Sapphire Falls (The Lost Realm #2)

8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Avery

A very wasn’t very surprised that she and Morgan were already arguing. Of course, she wanted to get along, but she was also overwhelmed with a strange mix of excitement mingled with dread that her sister was with her. And she wondered what sort of havoc Morgan would cause in Aeritis with that shadowy magic.

After breakfast, they got dressed in simple, soft tunics and leggings that Edet had provided. She’d had questions when Avery asked for something for her period, and Avery found out that the fae don’t even menstruate. Great. Of course they didn’t. This was going to be worse than she thought, but she figured she could discreetly ask Susan what she did.

Avery wanted to introduce Morgan to Susan and Rue right away. It would help Morgan to begin to meet fae who weren't a threat, and Rue was just that. Also, she knew Morgan would get some of her questions answered by Susan.

As they stepped into the hallway, Avery expected there to be a guard preventing her from wandering the tower. During the previous days, it was made clear that Avery wasn’t being held captive, but she didn’t have the freedom to wander without an escort. That seemed to lighten after Savine arrived, but she still felt like any wrong move could leave her trapped in the Tower of Teeth instead of living in luxury and comfort as a guest of Rylo’s.

As Avery surveyed the hallway, Morgan looked at her with an expression that was pure fear. “It’s okay, Morgan. We’re safe. I promise.” The jarring scars across Morgan's face seemed to darken as she took a small step out of the bedroom. Avery still couldn’t believe that her sister had been so brutally injured and survived to share the story.

“Where do you want to go anyway,” Morgan asked as she stepped into the hall.

Avery gave her a quick smile before she turned toward where she suspected Susan and Rue were staying. “I just want you to meet my friends. They’ve helped me so much here.”

Avery’s steady footsteps echoed across the red rock of the floor as she crossed to a door that had previously been guarded. She heard Morgan close behind her as she knocked on the heavy wooden door.

Dark skin and sleek raven-black feathers greeted her. Selene was in this room, not Rue and Susan. She’d never suspected Selene to be living in this part of the Towers. Selene, the woman who was responsible for torturing Savine’s soul.

“Oh! Selene. I didn’t expect to see you here. Sorry, I thought this was Rue and Susan’s room,” Avery said, feeling embarrassed for the mistake.

Selene just stared at her with violet eyes, a gaze that was cold despite the warmth in their color.

“Avery! In here. Selene, please let her in!” Rue demanded from the room. Selene pursed her lips and let Avery and Morgan in. Immediately, Rue was embracing Avery in a tight hug. “I’m so happy you’re okay. Last night was—well it was something I never want to experience again. Seeing you down on the ground, tortured like that? The rest of us were in some sort of a frozen state. I could see everything, but I couldn’t move. Only Susan was free, but I think she was too scared to act.” Rue turned her head, tight curls bouncing as she looked at Susan, sitting quietly in a chair in the corner.

Avery noticed the pale color in Susan’s skin, her glamour gone as she sat in her human form. Avery squeezed Rue’s arm as she walked over to Susan. “Hello, friend,” Avery said.

“I’m so sorry, Avery. I wasn’t there when you needed me most. We could have stopped him together if we’d tried to combine our powers, and when you needed me most I froze. I—I understand if you can’t forgive me for what I did.” Susan’s eyes were rimmed with red. She looked like she’d barely slept.

Avery squeezed her shoulder and knelt down beside her. Susan let her red hair tumble in front of her face as she avoided Avery’s eye contact.

“Susan, you don’t need to blame yourself! We didn’t have time to form a proper plan and I was overwhelmed. If it wasn’t for Morgan, we’d probably all be dead.” Avery turned and looked at her sister, standing uncomfortably near Selene.

“I should have done something. Your sister just walked in and killed the Latian King without fear! That power she released wouldn’t even let anyone near either of you.” Susan looked directly at Morgan as she said, “We are honored to have you here, Morgan. All of us, Latian, Bayberry, and Nepheli owe you a life debt.”

Morgan shrugged. “I was just trying to save my sister.”

Selene made a small scoffing sound from where she stood. Avery raised her eyebrow and stood back up. “What exactly are you doing here, Selene?”

Selene’s black wings tucked in tighter, as if she was insulted by the question alone. “I have orders to keep an eye on the Latians until they leave. I was merely doing my rounds.”

Rue chirped in, “She was just about to leave, but she was kind enough to have tea with us.” She moved closer to Selene, her pinky finger extended as she brushed against Selene’s black feathers.

It was almost like Rue enjoyed Selene’s company. But Selene was a torturer. She did whatever Rylo instructed her to do, and didn’t question his orders. Worst of all, she seemed to delight in causing pain. No, surely Rue didn’t actually want to be around Selene.

“I’ll be going now. You are all expected to be dressed for supper with King Rylo by evening. Guards will escort you to his private dining room. Gowns, of course, will be provided as I dare say none of you have the appropriate outfits for supper with the king.” Before anyone could reply, Selene expanded her wings and walked onto the balcony, leaping into the autumn sky.

Avery would never get used to seeing the Nepheli do that. Fortunately, in only a month, she wouldn’t have to be around it.

“They are so weird. Do you think the Nepheli don’t know how to say a proper goodbye?” Avery asked to break the awkwardness that settled over the room.

“What do you mean?” Susan asked. The other two women looked at Avery with confusion.

“You know, just jumping out of the building like that. Rylo’s done that to me a few times. Anyway… I came over here so Morgan could meet you two.”

Rue laughed. “I’d do that too if I could fly! I would never walk anywhere. It’s so nice to meet you, Morgan!”

“Nice to meet you both,” Morgan said in a monotone voice, not bothering to move from the wall.

“Morgan, Susan is the witch I told you about. And Rue is a shifter fae, but don’t worry. She shifts into the cutest little fox!”

Rue batted Avery in the arm. “You may not know this, but calling a shifter ‘cute’ is considered bad manners. I may be small, but I’m powerful!”

Morgan didn’t respond to the information. She was usually so thoughtful with her words and her actions. Now she stood, arms crossed near the door. Maybe it was a mistake to bring her here. She didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, but it seemed she’d done just that.

Avery tried to move the conversation forward, but she could see Morgan didn’t have much interest in interacting with Susan or Rue.

Finally, Susan caught Avery and Morgan’s attention. “I think the three of us have to start training together. I’ve studied enough about witches that I think we can learn to use our powers together, and prevent ever experiencing something like last night again.”

“What do you mean, use our powers together?” Morgan asked, stepping a bit further into the room.

“Well, from your display last night, you have potent magical abilities. You’re a natural at wielding your magic. From my adolescence on, I’ve been reading everything I can on the ancient witches, and your natural ability with shadows was rare. Usually we are more connected to one of the elements—like Avery and her connection to the earth or mine to water. Anyway, when witches formed a coven and learned to wield their magic together, they were virtually unstoppable. That’s who separated the two realms in the first place. Witches, like us.”

Morgan cocked her head. “So you want us to learn to control our magic together and then what? Kick the shit out of these fae bastards?”

Avery winced as she looked at Rue. Rue had a funny smirk on her face. “Sorry, Rue.”

Rue shook her head, “No it’s fine. There are plenty of fae bastards who need the shit kicked out of them, and Morgan just took care of one of them. Who should be next? King Rylo? Or should you three head south to take care of King Maglar and Queen Mara next. I heard those cave-dwelling creeps are worse than Jasper.”

Avery looked at the frown on Morgan’s face. “Avery’s right. Rue, I’m sorry. But… I was attacked by one of the fae in my world. They can get through and I don’t want anyone else to experience what happened to me. If I can stop them from getting into Montana, I will.”

Avery cocked her head at her sister. “I thought you were ready to throw yourself over the waterfall and try to get home.”

Morgan crossed her arms across her chest. “Of course I want to go home. But, you said it’s most likely not an option. So if I’m stuck here, I won’t be spending my time cowering in a corner or looking for my soulmate. No offense, Ave. I want to use whatever magic that we’ve got to my advantage. I want to stop monsters like the one who attacked me from ever hurting somebody else again.”

“I like you already!” Rue laughed. “Would you like to learn how to use a sword? Or maybe knives? No, never mind. You have that small weapon that you used on Jasper.”

“I think I should focus on my magic. If that’s actually what happened to me last night.” Morgan shrugged as she turned her attention to Susan. “Susan, you mentioned studying the history of the witches? Do you have access to books? I want to be prepared for whatever this place is going to hit me with.”

Avery couldn’t believe her sister was already jumping into formulating a plan to train her magic. It had taken a lot longer for Avery to accept that she had magic. But, she hadn’t manifested magic within minutes of landing in Aeritis.

“So you’re cool with it here now?” Avery asked incredulously.

Morgan looked like she wanted to snap at her. “No, I’m not cool with it , Ave. I want to survive this place and learn everything I can to get home.”

Susan tapped her fingers together, concentration on her face. “King Rylo has a vast library. Avery, didn’t you see it?”

Morgan’s attention snapped from Susan and back to Avery. Oh no. There’d be no stopping her sister if she knew she could get her hands on the information she needed to help her. “Yeah, it’s huge. I don’t know if Rylo will let us use it though.”

“We have a month. We’ll use it,” Morgan replied. There was a gleam in her green eyes that Avery recognized. Morgan was planning. It was, without a doubt, her favorite thing to do.

Savine

Savine had hardly slept, knowing that he would be leaving Avery soon, and taking his place as the rightful king of Latiah. The irony wasn’t lost on him that he’d spent over twenty-five years of having one purpose in life, and now he couldn’t stand the thought of fulfilling that purpose if it meant leaving Avery behind. He still didn’t like it, but he knew he had hard work to do and he wanted to make sure he set the groundwork for Avery’s safe ascent as his queen.

Raikin, of course, had hardly left his side as they talked strategy and politics. The only time he could get Raikin to give him some space was when he had to take a piss. This would be his life from now on. No personal space. No private moments unless he demanded them. It was what he’d prepared for his whole life, but the reality of that new life weighed heavily on him.

Knowing that the Latian loyalists ensconced in Orofine would hear word of Jasper’s death before too long, Savine agreed that they needed to leave after Rylo’s planned supper between the two leaders. The route to Orofine wasn’t nearly as long as traveling to Bayberry, but they still had several days of hard riding before they reached the capital city.

Raikin had managed to procure a fine suit of Latian green for Savine, and Savine sat in a chair as a manservant—perhaps from the far north based on the icy hue of his skin—added various beads to Savine’s shoulder length hair. He hated being primped, but understood he needed to look the part of the king tonight. The gilded cedar boughs and crown of antlers wasn’t on display at this moment. It was taking some time for him to get used to the sensation of withdrawing the crown into his essence and out of sight. The stinging sensation would probably never go away, but at least he no longer had rivulets of blood etching his head when he pulled the crown in or pushed it out.

Raikin answered a knock on the door. As Savine turned, he saw Avery pass through the doorway. She wore a dress in the Latian-style. The lavender dress was all tight lines and hugging curves on top before it opened into soft billows of skirts. Savine noted how Avery had lost some of her muscle mass since she had arrived in Aeritis. No doubt she hadn’t been as active as she was working on trails in Montana. Instead she’d become leaner, thinner. This would need to change. He knew she had been happy and healthy in her former life, and he wanted to see her rounded cheeks and small, powerful muscles. There was no reason for his human to be looking fae thin.

Avery walked straight toward him as Savine stood. She smiled at him and he felt his heart pound in his chest. Goddess alive, he couldn’t even look at her without having a physical reaction to her gaze.

“Out, Raikin. Take the others too,” Savine ordered.

Raikin bowed, leaving them alone as Avery picked up her speed across the room, launching herself into his arms. Savine didn’t hesitate to pull her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist, the layers of her skirt bunched between them. “I missed you,” Avery said as she pressed her lips to Savine’s.

“I missed you too. You look beautiful, Little Flower,” Savine said as he pulled back to memorize her soft features, putting her back on the floor. He smelled the sweetness of her honeysuckle and mint scent—but there was something else there. Avery was injured.

His hand instinctively tightened around Avery’s arms as he assessed her. “You’re hurt.”

Avery shook her head. “I knew your obscenely good sense of smell would catch that. I’m on my period.”

A fresh fear built in his chest. What did she mean?

“Don’t worry,” Avery assured him, lightly placing her hand on his own bicep. “It’s totally normal for humans. It usually happens every month, but I think my body’s been too stressed, so my period was late. It’s… um… Part of the female reproductive system.”

Savine cocked his head at her. Was she ready to have his child already? Savine didn’t even know what to think of that. He had been sure they weren’t ready for a child yet, hadn’t even considered it yet. “Are you in heat, like animals? Or did you release your fertility? So soon?”

Now Avery looked at him with a baffled expression as she also let out a snorting laugh. “No, I’m not in heat like an animal! This is so awkward. Okay, I’m going back to seventh grade science here. Females ovulate typically once a month and if the egg isn’t fertilized they have a period. Totally normal human biology here.” Her cheeks were flushed with the most delightful crimson glow as she described how her body functioned.

“So you’re not ready to have a child?”

Avery stepped back, alarm on her face. “Hell no! I don’t want a child! But now that I know female fae don’t spontaneously become pregnant, and you would have been completely unprepared for birth control, we’re going to need to figure out an option soon. I can only assume you don’t normally need to worry about that in the same way humans do.”

Savine brushed his mouth against her hair “Just as long as you’re okay. I can get used to your human habits. We can ask a healer for some suggestions on preventing a pregnancy.”

Avery laughed again. “It’s not exactly a habit. But yes, let’s do that.”

The bond between them grew taut, tugging and pulling for them to accept it, for them to finally be joined. He didn’t know how in the Abyss he’d go a whole month without accepting their bond. Without feeling her wrapped in his arms each day.

But there was no sense in reflecting on that. What was done was done. She was staying and he couldn’t change her mind. More so, he was beginning to believe keeping her from Orofine was a good idea. He and Raikin had spent the entire day preparing for dozens of scenarios, and there was not a single option that didn’t put Avery at risk. Sending her back to Bayberry would have been ideal, but he knew Avery would refuse to leave Morgan behind.

“Enough about me. Haven’t you cleaned up nicely? Now, let’s see that sparkly crown,” Avery said with a nod.

Savine drew his essence forward and in a pop of pain, the crown reappeared on his head.

Avery smirked as she said, “I can better understand how it’s impossible to kill the king without retribution, when the damn crown grows out of your head. It looks good on you.” Avery smirked and twirled one of her golden waves around her finger.

Savine shook his head. There was a lot that Avery would need to learn about Latian culture when she was in Orofine, but it could wait. He adored her carefree outlook on life, and he wondered if it actually mattered if Avery lacked reverence toward the crown. After all, his father had done an excellent job of making a mockery of the role of king.

“There’s something I want you to have tonight. You’re not wearing Latian green, but I wanted to remedy that.” Savine picked up a box on the side table and opened it, showing Avery the contents of the box. A large, rectangular cut emerald necklace encrusted with smaller emeralds was nestled on satin. Next to it laid identical emerald earrings.

Avery sucked in her breath, her eyes wide as she looked at the jewels. “Oh Savine! They’re gorgeous. But how did you get them here?”

“They were once my mother’s and my grandmother’s before her. Kyla brought them to me this morning. She took them when we fled Orofine and kept them hidden for my future queen,” Savine said, his breath catching on his words. “I didn’t even know she had them. All these years, she’s kept them safe, waiting to give them to me.”

Avery’s big, brown eyes shone like orbs as he moved around to her back and draped the jewels over her neck. “Savine… Are you sure? I don’t deserve to wear these.”

Savine felt his essence whirl at the lie she muttered. He naturally felt on the defensive when she talked down about herself. “As my mate, you are the only one deserving to wear the queen’s emeralds.” Her chest rose faster as he led Avery to the mirror. He wanted her to see herself in splendor. Savine moved to her ears, placing the heavy jewels into her lobes. His fingers lingered over the shell of her ear. Goddess alive, he loved all her soft curves.

“But Kyla—“ Avery hesitated, and Savine didn’t let her get another word in.

“Kyla has no claim to these jewels.” Savine pulled Avery close, pressing her back against him as they continued to look at their image in the mirror. He didn’t mean for his voice to be so filled with emotion as he said, “Please. Accept them, as my queen.”

The color drained from Avery’s face as she nodded. “Your queen.”

A queasy sensation roiled within him. Was she going to reject him? She looked as though she doubted her place with him, the old pangs of past rejection made him want to push her away and put distance between them before he got hurt again. But he didn’t. Despite every instinct to guard his heart and soul, he stayed next to her.

He turned her to face him. “Avery, talk to me.”

Her head dropped slightly before she looked him in the eye. “It’s just a lot, you know. I’m not qualified to be a queen. Like, fuck Savine, I didn’t even want a full time job back at home. And now I’m going to be a monarch? I’m not meant to be a queen.”

Savine gently lifted her chin up. “I never thought I would have a soulmate. I didn’t think that was even possible after what I experienced in the Tower of Teeth. But you’re here, and our bond is begging us to complete it. You and me. That’s all that matters. Nothing else. And if you don’t want to be queen—if you want to spend your days making trails around Orofine, then so be it. If you want to learn to use your magic and find your natural place here, then do that. I will not make you be a monarch.” His voice shook and he was overcome with emotion. “But please, do not reject me. Not until you have seen Orofine.”

Avery placed her small hand in his. He felt her tremble slightly as she said, “I’m not rejecting you. But Savine, you’re a king now. Not a rebel leader. Not a prince. You’re king. You are going to have to make the best decisions for your country. What if that’s not me?”

“Of course it is!” Savine’s tone came out sharp, his own essence pumping in response to her doubts. “I would never reject you! You’ve made it clear that I need this month for my nation, but you will be mine. No more talk about it, let’s go to dinner.”

Avery shook her head. “Just think about where I’ll fit in your new reality.”

She turned and began making her way to the door. Savine took a deep breath, trying to keep the unease from devouring him. She wasn’t going to stay with him. The woman he’d waited his whole life for was going to run, not because of his past, but because of his future. It was a cruel twist to what he’d always known about himself.

He wasn’t worth loving.