Sapphire Falls (The Lost Realm #2)

29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Savine

“ G ood morning,” Avery whispered, her fingers running through Savine’s loose hair. Mid morning light streamed into their room. Avery looked at him with slightly puffy eyes from the late night and festivities.

Savine pressed his lips to hers, kissing her slowly, languidly, like they had all the time in the world to enjoy each other.

“Good morning, Little Flower,” he murmured into her ear. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I was hit by a train.” She flopped onto her back. “How much of that fairy wine did I drink last night?”

Savine chuckled. “Enough to inebriate a creature much larger than you, I’m afraid.”

“Did I really try to play music over my phone?”

Savine pulled Avery tight against his chest, her eyes closed as she rested there. He could feel her discomfort down their bond—a pounding headache and queasy stomach. He didn’t know if she was aware that she was sending it down, but he accepted it nonetheless.

“You did play music through your phone. You said many human words that made little sense, like ‘I had one last charge on my external battery,’ and ‘I have the perfect music downloaded.’ Everyone who witnessed the strange music coming from your phone seemed to believe it was magic. And the dancing you led? It was brilliant.”

Avery brought her hands to her face. “Ugh, then I cried when my phone died, didn’t I? That was it though. It’s not going to work again.”

“You did make a nice recovery when the musicians began mimicking your human music.”

Avery let out a snort. “So much for queenly behavior. Sorry about that, Savine. You’re probably mortified.”

Savine stroked the edge of her crown. “No, Ave. You brought life to the festivities. I don’t think anyone has had that much fun in the King's Residence before.”

“Well, it is a treehouse. Treehouses are made for fun. You old folk needed to lighten up a bit. I’m just sorry that Garnel and Kyla had to miss the party.”

Savine sighed. He was too, but now that he knew what set Garnel off so intensely, he wasn’t surprised by his actions. It still hurt him to see what his friend chose to do to himself as punishment.

“I want you to know I didn’t order Garnel to be whipped. I could never do that to him.”

Avery traced the lines of Savine’s essence with her fingertip. “I know. Raikin told me. But can we begin moving away from that kind of policy in general? Maybe less corporal punishment.”

She was right, and he knew it. What was the purpose in using harm for punishment? “And this is why you’ll make a great queen. You and your human ideas are going to revolutionize how Latiah is run.”

She snorted again. “Don’t get too carried away here. I’m not a politician. But I do want to get out in the city each day, get to know the folk and help where I can. Plus keep training with Rue, Kyla, and Hyacinth.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“So we’ve slept in without anybody disturbing us, which seems like a feat in itself. Do we get to spend the whole day in bed together?”

Savine pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I made sure our schedule was clear for the day. But, I’d like to go back to the woods at some point. I never did speak with the trees. Would you like to join me?”

“Later—I need to get over this hangover first, then I’d like to do more of what we did last night when we got back here. But first I need something greasy to eat and whatever you use to help a headache.”

Savine stood up and slid a pair of soft, linen pants on. They hung low on his hips, and Avery looked at him like she wanted to devour him.

“It’s unfair how beautiful you are. Damn, you’re like a statue.”

Savine just laughed and walked to the door. Two former rebels stood outside his door, guarding the entrance. Since most of the rebel forces had returned, he’d increased the number of warriors who were his personal guards to ensure everyone had ample time for leave, as well as covering both himself and Avery. Rue, of course, was the head of Avery’s personal guards. After what she did to stay by Avery’s side, Savine could never deny her that. His own head guard was an older man who’d been loyal to Savine through the whole of the civil war. Both had the morning off after the late night festivities.

“Please have the kitchens bring up a tray of breakfast. Tea, bison sausage, and eggs. Send for something for Avery’s headache from Hyacinth as well,” Savine said. The young guard bowed and went to deliver the message.

Savine crawled back into bed. Avery was lying on her back with her eyes shut tight.

“Let me help you,” he said.

Avery gave the faintest nod, keeping her eyes shut tight. “Do fae not get hangovers? Of course they don’t.” Savine went to the bathroom, warming a hand towel under the tap and folding it to fit across Avery’s forehead and eyes. He placed it across her face, and she let out an audible groan.

He began gently rubbing her temples, feeling her relief through the bond as he worked his way across her scalp, careful of where the crown chafed her scalp. He wished they could figure out how to get the crown to recede like his own did, at the least to give her some respite from the burden.

“Oh Savine, what did I ever do to deserve you?” Avery moaned.

Savine felt the old tension coil in his chest at her praise. With every day they spent together, Savine was learning to let go of the recoiling doubt that pushed forward when Avery praised him. He didn’t know if he could ever grow accustomed to it.

Savine rolled Avery onto her stomach. He straddled his legs across the small of her back, making sure not to press his weight against her, and began massaging the muscles where her head and neck met. He worked his way down her neck to her shoulders, taking care to gently release the tightness in her muscles. As he soothed and kneaded, he felt the tension in her slip away. Down the bond, the discomfort started to disappear.

He began kneading lower down Avery’s spine and she let out a muffled moan as he worked his hands downward.

A knock came to the door and Savine called them in without hesitation. Avery needed to eat and take some healing tincture for her head. Only then would he be able to enjoy his quiet morning.

Brisk footsteps entered the room as Darby came in with the trays of food leaving them on the table in the sitting room. Savine quickly climbed off Avery’s lower back and leaned against the headboard.

“Thank you, Darby!” Avery called out from the pillows.

Savine looked at her lying face down as he said in a low voice, “How did you know it was her?”

“Who else would be walking with that kind of energy after last night?” Avery retorted with a muffled laugh.

Avery rolled onto her side as Darby peeked into their bedroom, a serene smile on her face. “You’re welcome, dear. Is there anything else you’ll be needing this morning?”

“You shouldn’t even be out of bed after all the work you’ve done for the Night of Feasts. Go get some rest. We’re quite comfortable here,” Savine said.

Darby leaned against the doorframe, laugh lines brimming her face. “It gives me joy to serve you, Savine. You know that.” She crossed her arms and seemed to be thinking of a different time altogether. “I just wish your mother had been here to see you. She would have been so proud of you! King of Latiah and with a soulmate wearing the boughs and the antlers.”

“I’m just grateful Savine has you, Darby. You’ve been a lifesaver for both of us as we adjust to Orofine,” Avery said, leaning against Savine’s upper arm.

Darby nodded, “If that’s all, I need to see to the cleanup from last night. Then perhaps I will take a rest.” She left the room, her brisk steps tapping on the wooden floor and out the door.

Savine went to the table and brought the two breakfast trays to their bed.

“It smells delicious!” Avery said, taking her tray. There was a small vial next to her teacup, something for the headache no doubt. She lifted it up and picked up the paper folded on the tray. “Hyacinth suggests I take the tincture with food then says we should get some fresh air to ensure I don’t have my symptoms return. That’s funny. The first time I got drunk my mom had no sympathy for how hungover Morgan and I were. She made us go outside with her, even though we were miserable.”

She tipped the contents of the vial into her mouth and grimaced as she struggled to swallow it down. “That’s disgusting!” Avery grimaced.

Savine took the vial from Avery, tasting the remnants from the bottle. The flavor was sharp and bitter, burning his taste buds. “Pine needles and bitterroot, I’d suspect. Hopefully it helps with the pain. If your healer is ordering us outdoors, where would you like to go?”

“Can we actually go talk with the trees? I would love to know if Morgan is okay.”

Savine pressed the palm of his hand to her cheek. “Of course, Little Flower.”

Avery

The chill of the fall air had already killed the plants that Avery and Savine had grown when they accepted their soulmate bond. In fact, the biting wind made tears stream down Avery’s face as they quickly walked past the hot springs.

“I knew they wouldn’t last, but it still makes me sad to see what we created dead, you know?” Avery said as she led Savine deeper into the forest.

“It was inevitable, but I agree.” As he spoke, he sent a passionate wave of emotions down the bond. “But I’ll admit, I was thinking of something else.”

Avery turned and lifted an eyebrow at him. “Savine!” she teased, “We’re never going to make it to the cedar grove if you keep doing that!”

Savine grinned, and Avery thought his smile when he was actually content was the most sincerely beautiful thing she’d ever seen. “Little Flower, you have ruined me. I’ll never be able to get anything done when I have the memories of those hot springs in my mind. Goddess above! I can’t even walk into the woods without being distracted.”

Avery giggled and kept walking. “Don’t blame me!”

Savine slapped her on the ass and she let out a surprised shriek. “The blame is all yours, Ave.”

God, she loved it when she could draw out this side in him. It was so unexpected— this grumpy, old-ass fae man teasing her and laughing with her like this. She’d never believed it was possible a few months ago.

The trail grew steeper, the wind whipping through the limbs overhead, causing branches to sway and bend. “How far do we have to go? This wind is brutal! We should have never left our bed.”

“I had no intention of leaving our bed, but remember Hyacinth insisted you get some fresh air. The cedars are getting close. Look to the left and you can see the first one.” Savine pointed ahead, and Avery could make out the cedar boughs rustling in the breeze.

Pushing through the wind, they made it to the copse of trees. The cedars were so large, even Savine was dwarfed by their massive girth. He approached quietly and Avery stood back, letting him connect with the trees through mycillious, the language of the trees. The cedar’s trunk began quivering and Avery gasped at the way its branches stooped and shook low in the wind.

She could hear Savine speaking in a strange, whispery language, and the sound of it soothed her. Like it was a comfort to hear him speak in that mysterious language. Finally, he drew back, his face hardened with the weight of his duty again. Gone was her playful soulmate, and before her was the king with the weight of a nation on his shoulders.

“What is it?” Avery couldn’t stop from asking.

He shook his head. “Your sister really will be traveling with King Rylo to Onyx Caverns in a few days' time.”

Avery felt a tightening in her chest. Would Rylo take Morgan somewhere and abandon her if it fit his needs? “That’s what her letter said, but what does that mean? Why?”

“If I had to guess, he most likely seeks an alliance, although I do not know why he brings Morgan with him. Goldoths are fae who draw their essence from rocks and minerals. Their military might and wealth are profound.”

Avery chewed on her lower lip. “Why would Rylo ally with them? Does he want to go to war with Latiah? We did what he asked!”

Savine took her hand in his. His large hand was so much warmer than hers, like he was hardly affected by the driving wind. “He may think Latiah views his broken oath with you as an act of war.”

Avery’s eyes widened. “We can’t go to war against my sister!”

Savine shook his head. “I have no intention of fighting another war. I’ve fought for nearly twenty-six years and have no desire to return to battle. There’s far too much reconstruction here that I would never dare to engage in another conflict.”

Relief stemmed down Avery’s spine. “Do you think Morgan will be safe with Rylo?”

Savine shrugged. “There are rumors she’s been in his private rooms. She’s most likely as safe with him as anywhere in Nephel. Perhaps more safe, considering his interest in keeping her close to him.”

Avery sighed. “Okay. She’ll be fine. She knows what she’s doing.”