Avery couldn’t keep quiet anymore. She hated this horrible man so much. She hated his fae trickery and his selfishness. “You can’t keep my sister here. I won’t let you and I’d never leave without her.”
Rylo grinned with a crooked smile. “Then it appears you will remain at the Towers for longer than I expected. But no, I will not allow the kingslayer to leave here. Not after I saw her display her magic. The way those shadows seemed to dance around her as she blasted Jasper was titillating. And to think her magic barreled out of her after only moments in Aeritis. How long did it take your magic to manifest, Avery?”
Avery scowled, but didn’t reply as she thought back to the dark shadows that circled her and Morgan. They seemed almost sentient as they wrapped around her and her twin, like they were protecting them from harm. Of course Morgan would have instant control of her magic here. She was always the overachiever.
“Magic?” Morgan muttered as she looked at Avery, concern glimmering in her green eyes. “What are they talking about?”
Avery thought about the first time Savine had tried to convince her that she was a powerful witch, and all the doubts that had swam through her mind. “We’re witches, Morgan. I know that’s crazy, but look.”
Avery tugged at her magic. It was all but depleted inside her, but she managed to form flowers in her hands and tried to pass them to her sister.
Morgan put her hands up to block the flowers and they spilled to the ground. “This is insane. Avery, I need to talk to you alone. And no, I’m not going to go with you,” Morgan said, pointing to Savine before she turned to Rylo. “I’m not staying with youeither. I’m getting out of here, even if I have to jump off that waterfall again.”
“I’m afraid not. You will not be leaving Nephel anytime soon. As Avery already knows, you cannot return to your realm and I will not allow Savine to have you. I’m generous enough to offer to give him back his soulmate,” Rylo drawled. He wore his typical uninterested expression, masking his true thoughts, as Avery knew all too well.
Savine stepped forward, drawing his sword. The fae around the room gasped. Nepheli warriors rushed forward. Out of the corner of her eye, Avery saw her friends move closer, drawing their weapons. She’d forgotten about everyone in the moments after Morgan’s arrival. But there they were. Rue and Susan, Jay and Raikin, and somehow, Kyla, Garnel, and an entire group of rebel warriors.
Savine’s voice boomed throughout the enormous room. “Morgan will be staying with Avery, and I will see you dead in your own nation before you keep Avery from me again, Rylo. Unlike you, I am more than willing to end you and worry about other nations later.”
Nepheli warriors moved in around them from every side. Weapons were raised and Avery feared they’d cut Savine down just for raising his sword against Rylo. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t let Savine die now, not for her or for her sister.
Avery heard Raikin clear his voice and murmur, “Savine, don’t act rashly. Not now that you wear the crown.”
Savine looked at Avery, that hard, unreadable expression still on his face, and she thought her heart would shatter. They were finally getting their chance at happiness, but once again it hung in the balance thanks to Rylo’s scheming. Avery couldn’t let Savine kill Rylo, even if he deserved it. She wouldn’t see him gain his crown only to be embroiled in war against other nations forkilling a king, and she couldn’t watch him be cut down by the Nepheli warriors surrounding them.
“I’ll stay with Morgan!” Avery shouted. She turned to Savine and put her hand on the flat of the sword. “I can’t leave her like this.”
She looked at Rylo. He wore a triumphant expression on his face. “I’ll make a bargain with you. Morgan and I will stay here for a month. Savine, you can take the time to get settled into life at Orofine. After a month, Morgan and I will both go to Orofine. We can figure out how long we are there before we return to Nephel. I’d like it to be longer. Maybe six weeks?”
Savine scowled, but once again, Rylo spoke first.
“I can agree to this,” he said, his wings slightly spreading as he spoke. “If after her time in Orofine, Morgan will return to me until I am finished with her.”
“I can’t agree to any of this,” Savine interjected. “I’m not leaving my soulmate with you for a month.” Savine turned to Avery, taking her hand in his swordless hand. “First, Rylo kidnapped you, Avery, then he forced you into attempting to kill my father.”
Avery saw Morgan’s eyes widen, and she looked at her sister with a shocked expression. She gave Morgan a quick nod. It was almost hard for her to hear what she’d been through. She couldn’t imagine how Morgan was handling any of this.
“Then we are at an impasse!” Rylo said, his voice more shrill than normal.
“Stop arguing over me!” Morgan shouted before she turned to her sister. “Ave, this is madness and I have to talk to you alone. Please, let’s get out of here.”
“You are not leaving until we come to an agreement,” Rylo said in a voice dripping in honeyed whiskey.
“May I interject, highnesses?” Raikin said, stepping into the small circle within the crowds of onlookers. “It would be wiseof you to consider our strategy as we return to Orofine for the first time since the beginning of the rebellion. I think it prudent to hold off introducing Avery as your soulmate until you have had time to begin reuniting our nation. After a month, we can celebrate her arrival around the Night of Feasts.''
Savine shook his head, but Avery placed her hand on his arm and looked into his dusky blue eyes. “I’ll be safe here. Rylo already took an oath that he won’t hurt me. Plus Raikin has a point. You’ve got a hard enough job reuniting your people without bringing in the woman who tried to assassinate half the population’s ruler.” Then Avery turned to Rylo. “You can’t keep Morgan indefinitely. We’ll both return to Orofine after a month. No way in hell am I leaving her alone with you.”
“Avery, remember my generosity. I could end your soulmate just for threatening my life. I could lock him back into the Tower of Teeth. After all, he is an escaped convict. I have been hospitable beyond necessity to both of you. I mean it when I say that I will have this witch for myself. I do not want the soulmate of the King of Latiah in my home every other month. You have served your purpose and I will allow you to stay for a month and enjoy my continued hospitality, but after that time it will only be Morgan returning to Nephel. I am willing to let her return to you every other month, only if she is trained in her magic by the Bayberries, including your little witch friend.”
Avery looked at Morgan chewing her bottom lip, a look of sheer confusion on her face. Despite what must be a frightening and bewildering conversation, she gave Avery a tiny nod in agreement anyway. Poor Morgan had no context to this whole world that she’d fallen into, and here Avery was, having to make a bargain with the devil incarnate for her freedom. “I agree to your bargain, Rylo Finnian.”
She watched as Savine looked at her, the pain of her decision evident in the hard lines of his face. This must be torture, leavingher in this place that held nothing but terrible memories. But, she wouldn’t abandon Morgan. If Morgan had to stay, then Avery would stay with her.
Savine turned to Rylo, but moved his arm possessively around Avery’s shoulder, wrapping her into the warmth and hardness of his body.
“One month. That is it. If Avery isn’t back by then, I will level this place to the ground. Make no mistake, Rylo.”
Rylo grinned, showing his white teeth, as he reached out his hand and placed it on Savine’s shoulder. “We have a deal then.”
