Page 88 of Fae Farewells

I scrunched my face. “Have fun with the mess. Just push the bodies into the void.”

Palmer rubbed his jaw. “It’s not a garbage shoot, Love. Grim is going to yell at you again.”

“We’ll blame it on Stone,” I whispered conspiratorially.

Saturday, June 20th

Morning

Vaughn misted me to one of the most beautiful places I’d seen in all the realms. Although he called it a cove, I wanted to disagree. It wasn’t attached to an ocean, but it was the main focus of a massive lake.

The ground split into tiers, each holding shallow pools. A thin natural walkway led to the sandy shores and the trails, where dozens of small waterfalls cascaded over a mossy rock formation.

Trees had sporadically grown in and between the pools. Stubborn ferns littered the crevices between the rocks. The air smelled like the inspiration for a candle, all tangy earth scents with hints of sweet blooms and a distinct, musky, manly undertone.

The water was so clear, I could see the pastel fish schooled together below the surface. Vaughn dragged me to a flat area where the grass led all the way into the water, flowing softly with the current.

“This is the cove my father used to take us to,” Vaughn told me, smiling as he glanced at the sky.

“It’s gorgeous,” I whispered. “But what do we need to do here?”

“I don’t know,” he replied, ruffling his hair. “He told me to bring you here, said there was something for you to find that would help us take back the kingdom.”

I nodded as I reached for the edge of my hoodie, pulling it over my head. Then I started on my shirt, making a pile of soiled clothing on the bank.

“What are you doing?” Vaughn asked, his icy blue eyes dancing in amusement.

“I can feel the heat from the water,” I answered, dipping my toes in. “I’m going to swim and wash this blood off. Are you coming with me? Or did you just want to watch?”

“Is both an option?”

I tilted my head, a grin rounding my cheeks, as I tried to be serious. “You can watch and come… But you can’t be an active participant with your clothes on.”

He sighed, but obliged me, reaching over his shoulder to strip his white t-shirt off. I trailed the tips of my fingers over the ridges of his chest, down his stomach to his abs, only stopping when I hit the top of his jeans. He playfully swatted my hand away.

“What was it we were looking for?” I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth as he popped the button open.

“I don’t know what we should be looking for.” He smirked. “But I highly doubt it’s my abs.”

“Best to check,” I murmured. “You never know what might pop up. But I wouldn’t worry about it—the thing we’re here for. I’m sure it’s around.”

He chuckled. “I’m not worried. I’m curious.”

“We’ll find it.” I shook my head, getting back on track. “Even if we don’t know what it is. It may take us some time, but the center of this pool gives us a different angle than the shore.”

“That’s true.”

I could feel his gaze on me as I walked into the water. When I couldn’t keep my shoulders above the surface, I turned, pushing off the bottom. I treaded water as I waited for him to follow. The corner of his mouth tipped upward, the slightest grin making me smile back before he joined me.

As we stopped in the center of the natural pool, he glanced around the rock walls and flowering trees. He scanned everything, spinning in a circle to take in all the views.

“Do you see what you’re looking for?” I asked, floating on my back until I bumped into his chest.

“I don’t know what—”

I splashed him. “Let’s relax for like twelve seconds, Vaughn. We’ll find it.”

“It would have been nice to know what it is…”