Legend of the Inero Dragon by JF Jenkins Page A

waited outside until the
young woman arrived. Jason held a large blanket in his hands, and
the woman had a picnic basket in hers. The young man trailed behind
her, never standing closer to her than three feet, but never
further than five. Why would Navi even need a bodyguard to begin
with?
    "It's a pleasure to meet you," Gwen said,
eyeing Navi carefully.
    "Navi is my stepmother," Jason continued.
"One of them I should say. The one who matters the most. She is my
father's current wife."
    Gwen raised an eyebrow. Navi looked awfully
young to be married to someone old enough to be Jason's father.
    The woman took Gwen's hand and curtsied. "You
as well," she said then faced Jason. "I like that she disrespects
me. It's refreshing."
    "I didn't realize I was being disrespectful,"
Gwen said with a frown.
    Navi laughed then mimicked the raised eyebrow
Gwen had given her. "This is not a look I get often. I don't mind.
Most of the women I meet are too fake or afraid of me. Apparently
they think I'll complain to my husband or something," she said,
glancing at Chris, then snorted.
    With a shrug, Jason changed the subject.
"Navi has kindly agreed to help you out. Anything you need, go
ahead and ask her. Because she's married to my father, she holds a
lot of weight. He is the lord over all of the Inero, after all.
She's also decided to stay at the house with you while I'm away at
the council. That's not for three weeks, though."
    "We'll have plenty of time to get
acquainted," Navi said with a smile. "This is your first time
going, period, correct?"
    "Yes," Jason said, nodding. "I've never had
the privilege of going. Matt's been, not me."
    Navi rolled her eyes at the mention of
Jason's twin brother. Gwen had yet to meet him. With the way the
other woman reacted, though, she wasn't sure if she wanted to.
    "Matt is special. Of course he gets to go
before he's allowed," Navi said, her voice rich with sarcasm.
    Jason opened his mouth as if he were going to
say something, but quickly closed it again.
    "I'll only be gone about a week. We can
discuss all of this later, Gwen," he said. His body was tense, and
he gestured for them to begin walking across the castle yard.
    Navi stared at him with sorrowful eyes.
Gently, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Shall we get some
lunch? Gwen, you've been here for three days now, correct? You're
lucky."
    "I'm sure," Gwen said. She didn't understand
it. Why was she so lucky? She'd been taken away from her family.
While Jason had promised she could go back and visit them, she knew
she wouldn't be allowed to leave him. Not with how many times he
insisted it was too dangerous.
    "She doesn't get it," Navi said to Chris. He
shrugged nonchalantly.
    For a while, the four were quiet. Attempts at
small talk no longer made as they walked through the castle
grounds. They passed several rose bushes on their way into a light,
man-made forest. The trees were lined up in neat rows, evenly
spaced apart. Gwen was used to the wild forests on the outside of
her farm. Nothing in Inero City felt natural.
    After the blanket was settled on the forest
floor, Navi unpacked their lunch. Gwen decided to ask the question
burning on her mind. "How did you come about being his stepmother?
If you don't mind my asking."
    "In similar ways you became Jason's wife,"
Navi said in between bites. Her tone suggested she wasn't bothered
by it. Her body tensed up slightly. She smirked at Gwen. "I will
tell you all about it during our girl time. Jason doesn't much like
the story."
    "You're so considerate of my feelings, Miss
Navi." Jason rolled his eyes, sitting up on his knees. He leaned
into the basket for some more grapes.
    Navi threw a potato chip at him with a laugh.
"Don't forget it, son."
    If Gwen hadn't known better, she would have
thought he was flirting with the woman. Something about their
relationship was peculiar, though they may have simply been best
friends. So far, the only side she had gotten to see of Jason was
him trying be strong and