Avery turned herself so she looked at Savine. Her beautiful face peeked out from the rain jacket’s hood. “Can you really keep me warm and dry?” she asked.
“If you remove your wet pants and jacket, I will warm you and keep you dry with my touch.”
Avery gave a small nod. She seemed to understand what that would mean for them. Maybe she felt the same warm pulse when they touched? Or maybe she now understood how much he avoided touching others. But after yesterday, did it matter? Yes, she’d been upset when she leaned her head against his chest. And when she squeezed his arm? She was happy. So happy that it had filled him with an unexpected joy to see that huge grin on her face.
“That’s okay,” she replied and turned around, leaning deeper into Savine’s chest. The wet clothing stuck to his leather armor, but he remained dry.
“Poor dear, she’s shaking with cold,” Jay muttered as Raikin rode up beside his mate. “Savine, you can be a hard ass sometimes. Avery, would you rather ride with me? I will warm you up.”
“No,” Raikin said. “If she doesn’t want Savine to warm her with his essence, why would she be taking your essence? Stop being a busybody and leave these two alone.”
“Jay has a point,” Savine said. He should warm her up. Just minutes ago, he’d gotten the hardest erection he’d had in decades. The least he could do was get over his fear of intimacy and warm the poor girl up with his essence. “We’ll pull off to the side and Avery can get out of those wet clothes.”
“That’s not necessary,” Avery argued through another shiver.
“Poor little mouse. She’s near frozen solid,” Jay protested.
“Jay, leave them be,” Raikin said as he reached for his soulmate’s hand and kissed it, pulling them and their elk away from Savine.
Savine yelled out to the crowd, “Carry on!” as he pulled off into the woods near the trail. He’d take a few moments to converse with the trees and check on where their enemies were while Avery got out of the supposed “rain gear” that seemed to do no good.
Savine slid off Jari and set the reins down against his neck. Jari wouldn’t go anywhere without him. Reaching up, he put both hands around Avery’s waist and pulled her down to the ground.
She looked up at him, and the concern on her face floored him. Was she worried about what he’d do to her? He never wanted her to fear him. He couldn’t stomach that for some reason.
“Savine, you don’t have to touch me if you don’t want to. I’m fine,” Avery said.
“It’s not an inconvenience. I want you to be safe and comfortable. Somehow, your lips are turning as blue as Gaelyn’s. We don’t need you turning cold-blooded on us.”
“Well, thank you. I am embarrassed to say that my rain gear doesn’t hold up as well as I expected after hours out in a torrential downpour,” Avery replied as she unzipped her jacket. Unzipped was one of those unfamiliar words that only existed in Avery’s language. The small teeth that held her jacket together were ingenious, and once again, made from that strange product called plastic. He had to give it to humans. They did have some interesting technology.
“Ready,” Avery called. Her clothes underneath her rain gear looked damp, but not too wet. But first, he needed to talk with the trees to make sure they kept their roots down for any enemies.
“Give me a moment,” he replied as he walked deeper into the forest. The surrounding trees were a mix of deciduous birch, aspen, mountain maple, and spruce. He approached an aspen. With their interconnected root system, they were some of the quickest trees to relay information.
“Hello friend,” he said. “What news do you have for me?”
The tree spoke slowly and lowly to him. There would be no way Avery could hear or understand what was being said as he communicated in mycillious, but she was right there behind him. Just a step away.
“We have word that there is an army massing near the pass. Most likely to return to Orofine for the winter. But beware as you pass through the valley. They will have the high ground and be able to attack.”
“That is typical this time of year. Have you heard of anything unusual?” Savine asked.
“Rumors circle that you travel with a human woman.”
“Yes, she is. How far do you believe the rumor has spread at this point?”
The tree didn’t reply to Savine’s question. It swayed slightly in the breeze, and Savine turned to look at Avery. She stood near him, looking transfixed by the conversation between himself and the aspen.
“You’re actually talking to a tree?” Avery asked.
“I have the power to converse with them, yes. I use them as my spy network. The king destroyed acres of forests at the beginning of the war, even before I amassed a following; the trees now side with me.”
“Strange…” she said. “Don’t let me stop you.” She gestured for him to continue.
Savine nodded and turned back toward the aspen tree.
“How far has the rumor of her existence spread? Does the king know I have a human with me?”
