Betrayed By The Hero, Loved By The Lord-Chapter 10: Breaking point (3)

Selene followed Xavier to the room she would use tonight. When she left home, Selene wasn’t confident she would find a warm bed for herself and Agnes but they were lucky Xavier was so inviting.

Selene stared at the back of Xavier in wonder. He had been out of sight for so many years that it was still unbelievable he not only attended the banquet she held but he proposed the idea of marriage to her.

Was this only about having her act as a pureblood?

Xavier could easily turn a blind eye to her current problems or find entertainment from it as most did.

"Where did you put Elsie? You weren’t gone for long so you couldn’t have buried her already. She’s very special to me," Selene reminded Xavier. "I won’t accept just any grave for her. I know that I am demanding too much in my position."

"You are only asking for a proper grave so how is that demanding too much? I have passed her body off to a servant I trust who will try to make her body more presentable for a burial. Her head should be attached back to her body through stitching," Xavier replied.

"Oh. That would be much better. Thank you," Selene said, appreciative of what Xavier did for her. "I will clean up and come down to see where she is placed. She should have someone she knew there."

Xavier looked to his right at Selene walking with her head down. "Did he try to hurt you? Tonight or any other night?"

"No," Selene shook her head. "He didn’t but I don’t know the man who came home anymore to say it wouldn’t have come to that at some point. He knew how much Elsie meant to me yet he still killed her over lies. He could have done anything to me."

"Again I must ask, do you want me to kill him?" Xavier offered again. The uproar would be worth watching.

"No. It would be terrible timing to harm the man being celebrated by the kingdom. It would be seen as silly to kill him because of me. I shall take him down in time when his new ways start to show and he no longer has the king’s favour. For Elsie," Selene said, thinking about her motivation behind taking down Gabriel.

Before Elsie died, Selene planned to not think about Gabriel or any of the Valors but now revenge was all that was on her mind.

"I look forward to the show. Do not hesitate to ask me what you need. It is here," Xavier said, stopping before a large door decorated with what looked to be roses and thorns.

Selene inspected the door, which revealed that this was Xavier’s bedroom because of the extravagant decor. She was bold enough to accept his offer but not to enter his room. She bit her lip. They would wed soon after her divorce, so eventually, they had to be together.

Xaviers smiled, his mischievous side starting to show. "I wonder what is going on inside your head. I have a lovely coffin elsewhere that I will use for the night. You will have mine to yourself."

Selene frowned. Why did he need a coffin?

Though Seleene wanted an answer, she didn’t want to question all Xavier did since she was a guest in his home and he was more than kind to offer his bedroom.

His kindness partially concerned her since there was always a catch but she was willing to put up with it since she didn’t have anywhere else to go.

"I will be out soon to see where Elsie is buried. Thank you once again," Selene said.

Agnes opened the door for Selene to enter while Lord Blackthorn remained outside, watching as they went in. The lord terrified Agnes and she worried for Selene.

Had the lady run from one exhausting man to another?

Selene looked around the simple decorated room. She sighed in relief there wasn’t a coffin in sight.

"Milady," Agnes said in a hushed tone. The lord might be able to hear them still but she still had to know if Selene was certain this was where she should be. "Will you be safe here?"

"I do not know," Selene honestly replied. "I had to find somewhere for us to rest for the night and he was all I could think of. For now, this will work for us. I will make sure you are employed here or I will leave. Her blood," she said, noticing the state of Agnes’s dress. "I shouldn’t have handed her to you like that. Are you alright?"

Selene waited too late to ask Agnes how she felt. "Because of me, you had to-"

"It was not because of you, Milady. It was that witch’s fault. She lied about Elsie and your husband knows it," Agnes said, refusing to let Selene feel guilty. "Elsie was protective of you but she would never be so careless as to strike that woman."

"I know. I don’t believe anything that comes out of their mouths. Prepare a bath for me and then one for yourself. We will rest here after we have seen Elsie buried," said Selene.

"Milady, I cannot sleep in the lord’s room," Agnes said, thinking of how scandalous it would be.

"I know it is not normal but I cannot let you out of my sight. I cannot wake to that again," Selene said, still haunted by the sight of Elsie lying lifeless.

Agnes feared Lord Blackthorn’s reaction to finding out a maid slept in his bedroom but she would take the risk to stay near Selene. Agnes knew she couldn’t fill Elsie’s shoes but she would try her hardest to measure up to her late friend.

"I must get you out of that dress. It is stained with blood."

Selene looked down at her dress. The sight of blood had never bothered her before but now it stirred something inside of her. She was soaked from her chest down to her legs from holding Elsie in the carriage. "I will take it off myself. See if you can find one of his shirts. We must be quick not to ruin his floor."

Selene started to take off the dress and only now realised she stood before Xavier in her night dress. Luckily, the blood must have kept his attention more than how she was dressed.

Selene knew Elsie’s death wasn’t her fault but she couldn’t help thinking that if she kept Elsie close or left sooner, this could have been avoided. Part of it was always going to feel like her fault.

With Xavier’s power as Lord of this land, Selene vowed to do everything she could to get back at Gabriel for taking someone she cherished.