Chapter 52 #2
She pecked a kiss to his head and began to gather her belongings.
Avice shoved the crumpled basket on her elbow while Trewoofe went to receive her errant boot.
He chuckled about it now, even if he had been outraged at the time.
He hung it on the edge of a talon and returned to Avice.
She had gathered her bloodied dagger, hat, stockings, and remaining boot, and started gathering the shells that were strewn about.
Trewoofe dropped the boot next to her. “Why did you come to the beach today?” he asked, watching her as she deposited them into her basket.
“I, ah…” She blushed. “It was supposed to be a surprise for you.”
“Watching you come apart under my tongue can be my surprise today,” he teased, peeking into the basket. “What are the shells for?”
Avice spluttered, her cheeks deepening to an even more delightful shade of red.
“I was making you a gift. Like the one you made for me. I wanted to give you something you would not have in the Underneath.” She picked up a smooth purple shell for him to inspect.
“I had an idea to make an amulet for your horn. I picked colours that reminded me of your crest.” A line appeared between her brows.
“It was red today. I have not seen it that colour before.”
“You want to make me a gift?”
Just when he thought he could not love her more, she surprised him, and he nuzzled gratefully into her neck.
“Yes,” she replied, dropping the last shell into her basket.
“You said that Knuckers like to give gifts, and I wanted to share that custom. Though, I suspect that you had not quite finished that statement when you told me. I believe what you were going to say, was that they gave them to females they were courting, or to their soul-bounds.”
“There is your sharp mind again,” Trewoofe chuckled, lowering his head so she could mount him. “I fear I will have no secrets from you.”
“You will not,” she said primly, swinging her leg over and settling herself behind his horns.
“I have now realised the meaning of the different colours you wear on your crest. Pink and purple are for excitement, flirtation, or…” She trailed her fingers over the folded flap of scales and brought sensuality to her voice. “…arousal.”
Trewoofe’s crest, pinned against her inner thighs, flushed in those very colours. “Have mercy on me, Avice. I already cannot say no to you.”
“Then the red. Anger or intimidation, obvious today when you fought the Morgowr,” she said as Trewoofe strode pass the scene of the fight.
He lingered there, studying the deep gouges and the pools of silver blood in the sand. “Why did you stop me from killing him?”
Avice was silent for a moment before answering, “Because of John. I do not know whether you heard much of what was said—”
“I only caught snatches.”
“We were arguing. Then he broke out into a babble about an egg, Nell, the Morgowr, the tides, and how he loved Treth…”
“And?” Trewoofe asked.
“And I just thought, what if it was me? What if it was me pleading for your life and unable to do anything as two Dragons fought to the death? He begged me to stop you, and I said I would,” she replied.
Trewoofe’s chest tightened. Avice – albeit indirectly – had just confessed the depth of her feelings for him.
He would not push the matter. He knew it may take time; she had mentioned that such words were difficult for her on the Equinox night, but he remained hopeful that he may hear deeper words from her sooner rather than later.
It was enough… for now.
“I understand,” he said.
He turned from the battleground and headed for the cliffs.
“My Lord, there are stairs on the other end of the cove that we can take,” Avice said.
“Are you feeling adventurous?” Trewoofe asked.
“Considering I stabbed a Morgowr in the eye. Then with what we just did together in the cave… I would say yes, I am feeling adventurous,” she giggled.
“Alright then,” he said, “I shall climb.”
“Climb?” she asked, clenching her thighs more tightly around him.
“Climb.”
Avice let out a wild whoop as he launched up the cliff. His sharp talons acted as grapples and propelled him up the granite face. He left deep gouges as he ascended, and she let out an excitable squeak as she gripped on tight to his horns.
She was silent as he reached the top. “Are you alright, little witch?”
Avice rubbed him. “Yes!” she panted. “That was fun.”
Trewoofe rumbled at her enthusiasm. “Well then, let us get to a river before it gets dark…” He trailed off, dumbstruck at the wild woods before them.
Avice had not been exaggerating when she had described their virality.
Trees that he formerly matched with in height now dwarfed him, flowers and fruit had formed in every place that was not crammed with green.
“This is also happening in the Underneath,” Trewoofe stated, looking for a path in the wall of emerald.
Avice shifted behind his horns. “How so?”
“Flowers are growing wherever I walk, and the crystals are louder than ever. It is as if the magic of Nature and Spring have multiplied. That we have made something new, or brought back something very old, or both.” Trewoofe gave a low growl as he continued to study the pulsing emerald wall. “I do not see a way through.”
“It will bend.”
“Bend?”
“Yes, you will see,” she promised. “Take a step forward.”