Avery brought her hands to her face. “Ugh, then I cried when my phone died, didn’t I? That was it though. It’s not going to work again.”
“You did make a nice recovery when the musicians began mimicking your human music.”
Avery let out a snort. “So much for queenly behavior. Sorry about that, Savine. You’re probably mortified.”
Savine stroked the edge of her crown. “No, Ave. You brought life to the festivities. I don’t think anyone has had that much fun in the King's Residence before.”
“Well, it is a treehouse. Treehouses are made for fun. You old folk needed to lighten up a bit. I’m just sorry that Garnel and Kyla had to miss the party.”
Savine sighed. He was too, but now that he knew what set Garnel off so intensely, he wasn’t surprised by his actions. It still hurt him to see what his friend chose to do to himself as punishment.
“I want you to know I didn’t order Garnel to be whipped. I could never do that to him.”
Avery traced the lines of Savine’s essence with her fingertip. “I know. Raikin told me. But can we begin moving away from that kind of policy in general? Maybe less corporal punishment.”
She was right, and he knew it. What was the purpose in using harm for punishment? “And this is why you’ll make a great queen. You and your human ideas are going to revolutionize how Latiah is run.”
She snorted again. “Don’t get too carried away here. I’m not a politician. But I do want to get out in the city each day, get to know the folk and help where I can. Plus keep training with Rue, Kyla, and Hyacinth.”
“That sounds like a good plan.”
“So we’ve slept in without anybody disturbing us, which seems like a feat in itself. Do we get to spend the whole day in bed together?”
Savine pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I made sure our schedule was clear for the day. But, I’d like to go back to the woods at some point. I never did speak with the trees. Would you like to join me?”
“Later—I need to get over this hangover first, then I’d like to do more of what we did last night when we got back here. But first I need something greasy to eat and whatever you use to help a headache.”
Savine stood up and slid a pair of soft, linen pants on. They hung low on his hips, and Avery looked at him like she wanted to devour him.
“It’s unfair how beautiful you are. Damn, you’re like a statue.”
Savine just laughed and walked to the door. Two former rebels stood outside his door, guarding the entrance. Since most of the rebel forces had returned, he’d increased the number of warriors who were his personal guards to ensure everyone had ample time for leave, as well as covering both himself and Avery. Rue, of course, was the head of Avery’s personal guards. After whatshe did to stay by Avery’s side, Savine could never deny her that. His own head guard was an older man who’d been loyal to Savine through the whole of the civil war. Both had the morning off after the late night festivities.
“Please have the kitchens bring up a tray of breakfast. Tea, bison sausage, and eggs. Send for something for Avery’s headache from Hyacinth as well,” Savine said. The young guard bowed and went to deliver the message.
Savine crawled back into bed. Avery was lying on her back with her eyes shut tight.
“Let me help you,” he said.
Avery gave the faintest nod, keeping her eyes shut tight. “Do fae not get hangovers? Of course they don’t.” Savine went to the bathroom, warming a hand towel under the tap and folding it to fit across Avery’s forehead and eyes. He placed it across her face, and she let out an audible groan.
He began gently rubbing her temples, feeling her relief through the bond as he worked his way across her scalp, careful of where the crown chafed her scalp. He wished they could figure out how to get the crown to recede like his own did, at the least to give her some respite from the burden.
“Oh Savine, what did I ever do to deserve you?” Avery moaned.
Savine felt the old tension coil in his chest at her praise. With every day they spent together, Savine was learning to let go of the recoiling doubt that pushed forward when Avery praised him. He didn’t know if he could ever grow accustomed to it.
Savine rolled Avery onto her stomach. He straddled his legs across the small of her back, making sure not to press his weight against her, and began massaging the muscles where her head and neck met. He worked his way down her neck to her shoulders, taking care to gently release the tightness in her muscles. As he soothed and kneaded, he felt the tension in her slip away. Down the bond, the discomfort started to disappear.
He began kneading lower down Avery’s spine and she let out a muffled moan as he worked his hands downward.
A knock came to the door and Savine called them in without hesitation. Avery needed to eat and take some healing tincture for her head. Only then would he be able to enjoy his quiet morning.
Brisk footsteps entered the room as Darby came in with the trays of food leaving them on the table in the sitting room. Savine quickly climbed off Avery’s lower back and leaned against the headboard.
“Thank you, Darby!” Avery called out from the pillows.
Savine looked at her lying face down as he said in a low voice, “How did you know it was her?”
