Page 60 of Pocket Full Of Posies

Kai’s hand presses warm and firm against my lower back, a strong reassuring presence.

“Yeah, I just needed a second.”

“Don’t worry. Whatever’s kept you from attending in the past, I promise there’s nothing over there to be afraid of. If you ever feel uncomfortable or awkward, we’ll just go back to the tent, okay?” Kai pulls me by the elbow, turning me into him and wraps me in his arms. I feel instantly safe and calm. “We can lay naked in a bed of silk and pillows, staring up at the stars through the top of the tent. And if you’re really upset, I can console you with my body.”

With a wicked grin, Kai leans down and licks the tip of my nose. No longer am I worried about people staring at me, instead I’m thinking about all the things we are going to be doing in our tent later.

“See. All you have to do is think about me naked and everything is better.”

A smile stretches across my lips, and I look up at Kai through my lashes.

“And if I’m not upset? Will you still console me with your body?”

“I planned on it either way, Blossom. There’s no escaping me.”

I want to take Kai back to the tent right now and skip the rest of the celebration. Food, music, and dancing have nothing on naked Kai in silk sheets under the stars.

“Come on. We’ll be late.”

With one hand in mine, Kai pulls me through the bubble and unveils a world of magic. Floating lights like twinkling stars hover in the branches of the trees, illuminating the waning shadows of pre-dawn. Streamers of flowers stretch from branch to branch, tables are filled with a variety of food and sweets. Blankets are laid out for picnics with games and even a space for a band to play. There’s no music playing yet as things are still being arranged and people are arriving and settling in. In a matter of hours though, I imagine the scene will become far more animated.

Delphi has disappeared to who knows where. Sage and Tobias are in the distance heading towards a line of canvas tents. They’re round, made of ivory canvas and wood posts with an inward slanted roof to a center peek. People come early to pick the perfect spot for their tent. The dedicated ones always come the day prior to get the best locations. I think Sage and Kai came yesterday to claim our spots. Some tents are decorated with drawings and paintings, others have flower or seashell garlands draped around the door flaps. They don’t seem particularly secure or soundproof. Am I going to hear other people having sex? Are people going to hear me having sex? Our tent better be far away from Sage’s.

“Where is our tent at? Is it close to Sage’s?”

“It’s over here.” Kai points in the opposite direction of Sage’s tent, thank goodness. An area off the main path and set back away from the crowds. Our own little secluded haven.

Kai must see the clear relief on my face because he chuckles.

“What? Did you think I would put us right next to your brother? The tents are sprinkled with fairy dust to keep sound out and in, so there’s no chance of them hearing me make you scream with pleasure, but I still didn’t want to risk it.”

“Much appreciated.” I give his hand a squeeze and let him lead me to our tent. There aren’t any decorations or adornments beyond a small posy of daisies tied to the string closure of the flaps. I look to Kai for confirmation this is indeed our tent.

“I didn’t know what kind of decorations you would like. I thought maybe you could use your earth magic and spruce it up a bit?”

He gives me a hopeful look and I return it with a wide smile.

“I suppose I could give it a little sprucing up.”

Kneeling on the ground I press my fingers into the soil and take a long deep breath. The earth below responds, and I can hear and feel the plants and trees around us. This deep in the forest there aren’t many varieties of flowers, mainly shrubbery and green leafy things. I pluck one of the daisies from the posy and stick its stem into the ground next to my hand. Immediately I reach out and connect to the flower. It was freshly cut yesterday and is still vibrant, easy to control.

With less conscious thought and more will, I force the flower to root and grow, sprouting more and more blooms as the vines grow up the side of the canvas and cling to every available protrusion. Within minutes there’s a cacophony of daisies framing the exterior entrance of our tent.

“It’s perfect.”

Kai’s whispered words pull my attention back to him. He’s looking at me with unconcealed craving.

“Why don’t we take a look at the inside? Maybe test out the bed and sheets?” he suggests not so innocently.

Although I would very much like to snuggle into whatever bed is inside the tent, I am way too nervous for naked time just yet. So, I ignore his offer to test out the bed but do open the flaps and step inside.

The interior is far more festive and colorful than the exterior. Lush, patterned carpets line the entire space, overlapping in some areas to completely cover any dirt or grass. Personally, I would like grass in my tent but it’s probably more for keeping the space clean and to not track dirt into the bed. I like dirt but even I like to sleep in a dirt-free bed.

Speaking of the bed, it’s not so much a bed as a giant floor pillow. Like a huge cushion large enough for two people to sleep on comfortably, covered with multicolored pillows and blankets thick enough to cocoon in. A small wood burning stove sits dead center with a tube chimney stretching towards the hole at the center of the tent roof, a pile of precisely cut wood laid to one side of the space. There’s even a low table with floor cushions for eating at.

The entire interior reminds me of the inside of a genie’s bottle, and I kind of like it. I really have been missing out all these years. Even if all I did for the entire event was curl up in the pillow bed with a few good books, a bag of trail mix, and a crackling fire, it would have been worth attending.

“Wow. This is amazing. You set all this up?”

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