Avery regained consciousness while on the floor. Her head spun, and her ears rang. Before she could move or speak, Hyacinth said, “Avery, dear, you have used a substantial amount of magic while saving Garnel’s life. Your body is not used to exerting itself in this way. Let me get you tea and a biscuit while you rest. May I help you to the chair?” Avery nodded as Hyacinth scooped Avery into her arms and carried her to a reclining chair near the window.
Even from the chair, Avery noticed Garnel stirring on the table. Kyla let out a gasp as she saw him regain consciousness and immediately pressed her body against him. She began kissing his cheeks,forehead, and mouth ravenously. Hyacinth moved from Avery to Garnel and warned him, “Easy. You are groggy from the sleeping draught. It’s best for you to rest your body.”
Hyacinth turned back to Avery. “I’m going to brew you a fortifying tea. It will help your magic restore itself to its full potential.” After she spoke, she gathered herbs from her shelf and mixed them together before she put them to steep in the teapot. The tea smelled of cardamom, nettle, and something grassy. Hyacinth poured a cup for Avery and herself before she brought it over to Avery.
“This will make you feel better in no time, dear.” She placed the teacup and saucer in Avery’s hands and turned to Kyla. “In fact, Kyla, I think you should have a cup, too. I’ve never seen you look so weak.”
“I would appreciate that, Hyacinth. Trying to keep Garnel with me on the ride was nearly too much for me,” Kyla said, and she kissed Garnel’s cheek. “None for you yet, my bear.” Garnel gave a small nod of his head and closed his eyes.
Hyacinth checked his pulse before saying, “He will sleep more and will need to rest for at least a week. Helmsbane prevents fae’s quick healing, so his healing is nearly at a mortal pace.” She took her teacup and knocked the contents back in one quick slurp. “Now, I’m off to check on the other injured Latians. I’ll be back in a bit!”
Avery sipped her tea as her stomach rumbled. Hyacinth promised food, yet had forgotten to provide some. Kyla looked at her with a knowing glance. Of course, she’d heard Avery’s stomach growling. “There are mushroom and green squash sandwiches in the cupboard. I’ll get you some. The Bayberries are vegetarians, so you’ll have no meat when you dine outside the encampment,”
Avery nodded. “Not a problem for me. I’m starving.” She was no longer lightheaded as she sipped the bitter tea. She felt stronger with each drink.
Avery thought about what Savine had told her about Garnel and Kyla. There was no reason to pry, but she couldn’t help her curiosity about their relationship.
“You two are soulmates. In the human world, that’s just a word for being intensely in love, like you’re meant to be together. But it seems deeper here. Did you sense Garnel was injured before you saw him?” Avery asked as Kyla gave Avery the sandwich. She was not sure if she wanted a mushroom sandwich, but found the nutty flavor of the mushroom paired perfectly with the light, fluffy bread and squash relish.
“Yes, I knew about his injury. I’ve felt that before, especially when we are fighting nearby in skirmishes. But this—this was like the most terrifying nightmare come true. It was as though our souls were being torn apart. Our very bond shredded. All my body felt ice cold, yet flaming at the same time. To add to my terror, I could not feel his emotions. I thought he was dead.” As she spoke, her typically calming voice cracked and quivered. Kyla’s skin was covered in goosebumps, and she shook like she had the chills.
Avery stood and walked across the room to give her a hug. She wrapped her arms around Kyla and held her close. Kyla rested her head on Avery’s shoulder as she continued to shake. She said through silent sobs, “I thought I lost my mate.”
“He’s safe now, Kyla. We saved him.”
Kyla nodded her head and released Avery from the hug. Avery gave Kyla a squeeze on her shoulder as she walked back to her chair.
“Can I ask you some questions about soulmates?” Avery asked.
“Yes, Avery. Ask whatever you want to know. If I were you, I would be full of questions about this world.”
“How did you know Garnel was your soulmate?” Avery asked. She rested her hands on her lap as she listened to Kyla.
“I have always felt a pull toward Garnel. Even when I was a child. He is much older than I am and always treated me like a little sister. He’s been Savine’s close friend since Savine was born, so he was always around during my childhood. Savine may have told you, but his childhood was… not what he should have experienced. He and Garnel protected me from the same fate. While I did suffer from my father’s abuses at times, it was nothing like Savine experienced.
“When I came of age, I tried to seduce him. I’d even tried when I was younger, but he always averted my advances. When he rejected me at fifty, I got mad and lashed out at him. I wanted nothing to do with him, because I thought he didn’t want me. I was a young fae who had just come of age and took other lovers. But I couldn’t deny the pull to Garnel. Our connection was magnetic, and he began pursuing me. But at the time I was working in other nations as an ambassador for the kingdom, so I was gone often. We were intimate together when I was in Orofine one evening, and our mating seal happened. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Like your very soul is being knitted together with another. Our relationship continues to deepen, but there will be nothing like that moment when we both accepted one another’s soul.” Kyla’s smile was pure joy as she talked.
“Wow. That is a beautiful story. But I’m also confused. Did you say you ‘came of age’ at fifty?” Avery asked. She remembered Savine had mentioned this term, but she hadn’t wanted to interrupt his story on those sorts of technicalities. It felt too significant that he was opening up to her.
“We fae age slowly. Very slowly compared to what I’ve heard about human existence. Most adolescents from the age of twenty to fifty are reckless and make poor judgments, so we do not consider adulthood until fifty. Our physical aging slows around twenty to a very slow pace. Most do not appear middle-aged until into their fifth century.”
Avery nodded. If you are living for a thousand years, then it makes sense that adolescence can be slower and middle age hits at five hundred. “So, your love for each other happened after you realized you were soulmates? Did you feel you had any choice but to love him?”
“I always had the choice. I knew I loved Garnel when I was an adolescent. Probably around twenty-five. There was something so dynamic about our relationship. Garnel knew later. I think because of my young age, he tried to ignore the natural tug we had toward each other. Have you ever been in love, Avery?” Kyla asked as she smiled at her sleeping soulmate.
“Back in Montana, I dated and had a few longer relationships. I was with somebody for a while before the summer, but I don’t think I loved him.” Avery shrugged her shoulders.
“Perhaps in time, you will learn to love the fae and places of Aeritis. Maybe you will find your soulmate here,” Kyla said.
Avery sighed. She didn’t want to have this conversation with Kyla. “At this point, I am more focused on my survival than looking for love, Kyla. And how could I even have a soulmate? I’m not a fae.”
“I think the Bayberries know better about soulmates between the fae and humans. I don’t think you will be incapable of finding the one for whom your soul yearns for here. Everyone deserves that.” Kyla gave Avery a knowing smile, like she sensed something about Avery that Avery hadn’t shared. Maybe Kyla knew how her feelings for Savine had been changing.
“I am once again indebted to you, Avery. When we arrived, Garnel was not well. He seemed nearly lost. If it wasn’t for you and Hyacinth, he’d be dead long before we reached this bed. I don’t think your miraculous medicine could have saved him forever.”
Avery wondered if Savine realized the extent of Garnel’s injuries. She’d told him about the fever, and she knew hechecked on Garnel before they traveled today. But why wasn’t he here beside his best friend?
“Did Savine know Garnel was in such terrible shape when we arrived in Bayberry?” Avery asked, wondering if she had kept him from his best friend.
