Once Upon a Child of the Stars

Forty- Warning

My mind stopped at that moment. My heart might have too, it sure felt like it. I stood there and stared at Xavian, wide eyed and confused. 

He loved me?

After everything he has put me through, everything he made me feel and said viciously to me, he loved me? 

My head was spinning. Of course my instincts wanted me to throw myself into his arms and jump his bones right then and there, but my mental scars were giant, stockade fences. 

"I-I..." I tried to speak, but the words would not form in my mouth. 

"It's okay, I understand if you don't feel the same yet. I needed to tell you though. I needed to get it off my chest," he admitted, his tone gentle and patient. 

I could not form the words I wanted to say. If I could, I don't think they would even be complete words, more like a jumble of things that wanted to spill out. 

The biggest question swarming my mind was; did I feel the same? Did I love Xavian? 

Honestly, I did not hate him as I previously did. I have even grown to like him in fact, but love I was not sure about. 

"Hey, let's head back," Xavian said offering me a gentle smile. I simply nodded. The blue flickers were still sparking through the field, making a sea of sparkling blue lights. As I looked out at them, I felt a bit of relief and confidence. I would get through this. 

We took the path back into the kingdom, the same guards giving us a nod before watching us walk through and up the path. 

There was a bit of an awkward silence between us. He had just confessed his love to me, but I did not know if I felt the same. I did not dislike him as I said, but love was a lot. It felt like if I said I loved him back that I would be forgiving him for everything he did to me, which was not the truth. 

Honestly, I was still mad at him for what happened on Hellian. Part of me even feared that this whole thing was a charade to convince me to come back to Hellian with him in order for him to have an heir. After that, I feared he would simply toss me to the side. 

We made our way back to the hotel room, and as soon as we got into the room, Xavian's large body paused by the doorway looking off into the room. I awkwardly looked up at him, confused as to why he was just standing at the wall. I slowly closed the door behind me and furrowed my eye brows. 

"Xavian?" I asked softly. 

"I think we need to leave," Xavian said. His voice sounded gruff and worried. 

"What are you-" I say as I walk around him but my voice hitches as I see what he is staring at. 

On the wall in what looked to be blood was the words, 'we are coming for you, princess' and below it it said, 'we will get our revenge'. I feel my heart pounding and my eyes widen at the sight. My chest tightens at the threatening words, but Xavian's voice pulls me away. 

"Let's go. We need to alert Thaneous," Xavian said, moving around me to get to the door before pushing me gently out. 

We rush out of the hotel and to the castle. There was a tall, fire red haired phoenix guard outside and we hurry over to him. 

"Sir, we need to see Thane right now! There's been an incident and we need him!" I say, trying to be vague. I only wanted to talk to Thane and Azar because they were my family, I was comfortable being panicked with them. 

"I'll be right back," the guard said before going into the castle. He must have known who we were because he did not ask any questions. Not two minutes later, Thane and Azar come rushing out. It was clear they were sleeping as Thane is shirtless in joggers and Azar has a dark red robe wrapped around her, both of their hairs looking messy from sleep. 

"What's going on, Lu?" Thane asked, looking between Xavian and myself. 

"We got back to the hotel room and there was a message or warning written in what looked like blood," I say, worry and panic in my voice. 

"Take me to your room," Thane says firmly. 

We do as he requested, and minutes later we are all standing in the hotel suite. Thane looks at the words, his eyes darkening at the threat towards me. Thane has always been very protective over his whole family, especially the women. 

"Call Xenophon," Thane says firmly. I nod and try to mentally connect to my father. I hear his voice pop up in my head and relief washes over me. 

"Daddy, you need to come here. Something happened and Thane wants you to come," I say to him through the mental link we have. 

"Tell Thane to open the portal. I'll wake Zeek and Zor and we will be there shortly," my father says firmly. 

I simply cut off our connection before I turn to Thane who is waiting for my response. 

"He asked you to open the portal. He's bringing Uncle Zeek and Uncle Zor too," I say to Thane, who simply nods. 

With a simple swish of his hand, a glowing white and purple portal rips through the air. Moments later, my father and uncles are jumping through, landing in a kneeling position. They all stand and look around. 

"You couldn't have put the portal, oh I don't know, on a flat surface? Why did it have to be in a stairwell?" Zeek says, rolling his eyes at Thane. 

"Because I love to hear your misery, Zeek," Thane says, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 

"Who was here when this happened?" my father asks as he examines the wall.

"We were outside the kingdom looking at glow dragons when it happened. When we got back, it was here," I say. Thane and my father exchange glances as if they know something. 

"Was there any guard switch?" Zor asks, also looking at the wall dripping with blood. 

"No but they had a thirty minute break which they switch out with another team. That would have given someone about two minutes to sneak in or out," Azar says, thinking of how someone could have gotten into the kingdom. 

"Or they opened a portal," Xavian says, his voice sounding deep and masculine. Once again, glances are exchanged and I know they know who could have done this. 

"Father?" I say softly. "Who was it?" I ask. 

"Syfus's followers," my father says firmly. 

"Syfus as in the king who tried to take over Earth?" I ask, my eyes widening. 

"Yes. There is a group of his followers who are believed to be lead by Syfus's son," Zor says, and he and my father look at each other but there is something deeper. For the first time ever, I see worry in my father's eyes, and not a good kind of worry. Fear.