Page 49 of X'nath

"Maybe I should just what?" He cut me off, his voice rising in irritation and something else… challenge. "Tell you the truth? Stop pretending I’m not worried about you?"

For a moment, we both stood there, breathing heavily, the tension between us thickening. I opened my mouth to snap back at him, but the words caught in my throat. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say anymore, or if I even knew what I was angry about.

X’nath let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his short, dark hair. "You make this harder than it needs to be, Gracie. Your stubbornness could rival that of an angry Ginix Jackal."

I blinked a few times. I had no idea what a Ginix Jackal was but it didn’t sound like a compliment.

"Me?" I barked, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "You’re the one who can’t seem to stop acting like the world revolves around you."

"That’s because it does," he said with a grin that barely masked the edge in his tone. I hated the way it made me feel, like I wanted to slap it right off his face and then kiss him. "At least it should."

Despite everything, despite the frustration and the banter, I felt a laugh bubble up from somewhere deep inside me. What was happening right now? What was this weird new tension between us?

"You really think that, don’t you?" I asked, shaking my head.

X’nath raised an eyebrow, his gaze drifting over the curve of my neck, sending a chill down my spine. He tilted his head slightly, his voice low and teasing. "What? You don’t think it should?"

I stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out whether I was angry or amused. "You’re unbelievable," I muttered under my breath, though a small smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

"Yeah, but you like it," he shot back, a teasing glint in his eyes.

I rolled my eyes, finally stepping away from him to rejoin the others in continuing the building process. "I don’t even know why I bother," I said, though the smile didn’t quite leave my face.

"Because you secretly enjoy the challenge," he replied with a grin, clearly pleased with himself.

"Don’t flatter yourself," I replied, still trying to shake off the strange mix of annoyance and something else that had settled in my chest. Despite myself, as I listened to his footsteps fade away, I secretly admitted that I didn’t want him to leave.

I threw myself back into work. I couldn’t afford to let him distract me, not when there were so many other things to focus on.

Even as I helped hammer nails into the beams, I found myself stealing glances at X’nath from the corner of my eye. The way he moved, effortlessly commanding the attention of those around him, was impossible to ignore. There was a quiet power in his presence, a confidence that seemed to radiate from him without effort. His body, one that could only be honed by countless battles, moved with the fluid grace of a predator—each motion purposeful, as if he was always aware of his surroundings, always in control. It was captivating, and I found myself momentarily lost in the rhythm of his movements.

I tried to shove the thoughts away, but it was hard. It felt like there was a tug at my chest, an invisible force pulling me toward him. I didn’t want to feel this way. He was too young, too cocky, and I had too many other things to focus on to get caught up in something that might end in regret.

But the more I tried to ignore him, the more I realized that it wasn’t working. Every time I looked at him, I felt a little bit more drawn in, a little bit more uncertain of my own resolve. I could feel the truth of my emotions bubbling beneath the surface.

"Let’s get this home finished, everyone!" Torgan’s father called out, trying to rally the others, pulling from my thoughts.

“Yes, let’s get things finished,” I mumbled to myself.

I’d been taking the herbal tea for the past few days, the one Garbock had given me. I wasn’t sure if was working—it wasn’t like I was suddenly full of energy—but there was one noticeable change: I didn’t wake up feeling as tired anymore. The heaviness I’d carried with me each morning was gone, and though I still felt the exhaustion of the day weighing on me, it was more manageable. I wasn’t sure if it was the tea or simply the passage of time, but for now, I would take it.

Still, there was something else about this whole situation that bothered me. X’nath’s quiet absence, my growing unease, andnow the strange ache that stirred in my chest every time I caught his eye. I couldn’t ignore it, but I wasn’t ready to face it either.

30

Healing Hands

GRACIE

Days passed, and X’nath’s injuries showed no signs of healing. His stubbornness was becoming impossible to ignore. He refused to admit that he needed help. Every time I saw him—whether setting traps or patrolling—the bandages on his thigh were still stained with fresh blood. It gnawed at me, a constant, growing worry that I couldn’t shake off, no matter how hard I tried.

One afternoon, I found myself inside the healer’s house. The scent of herbs and dried roots filled the air, comforting and familiar. Borba, an older orc female with a calm demeanor and a knowing gaze, was grinding some dried leaves into a powder.

“Gracie, what brings you here?” she asked, glancing up from her work.

“I… uh…” My words stumbled. “I’ve noticed X’nath hasn’t been taking care of himself. His injuries… they don’t seem to be healing.”

Borba paused, her expression shifting from curiosity to concern. “Ah, X’nath. He’s a stubborn one. Won’t come to me for treatment. Says he can handle it on his own.”

---