Chương 21: Chapter 19:
The warm rays of the morning sun filtered through the curtains, illuminating my room in a soft golden glow. I blinked groggily, my senses slowly piecing themselves back together after what felt like the longest dream I'd ever had. Except, it wasn't just a dream—I'd met Smokey.
As I turned my head, my gaze landed on something—or someone—that immediately made me freeze. Xenos was slouched in a chair by the window, his shirt missing, his arms crossed over his chest, and his head tilted slightly to the side in sleep. His face, though relaxed, looked almost… peaceful.
On the small table next to him was a haphazard pile of dirty bowls, as though someone had been keeping a constant vigil, making sure I had everything I needed while I was…
How long was I out?
Careful not to make a sound, I slowly pushed the covers off me and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. The last thing I wanted was to wake him up and deal with the inevitable awkwardness—
"You're finally awake," Xenos muttered, his voice low and gravelly, his eyes half-lidded but alert.
I froze mid-movement. "I—uh, good morning?"
A slow, teasing smirk tugged at his lips. "The little flower finally decided to bloom."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "What does that even mean? And why would you say something so... weird?"
He raised an eyebrow, leaning back in the chair as though he hadn't spent the night in a terribly uncomfortable position. "You've been asleep for an entire week, Sage. Thought I'd have to water you soon to wake you up."
My jaw dropped. "A week?"
Before he could answer, the door burst open, and Alohi strutted in with her usual flair. "Oh, thank the gods, Sleeping Beauty lives!" she declared dramatically, hands on her hips. Her eyes darted to Xenos, and a wicked grin spread across her face. "And here I thought you'd lost your mind, Xenos, pacing around and mumbling to yourself like a lovesick fool."
Xenos' face darkened instantly, and he shot to his feet, glaring at her. "I wasn't pacing," he grumbled, crossing his arms defensively.
"Uh-huh," Alohi said, clearly enjoying herself. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were worried sick. All broody and shirtless. How romantic."
"Get out," Xenos growled, his cheeks tinting slightly as he pointed to the door.
Alohi waggled her eyebrows at me. "He's totally smitten," she whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear.
I couldn't help but laugh despite myself. "Alohi, stop tormenting him."
"But it's so fun!" she whined, though she finally relented and plopped onto the edge of my bed. "Alright, alright, I'll behave. For now. But seriously, Sage, it's good to see you awake. You had us worried."
I glanced at Xenos, who had turned away to gather the dirty bowls, his back tense. "I didn't mean to scare anyone," I said softly, feeling a pang of guilt.
"Yeah, yeah, save the guilt trip for later," Alohi said, waving a hand. "Right now, we've got to figure out what's next. But first—Xenos, why don't you put a shirt on? You're making Sage blush."
"I'm not blushing!" I protested, but my voice was drowned out by Alohi's laughter and Xenos' exasperated sigh.
I pushed Alohi gently off the bed and stood, wobbling slightly as my legs adjusted to standing again. My body still felt sluggish, but I ignored it. "I'm going to take a shower and get ready for the day," I announced, eager to escape the lingering awkwardness of the room.
Alohi flopped dramatically onto my bed. "Fine, leave me here with the grumpy dragon."
Xenos shot her a glare, but I didn't stick around to hear their bickering. Grabbing some clothes from my bag, I made my way to the bathroom.
The warm water was a welcome relief as it cascaded over me, washing away a week's worth of sweat and tension. As I scrubbed my skin and lathered my hair, my thoughts swirled around everything Smokey had told me. Mithridatism. Physostigmine. The flower. The curse. It felt like the weight of the world had settled on my shoulders overnight—or, rather, over the week I'd been asleep.
By the time I stepped out of the shower, wrapped in a fluffy towel, I felt slightly more human. I got dressed quickly, opting for a simple but comfortable outfit. As I combed through my damp hair, I caught my reflection in the mirror and paused. My face looked the same, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't.
Taking a deep breath, I left the bathroom and headed back to my room. Alohi and Xenos were still there—Alohi sprawled out on the bed, flipping through one of my books, while Xenos leaned against the wall, arms crossed, looking as stoic as ever.
"Alright," I said, clapping my hands lightly. "What's the plan for today?"
Xenos raised an eyebrow. "The plan? You've just woken up after a week of being out cold. Maybe take it easy?"
Alohi rolled her eyes. "Boring. We've got things to do, don't we, Sage? Like, oh, I don't know, saving the world?"
"One step at a time," I replied with a small smile. "But first, breakfast. I'm starving."
"Now that's a plan I can get behind," Alohi said, hopping up. "Let's see if Xenos can cook anything other than brooding and sarcasm."
Xenos muttered something under his breath, but I was already heading downstairs, feeling a strange mix of determination and dread for what lay ahead.
Downstairs, the smell of food wafted through the tavern, warm and inviting. Xenos stood at the stove, his back to us, moving with a surprising grace for someone so rugged. When he turned, he carried two plates in each hand and placed them on the table with practiced ease.
"For you," he said coldly, sliding a plate in front of me. I glanced down and noticed it was different from the others—a beautifully arranged breakfast with extra care put into the details. There were fresh fruits, soft scrambled eggs, and even a small sprig of herbs for garnish. Alohi's plate, by comparison, was...less artistic.
Before I could thank him, he turned on his heel and disappeared into his office without another word.
Alohi watched him go, then turned to me with a smirk. "Oh, he definitely has a crush on you. Did you see how he made your plate? All fancy and delicate, like you're some kind of princess."
I rolled my eyes, cutting into my food. "He's just being nice. And you're reading too much into it."
"No, no, no," Alohi insisted, pointing her fork at me. "You don't just make a plate like that for someone unless you're interested. Trust me. And he couldn't stop hovering over you when you were asleep! I caught him checking on you like, twenty times."
I sighed. "Alohi, where's Aurora?"
She blinked, momentarily thrown off her tangent. "What? Oh, uh...good question. Maybe she's still upstairs—"
Before she could finish, Aurora darted into the room, her small form glowing faintly as she landed on my shoulder.
"There you are!" I said, smiling as I gently stroked her head. "I was starting to worry."
Aurora chirped softly, rubbing against my cheek. She settled herself comfortably as I continued eating, tuning out Alohi's dramatic musings about Xenos and his supposed feelings.
Though part of me wondered...was she right?
As the door to the tavern shut behind Alohi, I was left alone in the quiet. The clinking of dishes in the sink was oddly calming, though Aurora perched on the windowsill nearby, watching me intently.
"So," I said, breaking the silence, "where on earth am I supposed to find physostigmine?"
Aurora tilted her head and fluttered closer. "It's in the calabar bean," she said, her voice as soft as a whisper. "And you can find some in the Fairy's Forest. But it's dangerous, Sage. That forest is not welcoming to strangers anymore."
I frowned, drying my hands. "Dangerous or not, I don't have a choice. Let's go."
With determination, I marched upstairs to find Xenos in his office. He was scribbling notes on a scroll, but he looked up when I knocked, his piercing eyes narrowing slightly.
"I'm going out with Aurora," I said, trying to sound casual.
His brow furrowed instantly. "Where?"
"The forest," I replied vaguely. "Just...hanging out. Exploring. You know."
Xenos set his pen down and stood. "No. Absolutely not."
"Why not?"
"Because I said so," he growled. "It's too dangerous. You don't even know what you're doing yet."
I crossed my arms. "Aurora will be with me! I can handle it."
"No, Sage," he repeated firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument.
The tension in the room thickened as I glared at him. "Why do you always act like this?" I demanded, my voice rising. "You're so confusing! One minute, you're mean and cold, and the next, you're making me special breakfasts and worrying about me like you care. Which is it, Xenos? Because I can't figure you out!"
Xenos stepped closer, his expression a mix of frustration and something else—something deeper. "You don't understand," he said quietly, his voice rough.
"Then help me understand!" I shot back, my chest heaving.
His gaze softened, and for a moment, he seemed to be fighting an internal battle. Finally, he exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair.
"I'm scared for you, Sage," he admitted, his voice trembling slightly. "Every time you throw yourself into danger, it terrifies me. Because..." He hesitated, his usual stoic demeanor breaking. "Because I love you."
The room fell into a stunned silence, his confession hanging in the air between us like an electric charge.
"But it doesn't matter," he continued bitterly. "It doesn't matter how much I love you. We're forbidden. You're the chosen one, and I'm...me. This—whatever this is—can never happen."
I stared at him, my mind racing, but no words came out. For once, I was completely and utterly speechless.
I didn't say anything as I left Xenos' office. The words I wanted to scream at him—words I wasn't even sure I fully understood—stayed lodged in my throat. I just turned and walked out, my footsteps heavy on the wooden stairs.
By the time I reached the bottom, my pace had quickened. Before I even realized it, I was storming through the tavern, my hands pushing the door open with more force than necessary. The slam echoed behind me, but I didn't care.
The air outside was cold and biting, but I barely felt it. My feet carried me into the forest, deeper and deeper, as if I could outrun the weight in my chest. The trees blurred past me, their gnarled branches reaching out like they were trying to stop me, to slow me down.
I didn't stop. Not until my legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed onto the damp forest floor. My chest heaved as I gasped for air, but it felt like no matter how much I inhaled, it wasn't enough.
Tears burned my eyes, and I pressed my hands against the earth, trying to ground myself, but the sobs came anyway, wrenching their way out of me.
"Why?" I whispered, the word shaky and broken. I turned my head toward Aurora, who had perched on a nearby branch, her small frame barely visible in the dim light filtering through the trees. "Why do I have to make everything so hard for everyone?"
Aurora fluttered down, landing lightly on my knee. "Sage, you're not—"
"I am!" I cut her off, my voice raw. "I always am. Everything I do just makes things worse. Xenos can barely stand me half the time, and I don't even know why! Alohi… she's just dragged along for the ride. And now, all this with Smokey and Mortis…"
My throat tightened, and I buried my face in my hands. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."
Aurora didn't respond immediately, which only made the silence around us heavier.
I looked up at her, tears streaming down my face. "I ruin everything, Aurora. Everything I touch falls apart."
She tilted her head, her soft gaze unwavering. "You don't ruin things, Sage," she said gently. "You're trying to fix things, to help. That's not the same as breaking them."
I shook my head, the lump in my throat refusing to go away. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that I keep hurting the people around me. But…" My voice faltered, and I clenched my fists against the ground.
"I'm not going to let this be another failure," I said, my tone firm despite the tears still falling. "Xenos doesn't deserve this curse. I don't care what it takes—I'll find a way to cure him. I'll fix this, Aurora. I have to."
Aurora moved closer, her wings brushing softly against my arm. "And you will," she said, her voice filled with quiet confidence.
I nodded, the resolve in my chest growing stronger. I didn't know how I was going to do it yet, but one thing was certain.
I would save Xenos. No matter what it took.
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