Chapter 57
Aella
Rynn and I sat next to the patch of sand I’d laid for the hissing cactus yesterday evening when we returned from the Oarwar desert.
It was supposed to be sitting in it and resting after our journey, but instead, it was baiting the crunchertraps.
The baby would get close, then dodge when the large, violet flowers tried to grab for it with their toothy petals. They’d been at it for twenty minutes.
“I can’t believe how cute it is,” Rynn said, cheeks red with delight.
I sighed. “Definitely, but it behaves more like a toddler than a plant.”
“Do you think that’s normal?” she asked, cocking her head.
“I didn’t notice the others acting that way, but we weren’t in their territory long enough to properly study them. Maybe they are when there aren’t strangers around, or maybe this one is different.”
She pressed her lips together in thought. “Could it be unique like that chicken?”
“It’s possible.”
Darrow appeared at the garden gate entrance, staring incredulously at the hissing cactus bouncing between the crunchertraps. “Should we be concerned about this?”
“We aren’t sure yet,” I replied, drinking in the sight of him.
He’d kept me up half the night, alternating between soft touches with stories of his childhood, and hard fucks that had me screaming in pleasure.
I was so exhausted by the end that I couldn’t even protest when he held me in his arms as I fell asleep.
For the first time in a while, I woke with no lingering bad dreams.
Maybe I was softening a little, knowing we were closer than ever to ending his curse. That wouldn’t resolve my trust issues, but I desperately wanted to see the difference in him once his emotions were fully restored. It would be a big step forward for us.
My husband gave me a feral look. Have you missed me since I left the bed this morning, dear wife?
You’d love that, wouldn’t you?
He grinned. Of course.
I’m certain I forgot all about you once I reached my garden.
Darrow gave me a heated look that said he knew I was lying. Is your pussy still sore, Aella. Perhaps I could massage it for you.
Ass, I said, clenching my thighs shut at the imagery he sent.
Rynn let out a shriek, and my gaze shot to the cactus, whose head was caught inside Wrath’s large petal mouth. I started to dash forward, but before I could, it tossed the baby directly into the plot of sand where it belonged without a scratch on it. My heart found its way back into my chest.
The violet flower bristled at us, as if to say, “You didn’t think I’d actually eat that thing, did you?”
We were still laughing as Darrow made his way past my sentinels and reached out both hands to help us stand. “A sebeska just arrived from Hisgar, and Methelaga wishes to see us right away.”
“Methelaga?” I asked, then shook my head. “Oh, right. The brilliant ice giant.”
“Yes.” He nodded, pulling us toward the garden gate. “Apparently, she is ready to help us with our math problems since the blight just struck an area close to Chaktuok. It’s a lake where they get half the fish they need for food.”
“Can I go?” Rynn asked.
She’d finished her lessons for the day an hour ago and had come straight here to see the new baby cactus. “If Dare says it’s okay, I’m fine with it. There shouldn’t be any danger.”
“It will be good for her to see the far north,” he replied, squeezing my hand. I had no doubt the damned elf wouldn’t let go until I insisted, but some traitorous part of me refused to do so.
When we passed the crunchertraps, I caressed Wrath and thanked it for being good to the cactus. It preened. The newer one on the right slumped from not receiving the same attention, so I patted it as well. Then, I looked back at the baby.
“Behave yourself and stay in the garden,” I said.
To emphasize that, Dare used his powers to close and lock the gate behind us.
We quickly worked our way across the island, moving through the thick, rolling fog that had taken over the city.
It seemed to deepen as winter approached.
Everyone said this was typical for Darynia. I found it both eerie and beautiful.
In record time, Dare had us back at Crystal Castle, gathering winter clothing.
Hisgar remained covered in snow except for three months during the summer, and we had long since passed that period.
Since a dress would have been impractical, I donned thick pants and layered tunics before putting a long cloak over my arm to wear once we arrived there.
Our usual crew waited for us at the ring—Faina, Loden, and Jax.
We didn’t need Idwal since he’d sent all the details Methelaga needed weeks ago when he finished mapping the pertinent celestial bodies, Earth’s current location, and the ring on the planet to target.
He’d said it would be highly complicated math, so he’d wanted the ice giant to have everything she needed the moment she was ready to start. I hoped that meant she’d finished.
I glanced down at the paper where I’d written the rune coordinates for Hisgar, grateful they’d been on the list in my journal, courtesy of the Porrine library years ago.
Pouring a healthy amount of holmium powder onto my palm, I pocketed the rest of the bag.
Our destination was the farthest I’d ever attempted, though I doubted the ring in Chaktuok had any wards to hinder me.
Very few ice giants had magical abilities beyond being able to mold ice into weapons, and those that did were usually healers or enchanters.
The trip through the portal took nearly a minute. I never felt dizzy while traveling through one before, but I had to close my eyes near the end when the light zooming past me became too much. When we went to Earth, I’d have to remember that because it would undoubtedly take much longer.
Everyone fell over when we stepped from the ring, groaning. I was proud that at least I recovered the fastest, followed by Darrow. He still had a tinge of green in his face, though. It was nice to see that he wasn’t as physically perfect as he sometimes seemed.
Faina stumbled to the side and retched. “Ugh! That was as bad as when Dare teleports.”
“Sorry,” I said, giving her a sympathetic look.
Jax cradled his stomach. “We should see about a tonic for nausea before the big trip.”
“Oh, I can check on that since Durelle and the other healers are teaching me those things,” Rynn said. To her credit, she seemed to be recovering faster than expected, given her limited experience with portal travel.
I smiled at her. “That would be great if you could.”
Everyone pulled on their thick cloaks as the chill set into our bodies. Snow covered the land everywhere, though someone had dug a path between the ring and the city about half a mile ahead.
I gaped at it, disbelieving of the view before me.
The buildings were massive to accommodate giants who averaged twenty-five feet tall.
As we moved toward the sprawling houses, the bottom halves made of gray stone and the top of logs with slate roofs, I gasped in awe at the ice giants moving between them.
While they all wore long-sleeve tunics, pants, and boots, most had nothing else to keep them warm.
Did their size make them more impervious to the cold, or were they used to it?
Therress received most of its snow mid-winter, but it usually lasted only about four to five weeks, except for those who lived near or in the mountains.
Most of us stayed inside unless we absolutely had to go out.
“I can’t believe how big everything is,” Rynn said, wide-eyed with amazement.
I nodded. “This is one thing we can both experience together for the first time.”
“How lucky you two are.” Faina scowled. “I have had to come here several times a year for far too long when I’d rather be anywhere else. Thank the nameless ones, we’ll be getting our holmium from Balzour now.”
“It’s not so bad if you enjoy their food,” Darrow said, taking a deep breath through his nose. The scent of cooking meat was strong as dinnertime approached, and it smelled delicious.
His sister rolled her eyes. “It’s not their cuisine that bothers me, but the way they eat that makes it atrocious.”
Denizens this far north were rumored to be messy diners.
A male giant came running toward us. The ground shook, and snow crunched under his boots as he met us shortly before we reached the edge of town. While his massive size was intimidating, he had a friendly face, easy to see with his dark, red hair slicked back.
“Darrow?” he asked, running his gaze across us until settling on my husband standing next to me.
“Yes.”
The large male appeared relieved. “I’m Sanchor. My wife, Methelaga, has been expecting you. She has shoved me out the door every thirty minutes to check and see if you arrived.”
“We didn’t send a response note to her,” I said, confused. We’d left Darynia less than two hours after receiving her message, so it hadn’t been worth the time.
The man chuckled. “She said that with the urgency of the prince’s last correspondence, she assumed you’d come quickly once the sebeska reached you. We sent our swiftest bird, and she calculated the time of arrival.”
Right. I hadn’t considered that.
“Come.” Sanchor gestured at us to follow.
I was impressed with how evenly plowed the streets were as we walked along them.
Everything appeared neat and uniform, with homes evenly spaced, and we passed a block with rows of shops that had door handles above my reach.
It would be almost impossible to live here for anyone other than the ice giants, given how everything was scaled so large.
Even the wooden figures in clothing shop windows wore garments that would swallow our group whole.