Her finger jabbed into my chest again. “You should be thanking Jaxon for finding out the truth. Now, maybe you’ll have a chance of saving two realms instead of one.” Her finger jabbed into my chest one final time, and it took everything in my power not to reach out and grab her.
“I am grateful for the realm opening, but not for the reasons you think.” My voice was cold, each word measured. “The chance of Morgana breaking through or bringing someone with her was slim. But now, with the door open, she has an entire human army to back her, along with the witches. Who, by the way, feed on blood, and who your people will be defenseless against. Your friends and family will be caught in a war because of my brother's actions, and many of them are going to die. So—” I reached out, gripping her wrist firmly, and with a deliberate push, I sent her tumbling backward onto the bed.
Her eyes widened, and a flash of surprise crossed her expression as she landed on her back.
I leaned over her, my hands landing on either side of her face as a dark laugh escaped my lips. “Don’t be confused about who’s to blame here,” I growled, my teeth bared. Her eyes blazed with fiery defiance, and I pushed away, standing tall, as I looked down at her on the bed. “Save your breath,Princess. I’ll bring you your prince you so desperately desire,” I barked and stormed from the room, leaving my mate glaring after me with nothing but hate in her eyes.
Chapter 23
Zara
It had been four days since Xavier stormed out. Julian had set up another room for me down the hall that same day, a gesture that should have given me some relief—but instead, it only pissed me off more. I hadn’t seen Xavier or Jaxon since, and it stung more than I cared to admit.
Aria, however, had stormed from the castle the other night. Aria had launched into the air atop her griffin, flames dancing across her skin like a second layer of armor. The fire illuminated her against the night sky, and I watched her fiery figure disappear through the clouds. No one would tell me what had happened, but I knew she had seen Jaxon—spoken to him.
I had been told Jaxon was no longer in the dungeons, free to roam the castle. Yet no one could—or would—tell me where he was. If he was really free, why hadn’t he come to see me? Every time I asked someone to take me to him, they would shift uncomfortably, fumbling for excuses before hurrying off. It was infuriating.
I’d tried finding his room alone, but this castle was an endless maze of hallways and hidden corners. I had explored most of it by now, yet still hadn’t uncovered where Jaxon was. And with each failed attempt, my frustration only grew.
It hadn’t felt like much time had passed for me since that dreadful night with Morgana, mostly because I’d spent the better part of a week asleep, recovering. But for Jaxon… I wasn’t sure what he knew or what anyone had told him. Did he know I was safe? Did he even care?
Most days, Theo and Julian would take me for walks around the grounds. Between their fake squabbles and constant joking, they were surprisingly good at keeping my mind off everything that had happened.
To my surprise, Dedra was always nearby. Whether standing outside my door or hovering in the background, she never spoke, but I could tell she listened to all of us talk. I thought I saw her smile once, but it was too faint to tell.
We were at breakfast, the room filled with the sounds of Julian and Theo’s laughter. Their playful banter and Dedra’s exasperated eye rolls brought a sense of normalcy to the morning, and I couldn’t help but smile as I piled my plate high with bacon.
The door swung open, and Xavier strode into the room. Julian’s laughter died out, and Theo’s eyes flickered nervously. Dedra’s posture tensed, though she kept her gaze fixed on her plate.
Xavier’s eyes scanned the table before settling on an empty seat at the far end. He took his time filling his plate, the clatter of cutlery punctuating the silence. Once seated, he took a bite of his food, focusing on his plate. Everyone exchanged nervous glances, unsure of what to say or how to break the thick tension that was now suffocating the air around us.
I wouldn’t let him control the situation, so I turned toward him, the distance between us requiring me to raise my voice slightly. “Xavier,” I said, attempting a greeting. He paused mid-motion, his fork hovering in the air, as his emerald gaze locked onto mine. The intensity of his stare sent a shiver down my spine, making my heart race.
“I’m ready to train so I can help deliver your message,” I declared, trying to keep my voice steady.
Xavier set his fork down and leaned back in his chair with a lazy, nonchalant ease. “I no longer need you to deliver a message. My uncle was stationed at the realm entrance and went to your family’s castle to deliver it personally.”
Confusion furrowed my brows. “You put your uncle at risk?”
“My uncle can take care of himself,” Xavier replied, grumbling slightly.
I turned away from him, pushing food around on my plate as guilt gnawed at me. If only I had agreed to train sooner, perhaps his uncle, his and Jaxon's last blood relative, wouldn’t be risking his life right now.
“As for training,” Xavier continued, “you can start whenever you like.” I glanced back at Xavier, whose face was an impassive mask, though I noticed the tightness in his jaw as he intentionally avoided meeting my gaze. “Now that you’re fully healed, we’ll head out first thing in the morning for Niverrian.” Xavier huffed softly, finally meeting my eye. “But I need your help with something first.” Sadness and something else I couldn’t quite place—pain? Flickered across his face.
“What is it?” I asked, my curiosity piqued as I looked at him. Xavier sighed and stood from the table.
I glanced around at the others, but they avoided my gaze. Swallowing my unease, I set my napkin down and hurried after Xavier, trying to close the distance between us.
He maintained a deliberate space, leading me up countless flights of stairs and winding hallways.
Finally, he stopped at a dead end, and I raised a brow, the question clear in my expression. He didn’t respond—instead, the wall before us began to ripple, shifting like liquid metal. It dissolved into mist a moment later, revealing another hallway that hadn’t been there before.
I clenched my jaw, holding my tongue. I now knew why I hadn’t been able to find Jaxon.
Xavier led me down the hall until we finally reached a heavy door. Xavier leaned against the wall, arms folding across his broad chest as his gaze dropped to the floor, avoiding mine entirely.
“Don’t blame me for his condition. He’s doing this to himself. I’m hoping that seeing you will make him eat something.”
