Because I realised I trusted him.
Chapter Forty
Avari
Strong hands helped me stand straight before encompassing us in velvety night. A moment later we ended up in the estate’s upstairs corridor.
‘Which one is it, menace?’ Isaac asked while the world spun furiously in my head. Why was he asking me? I couldn’t tell where anything was. Everything was one big smudge.
‘Tha… there,’ I managed, while chills wreaked havoc through my body. This was the last time I had a drink. Seriously.
We entered my dim bedroom, and he helped tuck me in. ‘Aren’t you a lighthead? Who would have thought?’ he chuckled while removing a strand of hair that got stuck in my eyelashes.
I let anger show in my expression, which only humoured him more. ‘What are you mad at me for?’
‘Ittt’s your fault,’ my voice dipped, and the words sounded weird. Isaac’s eyebrow quirked before he kneeled next to my bed.
‘Pardon me, but I’ve never seen anyone get this bladdered with four drinks.’ He ran his soft fingers along my arm, and the sensation felt heavenly.
Ticklish and soothing, he knew what he was doing. I closed my eyes, savouring the calmness.
‘Are you feeling sick at all?’ he asked quietly, softly scratching the skin of my forearm. I stayed quiet, savouring the soft touch. ‘I need to know.’
I attempted to shake my head. ‘No, just nauseous. I’m fine.’
The combat professor, who recently started feeling more like a friend, stayed longer than anticipated until, at some point, I closed my eyes and allowed the silence to drag me away.
Willow and I walked through the Ortensian palace, her delicate, golden crown embellishing the platinum blonde of her hair, making her look regal and established.
The place radiated warmth and the court dwellers… smiled. They didn’t cower or bow excessively, awaiting orders; they just greeted her and went about their day.
And plants… they covered every corner; potted trees, colourful bushes and flowers spread along the walls and in the corners that once looked dull.
And the sound of… swaying trees? Impossible. I rushed to the window; the whole coastline was covered in a lush tropical forest. Palms, ferns, banana trees. The sea remained calm, not like the vicious water I was used to.
What had happened here?
Willow stood behind me as I gasped at the sight before me. ‘The house will be there.’ She pointed her finger at the little empty area by the sandy beach. ‘We’ll probably have the foundation down by summer.’
‘House?’
The little area between her eyebrows creased as she looked at me, annoyed. ‘Yeah, the house. Were you even listening the last half hour?’
‘Well, I’m a little absent-minded lately,’ I tried to justify my confusion.
‘Obviously Alec doesn’t find the whole castle-living thing very up his alley, so we’re going to build a mansion that won’t differ much from the castle but will stop him moaning,’ she rattled off in one breath. ‘All caught up. Try to keep up.’
The words remained harsh, but she seemed almost… nice? Did she want me here? What was going on?
‘I love the forest; the area looks more serene now.’
Willow beamed at my praise. ‘The Earth King used his weird powers to charge up the ground not too long ago. As a gesture of goodwill, he said.’
‘Good will?’ I asked.
‘One of my councilwomen is his mate, apparently. It sucks for him really because she claimed she wouldn’t choose him unless I approved. I don’t even know the guy, so how can I?’ she asked, visibly irked. ‘Anyway, so he started showing up more and more. Your brother goes all territorial macho fae male every single time. It’s exhausting.’
I laughed. She described him well. ‘Why would he? It’s not like the king wants you.’
