“Show me,” I demanded, and his eyes flickered over my face, clearly hesitant. “Show me,” I said again sharply, leaving no room for argument.
Reluctantly, Jaxon nodded. His form shimmered and blurred before my eyes, and in an instant, he transformed. He grew taller and broader, his once long-blonde hair now short. The strands longer on the top and shorter on the sides. His clothes stretched tight over his newly enlarged form, tearing at the seams. A tattoo nearly identical to his brother's spiraled down his arm, and power pulsed in the air, crackling like electricity.
I gasped. Though his features were softer than Xavier’s and his build leaner, they could’ve been twins. Unlike his brother’s, Jaxon’s tattoo stopped just before his forearm, and I stared at the transformed man in front of me, eyes wide and body tense.
Every instinct screamed at me to run, to get away from the raw power radiating from him, but I remained glued to the wall, my mouth hanging open in shock. In the next instant, he shifted back, returning to the familiar form of the captain. His clotheswerefurther shredded from the transformation, exposing more of his muscular frame.
“Zara,” he breathed, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.
I couldn’t take it anymore. The weight of everything pressed down on me, exhaustion settling deep into my bones. Without a word, I walked to the chair in front of the hearth, grabbed the whiskey decanter I had left on the table earlier, and poured myself a full glass. I downed it in one gulp, then poured another and filled a second glass for Jaxon.
I held the glass out to him in silence, and he seemed to let out a breath. Slowly, he came around the chair, accepting the drink with a nod before sinking into the chair opposite me. His posture mirrored mine—tired, rattled, uncertain. My eyes drifted down to his blood-soaked shirt, and a fresh wave of nausea rose in my chest.
“At least let me look at your wounds,” I nearly shouted, jumping out of my seat and moving around the table. My fingers worked quickly, tugging at the torn fabric of his shirt to examine his arm and abdomen. But when I pulled back the ripped cloth, there was… nothing. My brows furrowed in confusion as I shifted his shirt further, my eyes searching the area where I was certain Xavier had stabbed him. All I found was smooth, golden skin stretched over muscle.
I pressed gently against the spot where the injury should have been, and Jaxon’s breath hitched in response.
“They’ve healed,” he murmured, his voice low and strained, “but they’re still tender.”
His eyes locked onto mine, and I suddenly realized how close our faces were—close enough to feel the warmth of his breath against my skin. My cheeks flushed hot, and I quickly dropped the scrap of his shirt, stepping back. But in my flustered state, I forgot about the table behind me. I crashed into it, falling backward.
Jaxon cursed softly, his reflexes quicker than mine, grabbing me before I could fall. In an instant, he stood, pulling me against his chest. His arms wrapped around me, steadying me. I lookedup, and his golden eyes sparkled with amusement, his lips twitching into a faint smirk.
“Maybe you should just stay seated, Princess,” he teased, smirking down at me. I shoved away from him; this time, his arms fell away without resistance.
“How… how could they be healed?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
“Magic,” he replied simply, shrugging as if it explained everything. “It's my Fae blood—it heals me. It can work quickly depending on the severity of the injury.”
My eyebrows furrowed again, frustration and confusion swirling in my mind. “Fae?”
Jaxon’s lips thinned. “We are not mortal, like your people here. Magic runs in our veins, and in our lands. It allows us to live long lifetimes, to wield magic, and to heal. But we are not immortal, nor immune to fatal injuries.”
My eyes widened. “And how is it I have magic? Why do I keep disappearing?” I searched his eyes, hoping for answers.
“I was hoping you could tell me,” he admitted. “Sit.” He gestured to the chair I had vacated.
I hesitated, then decided to sit on the table between us instead, picking up my glass of whiskey and draining it once more. Jaxon’s gaze stayed fixed on me as I drank, and he sat down again in his chair. In the tight space, our knees brushed, sending a jolt of awareness through me. I shifted anxiously as he continued to watch me.
“How do you know my brother?” he asked, his tone laced with thinly veiled irritation.
“I don’t,” I replied quickly, but his raised eyebrow told me he wasn’t buying it.
A sigh escaped my lips. “I don’t,” I repeated. “I only met him once. I sort of… fell on him the other day when I, uh, what didyou call it? Shadowed?” The word tasted foreign on my tongue, but it seemed to fit. “What is that, anyway? Shadowing?”
“It's a rare form of magic in our realm. It’s a type of magic that allows you to step in between to get to another location. My brother and I can do it—but only short distances. No one I know can travel as far as crossing realms as you did.” He paused, eyeing me suspiciously. “How do you do it?”
“I’m not even sure I am doing it,” I admitted, frustration creeping into my voice. “I can’t control when it happens or where I end up.”
Jaxon leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees, closing the space between us. The intensity of his gaze made me fidget. “How long has this been happening?”
“A month, maybe a little longer,” I replied, conscious of his focused gaze. “The first few times I was alone. The last time…” I hesitated, my mind flashing back to that night. “I sort of… fell on top of your brother.”
His lips twitched into a hidden smile at that. “What happened?” He reached around me to grab the glass I had poured, his hand brushing against my knee. The touch sent a flush of warmth through me, and I could feel my cheeks heating.
“Nothing much,” I managed, trying to steady my voice. “He threatened me with a knife, much like what you’ve done.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I was, um…” I faltered, my face growing even warmer. “I wasn’t exactly dressed for the occasion. He ended up giving me his shirt to wear.”
Jaxon’s eyebrow arched in question, but I chose to ignore it. “After that, I disappeared, and aside from that, we haven’t had much of a run-in.”
