‘But you influenced it,’ he sounded breathless.
‘I just showed it what was happening. It appears that the magic beneath most lands lies dormant; it doesn’t track what we do,’ I simplified it. ‘It was appalled, though.’
He froze. ‘The land was?’
‘Yeah,’ A smile I tried to hide for some time twisted my mouth up as I watched him stare at me utterly dazed. ‘The energy is alive. It doesn’t have feelings like we do, but from what I’ve seen, it has a sense of morality.’
‘The lands have morals,’ he repeated, while scratching his beard. ‘You know if I didn’t know you, I would assume you were a schizophrenic.’
‘Fair.’ My cheeks heated. ‘But they can still use witchcraft. It’s more complex than elemental powers.’
Before I could react, he took my hand, pressed a kiss to it, and held it against his heart. ‘Thank you, Ava.’
The erratic beat of my heart echoed in my ears restlessly. ‘Don’t mention it.’
The warm palm of his kept hold of mine as his fingers stroked me gently. ‘When did you even go to the Gem Fields?’
I paused. ‘Just before coming here with your…’
River’s head dipped, his fingers tightening around mine.
‘My mum,’ he said softly.
With my mind racing through every worst-case scenario, I struggled to start the conversation I had been putting off. ‘River, we never spoke about what my father–’
A deep sigh stretched his chest as he kissed my hand once more. ‘She doesn’t hold a grudge. She is truly grateful for your help.’
Gods, there was no way to get justice for her without shattering the last piece of peace I had left. It felt selfish not to want River’s family to retaliate, but I couldn’t bear the thought of another war. I couldn’t bear choosing between them.
‘She might not hold a grudge but you… You lost your mum for so long; it’s… it’s absolutely horrible. I’m so sorry that he did this, River.’
‘Ava…’ His fingers locked around mine. ‘It is a very difficult situation. But I will not go after your father. My mum mentioned you feared how I would react.’
My mouth had gone dry. How did he understand me so well?
‘I didn’t want another war,’ I explained, trying to calm down. ‘I know you have every right to attack him. And that even if you don’t want to go after my father, your dad probably will—’
‘No, he won’t,’ he said confidently. ‘My mother doesn’t want him to. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like she wants to be friends with your father but… she thinks it’s best to let it go.’
I nodded, hoping that theyreally meant it.
River looked away; something was bothering him. ‘I wish I could say that what he did appalled me, but with the urges I have it would make me a hypocrite.’
My heart skipped a beat. ‘What do you mean?’
There was an unmistakable hunger in his eyes. They darkened and bore into mine, making me shiver.
‘To have you near,’ his low tone of voice carried a note of urgency. ‘Safe and provided for. To watch you fly above the court and enjoy the kingdom you would hopefully begin to call home. Nothing in the world could harm you because I would eviscerate half of the realm for you.’
My cheeks burned. ‘River…’
He cleared his throat, foot tapping the floor in a vicious tempo. ‘I’m just trying to say that… I hate him, but there is a part of me that understands.’
No. We would not justify his barbaric ways. 'Well, I don’t. Women aren’t an object to own and guard, River. You can’t justify—‘
He shook his head. ‘It’s not about ownership, Ava. It never was and never will be.’
I took a deep breath. ‘It sounds dangerously close.’
