24
Gem kept her eyes on Ross as she climbed the staircase behind him. Once again, he had insisted that he go first. She paused when he stopped to kick some loose pebbles off the steps.
“You care deeply for this one, yes?” Ashure murmured behind her.
Gem flashed Ashure a startled look before she turned back around and focused on the steps in front of her. “What I feel is none of your business, Pirate,” she haughtily stated.
Ashure chuckled. “These humans in our world intrigue me. They are amazed at the things we take for granted, yet are surprisingly resourceful without having the ability to do magic or shapeshift,” he observed.
“He doesn’t need to do any of these things,” she replied.
“I saw another human,” he suddenly confessed.
Gem stopped, twisted around, and looked at Ashure wit
