Savine was quiet for such a long time that Avery wasn’t sure he would give her an answer. “I know what it is to hurt. Everyone should have a bit of kindness when they are hurt. I-I didn’t always have that luxury.”
The statement made Avery’s heart clench. He was so guarded, yet so demanding with those around him. Maybe he didn’t have anyone either. Maybe this strong, harsh rebel leader was more broken than she realized.
As they approached the rebel encampment, Avery smelled an undeniable scent of grilled meat. Was that a cheeseburger?
“Savine? Did you have cheeseburgers made for me?” she asked, gripping his biceps.
A broad smile stretched across his face. She’d never seen his face light up in such a way. “I hope you like them. The first Latian cheeseburger of many.”
Avery laughed. “Don’t say that until youtry them first!”
Savine served her the cheeseburger. Something had shifted in them, and she didn’t know if she could pinpoint the moment. Maybe it was last night when he offered her a truth? It could have been today at the river. It didn’t matter when the shift happened. She knew she could trust Savine enough to eat what he served her.
It wasn’t the best cheeseburger Avery had in her life. Not even close. The bun was wonky, and the meat was seasoned with a strange spice. The ketchup was just wrong in so many ways.
But it was the kindest gesture she’d experienced in Aeritis or Earth.
Chapter twenty-one
Savine
Savine’s council prepared everything for their move, and of course, a late summer storm welcomed them as the group rode south. The deluge of rain transformed the trail into a muddy mess. Most of the fae used a bit of their essence to keep themselves as dry as possible. Jay also moved the group from the plains to the forest, skirting along the edge of the mountain, giving them coverage from the rain and protection from enemy forces.
There hadn’t been a proper conflict against the loyalists since Savine found Avery. That wasn’t unusual at this point in the summer. Both sides often changed their focus from attacking to preparing for the harsh winters in Latiah. But to not even see scouts? That was concerning.
Meanwhile, Avery wore some sort of strange slick jacket and pants. She called them a rain jacket and rain pants. In this weather, the slippery fabric seemed to stick to Avery’s whole body, making her look like a brightly colored seal instead of a human. Her big brown eyes peeped out from the hood, and she stared at Savine with indignation as she struggled to keep pace with the other riders.
Nothing prepared Savine for just how awful Avery was on an elk. Why had she never learned to ride properly? She bounced and slid across the saddle. Dandelion was one of the gentlest elk in the stock.Jay had picked her specifically for Avery to learn to ride, and yet Avery seemed to hold on for dear life. Even the young children held their saddles better than Avery.
“Wait! I can’t keep going like this,” Avery shouted to Savine as she bounced along the saddle on Dandelion’s back. The elk looked back at her and gave her an impatient grunt. Avery held the reins to Dandelion’s bridle, but was not in control of the animal. To add to the problem, they traveled at such a fast speed that she looked like she was going to slide off the animal at any moment.
Avery had a point. There was no way that she could keep going like this. She was liable to fall off her elk and hurt herself, slowing the entire rebel army. He’d said as much to her as they left the encampment at The Midden. But of course, Avery was so stubborn and had insisted on either riding in a carriage or riding on Dandelion. Carriages were in short supply with the rebel group, and Savine needed them for the elders and young children.
After their evening on the river, Savine took her stubbornness personally. He’d hadfunwith Avery in the relaxing calm of the river bend. And having fun was something Savine did not often get to do. So when she insisted on riding on her own, Savine felt they had erased any progress they had made in trusting each other.
Savine slowed his own powerful bull elk to a stop. When he did so, everyone around him stopped. “These are not ideal conditions to learn to ride an elk, Avery. But we must travel quickly.”
“No shit. It’s pouring down rain, and I’m trying to stay on top of an animal that I’ve always associated with being wild. Plus, she seems to live up to that reputation with all her snorting and jostling. I think she’s trying to knock me off!”
“There is a simple solution,” Savine said. “Join me onJari’s back.”
Avery’s eyes widened. “That’s alright. I can keep plodding along here on Dandelion.” As she spoke, Savine tugged Dandelion forward, grabbing the reins from Avery’s hands. With his other arm, he wrapped Avery tight and pulled her across Dandelion and onto his lap. Avery let out a yelp and tried to push his tight grip away, but she couldn’t get out of his arms. He pulled Avery’s right thigh across the saddle. Did he really want this woman between his thighs? Well… maybe. Her warm, soft scent of honeysuckle and mint filled his senses, and he tried to keep himself from breathing her in. At least their skin wasn’t touching, thanks to that soggy sack of clothing she called a rain jacket. He didn’t need the distracting warm pulse that happened when they touched.
He also wasn’t ready to share why he avoided touching others. Even grabbing her and pulling her between his legs made him fight an urge to push back and give himself space. To not let himself become too close to this warm, soft, irresistible human. Friendship alone felt like something he might manage. He was trying. He knew what mourning alone had done to him, and he didn’t want her to experience any of his past pain.
Avery turned and looked at Savine. She had that familiar mischievous smirk on her face. The same one she made before she said something truly ridiculous.
“If you insist… Giddy up, Jari!” Avery yelled. Savine flinched as her voice pierced his eardrums. Jari did not move a muscle, only snorted at Avery. The elk was indignant about having another person other than him on his back, but this featherlight woman would hardly weigh the powerful animal down.
“Giddy up! What is that supposed to mean?”
“It’s human talk for ‘get going, elk,’” Avery replied. “But it doesn’t seem to work.” Jari thrashed his head, nearly hitting Avery with hissharp antlers. Avery’s body slid further back until her backside was pressed against Savine’s crotch. Oh, Goddess. This was going to be too much for him to stand. He should have left that woman crashing around on the back of Dandelion.
“How do I keep from getting speared?” Avery asked.
Getting speared?Suddenly, Savine wanted to rile this little woman up. He hadn’t had the desire to make a woman think about his cock in… what? Decades. Goddess alive, he was more broken than he even realized. But now that Avery was rubbing against his crotch, all his concerns about his insecurities and whether she’d hate him for using her to gain a kingdom seemed to melt away.
A little shameless flirting wasn’t going to hurt.
