Chapter 23: Veil of Deception

Xyphor adjusted his cloak as he walked beside Melinoe, his sharp golden eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. The dense forest stretched endlessly around them, shrouded in an eerie silence. He had been on the run before, but never quite like this—never with a woman beside him who stirred something unfamiliar in his chest.

Melinoe, oblivious to his internal turmoil, sighed. "So, you're just a merchant?"

Xyphor nodded, offering her a charming but guarded smile. "Yes, an ordinary one. I travel between towns, selling rare herbs and exotic silks. Nothing exciting."

Melinoe hummed thoughtfully, rubbing her arms against the cold. "And those men chasing you? You said you didn't know them. But they seemed pretty intent on killing you."

His grip on the strap of his satchel tightened. "I suppose I must have unknowingly offended someone powerful," he lied smoothly.

She studied him with curiosity. "I see… Well, I hope you get to resolve it soon." She then took a deep breath before saying, "Actually, I was hoping you could help me. I need to find my way back to Nyxpanther Draeven and Havvaris Snowfang from the Empire of Nyxaris and the Empire of Fenrath. Do you know them?"

Xyphor nearly stumbled. His mind reeled. Empire of Nyxaris? Empire of Fenrath? She's from the Western Continent? His brothers had always warned him never to get involved with anyone from outside Zygerra, yet here he was, walking beside a woman who didn't belong here.

Maintaining his composure, he shook his head. "I'm afraid I've never heard of them."

Melinoe sighed. "I figured… This place is completely unfamiliar to me. I was transported here by a magician."

Magician? Xyphor frowned. His knowledge of dark arts was limited, but the description made him suspect something worse—a black witch. Still, he kept his expression unreadable. "That's unfortunate. But don't worry, we'll reach town soon. We can figure something out there."

Melinoe smiled at him, seemingly reassured. Dangerously trusting, he thought.

____

Xyphor's POV

Earlier that evening, Xyphor sat in his opulent office, his desk cluttered with trade records and ledgers. Business was thriving. His reputation as a merchant leader was unparalleled, and he had amassed more wealth than even some ruling families. But that success had also painted a target on his back.

The heavy oak doors swung open without warning, and six of his elder brothers stormed in. Their expressions were unreadable, but Xyphor had learned long ago to recognize the tension beneath their forced smiles.

"Xyphor," the eldest, Veyzar, drawled. "Still working yourself to death?"

Xyphor didn't look up. "Unlike you, I have businesses to run."

A second brother, Jeythar, scoffed. "Enough of your arrogance. We've come with an offer."

Xyphor finally met their gazes, already knowing what they would say. "I've told you before—I will not take Sierra as my mate."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Veyzar's fingers twitched at his side. "You're out of options, brother. Sierra is already bonded with us. You refusing her is an insult."

Xyphor's jaw clenched. "Then take it as an insult. I will not chain myself to a woman I do not love."

Jeythar's patience snapped. "Then we'll take everything from you!"

The attack was swift. Blades flashed, knocking over candle stands and slashing through stacks of parchment. Xyphor barely dodged a dagger aimed at his throat. He fought back, disarming one brother and twisting his arm until he heard a crack. But there were too many of them.

A sharp pain bloomed in his side as a dagger nicked his ribs. He gritted his teeth. They aren't holding back. They mean to kill me.

With no other choice, he threw a smoke bomb to the floor, shrouding the room in darkness. Using the chaos to his advantage, he leaped from the window, his body twisting midair before he landed on the street below.

Heart pounding, he ran.

His brothers' furious shouts followed him, but he disappeared into the alleys, moving through the shadows like a phantom. He didn't stop until he was deep within the woods. But even as he caught his breath, he sensed them closing in.

That was when he found the cavern.

____

Inside the cavern, Xyphor barely had time to think before he saw Melinoe. She was unlike anyone he had ever seen—strikingly beautiful, yet she carried herself with a kind of strength that intrigued him.

Then came the voices outside.

Panic surged through him. His brothers were close. He had no time to think, no time to explain. He needed to hide.

"If you can turn into a small snake, I can hide you," she had said.

The sheer absurdity of it had almost made him hesitate. But as the voices drew nearer, instinct took over. He shifted, coiling into a smaller form, and slithered toward her.

Then, she picked him up and placed him against her warm, delicate skin.

Xyphor had prepared for suffocating darkness—but instead, he was met with unbearable warmth. Her scent—sweet, intoxicating—wrapped around him like a spell. He barely noticed his surroundings anymore.

Then she moved, pressing her hands to her chest. His world became softer, tighter.

Xyphor nearly lost his mind.

He had faced assassins, traitors, and conspiracies—but nothing had ever shaken him like this. He couldn't stop his body from shifting, rubbing against her skin. Melinoe whispered frantically, "Please don't move."

He heard the men pause, and Xyphor cursed internally. Control yourself!

Still, he could feel her heartbeat pounding through his small body, and for the first time in his life, Xyphor—the cunning merchant, the untouchable leader—was utterly helpless against the storm of emotions crashing inside him.

As the danger passed, Melinoe sighed in relief, and Xyphor finally slipped from her grasp, transforming back into his human form.

Their eyes met. Her gaze raked over his tall frame, taking in his pale skin, the long black hair cascading over his shoulders, the flushed red creeping from his face down to his neck and fingers.

Melinoe blinked, stunned. "You… you're blushing?"

Xyphor averted his gaze, but there was no hiding it. His body betrayed him.

He had never been this close to a woman before. And now, he was completely undone.