A short plump male came into view, his large brown eyes wide, his round face looking off to the side in discomfort. He wore a bright yellow cloak, blue and gold glimmering underneath. A tall blonde female stood before him, her mouth at his neck.
Her back was to me, and I made myself small, making sure I didn’t bring attention to myself.
I watched as she licked up the side of his neck, blood staining his pale skin as she patted him on the cheek.
“That wasn’t so bad now, was it?” she purred, and the male whimpered as he met her gaze. She laughed darkly, pulling something out of her pocket. “As promised,” she purred again, and the male grabbed what appeared to be a pouch of money and took off in the other direction.
I stared, blinking at what I had just witnessed. A witch. The woman turned abruptly, her gaze locking onto mine.
I flinched as her pale blue eyes met mine. She was beautiful, with short blonde hair that fell to her collarbone and a youthful, round face. Her skin was a rich ebony and her lips were full and coated in blood.
A bright cerulean silk dress clung to her curvy figure and was the perfect complement to the golden charms that were artfully woven throughout her hair.
She smiled her bloodstained teeth at me and winked before turning and walking in the other direction.
Did that just happen? A hand came down on my shoulder, making me jump wildly in response.
“Whoa, Zara, are you okay?” Jaxon asked, peering around the bush. His eyes scanned the now-empty area for a threat.
“Yes,” I breathed and tried to give him a soft smile. “All that spinning must have gone to my head.” I smiled again, and Jaxon smiled weakly, concern still shining in his eyes.
“Is Xavier back from talking with Soren?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
Jaxon laughed. “If he is talking to Soren, we will be lucky to see him by the end of the day.” He laughed again and led me back to the main area.
Jaxon was almost right; Xavier had been gone longer than I thought, but he seemed in good spirits when he returned. We had gotten a table and ordered food while he was away, and he sat down and started to shovel food into his mouth.
“Anything noteworthy?” Jaxon asked, and Xavier shook his head, his white strand falling over his eyes.
“No,” he said through a mouthful of food, making us all laugh. I poured him a glass of ale and set it in front of him, and the action seemed to make him pause.
“Did you not want—” I tried to ask, but he cut me off.
“No, I do. Thank you,” Xavier said, smirking in my direction as he took a sip.
“You are strange,” I said, rolling my eyes at him.
“I thought I was a pig?” he replied, and I burst into laughter, choking on my drink. Xavier’s eyes twinkled with amusement, and a warmth spread through me. I allowed myself to enjoy the moment, letting my worries disappear as I smiled back.
Chapter 34
Xavier
We returned to the castle hours later, exhausted from our adventures. The sun had already set, and it was once again raining, the storm brewing overhead like an omen. Gunnar waited for us in his study, and the others left to clean up from the day.
It was time. I was ready—ready to be whole again, to finally feel like myself once more.
Gunnar led Jaxon and me to the highest of the castle towers. The wind howled, and the rain battered against the stone as we stepped out into the storm. Candles flickered in a large circle, their flames untouched by the pounding rain, casting dancing shadows across the dark, rain-soaked stone. Crimson marks littered the inside of the circle, forming strange, intricate patterns that seemed to pulse.
“You will need to both lie in the circle. Make sure your hearts are lined up next to each other,” Gunnar said over the storm, gesturing us forward.
The rain pelted us in the face, soaking our clothes once more. Jaxon and I glanced at each other, and he gave a sharp nod before stepping into the circle of candles. I watched as he lay down on the etched stone, his features tightening as he squinted against the downpour. With a sigh, I followed, doing as Gunnar had instructed.
The stone beneath me was ice-cold, seeping through my clothes. Pushing my wet hair out of my eyes, I saw Gunnar stepping into the circle. The pocket watch was in his hand—the one Jaxon had used to steal my magic. He placed it carefully between us, aligning it with our hearts, then retreated from the circle.
Lightning streaked across the sky in jagged lines, briefly lighting up the swirling storm clouds above. Each flash sent the air trembling, the thunder rumbling like a warning deep in my bones. I could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on us as I turned toward Jaxon, his face drawn tight beneath the rain, but his head turned and his eyes locked with mine.
“I'm sorry, Xavier,” Jaxon said, his voice straining to carry over the storm. “For all of it. I- I was wrong. I should have—” His words fumbled, breaking under his guilt.
