What Lies Beneath

Chapter 8

"How did it go?" Dax asked, once he and Callum were back. We were walking alone in the hallway, since he hadn't seen me in a few days.

"Good," I replied. My baby pink dress made the chains very visible today. "I followed all the rules. Just ask Xavier, or literally anyone else. They'll all tell you the same thing."

"I'm sure they will," he said. "I trust you, Astra."

I didn't have anything else to say to that, so I kept my mouth shut. Until the burning question I'd had since Xavier and I talked about it crossed my mind. "Did you beat Callum?" I asked.

"What?" Dax knitted his eyebrows. "Astra, what on earth are you talking about?"

"When he gave me my scar, after he killed our parents," I explained. "I heard whispers that you did, but I was too scared to ask you."

"And you're not too scared now?"

"That's not the point."

Dax sighed heavily, running his fingers through his hair. "I did," he admitted. "He was bruised and broken, but he wasn't angry with me. He understood why I did what I did and vowed never to hurt you in the same way again."

"You could say he's kept his promise." I shrugged, because it was true.

"That he has," Dax said quietly.

"How can you love him?" I asked, and then I realized what I said. "I'm sorry," I whimpered. "I know you told me your relationship isn't in the discuss pile—"

"Astra," he said softly, reaching out to cup my face in his hand. "Shh, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you, and I'm not going to add another punishment. I think we can talk about it just this once."

"Really?" I asked in a small voice.

He smiled reassuringly. "Come, let's go to my room for some privacy. I don't want to keep you from Xavier for too long, though."

"We spent plenty of time together while you were gone," I replied, without being obvious. "I'm sure he'll be fine for a little longer."

Dax nodded, and allowed me to enter his room first. He shut the door behind himself, and pulled up a chair so he could sit beside the bed, where I was already sitting. "So you asked how I can love him," Dax stated. I just nodded, not looking at him. "Well, he's good to me. You already know that. And I know he has a lot of rules for you, but so do I. We see things the same way, Astra."

"Why are you so much kinder, but you're always the one who punishes me?"

"I'm not that much kinder," he told me. "You only think I am because I raised you. And I punish you because Callum's ideas involve physical pain."

"You're kinder that way," I pointed out. But maybe he was right. When I was young, Dax had spent more time with me than anyone else did. My parents loved me to bits, but they were very busy, so they entrusted me to Dax's care, and he happily did so.

"Why don't you go up and see Xavier," Dax suggested. "I need to check on your brother, and possibly relieve him of any duties he has left for the day."

"Yes, Dax," I said obediently. He kissed my head, and then I was off.

~ ~ ~

"Hey you," Xavier called when I got to his room.

"Hey," I replied as he pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. I immediately melted into his embrace, and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"What would you like to wear to dinner tonight?" he asked, taking me back into my room and over to my closet.

"I thought you were supposed to choose for me," I whined, flopping down on the bed despite my heavy chains rattling as I went.

"Yeah, well, I'm bad at it," he laughed.

"Pick something that goes with my shackles," I said cheekily. Xavier shot me a look, and rolled his eyes as I laughed. But he didn't look away just then.

"I can't believe I'm the only man on earth who gets to see your face without dying," he said softly.

"Your freedom is also gone," I pointed out. "You're stuck here just like me. They have as much control over you as they do over me."

"Not seeing any downsides here," he said, still rooting through my closet. "They didn't kick me out, Astra. Do you know how lucky we are?"

"Very," I replied, looking up at him.

"Exactly," he said, pulling out a light blue dress. "So don't you say a word about my freedom. If I have to be apart from you, I don't want it."

~ ~ ~

The next day Xavier and I were begging to go outside. "Please?" I asked. "Just once?"

"We just want fresh air," Xavier added, hoping it would help convince Dax into saying yes. But we were eating breakfast, and Callum was at the table, and he was too angry to say yes.

"Astra, you know better than to ask," Dax chastised. "And Xavier, your freedom in exchange for staying here. That was the deal. And you surrendered. So I believe you should know better than to ask, as well."

"Sorry," Xavier mumbled, looking away.

"Well, it looks like Astra has someone to suffer her fates with her now," Callum said cheerfully. "How splendid."

"You will not treat him like you treat me," I snapped, glaring at him.

"Oh, I won't?" Callum asked, eyebrows raised. "I believe Dax just stated, Xavier's freedom in exchange for shelter. He chose shelter, so we took his freedom. Just like we took yours."

"You've made your point," I murmured, averting my eyes.

Xavier suddenly crossed his arms next to me. "May Slaves, Party of Two, be excused?"

I choked on a piece of bacon. Dax snorted, but Callum did not look amused. "Go ahead," Dax chuckled. "We'll just pretend you didn't say it like that." Xavier had a sheepish grin on his face as we stood up. Dax winked at me right before I left, making me smile. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad.

"What would you like to do today, Miss Astra?" Xavier asked on our way back up to his room.

"Stay in bed all day," I offered. "Without these shackles."

"They'll kill me if I take them off," he reminded me.

"Fine," I grumbled. "With the shackles?"

"Much better," he chuckled as we both flopped down onto his bed. "I hope today doesn't suck." I just nodded as we both stared up at the ceiling. But before we could stay in the boring silence for any longer, Xavier pulled me on to his lap, and brought my face close to his. "Good?" he asked.

"Good," I responded.