The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and the Dove #2) - Kaitlyn Davis Page 0,15

to stop it, and I chased after. I'm still not entirely sure how we managed to scare it away, but we did, and then we brought Rafe into the cave to hide him so Lyana could, well, you know."

She didn't want to mention magic, not out loud, even though they were alone. Cassi of all people understood that there was always a chance someone could be listening unseen.

Xander nodded, prodding her to continue.

"We didn’t know he was a raven prince until we went back. I left the two of them alone, so I'm not sure what happened between them. Though I suspect Rafe had a secret of his own, because the next time I saw Lyana, she was claiming him as her mate. And there's only one thing I know of that could draw two strangers together so quickly."

"Your suspicion is correct."

Cassi didn’t ask for more. Of course, she didn’t need to. She already knew everything there was to know about Rafe's magic, but there was no reason to tell that to Xander. Let him think her uninterested. "Then, well, the trials brought them closer together, until she learned the truth of who he was, who you were, and it stopped."

"But it didn't."

"It did," she countered softly. "For a while at least. Lyana pretended to hate him. I think there was a time when she fooled herself into thinking she did. But then…"

"The earthquake," Xander said, the realization widening his eyes. They grew glassy as he sank back into his memories. "Rafe saved her during the earthquake, and she must've helped with his wings because I knew they healed too quickly, and then—" He stopped short and looked sharply at her. "The children. The victims. It wasn't Taetanos. It was never Taetanos. It was her—it was them—all along."

"Even then, they never kissed. Nothing happened, not until the night before your mating ceremony. She went with the intention of saying goodbye, and I know they made a mistake, but they did say goodbye. She came back to her room in the morning. In the end, she chose you."

"Is that how you would want to be chosen?" he asked softly, staring into a world she couldn't see. A wave of emotions passed over his face—anger, regret, and most of all, pain. What caught her attention, however, was how hard he fought them off, right arm trembling under the strain. The muscles in his jaw ticked as though biting back all the terrible thoughts his mouth ached to say.

She wanted to hear them.

Horrible person that she was, Cassi ached to know she wasn't the only one with volcanic anger spewing in her gut, threatening to consume her. She wanted to see this noble prince come undone, if only for a moment, just long enough to know she wasn't alone.

"It's all right to be angry, Xander."

He glanced at her quickly, eyes flashing at her words.

"You're allowed to be angry."

"Am I?"

"Yes." Because if this good man, this honorable man, this innocent man, was furious, then maybe she could be a little bit furious too. "Here." She knelt and grabbed her discarded practice sword before offering it to him. "It'll make you feel better."

"I'm not—"

"Just take it," she said, shoving the hilt into his hand. Xander gripped it awkwardly, holding the weapon away from him as though it might bite. She couldn't help it—she laughed.

"What?" His tone was sharp with insecurity.

"Nothing." She stepped closer, softening her voice as she fixed his grip, repositioning his fingers and nudging his feet into the right spot. "Nothing. It’s just, you're holding it like you're afraid of it, but you don’t have to be. I know you're not much of a fighter, but that's a shame. You have the heart of a warrior—I saw it yesterday, when you faced that dragon. I see it now. But that will get you nowhere unless you learn the first lesson of battle."

"What's that?" His breath caressed her cheek as he spoke.

She met his gaze, unsure why the air suddenly seemed thick, why her lungs felt empty. "Your weapon is your best friend. Unlike people, it will never lie to you. It will never betray you. You can fuse your secrets into every attack, and it will keep them. It will be your confidant, if you let it." She stepped back to give him space and nudged her chin toward the bag. "Go ahead."

Xander furrowed his brows. In one decisive motion he spun and thrust the edge of the sword into the bag. It