Kingdom of Ash

Elide didn’t look too long toward that
figure. She’d been unable to stomach it these
endless weeks. Unable to stomach him, or the
unbearable ache in her chest.
Elide frowned at Gavriel. “We should have
stopped for lunch.”
He jerked his chin to the worn bag sagging
against the wall. “There’s an apple in my
pack.”
Glancing toward the building rising above
them, Elide sighed and reached for the pack,
riffling through the spare clothes, rope,
weapons, and various supplies until she
yanked out the fat red-and-green apple. The
last of the many they’d plucked from an
orchard in a neighboring kingdom. Elide
wordlessly extended it to the Fae lord.
Gavriel arched a golden brow.
Elide mirrored the gesture. “I can hear your
stomach grumbling.”