The Elite (Editting)

Chapter 23: Ally From Afar

"Put that soap down honey, wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," Xenia said as she took a seat on one of the unoccupied beds.  

"Xenia, what are you doing here? How'd you escape?" I asked her. I looked over and noticed Gabriel was studying her face like it was his job.  

"I'm here to save your sorry arses and I got out through the laundry. The guards don't watch what goes out, so much as they do what comes back in," she shook her orange hair out as she answered. "Nice room you got here, how much it setting you back?" Her green eyes traveled between Gabriel and I's entwined hands, making me self-conscience. I dropped his hand and stepped a few feet away from him.  

"Nervous are we? So I take it that you two aren't official yet...." Xenia's voice trailed off, "...or you're still unsure about what you feel."  

"What do you want Xenia?" I asked. I could feel my cheeks heating up and I imagine they were bright red.  

"I'm here to help you do whatever it is you two are doing," she answered with a smirk.  

'Can we trust her?' Gabriel's voice was suddenly in my head. 'Don't look so confused, she'll think something's up. Just think your answer and I'll hear it.'  

Xenia started talking again, seeing Gabriel and I standing in complete silence, "So what are you two up to?"  

'Yes. I trust her.' I thought. I caught Gabriel in my peripheral vision and saw him give a slight nod of his head.  

"We aren't particularly sure what we're up to either. Grandmere told us to see Hermes and he would have the next part of the clue we need," I answered.  

"Oh, speaking of the old woman, she told me to give you a message."  

"Well, what is it?"  

"Give me a minute, yeah, right. She said: 'Hermes is not just the messenger of the gods, he is manifest in his hotel, where you all are staying.' "  

"That doesn't make any sense," Gabriel said.  

"That's because I'm not done yet," Xenia retorted. "Where was I? Oh yeah: 'I am sending you a helper to aid you in your journey. She is most trustworthy and you'll do well to trust her too. She is bringing with her gifts that should help you as you travel to visit Artemis. Good luck.' " Gabriel and I looked between each other in confusion.  

"So what was the point of coming here? What's the point of finding Artemis, this is hopeless," I said, plopping down on the other bed.  

"It's not pointless, at least I hope not," Xenia replied.  

"You hope not? What do you mean you hope not?" I asked.  

"Well, Artemis is the goddess of the moon, which is famous for revealing things that were previously unseen," Gabriel supplied.  

"Very poetic, lover boy," Xenia said, flipping her long, wavy orange hair over her shoulders. "It is true though. Those who have visited Artemis have claimed to found some deeper meaning in the world. Some say they understand why Zeus lets the Titans live; some simply claim to understand their place in the world."  

"All that from a visit to Artemis? Maybe I really do need to see her," I said.  

"I think we all do. We'll head our first thing in the morning, for now, we rest," Gabriel said, unlacing his hiker's boots.  

"Right. See you in the morning, Xenia?" I asked. Xenia made no move to rise from the bed I'd slept in the previous night.  

"Sure," Xenia replied. "See you two tomorrow." The orange-haired giantess curled into a ball and threw the thin hotel blanket over her body.  

"Um, Xenia, what are you doing?" Gabriel asked.  

"Seeing as I don't have a room and all, I figured you could spare a bed," she replied. "Good night love birds."  

"She can't be serious," I said definitively.  

"Oh, but I am. You two will have to share the bed or someone's sleeping on the floor," Xenia quipped. "Now enough talking, I need to rest to build my strength."

Gabriel and I sat together in content silence for what seemed like an eternity before we heard the soft snores signaling that Xenia had fallen asleep. After a few more minutes, I found myself drifting in and out of sleep.

"You need to sleep, Donatella," Gabriel said quietly, scaring me awake. "You take the bed, I'll take the floor."  

I laid back and allowed Gabriel to tuck me in to bed. When he tried to pull away, I grabbed his arm gently, pulling him closer. "Don't leave, stay with me."  

"I'm not going anywhere, Belle, I'll be right here," he said quietly.  

Still mostly asleep, I pulled Gabriel closer until he fell on the empty space of bed next to me. "Stay with me, please," I said groggily. I wrapped my arms around his warm body, effectively capturing him.  

"I'll stay," Gabriel said. He slid under the blankets next to me, holding me close. "Sleep now, you'll need your strength."  

"Yes, sleep." I didn't even have a chance to give Gabriel a proper 'good night' before blackness had overtaken me in peaceful slumber.