He shouldn’t let her get closer to him. Not when he planned to turn her into someone fundamentally different from who she was. He should say something harsh to create some distance between them. But, Goddess damn him, he couldn’t push her away.
“Friends sounds good. I would be honored to call you a friend.”
Avery smiled at him, light sparking in her eyes as she leaned in and hugged him again, this time with a little more force as she threw her body against him.
Her head tilted up, and she met his eyes with a giggle. “I hope you’re okay with us being friends who hug.”
Savine laughed with her. A laugh that made his cheeks hurt and his eyes water.
Chapter twenty-seven
Avery
Avery soaked in every detail of her first view of Bayberry. A town of cob houses and buildings perched among a grassy meadow overlooking a sunlit lake. Rays of sunshine glittered like diamonds on the surface of the sapphire-blue water. Small boats moored on a dock, while others sailed through the shimmering water.
The roof of each house was covered in plant life, transforming it into unique gardens perched high above the ground. Some had vegetables cascading down the side of the homes. Squash, tomatoes, and sweet potato plants reached down the houses, full of the late summer harvest. Other houses boasted enchanting flower gardens, brimming with anemones, roses, and dahlias. The larger buildings had a tasteful mix of both vegetables and flowers mingling together in an ornate garden. Between the houses grew more flowers, plants, fruit trees, and vegetables. The heady scent of flowers coursed through the air, which was alive with the sounds of buzzing honeybees and tiny winged pixies. Each house looked built for a human’s height. The doors would be tight for a typical fae, the windows too short.
“This place is magical,” Avery whispered. None of the harsh, brutal beauty of the Middens existed here. It was pleasant. Quaint even. An idyllic country town.
“Charming, isn’t it? They don’t know how good they have it.”
Avery nodded. Even compared to modern life in America, this slow-paced, egalitarian lifestyle was inviting. “How do they live so comfortably, when so many in Latiah suffer?”
“You must understand Bayberry culture for me to answer that. The Bayberries are smaller fae. They married humans and witches long before humans were erased from this world, and they are secluded folk who choose to only live within their community. While they live in Latian territory, they are not Latians. Yet, I keep a close relationship with them. They have been staunchly loyal to my cause, and I have tried my hardest to keep them from the actual warfare. They’re also renowned for their healing powers, which have been useful during the war. Their tinctures and salves have saved many lives. It’s what Kyla used to heal you. In exchange for their healing potions, we protect them from conflict. It is why we leave in the spring and move to the Midden. We provide the buffer to keep them from the king’s wrath at choosing to ally with us,” Savine said.
“Do you think they will have more information on how I can get a handle on my magic?” Avery asked.
“I think if anyone can help you channel your magic, it will be Riggins and Po, or their daughter, Susan. Maybe Hyacinth,” Savine said.
They walked past small cob houses with arched windows. Everywhere they walked, the sweet scent of flowers trailed after them. Butterflies and bees circled overhead while hummingbirds and pixies buzzed from flower to flower.
Latiansand smaller fae walked the narrow streets together. The atmosphere amongst the folk was celebratory. They passed old friends patting shoulders and embracing as Savine led her through the winding streets.
While they walked through the streets, she released the tension in her body. This was a peaceful place. A place where she could actually see herself settled and comfortable. At that thought, Avery’s guilt spiked, and she regretted her changing feelings concerning her situation in Latiah. Shouldn’t she still be mourning the loss of her old life? How could she consider a life settled in this world? She pushed the thought down. There was no way to return home, and she had her whole life to create and live here. Maybe this could be a place where she could create a safe home.
As Avery passed the homes, she noticed each door was ornately carved. The carvings seemed to tell a story.
“What do the carvings on the doors represent?” Avery asked.
“That is the story of the owner. They mark major events from their lives by carving the story into the door. Just wait until you meet Riggins and Po Meadows. They have led Bayberry for six hundred years, and are both over eight hundred years old. Their door ran out of space a long time ago, and they carved their story into every exposed piece of wood in their home.”
“That’s incredible.” As she spoke, Savine stopped in front of a larger, three-story building. Herbs of all sorts grew on the roof and around the building. The carving at the top of the door showed a picture of an herb and a mortar and pestle. Further down the door were pictures of folk helping the sick.
“This is the healer’s building. Garnel is already in there with Kyla and the healer Hyacinth. I think you should join them, if you are comfortable with that,” Savine said as they walkedinto the building.
Avery’s blush spread over her cheeks. “I don’t know if I should bother them. I won’t be much help.”
Savine looked at her, harsh lines etched his face. “Is that another one of your lies, Avery? You are the reason Garnel is alive. Don’t diminish your power before you have discovered its potential.”
He was right, of course he was. But what help did she offer? Bringing Garnel some more Ibuprofen? No, that was her own self-doubt talking again. If she was stuck in this world, she’d be damned if she continued to let her self-doubt control her. Avery would need to be made of tougher stuff if she were to survive Aeritis.
“Savine, I’ve begun to realize I’ve been diminishing my own potential my whole life. The lies I tell myself will not go away overnight. I’ll go up there, but if I’m in the way, I’ll come find you.”
As she said the words, she realized it was true. Maybe her seasonal jobs and her restlessness were just a mask to hide her own insecurities? To keep herself inside her comfort zone, even if that comfort zone made her back ache and her hands calloused.
The main room was comfortably appointed, nothing like an American hospital with stark lighting and uncomfortable chairs. Thick cob walls were whitewashed. Large flat stones made up the floor, polished and clean. A large hearth was in the corner, but no fire blazed. Rather, the windows to the building were open, sending in a cool breeze from the lake. Three spacious green couches were in the center of the room. Raikin sat on one couch.
Raikin turned to Avery and gave her a sharp scowl. “Avery, I’m bringing you to Garnel. Kyla told Hyacinth what you did for Garnel to stop the spread of the helmsbane. Hyacinth wants to get a sense of your magic.”
