“Avery carries the mark of Althea on her forehead.” Savine drew close before he touched her face, removing the glamour Avery knew was in place. The room filled with gasps, and the previously composed fae looked shocked.
“This is why you thought she wouldn’t return,” Garnel said as his previously golden skin paled. “The mark of the Goddess is so rare among the fae—how could a human carry her mark?”
“That is exactly why I want to keep her close. She has a purpose here. She could be the one to end this war and bring us home,” Savine said. Kyla approached Avery and touched her forehead, glamouring her mark with a tingle. Avery felt calmer as Kyla withdrew her touch. Her tense muscles relaxed, and she could finally take a steady breath. Savine looked at her with that harsh expression, but there was something else there. Sympathy? Guilt? Did he actually believe what he said about using herto end this war?
Jay smiled softly. “This changes things. I’ve never doubted Savine’s judgment, and I won’t now, but seeing that she’s marked by the Goddess changes why we’d vow an oath. I’ll do it. Raikin will too,” Jay said as he bumped his shoulder against his soulmate. Raikin’s scowl looked like it could set Jay on fire, but he didn’t protest.
At these words, the other members of the council murmured their agreement as they stood and joined in a circle. Savine moved Avery to the center of the circle and stood beside Garnel and Jay. They took their right hand and held them stretched out. Each of the fae’s hands glowed. Their essence pulsed below their skin. Together, they said, “As a sworn member of the council of Savine Thorne, commander of the Latian Rebellion, I swear to safeguard and protect Avery Hollis from all known harm and danger. I willingly give my life to her safekeeping.” Small orbs of light came from each of the fae’s outstretched hands and mingled together in the center of the circle before the light bobbed down to Avery’s head. The light coated her face, then seemed to sink into her, leaving her with a warm sensation throughout her body.
Avery stood speechless. She didn’t know what it meant for the folk to take an oath, but what she witnessed seemed like a big deal. These people took an oath to give up their lives to protect hers.
Savine touched Avery’s shoulder before pulling back like the touch stung. “What I just asked of them was not taken lightly. Avery, the folk cannot break a vow. We are sworn to it upon punishment by death.”
Avery’s stomach did a flip. She hadn’t asked for this, but now that she witnessed what taking an oath meant for the fae, she felt relieved to have this commitment from all these warriors to protect her.
Savine’s deep voice rose over the buzz of conversation around her. “Avery, now we need you to do something for us.”
“Of course, what?” Avery blurted the words out before she’d thought through what she was saying. Maybe she shouldn’t be so eager to volunteer for what Savine had planned.
“We need you to swear an oath to serve the rebellion. You will be required to swear your loyalty to the leadership of the rebellion and to follow the commander’s orders.”
Avery felt that same queasy sensation in the pit of her stomach again. This was a horrible idea. “What if I refuse to do it?” Avery asked. The surrounding faces looked shocked.
“Oh, dear, that would be a terrible idea, considering that we just took an oath for you,” Jay said. His eyes were kind, and he seemed to give her the most gentle warning any of these fae could give her.
“Terrible?” she asked.
“We will not need to give you protection if you are not willing to swear an oath for us. Oaths must be an equal balance,” Savine replied. His face looked disappointed.
Damn, this day kept getting worse. Her mind flashed to the creature she’d killed that morning. She felt no remorse for taking its life. But she also had no interest in facing something like that alone again.
“Okay. Fine. How do I do it?”
“The same way we did the last oath,” Kyla said. Her smiling face hid something. She looked sad, almost like she regretted what she was doing.
Avery nodded, and everyone placed their right hands back into the circle. The same golden glow pulsed out from each of the faes’ hands.
“Repeat after me, Avery,” Savine said. His essence swirled in rhythmic movements. “I, Avery Hollis, do swear...”
Avery nodded before stating, “I, Avery Hollis, do swear…”
“To serve the Latian Rebellion with loyalty and fealty to its commander, Savine Thorne…”
“To serve the Latian Rebellion with loyalty and fealty to its commander, Savine Thorne...”
“From this day forth until I am released from my oath.”
“From this day forth until I am released from my oath.” Light poured out of Avery somehow, flowing into the outreached hands and up into the chests of the council members. She felt empty as she looked at the fae surrounding her. Not only was her life protected by these creatures, but now she was bound to them. So much for her bath time dream of finding a peaceful place to live in Aeritis. Savine now had the means to use her for whatever purpose he saw fit, as long as he claimed it helped the rebellion.
“Now what?” Avery asked. All she wanted was to go back to the tent that she now had to share with Savine and go to sleep.
“Well, if we are done here, Avery, I would like you and Kyla to accompany Jay to meet the elk,” Savine said with a sly grin. “I am sure you will find them entertaining.”
With those words, Savine turned his back on her and walked over to the fish lady, leaving Avery standing there in confusion.
Chapter sixteen
Avery
