Page 41 of Journey to the Elderoak (Daughter of the Earth #2)

A va was awoken by a light knock at her bedroom door. It was early, the sun peeking above the trees, and she groaned and pulled the covers over her head, attempting to ignore the wake-up call. Titus snuggled under the covers with her, obviously trying to get more sleep as well.

Someone’s knocking, Luna said, stretching at the foot of Ava’s bed.

“I know. Maybe they’ll go away. I don’t want to get up yet. I’m so damn tired.”

The knock sounded again.

Answer it. They’re waking me up too.

Ava rolled her eyes.

“Come in,” she called, assuming it was her attendant. She lay there, surrounded by the plush bedding calling her back to sleep, and pulled the comforter down.

The door opened and in walked Casimir, shirtless, his arm out of the sling. He stopped before her bed, looking at her with amusement.

“What are you doing in my room?” Ava asked .

“I must work all day, but I wanted to have breakfast with you.”

“But it’s so early,” she whined.

“Well, I’d rather snuggle with you in bed all morning. But unfortunately, I only have an hour before I’m busy and I want to spend time with you.”

“Snuggling sounds like a much better option.”

She threw off the covers and he stepped back, allowing her to walk to the bathroom. Luna had gone back to sleep and Titus crawled to where she lay, nuzzling into her fur.

“Let me get dressed.”

“It’s just us. You can come naked if you want,” he said.

She peeked her head out from the bathroom and looked at him. “You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

He grinned.

“I’ll just grab my robe,” she said as she walked back into the bedroom.

The cotton nightdress she wore was short, stopping mid-thigh, and it was sleeveless, showing off her toned arms and shoulders. The dress left nothing to the imagination as it revealed her muscular thighs and curved ass. She caught him watching her intensely and she turned toward him.

“What?” she said.

“I like that thing you’re wearing,” he answered.

“You’ve seen me in a night dress before.”

He stayed still as he looked at her across the room. “Yes, but the circumstances were… different.”

“Right,” she said. He had seen her in a nightgown. The night Corvus attacked her. He’d also seen her naked, but she remembered he’d never looked at her body, always keeping his eyes at her face and above.

It was different now. Now they’d confessed their feelings and unleashed themselves on each other. She was about to turn around and grab her robe hanging on the wall when his eyes dipped lower and caught on her thigh.

“Tell me the story of that,” he said, eyes full of concern.

It was a scar. A large one from her time imprisoned in Deidamia’s camp.

“Didn’t I already tell you?”

“It was briefly mentioned, but tell me now.”

She cleared her throat. “Andras…he jammed some type of jagged knife in there and…twisted and…I don’t know, he said something about it being something to remember him by and then I don’t remember the rest because I passed out.”

His eyes widened as fury crossed over his face and he approached. When he reached where she stood, he knelt before her and lifted her gown, revealing the entirety of the scar. He traced his fingers over it, and she sucked in a breath as he leaned in and placed a light kiss where it lay.

He rose and gripped her face. “He’s going to regret every single thing he did to you.”

She shivered at the violence in his voice. He kissed her on the forehead and walked out, leaving the door cracked for her to follow. She retrieved her robe and wrapped it around herself before following and taking her seat at the small dining table.

The table was laid out with eggs and bacon and a dozen fruit-filled pastries along with a bowl of fresh berries. Ava was starving, but before she could grab her plate, Casimir took it and piled it with food.

“I know you’re going to be too anxious to eat tonight, so make sure you eat enough now.”

She smiled at the reminder of him knowing her quirks and hang-ups.

No one had ever noticed her interests or anxious tells.

But he did. He noticed everything. And not because he was in charge of her training—like he had insisted several times before—but because he wanted to take care of her.

He set her full plate before her, poured her a cup of tea, and handed it over.

“Thank you.” She clutched it and took a sip. “So, what do you mean you have to work all day?”

Casimir filled his own plate.“Well, being the general comes with certain duties. Like overseeing security for the ball tonight. I’ll be spending the day reviewing protocols with the guards to prepare for any potential problems.”

“Oh.” She took a bite of eggs. “I take it everyone else is busy too.”

“Yes. Sorry.”

She shrugged. “It’s okay. I’ll wander the castle or something. Maybe read in the library.”

“Fanya’s going to be here in a couple of hours to spend the day with you.”

“Oh, good! That’ll be lovely.”

“And…” he added. “I’ll be on duty during the ball.”

“Seriously? So now I don’t have a date?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I was to be your date?”

“Of course.”

“You never asked me.” He grinned mischievously

“I thought it was assumed.”

“Sorry, I can’t be your date.”

Frowning, she took a sip of tea.

“But,” he continued, “I will make sure to sneak away for a dance. And I’ll be sitting next to you at dinner.”

“I’ll take what I can get I suppose. So, about the ball. What’s it like? How does dinner work?”

“The first hour or so is mostly mingling. Dinner will happen after that, then the tables will be cleared and put away to open the ballroom for dancing and lounging.”

“And where will you be?”

“First, I’ll be stationed with you and Thorne as you greet the guests. Once everyone’s inside, I’ll be in the ballroom with the others, monitoring the crowd.”

She swallowed a bite of pastry. “And what will I be doing?”

“You’ll be with Thorne most of the time. You two will stand at the castle entrance and greet the guests as they arrive. Then you’ll stay with him as he announces the start of Solstice and through most of the night. Stay close to Thorne and you’ll be fine.”

“Do the other kingdoms know about me? I mean, besides Saxumdale.”

“Yes.”

“Any tips?”

He thought for a moment. “I’ve never met the rulers of Igneothenia. They disappeared when I was very young. Thalia, the queen, is said to be kind and Aelerion, brash and boisterous, but a good ruler. Of course, Astrid and Soren will be friendly.”

“And what about your father?”

“My father is an asshole,” he said. “He will probably be rude, but he won’t harm you. Politics are too important to him. His wife is fine. She’ll likely stay quiet, like he wants her to.”

Ava grimaced. “And your brother?”

“Stay away from him,” he said with sudden intensity.

“Why?”

“He delights in making people uncomfortable and will find any weakness he can and thwart it. Just for fun.”

“Great.”

They both ate in silence for a moment before Ava asked, “What happened with your father? Why didn’t you grow up in Caelestia after…you know?”

He looked like he wouldn’t respond, staying quiet, so she reached out and touched his arm. “Please. No more secrets.”

He gave her a nod. “My father had an affair. Well, he’s had many affairs.

He doesn’t respect women and his wife looks the other way.

When he found out my mother was pregnant, he threatened to kill her if she didn’t promise to keep me away from him.

Hybrids used to be looked down upon and he still carried that prejudice, though most of the other kingdoms—besides Frosthaven—moved past it.

So, my mother raised me in a small village in Monterre, where she was from.

That’s where she met my sister’s father, but he died soon after she became pregnant with her. ”

“And you eventually went to live with Raine and his family.”

“Yes.”

She grabbed his hand, lifting it, and kissed the top. “You are nothing like your father.”

“Thank you,” he said, sorrow in his eyes at the memories of his childhood.

“So, other than glowing, what else can your astral magic do?” she dared to ask.

He looked at her for a moment, a sudden glimmer of playfulness in his eyes. Before she knew it, she was floating, along with a few nearby items, as if he had turned off the gravity around her. She gripped the seat of her chair as it rose with her and hovered several feet in the air.

“Cas! I’m going to fall!” she exclaimed. “Put me down.”

He laughed and she rose higher, shrieking. “Casimir!”

Everything stopped and her chair fell to the ground, her following suit, but he caught her in time.

“Don’t do that again,” she breathed.

He kissed her before setting her back in her chair, then reclaimed his own seat. “Well, I can do that.” He nodded toward her. “And shoot starlight from my hands. Also, if I’m touching someone, I can burn them from the inside out.”

“Oh,” she said, eyes wide. “That’s why the creature was a pile of ash on the ship, wasn’t it?”

“Indeed,” he replied. “Some fae from Caelestia also have powerful healing magic but that isn’t usually passed down to hybrids. They can even bring those back from the dead if they're quick enough.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but at great cost. They must give up all their magic.”

“That’s incredible,” Ava said, still in awe of the way magic worked. “Do you know anyone who’s done that?”

“No.” He took a sip of his tea. “By the way, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who my father was.”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

A knock sounded at the door, jarring them from their conversation. “I’m coming in!” shouted Raine from the other side. “If you two are fucking, you’d better cover up!”

Ava’s face turned bright red as Casimir chuckled.

Raine opened the door and entered, plopping in an empty chair. “Ah good, the room is free of the smell of sex. What are you two talking about?” he asked as he grabbed a plate for himself.

“Who invited you?” asked Ava.

“I invited myself. Actually, I was here to see if Cas was ready.” He looked at Casimir. “Which he obviously isn’t, and then I smelled the food and thought I’d eat.”

“You haven’t already eaten?” Casimir asked.

“Of course I have, but I’m still hungry,” he retorted.

Another knock sounded, this time Quinn shouting through the door. “Cas, are you ready to go?”

“He’s not ready yet!” Raine called back.

Quinn walked in and took a seat next to Raine. “Oh, breakfast!” she exclaimed as she snatched a pastry.

“Could the two of you be any ruder?” asked Casimir. “What if we were having a private meal?”

“Oh, shut up,” said Quinn. “Ava doesn’t mind. Right, Ava?”

Ava shook her head at the two of them but couldn’t help smiling. “I don’t mind.”

“What are you going to wear tonight, Ava?” Raine asked .

She paused. “Oh gosh. I don’t know. Am I supposed to know that?”

“They’ll find something for you. Have Fanya take you shopping. There’s a wonderful dress shop in town that can get anything ready and altered for you in time for tonight.”

“I don’t have any money.”

Raine waved his hand and scoffed. “Your brother’s the king. They’ll charge it to the royal accounts. No problem.”

“Well, okay.” She took a sip of tea before turning to Quinn. “You could come shopping with us. If you want.”

“First of all, I have to work,” she answered. “Second of all, dress shopping sounds like my worst nightmare.”

After a few moments, Raine rose. “Thanks for the second breakfast. Cas, you’ve got fifteen minutes before we need to be downstairs.”

Quinn followed. “See you there.”

They bid Quinn and Raine farewell.

“Well, I guess I should get dressed,” Casimir said, rising from the table. “Have fun today.” He planted a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you later tonight.”