Chapter Twenty-Six
Avari
‘I’m just saying, maybe it’s at its capacity.’ Training frustrated me. I lost track of how many times River had ordered me to let my fire roam freely around us, and once again, all I managed were the usual embers flickering at my palm.
It was shameful.
His scornful expression got under my skin like an annoying muscle twitch I couldn’t shake off. It crawled there, fidgeting and causing unrest, eventually demanding attention and eliciting a reaction. He needed to get off his high horse.
‘It’s probably inconceivable for someone who walks around with a whole arsenal of flames, but I never have,’ I rebutted, feeling worn out and humiliated.
River shook his head, disbelief darkening his features. ‘I’ve been there, and I’ve seen your potential.’
‘Been where exactly?’ Emily chimed in from beneath the tree, smirking suggestively.
Heat spread down my neck, and he didn’t miss a beat, shooting her a vicious glare. ‘Not wherever your mind has wandered off to, clearly. Don’t you have a shop to run?’
I rolled my eyes and let the embers flicker out.
Emily let out a low chuckle. ‘All taken care of by my sister. There’s nothing I’d rather do than watch you two bicker.’
‘Hey, it’s you two bickering!’ I shot back, looking between them. They either knew each other long enough to be fully themselves or simply enjoyed annoying one another.
‘For now,’ she said, already going back to her book, some kind of novel.
Ever since Isla met my dragon, she couldn’t stop talking about it, even begging her mother to have a mural painted on her bedroom wall. I suspected Emily wanted to strengthen that connection, and, secretly, I hoped for the same.
I never had many female friends, and the idea of having one—especially someone like her—felt strangely precious.
‘It should feel like you’re letting go,’ Emily shouted from the side. ‘Like when you’re drunk and lose all your inhibitions.’
That didn’t help much.
‘I don’t get drunk,’ I muttered, glancing at the sky, silently praying for strength and patience.
‘Yeah, and I don’t read,’ Emily murmured, flipping a page.
‘It’s hardly reading when it’s all smut,’ River barked, then turned to me. A little gentler, he added, ‘You don’t drink either? No meat, no alcohol… no wonder you’re uptight.’
What did he just say?
‘Uptight? I am not uptight. I’m in harmony with my deeper self.’ I glared at him with enough effort to risk bursting a vein, just to make a point.
Emily snorted without looking up. ‘Your deeper self sounds exhausting.’
River smirked. ‘Ask your deeper self to push some fire out because I’m starting to go grey here.’
‘What’s your suggestion then? I get hammered and lose my inhibitions?’ My voice rose an octave as I threw the words in their general direction, making them flinch.
‘Stop threatening me with a good time,’ Emily teased. ‘Like River would ever let you do that.’
He shot her a cold look, eyeing her like an opponent.
Watching them, I couldn’t help wondering why he tolerated it.
As a king, his powers far outweighed hers, yet he allowed such defiance.
Maybe it was a soft spot for family, or maybe he just didn’t care.
He never punished me for screaming at him after our first training session either.
‘I’ll make sure there’s a guard stationed by the wine at the banquet,’ River said dryly, gesturing for me to try again.
I ignored him. ‘What banquet?’
‘No,’ Emily snapped her book shut. ‘You haven’t told her? Maddie’s right; you’ve got no understanding of women whatsoever.’
‘There’s a banquet?’ I repeated, slower this time.
‘Yes. Three days from now. Independence Day.’ River ran a hand down his face, already exhausted. ‘A good chance to meet the Fogoyan Council. Not to get hammered.’
‘What am I supposed to wear?’ My voice climbed even higher. I wished it was just the clothes that worried me and not my crippling social anxiety.
‘My point exactly,’ Emily called from her shadowed corner.
River rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t you own a shop full of dresses? And didn’t you already stock her wardrobe?’
‘It’s a good thing you’ve got the looks, River,’ she muttered. ‘I’ll take her there after… whatever this is finishes.’ She waved vaguely between us.
Ouch. She didn’t even call it training.
Later that afternoon, we headed straight for her shop.
‘This one would look great on you,’ Emily mused, mostly to herself, lifting a green dress off the rack. Smoothing out the creases as she ran her fingers over the fabric with such fondness that I almost felt guilty for not liking it. Her designs weren’t just clothes to her; they were pieces of art.
‘I’m not sure.’ I eyed the low neckline and shivered. ‘I need something a bit less revealing.’
She grunted, rifling through what looked like hundreds of dresses. ‘Isn’t that precisely the problem you have with your power, too?’
I didn’t answer.
She wasn’t wrong, but I wasn’t about to admit it. I moved toward the back of the boutique, scanning for something that actually felt like me. Eventually, I found a deep burgundy gown with long sleeves, a modest neckline, and a loose fit. It ticked every box.
Horror flickered across Emily’s face. Leaning in, she whispered, ‘Ava. Please step away from maternity wear. Unless there’s something you’d like to announce?’
I sighed quietly. The girl clearly knew her craft; she earned the right to judge my taste.
The boutique buzzed around us, assistants sewing, stitching, and measuring with precise coordination.
‘Alright,’ I said, crossing my arms. ‘Show me your idea of modesty, and I’ll let you know if I can survive it.’
Dress after dress, and still nothing felt right. Most of the gowns seemed designed with one goal in mind: maximum cleavage. It was like the entire Fogoyan fashion industry existed solely to display breasts.
‘Is subtlety banned in this kingdom?’ I asked dryly.
‘Among the people you’ll meet, modesty’s considered a personality flaw,’ she replied. ‘How about this?’
She handed me a midnight-blue silk gown, smooth as water beneath my fingers. The neckline dipped lower than I’d have liked, but it wasn’t as scandalous as some of her other selections.
‘It’s beautiful,’ I admitted, unable to look away.
‘At last we agree. Try it on.’
The dress clung to every curve, snug and unyielding. When I caught my reflection, surprise flickered through me. Maybe, just maybe, stepping out of my comfort zone was worth it.