Avery sat in the bedroom she shared with Savine. He was busy dealing with the fallout from Garnel stabbing the goddess to prepare for the Night of Feasts with her. However, he’d left her a gorgeous dress and she couldn’t wait to see his face when he saw her in it. The dress was a blood red gown with gauzy skirts and a cropped top. The top was embellished with beads the color of fall leaves. It was the kind of gown that made her feel like a queen, even if she never thought she’d want the role. Her hair was piled in a loose bun, allowing the natural wave to show through. The delicate crown sat daintily amongst her curls. On her neck she wore a few simple gold chains.
She looked pretty and felt that way too. After saving the boy and healing the goddess, Avery started thinking she could create a place for herself as queen. No, she didn’t want to get involved with politics. She’d leave that to Raikin and Savine. Any future conflicts could be dealt with by Savine and Garnel too. But she could happily take on the role of caring and nurturing the folk of Latiah.
After all those years of hurt and conflict, maybe she could help bring peace to this place. She’d heal the sick, listen to complaints, and try to come up with modern solutions that didn’t cause folk to lose their heads, their livelihood, or their sanity. Obviously, Savine wanted what was best for his citizens, but after seeing how little so many residents of Orofine had, Avery knew that wasn’t how Jasper handled things.
She wasn’t delusional to believe that there weren’t folk here who resented her, who still wanted to hurt her. But, Savine was right. The crown gave her the protection they both desperately needed her to have.
A knock on Avery’s door made her jolt. Rue entered the chamber. Her curly black hair was pulled back into a neat bun with a leaf shaped pin holding it in place. She wore a flowing silvery grey satin gown with a dramatic cut that went nearly to her navel, exposing her brown skin. Small silver leaves held the dress together at her chest.
“I love that dress, Rue! What a statement!” Avery remarked, looking at her beautiful friend.
“Yes, I wanted to thank you for it. It arrived in my room after we returned from the Goddess of the Harvest. What’s to be done about Garnel?”
“I wish I could take credit for that dress, but it’s not from me. Was there a note on it?”
“No note, just the hairpiece and the gown. I apologize for assuming you sent it.”
Avery smiled. “No need for that. But whoever sent it to you has amazing taste. As far as Garnel goes, Savine’s ordered him to not attend the party tonight. It seems like a minor punishment, considering he tried to off a goddess on her own holiday.”
Rue pursed her lips. “That was unusual. The goddess did something to Kyla, that much I could tell, but I couldn’t understand what it was.”
Avery had talked with Kyla when they returned to the residence. She’d filled her in on the demand from the goddess to find these Divine Five. She didn’t like it—none of it. She found herself as some kind of pawn to a religion she didn’t understand or trust.
But if these goddesses were threatening her friends? Well, she’d play nice until she could get away with no longer being the sweet human girl, forced to give in to their games.
Another knock sounded at her door, and Rue opened it. Avery couldn’t hear the exchange, but the fae who knocked was gone without entering her room.
“Here’s a letter for you,” Rue said.
Avery recognized Morgan’s handwriting immediately and she tore into the letter. The letter was written in English. Morgan apologized for leaving in such an abrupt way, and said she was safe and happy in Nephel. She begged Avery not to let Savine retaliate for her actions, saying she needed to do what was best and she couldn’t get Avery to listen to reason when she’d tried to talk her into letting her stay.
Avery’s stomach flipped. She wasn’t a good enough sister for Morgan. Time and time again, she’d overshadowed and overpowered Morgan’s voice, and this time it had nearly cost both of them their lives.
“Avery? Is everything alright with Morgan?” Rue asked, a slight hitch in her voice.
“Yeah, she’s okay.”
“And you? Are you okay?”
Avery nodded. “I just could have prevented all the drama from happening if I had just listened to Morgan. I knew she was worried about coming here, and wanted to stay in Nephel. I shouldn’t have pushed her.”
“Mistakes happen, and I don’t think you could have prevented that attack. They were after both of you.”
Avery shrugged and turned back to the rest of the letter. “Susan is doing well. She and Morgan have been spending most of their time in the library. At least they have each other.”
“Yes, they do. Have they read anything about the Divine Five or the ancient witches?”
Avery began reading the letter aloud, sharing what Morgan learned about the Divine Five being relics, just as Hyacinth had shared. The letter ended with Morgan informing Avery that she would be traveling to Goldoth with Rylo after the Night of Feasts.
“I don’t want her going to another fae nation. What if she’s hurt? It’s bad enough she’s with that asshole Rylo,” Avery said as she threw the letter down on the side table. “I probably can’t get a response to her before she leaves, can I? How’d this letter even get here?”
“Bird I suspect,” Rue replied, taking a seat in a high backed chair.
“If they’re leaving right after Night of the Feasts then I don’t have time.”
Avery slumped into the chair next to Rue’s. “My Queen, I don’t mean to disagree with you, but you did just say you needed to listen to Morgan.”
Avery interrupted her friend, “Don’t start calling me ‘My Queen’—I’ve been queen for a day.”
