Page 14 of Heir Of Sun And Moon
I let my shoulders steadily relax, let my mind release all of the worry that I had held there and replace it with relief instead. My gaze moved to hers as Alexi’s words pierced through the haze I was in. Bella was alive.Somehow, she was alive because I had done something to save her. Time lost all meaning as we sat there, no one moving beyond the rising and falling of our chests.
Slowly, the bright light faded from me. Alexi tentatively slid his hands under mine, removing them from Bella’s fur. He laid them on top of my lap, squeezing our blood-covered hands together. Bella was sleeping peacefully. Her breathing was normal and healthy, and she was whole again. I watched her for a few seconds before turning to look over at Alexi. His normally tanned skin was wan, his gaze lost as he stared down at where he was still holding my hands.
“What was that?” I whispered, slowly lifting them from his hold. I examined my palms, checking to see if they looked any different now, but they appeared as they always had.
“Magic,” Alexi answered, his brows drawn up on his forehead in surprise. “You have magic.”
Chapter Eight: Rhea
Myeyesflingopenfrom the knocking on the door. After my bath, I had gone to bed reliving that night with Bella, my heart pounding in my chest at the memories, at how close I came to losing her. Sliding out from the comforter, my feet hit the cold wood floor as I adjust my dark blue nightdress. My fingers comb through my hair as I start down the stairs, fairly certain of who is on the other side of the door.
A smile breaks out across my face when I open it. He’s removed his armor, only wearing the all-black trousers, boots, and tunic—leaving him looking more relaxed. I start to wonder if he knows the king visited recently, but when I see Alexi trail his eyes over my face in an assessing way, I get my answer. I don’t move—other than to place my hands on my hips—letting him see that I am healed and okay.
“What are you doing here,” I ask, chewing on my bottom lip nervously. “Aren’t you worried about being caught?”
“Don’t worry, Little One. I think one night is alright.” His eyes soften as he looks at me before he holds up a familiar deck and a small white bag of something that smells delicious. “Are you ready to beat an old man at cards?” He winks at me as he steps into the tower, walking directly over to the tea table. Sliding his green armchair over, Alexi begins to shuffle and deal out the cards while I grab some pillar candles to light. Setting a few around the table, I strike a match and light each one until their glow illuminates the darkness of the space between us.
“So,” I drag out, glancing above the cards in my hand, “how is life in the King’s Guard lately?” My brow raises sarcastically in question while Alexi snorts in response. I lay my first card down onto the table.
“The same as it always is. Training and guarding.” His dry tone makes a small laugh burst from me. “Speaking of training,” he hints, returning an arched brow of his own, “have you been exercising?”
“Yes, of course. Every morning,” I drawl, giving him a fake bored expression which he smiles widely at. Alexi had been worried that my sedentary lifestyle of reading all day would make my bones weak, or something to that effect, so he taught me some of the basic exercises they teach guard apprentices when they enter training.
“Good,” he says simply as he leans forward to lay his card down.
I can’t help but beam at him, my hands nearly shaking from the delight and relief his visit brings. Still, a small part of me worries that the king will somehow know he is gone from his post. I work to keep the anxiousness from showing on my face. However, Alexi misses nothing, and after his turn laying down his next card, he attempts to distract me.
“Win this hand, and I’ll show you what’s in the bag. Win the next hand, and you can have all of the treats in there.” His eyebrows raise slightly, baiting me to accept. The light of the moon mixed with the low light of the candle flame makes his dark brown eyes sparkle, giving him a mischievous look. Despite the fact that he has always fallen into that parental role so easily, it is in moments like these that I find he is more friend than guardian.
I narrow mine in return, attempting to keep my face serious, as I lay my next card down on the table. Back and forth we go until we each come down to our last one. My eyes flick down to the one in my hand and back up to him, a slow smirk spreading before I slap the card down on the pile. Alexi chuckles, laying his down far more gently and accepting his defeat before gathering all the cards back up to shuffle and deal again.
“I am a generous winner and will let you go first this time, despite losing,” I joke, but my smile falters when I glance up to see that his expression is more pensive. His eyes appear lost in a memory as he absent-mindedly shuffles his own cards.
“Do you remember when you turned thirteen and I brought you that small gold bracelet?” he asks, sliding his gaze to mine. While Alexi normally brought me special treats for my birthday, that year he had given me the bracelet.
I smile at the memory, nodding. “I do. You were frustrated with me about something, but then you gave me a gift. I remember you held out your hand, a little black pouch nestled in your palm,” I say, grinning at his answering chuckle.
“I had been trying to be what you needed while inside I felt like I was coming apart after Alanna’s death,” he confesses.
My hands slowly place my cards to the table as I stare at him. Even though it’s been many years since he lost her, the grief in his voice is unmistakable. Alanna had been Alexi’s childhood best friend before becoming his wife, and then she was killed in a tragic accident. From the solemn look in his eyes now, you’d assume it was more recently that he lost her. I wonder if truly loving someone means that even long after they are gone, you never stop mourning them. That they live on in you through memories and dreams.
“You had the worst attitude problem I had ever seen in a child, by the way. You still have it,” he teases.
I scoff, reaching my foot under the table to kick his leg. His laugh brightens up his demeanor again, the tension leaving the air as I exhale a little deeper.
“Prior to your birthday that year, I was feeling lost, and I—” He hesitates, taking a breath and holding eye contact before continuing, “I was unsure if I wanted to continue being your guard.”
My heart skips at his confession, our card game forgotten temporarily in light of his words. Even though it was years ago and, obviously, he is still here, I can’t help the feelings of betrayal and sadness trying to claw their way up my throat.
“I was going to petition the captain of the guard to reassign me.” It’s barely more than a whisper, yet his regret is weaved thickly through it.
“You were?” I breathe the words out, feeling a slight tremble in my hands as my mind begins to spiral with this new information. Did he ask for a transfer and get denied? Has he wanted to leave this post—leave me—this entire time?
Seeing the panic on my face before I am able to verbalize it, Alexi vehemently shakes his head. “I never ended up asking for it.”
“Why?” I breathe.
He sighs, scratching the back of his neck before setting his cards down on the table and leaning forward, completely abandoning any pretense that we will finish this game.
