AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Everything alright?” Xavier asked, and I nodded again, lying through my teeth. I didn’t want to tell him every blonde woman I saw that even resembled her made me pause and damn near run, thinking she was here and waiting for me to join her for a night of fun.
“What’s taking so long for the council to decide to cut my head off or not?” I asked, flopping onto the soft couch. I leaned down, struggling to maintain my balance as the world spun, and unbuckled the straps of my heels. My feet whimpered in relief as I slipped the torturous contraptions off.
Xavier leaned back in his seat a second before Cameron jumped and landed on the opposite end of the couch with enough impact to jolt me. Xavier kept his eyes on me.
“What makes you say that?”
“What are we talking about?” Cameron interjected.
“Is this the part where we pretend I didn’t kill people? Attack you or your friends? Attack Samkiel and Silver City? Or would you rather we continue to drink and dance like we’re old friends?”
“I like pretending we’re old friends,” Cameron said, but I held Xavier’s stare.
Maybe it was the alcohol or the splitting headache, but any filter I had was long gone.
“What is this, anyway? Take me out, get me drunk? What game are we playing? Trying to figure out my motives? I have none. My powers and strength are gone. I can’t incinerate anyone or squeeze the life from them. I’m harmless.”
“A viper with no venom is still a viper, Didi,” Cameron said, resting his elbows on his knees. His gaze was intent, all humor gone. “And you are anything but harmless. Why can’t you just enjoy a night out? Why ulterior motives?”
I shrugged. “Because everyone has them.”
Cameron whistled low under his breath as Xavier shook his head. “Maybe we just want to be your friend.”
“Doubtful,” I scoffed. “Why would any of you want a viper as a friend? Plus, I have learned my lesson in thinking friends are for me. Drake and Ethan—”
“I had a sister, too,” Xavier cut in. His tone was solemn and without humor, no laughs. Even the music seemed to dull.
Cameron went still and dipped his head. His gaze focused on the ground. These were the warriors I remembered. The ones I met on the remains of Rashearim almost a year ago.
“You did?”
“Yeah. I lost her too. Before I joined The Hand, she and I were under Kryella’s rule as her guards. She wasn’t like the other gods. She and Unir were nicer.”
“Yeah, you’re lucky you never met the other ones,” Cameron said, glancing at Xavier. “Samkiel is benevolent compared to them. Trust me.”
Xavier nodded before going on. “Kryella sent my sister and I, along with several other celestials, on a retrieval mission. Warrgrogs had overrun the planet, and we were to clean them out. They have this huge slimy carcass and a massive gaping mouth full of nothing but needle-like teeth. They eat everything in sight.”
He paused as if the memory was too much, and I understood. Gods, did I understand. Cameron shuffled his feet as if he wanted to move closer and soothe the pain that suffused Xavier’s face.
“We found where they had been hiding and went down to eradicate them, but there were too many. They had been breeding for too long. We tried to escape, but there were too many, and we had to skirt and jump over holes and crevasses in the ground, slowing us down. She looked at me, and I knew. She said, “See you on the other side, little brother.” It was something we said every battle, every fight, just in case, you know?”
Oh, I knew. It was the same as Gabby and I ending every conversation with ‘Remember that I love you’.
Xavier went on, making my chest clench. “That was the last thing she said to me before pushing me into a hole. I remember falling and hitting the ground. I remember hearing them coming and the brilliant flash of blue light when they ripped her apart. Then the awful silence came. I was hurt and alone in that dark place. The days I spent staring up, waiting for her to return, felt like years.”
“How did you get out?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Xavier half shrugged as if he hadn’t just revealed a wound on his soul. “Samkiel saved me. He found me down there when Kryella brought the rest of the gods. He wasn’t king at that time, still learning from Unir. The others wanted to evacuate the village. They thought we had all died, but he didn’t give up looking. He’s stubborn and never gives up, as I am sure you have discovered. He saved me, and as soon as he was ready for his own guard, I didn’t hesitate to offer. I’d follow him anywhere. We all would, and I think you would, too.”
Xavier looked at me, and I immediately looked away.
“Samkiel is also the only reason I haven’t cut your head off after making Xavier relive that with the dream eaters,” Cameron said it nonchalantly, but his eyes bore into mine.
I made Xavier relive that? Overwhelming guilt ripped through me, twisting my gut into knots. Xavier’s lips curved in a small grin, but he didn’t respond to Cameron’s declaration. I also didn’t take Cameron’s threat personally. He cared for Xavier. I didn’t blame him for being protective.
I shrugged and said to Cameron, “You could still do it. It wouldn’t kill me. Well, I mean, maybe it would now.”
“Please, after Samkiel—”
