Brugmansia

Chapter 11🌹

    The ball finally came to an end, and the three of us—Alohi, Xenos, and I—left the grand halls and made our way to Xenos' tavern. The cool night air was refreshing after the intensity of the evening, but it did nothing to sober Alohi, who was practically stumbling between us, her once confident smirk replaced by slurred rambling. She had definitely overdone it with the drinks by the end of the night, despite insisting she was fine.

By the time we got to the tavern, it was clear Alohi wasn't going to be making it back to her own place. "You two... are the best," she mumbled as we helped her inside. "Seriously. Best night. Ever."

Xenos just sighed, his usual stoic expression unchanging as he held open the door, letting me guide Alohi up the stairs. "You stay with us tonight," I said softly, steadying her as we climbed the steps. She didn't argue, simply letting her weight lean against me as I led her to my room.

As soon as we made it through the door, Alohi collapsed onto my bed with zero grace, still wearing her extravagant green gown. I looked at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. "Good night, Alohi," I whispered, shaking my head as I pulled a blanket over her.

With Alohi settled, I made my way back downstairs, holding Xenos' blazer in my hands. I found him near the bar, leaning against the counter, the dim light of the tavern casting shadows across his features. He glanced at me as I approached but said nothing.

I handed him the blazer. "Here," I said, offering him a small smile. "Thanks for lending it to me. And for... you know, everything."

Xenos took the blazer from me but shrugged it off. "I was just doing my job," he said, his voice cool and detached. "As your guardian, it's my responsibility to ensure your safety. Don't think anything of it. I didn't mean any of that."

I smiled, undeterred by his brusque response. "You always say that. But deep down, I know you don't hate me, no matter what you say. I used to think you did, but now... I can tell you don't."

He opened his mouth as if to respond, but before he could say anything, I turned and started heading back up the stairs. I didn't need him to say it—I already knew.

When I entered my room, I found Alohi still sprawled across my bed, snoring softly, her gown crumpled beneath her. But what caught my attention was the soft glow in the corner of the room—Aurora, my fairy companion, who I hadn't seen all night. She fluttered toward me, her tiny wings shimmering as she hovered in the air.

"There you are!" Aurora chimed, her voice light and playful. But then her eyes narrowed slightly as she noticed the bruise on my arm. "What happened to your hand?" she asked, her voice growing more serious.

I quickly covered the bruise, shaking my head. "It's nothing," I said softly. "Just... an inconvenience."

Aurora's glow dimmed slightly, concern etched across her delicate face. "Sage..."

I forced a smile. "Really, it's fine. I'm okay."

Though she didn't seem convinced, Aurora let it go for now, settling on my shoulder as I prepared for bed. I could still feel the weight of the night lingering in the air, but with Alohi snoring beside me and Aurora softly glowing, I felt a small sense of peace settle over me.

Tomorrow, everything would continue. But for now, I just wanted to rest.

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