From her angle, Savine seemed very uncomfortable. He was hardly eating and the strange marks under his exposed skin seemed to churn uncomfortably. Morgan couldn’t make outwhat they were saying, but the gleam in Rylo’s eyes and the frown on Savine’s face told her they were arguing.
She watched as her sister put a protective hand on Savine’s arm. Immediately the tension in his face relaxed a bit.
“Our king has many difficult memories from this place,” Raikin commented. “It will be best for him and for the Latians to leave as soon as this farce of a dinner party is over.”
Morgan nodded and took a bite of salad. “And what is your opinion on my sister and I being forced to stay here?”
“It will be easier to have them separated before the bond is accepted, and best for Savine to do the work he was born to do. You and your sister won’t come to harm here. If Rylo wanted to harm Avery he would have done so already. Though what he wants with you is another question.” Raikin stared at her, looking at the scars on her face and the damaged skin exposed along her neck and shoulders.
“You’re staring,” Morgan seethed.
Raikin nodded, unabashed. “You’ll grow used to it, I am sure. But that rage you have for our kind? That should not be something you give up. Harness it, learn to use those dark shadows you displayed, and everyone will stare at you for your power, not your scars.”
Morgan felt a strange sense of pride at his words.She would become a force here.
At that moment, Savine and Rylo’s voices raised to a crescendo. “You dare to threatenAvery?After everythingyouhave done to us?” Savine roared as he stood from the table. In far too quick movements, Savine punched the other king in the face, coming back for another strike. Light burst from Rylo and he stood to his full height. They were nearly equal in height, but while Savine was stacked with muscles, Rylo had a leaner build.
Avery grabbed Savine’s shoulder. “No! Don’t!” she shouted.
Savine froze, his attention drawn to Avery, but Rylo didn’t hesitate to strike the Latian king. Guards from both nations moved forward, swords drawn, and Raikin jumped to his feet, ready to defend his king.
“Stop! Both of you!” Avery screamed, drawing Savine close. “We’re leaving, Rylo.” Morgan watched as her sister took Savine’s hand and walked out of the room, side by side with this towering fae man. Morgan’s chest tightened as she looked around the room at the folk left gaping. She’d need Kyla to take away the unease brimming at the surface soon.
Rylo stood, his cheek already swelling, and spoke in a voice that seemed equal parts bored and at ease. “It appears our Latian friends have become upset at the dinner conversation. Don’t let this end the festivities.” He lifted his glass to the guests and drank deeply before returning to his seat.
Raikin sat down again, his face drawn in a poisonous glare at the Sun King. Morgan turned to him and asked, “Should somebody follow them?”
Raikin’s cocked his head in the direction that Avery and Savine went. “Savine is with the only person he’d want near him right now.”
Avery
Avery and Savine stood on the top terrace of the Towers. The stars were shrouded in thick cloud cover and the scent of moisture hung in the air. Avery knew Savine needed to get outside and cool off after they stormed out of the dinner party. Since it was quicker to go up than down thousands of stairs, she chose to lead him to the place where they were first reunited after Rylo had taken her captive.
Blood spilled from Savine’s nose as his breath came in shallow, angry spurts. “Breathe, Savine. It’s okay. We’re safe,” Avery whispered as she pressed her hands to his chest, letting her magic build and flow into him. As her power moved through him, working to heal the obviously broken nose, Savine’s breathing became more relaxed. The blood stopped flowing and he pulled Avery tight against his chest. His body wrapped around her possessively and Avery couldn’t help but savor these last few moments in his arms.
After several minutes, he finally loosened his hold on her. “I don’t like you staying here. Did you hear what he said? If you’re not going to comply with your side of the bargain, then he will imprison you and your sister in the Tower of Teeth.”
Avery felt queasy at the thought of what Savine had gone through in Rylo’s prison tower. “It won’t happen, Savine. It’s going to be okay.”
Savine gave her a gentle shake, his essence writhing. “Avery, you don’t know what he can do to you!”
Avery stretched up, tilting her face up as she pulled Savine down and placed a tender kiss on his cheek. “Then I’ll be a very good guest for a month and make sure he has no reason to do anything to hurt me or Morgan. But, I’m not leaving her here alone. Once we’re in Latiah he won’t be able to force me into our agreement.”
Savine looked at Avery with skepticism. “There are consequences for not upholding an oath like what you took, Avery. I don’t know what they are for a human, but for the fae it can be very serious. Rylo taking an oath to not harm you is the only reason why I’m even considering letting you stay.” He paused for a moment. The cool fall air prickled Avery’s bare skin as Savine pulled back from her, looking down to the ground far below them. “I told Kyla she needs to stay with you and Morgan. And I want you to ask Rue and Susan to stay too.”
Avery nodded. “I don’t think Rue and Susan had any plans of leaving me here alone. I’m fine with Kyla staying if she’s willing. I know what you’re thinking. She can manipulate the Nepheli if she needs to. It’s not a bad idea.”
Savine pressed his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. “I can’t believe I’m leaving you tonight. This is the most foolish mistake in a lifetime of mistakes. Willfully leaving your side.”
He huffed out a breath and pulled Avery close, kissing her hard on the lips. He kissed her like his very life depended on it. Punishing and bruising in its intensity, Avery opened to him and surrendered to his touch. It felt like he was trying to memorize every detail of her, to imprint her being onto his soul.
Finally they pulled back and Avery gasped at the emptiness that came from losing his touch. She felt the strange, coiling tension between them rise, like if they weren’t melded together she would lose herself.
“This is going to hurt, isn’t it? Being away from you. Damn, it’s going to hurt me inside and out to not have you near me,” Avery confessed.
Savine responded by kissing her again and Avery lost any thought of the world beyond this man and his embrace. He scooped her into his arms and she felt weightless as her dress billowed around them. She continued to kiss him, working her mouth down his neck as he carried her toward the stairs. With her hands she traced the lines of his essence, trying to memorize every curve and line of Savine’s body for the month ahead.
Avery didn’t stop him or protest as Savine carried her down all the thousands of stairs in the Tower of the Moon. As he held her, she whispered all the things they would do together once they were reunited. A slow, steady murmur of what they would become and the life they would share.
