The tranquility of the spa shattered as the door creaked open, and a maid stepped in, her face pale and her hands fidgeting nervously. "Lady Sage," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Lord Xenos has requested your presence in his quarters. He said it's urgent."
My heart skipped a beat. I shot a glance at Alohi, who raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and then at Jemisha, who looked equally concerned.
"I'll be back," I said quickly, stepping out of the warm water and wrapping myself in a towel. I dressed hastily and followed the maid out, my damp hair clinging to my shoulders as I hurried through the corridors.
When I pushed open the door to Xenos's room, he was pacing by the window, a sealed letter clutched in his hand. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes burned with an intensity I hadn't seen in a long time.
"Xenos?" I called softly, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.
He turned sharply, his expression a mix of fury and urgency. "Sage," he said, striding toward me. He held up the letter. "Mortis has declared war."
"What?" My voice came out as a whisper, my chest tightening at the weight of his words.
"They sent this." Xenos handed me the letter, his hand brushing mine briefly before he stepped back, running a hand through his hair. "It's a formal declaration. He's blaming us for ruining his plans, for interfering with his forces. And now..." He took a deep breath, his gaze locking onto mine. "He says we'll pay for everything. Starting with the people we care about."
I felt the blood drain from my face as I read the letter, the words dripping with venom and malice. My hands trembled slightly as I looked up at him. "What do we do?"
Xenos's expression softened for a moment, and he stepped closer, placing his hands on my shoulders. "We prepare," he said firmly. "We gather our allies, fortify our defenses, and make sure everyone we care about is safe. Mortis wants a war? We'll give him one—but on our terms."
I nodded, my fear slowly giving way to determination. Whatever was coming, we would face it together.
Xenos moved toward his desk, grabbing a map and spreading it across the table. "We need to anticipate his first move," he said, his voice sharp with focus. "If he's sending a declaration like this, it means he's ready to strike. He's overconfident, but we can't underestimate him."
I joined him at the desk, scanning the map. My mind raced, trying to piece together what Mortis's next step could be. "Do you think he'll target the Lost Forest again?"
Xenos shook his head. "Too predictable. He'll want to hit where it hurts. The castle, the towns under Cynfael's rule, or even..." He paused, his jaw tightening. "Even here."
I swallowed hard. "What about Jemisha? He wanted her before—do you think he'll try again?"
"Most likely," Xenos admitted, his eyes flickering with a mix of concern and anger. "We need to keep her protected at all costs. She's safer in the castle, but we'll need to set up a constant watch."
I placed a hand on his arm, grounding him for a moment. "We'll keep her safe, Xenos. We'll keep everyone safe."
His gaze softened as he looked at me, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "You always find a way to calm the storm in me, Sage."
"Someone has to," I said with a small smile. "Now, what's our first step?"
Xenos straightened, his leadership taking over. "We gather Cynfael, Alohi, and the generals. We need a full council meeting to discuss our strategy. Every second counts now."
"I'll call for them," I said, already turning to the door.
Before I could step out, Xenos's hand caught mine, pulling me gently back. His eyes held mine, filled with a depth of emotion that made my breath catch. "Sage," he said softly, "no matter what happens, we face this together. Always."
"Always," I echoed, squeezing his hand before slipping out of the room to rally the others.
The war Mortis had declared was coming, but so were we. And we wouldn't back down.