Chapter Fifty-Three
The grove had lingered in Avery’s mind like a dream — blood lilies swaying in the breeze, their petals catching the light like flame. She’d walked back through the forest with Lucien, her fingers brushing his every so often, her heart still full from the discovery.
But when they reached the pool deck, the sun warming their skin and the scent of salt and fruit drifting on the breeze, Avery paused.
“Wait,” she said, scanning the lounge chairs. “Where’s Riven?”
Lucien glanced around, then smiled faintly. “He had something to finish.”
Avery turned to him, brows raised. “Finish?”
Lucien leaned in, brushing a kiss to her temple. “He’ll explain. But it’s for you.”
Back in the grove, Riven crouched low, his fingers brushing the soil with reverence. He’d marked the perimeter with small stones and a thread of his own magic — a quiet claim, not of ownership, but of protection.
He closed his eyes and sent the mindlink pulse, sharp and clear:
Marked the grove. Need extraction. Send to greenhouse. Monthly delivery. For her.
Kael’s reply came first, warm and amused:
You romantic sap. On it.
Lucien followed a beat later:
She’ll love it. You know she will.
Riven stood, brushing dirt from his hands, and took one last look at the lilies. They glowed faintly in the afternoon light, as if they knew they’d been chosen.
By the time he returned to the pool, Avery was stretched out beside Molly, her sunglasses perched on her nose, her fingers absently tracing the mark on her wrist. Lucien sat nearby, sipping something cold, his eyes tracking Riven’s approach.
Avery sat up when she saw him, her smile immediate. “Where did you go?”
Riven leaned down, kissed her cheek, and whispered, “To make sure you get a piece of the grove. Every month. Delivered to you.”
Her breath caught. “You didn’t.”
“I did,” he said simply. “Because you deserve to see something wild and beautiful — even when we’re not in the forest.”
Avery reached for his hand, pulling him down beside her. “You’re ridiculous.”
Riven grinned. “You love it.”
She did. And as the sun dipped lower, casting golden light across the water, she leaned into him, her heart blooming like the lilies he’d claimed in her name.
While Avery had been wandering through ancient groves and magical springs, Molly had been busy making magic of her own.
She and Kael had spent the morning poolside, wrapped in sun and quiet affection. At some point between shared fruit and whispered teasing, Molly had leaned into him and murmured, “We should do something special. For all of us.”
Kael’s smile had been slow and sure. “What are you thinking?”
“A private dinner. On the beach. Just us. Romance. Candlelight. The works.”
Kael had nodded, already reaching for his phone. “I’ll handle the boys. You distract Avery.”
An hour later, Molly stood beside Avery in the resort’s boutique, casually flipping through racks of dresses while Kael gave Lucien and Riven the signal. Her glance was brief but unmistakable: Go. Set it up. I’ve got her.
Avery was still glowing from the forest trek, her skin kissed by sunlight, her eyes bright with wonder. Molly nudged her toward a rack near the back, where the fabrics shimmered like water.
“This one,” Molly said, pulling out a deep emerald sheath with a plunging neckline and a slit that promised drama. “Try it.”
Avery raised a brow. “That’s… bold.”
Molly grinned. “You’re bonded to four people. You’re allowed to be bold.”
In the fitting room, Avery slipped into the dress and stared at herself in the mirror. The fabric clung in all the right places, flowing like liquid around her legs, the color making her marks glow faintly against her skin.
She stepped out, and Molly let out a low whistle. “Okay, you’re buying that. No arguments.”
Avery laughed. “Only if you get one too.”
Molly held up a shorter version — same color, same flow, but with a playful hemline and a back that dipped scandalously low. “Already decided.”
By the time they returned to the suite, the boys were gone — supposedly “handling something.” Molly played it cool, tossing her bag on the bed and suggesting a quick shower before dinner.
Avery didn’t suspect a thing.
Meanwhile, down on the private beach, the staff had transformed the shoreline into something out of a dream.
A long table draped in ivory linen sat beneath a canopy of twinkling lights. Candles flickered in glass lanterns, casting soft shadows across the sand. Cushioned chairs, chilled wine, and a menu tailored to their favorite flavors waited.
Lucien oversaw the final touches, adjusting the placement of the roses Riven had requested. Kael stood back, arms crossed, watching the scene with quiet satisfaction.
“She’s going to love this,” Riven said.
Lucien nodded. “They all will.”