Ava looked around. He was right. They were right next to the place where they’d spent their first night of freedom together. “I see it.”
“Bury me there,” he whispered. “P-please.”
“I will,” Ava said, hardly able to speak through the nausea and tears.
“Can you…” he said in between short slow breaths, “make me…a pretty flower?”
“Yes, Remy.” She stroked his face. “I’ll make you a hundred pretty flowers.”
His breathing slowed, chest rising and falling. Ava kissed his forehead. “It’s okay, Remy. You can go now.”
Seconds later, Remy breathed his last breath. Ava scooped his limp body into her chest and sobbed.
“I—don’t—I can’t…someone. Help…someone say the prayer,” Ava got out between her cries. She was crying so hard she could barely concentrate. “I don’t—I don’t remember it. Say it. Someone say the prayer…”
Like when Zeph died, Pax knelt across from them, placed his hand on Remy’s head, and recited their kingdom’s prayer. “May the Earth Mother hold you and keep you. May you never know pain and sorrow. And may you bask in the sunlight of the afterlife for eternity.”
Ava couldn’t move, squeezing Remy’s body into her chest as she wept. Deep sobs and guttural noises escaped her lips. Sounds that didn’t seem as if they could have come from her.
“Ava,” Isolde whispered as she approached. “You need to let go now…We must get Casimir back.”
“I’ll carry him,” Pax offered.
Ava stood, handing Remy to Pax. He was so small in the orc’s giant hands. Head bowed, she followed Pax to the entrance of the cave, Raine at her side. With his magic, Raine parted the dirt as Pax laid Remy’s body in the makeshift grave, then used roots to push the soil back over the resting place.
Ava took a deep breath, her previous sobs now silent as the trickle of tears continued their path down her cheeks. Forcing herself to pull more magic from deep within, a rainbow of blooms covered Remy’s grave. Ethereal and glowing, they brightened the night—a light in a dark, dark world—exactly like her hobgoblin friend. And in the center, she grew a large yellow flower, the bright color reminding her of his joyful disposition.
She wanted to stay there for hours. Didn’t want to leave him. But there was a sudden ache in her chest she knew was Casimir’s pain. Kneeling, she kissed her hand and placed it on the grave.
“Goodbye, Remy.”
Ava rose and numbly made her way to Casimir, unconscious on the ground with Isolde and Quinn hovering over him. “What’s the fastest way back to the castle?” Isolde asked. “He must get there as soon as possible. I’m not sure he can handle the several days it will take us to return.”
A new fear clawed up her spine. They’d taken too long and in Ava’s grief over Remy, she hadn’t hurried; hadn’t been swift enough. She knelt, cupping Casimir’s face. His skin was an inferno, forehead clammy with a fever. His breathing was shallow…slow.
“Cas…can you hear me?”
Nothing.
No, no, no…
He couldn’t die. She would never be able to survive that pain. “What do we do?”
“Have Skye take you two,” Quinn suggested. “The rest of us will catch up later. I’ll have Bastien get her.” Quinn’s black panther paced nearby.
Ava kissed Casimir’s forehead. “We’re going home. Hang on a little longer.”
Skye landed moments later.
Skye suggested you make vines to wrap around you and Casimir to keep you from falling. That way she can fly faster, Luna said, approaching and rubbing against Casimir’s leg.
“Okay. Stay with this group and watch over Aro.”
He said to hurry up and save Casimir or he’s going to be angry with you.
Aro watched Ava closely, a low growl in his throat. She rose and walked up to him, scratching his head. “I’ll get him there as fast as I can. You watch over Luna.”
He chuffed and lumbered to Casimir, giving him a gentle nudge, then licked his face. A low whine sounded in the back of Aro’s throat at the state of his bonded fae. Ava had never heard him make that noise before and could feel his distress thick in the air.
