"Your Majesty..." The xyiom stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse that will suit the reason why he was holding Selene in the manner. The xyiom hoped he hadn't seen the blood on her neck yet or the way her arm fell disjointedly on the ground.
He wanted to use his leg to kick her arm in place, but of he did, the king would notice, so he kept still, with his eyes still on the king.
"It is very unlike you to take this route, your majesty. This place is only meant for the common Xyioms and the humans."
"And that will lead me to ask what you are doing here yourself, Xandare?" The king asked, his eyes locked on Selene who was on the floor. He couldn't tell what was wrong with her as she laid face flat.
It couldn't be as a result of last night, could it?
"I was only taking a stroll, your majesty." Xandare replied, disrupting the king's thoughts.
"Just a stroll, it is very unlike you to take strolls down this path." The king replied.
Xandare wanted to say the same for khael. What was a king doing strolling down this path of he wasn't seeking this ugly human out, but he couldn't say same to the king.
"Selene!" Khael called out, "are you alright young prince?" He asked her.
His heart thumped loudly when he saw the move of her finger. She could barely look up to acknowledge the king.
Khael immediately shot cold glares at Xandare, his eyes demanding for answers. But before Khael could ask, his hands were already in the air, claiming his innocence.
"I did nothing to her, your majesty. I swear it." Xandare could be seen visibly shivering but Khael didn't want to believe him.
For a moment, Khael's expression was unreadable. He tilted his head slightly, as if surveying an interesting but meaningless scene. Selene stiffened, terror flashing through her chest. Would he let this happen? Had she misjudged him so completely?
But Khael was not a fool.
With slow, deliberate steps, he approached them, his boots echoing against the stone floor. The guards who had followed him into the hallway stood back, waiting for orders.
Khael stopped a few feet away, his gaze flickering briefly from Xandare to Selene and back again.
His voice, when he spoke, was calm. Too calm.
"What have you done to her?" He asked with no expression on his face.
Xandare's grip faltered in confusion. "Sire, I was merely escorting—"
"That's not the answer that I demanded." Khael said but Xandare didn't say anything.
"Get her off the floor." Khael ordered and Xandare immediately did as he was told. He picked her up but his fingers began to tremble as he could barely hold her up.
Khael moved closer to them, "Release her to me."
"Yes your majesty!" Xandare replied.
Khael stepped close, reaching out with surprising gentleness to catch her before she could fall. His hand brushed against her good arm, steadying her. His touch was firm but careful, as if he already suspected how badly she was hurt.
Selene flinched without meaning to, and that was all it took.
Khael's eyes darkened to molten gold, and then deeper still—red bleeding into the irises like smoke.
He reached out slowly, tilting her chin upward. His fingers brushed the side of her neck where her bloodied hand still pressed. His hand came away red.
Selene's heart thundered painfully in her chest as he looked down at his blood-stained fingers.
He said nothing for a long, terrible moment.
Then he turned his gaze back to her, softer now, full of a fury he did not aim at her.
"Who did this?" His voice was a low growl, barely restrained.
Selene's throat bobbed. Her legs threatened to collapse beneath her, but she forced herself to stay upright. She didn't speak. She only turned her head slightly, her gaze landing on Xandare.
It was all the confirmation Khael needed.
He moved so fast that Selene barely saw it.
One moment Xandare was standing there, smirking with a half-hearted sneer, and the next, Khael's fist connected with his jaw with a sickening crack that echoed down the hall. Xandare crumpled to the floor, groaning in pain, blood spilling from his split lip.
Khael didn't even glance down at him.
"Take him," he snarled to the guards. "Lock him away. He will beg to die before I am through with him."
The guards sprang into action, hauling the groaning Xandare up and dragging him away.
Selene swayed on her feet, her strength rapidly failing.
Khael caught her again, this time sweeping her easily into his arms.
Selene pressed her good hand against the wound on her neck, feeling the hot pulse of blood still leaking from the torn skin. Her dislocated shoulder throbbed mercilessly, but she said nothing as Khael carried her away from the scene.
"Please let me walk, your majesty." Selene said weakly. Even though she knew that her strength wouldn't be enough to let her stand on her feet, she would give anything to be any place else other than in the king's arms.
"No, young prince, you are baldy hurt and I doubt it you can walk."
"I can, your majesty, please let me walk." Selene protested. Khael looked down on her to see her cheeks heavily flushed red despite the pain she was in.
"I'm having a swell time holding you in my arms, do not deprive me of that." Khael said in a low tone but loud enough for Selene to make out the words.
With that, she fell silent and allowed herself to be carried by the King without a single more complaint. Soon the guards had joined him but he stopped in his tracks and ordered that they do not follow him back to his quarters, instead, he told them to go seek for the kingdom's medical team to cater to Selene's wounds.