Page 7 of Journey to the Elderoak (Daughter of the Earth #2)

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “But think about what you want to say tomorrow, and it’ll be fine. They’ll agree.”

“What should I say?”

“You have to figure it out for yourself.”

“What?” she said, exasperated.

“This is a learning experience for you. Practice.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose as she looked at the ceiling. “I can’t do this.”

“Yes, you can.”

She sighed and plopped on the couch, crossing her legs, baring her skin through the slit in her skirts. She leaned her head back, spread her arms along the back of the couch and closed her eyes, taking a moment to think.

After a couple of minutes, she lifted her head and looked at Casimir. He swallowed thickly when she met his gaze. As if he’d been watching her.

“I should go to sleep,” she said.

He nodded but neither of them moved .

A low moan sounded from Raine’s room followed by giggles and a squeal.

“Dammit. Now I’ll never sleep,” Ava huffed.

“Me either,” grumbled Casimir. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

“Sure. Let me get out of this dress.”

Ava rose from the couch and went into her room.

Minutes later she emerged in a casual tunic and pants, her boots in hand, and she reclaimed her seat on the couch to put them on.

Casimir was still dressed in what he wore to dinner, and it was hard not to admire how beautiful he looked in the glow of the fire.

Feminine moaning sounded from Raine’s bedroom, followed by, “Yes! Right there.” Then a low growl and grunt from Raine.

Ava stood and placed her hands over her ears. “Make it stop.”

He laughed and pounded on Raine’s door. “Quiet down, you’re disturbing the princess.”

“She’s just jealous she isn’t getting any!” Raine yelled and the moans resumed.

Her face warmed at his comment, and she rolled her eyes, attempting to hide it.

“Let’s go,” said Casimir.

He held out his arm for her yet again. She looped hers through it without hesitation and they walked down the torch-lit stone hallways.

“They have a beautiful garden,” Casimir said. “I think you’ll love it.”

They wove through the castle, passing a few guards here and there who nodded as they strode by. After ten minutes, they arrived at a set of double stone doors, opening into a stairway .

“More stairs? I don’t know if my legs can handle any more stairs,” Ava groaned.

Casimir stopped in front of her and gestured to his back. “Hop on.”

“What?”

“Come on, I’ll carry you.”

“Like a child getting a piggyback ride?” She laughed.

“I’ve never heard that term, but yes?”

“Okay…”

He knelt lower and she climbed on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He grasped her thighs and pulled her higher as he ascended the stairs.

“This is ridiculous,” she said with a small giggle, and he released a laugh of his own.

She almost let out a groan at the way he smelled, a comforting aroma of cedar and sage. She breathed it in, unable to control herself as she toyed with a strand of his hair. He cleared his throat but didn’t stop her as they continued to climb.

“Your hair is surprisingly soft.”

“I purchase only the highest quality shampoo,” he said.

“Really?”

“No.”

Ava scoffed. “You know, sometimes you can be funny.”

“Oh? When I’m not being extra Casimir-y?”

She laughed. “Exactly.”

Reaching the top, he set her down and she turned away to take in the space, astounded by the beauty. They were at the top of the mountain, with an opening in the ceiling revealing hundreds of stars in the night sky.

The area was packed with trees, shrubs and dozens of night blooming flowers.

Large white blossoms were opening in the moonlight and Ava approached one and watched it in fascination.

Gravel paths wove through the same trees that grew on the cliffs outside, and soft white lights glowed along the walkways.

Each and every bloom in the garden was a bright white.

“It’s a moon garden,” Casimir said from beside her.

“It’s beautiful.”

They wove through the trees, silent save for the waterfall at the far end of the space, until they reached a balcony carved into the side of the mountain.

Stark white flowers reminiscent of wisteria hung along the ceiling, framing the vast view.

Ava reached the stone railing and laid her hands along it as she looked across the ocean.

Casimir stopped beside her, placing his elbows on the balcony, his arm brushing against hers. “I knew you’d like it.”

They stayed silent for a while as Ava’s mind drifted to the impending war.

“So, what’s next after we return?” she asked.

“You continue your training and hopefully visit the Elderoak soon. Jorrar’s searching our archives for any information that wasn’t destroyed by your father.”

Right. Ava had learned her father, the former King of Monterre, had gone mad, burning texts and firing librarians before he was killed on the battlefield, making it difficult to gather any information that might assist Ava in her task.

“And then?”

“Once you have your full powers, you’ll begin learning how to use your magic as we prepare to march on Deidamia’s army.”

“Why aren’t we doing that now?”

Casimir turned to face her. “Monterre alone doesn’t have enough forces. With two kingdoms already under her control, the rest retreated long ago.”

“Why?”

“I was very young when Deidamia and Andras disappeared, but rumors say Caelestia was the first to abandon the war, forcing the others to follow suit before their losses were too great. Everyone became so concerned with their respective kingdoms, they stopped working together. We need time to rekindle that.”

“Will we have enough with Saxumdale’s help?” Ava asked.

“Probably not. We will need to approach Caelestia.”

“How big is Deidamia’s army?”

“We aren’t completely sure. I tasked Quinn with gathering a team to assess their forces. We must determine the numbers in the two conquered kingdoms as well.”

“And once I get my powers, we still need to get the book back so I can learn how to make a portal to banish her.”

“Yes.”

The book. The one she’d found at her grandfather’s farm months ago.

It was in the daemons’ clutches and until they retrieved it, they wouldn’t know how to open a new portal to send Deidamia back to her realm.

Another daunting endeavor in the long list of tasks they had to complete to defeat their enemies.

Someone cleared their throat behind them, and they whipped around, Casimir taking one step in front of Ava with his hand on the pommel of his sword.

Corvus.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle the two of you. I hope you’re enjoying our famous gardens,” he said, his hands clasped behind his back.

Ava took a step forward. “Did you need something, Corvus?”

He waved his hand. “Oh no, no. I was just on my nightly walk. Enjoying the breeze of the evening. But I did want to apologize again for what I said earlier this evening. I shouldn’t have brought up what’s obviously a sensitive topic for you.”

“Thank you,” Ava said.

“Have you figured out what you want to say to the queens tomorrow?”

“You’ll find out tomorrow, I suppose,” she replied .

“Alright then. Have a good evening.” Then he was gone.

For some reason, Corvus mentioning her scars again gave her an idea. An idea on how to get the queens to listen.

“Ava,” Casimir interrupted her thoughts. “I see those wheels turning. What are you thinking?”

“I think I know what I want to say tomorrow,” she answered.

“Alright,” he said. “Let’s hear it.”