Chapter Eighty-Three

“I’m sorry, what?” Ellie had a hard time processing his words as he began to untie his pants.

“This place is where the Earth Goddess became one with the Earth,” he repeated slowly. His pants fell fully to the ground and he stepped out of them. Avery smirked as Ellie’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of his member, making her blush. “Come.” He held out a hand and waited patiently for Ellie to join him. Her eyes snapped up to his, and he was pleased to see her defiant spark in them – he loved seeing it.

“We’re not doing anything,” she said flatly, crossing her arms. “Nice try, though.”

“That was never my intention,” he said sincerely. She studied his face intently before finally stepping forward and taking his hand.

Ellie allowed him to turn her around so that he could begin unlacing the back of her dress.

“So, tell me why you think this is where the Earth Goddess became one with the Earth,” she said distractedly as his fingers brushed deftly against her skin.

“The entirety of this realm is magical, but this place… *this* place somehow feels different. You can’t tell me you haven’t felt it.”

“That’s true,” Ellie muttered. “But why would you think that this particular spot is where She became one with the Earth?” she asked, shivering slightly as Avery placed his large, warm hands on her shoulders. She felt her dress slide down her body before he brushed past her, grabbing her hand as he went. He brought her to the edge of one of the hot springs and stood there for a moment, his toes just touching the hot water.

“It’s common knowledge that this land, though now cold and frozen, was once a tropical paradise. The Earth Goddess spent much of her time in this area until… well, until She sacrificed herself. But for several millennia, no one has been able to pinpoint exactly where She stayed or where She became one with the earth.

“I was fascinated with the old stories as a child, and I found myself constantly scouring the area for any sign of Her. I had just turned five hundred when I stumbled upon this cave by chance. I just knew that this had to be the place where She became one with the earth. The life in here is so very different from life anywhere I’ve ever been. This place contains an entirely different kind of magic...”

Avery took a step into the pool and Ellie followed without hesitation.

*Oh, this is amazing.* Ellie didn’t wait for him to lead her the rest of the way in. She waded eagerly into its clear depths, sighing happily as the hot water rose to her chest. She hadn’t realized how tense she was until the water began relaxing muscles she hadn't felt in ages. Avery waded over until he reached her, though the water was barely to his nipples.

“I take it that you are enjoying the hot spring,” he said with a chuckle. He replaced his hands on her shoulders and began gently massaging them. Ellie closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

“Oh, my God. This is heaven, isn’t it?” she asked. She moaned involuntarily as Avery worked out a particularly hard knot, but she was far too relaxed to even be embarrassed.

“Anywhere you are is heaven,” Avery said quietly. Ellie laughed and turned around, splashing him with water.

“You fucking walnut. That was the corniest thing I have ever heard.” The tips of his pointed ears became very red, and Ellie couldn’t stop herself from giggling. “But it was very sweet,” she added, wrapping her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands lightly skimming across a stomach roll that she used to hate, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

They held each other for a while, Ellie gently playing with the tips of his ears, Avery stroking her sides tenderly. She pressed her head to his chest and listened to the steady beating of his heart. The past couple of months had been difficult for them both, and they hadn’t spent much time together since they left the Pale Seas.

Avery had been by her side, sure, but he’d seemed to be holding himself back. He kept their physical contact to a minimal, going so far as to sleep on the floor instead of in the bed with her. She knew he’d been doing it because he’d been afraid of hurting her, but she missed his touch, the feel of his body against hers. It wasn’t about the sex or fooling around, she just needed his warmth to reassure her that everything would be okay.

“I’ve missed you,” she whispered, voice barely audible over the bubbling springs. Avery stiffened in her arms and sighed heavily. He leaned back to look into her eyes, resting a hand on her cheek.

“I’m sorry, Ellie. I was just so afraid of losing you that it drove me crazy.”

“I know. But when I’m struggling like that, I need you. I feel so safe when I’m with you, so strong. Being apart has made me feel so…” she couldn’t think of the right word, but she didn’t need to say it. Avery ran a thumb over her lips, his violet eyes becoming watery.

“I’m sorry. I promise I’ll never do anything like that again. I love you so much, Ellie. You are my world, now – I hope you know that.”

She smiled and settled back against his chest. No further words were needed between them. She knew they still had a difficult path ahead, but she was more confident now than ever that she would be okay – that they would be okay.

“Come. Let me pamper you the way you deserve.” Avery brought her to a different edge of the pool where she could relax while he resumed her massage. Ellie closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, letting Avery’s fingers work on loosening her tense muscles.

*There’s no going back to the Human Realm. This place *– this man – *is my home now*, she thought happily. Though there were still danger, she knew that they would be alright so long as they had each other. The Master and Mistress could do whatever they wanted, now. Nothing would stop her from keeping this little piece of heaven that she'd found.

Happy Holidays! Stay safe and warm :)