Chittering, he curled up around my neck, and I tried not to cry. I’d thought I’d never see him again.
Looking down at the eagle, I bowed low. “Thank you. This is a gift I will never forget.”
The eagle cooed, looking between me and my stolt, while Epsy chittered back. As the giant bird launched itself up and flew back out to sea, heading vaguely west, I rubbed my cheeks against Epsy’s soft fur.
“What did he say?” I asked Hayle, who was looking at me with proud, shining eyes.
“He said that every warrior of the Third Line should have their animal companion by their side in battle. He also said the creatures stand with you, Recreationist. Well, he sent me an image of a phoenix, but that’s pretty close.”
I gave him a tight smile. I knew the myth of the phoenix, that it rose from the ashes to be reborn again.
But to rise from the ruins, everything I loved would have to be destroyed first, and that was one fate I wanted to escape at all costs.
Five
Vox
Despite water being one of my most comfortable elemental affinities, I was relieved when we rowed to the shores of the most elusive Barony of Ebrus. Unlike the west, which was dry and almost barren, the south was heavily forested. However, the land was rocky and unworkable for the most part. Doend was two days’ travel inland, and it would be at least one day of rough hiking to even reach roads.
Fortunately for us, Zier had stocked the boat with everything we could possibly need: supplies, tents, non-perishable food, and water canteens. We’d spent the final evening of sailing condensing our bags down, until we could easily carry them across long miles.
Avalon had almost growled anytime someone suggested that they spread some of her supplies across the packs, and I could only respect her for that. She was fiercely independent, even now. She was so unlike the women at Court back home, who wanted to be nothing more than a jewel to be admired, wrapped around my body like a chain when I went out in public.
Hayle had eventually managed to convince her to let him carry one of her bags so she could carry his raven in a sling across her chest. Now, as we trudged through the woods, thebird was nestling in the sling designed for an infant, with Avalon’s purple stolt wrapped around it like a living blanket. Honestly, I was surprised the bird didn’t peck out the little rodent’s eyes, but it seemed weirdly tolerant of the oversized fluffball.
As much as I didn’t understand Avalon’s fascination with the creature, I had to begrudgingly respect its devotion. It had ridden across the ocean on the back of an eagle that probably would have liked to have had it as a road snack. That was some serious determination to return to your master.
I understood it, though. I was equally as enamored with Avalon Halhed. No matter where she went, I would do whatever it took to return to her.
Lierick gave me a small smirk, and I tried not to flush. We had been purposefully ignoring what had happened after the Combat round of the tournament. I tried not to think about the feel of his lips on mine, or what it could possibly mean. Whether it was traitorous, not to my Line, but to my love for Avalon.
And sure, I tried not to think about what it meant for me. Liking the same gender in the First Line was a death sentence, at least for the men. For the women, it was ignored entirely. Shay was proof that it didn’t matter if you liked women or men—or neither—since you would still find yourself wedded and bedded to some political ally. Individual wants and desires came second to the needs of the Line, or more specifically, the desires of my father.
The inappropriate attraction swirled with deep-seeded guilt and loathing, creating a cocktail of fucking neuroticism that was going to kill me, if I didn’t get it under control. I needed to have Avalon in my arms—only then did the world make sense and the way forward become clear.
I watched her stumble a little over a rock, which was a good enough excuse for me. Using bands of air, I caught her up and floated her back to me until we were chest to chest.
“Vox, put me down,” she scolded, but I ignored it. “I’m capable of walking. I don’t need you to carry me like an infant.”
“What if I need to carry you close?” I asked flippantly, but maybe not lightly enough, because she caught my eyes with her own.
“Are you okay?”
Nodding, I looked over her shoulder to ensure I could see where I was going. Well, that was as good an excuse as any to drop my eyes from hers. She saw too much, my sweet little dirt scrabbler. “I am. I just missed you.”
“You woke up spooning me less than four hours ago,” she teased, but rested her head on my shoulder, careful not to crush her own little package of passengers.
I kissed her temple. “Too long ago.” She felt so good in my arms.
We were all silent for a long time, just putting one foot in front of the other in unfamiliar territory. I carried Avalon the whole time, and after about thirty minutes, I realized my steady gait had rocked her to sleep. The fact that she felt comfortable enough to fall asleep in my arms, trusted me enough to protect her when she was vulnerable, did something to my chest that I’d never experienced.
Hayle’s hounds actually seemed to be enjoying themselves as they scouted the dense forests around us. The forests of Doend would have been their natural habitat, if they hadn’t hitched themselves to Hayle and the Third Line. They were clearly enjoying being in a place that spoke to their souls.
Lierick and Iker brought up the rear of our little group, and having them at my back was an exercise in trust. I knew theywouldn’t do anything while Avalon was here. I had to trust that they wouldn’t do anything at all, though I’d been wrong before.
“Braxus says there’s a good place to camp for the night about twenty minutes from here. We’ll stop there,” Hayle called back, his eyes lingering on the sleeping woman in my arms. “You doing okay?”
I nodded, holding Avalon to me tightly. I could carry her like this across all of Ebrus, if she’d let me.
