying. Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep him with us. Still, he doesn’t have a horse, and he’ll be another mouth to feed. I’m not sure this would be a prudent decision.”
“We can get another horse in the next village.”
“I still don’t like it. Plus, I don’t trust him.”
“Do you trust anyone?” I asked.
“Yes, I trust you.” He spoke with a deep baritone tenor to his voice, causing my insides to flutter.
“You trust me?” I asked, looking up at him.
He met my gaze, which only served to make the fluttering worse.
“I trust you with all my heart, Gothel.” The way he said my name sounded soft, sincere, but with an intensity that made my knees buckle.
“Why do you trust me?” I asked, my voice almost a whisper.
He carefully moved his hand to my face, where he brushed his thumb over my cheek. My insides ignited with wildfire. What was I supposed to do? Did I push him away? Did I remind him that I wasn’t an Outlander?
My mind turned to mush, and all I could think about was him, and how close he was, and how much closer I wanted him to be.
“Raj, what are you doing?”
His lips quirked into a smile, showing his teeth, and I was hit with the urge to kiss him.
No, no, no. Stop thinking that way!
“I’m admiring your eyes. They match your hair. Blue, with a touch of green. I’ve never seen anything like them.”
He cupped my cheek. His hand was warm, and the skin smooth. He smelled of spices, ones I had smelled before when visiting the Outerlands with Rapunzel and her father. The scent conjured images of deserts and sunsets and sprawling tent cities with every sort of exotic spice and oil available—the Outerlands—the place he was meant to be, surrounded by the people he was meant to be with.
I placed my hand over his and moved it away from my face, though as I did, the dwarf’s words echoed through my head. I pushed my misgivings aside. I was doing the right thing.
“Raj, I’m an ordinary person, and not worth anyone’s time, especially yours. Now, let’s tell Drekken the good news, shall we?”
“Good news? Have we made a decision?”
“Yes, we’re bringing him with us.”
“Is that so?”
“I think it would be in our best interests to have someone like him with us. He stopped those vines with his lute. If he can do the same for the beasts we’re sure to meet in the desert, I think we should have him with us.”
“I can defeat sand demons just as well as him.”
“Maybe so.” I said, unable to hold back a smile.
“You’re smiling. You don’t believe me?”
“Quite the opposite, really. You’re a talented swordsman.”
“Then why do we
