A few days after she woke up, Zephrine was able to walk around. Her side was still covered in bandages, and she had to support herself on the wall or on someone else if she wanted to move around. Today though, Caius was escorting his sister around the citadel, her first journey outside since they came back.

"Caius?" She eventually croaked out her brother's name. "Where's Xavier? Why hasn't he come to see me? Is he okay?"

Caius paled, and began fiddling with the strings on his shirt. "Well... I don't know where he is."

"I'll find him then." Zephrine broke off from Caius's arms, wobbling a little as she made her way back to the castle. She stopped multiple servants, asking where Xavier was, and they all said he hadn't come out of his chambers.

It took Zephrine a while to get herself up three flights, and her side was screaming bloody murder by the time she had reached Xavier's door. "You alive in there?" She knocked twice, clutching the bandages.

"Zephrine, go away." Xavier sighed from the other side, voice sounding pained. He didn't open his door.

"I'm coming in." Zephrine ignored him, opening the door anyways. She saw Xavier sitting on the floor, in tears. "What's wrong?" She kneeled down to touch his shoulder, but he jerked away.

"I told you to go away! I don't want you here!"

"Okay... hard pass on that."

"Just go! Get out!" Xavier finally snapped, raising his voice ever so slightly.

"What has gotten into you?!"

"God, Zephrine, listen to me for once! Go. Away." Xavier's words were harsh, but his eye was screaming the opposite.

"No! No, I won't. This isn't you, Xavier."

"Yes, it is."

Zephrine sat down on the floor across from him "I'm staying here until you tell me what's wrong."

"What's wrong is I dragged you into my world, I endangered you multiple times, and I won't make that mistake again."

"What mistake?"

"You heard me. I can't put you through that."

Zephrine let out a dry laugh. "Okay, well, surprise, I dragged myself into your world, I put myself in danger. And we love each other, so what is this about?"

"God, you're exactly like Rhys! Neither one of you know how to get off my back! Look, I only said I loved you so you'd leave Fulke's castle, and look what happened."

Zephrine couldn't believe what she was hearing, much less coming from Xavier. He was obviously against whatever he was doing, trying desperately to convey that to her. But his words still filled her head, dropping all the way down to her heart, which broke into a million pieces.

Xavier looked up at her, dead in the eyes. He was clearly ripping himself apart, but did nothing about it. "I... I don't love you. I'm sorry."