Chapter Twelve

I gesture around the room. "Believe me, everyone noticed."
He takes my glass and takes a sip. "I have a question."
"I have two."
"Okay." He gestures to me. "Ladies first."
I take my glass back and place my lips directly where he placed his. My eyes close and let the steam from the wine cool my face.
I panic as I realize what I've just done. Surely, he saw me turn the glass, looking for the imprint of his lips on it. He probably thinks I'm a nutcase. I won't be surprised if I open my eyes to find he's gone. For several seconds I just stay like that, waiting for my breath to stop tearing in and out of my chest.
I open my eyes. He's staring at me. I want to reassure him that what just happened was definitely not the way it must've looked. It's not like I want to kiss him or anything. I was just curious as to how he tastes. But by the tiny, discerning smile crooking D'ziko's mouth, I have a sinking feeling he already knows the truth.
The girls from the neighboring table keep shooting me dirty looks.
I clear my throat. "Why are your eyes so different?"
"I'm not originally from Noddon."
"There's just no way. You wouldn't have been able to get past the gate keepers."
"I never said I came through the gates, did I?"
"Then how?” I say, looking him straight in the eye, too long for my comfort so eventually I give in and look away.
He bites into my bread again, leans back on his chair and sighs fondly. "My mother, my biological mother, what an amazing woman," he says. "Leza died when I was just two and Mrs. Gabada raised me."
"No," I say disbelievingly. I've heard about the son Leza left behind. I've seen pictures of him as a toddler. He had black hair with blue tips. His eyes were grey back then, unusual even for Noddon. Everyone wonders if the boy still lives.
"That would explain why the Bakantwa is yer sword," I continue. "Of course, Leza wouldn't trust one of us with such power. Ooh. It's the same reason why you have the magic and yet you're still yet to claim yer sword."
D'ziko pushes aside the tray and someone dutifully comes to collect it. I frown. How does he do that? Get people to do things for him and in most cases without even asking.
His dreadlocks become undone and he sighs in annoyance as he pushes it away from his eyes. I hear the girl from the table closest to ours sigh longingly.
"Perks of being a God," he says, then immediately reaches up to pull his hair into a knot. I long to run my fingers through it, but quickly ball my hands into fists under the table. We are nowhere near the physical contact stage.
But as I look at him, all my nervousness comes back. This is D'ziko. A God. Our social hierarchy is grossly different. I'm just a small town village girl. A nobody. It would've been slightly better if I were a royal or if he were a royal.
Stay calm, I remind myself. Be calm.
I look at him suspiciously. "Why haven't you told these people who you are?"
He shakes his head. "Look at that..." He's pointing at the royal's' table. They're surrounded by girls who unmistakably want a chance at being wifed. "If they can do that to princes, can you imagine what it'd be like if they really knew the extent of my existence. If they knew what I am. Who I am to this land."
I nod.
"You see, it doesn't matter what they suspect right now," he says. "They can't prove I am, what they think I am. Most do have suspicions. I already get attention, far bigger than the Royals do. I fascinate them. They are drawn to me. These are my people and their subconscious tell them this. They know it. They can feel it."
"Have you thought about what you'll do if Leza gives you a lifemate?" A soulmate is someone who shares half your soul. It's the person the Gods made especially for you. A connection that knows no bounds, a love that is unconditional.
He looks confused.
"I mean, once you have a lifemate then it's time to take over. To lead."
He shrugs. "I've always known who my lifemate is."
I gulp. "Um...Okay I guess."
He frowns. "So you're not going to ask why I stayed away from her?"
I refuse to entertain the thought of him with another girl. The thought of him loving someone else.
"No," I say curtly.
His frown depends. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, no," I say and shake my head. "I said I'd ask you two questions. I went way above that."
He leans closer and props his arms on the table. "So now it's my turn?" he asks enthusiastically.
He smiles at me. I can't return it. He stops.
"You're angry with me." It's not a question.
"I'm angry with myself," I say. "But I'd rather not get into it right now. You have a question for me?"
D'ziko looks deep into my eyes. "Will you go dragon riding with me, tonight?"
I wanna punch him in his throat. "What?"
D'ziko stills. He looks at me. And his eyebrows meet.
"I know it might seem a bit insensitive after what happened this morning, but... you know what, I'm sorry."
My hands shake. If I stay here much longer I'm gonna explode. My lunch keeps churning in my stomach.
"I thought you were going to ask if I have a boyfriend."
A lump forms in my throat as the truth hits me. Hard. D'ziko's only interest in me is because of the sword, I stole. He wants to make sure it's safe.
"Why would I ask that, Imani?"
I have to think about this one for a minute. "Because. Because--"
This is it. I'm done.
He launches for my arm as I try to walk away. His grip finds my waist instead. He pulls me to him. I try to pull away but he pulls me closer. He presses his forehead on mine. I raise my eyes, they meet his and everything suddenly feel right.
“I’m not letting you go until you tell me if you have a boyfriend or not,” he says in a low voice.
I’m trying. I’m trying really hard to fight it but it’s there and it’s strong, the urge to hug him back.
I can feel his skin on mine.
“Answer me….please,” he says, softly.
I can't deny him anything. "I don't."
He frowns at me.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Aren't you going to ask me if I have a girlfriend?" but I have a strange suspicion that this isn't what's causing the disbelief in his eyes. The shock on his face. His jaw looks rock hard.
I fight the smile but it keeps tagging at my lips until I give in. "Do you?"
He smiles too. But something is missing from it. "No. Not yet."
I automatically relax against him.
"So I'll see you tonight?"
"Yes," I say breathlessly.
“I’ll pick you up at 6pm, I promise I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do to you,” he whispers.
My knees turn into jelly.
He lets me go.
I feel supreme as I walk back to the table. Everyone looking at me but for an entirely different reason than the bakantwa. I'm the first person they've ever seen D'ziko talk to.
The food is still as I left it. It looks like lunch ceased in my absence.
The girls in our table are all staring at me in shocked silence. It's so quiet that I'm forced to wonder if they've lost their ability to speak.
And then there's mayhem. They scream and jump and pull me down unto a chair. They all sit around me, looks of fascination plastered on their faces.
“You have to sit and tell us all about it."
Silence again.
“Where? How?” Zoe asks.
Where? How? What?
“It just doesn't make sense. You. D'ziko?”another one says with utter disbelief.
"I heard the rumours," the one with a ridiculously big lips says, she reminds me of a bowhwad whale.
"Some girl says you didn't recognize him when he came to your shop."
Okay.
"What do you mean she didn't recognize him?" another asks, glaring at me. "I mean... hello. Everyone knows who D'ziko is. He owns Noddon Academy. The mine down by the lake is his. Inherited it from his father. He's rich. And... handsome. How could you not know him?"
D'ziko's father definitely isn't human. And so I just know all these things are "gifts" from Leza. She's making sure her son is well of financially.
Zoe winks at me. "Of course, she'd go after him. He mines omuri, the only metal she uses to make her steals. This is good for business."
Of course people will think I'm after his pockets. What was I thinking? I don't have a shot with this guy. Does he see a business opportunity in me? He needs to sell as much omuri as possible to maintain the millionaire status.
"So when are you seeing him again?"
It was suppose to be tonight.
"Never," I say.
Kaseke, who's been silently watching us this whole time, raises his eyebrows at me.
I shrug.
Someone hands me a note.
It’s him. D'ziko.
I can’t wait to see you again. It reads.
I don’t know how to respond. I don’t respond.