“He doesn’t hate you, you know.” Dedra’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I looked up to find her studying me. Her almond eyes seemed softer than her usual harsh glare.
“What?” I asked, my brow furrowing as I tried to piece together her meaning.
“Jaxon,” Dedra replied softly, her gaze steady on me. I looked away quickly, heat rising to my cheeks as I tried to hide my reaction to his name.
“He doesn’t hate you,” she said again, her voice firmer this time. I let out a sharp sigh, dipping my hand in and out of the water.
“I’m not too sure about that,” I muttered, watching the ripples move on the water's surface.
Dedra’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she crossed her arms. “He doesn’t,” she insisted, her tone matter-of-fact.
My head turned toward her, curiosity getting the better of me. “Do you?” I asked abruptly, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “Hate me?”
Her brows shot up, and a startled laugh escaped her lips. She tilted her head, studying me. The pause made me shift uncomfortably, my shoulders hunching as I waited for her answer.
“I don’t necessarily trust you,” she said after a moment, her tone sharp. “But no, I don’t hate you.” She huffed, amusement lining her tone.
The tension in my shoulder lessened, and her lips quirked up in a small smile.
“I don’t know you well enough to hate you,” she added, a ghost of a smile on her lips.
I let out a breathy laugh. “I guess that’s fair,” I said, returning her smile.
We continued to bathe in comfortable silence as birds chirped and insects flew overhead as the sun continued to set in the sky.
“Green,” I said into the silence, and Dedra raised her brows in confusion.
“My favorite color,” I said, getting out of the water and putting on my clothes. “Now you know a little more about me.” I grinned at her, and she let out a choked laugh, shaking her head at me. She got out of the water and started to dress.
“Red,” Dedra said after a few moments, glancing at me side-long, a smirk playing on her lips as we made our way back to the camp.
We stepped into the clearing and found a fire burning at its center. Jaxon tended to it while Xavier lay sprawled on a bedroll beside it, his head propped on his arms…shirtless.
“Does he ever wear a goddamn shirt?” I grumbled, and Dedra’s lips twitched. They both appeared to have bathed and had set up most of the camp while we were gone.
“Not as long as I’ve known him.” She chuckled.
“And how long is that?” I asked curiously.
“Almost my entire life,” she replied flatly, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Unfortunately,” she added with biting sarcasm.
A large twig crashed into Dedra’s hair, and she glared over at Xavier, who whistled to himself with his eyes closed. He was still sprawled on his bedroll, and I chuckled.
“How did you guys meet?” I pushed, and Dedra’s eyes softened.
“Flynn, their uncle, took Theo and me in as kids. We were orphaned when a group of witches attacked our village, and their uncle found us trapped in a cellar. We didn’t have our magic yet and probably wouldn’t have made it if it weren't for him. He took us in, and we were raised in the castle,” she admitted, and my eyes widened at the information.
“I’m sorry about your parents,” I said softly.
“It was a long time ago now,” she said with a shrug, and we both took a seat around the fire.
“So, you all grew up together? Like siblings?”
Jaxon let out a choked laugh, and Dedra shot him a small smile, but answered. “Yes, and no.” She turned back toward me. “We grew up in the same castle, but we definitely had different upbringings. As kids, we played, but as we grew older, we were all separated. Flynn had to focus on raising the future royals over here, and my brother and I were raised mostly by the staff and villagers. It wasn’t until we were all in battle training that we became close again.” Dedra smiled and glanced at the two men,who grinned wickedly back at her. “But those are stories for another time,” she said, flashing her teeth at me.
Jaxon met my eye, and his smile faltered. He stood abruptly, turning and stalking off toward the trees. My blood boiled, and I watched him disappear into the shadows, my frustration simmering, before returning my gaze to the flames.
“Just give him time.” Xavier's silky voice rang out across the fire.
