The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert novel Chapter 20

20. Breaking Balls

Savvy tensed as her head snapped in the direction of an enormous lycan walking out of the door in front of them. Tall, with longish ginger hair and a short beard, he was a beast of a man. Bigger than Kai and Lachlan put together. So big that Savvy wondered in her mind where he purchased clothes his size because his jeans and red black flannel shirt were fitting him perfectly. It must have been a special order.

“Aspen, old mutt!” Kai chuckled at the stranger, and Savvy relaxed instantly. So, it wasn’t a dangerous situation of any kind. “Still can’t get over your loss last time? Mind your mouth today, though. I brought a lady to this gods’ forsaken place.”

“Fenrir with you,” the giant let out a chesty laugh. “And I thought you were a king who could afford to take women to a decent restaurant! How cheap are you to bring the lady here?!”

“Maybe I am just not that special to him,” Savvy offered, cockily deciding to rub salt in the wound. Immediately Kai’s hand wrapped around her waist possessively.

“We’ll see about that one,” Aspen’s eyes traced his movement, and a discerning smile appeared on his face. “Well, don’t just stand there! Come inside!”

The three of them walked into the spacious but cosy pub. It was decorated according to the best northern traditions, and a white bear’s head on the wall did not escape Savvy‘s eyes. No wonder they never liked each other with the lycans.

The entrance hall to the pub was painted with white and blue traditional northern patterns, while the fireplace welcomed them with a crackling fire and the comforting light of the flame. There were a few private cabins on the left with soft leather seats, a bar with light-coloured wooden tables, and high stools with windows running along one wall for their customers to enjoy

a picturesque view of the forest. Although, at the moment, they could only see the darkness of the night.

The chatter and laughter of the customers created a lovely atmosphere, and an old song was playing from the speakers.

At the very back of the establishment, Savannah noticed a pool table, but Aspen guided them the opposite way.

“I guess today you are taking the cabin,” he stated as he winked at the northern king.

“Yes, please.” Kai nodded in agreement and nudged Savvy slightly to follow the big man. He led them to a cabin hidden from everyone else and handed them their menus.

“No need for those.” The king shook his head. “We’ll have two rabbit liver pies.”

He winked at her as she stared at him in shock before quickly regaining her composure and looking at Aspen with a grin.

“Those are for him. And I’ll have your Special Burger!”

“Burned!” Aspen whispered so loudly that probably everyone in the building heard him. ” must warn you that it’s a huge burger, though.”

“Good!” Savvy nodded. “I am starving! Add a coke with some fries to that.”

“I’ll have the same then,” Kai chuckled.

“What, no rabbit liver today?” his companion questioned, arching her brow playfully, as he admitted defeat by lifting his hands in the air. The pie wasn’t his favourite either.

“I was just trying to introduce you to a taste of northern food.” He pretended not to care, crossing his hands on his chest and looking away.

“Hey, Aspen,” Savvy looked up at the lycan, who was watching the two of them with amusement and asked. “Are you a northerner?”

“Born and bred.” He hit himself on the chest with pride. “Who will be cooking these burgers?” she asked innocently.

“For him, some intern in my kitchen. For you, I will do everything myself!” The giant snorted, and they heard Kai growl a warning.

“See?” Savannah rolled her eyes, “I still have northern food made by the best the North has to offer!”

Aspen disappeared into the kitchen, and for the first time, they found themselves alone… Neither of them knew what to say

“This is probably not what you imagined?” He tapped his fingers over the wooden surface of the table.

“I never imagined us having a date at all,” she admitted softly. “Here or anywhere else.”

“I imagined it since the moment I met you, but it was today that I knew I’d be taking you here.”

“Is this a special place to you?” Savvy decided not to beat around the bush.

“Look here,” he took her tiny palm in his and moved it to the corner of the table, letting her feel the carvings on the edge. With her delicate fingers, the girl slid closer and traced the pattern engraved with what she surmised was probably a claw.

Harold + Ronja – Kai

She stared at the carving for a while with her lips parted before bringing herself to look at him again.

“You came here with your parents?” Savannah guessed correctly.

“Sometimes.” The king found, for some odd reason, that he wanted to share this memory with her. “We would come here to … to feel normal, I guess. It worked each time. Here, my mother and father weren’t the King and the Queen. They were just a husband and wife. This is why! thought it would be a perfect place for ….”

“For the gardener and the maid,” Savvy chuckled. “Is it not?” Kai raised his brow questioningly. “I think it is,” she agreed, a little smile dancing on her lips. “Tell me more.”

And he did, not sparing the smallest detail, even some of the most embarrassing stories of his childhood. He made Savannah laugh, and to him, it was priceless.

“No way!” She giggled as he told her the story of him running away from his house when he was little but not quite making it past the bridge before his father’s Beta caught him. He delivered him here to his parents, who probably were trying to have a normal date for once, to no avail. The previous king was so pissed.

“You should have seen the look on his face!” He tried to mimic his father’s expression, “This little brat again! Aspen and Celia were here too, watching the whole scene from the backroom, Their Dad was one of the strongest warriors and ….”

“Wait!” Savvy choked. “Is Aspen Celia’s brother?!” “Yeah,” Kai replied matter-of-factly, unaware of the problem. “Celia’s brother is making me food?” The girl’s eyes grew wide.

“Is my sister creating trouble for you?” Aspen reappeared, wearing an apron, and carrying two plates in his large hands, placing them on the table.

“Well…” Savvy cleared her throat uncomfortably, hoping that he hadn’t tried to poison her food and forced a smile.

“Of course she does!” the giant sighed. “Ever since she became friends with Penelope, she has been like that!”

“She is not that bad,” the princess lied, and Aspen towered over her.

“If she does something again, tell her this,” he leaned all the way to her ear and whispered something that Kai couldn’t hear.’

The Northern King didn’t like the two being so close to each other. He did not like it at all. “Thanks for your help, Buddy!” he snarled at his friend. “I think we can take it from here.” “Thank you, Aspen,” Savannah grinned, “you are the best northerner I have ever met!” “And you are.” The big guy began to say something, but this time Kai growled loudly. “Bye, Aspen!”

“Northern gardeners sure are temperamental!” Savvy let out a little laugh and took her burger in her hands.

They ate, and they talked, teasing each other as usual. However, it felt so natural and so comforting for both of them. As if this was how it was supposed to be.

“Shall we play pool?” Kai suggested, and Savannah pierced him with her gaze. “I am not sure how” She bit her lip and looked at him through her long lashes.

“I’ll teach you!” He promised eagerly and took her hand, pulling her toward the game table. “It’s not as easy as it looks, but, luckily for you, I am a great teacher.”

“Be careful with that one!” Aspen grunted as they passed the bar area. “He cheats!”

“Not true!” Kai sounded offended, but it was clear that all this was just a joke to him. “It’s just that you are a sore loser looking for excuses!”

He started explaining the game’s rules to her, clearly excited while placing all the balls into a wooden triangle. The “little maid” watched him and nodded as he explained every single detail, her fingers brushing over the wooden cue in her hand, drawing his attention each time.

“I think I’ve got it!” She smiled when he was done.

“Come on then,” he stepped behind her, pressing his hard body into hers. “I’ll help you to break the balls.”

“That’s so sweet of you,” she chirped and leaned forward, taking position and aiming at the cue ball.

“Like that,” Kai gently bent over her, his breath tickling her ear, hands over hers. He showed

her how to move the cue and then pointed at the shiny white ball. “Hit that one, and if you manage to legally pocket one of your balls, it will be your turn again.”

“Uhm,” Savvy licked her lips, and even though he did not see it, the sound alone made him gulp. “I’ll try. Do I do it like that?”

She hit the cue ball with precise strength and aiming, doing a clean breaking and pocketing one of her balls along the way.

He walked around her and noticed the sly look on her face, a smirk curling her lips. “You know how to play,” he stated, feeling dumb.

“Only a little,” Savannah paid him no attention, aiming to pocket the next ball and doing so brilliantly. “We call it billiard.”

She was crushing all his hopes one by one, pocketing ball, after ball, after ball. When she finally missed, he managed to pocket a couple as well. When he was about to repeat his shot, she appeared at his side, leaning closely just like he had done earlier to her.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered, “I am only trying to teach you.”

Her fingers brushed gently over the bare skin on his hands, and he instantly missed, making her chuckle.

“That was cheating!” He grunted.

“Or maybe you are a sore loser looking for excuses!” Aspen burst out laughing, all while Savannah pocketed her last ball.

“I won!” she announced and jumped onto the table, shaking her shoulders in a little impromptu victory dance.

“She is a keeper!” Aspen snorted and went back to the kitchen. Kai watched her, so happy and daring, knowing he wouldn’t want it any other way.

Savannah didn’t even notice how he trapped her between the table and himself. She froze, not knowing what he was about to do. His lips curved cunningly like a predator toying with a prey.

He leaned forward, their foreheads touching and noses brushing over each other.

“You are magnificent, Little Maid.” The smile on his face was catching, and soon the girl found herself grinning back.

“And you don’t read people too well,” she snorted, trying to break the romantic mood that suddenly overwhelmed and scared her.

“Since you won, you deserve a little treat.” He grasped her by her waist and took her off the table, gently placing her back on the floor as if she was made out of the finest porcelain, “Let’s

go!”

Savannah chose not to argue. She also remained quiet when he laced his fingers with hers.

It was terrifying to start trusting a man again, but with him. With him, it was different

They sat back on the motorbike, and Kai drove off while Savvy hugged him, much tighter this time, placing her head on his back.

He loved feeling her body so close to his. It was undeniable that he was falling for Savannah Stormhold. Falling for her badly …

The king brought her to the top of one of the highest hills, parking his bike there. Savvy tried to get off as quickly as possible, twisting her foot in her high-heeled shoes during the attempt, but luckily he caught her just in time.

“Careful!” He smiled, holding her with one arm while removing his helmet with the other. Then he helped her stabilise herself and took off her helmet as well, watching how her shiny hair tumbled over her shoulders. She looked so tiny in his huge leather jacket, but he knew not to let this fool him. This girl was a force to be reckoned with.

“Come,” he took her hand, and she obeyed, following his lead. “I think you are going to like this view.”

They stepped close to the edge of the hill, and Savvy gasped in awe, seeing the entire capital city beneath them, the lights glittering in the dark night. She saw the castle they came from and the mountains with the woods that surrounded it.

“It’s so beautiful,” she breathed out.

“I know,” he said, and she turned to look at him, catching him staring at her and not at their surroundings.

He took her in his arms, but to her surprise, he just pulled her down and onto his lap, sitting himself comfortably on the grass and helping her lean against his chest for comfort.

“You know, this is another one of my secret places,” Kai admitted. “Somehow, you make me want to show them all to you.”

“Well, you will not hear me complaining. I love it here.”

Finally. Kai was so close to her that he could place his nose into her hair and inhale deeply The scent of bluebells haunted him from the first day he smelled it.

“I come here when I am on a run.” He wanted to share more with her. “I also like to come here for the First Snow.”

Savannah knew about this tradition thanks to the History contest. The First Snow was very important in the North. It was a special holiday that took its roots in the old days. When the Harvest was done, and Winter was starting, the northerners celebrated the end of the working season. Sacrifices were made to Fenrir to ask him for mercy during the following harsh months when hunting was more difficult. However, the most important association was that it often was the beginning of their wedding season. Couples were proclaiming their love for each other and getting married. It was considered good luck for a couple in love to greet the first snow together.

Since then, a lot has changed, of course. Nevertheless, the importance of the First Snow stayed

For a second there, Savvy got caught up with the romance of it all and found herself trying to see if any snowflakes were falling from the sky. How stupid was that?

She shivered, and the handsome man embracing her immediately turned her to face him.

“Are you cold?” He asked, and she nodded without saying a word. “Maybe it will be best to get back?” Their eyes locked, and for a few seconds, they just looked at each other, only stars

ut it

.

illuminating them in the darkest hour of the night. Kai’s eyes glowed blue as Asgard tried to fight for control. Savannah sucked in a breath, her eyes shining with golden light as Athena attempted to do the same.

“Wolves,” Kai muttered sarcastically, bringing himself closer to her. “Stupid wolves,” she agreed, her lips gently touching his.

“It’s unhealthy to fight them,” he slid his hand into her hair, pulling her towards himself so that there wasn’t an inch between them.

“Agreed,” she let herself be enveloped in his warmth and passion. He tried to be gentle at first, holding himself back as his lips covered hers. But with each stroke of their tongues against each other, his grip on her was getting tighter. Savvy found herself breathing heavily as she grasped his hair in the heat of the moment. She tugged it, making him growl, and he started to devour her possessively, greedily, as if she was the last drop of water and he had been wandering

through a desert for years.

“We need to stop,” she mumbled, her breathing ragged, her eyes held no conviction in following through her words. :

“Yeah,” Kai agreed, kissing her neck and removing his jacket off her shoulders for more access.

They were both mad, and neither of them was going to fight it.

“Savannah,” he snarled into her mouth and claimed it again, getting a much-desired moan from her this time.

She wanted to claw his t-shirt off him, and he did not seem to mind. But the nearby sound of a loud howl stopped them.

Savvy wanted to continue, but Kai got tense, pressing her closer and covering her mouth with his finger for a moment.’

“Sh*t,” he swore under his breath. “Savvy, we need to go.” She wasn’t an j***t and knew that if he told her that, then it was serious. “It’s not one of your men, is it?” She asked him bluntly as they rushed to the bike.

“I don’t think so,” Kai admitted. “I don’t want to push my luck while you are with me. We’d better get back.”

“I can fight,” she told him dryly, putting the helmet back on. “I know,” he smiled, doing the same. “But I don’t want you to have to fight.”

They drove off quickly and were speeding over the road they used to come here. The howls were getting closer and closer, and Savannah could swear she heard a couple of roars too. This wasn’t good.

At least they were together.

Right about the time that thought crossed her mind, a huge brown wolf jumped out of the bushes, knocking them both off the motorbike.

Savvy rolled over her head and found herself falling down a steep hill. Down, down, down … Until darkness stole everything from her.