Xavier stopped walking the moment his gaze landed on me. He seemed frozen, his eyes widening slightly, their emerald depths darkening as they slowly drifted down my body, taking in every detail of the sheer material. His throat bobbed as he swallowed thickly, his expression softening as his emerald gaze met mine again.
It looked like he was about to say something, but then a cough rang out behind him.
Julian strolled into the room, his eyes landing on me and smiling broadly. “Oh my, Zara, you look stunning!” Julian hit Xavier in the arm as he walked past, not noticing Xavier's irritation at the interruption. “Doesn’t she look stunning, Xavier?” Julian said, still beaming at me.
I smiled softly at Julian and cleared my throat, greeting him. “You look quite handsome yourself.”
He did. He wore a striking crimson jacket over matching crimson pants. A white shirt was buttoned underneath and ruffled slightly in the middle. Small silver stars were stitched throughout the jacket, shimmering in the light as he walked, coming to my side.
“Shall we?” He stuck out his arm for me, and I took it as he led us out of the room and into a hallway. Xavier made some sort of irritated noise behind us before following us out the door and striding ahead of us.
“Is he always in a mood?” I asked Julian quietly, trying to keep my tone light. Julian shot me a stern look.
“Yes, unfortunately. We’ve tried to get that stick out of his—” Julian’s words were abruptly cut off as Xavier spun around. With a swift, forceful shove, Xavier sent Julian stumbling backward.
A large, mischievous grin flashed across Julian’s face, and his snickering laugh echoed from behind us as Xavier’s arm took Julian’s place, firmly guiding me back down the hall.
I hid a smile behind my hand, laughing softly at the interaction, and Xavier’s jaw ticked with barely concealed irritation.
I followed his lead as we descended a stairwell, the soft patter of our footsteps mingling with Julian’s continued quiet chuckles.
As we reached the bottom, we emerged to the left of a grand entryway. It was similar to the ballroom where Jaxon and I had appeared the other night. Obsidian marble floors and pillars shined under a large chandelier, and an enormous staircase sat in front of floor-to-ceiling iron doors I could only presume led to the front of the castle.
Theo stood by the grand staircase, now dressed in a buttoned-up white shirt and navy pants. A matching navy jacket was thrown over one shoulder, and at the sight of us, he quickly started to put it on. At first glance, the pants seemed ill-fitting,but I quickly realized they were tailored to conceal the weapons he probably had strapped underneath.
Next to him, Dedra wore a matching navy gown. Her neckline came down in a sharp v to her navel, and the dress split at the left leg, revealing a dagger that was strapped to her thigh. Her hair was still braided, but no longer pinned in a bun; instead, it hung over her shoulder to her nearly exposed chest.
Gods, she was beautiful and fierce. Why hadn’t she and Xavier gotten together? They would make a formidable couple. The thought angered me, but I didn’t know why. If they were together, it shouldn’t bother me. I was with Jaxon, and Xavier's lovers shouldn’t be any concern of mine.
The thought of Jaxon cooled the fire that had ignited within me, and I shifted uneasily, drawing Xavier's gaze down to mine. “You have nothing to be nervous about,” he said, and his eyes held a swirl of promise that made my heart clench. I nodded, trying to steady my fluttering pulse as we neared the others. Trust was my only option right now.
Xavier released my arm and strode to the doors, pushing them open with a determined shove. Julian slid beside me, nudging me lightly with his shoulder in a playful gesture. I met his grin with a shy smile, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly.
My eyes flickered over to Dedra, who avoided my gaze, and I watched as she wandered to Xavier’s side. Her fingers brushed against his arm, and a jolt of unease surged through me. Had I been right to think they were together? It would explain her hostility towards me.
I turned to Theo, whose wide, enthusiastic smile was like a beacon of warmth as he waved at me in greeting.
Thunder boomed in the distance, and we all followed Xavier outside to greet his guests.
A storm loomed on the horizon, and the air was heavy with the promise of rain. The sky crackled with lightning as a massive carriage rumbled through the large iron gate, descending the steep hill ahead of us. I walked to Julian's side, seeking comfort near him as we waited.
The carriage was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was sculpted to look like a monstrous winged creature, its wings curving upward to form the carriage's body. It was pulled as if by an invisible force and was crafted from smooth, polished wood. The creature's head jutted out in front, leading the way, its mouth open in an angry roar.
Xavier appeared at my side, his hand resting on the small of my back. The touch of his palm was warm against my bare skin, and I took a sharp breath from the sudden sensation. He guided me with a subtle pressure, nudging me a few feet away from the others, and stopped with me at his side.
What was he doing? I couldn’t greet his guests with him; that was insane. I should go back to Julian. I started to back away, but the pressure of his hand against my back was firm.
Xavier leaned down toward me. “Stop trying to back away,” Xavier murmured, his breath warm against my ear.
“I should stand with the others. I’m your prisoner,” I huffed, my voice edged with frustration as I made another attempt to retreat.
His hand, however, remained firm, anchoring me to his side. “You are where you should be,” Xavier replied, his gaze fixed ahead as the grand wooden carriage came to a halt before us.
“It’s a sea dragon,” Xavier whispered again into my ear. The intimate proximity made my skin prickle. “They are presumed extinct.” So, it wasn’t wings but fins.
A sadness washed over me at knowing they were extinct, but before I could ask why, Xavier continued.
“Lord Gunnar hails from my southernmost territory, Niverrian. It’s a land of pirates and weavers.” He paused, noting the confusion on my face. “Weavers are spell crafters and what you’d call healers in your land. Their villages are carved into the sea cliffs, overlooking the Nexian Sea.”
