Chapter 184 Chapter 183
Rayena lay in her bedroom in her new chambers, bathed and full from dinner, getting ready to sleep. But no matter how much she tossed and turned around in bed, it just didn't come. The silence of the palace felt foreign; she missed Soraya and, if she were being honest with herself, she didn’t even want to be here.
She listened to the sounds nocturnal animals made, gazing up at the ornate ceiling, her mind wandering to the one person who had consumed it—the king. Knowing he was just a few corridors away, she wondered how he was doing. Her heart did summersaults when she remembered the morning with him in his chambers, grimacing at how wanton she had been.
She itched to go on a walk but wasn’t sure if she would be punished for wandering about. When more time passed and it was clear she wouldn’t be getting any sleep soon, she slipped out of bed, put on a robe, and stepped out of the chambers, starting down the corridor.
The entire palace was deathly silent, and that was unnerving. She couldn’t even spot any palace workers roaming about. She looked around, feeling a chill spread across her body. Was it that late already? Hugging the robe tighter around her body, her steps were soundless as she moved around, getting lost in the sights and sounds of the palace at night.
A while later, she realized she had ventured too far and might be lost. No matter how hard she tried to retrace her steps, every corridor looked identical to the last, and neither was getting her closer to her chambers. She grew worried, biting her lower lip as she ambled about, hoping to find her way back.
Then, she heard growls and snarls coming from a distance. Her steps faltered, her heart skipping several beats, cold sweat breaking out across her skin. In that moment, she regretted her decision, but there was no way to escape since she still hadn’t found her chambers.
The growling soon stopped, and it sounded like whoever was doing that had picked up on her scent and was coming for her. Heavy footfalls echoed in the hallway, and before she knew it, a half-turned monstrosity was upon her, grabbing and slamming her against the wall. Rayena screamed, her eyes widening with fear and shock as she realized the beast before her was the king.
“Your Majesty!” she gasped, unable to breathe as he pressed his face against her neck. He growled a response, his clawed hands already pulling at her clothes, ripping them—his insistent touches making her both terrified and flushed with unwanted desire.
“Your Majesty, please!” she cried out this time, trying to push him away to no avail. “Please, calm down. Please!” she repeated over and over again, fear slithering up her veins.
Eventually, some of her words reached him, and the wild look in his eyes faded to reveal the cerulean irises she was so used to seeing. He pulled back, and a snarl tore from his lips, tension radiating from him in waves. “Sorry...” he growled in a guttural tome, burying his face into her neck once again as he breathed her in. His apology came out broken, strangled between growls. For a second, she almost pitied him. “My beasts got out of control again.” He groaned against her skin, the heat of his breath warming her insides.
“They hated that you were so far away...” he added, licking her nape. Rayena shuddered, unconsciously clinging to him. He groaned in frustration, his body suddenly going slack. “I really don’t want to do anything without Morvan here,” he mumbled to himself.
Rayena continued to hold him, waiting for her heart rate to settle before she spoke again. "What should I do now?" she asked when she saw he was still in his half-turned state.
"Stay still. Don't be afraid," he growled, holding her waist in a dead grip as he continued to rub his face against her neck. Rayena took a deep breath, banishing the fear that had filled her soul and slowly relaxing against him. She watched as his towering size shrank, his clawed hands finally reverting and the extra hair on his skin disappearing like it was never there.
Tentatively and with trembling fingers, she wrapped her hands around him, softly patting his back, letting him hold her. "Take all you need. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, her voice just for his ears alone.
He answered with a growl, taking a deep inhale of her scent, and his agitation lessened. Eventually, he slumped against her, his breathing now evened out. "Thank you..." he murmured, his voice now lacking the initial roughness.
Rayena smiled at him, her heart pattering in her chest. "You're welcome."
A corner of his lips twitched but didn’t quite form a smile as he leaned on the wall next to her, completely silent, with only the sound of their breathing filling their ears. Xenon closed his eyes, allowing her scent to wrap around him. He didn’t want to let go yet.
"What do you want now?" Rayena asked, breaking the silence. He glanced at her to see her already staring at him, concern still etched on her face.
"If you want..." she began slowly, staring at something unseen on the ground, "I could follow you to your chambers. Keep you company like I did that night you came to visit me in the harem. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m having trouble falling asleep too."
He raised his eyebrows, but his other halves really liked the idea as they began prancing around, their tails swishing with excitement.
"That’s if you want to, of course..." she added when the silence dragged on for a moment too long.
"It’s not a bad idea," he groaned finally. She instantly beamed.
"That’s lovely, thank you, Your Majesty!" she whispered excitedly, already walking away. Then she stopped, turning back to him. "Um, I don’t know the way back to my chambers, and I want to get my embroidery supplies. Can you help me, please?"
A chuckle burst from his lips before he could stop it, but he pulled away from the wall and fell into step with her, helping her find her chambers. Rayena thankned him quickly, rushed into the chambers, and moments later was coming out with a basket filled with fabrics and dozens of colorful threads.
"Let’s go!" she chirped with a warm smile on her face. Xenon pursed his lips, hiding the smirk that threatened to bloom, leading the way back to his chambers. There, she took a seat on one of the couches, settling her basket on her lap, while he reclined across from her, his broad frame sprawling lazily against the cushions. His golden eyes followed her as she threaded a needle, her movements precise and patient.
After a few moments, she glanced up at him. “You’re always with that blanket,” she remarked, her tone teasing but curious. “Do you like it that much?"
He shrugged, gaze steady. "Yes."