𝒜 𝒞𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝑅𝑒𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒮𝒸𝒶𝓇𝓈 | ᴀᴢʀɪᴇʟ

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Water sploshed around Arwen's legs, a great wave of white billowing out in her peripheral to match the one around her. Her knees buckled with the unexpected landing, her boot-clad feet twisting at the ankles.

She gasped, arms flapping around as the river water engulfed her. From beside her, Rhysand let out a similar noise, sploshing beside her. The ground underneath her was thick mud that sucked her feet down.

"I didn't mean it!" she cried out, praying he wouldn't push her under for winnowing them into the water. There was no response from him for a few moments as they both gathered their bearings, then, a hand wrapped around her elbow as Rhysand guided her to the bank.

Water poured from them, leaving puddles along the stony shore. His black tunic glistened and hung with the weight of being soaked, unevenly sticking in odd areas. Her own assortment of black breeches and top matched.

Rhysand flicked out his hands, beads of water cascading from them. Then he laughed, head tossed to the open, sapphire sky. "Now I remember why Father made me winnow one hundred times from one end of Velaris to the other in practice."

Arwen pointed in an eastern direction. "But I am close," she said. "The cabin is only... another half an hour's walk that way." After a moment of silence, she shot her lips into a grin if only to add to her demeanour of innocence in the ordeal and keep sway of his amusement in her favour.

He stuck his tongue to his cheek, rolling violets to see the back of his head and held out his hand. "I don't feel like walking." She took it, but nothing happened. Rhysand lifted a brow. "Aren't you going to winnow us closer?"

Arwen startled slightly, entirely expecting him to take charge. Her lips softened into a smile as she thought once more of their family's cabin and the world around sucked her body through the channel.

They reappeared closer, the cabin off to their right. She had aimed for a few feet away from the door, but Arwen was happy to call it a victory, nevertheless. The early summer's sun battled the partial chill of her now soaked attire, but before they reached the door, they turned dry with a flicker of her brother's magic.

"Here we are," he said, pushing the door open as he looked back down at her. "Safe and sound."

Arwen grinned back, tipping her head to her shoulder. "I'm practically a master of it already." The cabin's welcome came in a wave of cool air that sat just right on her skin. The windows were open, curtains pulled back to stream the midday light in.

They each fell into their respective positions of lounging, Arwen pulling a book from the shelf next to the unlit hearth and laying across the long seat whilst Rhysand made himself something to drink. It stayed like that until her small snack passed through her gut and she became ravenous again. Instead of requesting some domestic magic, Arwen headed to the kitchen and spent the next hour preparing lunch and an apple pie.

"What has Cassian so stressed?" she inquired as Rhysand wandered into the kitchen. Following his nose of course, as she tilted the skillet to keep the vegetables cooking evenly. "We're not going to have any food when we get home, I hope you've realised."

He fell into the high bench seat, lightly tapping both his hands. "He's stressed because everybody else is. Like an animal feeding off everybody else's emotions."

Though Arwen was glad there was nothing personal that was igniting such a state in him, it was little ease to still know that he still was subjected to the effects of stress. "This is a break for him too, isn't it?" she mused. "How many duties does he have this week?"

The knowing smile was all the confirmation she needed but he still said, "Just reviewing a few documents on some laws I intend to implement with the camps. A letter from Delvon to respond to as well, perhaps. If he gets bored. Mor has promised to supervise a night out at Rita's."