Page 11 of Cursed Heirs

His smile widened. “You’re in love with my son.”

“He means a lot to me,” was all I allowed myself to admit.

Especially when I hadn’t admitted more to Xavier yet.

The first time I did, I certainly didn’t want it to be to his father. Xavier was a romantic, it would be important to him that things like that were done properly and not just blurted out.

“I’m glad to hear it. He’s always desired a connection like that.”

He moved further into the room and took me in. “You seem different.”

“Well, I haven’t seen you for several years.”

“Not your appearance. More like your energy. It’s… shifted.”

“I’m using my magic again.”

“Yes, I’m aware. It’s your confidence and conviction, however. That’s the difference,” he realized aloud. “Very good. Your mom will be pleased.”

“She didn’t seem that way earlier.”

“Abigail gets tunnel vision during emergency situations, she shuts down. It’s how she’s taken to handling things over the last few years, ever since theCataclysm.”

It was more than that.

But there was no point claiming that to Elliot. He was too tight with my mom to say anything that would put her in a bad light, or to even see her that way himself.

A groan coming from the bed brought our brief conversation to a halt, and I darted over there right as Xavier opened his eyes, another groan leaving him.

“Hey, sweet thing,” I said, reaching out as I eased onto the edge of the bed beside him and stroked his hair softly. “You’re okay. The battle’s over now. You’re safe.”

“Alena,” he murmured, smiling out at me. “You’re here.” He tried to look me over in his discombobulated, just-woken-up state. “You’re not hurt?”

“No. I’m absolutely fine. I promise. The boys are good too, just resting up. Everything is okay.”

He blew out breath of relief. “Thank hell.”

And then he started looking around. “Where are we? Not at the Academy or—” He stopped when his gaze landed on his father.

“Dad.” His initial happiness at seeing him melted away all too quickly and was replaced by extreme worry and shock. “Fuck, what happened to you? Are you—how—theHellborn?Did it—Dad, oh my God, I—”

“I am fine,” Elliot said, rolling over to the other side of the bed. He instinctively reached out to take his hand, then pulled back.

But it was too late. Xavier saw what I had earlier. “Fuck. That’s—”

“Temporary, son. All just temporary. I’ll be back to myself within a couple of days.”

“You swear it to me?”

“I do.”

Xavier scrubbed his hand over his face, emotion taking him over.

I took his hand and kissed his knuckles.

“It’s all my fault,” he uttered in pained words that cut into me and Elliot. “If I’d just told you sooner about everything, especially theHellbornbeing in the picture—”

“You are not responsible for any of this,” Elliot told him fiercely. “Absolutely not. The responsibility is upon Constantine and his acolytes. The responsibility also falls to me andExemplarto keep the supernatural world safe andwefailed atthat, not you. You’re in college doing what you need to, whatIneed you to do. That’s all there is to it.”

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