Page 3 of Graevale
As soon as they stepped outside into the blistery cold and were far enough away, Alex placed a hand on Kaiden’s arm and drew him to a halt.
He didn’t make her wait. “Is it true Aven Dalmarta now sits on the throne of Meya?”
Alex hugged her arms, chilled to the bone—and not just because she had changed from her wintery Meyarin outfit and was now being snowed on in clothes that weren’t insulated by Myrox. “Who told you that?”
“It’s true, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Alex whispered, unable to lie to him. “It’s true.”
Kaiden slowly closed his eyes before looking at her once more. “What are you going to do?”
Her voice still quiet, Alex asked, “What makes you think I’m going to do anything?”
“Because for whatever reason, you’re in the middle of all this,” he said without hesitation. “And even if you weren’t, Iknowyou, Alex. When the people you care about are in trouble, you do whatever it takes to help them.”
Alex was unable to hold his gaze. “I think you’re giving me too much credit.”
Kaiden stepped closer until he was right in front of her, his fingers lightly tipping her chin up so she was looking at him again. He didn’t say anything, but she could hear his voice whisper across her mind; a memory from her time in the past when the Library had conjured up an image of him to be with her as she watched the devastating future that might occur if Aven remained in power. The imaginary Kaiden had explained his presence using only five words—five words that, try as she might, Alex couldn’t deny.
‘You feel safe with me.’
Swallowing, Alex struggled to look him in the eye, but he gently curled his fingers around her jaw, keeping her from turning away again.
“I disagree,” Kaiden finally whispered. “I think you’re worth all the credit I’m giving you—and much more.”
Heart pounding, Alex didn’t know how to react. She didn’t know what to say, she didn’t know what to do. Some kind of response was needed, but she could barely draw air into her lungs, let alone offer a coherent reply.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, Kaiden dropped his arm, only to entwine his fingers with hers as he turned and began walking again.
“It’s freezing out here. Let’s get you to Marselle.”
Alex wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed as she followed him towards the Tower, so she focused on the feeling of his hand holding hers and ignored those five words repeating over and over in her mind.
After ascending the staircase and arriving in the antechamber outside Darrius’s office, Alex stared at the door and wondered, since Kaiden already knew about Aven’s takeover of Meya, if she should invite him to stay. But there was also so much hedidn’tknow. So much she couldn’t explain to him.
So much he wouldn’t believe.
Alex did the only thing she could. She untangled their hands and forced a smile onto her face.
“Thanks for escorting me here,” she said. “I’ll make sure someone walks me back once I’ve finished, um…”
“Sharing the news that the human race is in mortal peril?” Kaiden offered when she was unable to finish. “And the other races, too?”
Alex winced at his candour. “Something like that, yeah.”
Kaiden watched her intently before he sighed and said, “When you’re not holding urgent meetings about saving the world, come find me. I need to talk to you about that weapon of yours.”
At that, Alex stood up straighter. “You’ve learned something about A’enara?” she asked, remembering that before the Kaldoras break, he had offered to research her mysterious blade.
“Nothing that can’t wait.” Kaiden gave her a gentle nudge towards the doorway. “And I have a feeling most of it you already know by now, anyway.”
Alex shook her head. “I hardly know a thing about it.”
“And yet, I’m guessing after your time spent in the past, you know more than you did the last time we spoke.”
Alex swung to look at him so fast that she failed to note a crack in the stonework and tripped forward. But since Kaiden was close enough to be nudging her towards the door, he was also close enough to wrap his arms around her, catching her just inches before she hit the ground.
With his firm grip encircling her waist, Alex twisted around to look up at him as the blood drained from her face.
