Chapter 271 Chapter 270
Morvan shrugged, stroking his chin in thought. "That's a more plausible course of action. I can take a few of my most trusted men and sneak out of the realm using the secret passageways that haven't been discovered yet," he announced, glancing back at Xenon.
"Good." Xenon nodded, pacing around the room. "We'll do that."
He threw a glance across the room. "Any more suggestions?"
Another person cleared his throat. "Should this be possible, and you all go off to battle, how do we protect those who are left behind?"
"Not every warrior will be deployed," Xenon began slowly. "Some will stay back to safeguard those who can't fight. Besides, we're not going now. Morvan will first need to return with provisions, and then we'll take our next course of action."
He spoke, and this time there were murmurs of agreement — hope, maybe.
"In Morvan's absence, however, I will be leading the raids. I do need to step out of that hole and further assess our surroundings."
He let the words hang in the air, waiting for objections. When none came, he continued. "If there's nothing more to discuss, this meeting is concluded."
Everyone rose to their feet, delivered a low bow, and noisily filed out of the room, leaving only him and Rayena.
When the last noble slipped through the door, Rayena hurried to Xenon’s side. He didn’t hesitate—he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her flush against him. His warmth enveloped her instantly. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in deeply as though grounding himself.
"Thank you for the suggestion," he murmured against her skin. His breath was warm, sending a shiver cascading down her spine. Strands of her hair tickled his cheek as he spoke. "I never would have thought of that," he groaned softly.
Rayena pulled back just enough to see him. Her smile was small, gentle. "I'm glad I could help."
He returned the smile — a rare, soft thing — before linking his fingers with hers. His thumb brushed the back of her hand, slow and deliberate. Heat flushed her cheeks at the unexpected tenderness.
She swallowed, refocusing on the task at hand. "However, if we're still going to be meeting my father, I'd better start with the letter I'll be sending to him."
"The paper and ink you'll need are back in our room. Come, let's go," he murmured, his voice dropping to that familiar low rumble. He tugged her gently forward, and Rayena followed, excitement fluttering warm and electric beneath her ribs.
They arrived at their bedroom, and Xenon instantly supplied her with the materials she would be using. Sitting down on a chair and placing a parchment paper on the table, she dipped her quill into a bottle of ink and started scribbling, brows furrowed in concentration.
It took some time, but she was soon done, and after blowing on the paper to have the ink dry, she rolled it up neatly, then passed it to Xenon.
"All finished," she announced in a bright voice, and he gave a low nod, unscrolling it to read the contents.
"You have pretty handwriting…" he murmured, his eyes flickering with amusement.
Her heart fluttered at the praise, her cheeks warming.
He gave a low grunt of approval once he was done reading and rolled it back up, sealing the scroll with his royal seal. "That will do. What you wrote is good enough."
He dropped it in a tube and closed it up. "I'll give it to Morvan later," he murmured.
Rayena rose to her feet. "Why not now?"
Xenon dropped the tube on the table, closing the distance between him and Rayena. He cocked his head to the side, eyes shining with some unspoken intent. "I want to spend more time with my mate."
The way he spoke it in that deep voice sent shivers down her spine. Her heart began to pound, breath catching in her chest.
He reached a hand forward, threading it through her hair. Rayena fluttered her lashes, gazing at him with love in her eyes. "How about we bathe together?" he murmured, voice smooth and silky. "That way we can conserve water?" he added, his brow raised.
Rayena couldn't help the giggle that spilled from her lips. She knew what he was insinuating, but chose to play along. "That sounds like a splendid idea," she muttered, leaning in while Xenon pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Guards!" Xenon bellowed, and moments later, the door burst open, a guard rushing in.
"Have the maids prepare us some bathwater," he ordered. The guard bowed and stepped out of the room.
"Here, let me help you with your clothes," he muttered once they were alone.
Rayena allowed him to strip off the first layers of her dress, anticipation simmering beneath her skin. A while later, maids came in carrying buckets of steaming water and a huge tub large enough to fit two people inside.
One more brought soap, fragrant oils, and clean towels. After setting up the place, they promptly rushed out of the room.
"Our water is here, my fair lady," Xenon announced, and Rayena smiled, her eyes twinkling as she gazed at the dashing male before her.
She pulled off the rest of her clothing until she was standing bare for him, and he did the same, leaving only his breeches on. Lifting her up from the ground in a single sweep, Rayena yelped in surprise, then giggled, wrapping her hands around Xenon as he carried her to the tub.
Easing her gently into the warm water, Rayena let out a soft moan, loving how the hot water loosened the tension in her muscles. Ripples formed across the surface of the water, and some even spilled to the ground, but Xenon paid it no heed, grabbing the hard bar of soap and pouring some water onto Rayena's hair, ready to wash.
"You're going to be bathing me?" Rayena asked, her voice filled with surprise.
"Yes, you don't want me to?"
"N-no…" she stuttered, her face growing even redder. "I just wasn't expecting that."
"I just feel like pampering you today. Allow me to indulge in this," he said, giving her a wink. Rayena giggled but relaxed further into his hold, letting him wash her hair.
Rayena melted under his touch. The moment he worked his fingers into her hair, massaging her scalp, she exhaled shakily. The lavender-sweet scent of the soap curled through the air, soothing her senses. His hands were firm but gentle, sliding through her locks with practiced care.
She closed her eyes, drifting in the warmth, her body unspooling bit by bit in his hold.
When he rinsed her hair, he kept careful fingers at her temples, preventing water from running into her face. His protectiveness was its own kind of intimacy—quiet, constant, undeniable.
Sadly enough, he was through, which meant the experience was over. But then he slipped into the tub, pulled her closer, and started washing her entire body.
"How did you discover a place like this?" Rayena asked as he washed her shoulders, tilting her neck to look at him.