Page 24 of Twisted Souls (Twisted Souls #1)

Zara

It had been four days since Xavier stormed out. Julian had set up another room for me down the hall that same day, a gesture that should have given me some relief—but instead, it only pissed me off more. I hadn’t seen Xavier or Jaxon since, and it stung more than I cared to admit.

Aria, however, had stormed from the castle the other night. Aria had launched into the air atop her griffin, flames dancing across her skin like a second layer of armor. The fire illuminated her against the night sky, and I watched her fiery figure disappear through the clouds. No one would tell me what had happened, but I knew she had seen Jaxon—spoken to him.

I had been told Jaxon was no longer in the dungeons, free to roam the castle. Yet no one could—or would—tell me where he was. If he was really free, why hadn’t he come to see me? Every time I asked someone to take me to him, they would shift uncomfortably, fumbling for excuses before hurrying off. It was infuriating.

I’d tried finding his room alone, but this castle was an endless maze of hallways and hidden corners. I had explored most of it by now, yet still hadn’t uncovered where Jaxon was. And with each failed attempt, my frustration only grew.

It hadn’t felt like much time had passed for me since that dreadful night with Morgana, mostly because I’d spent the better part of a week asleep, recovering. But for Jaxon… I wasn’t sure what he knew or what anyone had told him. Did he know I was safe? Did he even care?

Most days, Theo and Julian would take me for walks around the grounds. Between their fake squabbles and constant joking, they were surprisingly good at keeping my mind off everything that had happened.

To my surprise, Dedra was always nearby. Whether standing outside my door or hovering in the background, she never spoke, but I could tell she listened to all of us talk. I thought I saw her smile once, but it was too faint to tell.

We were at breakfast, the room filled with the sounds of Julian and Theo’s laughter. Their playful banter and Dedra’s exasperated eye rolls brought a sense of normalcy to the morning, and I couldn’t help but smile as I piled my plate high with bacon.

The door swung open, and Xavier strode into the room. Julian’s laughter died out, and Theo’s eyes flickered nervously. Dedra’s posture tensed, though she kept her gaze fixed on her plate.

Xavier’s eyes scanned the table before settling on an empty seat at the far end. He took his time filling his plate, the clatter of cutlery punctuating the silence. Once seated, he took a bite of his food, focusing on his plate. Everyone exchanged nervous glances, unsure of what to say or how to break the thick tension that was now suffocating the air around us.

I wouldn’t let him control the situation, so I turned toward him, the distance between us requiring me to raise my voice slightly. “Xavier,” I said, attempting a greeting. He paused mid-motion, his fork hovering in the air, as his emerald gaze locked onto mine. The intensity of his stare sent a shiver down my spine, making my heart race.

“I’m ready to train so I can help deliver your message,” I declared, trying to keep my voice steady.

Xavier set his fork down and leaned back in his chair with a lazy, nonchalant ease. “I no longer need you to deliver a message. My uncle was stationed at the realm entrance and went to your family’s castle to deliver it personally.”

Confusion furrowed my brows. “You put your uncle at risk?”

“My uncle can take care of himself,” Xavier replied, grumbling slightly.

I turned away from him, pushing food around on my plate as guilt gnawed at me. If only I had agreed to train sooner, perhaps his uncle, his and Jaxon's last blood relative, wouldn’t be risking his life right now.

“As for training,” Xavier continued, “you can start whenever you like.” I glanced back at Xavier, whose face was an impassive mask, though I noticed the tightness in his jaw as he intentionally avoided meeting my gaze. “Now that you’re fully healed, we’ll head out first thing in the morning for Niverrian.” Xavier huffed softly, finally meeting my eye. “But I need your help with something first.” Sadness and something else I couldn’t quite place—pain? Flickered across his face.

“What is it?” I asked, my curiosity piqued as I looked at him. Xavier sighed and stood from the table.

I glanced around at the others, but they avoided my gaze. Swallowing my unease, I set my napkin down and hurried after Xavier, trying to close the distance between us.

He maintained a deliberate space, leading me up countless flights of stairs and winding hallways.

Finally, he stopped at a dead end, and I raised a brow, the question clear in my expression. He didn’t respond—instead, the wall before us began to ripple, shifting like liquid metal. It dissolved into mist a moment later, revealing another hallway that hadn’t been there before.

I clenched my jaw, holding my tongue. I now knew why I hadn’t been able to find Jaxon.

Xavier led me down the hall until we finally reached a heavy door. Xavier leaned against the wall, arms folding across his broad chest as his gaze dropped to the floor, avoiding mine entirely.

“Don’t blame me for his condition. He’s doing this to himself. I’m hoping that seeing you will make him eat something.”

My heart skipped in my chest as the door swung open, likely by Xavier’s magic. I was finally going to see him. Jaxon.

Xavier lingered by the door, his gaze still fixed on the floor as I rushed into the room.

It was dark—too dark for the time of day. The shades must have been drawn, muting the sunlight. A faint flicker of light sparked to my right, and as it illuminated the room, my breath hitched.

Jaxon sat against the wall, his back angled awkwardly as he leaned against the cold stone. His face had lost its usual life, and the once-bright golden hue of his eyes had faded to a muted yellow. His chest, bare and exposed, revealed ribs more prominently than before, the defined muscles now appearing smaller, like he had lost weight. A bowl of water and a rag were next to him as if someone had been tending to him.

Xavier followed me into the room, shutting the door behind him with a quiet click. He leaned back against it, assuming the same detached posture he’d held in the hallway.

“Jaxon,” I breathed or shouted, I wasn’t sure, as I ran toward him. Jaxon’s head lifted weakly in my direction, and his eyes widened slightly.

“Don’t,” Jaxon hissed, holding his hand up as I approached, making me stop only feet away. He glared at Xavier. “I told you I didn’t want to see her.”

My heart cracked at his words, and Jaxon averted his gaze. I fought to maintain my composure, feeling the weight of his rejection and trying not to crumble under it.

“And I told you, you need to snap out of it,” Xavier’s voice sliced through the air, “You’ve barely touched your food, and nothing else has seemed to help.”

Jaxon let out a feral roar of anger, and Xavier only laughed at his outburst.

Jaxon’s eyes flickered toward me, and the sight of the tear that slipped down my cheek seemed to sharpen his gaze into something both pained and resolute. “I want to be left alone,” he growled, the words like daggers aimed straight at my heart. “Leave,” Jaxon barkedandrose from the floor, his body tense and rigid.

Xavier stepped between us, positioning himself in front of me.

“What did I do to make you so angry?” I asked, my voice trembling. The relief I had at finally seeing him withered away inside me.

“Like you don’t know,” Jaxon snarled, his gaze fierce and accusatory. “Like you don’t feel it.”

“Jaxon. Enough.” Xavier’s tone was sharp. “You’re angry, but this isn’t the way to handle it.”

“What is he talking about?” I demanded.

The cold, mocking laughter that escaped Jaxon’s lips made me flinch. “You and him,” Jaxon growled, eyes locking onto Xavier.

“Me and who?!” I shouted, the words bursting out of me as I shoved past Xavier. My hands collided with Jaxon’s chest, the force of the push making him stagger slightly. I was done playing whatever game this was.

Xavier stopped me from advancing further and grabbed my arms, pulling me behind him with a protective urgency. Jaxon’s gaze remained locked on Xavier.

“I told you not to bring her here. This is on you!” Jaxon roared, shoving Xavier.

Xavier caught himself, deftly moving me aside to prevent me from being knocked over. “I wouldn’t do that again, brother.” Xavier’s voice was bitter, with a deadly undertone that made my skin prickle.

Jaxon advanced, his anger unrestrained, but Xavier was faster. He lashed out, landing a punch that sent Jaxon crashing into the wall with a resounding thud.

I let out a cry as I lunged forward, but Xavier's hand was suddenly on my arm, holding me back. “This was a mistake; we should go,” Xavier said softly.

“Let me go,” I snapped, and he released me without question. I rushed to Jaxon, who lay crumpled on the floor, his breath uneven.

“Jaxon, please, talk to me,” I pleaded, kneeling beside him.

“We have nothing to talk about. Go back to my brother and leave me be,” Jaxon whispered, his voice a hollow echo. He struggled to his feet, walking away from me and past Xavier toward his bed. He collapsed into it, pulling the covers around him like a shield, turning his back to us.

A low growl rumbled from Xavier’s throat, and he moved swiftly, crossing the room to grasp my hand. Without waiting for a response, he tugged me out of the room. My feet followed mechanically, and I didn’t resist.

Once in the hall, Xavier shadowed us back to my room and dropped my hand.

I stood frozen where we appeared. All this time, I’d thought Xavier was keeping Jaxon from me, but now I realized it was Jaxon who didn’t want to see me.

Xavier sank onto the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands. His shoulders trembled slightly, and his voice came out muffled and strained. “I’m sorry. I thought… I thought seeing you would help. It was a mistake. He's not himself, and you shouldn't have had to see him like that, to be treated like that.”

I blinked, struggling to process his words. My heart ached, and I could tell the pain in Xavier's voice was genuine.

“Why doesn’t he want to see me?” I whispered, the question barely escaping my lips. Xavier stood and crossed the room with purposeful strides. His strong, calloused hand cupped my chin, gently guiding me to meet his gaze.

“You’ve done nothing wrong,” he said, his voice surprisingly soft. His touch was warm and grounding, “He’s upset with me, with himself, the situation. That’s all.”

I shook my head, his fingers slipping away from my skin. I turned away from him, unable to face him any longer.

“Zara,” he said, his voice almost a plea.

“I want to be alone if that’s alright,” I replied, my voice a soft, desperate whisper. Silence followed, and when I turned to speak again, Xavier was gone, and I was alone.