Chapter 18
Chapter
Eighteen
Alina rose from the dinner table feeling more contented than she had in a long time. She was very weary, her reduced energy depleted after the day’s efforts, but it had been worth it. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed a visit to the family so much.
Aunt Diana had gone out to buy some supplies a couple of hours before dinner, causing Alina to protest that she’d known her aunt was about to go out when she’d arrived and interrupted their day.
But the older woman assured her she wasn’t an interruption, and wouldn’t hear of Alina’s offer to run the errand for her.
She told Alina to relax, and Alina was glad to do so.
She really was so tired, and it was nice to be looked after.
Her uncle had seemed pleased to see her, in his detached way, but not so much so that he wanted to spend an evening chatting with the womenfolk. He left to get a drink at the tavern, taking his oldest son with him, the two men’s arms linked companionably.
“I can hardly believe Tom’s old enough to go to the tavern now,” Alina said, as she helped clear the table.
“Yes, he’s all grown,” her aunt agreed. “And a great help to your uncle with his work, too.” She clapped a sudden hand to her forehead. “Oh no. What a pain!”
“What is it, Auntie?” Alina asked.
“I was supposed to send these with him.” She pulled a small jar of spices from a shelf by Alina’s knee. “They’re for my friend, and her husband always meets your uncle at the tavern.”
“Let me take it.” Alina held out her hand. “They haven’t been gone long, I can catch them.”
“No, dear, it wasn’t your mistake. I’ll take it,” Aunt Diana said.
“I insist,” Alina said firmly. “You haven’t let me do anything useful all day.”
“I can take it,” piped up her cousin Pippa. “I’ve always wanted to see inside the tavern.”
Alina eyed the fifteen-year-old. She had great fondness for the girl, but it had been a challenge to keep from chastising her with the flirtatious way she’d behaved toward Xavier that afternoon. Alina couldn’t imagine Pippa’s interest in the tavern was one her parents would wish to indulge.
Sure enough, Aunt Diana’s response was firm.
“No, you won’t.”
“I’ll go.” Alina took the spices with an air of finality.
“Are you sure?” Aunt Diana said. “It would be a great help, but I don’t like to expose you to the tavern, either.”
Alina laughed lightly. “I’m very familiar with taverns, Aunt Diana. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Thank you, Alina.” Aunt Diana took a lovely purple shawl from the stand by the door, holding it out. “Take this. It will be cold.”
Alina gratefully pulled the garment on as she stepped outside, eager to finish her mission quickly.
She was determined to be helpful, but truthfully, the thought of walking all the way to the tavern and back was exhausting in her current state.
She was still hoping to catch her uncle and cousin before they got that far.
The streets were quieter than she’d expected.
It wasn’t late, but it was a moonless night, and no one seemed eager to linger outside.
Alina hurried down a side street, then another, taking the fastest way to her uncle’s preferred tavern.
She was passing down a narrow alley when her senses suddenly flared with the awareness of gathering magic.
Without even thinking, she threw herself behind an overturned barrel. She heard no sound, but she could have sworn something whooshed past her as she fell. Her heart was pounding, blood thrumming in her ears.
“You missed. Get another.”
The murmur had Alina trying to scramble up, away from the sound.
She ripped the scarf from her shoulders, swinging it back and forth in a figure eight and harnessing the Dust from the movement.
She wished she could think of something powerful to do with it, something that would incapacitate whoever was hidden there.
But her mind was too sluggish, her energy too low.
A voice of caution in her head warned that she was unwise to use magic at all with her resources so depleted.
“Quickly!”
Alina still couldn’t see the speaker, and she told herself she didn’t have the luxury of caution. She threw the harnessed Dust up around her, holding it in an invisible shield. It worked, but the effort of it was so intense, she stumbled, falling to her knees.
She couldn’t afford to stay there and wait for her strength to give out. She started crawling away from where she’d heard the voice. But her progress was painfully slow, and footsteps told her that her attackers were approaching.
A familiar, angry mewl reached her ears, and she stared upward, astonished to see the oddly proportioned creature swooping above her. Zuzu!
Xavier!
“Help!” Alina screamed.
The effort was too much for her energy. She teetered for a moment on the brink of a chasm, the cautionary tale everyone learned, that she’d tried to impress on Benji. If she kept shouting and maintained the shield, she would fall in. She was that close to the edge.
With a sensation that felt in her mind like a pop, Alina released the shield.
“Over here!” she shouted. “Xavi—”
A rough hand closed over her mouth, a curse sounding in her ears.
“Do it now!”
She tried to flail, but her movements were sluggish.
She heard her name being called in a frantic voice, and attempted to shout back through the man’s hand.
He struck her on the side of the head, not with all his strength, just enough to daze her and make it hard to gather her senses to keep fighting.
A tall figure came into view at the end of the alley, letting out a roar at the sight before him.
Alina could barely make out what was happening, but she heard the sound of a sword being drawn, and felt another silent whoosh of magic, this time headed for the newcomer.
He staggered back, clearly hit, and Alina’s heart leaped into her throat.
Another curse came from the man holding her. “You idiot, that’s the prince!”
Suddenly she was released. She flopped down but instantly struggled to her hands and knees.
Her attackers had fled, already out of sight, and to her immense relief, Xavier was still standing.
Zuzu swooped between them, letting out a challenging little roar as if she had personally chased off the kidnappers.
Two more figures appeared around the corner, their bodies tense and their breath coming in pants.
She recognized two of Xavier’s guards, reading the relief on their faces when they saw the prince.
“Xavier,” she whispered, reaching for him.
He seemed so far away, the distance insurmountable in her current state. Was he hurt? Since his cry of anger, he hadn’t made a sound, and it felt unnatural.
The prince still didn’t speak, but he was already pounding toward her. He dropped to his knees at her side, his eyes frantic as they searched her form.
“Are you all right?” Alina asked. She hardly knew what she was doing as her hand lifted, running down his face on one side then the other, needing to assure herself he was real and in one piece. His cheeks were scratchy, the day’s growth not yet tamed.
Xavier’s hand flew up to trap hers against his face. She realized suddenly that his mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out. Her forehead crinkled in confusion.
“What’s wrong with him?” one of the guards demanded.
Xavier shot the man an impatient look, but it was Alina who answered.
“I don’t know. I think the attackers hit him with some kind of magic. Does it hurt, Xavier?”
He shook his head, his hand still warm against hers.
“We need to get off the street,” the other guard barked out. “Back to the inn.”
“Yes,” Alina agreed. She pulled her hand free, her eyes apologetic. “Unfortunately I…I don’t think I can walk.”
Alarm crossed Xavier’s silent features.
“My aunt’s house is close,” Alina offered.
“We need to return to the rest of the group,” the guard said, his voice almost a growl. “The attackers got away, and we can’t hunt for them and protect you with only two of us, Your Highness.”
Xavier ignored him, propping himself up on one knee then scooping Alina into his arms so abruptly she let out a little squeak. He stood, cradling her against his chest, and started striding purposefully back the way she’d come.
The jar of spices lay abandoned on the road, not destined to reach the tavern.
Alina felt she should protest Xavier carrying her when he’d been attacked as well, but she was completely spent.
Not to mention that the sensation was just about the most blissful thing she’d ever experienced.
Giving up any idea of fighting it, she leaned her head against his shoulder, even daring to let one hand come to rest on the firm muscles of his chest. His heart pounded underneath her touch, swift and uneven.
“Thank you,” she whispered, not even sure if he could hear with the way she was nestled in. “You saved my life. I almost went over the edge, Xavier. I almost ran myself dry.”
His arms tightened around her, and she looked up to find his eyes on her face, their expression raw and afraid.
She closed her own eyes, focusing on slowing her breathing, willing her body to settle so energy could return.
She’d scared herself as well. She could never let herself get that close again.
It was the most terrifying feeling she’d ever experienced.
If only she could use Dust from the movement around her to fill herself with energy, but magic didn’t work that way.
You could only use it as energy to fuel the active use of that same magic.
That’s why you were always supposed to shave off half.
She should have followed her own advice.
They were at the house in a couple of minutes, the front door flying open at their approach.
“Alina!” Her aunt raced toward them, Pippa hovering wide-eyed in the doorway. “What happened?”
“I got attacked,” Alina said thickly. “I think it was the kidnappers. Xavier came to my rescue, but they hit him with something.”