Chapter 37
The canyon walls loomed over the group as Casimir led them into its depths, Ava at his side. The shade was a welcomed reprieve from the oppressive desert sun and the towering mesas sheltered them from the harsh wind and sand.
Casimir removed his scarf, the others following suit, no longer needing the protection.
The walls were a clay red, jagged rock formations sprinkling the edges of their path and reaching to the sky.
It was quiet. No sounds aside from their party’s footsteps or the occasional grunt from one of their companions.
“How are you holding up in this heat?” he asked Aro.
Glad to be in the shade.
“As am I. Your fur isn’t falling out from stress yet?”
That only happens when you do something foolish.
“You think me foolish?”
Only when you go and get yourself captured by daemons. But I still chose you because of your greatness. Despite your occasional misstep.
“I’d think Sabriel would be the most stressed out of all of you. Considering who her bonded is.”
Oh, trust me. Raine stresses her more than you do me.
Casimir chuckled.
“What are you laughing about?” Ava asked.
He shook his head. “Just Aro being grumpy…Aro.”
That comment was unappreciated.
“Well, then you two are the perfect pair, aren’t you?”
Casimir reached for her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers, and brought it to his mouth. He brushed his lips along her knuckles. “Did you just call me grumpy, love?”
“Yes. But come to think of it…you aren’t as grumpy as you used to be.” Her gorgeous green eyes met his gaze.
Still holding onto her hand, he said, “I didn’t know what I was missing until you stumbled into my life. How could I be grumpy when I find so much joy in you?”
And it was true. Before Ava, he’d just been…
living. Of course he found happiness in his friends, but deep down he’d always longed for a partner.
Someone to share every moment with. A love so strong and unwavering he could feel it imprinted in the depths of his soul.
And now she was here, by his side, and he’d never been happier.
Ava’s amused expression morphed into tenderness as she smiled warmly back at him. Casimir let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side as he pressed a kiss to her temple. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Sickening. In the middle of the desert?” Jareth bitterly called from behind them.
“Fuck off, Jareth,” Ava said.
“Yeah, fuck off, Jareth!” Raine shouted, then, “Why are we telling Jareth to fuck off?”
Casimir halted their company. “It’s time to rest for a bit. Drink some water.”
“Thank The Mother,” Raine muttered.
Casimir took a seat on a flat stone, Ava plopping beside him. He reached for his waterskin, unhooking it from his belt, and took a large swig, Ava doing the same with her own.
Nearby, Imsel created a large trough out of stone, Gisela filling it with ice which began to melt from the heat in the air. The animals stepped up, drinking their fill. Pascal fluffed his feathers in the water, happily enjoying a cool bath.
Jareth sat off by himself and that suited Casimir perfectly fine. When he’d shown up back in Mosshaven, insisting he come along, Casimir was prepared to deny him. They didn’t need him here. He didn’t want to be anywhere near the bastard.
Casimir had always despised him. As long as they’d known each other, Jareth taunted him, bullied him and picked on everyone Casimir loved.
Ava seemed to think deep down he wasn’t as bad as he let on, but Casimir didn’t believe it.
And after seeing his hand around her throat, he still longed to kill him for harming her.
Though he felt some empathy after learning what had happened to the woman Jareth had apparently loved, Casimir would not tolerate disrespect. And he would never like him.
“A penny for your thoughts?” Ava asked.
He glanced at her, amused. “I don’t know what that means.”
“Right. A copper for your thoughts?”
“Is that your human way of asking me what I’m thinking about?”
She laughed. “Yes.”
“I was thinking about you.”
“Oh? What about specifically?”
He released a long breath. “Honestly, I was thinking about what happened when Jareth attacked you. And how I’m not pleased to have him with us.”
“Oh.” She placed her hand on his knee and squeezed. “I’m not either, but he’s here now. There’s nothing we can do about it so we might as well at least try to get along.”
“What’s a penny, Ava?” Raine interrupted.
Ava turned her attention to Raine, sitting on the ground across from them beside Maeryn, who was sipping her water.
“It’s a form of currency in the human world.”
“Ah. And that’s a common expression?”
“Fairly common,” she replied.
“You have a lot of strange sayings, little frog.”
“You all don’t even know the half of it. I have to stop myself from blurting out things all the time. Otherwise, I’d confuse you. You wouldn’t even understand the technology from my old world.”
“Technology?” Maeryn asked. “I do not know this word.”
“I don’t even know how to explain it. But our lights and vehicles and the ways we communicate are all powered by different things.”
“Vehicles?” Imsel said.
“Uhhh…like wagons. But bigger. And they can move on their own. Someone sits inside and drives them around.”
“That sounds strange,” one of the soldiers, Beric, said, his brown eyes curious.
“That sounds amazing,” Raine said. “When can we visit?”
Casimir couldn’t even fathom visiting the human realm. What would that be like?
“I don’t know how that would be possible,” Ava said. “Besides, I can’t even imagine the kind of trouble you would get into. You’d be arrested on the first day, I bet.”
Raine scoffed. “I would not be arrested!”
Nudging Casimir, she said, “You would be terrified and think everything is a threat.” She pointed at Raine. “You would love it. But would most definitely accidentally do something illegal or cause a commotion.”
“So why can’t we visit some day?” Raine asked.
Was he serious? Did he actually want to go to the human realm?
“You could show us your farm and how you grew up,” Raine added.
Ava’s amusement turned solemn as she shook her head.
“As much as I’d love to show all of you, I’m not sure if we can.
Maybe? But…I’ve been missing for months.
I doubt I have access to my money or transportation anymore.
And what if someone found Eleanor’s body on my property?
They probably think I killed her and ran off. ”
Casimir put his hand on the back of her neck in comfort.
“Oh,” Raine said. “I suppose you’re right. It doesn’t sound safe for you to go back there.”
A rumbling in the distance reached Casimir’s ears, growing louder as the ground began to shake. Small rocks fell from the sides of the canyon, raining down upon them.
“What is that?” a soldier exclaimed. “What’s going on?”
The rumbling grew even louder. “It feels like an earthquake!” Maeryn shouted over the noise. “Away from the walls!”
Casimir shot to his feet, pulling Ava with him as they huddled in the center of the canyon. The animals joined, pressing in to avoid the debris. The shaking grew stronger. A large boulder tumbled down the wall, headed straight for the group. Someone screamed.
Imsel raised their hands and a wall of rock erupted from the ground, encircling them. The boulder bounced off the edge, rolling away. But more continued to fall.
“We need a roof!” Casmir shouted, raising his arms.
Ava, Raine, Gisela and the earth-magic-wielding soldiers joined, assisting Casimir in fortifying the structure.
Vines spread over Imsel’s wall, weaving among themselves to form a ceiling as Imsel erected another barrier to enclose their shelter.
The profusion of plants blocked out the light, and though they were unable to see, their makeshift refuge held fast. Aside from dust and a few miniscule pebbles, nothing broke through.
As abruptly as the earthquake had started, it faded away, small aftershocks following in its wake.
“Well, fuck. I think we’re trapped,” Raine’s voice spoke in the dark.