Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 34: Till I Hear You Sing

Chapter Thirty-Four: Till I hear you Sing

It's not good to suck up to people when they don't trust you, but Ella apparently never got that memo growing up. For the next few days, while Xaphile was busy recovering from whatever the hell had made him sick, she hadn't left his side for more than an hour and, as a direct result he once again stopped talking as much and spent most of his time trying to ignore her, although she made things pretty difficult with his weakened physical state.

Gus dropped in a few times to check on them, but aside from that, he avoided interaction.

He was also stressed because he and Amelia hadn't spoken at all since the day she'd made her promise. Whenever she'd stopped by to give him more herbs, he'd glanced in her direction when he'd thought she wasn't looking, but she'd been trying her hardest to never look in his.

She was upset with him, and it made him feel guilty even though he knew it shouldn't have. On the fourth evening of their stay, however, his health had increased to the point where he felt good enough to get up, so for the first time in forever, he did.

Ella, who had been dozing off across the room, instantly looked up at him when he walked over to his pack and dragged a clean shirt out of it.

"What are you doing?" she snapped, scowling when he turned to give her a frown. "Get back in bed."

His eyebrow twitched.

"I'm fine now," he muttered. "I need a bit of fresh air, honestly."

Without a word, she stood up and swept over to him, silver hair bobbing around her ears. He glanced down at her when she folded her arms, tilting her head with a skeptical expression.

Then, leaning forward, she unexpectedly pushed him: he didn't budge, and quirked an eyebrow of his own when she gave a puzzled blink. She did it again... but then, she snorted.

"Fine, you pass," she sighed, waving a dismissive hand. "You've regained your strength. Do as you wish. If you need aid, I'll be downstairs at the bar."

When she whisked off towards the door, he felt fairly confused since he hadn't been expecting her to give in so easily,

Keeping his tail curled around his belly, he dragged his hood up and stretched a bit before leaving himself, stalking down the ornately carved halls of the inn. He didn't know where he was going, nor did he care since the restlessness from him being bedridden was the only motivation he had for movement.

He slinked up and down the corridors, exercising his muscles... but then, he eyed the hall.

It was actually really wide... not to mention long.

Hit by a sudden, unexpected urge... he crouched down low.

Heart thumping a mile a minute, he steadied himself on the ground, taking a track-running stance. He took a deep breath, wondering if he had the spirit to do this... to escape from himself for a little while... but then, he silently decided he didn't care and just like that, he dug his heel into the ground and leapt forward, fists pumping and muscular legs flying across the hallway floor.

Things had become so different that he couldn't even begin to think about the changes in his lifestyle, but whenever he was running like this, time seemed to slow down to the point where everything fell still. There was nothing but clean, calm clarity, when his body was focused on nothing but the act of running.

Leaping into the action of physical motion, propelling himself across the ground. For a small moment, his heart began to beat again because this was what it truly felt like to be completely free. To run wherever his feet could take him, as quickly as he wanted them to, was his freedom.