Shadows of Avarice - Book #1 (BxB)

Chapter 30

Xia attempted to fix the top Osiris had given him to wear. The sultan had some old clothes for Xia to borrow, but they were baggy. He also had to wrap a sash around his waist to keep his trousers up. He might have felt more comfortable wearing a dress, oddly enough. At least those were more his size. But he did feel some sort of relief knowing he didn't have to pretend anymore. He could already picture everyone's reaction.

At one point, the sultan had to leave Xia's side to take care of a few important matters. The case of the nobleman and Soraya was still hanging in the air. Osiris wanted to know everything Xia could remember. If he knew all the details, then he could ensure the proper punishment. While Xia was passed out, Osiris did some investigating to get to the bottom of it. Xia wasn't sure what he did yet, though. Osiris wouldn't tell him.

It was almost time for dinner when Xia reached the dining hall. Before entering, he peeked inside. Shiva, Amani, and Alishba all waited at the table. Shiva and Amani made small talk, while his sister stayed silent. She looked down at her plate, lost in thought. She looked upset, and Xia was positive he knew why.

She was worried about him. Osiris informed Xia before they separated that Alishba checked on Xia every day. His sister was usually by his side, waiting for Xia to open his eyes again. The only reason she wasn't with him today was because Osiris advised her to rest. It was for the best that his sister wasn't there earlier when he woke up. Nothing would have happened between him and Osiris if she had been there.

With a deep breath, Xia pushed open the dining hall doors. When he did, all eyes turned to look in his direction. The girl's eyes lit up in relief to see him awake, but there was also shock. Amani and Alishba may have known his identity, but Shiva didn't. This was her and Amani's first time seeing Xia without makeup and a dress.

Alishba was the first to get over the shock. Quickly, she stood up from her chair and ran to her brother. She embraced him, hugging him as tightly as she could. With his fever gone and being well rested, she didn't almost knock him over this time. Alishba didn't try to hide her tears as she cried into her brother's chest.

"Xia, you idiot. You had me so worried. I thought you would never wake up," Alishba cried.

"I was only knocked out for three days. I'm fine, I promise." He embraced her back. He was glad to see his sister. If things would have turned out differently, he might never have had the chance to see her again.

She pulled away from him and then glanced down at his attire. "So . . . I guess you're not pretending anymore?"

"Osiris already knows, so there's no point." He wouldn't tell his sister any other details. If she found out Osiris knew for a while, she would surely give Xia an earful.

"But if he knows, then are we safe here? Osiris is just going to let you get away with deceiving him?" Alishba asked, only loud enough for Xia to hear.

Oh, if only she knew. He couldn't tell her, but he couldn't hide his expression either. Xia blushed and looked away. He said, "You don't need to worry about that. Osiris has no intention of harming us."

Her eyes went wide, not because of what he said, but because of how he acted when speaking about the sultan. "Xia, you didn't. Please don't tell me you had sex with him."

"Ooooh, did you, Xia?" Amani chimed in. During their conversation, the siblings didn't notice the other two girls approach them. Amani had a smile on her face, hoping to hear some juicy news from Xia.

He crossed his arms. Even if they did, Xia would never tell anyone. Anything he did with Osiris was private.

"Amani, that's inappropriate. Besides, I'm more curious about Xia's identity. If you don't mind me asking, why did you hide that you're a man? It's not really a secret that Osiris is bisexual. Women and men were both allowed to attend the selection ceremony. It is rare for men to attend the ceremony, but they are allowed to," Shiva said.