Sapphire Falls (The Lost Realm #2)

27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Rylo

A n entire day had passed, yet Rylo could still taste the lingering sweetness of Morgan’s mouth on his, the tang of her blood on his tongue. He hadn’t meant to kiss her, yet the way the flecks of gold in her green eyes had illuminated when she held that blade to his throat had made it impossible not to kiss her.

The shock on her face when he nipped her lip between his teeth was another thing he wouldn’t soon forget. Or how he’d felt her tug him closer to her. Damn him, he’d no intention of forming anything beyond a working relationship with the witch, yet each time he was around her, she’d surprise him with her wit, her spark, and her rebellious nature.

She was something he was beginning to crave, like a sweetened cup of afternoon tea and a good book by the fire. While he’d never go without that afternoon indulgence, he needed to find a way to stop his obsession with the dark haired human.

Rylo looked to his servant as he helped him dress for the evening. The Night of Feasts had always held a bit of magic that made Rylo look forward to the holiday. It wasn’t lost on him that he’d need to avoid that pretty human all evening if he was going to drop his obsession with her. Just thinking of her in the decadent dress that he’d had commissioned for her made his chest tighten.

A brisk knock on the door interrupted Rylo’s thoughts, and he nodded to the servant to let Selene in.

It could only be Selene or Elio, but on a night like this, it would be Selene. Elio would be too busy preparing for his entrance.

He often wondered what he would do with this nation if it wasn’t for Selene. She saw to the day-to-day nonsense of unhappy citizens and minor threats. She even carried out his more ludicrous ideas, like stealing Avery from Savine during the battle with the Latian royalists.

Yes, they were an excellent team. He had the idea and she would see it to formation.

She walked in wearing a deep purple dress with sharply pointed shoulders and a sweetheart neckline. He’d chosen the color specifically to match the violet in her eyes, and as he suspected, the result was stunning. The gemstones adorning the bodice glittered in the fae light. The wide skirts drew attention to Selene’s graceful and stately countenance.

“Perfect as usual, Selene,” Rylo said as he twirled her at the tip of his finger. “Did you see to it that Morgan received her dress? Oh, and the friend. Susan, of course.”

“I brought both of them the dresses, but it seemed a waste to offer the finer gown to so scarred a woman. Susan would have carried it better. At least she has some of the elegance taught to her from her folk.”

Rylo raised an eyebrow as he looked at Selene. “You, who has willfully been the one to cause scars on folk for years, don’t seem to appreciate the beauty hidden in those scars. Have you not learned that the most powerful of us are the ones who are not broken by our scars, but find strength in them?”

Selene’s lips tipped downward in a scowl. “I was only making a statement that I believe Susan deserved to wear the finer gown. Although she does look lovely in the teal.”

“And I want to make a display of Morgan’s beauty. Her scarred face is nothing but a reminder of her tenacity to survive and her presence of mind in challenging situations.”

“As you say, My King. Is there anything else you need before we go to the celebration?”

“Just an answer to a question. Are you longing for the fox tonight?”

Selene’s face was a mask of indifference. “I am not given to such baser emotions as longing, My King.”

“Good. Now, see to it that everything goes smoothly this evening. Our last major event resulted in the death of a monarch,” Rylo said as he chuckled at his own joke.

“Of course, Sir.”

Selene left the room without another word and the servant returned to preparing Rylo for the revelry.

Avery

Avery sat in the bedroom she shared with Savine. He was busy dealing with the fallout from Garnel stabbing the goddess to prepare for the Night of Feasts with her. However, he’d left her a gorgeous dress and she couldn’t wait to see his face when he saw her in it. The dress was a blood red gown with gauzy skirts and a cropped top. The top was embellished with beads the color of fall leaves. It was the kind of gown that made her feel like a queen, even if she never thought she’d want the role. Her hair was piled in a loose bun, allowing the natural wave to show through. The delicate crown sat daintily amongst her curls. On her neck she wore a few simple gold chains.

She looked pretty and felt that way too. After saving the boy and healing the goddess, Avery started thinking she could create a place for herself as queen. No, she didn’t want to get involved with politics. She’d leave that to Raikin and Savine. Any future conflicts could be dealt with by Savine and Garnel too. But she could happily take on the role of caring and nurturing the folk of Latiah.

After all those years of hurt and conflict, maybe she could help bring peace to this place. She’d heal the sick, listen to complaints, and try to come up with modern solutions that didn’t cause folk to lose their heads, their livelihood, or their sanity. Obviously, Savine wanted what was best for his citizens, but after seeing how little so many residents of Orofine had, Avery knew that wasn’t how Jasper handled things.

She wasn’t delusional to believe that there weren’t folk here who resented her, who still wanted to hurt her. But, Savine was right. The crown gave her the protection they both desperately needed her to have.

A knock on Avery’s door made her jolt. Rue entered the chamber. Her curly black hair was pulled back into a neat bun with a leaf shaped pin holding it in place. She wore a flowing silvery grey satin gown with a dramatic cut that went nearly to her navel, exposing her brown skin. Small silver leaves held the dress together at her chest.

“I love that dress, Rue! What a statement!” Avery remarked, looking at her beautiful friend.

“Yes, I wanted to thank you for it. It arrived in my room after we returned from the Goddess of the Harvest. What’s to be done about Garnel?”

“I wish I could take credit for that dress, but it’s not from me. Was there a note on it?”

“No note, just the hairpiece and the gown. I apologize for assuming you sent it.”

Avery smiled. “No need for that. But whoever sent it to you has amazing taste. As far as Garnel goes, Savine’s ordered him to not attend the party tonight. It seems like a minor punishment, considering he tried to off a goddess on her own holiday.”

Rue pursed her lips. “That was unusual. The goddess did something to Kyla, that much I could tell, but I couldn’t understand what it was.”

Avery had talked with Kyla when they returned to the residence. She’d filled her in on the demand from the goddess to find these Divine Five. She didn’t like it—none of it. She found herself as some kind of pawn to a religion she didn’t understand or trust.

But if these goddesses were threatening her friends? Well, she’d play nice until she could get away with no longer being the sweet human girl, forced to give in to their games.

Another knock sounded at her door, and Rue opened it. Avery couldn’t hear the exchange, but the fae who knocked was gone without entering her room.

“Here’s a letter for you,” Rue said.

Avery recognized Morgan’s handwriting immediately and she tore into the letter. The letter was written in English. Morgan apologized for leaving in such an abrupt way, and said she was safe and happy in Nephel. She begged Avery not to let Savine retaliate for her actions, saying she needed to do what was best and she couldn’t get Avery to listen to reason when she’d tried to talk her into letting her stay.

Avery’s stomach flipped. She wasn’t a good enough sister for Morgan. Time and time again, she’d overshadowed and overpowered Morgan’s voice, and this time it had nearly cost both of them their lives.

“Avery? Is everything alright with Morgan?” Rue asked, a slight hitch in her voice.

“Yeah, she’s okay.”

“And you? Are you okay?”

Avery nodded. “I just could have prevented all the drama from happening if I had just listened to Morgan. I knew she was worried about coming here, and wanted to stay in Nephel. I shouldn’t have pushed her.”

“Mistakes happen, and I don’t think you could have prevented that attack. They were after both of you.”

Avery shrugged and turned back to the rest of the letter. “Susan is doing well. She and Morgan have been spending most of their time in the library. At least they have each other.”

“Yes, they do. Have they read anything about the Divine Five or the ancient witches?”

Avery began reading the letter aloud, sharing what Morgan learned about the Divine Five being relics, just as Hyacinth had shared. The letter ended with Morgan informing Avery that she would be traveling to Goldoth with Rylo after the Night of Feasts.

“I don’t want her going to another fae nation. What if she’s hurt? It’s bad enough she’s with that asshole Rylo,” Avery said as she threw the letter down on the side table. “I probably can’t get a response to her before she leaves, can I? How’d this letter even get here?”

“Bird I suspect,” Rue replied, taking a seat in a high backed chair.

“If they’re leaving right after Night of the Feasts then I don’t have time.”

Avery slumped into the chair next to Rue’s. “My Queen, I don’t mean to disagree with you, but you did just say you needed to listen to Morgan.”

Avery interrupted her friend, “Don’t start calling me ‘My Queen’—I’ve been queen for a day.”

Rue gave a subtle bow. “Of course, Avery. But I must remind you that your sister is a smart woman and fearless even without combat training. Her magic seems to instinctively work to protect her from danger in a way that I’ve never witnessed before. She will be fine.”

“It’s just hard because I’ve always been more outgoing and outspoken, so I’ve stood up for her. And now that she’s in this realm I’m still freaking out about the risks she’s facing.”

“Well, she did face the Tower of Teeth and came back stronger from it. She can handle herself, and I don’t think King Rylo will let something happen to her.”

“You realize he’s part of the problem, right?”

Rue smirked. “But without his schemes, you wouldn’t be queen.”

Avery let out an exasperated sigh. “I didn’t even want to be queen. And I’m still not forgiving Rylo for the shit he put us through.”

“You don’t have to forgive him, but he has other motives for keeping your sister safe. Regardless of what he did to us. He’s selfish and conceited and thinks Morgan can give him the kingdom he wants. He’s not going to let anything get in the way of that.”

Avery let a long silence build between them as she thought about what was really troubling her. She tugged at the bodice of her dress as she said, “Plus, I feel terrible for how I’ve treated Morgan. It’s not the first time I’ve ignored her when she’s tried to tell me something that matters to her. I don’t know why I do it, but I just tend to try and take control for both of us.”

Rue gave her a slow nod. “I mean this with kindness, but I saw that between the two of you. You have to trust Morgan to make her own path. She’s a capable witch.”

Avery bit her bottom lip. “You’re right. I just wish I could tell her in person how sorry I am.”

Rue didn’t hesitate to say, “I can tell she loves you. She’s already forgiven you.”

Avery stood up, rubbing her stinging eyes. “Now I’m getting upset, and we have this big party to go celebrate. I need something to drink.”

“Let’s get you a drink, My Queen,” Rue said as she tugged Avery toward the door.

The throne room had been transformed into a lavish ballroom. The wood shined with polish and the Latians, dressed in their best, walked the room, drinks in hand. Musicians were taking their seats to the side as Avery looked around for Savine, but didn’t see him in the room yet.

Maybe they were supposed to come in together, announced as king and queen? She still wasn’t sure what the protocol on being royalty entailed. Regardless, she needed a drink. Rue handed Avery a bright green cider, and Avery instantly recognized it as the same drink she’d once had with Savine in his tent the night before he had burgers prepared for her.

Avery looked across the crowded room to Jay and Raikin. “Let’s go join the guys over there. Maybe they know where Savine is.”

“The guys?” Rue asked, looking confused.

“Jay and Raikin,” Avery said, continuing across the room without missing a beat.

Jay smiled his broad, mischievous smile. “My Queen,” he said, bowing deeply.

Avery teasingly slapped his shoulder. “You’re embarrassing me, Jay.”

“Well it seemed you made an impression on the city today. You’ll have all the folk bowing before you if you continue saving small children and helping injured goddesses.”

Raikin pursed his lips. “You did well. We need to do that sort of engagement with the city each day. As folk get to know you they’ll learn to respect you.”

“Always the strategist, aren’t you Raikin?” Rue asked.

“Someone must be. Which is why we are making an example of Garnel’s foolish behavior tonight. Savine will be entering the throne room soon and will go directly to his throne. Kyla and Garnel will follow shortly after. Savine is going to publicly punish Garnel. He’s being stripped of his duties and under house arrest for a month. We have guards prepared to escort him to his rooms.”

Avery frowned. “Does Garnel know about this? I thought he was just going to miss out on the party.”

“We met privately with Garnel. I explained to the King and general the importance of making a public punishment. Garnel stabbed the Goddess of the Harvest on her own holiday. If it were anyone else, Savine wouldn’t hesitate to impart a more severe punishment. Although, I now understand better why he reacted the way he did.”

“Because of Kyla?” Rue asked.

“Exactly. It’s no excuse, but seeing a mate in danger can do things to a fae.”

Avery nodded. Savine was already possessive and aggressive. She didn’t need to see how he’d react now that they’d accepted the soulmate bond. “Do you need me to play any part tonight?”

Raikin shook his head. “I want you to socialize. Get to know the courtiers and the major members of the city. We need the folk to learn to accept you as queen, and the first step will be building trust. Savine needs to make a show of strength, but you need to convince the Latian citizens not to distrust you. Especially after the two events with your sister.”

“That makes sense. I’m sure accepting a human as queen is going to be tough for a lot of fae.”

“Unbelievable is more accurate,” Jay piped in.

“Jay is right,” Raikin said. “There will be more folk who don’t believe this is possible. There have been so few monarchs to rule jointly, but the ones who have were both powerful fae before uniting.”

“Enough talk of politics!” Rue said. “My Queen wants to dance and be merry tonight.”

Avery let out a sarcastic laugh. “That might be tough, with Savine punishing his best friend in front of everyone. The mood won’t exactly be fun.”

“That is when you’ll need to lift the spirits of the room,” Jay replied.

Avery lifted an eyebrow. “Easier said than done.”

Raikin squinted his eyes toward the large wooden doors. A guard gave a slight signal and Raikin lifted a finger in response. “Savine should be entering the throne room momentarily. Avery, stand near the throne where he can see you. Rue, you stand guard for her, of course.”

The two women made their way to the front of the room. Savine entered, wearing a buttoned shirt in a matching shade of blood red. His fur jacket looked hot and uncomfortable, but the tight black leather pants he wore made Avery’s mind drift to exploring him after this evening was over.

Savine’s harsh expression softened when he looked at her, and a wash of warmth pulsed through the connection between them. His lips quirked into a subtle smile as he sat down on his throne.

“Tonight should be a night of celebration. To our unity as a nation, to our new queen, Avery Hollis, and a celebration to the Goddess of the Harvest. That all shall come. But first, we must witness the trial of Garnel Ursus for his attack on the Goddess of the Harvest.”

Some members of the assembly sucked in a gasp. She didn’t know how that rumor hadn’t reached everyone's ears by now, but some folk seemed shocked to hear what Garnel had done.

Garnel entered the room, and stunned silence followed. He was in manacles, wearing a torn shirt. Deep gashes on his skin showed through. He’d been whipped. Did Savine order his closest friend to be tortured like this?

Avery’s eyes widened and she tried to make eye contact with Savine. His face was stony as he watched his friend walk forward. Kyla was nowhere to be seen.

Avery looked to Raikin, who now stood at her side. “Who whipped him?”

Raikin’s eyes darkened. “He did it to himself. We tried to stop him, but he demanded that he carry the marks to the throne room.”

Avery’s stomach churned. This was the kind of shit that she wanted to stop. There was no reason for the fae to continue this tradition of senseless violence.

She shook her head in disgust, turning her face to the polished floor.

“Don’t look down. They are all watching for weakness,” Raikin murmured.

Avery held her chin high, hoping this macabre scene would be over soon. She couldn’t even focus on the words that Savine spoke as he doled out Garnel’s punishment. All she caught was that he’d be stripped of his title as general and sentenced to house arrest for one month.

“Who’s going to be the general?” Avery asked incredulously. There wasn’t anyone who could fill that role for Savine as well as Garnel did.

“Shh… Garnel of course. He’ll be stripped of the role for a month and reinstated shortly after his house arrest after a grand gesture to put him back in the King’s good graces.”

This was exactly why she didn’t want any part in politics.

Garnel was escorted out of the throne room by guards, men and women who were loyal to him until a few minutes ago.

“Where’s Kyla? We talked when we got back, and I thought she’d be here.”

Raikin looked at her like she should know. “We can’t have Kyla celebrating the Night of Feasts with her soulmate sentenced to house arrest. She agreed to skip the evening’s festivities.”

Music began playing and a low roar of conversation began around the room. Raikin said, “Now is your time to get to know your subjects.”

Avery sighed. This evening was going to be terrible.