Jaxon? I furrowed my brows in confusion as I stared at the two men. My head spun, and I felt like I needed to sit down.
“Give them back,” Xavier commanded.
“I can’t. You don’t understand,” Jeremy—no, Jaxon—said, but Xavier had cut him off.
“Why did you bring her here?” Xavier demanded, pressing the blade harder into his brother’s throat.
“I didn’t,” Jaxon hissed, his eyes flashing with irritation. “She brought me.”
“Why have you been sending her to me? To spy?” Xavier barked, his voice harsh and accusing.
Jaxon’s face twisted in confusion as he glanced between us. “You two have met before?”
Xavier’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Don’t play games with me, brother; I no longer have the patience for them.”
Jaxon turned his gaze to me, his tone commanding. “Leave, Zara, now.”
Xavier’s eyebrows lifted slightly, and a faint, mocking smile touched his lips. “Zara,” he said, his gaze locking onto mine. My throat tightened, and my heart raced in my chest.
“I can’t. I can’t control it,” I said, my eyes darting between the two men. “Please, let him go,” I pleaded, still trapped behind the invisible barrier.
“You are either a pawn or a fool to know my brother,” Xavier said, turning his head back toward Jaxon.
Anger prickled at my skin. “I demand that you let him go,” I said firmly.
Xavier turned back to me, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Demand?” he echoed, his voice laced with dark amusement. “And who are you to make demands of me?”
“I am the Princess of Velra,” I declared, summoning every ounce of bravado I could muster. “And I demand that you release my captain.”
Xavier went rigid at my declaration, and Jaxon muttered a curse under his breath.
“I don’t want to fight you,” Jaxon said, a hint of pleading in his voice, though resolve hardened his expression.
“And how is leaving me weakened helping, Jaxon?” Xavier retorted sharply.
Jaxon shifted uncomfortably, blood pooling underneath him. “You don’t understand, our—”
“Are you working with them?” Xavier interrupted, his voice cold and dismissive. “Are you my enemy now, brother?”
With genuine sadness in his eyes, Jaxon transformed into mist and reappeared beside me, freeing himself from his brother’s blade. I let out a yelp of surprise as he materialized. My mind reeling from the chaos of this entire encounter. Jaxon quickly grabbed my hand, entwining his fingers with mine.
Xavier crashed into the invisible barrier, his swords ricocheting off it with a jarring force that made me flinch. I clung to Jaxon as his other arm wrapped around me protectively.
Xavier’s eyes locked onto our protective embrace, and his glare intensified. A strange tugging sensation at my core began, but it was quickly overwhelmed by a wave of nausea as I braced for what came next.
“I'm sorry,” Jaxon whispered, and in the next moment, we were gone, leaving Xavier fuming on the other side of the barrier.
Chapter 10
Xavier
We had only just arrived back at the castle, and the moment I stepped into the hall, I felt it—my power. It was a familiar, unsettling ripple beneath my skin. It had coiled tighter as I drew closer, an undeniable pull guiding me toward the ballroom. I knew he would be in there, but her? I hadn’t expected to see her.
Fury propelled me through the cold, hollow corridors, each step a thunderous declaration of my rage. They knew each other—intimately. Her scent, their mingling arousal, had clung to him, and my mind spun, trying to make sense of it. The cold air around me was heavy, the castle walls closing in as a weight settled in my chest.
I shadowed the last few steps to the lower weapon chambers, throwing open the door with a determined force. I’d be ready the next time they shadowed into my castle.
The room was dim, torches casting flickering shadows along the smooth, reflective stone walls. Weapons lined the racks, their edges glinting menacingly in the low light. My hands moved swiftly through bins and drawers, searching until theyfound what I was looking for—chain charms, a gift from Lord Gunnar.
