Page 22 of Twisted Souls (Twisted Souls #1)

Zara

Pain exploded through my shoulder and side, dragging me back to consciousness. I opened my eyes to find Xavier’s face hovering above me, his handsome features twisted in concern. His eyes widened as they locked onto mine, a mixture of shock and relief flickering in them.

I did it. I had gotten us back to him.

“She woke up,” he spat, his voice sharp as he glanced toward someone out of sight. A moment later, something was pressed against my mouth. I tried to protest, but darkness swallowed me whole once more.

When I woke again, the pain was different. Dull, lingering soreness replaced the scorching agony from before. I moved hesitantly, wincing as a sharp ache pulsed in my shoulder, but the hot, searing pain that had once radiated down my arm was gone.

What had happened?

I cracked open an eye and found Xavier sitting beside me in a chair with his feet propped up on the bed. His arms were crossed over his chest, his head tilted to the side, lost in sleep. I held my breath, not wanting to disturb him. Like this, he didn’t look dangerous—he looked soft, warm, almost welcoming.

His white strand of hair had fallen over his eye, and I couldn’t help but notice he was still in his clothes from dinner. His shirt, now loose and unbuttoned, revealed his naked chest and bandaged side.

I snorted softly at the sight, trying to sit up without making too much noise.

Xavier jolted upright, his dagger now in his hand as his eyes darted around the room, scanning for threats. His sharp gaze found mine, and his eyes widened in relief. “You’re awake,” he breathed, the words barely audible. “You shouldn’t move too much—you’re still healing,” he said, sitting back down on the chair he had abandoned. As he settled, the chair creaked under his weight, but his eyes never left me, making my pulse quicken.

Concern etched into the lines of his face, and the muscles in his jaw tightened slightly. “How do you feel?”

I shifted cautiously, the soreness in my shoulder pulsing with discomfort, but the pain wasn’t as sharp as before. “Sore,” I said, my voice a little rough, “but other than that, I feel fine.”

His shoulders seemed to relax a fraction, and I scanned the room, finding that we were alone. “Jaxon!” I shouted abruptly, sitting up too quickly. Pain tore down my arm, sharp and unforgiving, and I let out a strangled cry.

Xavier’s hands were on me instantly, keeping me from moving further. “Dammit, you’re bleeding again,” he hissed, his frustration clear as he glanced at my bandaged arm. Without hesitation, he bellowed, “Julian!”

“Jaxon, where is Jaxon?” I begged, my hand clutching onto his shirt, the panic surging through me as I searched his face for answers. Xavier had moved onto the bed, one arm bracing my good shoulder while the other rested on my waist, holding me steady.

“My brother is fine. He’s here,” Xavier ground out through clenched teeth, his jaw tightening as a ripple of anger crossed his features.

Julian burst into the room, and I exhaled in relief, knowing I had gotten us both back here alive. Julian was shirtless, and despite his more petite, slender build, he was still packed full of hidden, lean muscle. He had pulled back his blonde curly hair into a bun at the top of his head, and he was wearing the same pants he had worn at dinner.

“What’s wrong? Is she okay?” Julian asked frantically, rushing to Xavier’s side. His gaze dropped to my shoulder, his expression twisting into a grimace.

Following his line of sight, I looked down. White cloth wrapped my shoulder, and blood seeped through the bandages.

Xavier reluctantly released his grip on me, allowing Julian to take his place beside me on the bed.

“We managed to heal most of it—and your arm. You probably just tore the stitches open.” Julian’s eyes softened as he continued, “Your body isn't healing as quickly as I would like, but it will.” He hesitated, his hand hovering just above my shoulder. “Is it okay if I take a look?”

I nodded, offering him a small, grateful smile. “Yes.”

As Julian carefully reached for my bandages, my gaze flickered to Xavier. He had turned his back to us, standing stiff and silent.

“Afraid of seeing a little blood?” I mocked, narrowing my eyes on his back.

He stiffened from my comment and looked back over his shoulder at me. “I don’t enjoy seeing your blood,” he gritted out, his voice low and tense before turning back to face the wall, the muscles in his jaw flexing again.

I huffed, more out of frustration than anything, as Julian glanced at me, shaking his head slightly in warning before focusing back on my shoulder. His fingers worked quickly but gently as he redressed my wound.

“Where is Jaxon? He’s injured,” I pressed, my chest tightening at the thought.

“Where he belongs,” Xavier snarled, his voice laced with bitterness. Before I could say another word, he stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

“Where is he, Julian?” I snapped, and Julian met my gaze again, but his hesitation was clear.

“In the dungeons,” Julian said, sighing, his eyes saddening beneath his square lenses.

My heart skipped in my chest, and I tried to get out of the bed. “He doesn’t belong there,” I growled, trying to push past Julian.

“Please, stop moving, my lady—your wound!” Julian’s voice was tight with concern, but I ignored him. The second I stood, my vision spun, and I swayed on my feet, my body betraying me. Julian’s arms wrapped around my waist just in time, steadying me before I collapsed back onto the bed.

“I’m going to have to re-wrap that now,” he muttered, exasperation clear in his tone as he began working on my bandages again. “There’s nothing you can do right now, Princess. Please, lie back down. You need to heal. Once you're stronger, I’ll take you to him.” Julian looked at me with pleading eyes.

I glowered at him. “Why is he in the dungeons? Morgana is alive. I have proof!” I winced again at my movements and looked frantically around. “Where is it?! Where is the amulet?” I shouted, and Julian tried to quiet me. “Where is it?!” I cried again, panic squeezing my chest. My breath quickened, and my vision began to blur. My heart pounded in my ears. I couldn’t have dropped it—no. I needed it. My mind spun with desperation. I needed to see it, to hold it.

“It’s safe, Zara. Please, you have to calm down, or you’re going to hurt yourself even more,” Julian shouted, his tone edged with urgency.

But the rising storm inside me drowned out his words. My heart raced faster, the edges of my vision darkening. I had to leave—I had to find it. I pushed myself up, the world spinning violently as I stood. My legs buckled, and strong arms caught me as Julian yelled something, his voice distant, almost muffled. The door slammed open, but I had already passed out.

*

Xavier stood over me again, his face expressionless as I took in his imposing figure above me. He no longer wore his black attire, but had on a simple white shirt and some sort of soft, baggy pants.

“Where’s the amulet?” I rasped, my throat dry—too dry. I felt weak, but the question burned in my mind. I moved to sit up, struggling with the effort, and Xavier immediately reached out. His hands were at my side as they guided me upright. His fingers brushed my arm, lingering a moment before adjusting a pillow behind me.

“I have it,” he said quietly, meeting my gaze briefly before fussing with the surrounding blankets. The scent of cedar and citrus filled my lungs, and my body seemed to relax a fraction, my stomach flipping with a strange awareness, and I cursed myself for enjoying his nearness.

He handed me a glass of water, his eyes never leaving my face, watching intently as I drained it in one go. The cool liquid eased my dry throat, but it wasn’t enough. Without a word, he refilled the glass and sat on the edge of the bed, his emerald gaze unreadable.

“I need it,” I said, my voice rough, almost pleading, despite my attempt to sound authoritative.

“It’s my mother’s,” Xavier replied flatly, as if that were a sufficient explanation. His tone suggested that the matter was settled.

“My magic, my soul—it’s inside it. Please, I need it to be safe.” My words were laced with desperation, my breath catching as I urged him to understand.

Xavier’s body tensed, and he went still. He didn’t show the surprise I had expected, but instead seemed to process the information with a slow, deliberate calm. “Gunnar assumed that might be the case when the charm malfunctioned,” he said after a moment, his fingers rubbing wearily at his eyes. “It explains why your magic has been so unpredictable. It makes sense now.”

“She gave me some sort of potion…she said it would fix me being able to control her magic…my magic.”

Xavier’s eyes flashed with a sharp intensity as he took in my words. I then proceeded to tell him all that had happened, and Xavier listened intently. He pulled the amulet out of his pocket and stared at it. “I'll have Julian run another work up on you to make sure what she gave you wasn’t something more than what she said.”

I narrowed my eyes at him again in anger. “Release Jaxon. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like a criminal,” I spat, and Xavier fixed me with an incredulous stare.

“He ripped my soul, opened a realm, released a monster, and you sit there and tell me he isn’t a criminal?” Xavier growled, his voice low and dangerous.

When he put it that way, it sounded horrible. “It's not as simple as that, and you know it.”

Xavier huffed, and I stared at him as he stood pocketing the amulet again.

“Gunnar had to return to Niverrian, but we will travel there once you are healed. Without their talismans, they can’t access our magic, but it is still twisted with theirs. Gunnar is working on a way to untwist and release our souls from the bargain tied to the objects.”

My heart sank at his words—she still had it, part of my soul. My mother… no, not my mother. Her words crashed back into my mind, suffocating me as the truth settled deep into my bones. She wasn’t my mother. Relief washed over me at the thought that the witch wasn’t my blood, but the realization still chilled me, tightening around my chest like a vice.

How much of my life had been a lie? How much of what I thought was love had been manipulation?

“I’ll have Julian send up some food for you. You must be starving,” Xavier added, turning toward the door.

At the mention of food, my stomach growled in pain. “How long have I been asleep?” I asked, and Xavier seemed to wince, turning back to face me.

“A week,” he admitted, his voice tight.

“A week?!” I shouted. I had been asleep for a week?!

Xavier nodded. “We had to ensure you healed properly and gave you a sedative. We didn’t want you waking up in a panic like you did the last time and having to start over again.”

“So, you drugged me?” I said, astonished by his admission. They drugged me!?

“No,” he said simply. “Julian did.” Xavier flashed me a grin and walked out of the room. As he shut the door behind him with a soft click, I stared after him incredulously.

I rubbed my face, and a flash of silver caught my eye. Glancing down at my wrist, I discovered it was bound with a charm once more. Panic surged through me, but the idea of returning home to that witch was even more terrifying than the charm's pain. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to relax back into the bed.

Nothing good awaited me back home—that was if I even had a home at all anymore.