Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-One: Jealousy
Twilight had descended and the rain had stopped when the group finally stopped traveling for the day.
The light of the sun had diminished, offering a candlelit glow to the forests. With the clouds scattering to the winds, a fleeting hue of amethyst emerged across the clearing sky. Xaphile kept his feelings off his face and joined everyone in the process of changing into some dry clothes.
For the first time since their departure, the faeries that had been accompanying them to the magical border actually joined them, since this would be their last night together.
In the morning, they would reach the barrier and Krishna and the other faery girls would head back to the city. Once everyone was warm and dry, the sprites used natural methods to get a fire going and Karla happily suggested playing a game called, 'Dare Not Laugh.'
To Xaphile's muted surprise, nearly everyone agreed to join in, even Ella.
"I will go first!" Karla announced, flicking her shoulder-length blonde hair out of her eyes. "The objective is simple: I will attempt to make you all laugh and whomever laughs first, loses and then has to take a turn to try and do the same."
"And what if we do not laugh?" Sarka deadpanned, giving her a smug look up and down.
"Oh, I am certain at least one of you will laugh," Karla assured her, not worried in the slightest. "If not many of you."
"Alright, then let us have a go," Ella said simply, folding her arms. "I can assure you that I will be the last one remaining. I'll have you know, I haven't truly laughed since I was eight."
"Oh, Ella," Amelia rolled her eyes. "That isn't something you should be bragging about."
"Aye, it's a bit miserable," Sinmir chuckled; he ducked when she threw an apple core at him. "Oi, watch it! I'm just speaking the truth, ya know!"
Ella merely stuck her tongue out at him.
All participated merrily, save Xaphile who inconspicuously snatched the wing harness that Gus had given him, grabbed one of his shirts, and walked off into the forest without telling anyone.
He was sick of walking around shirtless all the time.
Plus, he needed some time to let what had been revealed to him earlier sink in.
His placid face and cool eyes revealed little of what he was feeling, but on the inside, his heart had been turned into a sickening storm of hatred, anger, worry, anxiety, and fear. His brother was only a child. The thought of someone putting their hands on him made him sick.
He walked a little faster, tail dancing behind him, feeling his hair standing up.
"I shouldn't have wasted so much time here," he hissed, smashing a fist against a tree. "Fuck. He could have been tortured or worse during the time I spent here, thinking of nobody but myself, and I didn't even know it. God damn it!"
After pacing around a few more trees, which had steadily become more normal in size over the last week of traveling, he found a rather large cluster of boulders looming over a waterfall. He reclined against the cold stone backdrop of the rock face that framed the cascading water, taking a moment to look at the world around him.
Even though he was upset, he still marveled at the sight before him.
The stillness of the water below intrigued him most. He contemplated the dramatic contrast of the fall's arduous plummet from the craggy rocks above with the tranquility of the waters just yards away from where it plunged into the pool below to be absorbed into stillness.
That stillness... was what his soul craved.
He wanted clarity. He wanted calm. He wanted certainty.
Stability.
The feeling of having his feet firmly underneath him.
But with the knowledge Vordt had bestowed upon him about Adariel's situation, a myriad of negative emotions that even now felt extremely alien to him had, in a sense, awakened a very possessive piece of his heart from a subconscious slumber.
He tried to push his anger down since letting his temper go unchecked wasn't wise.
It would likely cause him to be moody, despondent, or even volatile, none of which would be pleasant to be around, but the thought of Adariel being harmed made him remember his father's abuse and the only thing he could recall from his old life on Atlas.
The memory of his mother introducing him to his sibling for the first time.
"This is your little brother Adariel, Xa-Xa... he finally came to meet us."
"This is my brother?"
"Yes. You must protect him. Cherish him. He will be your strength in the days to come. And you will be his. For you are both to become the Kings of these forests someday."
A shiver ran through his entire body and he closed his eyes tight to prevent them from filling with tears. His mother on this world had been exactly the same as the one he remembered. Hell, even the words that had been spoken to him after Adariel's birth had mirrored the words he'd heard just before she'd died back on Earth.
That memory, even if it didn't really belong to him, made him miss her deeply.
Both versions of her, in fact.
The love of a mother, an intimacy that most took for granted, was an experience he had longed for his whole life. He thought of Earth's Ella for the first time in what felt like a while and he momentarily wished he could share with her everything he'd learned over the last few months.
But he already knew he would be able to do it for real someday, so he didn't dwell on it.
Plus. when the day came that he could see her again... things would probably change forever.
She had loved him just as much as he had loved her, and he knew that she would be devastated to learn about what he'd done to himself, especially since he'd done it because of her death. She would blame herself if he wasn't careful, and he wouldn't let that happen.
Especially since deep down, he knew what she would want for him.
She would want him to just... be happy.
If he could only find a little bit of set-in-stone closure on things, he might... might be okay with starting over on Atlas. He didn't know, but thinking of her now... while it still hurt a lot, it didn't feel the same as it used to. Not as sharp, not as piercing, not as harsh.
He no longer felt as if every piece of his heart and soul were being ripped apart.
There was just just a slow, dull ache that throbbed and burned with recognition and finality.
A long sigh escaped him as he sat up and stretched his back.
Purposely stopping himself from descending into further gloom, he reminded himself that while his old life was over, he wasn't alone anymore. He had real friends who understood him, he had family members that loved him to a certain degree, and a little brother who needed him.
And in truth, he needed his little brother, just as much.
He'd promised his mother that he would protect his sibling, and he would endeavor to succeed no matter the cost. His life had a renewed sense of purpose.
He wouldn't rest until he found Adariel, but until then, he would continue to take things one step at a time. A rhythmic squashing of leaves drew his attention from his brooding. The steps were too heavy and loud to be one of the faery girls and by the cadence of the steps, he ruled out an animal. By the tentative nature of the approach, he guessed it was one of his companions.
Sure enough, a few moments later, someone appeared from behind a nearby tree.
Krishna.
Her curly blonde hair was soaked through.
"Greetings, Vadil..." she greeted in her familiar feminine baritone, peering out of the shadows before carefully wandering closer to the ledge he was perched on. "If I may inquire, what are you doing out here, so far from your... companions?"
He carefully set the harness down and ran a hand through his wet hair.
He thought over what to tell her.
"I'm settling," he vaguely answered, gazing out at the river. "I needed time to myself."
"Did you and the Nameless King quarrel?" she asked concernedly.
He turned to meet her worried amber eyes and gave her a reassuring shake of his head. "No, there was no argument between us."
Blinking once, Krishna looked at the ground, then sighed and leapt up onto the rock in a single bound. His eyes followed her movements when she sat down beside him, tail curling around her long, toned legs.
"Then what is it that you have to settle?" she inquired. "Forgive me if I am being too forward, but if my ear will do, I am willing to lend it and perhaps offer insight that may help you."
He gave her a glance.
Strands of wet blonde hair hung limply across her sun-bronzed face, but her eyes were intent and focused. She had been wearing her hair down ever since the night of the festivities, when he'd told her she looked pretty.
"Just a few things weighing on my mind is all," he finally replied, looking away from her. "I just... found out something about my little brother that makes me fear for his safety, and I'm pretty angry at myself for not trying to look for him sooner. It hit me earlier how careless I was."
He swallowed hard at the truth of his own words and looked away. If his brother was being hurt, he was going to be partially to blame for any trauma the kid might have later in life, since he hadn't even been trying to find him. Guilt made his stomach churn.
"I cannot say for certain that your brother is unscathed," Krishna said, making him look at her with a frown; her eyes were unwavering, but full of a surprising amount of light. "However, I can say that I believe you will find him, for he is your blood, and it is clear that you love him deeply."
Xaphile blinked.
He didn't know how to respond.
Her words did, in some small way, make him feel like maybe things would turn out okay, but instead of saying so he simply nodded and gave her a weak attempt of a smile.
"Thanks," he mumbled. "I appreciate your words."
Her amber eyes gleamed and she grinned at him, blonde tail flicking rapidly behind her.
"Come," she commanded, gripping his wrists. "I will teach you how to bond with the creatures of the world around you. Perhaps befriending your own mount will lighten your mood."
"Eh?"
Xaphile jumped when he was pulled upright; he barely managed to snatch his shirt and the wing harness off the stone before he was pulled back through the woods towards the clearing where the others were still enjoying themselves.
🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗
Ella was bored.
Xaphile had gone off to be alone, and everyone else was boring her since they couldn't make her laugh. Sinmir, who was sitting beside her, glanced at her from his place against a fallen tree. Burly arms lax behind his head, the giant was wearing nothing but a pair of cloth trousers, looking quite relaxed indeed.
Many of the faeries were eyeing him hungrily, she'd noticed, but he didn't seem to notice or care.
Ella, still bored, pulled an apple from her pack and was about to eat it when she spotted Xaphile being dragged through the trees towards their horses by Krishna.
Her brows immediately furrowed in dislike.
"What's she doing with him?" she muttered, taking a large bite of fruit. "She's acting a little too close to him for my liking. Doesn't she remember that he rejected her once already?"
Sinmir closed his eyes with a snort when she settled back, chewing prominently.
"If you recall, he rejected you, as well," he reminded her. "If you haven't given up on him, it's more than possible that a primordial faery such as that wouldn't do so, either."
Anxiety flooded through her and she clamped up, staring off at the glimpse of their horses just beyond the trees with a worried frown.
"Well, what is it?" Sinmir asked, drawing her gaze; he was looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
"It is nothing," she muttered, dropping her eyes. She took another bite from the apple, but slower, leaning back on the trunk and chewing deliberately.
She looked up and stared again.
Krishna was standing beside Xaphile off in the trees, directing his hands with her own and making him pet Skitzy's muzzle in a specific manner. Even as she watched, the beautiful blonde girl leaned in so close that her supple chest was pressed against his side. When Xaphile made a specific motion and the horse stamped backwards a little, she shook her head and leaned close to his ear, ruby lips brushing it.
Ella's face darkened when Krishna slowly ran her hands down his arms and maneuvered them again, almost sensually.
Aside from the faeries lingering around the perimeter, no one else seemed to notice.
Sinmir looked between them, then rolled his eyes, sighing hard.
"If you don't like it," he grunted, "you could always go interrupt."
Ella barely even started, staring intently.
"What?" she murmured absently. "Of course not... I wouldn't think of it."
"Then why do you keep watching?"
Ella merely shrugged, making an effort at turning away. Her eyes lingered and darted back, though. Pathetic, really.
"I only wish to make sure this... Krishna... respects his boundaries."
"Oh?" Sinmir asked, lifting an eyebrow. "Respects his boundaries, how?"
"It's common knowledge at this point that none of these women," she muttered, gesturing inconspicuously at the faery girls, "have any sort of shame about sleeping with anyone who offers to do so. Some of them even go out of their way to make such activities happen."
"And you think that lass over there," Sinmir snorted, gesturing at Krishna, "will try that?"
"I don't know," Ella grumbled. "That's why I'm not happy with it."
"Oh, come on, Ella," Sinmir sighed. "She's simply giving him some sort of lesson."
"True..." Ella agreed; a long, uncomfortable moment passed before she wheedled, "but does she have to touch him so?"
Sinmir didn't answer. Ella didn't need him to, since she knew he didn't have one. He had eyes, too: Krishna was rather close to Xaphile, and she was indeed pressing her large bosom against his bare shoulder, and trailing her hands all over him, and touching him needlessly. Even if he didn't seem to be paying it any mind, it was clear that the blonde was flaunting her assets.
When Sinmir was not forthcoming with a response, Ella looked away with a huff, and they just sat like that a few minutes. The voices of their friends filled the air, Vrael, Amelia, and even Gus getting involved with the little game Karla had suggested.
Ella ate mechanically, eyes never leaving Xaphile; Sinmir simply watched her.
"She cannot break down the walls of his heart the way you are capable of doing," he finally told her, making her jump and whirl to look at him. "Cease your staring with those jealous, pitiable little eyes of yours. I understand that the thought of another woman touching him upsets you, but his heart does not even have a remote chance of belonging to that girl."
"Deep down, I wish to believe that you're right," Ella said, turning her gaze back on them, "but if I must be honest... she would likely do more good for him than I, in the long run."
Sinmir stiffened in surprise and scoffed, "don't tell me you are thinking of--"
She interrupted him by simply raising a hand.
"Never," Ella said softly, then lowered her eyes, mouth twisting, "but, at the same time, I am considering things in full depth. If I win his heart, and he weds me... it is as you say. We will likely have a great deal of problems, and not just the ones you have already pointed out to me."
"Oh?"
She sighed, running a hand through her hair and raising her eyes to the stars.
"I am not a woman yet," she said softly, "and I don't even truly have a claim to him, but I cannot keep myself from thinking farther ahead into the future than I should. If we were to be married and to start a family together, our children, for example, would be half human, half faery."
Sinmir tensed, and a wave of prickles ran down his spine.
"And how is that a problem?" he lowly demanded. "Ella... if you tell me that having children who are halflings would be a burden, I will never look at you with respect, ever again."
"That's not what I'm implying at all, you mental ox!" she snapped, face darkening with outrage. "I would never say such things about my own children, halfling or not! What I meant to say is... if he chooses me, and we have children of our own, they won't be able to help him, ever!"
"Help him?" Sinmir scoffed, looking baffled; then his eyes flickered with realization and his face went totally slack. "Oh... oh, Gods, Ella.... you're right."
"I know," she muttered. "Faerie halflings take after their mortal parents. Regardless of species."
"I had almost forgotten that he and his little brother were the last of the Nimikan Fae."
"The last that we know of," Ella grimly retorted, making him pause. "After finding out that his brother was kidnapped, now I'm not so sure that's really the case."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"I mean, I think there might be something more sinister at play," she explained, letting loose a very distraught sigh; Sinmir blinked when she set down her apple. "On the road into the mountains just outside of Ordin, we were attacked by mercenaries from the Red River covenant."
"You were?" Sinmir asked, brows raising; then his grey eyes widened. "Wait... were the attackers two dark skinned blokes wearing bright red clothing and odd hats?"
"Yes," Ella confirmed, giving him a nod. "They tried to abduct me. Someone paid them to do it, but what I haven't been able to figure out is how they knew where to find me. I told Angelo not to speak of my absence to anyone, and nobody aside from the city guards and perhaps one or two villagers knew of my plans to travel in search of a dream walking mage."
"Why didn't you speak of this before?" Sinmir growled. "This sort of news bodes ill, Ella."
"I know, but when I tried to talk to everyone about this the first time, it was brushed off as a coincidence and there wasn't really another opportunity to talk about it," she continued, giving him a worried look. "Now we all know that Xaphile's little brother was kidnapped by someone within the span of his... awakening, if I should put it that way. If you consider the timing of Adariel's disappearance to the day we ran into the slavers in the woods, I... I think..."
"You think," he finished, eyes growing rounder than marbles, "that the same group who attacked you also took his brother on the day he first woke up the way he is."
"That's exactly what I think," Ella whispered, looking around with worried eyes. "Throw in the fact that someone's been trying to gain intelligence on certain things through our dreams and I'm pretty sure this goes from a being a coincidence to something fairly alarming, Sinmir."
"You're right. It can't be a coincidence," he growled, scratching at his beard. "Ella, listen to me. Keep both your eyes open and stay alert once we leave the barrier. Be inquisitive with everyone about the things they dream about. If anyone starts having strange dreams again, I want you to inform Amelia and Vordt what's going on the moment you know."
"Do you think it's wise to include him in such a sensitive discussion?" Ella quipped.
"It's beyond wise," he shot back. "If you haven't forgotten, Vordt is the brother of the Eastern Queen. He has a political rank because of his ties to her, and he needs to stay alert, as well."
"You don't think he could be placed in harm's way, too, do you?"
"I don't know," Sinmir muttered darkly, "but it sounds to me like there's some sort of plot going on behind the scenes in your part of the kingdom. I've dealt with enough trouble as a political ruler to recognize things like subterfuge and espionage when I see it."
"Who would do such a thing?" she demanded. "Do you have any ideas?"
"I do," he confirmed, "but as I have no solid evidence, I will refrain from suggesting names."
Ella nodded, then glanced at Xaphile; her arms subconsciously went around her middle.
"I am breaking a dangerous law by loving him so openly," she said softly. "Do you think that, if I can win his heart, he might help me in my quest to change this country's policies?"
"Aye, if he knew the true depth of the problems with Aerika, he definitely would," Sinmir immediately snorted. "Atka will be a perfect starting example for that, too, since the segregation laws there are brutally enforced. And if I'm not mistaken, the poverty is absolutely awful."
"True," Ella sourly agreed. "I would not have even thought of going there normally, but, it does have a rather large populace of mages, and if we are to have even a remote chance of finding out information about Amelia's father, Xaphile's brother, and a dream walking mage, we'll need to go there. It's the closest city with every facet we can use to get the information we need."
"Well, then, starting tomorrow," Sinmir muttered, looking at Vordt and Xaphile, "we'll need to see what we can do about their appearances. Illusion magic should suffice. Since Vrael is under the banner of my house, you need not to worry about his safety. I'll keep my eye on him."
"You had better," Ella warned, giving him a look; then she looked into the fire. "We'll be the ones protecting them, Sinmir. The only shield we'll have to guard them once we move into the central Northlands will be our own names. And even then, we'll have to be exceedingly careful."
"You have my word, as the Prince of Adanac," Sinmir cheerfully grunted, leaning forward and ruffling her snowy hair, "that I will let nothing befall the people of this little group. Not even you, dear countess."
Ella didn't say it, but his words did indeed make her feel a little steadier with her resolve.
Before long, though, her eyes wandered over to Xaphile and Krishna and her heart fluttered faintly when she wondered if her name was even capable of protecting him.
She had brutalized him, fallen in love with him... and she was now actively pursuing him.
Those were three of the most dangerous laws to break.
Ella shook her head and a shiver ran down her spine.
"I'll protect him," she muttered. "I'll protect him, and someday, I'll win his heart. Then we'll change this whole country for the better, one stupid law and political nightmare at a time."
Easier said than done, but she was used to getting what she wanted, and right then, what she wanted was a world that Xaphile could be proud of, a world where she could love him freely, and a world that he might, someday, come to accept as his own.
And then, perhaps, her right along with it.
Her eyes remained glued to Xaphile for the next two hours.
She was relieved when he returned to the fire since he was shivering slightly and seemed to be a bit cold, which was understandable since the air had indeed grown a little chilly.
Krishna sat down between Sarka and Karla, and when he took his seat beside Vrael, he leaned toward the fire with his hands held out.
Sinmir gave her a glance and gestured towards him with a raised eyebrow, but she rolled her eyes since she knew that he was suggesting she snag his attention somehow.
"So," Ella said smoothly, tucking her hair behind her ear when he glanced at her, "how did your lesson with... Krishna... go? And, what exactly was she teaching you to do?"
"She taught me how to form a temporary mind bond with animals," he rasped, ears perking up in a surprisingly eager fashion. "It's actually pretty awesome. I was able to communicate with Skitsy for a little while by projecting images and feelings into her head."
Ella's brows rose in surprise.
"That does sound amazing. Did she teach you anything else?"
"Yeah," he sighed, jerkily rubbing his bare arms, "she gave me a few tips to make connecting with plants a little easier, and I'm really grateful for it since I was struggling a lot."
"I hope you put it to use next time I give you a lesson, then," Vordt growled, looking a little irritated; when everyone glanced at him, they saw that he was hunched forward and Gus was once again folding his wings up joint by joint. He jumped slightly and snarled, making the blonde man jerk backwards. "Mind your clumsy fingers, you idiot! That hurt!"
"My apologies," Gus soothed, waving his hands. "I'm being as careful as I can."
"Forgive me if I am being too forward for asking, but why are you allowing this... human, to touch your magnificent wings, my Lord Vadil?" Sarka asked. "Is it not taboo to allow any but a mate or blood kin to do such a thing without personal permission?"
"This is true, but he actually has my permission," Vordt grunted, grinding his teeth. "If you have not forgotten, I am going to be traveling into cities full of humans. Things within the country are dangerous even for us, so I am going to be disguising myself as a human to blend in."
Every single primordial faery looked shocked at first, but they acknowledged it silently.
"You're next, Phil," Gus quietly called, making him twitch. "I still have to make sure the size adjustments are correct so the harness won't hurt you if you wear it over a long period of time."
"All right," Xaphile agreed, nodding twice. "Thanks, Gus."
"Your hair is still rather damp," Krishna noted, giving him a curious look. "Are you cold?"
"I'm fine," he reassured, waving a dismissive hand. "Even if I wanted to put on a shirt to warm up a little bit, I'd still have to wait for Gus to help me get into the harness he made for my wings."
Ella glanced at Krishna when she rose to her feet, but when she walked over to him and sat down so close that their shoulders touched, she felt a stab of something unpleasant. He looked at her with a confused expression when she lifted her arm, but then, something happened.
The moment she attempted to drape it around his shoulders, he leaned away.
Krishna blinked when he raised a hand, giving an uncomfortable smile.
"Thank you," he said, "but seriously, I'm fine. Really."
"The air has turned frigid, Vadil," Krishna soothed, leaning forward and attempting to wrap her arm around his shoulders. "Come. I will warm you, even if it is only a little."
He dodged her hand just before it came into contact with his hair, which was stretching down his back and all across his wings like a damp blanket.
Ella remembered Zelphira's words about how faeries would instinctively shy away from the hands of those who would touch their hair.
She couldn't lie to herself.
Seeing him shy away from the blonde girl made her feel smug and slightly superior.
She smirked inwardly when he repeated, "I'll be fine, Krishna, but thank you."
A few of the faery girls shared worried glances when Krishna nodded and returned to her original seat, looking a bit crestfallen. Ella was beginning to understand their dynamic. The faery woman fancied him, but as Sinmir said, she didn't hold a place in his heart.
The faeries reconvened around the fire, and the mood eventually lifted as dinner was served and conversations bubbled amongst them. Karla brought out a flask of something that she passed around to the other girls, who gladly drank it. Ella assumed it was some form alcohol, so she kept her eyes on Xaphile, who sat stiffly with his arms crossed before the fire.
He'd pulled a great deal of his hair over his shoulders, letting it rest across his arms and chest... likely to provide him a little bit more warmth, she supposed.
It wasn't long before she could no longer stand seeing him suffer.
Rising to her feet and walking around the fire, she unfastened the half-broken clasp keeping her cloak tied around her body and draped it across his wings.
He looked up with a faint expression of irritation, but the look on his face vanished when he realized it was only her.
"Don't be an idiot and get yourself sick," she said softly, squatting down before him and tenderly drawing her cloak around his shoulders. "We still have a long way to go. I want you in good health."
His eyes glimmered faintly, flecks of green and gold swirling like mist within his irises.
Ella couldn't look away from them once they caught her.
It was like a haze had fallen across her mind. Her hand twitched, and before she realized what she was doing, she lifted it and set it against the side of his face, gently brushing his hair back behind his long ear.
The faery women instantly fell silent and Krishna's amber eyes went wide.
Instead of pulling away, Xaphile leaned against her palm, letting out a sigh through his nose.
He remained completely still for a few moments, lowering his gaze to the ground, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet, but husky.
"Thank you, Ella."
His words made her heart burn.
Pleasantly, but it still burned.
She gave him a single nod, keeping her feelings off her face, and gently made sure the cloak was secure. His words and even the acceptance of her touch made her chest tighten a little. The faeries around her and even her companions may have seen him as a prince with possibilities.
All she saw was the face of a sad, but ever so gentle boy being illuminated by the glow of the firelight.
Heat flooded through her when his eyes flicked back to her own, partially obscured by his ridiculously long eyelashes. A lump formed in her throat and she suddenly felt awkward.
Hiding her embarrassment with a scowl, she nodder once before walking back over to Sinmir.
The other faery women looked at Vordt with wide eyes, but since he had the usual taciturn expression on his face, they eventually went back to what they were doing, albeit a little uncomfortably. Sinmir raised an eyebrow when Ella sat down since her knees were quivering and her face was rosy from the heat washing through her.
"You looked flushed," he pleasantly pointed out, regarding her reddened face with knowing eyes.
"Yes," Ella touched at her cheeks, self-consciously, "standing by the fire was making me feel a bit hot."
"Is it the fire or that intimate look he gave you that has you so smitten?"
"I am not smitten!"
"Ah, forgive me," he chuckled, playfully waggling his eyebrows, "I forgot, you're in love."
"Not like it matters," she grumbled, swallowing hard. "You say he's falling in love with me, but I don't actually think he has any real feelings for me just yet."
"Ella, you honestly can't see it?" Sinmir snorted. "The way he looks at you? His awkwardness, and the way he gets flustered? Even a few of his faery instincts are awakening around you, so I think it's more than obvious that he's falling for you, Ella, even if he isn't ready to accept it."
"I think you exaggerate."
"Do I?" Sinmir challenged; he lifted a hand and nosed his head in Xaphile's direction. "Have a look across the fire there and tell me, I exaggerate."
Ella looked over to where he was sitting with her cloak still wrapped around his shoulders.
To her surprise, he was still looking right at her.
Her eyes held his gaze, and even though his ears pulled back slightly, he made no attempt to look away. Those ears flicked twice and his tail danced behind him while they stared at each other, faces locked with expressions of uncertainty.
Feeling awkward, Ella ran a hand through her hair and hunched her shoulders.
His eyes flitted lower, to her clothes.
She suddenly wished she'd worn her favorite black dress. Instead, she'd chosen to wear one of her ruffled blouses and a paisley brown knee-length skirt with pleats for easy horse riding. His eyes danced across her outfit, then landed on her face; when she gave him a small scowl, his cheeks turned slightly red and he finally looked away, abruptly running his claws through his hair.
Sinmir instantly chuckled, which produced a fluttery warmth within her chest and the familiar flushing of her cheeks. Looking away herself, she sighed nervously.
"Now do you believe me?" Sinmir urged, nudging her with his elbow. "Eh?"
"I don't know what I believe," Ella mumbled; turning her head slightly, she gave Xaphile an inconspicuous glance, "but deep down in my heart, I won't deny that I am hoping you are right."
Sinmir merely smiled.
"Are you quite finished?" Vordt suddenly barked, making them glance up again. "I'd like to retire for the evening, and that's the second time you've pinched to the bone with your damn fingers!"
"Almost," Gus sighed, fiddling with the last clasp and fastening the buckle; with a click, it connected, and he sighed, stepping back. "There. It's on, and your wings have been safely bound, but I need you to stand up and move around. Tell me if you feel any discomfort."
Vordt instantly rose to his feet and stretched, rolling his broad shoulders and twisting himself from side to side. He cracked his neck and bent over at the waist before righting himself.
"Once again, no discernible discomfort that I can name," he grunted. "In fact, this lightness in my shoulders makes me feels like I've gone back to the way I was before I ascended several millennium ago. It's like my wings aren't even there."
"Good," Gus chuckled, then looked straight at Xaphile, who was still huddled up in Ella's cloak and shivering slightly. "Phil, I understand that you're cold, but you won't need to huddle under Lady Ella's cloak if you'll allow me to help you put your wing harness on. Come here."
With a nod, he gently set her cowl aside and grabbed the harness, which he'd set down on top of the shirt he'd intended on wearing earlier, then rose to his feet and walked over. Gus took it from him and gripped his arm, leading him over to the log that Sinmir was resting against.
Once he was sitting down again, he pulled his hair over his right shoulder and waited until the man moved behind him. The process of having his wings folded was lengthy, and it felt more than a little strange to him, but one joint at a time, the hollow bones were raveled up.
After a good, long hour, Gus finally fastened the claps across his chest and made some size adjustments like he'd done for Vordt.
"All right, stand up," he commanded. "Tell me if there's any discomfort."
Xaphile did as he was told and moved around, rolling his shoulders, bending forwards and backwards, even twisting his torso from side to side. The straps kept his enormous wings safely pinned up against his shoulder blades more comfortably than he would have thought possible.
He also felt considerably lighter in his upper torso.
"It feels great, actually," he murmured. "Like they're not even there anymore."
"Well, don't just stand there," Gus snorted, gesturing to the top he'd left lying on the ground. "Put your shirt on and warm yourself up."
Xaphile instantly did as he was told, hastily shrugging his hooded shirt on. Warm, soft cloth enfolded his torso and he sighed, closing his eyes in relief when the sleeves slid down and covered his hands. He gave Gus a grateful look after shaking his hair out.
"It's nice to be able to wear this again," he said softly. "Thanks, Gus... your invention is ingenious."
"You're very welcome," the man chuckled, folding his arms. "Now, it's late, and I'm tired, so I'm going to turn in for the evening. If either of you have trouble or experience any problems, let me know right away and I'll try to adjust the harnesses accordingly. All right?"
"Sounds good," Xaphile sighed, giving him a nod. "I'll probably be turning in soon myself."
"That's a good idea," Ella agreed, nodding twice. "We'll be rising earlier than usual tomorrow so Amelia can perform her illusion magic on you and your uncle, so get as much sleep as you can."
"Agreed," Amelia sighed, folding her hands in her lap. "Let's all get some sleep. I had fun with the game, but I'm afraid I'm finding it hard to keep my eyes open."
"Same," Vrael said, letting out a yawn. "I'm gonna head to sleep."
"I guess it's decided. Let's all get some sleep," Gus muttered. "It's been a long day."
Amelia nodded and headed over to her magic bag, grabbing their things.
After that, they got settled in, and everyone went to sleep.