Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 44: Snow Fight

Chapter Forty-Four: Snow Fight

The next morning, Xaphile was unexpectedly jerked awake by the feeling of his blanket flying off his body. Instantly, he bolted upright, muscles tense with fright: his eyes flashed around in a bleary manner, but after a few moments of shivering from the chilliness that assaulted him, he looked up to find Vrael standing over him with a grin, holding the blanket with both hands.

"Good morning, Phil!" he cheerfully yodeled. "If you don't get up and start moving around, you'll wilt! Let's go eat breakfast!"

Xaphile simply stared at him for several moments with a deadened expression.

"Why?" he asked in a slightly detached voice. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I can't pretend you're not feeling bad," Vrael said, giving him a blink. "I'm not the kind of person who will look the other way. Deal with it."

"Like I have a choice."

Vrael frowned at him.

"Look," he sighed, shaking his head in exasperation, "my mother knows what happened."

He was instantly wide awake, but he waited for his suddenly madly thumping heart to calm down before he tried to speak.

"How?" he eventually asked. "Did you tell her?"

"No," Vrael chuckled, "Tuck and my Pap explained everything that happened last night. She said she wants to talk to you."

Dread coursed through him. Ninira reminded him of Ella in a lot of ways, and he had to admit he was a bit scared of her.

"All right," he said thickly, "but if she attacks me, its on your head."

"Fair enough," Vrael muttered, then dropped the blanket and snatched his shoulder, "but Pap wants us to keep the fact that we were bonded with blood magic a secret. She wouldn't take well to it."

"Are you sure keeping it a secret is a smart idea?" Xaphile asked, lifting his eyes. "Your mother seems like the type of person who would be more upset about having something hidden from her than being told about said thing upfront right away."

"Ma has had unpleasant experiences with blood magic, so we're keeping it a secret," Vrael retorted, shaking his head, "and that's final! Now, prepare yourself. Everyone's waiting for us out in the kitchen. We wanted to let you sleep in after what you went through last night."

Xaphile shivered when the halfling gently pulled him to his feet and led him out into the kitchen, where his family was eating breakfast. He would have sat down on the chair, but before he could, the blonde woman bolted upright.

"YOU!" she screeched, running towards him with outstretched arms. "YOU!"

Xaphile flinched and his shoulders tensed at her crazed expression, but instead of being strangled like he was expecting, her body collided with his and he felt her arms flying around his upper torso. He blinked when she buried her face in his chest.

"I-is it true?" she asked, speaking in a shaken tone that was muffled by his hoodie. "Is what they're saying happened yesterday night really true?!"

Xaphile blinked again.

"What are you referring to?" he carefully inquired. "Please be specific."

"My son!" she cried, looking up at him with a trembling mouth. "Is it true that my eldest boy tried to kill you last night because he thought you were a demon?! Because Bruno and Tuck both say that you saved his life even after he tried to cut your throat with a dagger! Is this the truth?!"