Page 43 of Heir of the Autumn Queen

When I got back from Pearl’s the other day, I tried to save the clothes that were ripped and bloodied, but it was no use. I threw them out, grateful that she gave me another pair of clothes to replace them, which have proven to be the most comfortable pants and tunic I’ve ever owned.

Not wanting to wait around all afternoon for Finn to show up, I decide to walk down to Pearl’s shop to look in on Leo and make sure he’s still doing okay, and thank Pearl again for the dress. I leave Shadow in her stall this time and walk the mile or so through town to the seamstress, elated to find Leo playing in front of the shop with a little girl, both of them completely unbothered by the fact that they’re covered in mud, as only little children can be. I smile to myself and head inside, the bell tolling above the door and notifying Pearl of a patron.

“I’ll be with you in a moment,” her voice calls out from the back room, and I stand near the door, taking in her current projects on the different dummies around the store, once again blown away by her skill with a needle. Pearl emerges from the back room and her face lights up upon seeing me.“Auri!”

“Hi, Pearl.” I smile as she comes over and gathers me into a hug. I embrace the warm gesture, some of the tension from yesterday melting away at her maternal touch. Even though she can’t be much older than me, I find her presence extremely motherly, and her hug fills a fraction of the gaping hole in my heart left there by the absence of my own mother.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” she asks, still smiling at me brightly.

“I’ll be leaving town tomorrow and just wanted to check in on Leo,” I tell her.“And to say thank you again for the dress. I actually got to wear it last night, and it was perfect.” I leave out the part about the prince's unwanted attention, knowing that the dress had nothing to do with Xavier’s abhorrent behavior.

“Leo is doing well, thanks to you,” she says, looking out the shop window at her son.“Dafina truly brought you to me in my hour of need.”

I follow her gaze and observe her son, still astounded that the accident seems to never have happened. Before I can make a quick exit, she offers me some tea, and I don’t refuse. We sit in the main room and chat as we sip our tea and she sews, telling me about her life here. Her husband is a carpenter, currently working on building another school on the south side of Elsreth; they’re hoping to have the building completed by the time winter makes her chilly debut, so he’s been working more than usual to meet the deadline.

Watching Leo play with the other child in the street, I can’t help but wonder if he has any siblings. Most working-class townspeople have a house full of young ones.“Is Leo an only child?”

Pearl’s face flickers with sadness, and I fear I may have overstepped.“Leo is actually my sister’s son. She died in childbirth, and Leo’s father was never present, so we took him in. I am unable to bear children of my own, but we love Leo as if he is our own flesh and blood.”

My heart constricts as I think of my godparents and the love they have for me, even though I’m not their biological daughter.“It’s obvious that Leo is well-loved.” I offer her a warm smile.“But if you don’t mind my asking… Does he know about his birth mother and father?”

“He does not,” she answers shortly, and I can tell I’ve hit a sore spot. I should know; the truth about my own parentage set me on this path.

“I recently found out that the people who raised me were my godparents, and that my mother was killed shortly after I was born. It was a shock to find out that I had been lied to my entire childhood…” I tell her, and her expression softens slightly.“So if I have one piece of advice, it would be to tell Leo the truth, no matter how painful it is. The longer you wait, the harder it will be.”

She nods thoughtfully and wipes a tear away.“I’ve always wanted to tell him about his mother… She was my best friend, and I never had much time to mourn her death. Perhaps you’re right; perhaps telling Leo about her will be healing for us both.”

“You’re very brave.” I smile at her, knowing how frightened she must be at the idea of revealing the truth to Leo. After all, my own godparents were too afraid to be honest with me.

We sit in silence for a moment before I finish my tea and stand up. We say our final goodbyes, and I walk back to the inn, relieved that Leo is healthy, and will hopefully live a long, full life. I think about what Pearl said about Dafina having a hand in our meeting, and I wonder if she’s right. No one really knows what the gods are up to these days, besides resting and generally taking a break from the exhausting nature of the human species. Nor has anyone been to the Isle of the Gods, and it’s been millennia since they retired there. I don’t doubt that they exist, but it does feel like a stretch to say that Dafina, or any of the other gods and goddesses would be directly involved in anything having to do with my insignificant life.

Once back at the inn, I open the door to my room and head over to the bed, sitting down on the soft mattress to remove my boots. I’m about to lay back on the bed when a voice startles me from the chair facing the fireplace.

“What took you so long, Trouble?” Finn stands and turns to face me, as if it’s completely normal that he’s been waiting for me in my private room, which he most definitely doesnothave a key to. His wings are tucked away under his cloak, but he still looks intimidatingly beautiful.

“Kozbi’s chaos, Finn. How did you get in here?" I glare at him and place a hand over my now-thundering heart.

“I told you I’d be back. You mean to tell me you haven’t just been waiting for me to arrive all day?” His unfairly handsome face makes it hard to focus on staying mad.

“I do have a life, you know.” I roll my eyes at his suggestion that I have nothing better to do with my time than wait around for him.

“Is that so?” Finn asks, walking towards me slowly, his steps silent, his gaze unwavering.

“Yes.” My breath quickens as my body longs for his touch.

“And how about now?” he asks, finally standing in front of me, his familiar scent washing over me like the tide.“Do you have anything to do?”

I shake my head no and look up at him, seeing the heat in his stare.

“Excellent.” He leans down and kisses me tentatively, as if he’s afraid he’ll trigger the memory of Xavier again. I practically jump into his arms, trying to show him with my body that the prince of the Spring Kingdom is the last person on my mind right now. Finn lets out a low growl and walks me backward until my legs hit the bed. He lays me down, hovering over me as our lips remain connected. I reach up and pull his hips down onto mine, needing to feel more of him on me. At some point between when I first saw him and now, he shed his cloak without my noticing, and his wings flare widely in reflex as he kisses me deeper before moving his mouth to my neck.

Finn licks my jaw, eliciting a moaning sound from me I’ve never made before. He chuckles, the deep reverberations making lightning zip all over my skin. My only response is tangling my hands in his soft black waves as he continues to tickle my neck with his lips and tongue. He moves down my neck further and bites my collarbone softly, causing my hips to buck up into his, making me ache for any kind of friction between my thighs.

“Finn,” I say breathlessly. He smiles against my skin with a low hum as he kisses down further, toward my breasts. I move his hand from my waist to my breast, maddeningly curious about what his touch feels like there. He understands my not-so-subtle plea and moves his hand underneath my shirt, finding my taut nipple. He rubs his thumb over the stiff peak and my breath hitches, the sensation so powerful it’s almost unbearable. Sensing that I need more, he pushes my shirt up, exposing my curves as he drinks in the sight of my exposed breasts. His indigo eyes shimmer brightly with lust before he looks up and meets my gaze as he licks my nipple, causing my back to arch off the mattress. I throw my head back as he sucks my nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue playfully in a circle. I clench my thighs together, desperate for any kind of pressure down there as my core becomes slick with longing.

Finn reaches down with a hand while continuing to play with my breasts and rubs his fingers on my center over my pants. That sensation alone has me shaking as my body builds towards release. It’s a familiar feeling, but one that has only ever been achieved by my own hand. I reach down and undo the ties at my waist, squirming under him as I try desperately to get my pants off my hips.

Finn laughs, his warm breath making goosebumps break out over my skin.“What’s the rush, Trouble?”

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