Page 88 of Whispers of the Elderoak

“Quinn and Casimir act cold but they really aren’t. Quinn’s very protective and wary.”

“And what about Casimir?”

Kai laughed quietly. “He’s loyal to a fault. He’ll do anything to protect those he loves, even put himself in danger.” Kai cleaned out another wound. “He can be gruff sometimes though.”

“You don’t say.” She smiled. “And the king?”

“He has a big heart, though he comes off as harsh. Protecting Monterre is his top priority. Just be yourself,” he said. “And maybe don’t threaten him again. He doesn’t tolerate that well.”

“You heard about that?”

Kai laughed. “Word travels fast.”

“Wonderful,” she huffed.

Keeping the conversation going, Kai asked, “How did you get to Eorhan?”

“I’m not ready to talk about it,” she said, gazing off toward the balcony as her mind went to Eleanor. She tried focusing on the little birds buzzing about each flower to ground herself and stave off the anxiety. A trick her mother taught her whenever her fears attempted to take over.

“Pick an object in the room, Little Bird,”she’d say. “Focus on what it looks like. Focus on the rest of your senses too. What do you smell? What do you hear?”

So Ava did. Watching the hummingbirds and listening to the buzz of insects searching for their meal among the flowershelped her refocus and calm her beating heart. She inhaled the floral notes of the tea as she tasted its honey-like flavor.

Ivy still dozed on the floor, an ever-calming presence in the room, as Kai finished cleaning the last wound. “You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to,” he replied. “Just know I’m willing to listen, should you need an ear. Not all healing is physical. Eventually, you’ll have to talk about the things you’ve been through.”

She remained silent as she mulled over his words. Like with her mother’s death, she knew she was shoving down the events of the last few weeks. Her betrayal, her torture. Being lost in a city with people she didn’t know. Eleanor’s death. But she wasn’t ready yet; needed more time before she processed. She’d never been any good at talking about her traumas, leaning more toward withdrawal and silence. When her mother died, she’d just thrown herself deeper into work, trying not to think about the giant hole in her heart.

“Now, I need to extract the poison. This is the part that will hurt. A lot,” he said, placing his hands on her leg. “Take another sip of tea before we begin.”

Ava gulped more tea before setting the cup down on the table within arm’s reach. Taking a deep breath, she grasped the blankets. “I’m ready.”

Kai closed his eyes and Ava nearly passed out from the pain, a scream leaving her lips, her ability to silence herself gone.

Casimir loungedin his bathtub with his eyes closed, done washing but relishing in the warmth as it soothed his aching muscles. His body was littered with scars from years of battles and training, but it didn’t bother him. They felt like badges of courage, as if he had proven to himself he was not a coward.

It was now quiet after several minutes of Ava’s screams resounding throughout the suite. He knew how painful the poison extraction was. He could barely suppress his own scream when he was bitten and couldn’t begin to imagine how painful it must be for a human.

He rose from the tub, water dripping down his muscled body, grabbed a towel and dried off before heading to the wardrobe in his bedroom. His bedroom mirrored Ava’s, but while hers was clean and free of dust, his was a disaster. It wasn’t technically dirty, the housekeeping staff cleaned, dusted and made his bed daily, but it was messy. Books and papers were strewn about, covering the surface of his desk and there was a large worktable in the corner where he whittled his wooden figurines. Wood shavings littered the table and every tool imaginable sat in piles, while his creations decorated his room. Birds, deer, rabbits, and other creatures of the forest added a whimsical touch to the space.

He donned a casual pair of brown trousers and a white tunic, leaving his feet bare. After combing his damp hair, he went into the living room in search of a book. It was getting late and, exhausted, he planned on reading for the rest of the evening until he decided to go to bed.

The door to the suite opened and Cirilla entered with a tray of food. She was flustered, hurrying through the suite.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Cirilla had been his attendant for years and while she was amiable, she had a no-nonsense way about her he admired. It reminded him a little of his mother.

“I’m sorry general, but I’ve been requested to help in another suite. It seems one of the attendants issick,” she replied, irritated.

“I’ll take it. You go help them.”

She handed him the tray, bowed her head and left,grumbling about lazy staff and their unwillingness to work when they felt the least bit tired.

Balancing the tray on one arm, he opened the door and walked into Ava’s room. He made it not even four steps in before he froze, locking eyes with her. She was lying on her stomach, completely nude save for the blanket covering her from the waist down, and her sea glass green eyes were filled with tears. His eyes moved to her pale back, where he saw countless wounds that looked as though she had been whipped and her ribcage was more visible than it should have been, evident she had been starved during her imprisonment.

“I… uh… sorry,” he stammered, making eye contact again.

Kai looked up. “Hey, Cas. You can put the tray over there.” And nodded to the side table next to Ava’s bed.

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