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I remained in front of Xavier as everyone turned to us, making my annoyance grow with their prying eyes. The four guards in the dining room didn't recognize him and they held their defensive stances with guns aimed past me at him. I could hear their heartbeats thundering in their chests, yet they kept their composure, finding comfort in their weaponry.
"Drop your weapons," I said.
"Keep them up!" Julius yelled with a smirk. I understood that he was challenging me to do something, and I let it slide that he was underestimating me. The last time he saw me, I was a small child whom he threw around and beat in "the name of God". My supposed misery was believed to wash away his sins.
A couple of guards lowered their weapons, earning a scowl from the people at the table, and Xavier laughed from behind me. I raised my brow at the guards that remained, giving them one last chance to bow down, but when they didn't, I raised my hand, prepared to snap my fingers and drain the life from their miserable bodies.
"Stand down!" My mother ordered, earning sour looks from the guests. When the guards did as she said, I dropped my hand and put it into my pocket.
Xavier walked from behind me, bumping my shoulder as he did, and stepped towards the table. "Hello, I'm Syn's best friend and I have convinced him to do what is right and marry your daughter."
Oh, please. I rolled my eyes at him and scoffed, crossing my arms.
My mother stood up and rushed to his side. She put her hands on his shoulders and examined him as if he were some otherworldly creature, grabbing his cheeks and looking into his eyes. "I didn't know Syn had friends," she said, her tone still laced with unease.
"Friend," he corrected as he reached out to shake her hand. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Syn talks about me?" She asked, her arms dropping to her side as she glanced at me.
"I meant from Lucifer," he admitted with a look at the guests around the room... the disrespect. My mother blushed and shook her head. The rest of the room broke out into gasps and coughs, meanwhile, Julius scoffed at Xavier's reveal. How embarrassing, I thought to myself. His own wife preferring the company of the devil over the man she married.
My mother began twirling her hair between her fingers, and looked up at Xavier, eyeing him one last time. "You and I will get along." With that, she locked arms with him and led him to an open seat at the table.
I didn't understand how he managed to get along with people with so much ease. If I had done the same thing people would have screamed and run away. Admittedly, I wanted them to, but I was still curious. How did it feel to have someone want to truly want to speak to you...bereft of all fear or pressure?
I took the open seat next to Xyla and felt her eyes on me as the kings discussed the terms of the treaty with me. Her stare was burning a hole into the side of my face during the conversation, and I could see her fondling the hem of her short blue dress whenever I spoke. When the discussion was over, Julius excused himself along with the king and queen, and I took the chance to turn to the nuisance beside me.
