Shadows of Avarice - Book #1 (BxB)

Chapter 55

A few days passed after the incident. Xia stayed in bed as he regained his strength. After dying, he didn't feel the same for the first couple of days. He was more tired than usual and he didn't have an appetite. Osiris was beginning to grow worried that the witch played a trick on them but slowly, Xia began to regain his strength.

Osiris filled him in on the events that transpired the day Xia sacrificed himself. He told him that the nobleman made a deal with the witch in order for Xia to live. He also told Xia about what happened afterward. There was a lot of cleanup, especially in the throne room. Osiris barely mentioned the people who lost their lives, but Xia knew those were who he was referring to. There were no survivors who witnessed what happened, but he wouldn't hide what he'd done. Anyone who was still alive from his court would want to cover it up, though. Osiris was the last of the royal bloodline and his court didn't want to risk his misdeeds being exposed to the rest of Rasea. After things settled down, it was up to Osiris to decide whether he wanted to bring the murders to light or not. Either way, there would be a mass funeral to honor those who died that day.

Unfortunately, Osiris also had to tell Xia about the witch's final request before she disappeared. Once a week every month, Xia would be forced to spend time with his mother, whether he wanted to or not. He wasn't happy about this outcome, but he would put up with it if he had to. If he had a choice, he would stay as far away from Elvira as he could. She was the reason things turned out this way. If she had never cursed Osiris, then everything would have been different. However, that also meant that Xia never would have met Osiris. Osiris never would have been seeking out another member for his harem and so, they never would have come together. Xia most likely wouldn't have been born if the witch hadn't planned on cursing Osiris and potentially dying in the process.

Once things finally seemed to settle down, a few more weeks passed. Things seemed to go back to normal in the palace. Well, it was almost normal. Alishba, Amani, and Shiva still weren't present in the palace. Amani and Shiva visited, but they didn't move back to the palace. The harem was disbanded, and Osiris had no intention of bringing it back. He didn't make Soraya leave, though. She was allowed to stay in the palace with them, but she kept her distance from Xia and Osiris. Besides, she seemed busy for the last few days. Xia wasn't sure what she was planning, but a few times he saw her packing her belongings. The process was slow, as though she wasn't quite sure where she would go after this. All she knew was that she was leaving.

Xia walked down the silent halls. While it was normally quiet these days, it felt quieter than usual. Xia made his way to the ballroom where he had been summoned by Osiris. He wasn't sure what to expect once getting there. While Osiris was back to being affectionate with Xia, the elf could tell that the sultan was holding himself back. It was as though he was scared of hurting him. After Xia lost his life, Osiris treated him like he was fragile.

The elf rolled his eyes at the thought. He was anything but weak. He might have had a couple of moments of weakness when it came to Osiris, but that didn't change Xia as a person. If anything, Xia felt stronger after facing death. Not many people could claim to die and be brought back to life. It only proved his strength to push forward and fight for the things he wanted. He could have given up on Osiris, but he didn't.

When Xia finally reached the ballroom and pushed through the doors, he was surprised by the scene he entered. He thought Osiris was inviting him there so they could spend time together, but Xia wasn't expecting to see many more familiar faces. There weren't many people, but the ones present consisted of everyone he met during his journey. His family and friends greeted him with smiles. Even Soraya showed up, but she barely acknowledged the elf as she took a sip from the glass she was holding.

The moment Xia entered the room, Osiris was by his side. The sultan gave him a pleasant smile and said, "I thought I would surprise you by inviting your friends and family. It took a while to get everything in order, but I wanted to hold a small celebration for you. If it weren't for you, this kingdom could have fallen into chaos. Everyone has you to thank for saving this kingdom, especially me."