He went still.
“You don't have to answer that,” I rushed to say. “I didn't mean to pry. I know we're just—”
“Just what?” Xae's tone went vicious.
I'd been about to say that we were just having sex, but I quickly altered it to, “Just getting to know each other. If it's too personal, I understand.”
Xae grunted, looked down, chewed a bite, then said, “My village was attacked. The Corrupted . . .” He looked up at me, then away.
Fuck. I knew what drove the other races to hunt humans, but I'd never let myself dwell on it. Never truly contemplated what could make people hunt other people. I'd always assumed the Ladrin were a violent race, all the clans, not just the wolves. But it wasn't their violent natures that had driven them to attack my village. It was fear.
“I'm so sorry,” I said. “Did they hurt anyone you loved?”
He swallowed and rubbed a hand over his face. “They killed my whole family. Most of my village. Only sixteen people survived. There weren't enough Wraith Lords back then.” He grunted and added, “There still aren't, but there are a lot more of us now.”
“Holy shit,” I whispered. “So you became a Wraith Lord to avenge your family?”
“And to protect other families.” He grimaced. “I know why my clan attacked your village. We were hurt, and a hurt animal lashes out. And it's not just the Wolf Clan or even Ladrin. A lot of immortals believe that if we wiped out the humans, the Corrupter could be easily defeated. He'd have no weapons to use against us beyond his own magic. But I don't agree with that, Ember. I would never condone killing someone to stop someone else.”
“I know, Xae. You're a good man.”
He grunted again and looked back at his food. “The Wraith Lords became my clan.”
I stared at his Wraith Lord pendant, the moonstone drawing the lantern light into its creamy depths. In the thick silver setting around it were carved symbols for Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. The moonstone itself was engraved with a W to represent the brotherhood of the Wraith Lords and wraith—Spirit. When Xae was summoned, the stone would shine and vibrate.
The thought made me frown. I didn't want him to be summoned. I didn't want him going out there to face the Corrupter. Not without me.
I made a soft sound of amazement.
“What?” Xae looked up.
“No, it's just . . . I just realized that you, all of you, are my clan too. I've never felt so at home before.”
He smiled softly, even tenderly, then smirked. “A good fucking will do that for you.”
“Asshole!” I tossed a roll at him.
He caught it, took a huge bite, and grinned as he chewed.
Then my stare returned to the pendant. “How does that thing work?”
“My Wraith Lord pendant?”
I nodded.
Xaedren shrugged. “Who the fuck knows? The Emperor enchants them.”
“The Emperor enchants every pendant?”
“Yup.”
“Wow.”
“Did you shit your pants when you met him?” he asked teasingly.
“Just about,” I said with a chuckle. “But he was so welcoming. He quickly put me at ease. Until he said that shit about it being me.”
“What being you?”
