30
It was a long but calming journey back to Erador. Nightfall had hit yet again by the time the guards welcomed us at the gate.
We jump off the horse and walk it back to the stable to stretch our legs after riding for so long.
I see Xander already at the stables, leaning against a post casually with his arms crossed. His face lit up by the torch on the wall, displays a mask of cool indifference as he watches us walk towards him.
Cole and the King greet each other while I take the horse back to the stable hand.
Xander holds his hand out as I approach them. My brows crease as I look down at his hand and then back up to his eyes that are filled with mischief.
I realise what he wants and reach into the small bag at my hip, withdrawing the piece of the artifact and putting it in his hand. Xander’s palm closes around the handle. He looks me over, up and down slowly. An emotion I can’t place flickering through his eyes.
“Did you miss me?” I sneer at him.
He smirks and turns on his heel, heading towards the castle with Cole and I trailing behind him.
We all walk to his office, my feet dragging from the journey.
Gods I’m so ready to just go to bed.
I almost let out a sigh of relief when I see a buffet of food ready on the small table in front of the fire.
My stomach groans loudly in response and Xander looks back at me and raises his eyebrows. I just shoot him a death glare and take my seat on the left side of the carpet.
“Are you guys ready to share the details of your little adventure?” He asks, looking pointedly at me.
It seems like he’s already aware of some of our adventures by the look he’s giving me and his odd behaviour.
I shrug and look at Cole, I don’t have the energy to recite the last few days. Cole thankfully takes over and explains everything in massive detail, he even includes our encounter with Hidale’s soldiers.
Xander looks at me then, an intensity in his blue eyes that wasn’t there before.
“Are you okay, love?”
Cole scoffs before I can answer. “Are you kidding? She killed them all without even getting a scratch on her body.”
Xander’s gaze is still on me when he says, “that isn’t what I meant.”
I raise my eyebrows at him. “I’m fine.”
I resume eating the food I had put on my plate earlier, looking anywhere but him.
“You saved them, the hybrids?” He breathes at me.
“I’m not a monster, I can’t just watch innocents die.”
My words come out more defensively than I had intended.
“And they’re now under your protection?” He mocks, amusement filling the tone of his voice.
“I was in the heat of the moment!” I exclaim, my voice flustered and not at all appreciative of him mocking me.
He smiles at me, light dancing in his eyes. The intensity from before gone. Replaced with a look I much prefer.
“Maeve, defender of the hybrids.” He muses, “I like the sound of that.”
“Better than Maeve, the invisible assassin?”
“Both are equally appealing.” He shrugs, smiling at me from the side of his mouth.
“Although I must admit, I did hear about that particular incident already.” Xander says, leaning back on his hands and looking across to Cole.
“How?” Cole asks, his brows creasing.
“Hidale’s men have been stalking our borders. They can’t get in of course but they’ve been waiting. I had my spies figure out why— that’s when they told me what you two were up to.”
Xander sighs and looks into the fire, the flames turning his skin to gold.
He looks down slightly, causing a strand of his dark hair to fall by his brow.
“I had to put extra soldiers on guard for your arrival. They were waiting for you, love.”
I shrug, moving my fork around the plate, picking at my food.
“Maybe it was foolish to leave one alive.” I say not looking up.
I feel Xander’s movement and look up to see his head tilt to the side, looking me over.
“It’s fine, even though Hidale knows where you are now, they can’t get to you here. You’re entirely safe.”
I nod, not offering anything more.
“Just don’t go inviting them in.” Xander adds with a laugh.
I roll my eyes. “I can’t anyway.”
Xander smiles softly before looking away.
“Anything else?” He asks Cole.
The commander shakes his head.
“Great.” He says as he clasps his hands together, “we can now move on to the next task.”
I scoff at him. “No room for rest around here.”
“Wouldn’t want you to get bored.” Xander replies, smiling at me, moving again to lean back onto his hands. Looking the most relaxed I’d seen him yet.
Which is odd considering he now has Hidale hanging around his home.
Thanks to me.
I smile back at him anyway, enjoying the easy distraction.
“So what’s this next task?”
His gaze flicks over me, mouth tilting up to the side.
“We need to get the artifact working.”