Chapter Twenty-Three
Avari
Iwoke up with a plan to speak to River about the demented man who had tried to attack me last night. But as I joined him for breakfast, it became clear the intruder had only been a warning of something worse.
‘I’m being summoned by the Committee.’ The words echoed through the dining room, threatening to shatter the fragile sense of calm I’d found. River’s solemn expression said everything.
My thoughts drifted to the countless times his power had wrapped around us like a cocoon, shielding us from the world’s dangers. Was this the reason?
‘What is it about?’ Michael asked, his usual nonchalance gone, replaced by a vicious frown. I didn’t need to hear the answer to know.
The queen must have suspected I survived the curse; there could be no other explanation. She’d gone to the only ones capable of tearing me away without igniting a full-blown war, though I doubted she would mind one.
In truth, I suspected the scheming monarch would have struck at Fogoya long ago if something hadn’t restrained her.
What that something was, I couldn’t tell.
The silence pressed in on me until shivers ran down my spine at the mere mention of the Elders, while the frantic beat of my heart filled my ears.
‘Does she know?’ I forced the words out. ‘It’s my mother, isn’t it?’
‘I was expecting that call. The only uncertain thing is whether she knows you’re alive or not,’ River said, his tone attempting reassurance.
I knew the queen’s actions didn’t stem from care or concern but from possessive ownership. Bound to Ortensia by birth and imprisoned by the curse, I’d long since given up trying to escape.
Yet lately, I’d dared to dream that my life might turn out differently. That the fleeting fairy tale of roses, willow trees, and enchanted lakes could become my home.
To dream was to live, but for dreams to vanish was the cruellest way to die.
Silence lingered as the King of Fogoya stood, offering only a final glance, a gaze heavy with a million unsaid words and a fragile vow of my safety, one we both knew he could never truly keep.
Being used to distress, I still found it strange that my racing heartbeat wouldn’t settle as I awaited his return. Was I scared for myself or for him? I couldn’t tell. The storm of worry etched itself into my body so deeply that I suspected it had left a permanent scar.
I had to trust that River could fend for himself, and deep down, I believed he could withstand my mother, given the inferno he wielded.
But that confidence faltered if the Elders chose to intervene.
A coalition of formidable figures from every court, each with distinct and dangerous gifts, was a threat no one could face alone.
‘Stop stressing,’ Emily pleaded, handing me a cup of hot chocolate. I hadn’t felt this drained in a long time. The uneasiness crawled beneath my skin like a parasite, waiting to eat me alive.
‘Thank you,’ I murmured, tightening my grip on the warm mug that briefly sheltered my chilled fingers. The comforting heat faded too quickly, leaving me exposed again, open for the chill to reclaim its hold.
After what felt like an endless wait, I retreated to my room. Pacing aimlessly, I eventually sat by the balcony door overlooking the mountains. Just as I reached for my dragon bond to speak to Anya, a quiet knock startled me.
Even before I opened the door, I knew who it was. His warmth radiated from a distance, pulling me closer like a siren’s call.
When I yanked it open, I gasped. River’s pale skin was bruised and blistering along his jawline. I recognised it instantly: ice burns.
Reaching towards the injury, I let my witchcraft flow, mending it as best I could. He leaned into my touch, eyes closing briefly. The hollowness beneath them told me he needed rest.
‘Did she do this?’ I tried to sound composed, but my voice came out little more than a whisper.
Leaning down, his eyes softened. ‘No. She’s not stupid enough to attack during the Committee. I was called into battle after. That’s why I took so long.’
‘How are you feeling?’ My gaze traced the singed stubble and painful marks.
‘Relax, Ava. I’ll be back to my handsome self in no time,’ he teased, smiling faintly. ‘You should see the other guy.’
His eyes darkened as his gaze lingered on my hand against his jaw. Then he caught my cold fingers, letting our essences intertwine.
The connection calmed me instantly, as warmth chased away the chills.
‘Besides, it’s my fault anyway,’ he said. ‘Shouldn’t have joined the battle when I was distracted. See what you do to me, little witch?’
Hurt sliced through my chest at the implication. Was I responsible?
As if he realised my concerns, he backtracked sharply. ‘No! That’s not what I meant. For fuck’s sake, I keep messing up today.’
I swallowed the lump in my throat. ‘No, I understand. She’s my mother.’
‘No. It was a joke, a stupid one. I didn’t mean anything by it. Just forget it,’ he said quickly, eyes still flaring like he expected punishment. ‘I only meant that you preoccupy my mind too much. Nothing else.’
I wasn’t sure whether to believe him. ‘Did you really?’
His chest expanded in a deep sigh as he met my gaze. ‘Take up any more space in there and I might just lose my mind.’
Flustered, I tried to steer us back to safer ground. ‘How did the meeting go?’
‘She reported the kidnapping. That was obvious and expected. In fact, I thought she would have done it long ago,’ he said, his thumb tracing heat across my fingers.
It seemed awfully anticlimactic for my mother. ‘Was that it?’
‘Not exactly. She claimed she worries you’re unsafe, if not already dead, at my brute hands,’ River snorted, though without humour. ‘Half the meeting was her babbling about how much I hate Ortensians.’
That sounded like her. She never truly cared. The meeting was just to confirm whether I was still alive. Now she would start scheming to get me back into her gilded cage. ‘Did the Elders give any orders?’
‘They suggested I allow you to meet her, to prove you’re being taken care of.’ His sneer carried no amusement. ‘Quite the act she put on. Mother of the year material.’
All of this complicated things.
‘What does that mean for me?’ I asked, unsure whether to stay or start planning another escape.
The way he recoiled broke our connection. ‘My claim on you is legitimate, and they know it. We’re not doing anything, and you’re not meeting her. Not a chance.’
Though I appreciated his protectiveness, my mind turned to the Fogoyans. The man I had seen yesterday, and his injuries, were nothing compared to what she could do if she retaliated. ‘What if she breaches your border?’
‘Then she’ll regret it more than she’s ever regretted anything,’ he said darkly, his voice low from exhaustion.
My mind raced. ‘River, please think about this. She won’t stop.’
‘Hold on.’ His fists clenched until his knuckles whitened. ‘Are you asking me to let you go back?’
A humourless laugh escaped him as he raked a hand through his dark hair.
‘You don’t know her like I do,’ I tried to talk sense into him.
The amber of his eyes sharpened, increasingly predatory, reminding me of the night he nearly killed me. Something flickered there, recognition. He remembered it too.
‘I can’t believe after everything, after all the time I’ve spent showing you what Fogoya could be for you, you still want to go back,’ he said, looking away.
Though his tone steadied, the disappointment in his eyes was raw and unguarded.
‘River, it’s not like that,’ I tried, but the words failed.
He turned away, jaw tight, tension rolling through his shoulders. But he didn’t leave immediately; he paused at the door, bracing a hand against the frame as if the weight of the moment held him there.
‘You said you trusted me.’