The tree paused again before speaking. Perhaps it was to ask through the network of trees. Perhaps it was just taking its time to reply.“All the Kings of Aeritis know. There are stirrings in the sky and in the depths of the mountains. She is not welcome here, and you will have to fight to keep her. Beware of our enemies to the south.”
So there were to be more conflicts—wars amongst other nations. Savine would have to reunite this nation before fighting anyone else. He would need allies. But would he be willing to go to war with other nations over Avery? He wasn’t sure he could answer that. The Goddess touched her, after all, and he didn’t plan on losing her. He hated to admit it to anyone, but she was becoming more valuable to him than just a prize from the Goddess.
“Do you mean Jasper or the other rulers?” Savine asked.
The tree grew still. It would not reply. Abyss damn those aloof beings. He never got a straight answer. What was the purpose of his gift if they were always giving him half the information?
Turning to Avery, he said, “I found out as much as I needed to know. Let’s get back to Jari.”
“Good,” Avery said as she began stomping through the underbrush. “That tree was giving me the creeps. And I’m colder and wetter than ever.”
Savine looked at her and saw that her clothing was becoming drenched. If he didn’t warm her up soon, she would become hypothermic in no time.
He led her through the forest, not touching her and not speaking as they walked. He preferred this silence in the forest, hoping he could pick up a whisper of information as he crossed through the woods.
Jari waited for them on the path as other elk, moose, and riders streamed by on their journey southward. Dandelion stood next to him. Savine hadn’t expected to see her there. Someone had unsaddledher, but didn’t return her to the livestock herd. Soon they would need to make camp. Most likely, the scouts had already looked for several spots where the hundreds from his army and followers could rest.
“I’ll boost you up on Jari, then I’ll climb on behind you,” Savine said as he took Avery in his arms.
“Thank you,” she said. Maybe the colder she was, the less willful and argumentative she would become. Of course, he wasn’t going to leave her freezing cold.
Savine hopped onto Jari’s back in a smooth motion and wrapped his arm tightly around Avery. His arm touched the soft skin of her wet stomach, and that warm, tingling sensation flowed between them.
Most likely, this warm sensation had something to do with the power that nestled deep in Avery. Power that she didn’t know that she possessed. Or it could be something else entirely. Something he was so afraid to admit that he wouldn’t even let himself dwell on it.
“Do you feel that warm tingle between us?” Avery asked. So, it wasn’t just him who noticed their connection. It was hard enough for him to be close to another person, fae or not. He did not want to acknowledge this spark of warmth.
“Yes,” Savine grunted. “I’m going to push some of my essence into you and warm you up.”
“You haven’t already?” Avery asked as she leaned back into his chest. “I’m already warmer. More cozy. Is this a fae thing?”
“What?” Savine asked. He really didn’t know what she meant.
“This warm sensation. Only you and Kyla have touched me, and both of you seem to have this effect on me,” Avery replied as she nestled deeper. She pressed her cheek against his chest, and the warmth between them continued to grow. He hadn’t even willed his essence into her to stop her from getting wet and cold, but he knew what she wastalking about. The closeness, the intoxicating warmth, and the subtle rhythm between their bodies threatened to make him hard again. But it just felt… wrong at that moment. She wasn’t teasing him anymore. Avery was snuggling close to him for comfort.
He thought of every boring thing possible to keep his erection at bay.
“Kyla is an empath. She can sense and manipulate emotions. I know she has touched you to calm you or give you peace when she feels your stress or pain. I don’t have that ability. This warmth we’re both feeling is…” Savine paused. He wasn’t sure what to call it. He’d never experienced this connection with another fae. “It’s something I have never felt before. I think it may have to do with your magic. I can feel it calling to me, even if you haven’t yet realized you have magic.”
Avery didn’t speak at first. She seemed to be lost in the warmth that radiated through both of them. The buzz of conversation between other fae and the raindrops falling on the forest was all the sound Savine heard. Finally, she turned, and he looked down to see her staring up at him. Her arm stretched up, and she followed the outline of his swaying essence along his exposed neck.
“You know I still hate you. Even if you’re making me feel deliciously warm and you have this secret sweet side that you want to hide from everyone. I still hate you, friend.”
Savine couldn’t help but chuckle. His laugh came out softer and more tender than he meant. “Do I need to give you a bit of wine to find out if that is a truth or a lie?”
“Oh, you know it’s true,” she replied, tracing the whorls of his essence to his collarbone. The touch made him shiver with pleasure.
“You lie so pretty, little flower,”Savine said.
That made Avery laugh to herself as she nuzzled into Savine. Her breath on his collarbone was the most intoxicating thing he’d ever experienced.
Savine smiled down at her and spurred Jari to move closer to the front of the army. The quicker pace seemed to relax Avery as she slid deeper into his embrace. He held her closer, tighter to his chest. Her long blonde hair wrapped around his side and tickled his arm, but he didn’t bother moving it. Before long, she was asleep against his chest.
Chapter twenty-two
Avery
Avery laid in the traveling tent next to Savine. He slept near enough for her to notice how relaxed his breathing was. The hard lines on his face softened in a way that looked peaceful. Not that she could ever consider Savine to be a peaceful person. She tried to put up a protest against sleeping in such a small space. There was no room for her own backpacking tent to create space between them. But after snuggling up to Savine while riding on Jari, then sleeping against his chest, her protests seemed to be unwarranted. Plus, he wasn’t around when she went to bed. She pretended to be sleeping when he came in later than she did.
