Chapter 15 #2
Before doing anything further, Xavier saw Alina deposited safely into one of the sleeping quarters. Captain Mitchell wanted the rest of the group to depart at once back to town, but Xavier stood firm that there was no question of going anywhere until Alina was ready to travel.
With long experience of the spread of gossip, Xavier recognized the whispers that were carrying the story of their misadventure around the whole site.
He hoped Alina’s reputation wouldn’t suffer for the fact that they’d been stranded alone overnight, but that wasn’t his primary concern.
He felt uneasy about how clearly she’d marked herself as magically capable.
He gave orders to his guards that someone be stationed at the door of her sleeping room at all times while they remained at the refinement site.
His stomach was settled enough for him to benefit from a simple breakfast, then he set about organizing for a carriage to come and collect them.
“I’ll ride with Alina in the carriage, of course,” he told Captain Mitchell.
“Your Highness,” the captain said cautiously. “Is it really necessary to—?”
“She protected me, Mitchell,” Xavier told him shortly. “At great personal cost. Should I leave her to fend for herself now I’m recovered and she’s still suffering the effects of her efforts?”
“Of course not, Your Highness.” The captain bowed, withdrawing to put Xavier’s orders into effect.
Xavier suffered through having his superficial arm injury treated, the level of fussing much more of an annoyance than the actual pain. He thought Alina might sleep all day, but the carriage had barely arrived when she emerged, looking paler than ever.
“Awake so soon?” Xavier moved forward to meet her as she appeared in the doorway of the manager’s personal dining room, where he sat with Charles and Mitchell.
“I still feel like I could sleep for days,” Alina admitted. “But I think my stomach is what woke me. I guess my body needs fuel as well as sleep to replenish all the energy I spent.”
“Of course.” Xavier gave a quick order, and food was brought out within minutes. He watched with a critical eye as Alina consumed every crumb of it. When he went to call for more, however, she stopped him.
“I’ll make myself sick if I eat too much too quickly,” she said.
Xavier nodded. “What else can I do, Alina?”
“Honestly?” She wrinkled her nose. “I just want to be in my bed.”
He caught the slight wince as she realized she’d given him the perfect opening to say something inappropriate, but Xavier had no difficulty restraining himself.
“If you think you can manage a carriage ride, that can be arranged,” he said.
“A carriage?” She looked up in surprise. “We didn’t come in a carriage.”
“But one’s here to take you home, nevertheless.” He nodded to Mitchell. “Tell the team we’ll leave as soon as everyone’s gathered.”
The captain slipped out. Xavier had expected him to be glad they were finally leaving, but his face gave nothing away. Blair entered soon after, seeking permission to return to town with the party. Xavier granted it, turning to find Charles in conversation with Alina.
“I heard about what you did overnight,” the servant was saying. “It was an incredible feat on your own. Are you sure you don’t want to consider applying for a scholarship with the guild?”
“Charles.”
Xavier jerked his head, indicating that he wanted the servant to join him by the door. When he’d approached, Xavier lowered his voice.
“It’s fine in here, Charles, but just be careful who you praise Alina’s skills to. Given current circumstances.”
“Of course, Your Highness,” Charles said. “My apologies. If I may, though, I don’t think she’s in great danger. Her connection with the investigation team is surely a protective influence. But naturally I will be discreet,” he added hastily.
Xavier nodded, hoping that the other man was right. He was feeling increasingly anxious about Alina’s situation. While she stayed close to the team, she should be safe, as Charles said. But what about when they all returned to the capital? They had to get to the bottom of the disappearances.
A short time later, Xavier followed Alina into the carriage. Captain Mitchell had suggested that the physician stationed at the refinement site join them, but Xavier declined. He wanted Alina to himself during the journey, and he didn’t want to examine too closely why that might be.
“You don’t want to ride?” Alina asked, surprised. “Don’t you hate being trapped in carriages?”
“Usually,” Xavier said lightly. “But I’m still feeling knocked around from the basilisk. I think this will be more restful.”
Alina nodded, her eyes concerned as they passed over him, lingering on his bandaged arm.
“I won’t be very good company.” Her warning was punctuated with a yawn. “I might fall asleep.”
“I hope you do.” The carriage had started into motion, and he shifted across to sit beside her. “Lean on me, you’ll be more comfortable.”
“I can’t do that,” she protested.
“But you could physically drag me into doing the same to you last night?” Xavier challenged her.
She flushed, and he was glad to see some color back in her cheeks. “That was different.”
“How so?”
“You were so ill and befuddled, I didn’t think you’d remember any of it,” she told him matter-of-factly.
Xavier laughed. “Well, my memory is very sharp.” A sigh escaped him. “Too much so, sometimes.”
Alina said nothing, but after stifling another huge yawn, she didn’t resist when Xavier put an arm around her shoulder and guided her to lean against him.
It was a companionable sensation, and it stirred something deep within him that had nothing to do either with the opportunity for flirtation he was passing up, or even the undeniable attractiveness of the girl next to him.
Other than his siblings, there was no one in his life with whom he could be comfortable and companionable, with no need to watch his words or curate his mask.
It had been that way once with Alina. Not since they’d reconnected, of course.
He’d been very intentional about his campaign to charm her, but he had to question his strategy given the simple bliss of the comfortable silence they now shared.
The journey between the refinement site and the town took longer by carriage, but they still made good time.
Alina slept most of the way, but it was a broken, unsettled sleep, jostled around as she was, with Xavier’s shoulder for a dubious pillow.
When they reached the inn, Xavier instructed the carriage to wait, and laid a sleeping Alina carefully across the seat.
He strode into the inn, calling for the landlord, who bustled out at once.
A few minutes later, Xavier returned to the carriage with hot food wrapped in paper. He directed the carriage right to Alina’s home, jumping out first. When he helped a very drowsy Alina climb out, the door to the dressmaker’s shop swung open. The bell jangled as Lilah hurried to meet them.
“Alina!” she said, her pretty features creased in worry. “What happened?”
“I’m all right,” Alina assured her.
“We got lost in the desert last night,” Xavier told Lilah. He dropped his voice to a murmur, given they were on the street. “She overextended herself protecting us magically from threats.”
Lilah bit her lip, looking concerned but not surprised. She put an arm under Alina’s, and Xavier reluctantly relinquished his own supporting grip.
“Here.” He handed the food to Lilah. “I think what she most needs is a long and uninterrupted sleep, but she should eat this first.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Lilah bobbed a curtsy. “You’re very kind.”
Xavier didn’t feel kind. He felt wretched as he watched Lilah help Alina inside. Maybe his mind was still addled by the basilisk, because the pang he felt as the door closed behind them was more than just concern. It was an echo of old heartbreak.
There had never been anything he’d hated more than watching Alina walk away from him.