CHAPTER 45: CELENE HELPS XAVIER RELAX...

"Where did you go, you look so tired..."

"You made me and Lady Seraphina worry so much. What if something happened to you? What if you hadn’t come back?"

"I just had something really important to me that I needed to do," Xavier replied, his voice low, his expression unreadable.

Celene noticed the way his eyes shifted, the slight hesitation in his tone—he didn’t want to go deeper. She sensed it, and though her curiosity burned, she held back.

"Don’t push yourself too hard," she said softly, her hand brushing gently against his cheek, "look how tired and stressed out you look..."

Xavier’s lips curled into a sly grin as something playful sparked in his eyes. "I really am tired... and a really good bath comes to mind."

Celene gave a soft gasp before grinning knowingly, slapping his chest with mock offense. "You naughty boy. Just ask me directly if you want it—not like I’ll refuse anyway..."

Without warning, Xavier swept her off the floor into his arms in a smooth, fluid motion. Celene gave a surprised squeal, her cheeks flushing with pink.

"Oh? Where’s my innocent Celene? I kinda miss her..." He smirked, eyes glinting. "Even though I like this tainted version of you more."

"Bad boy..." Celene murmured, giggling sheepishly. Her fingers trailed over his bare chest, slowly, almost lazily—her touch was light, teasing. "Besides, aren’t you tired? Where did you get the strength to carry me?"

"Your man is not that weak," Xavier replied confidently.

She stared into his eyes for a moment longer, her expression softening—like she was melting into his arms. Her breathing subtly deepened as the air between them thickened with quiet intimacy.

Xavier stepped into the warm, misty bathroom, the sound of running water echoing gently as he set her down. The soft glow of the crystal sconces reflected on the marble walls, the faint scent of rose oil and lavender lingering in the air.

Celene turned the golden knob, letting the tub begin to fill. Warm steam rose steadily, wrapping around them like a veil.

She slowly began undoing the buttons of her maid uniform. One after the other, deliberately slow. She didn’t rush—her eyes never left his. The fabric slid off her shoulders like silk, exposing the creamy skin of her collarbones, the rise and fall of her full chest barely constrained by her lacy undergarments.

Xavier’s eyes drank in every detail—the gentle sway of her hips as she stepped closer, the way her thighs pressed together shyly despite her teasing tone earlier. There was that mix of boldness and bashfulness he adored. She was no longer just the innocent maid—she had become his, body and soul—but some part of her still clung to that shy femininity.

"Come," she said softly, holding out her hand as the tub neared half-full.

Xavier took her hand, his fingers interlocking with hers as they stepped into the warm bath together.

The water embraced them slowly—rising past his legs, his waist, up to his chest. The heat soaked into his tired muscles, easing the tension built from hours of brutal combat.

Celene settled in front of him, her back pressed against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her gently in. Her skin was wet, slippery, silky smooth beneath his hands. She leaned her head back on his shoulder, sighing softly.

"See...?" she whispered, voice like warm honey. "This is better, isn’t it?"

Her breath tickled his neck. Her fingers played with his on her waist, tracing little circles in the water.

"Mmh," he murmured. "Much better..."

They stayed like that in silence for a moment—nothing but the gentle sound of water rippling around them and the steady rhythm of their breaths syncing.

Xavier buried his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. Her scent was soft, intoxicating—faint lavender and something deeply feminine and familiar. The scent of home. The kind of smell that lingered in his mind long after she was gone.

He kissed her nape gently. Once. Twice. Then again.

Each kiss lingered longer.

Celene shivered softly, her hands reaching up to cradle the back of his head as her lips parted in a breathless moan.

"Xavier..."

His name fell from her lips like a prayer.

She turned slightly, meeting his gaze, their faces now inches apart. Her lips brushed his.

And then they kissed.

This time slower... deeper.

Not rushed like before, but as if they were savoring every second of each other’s taste.

Water dripped from their skin. Her thighs shifted gently beneath the surface, brushing against his. The tension returned—not the painful kind from battle, but the slow, heated pressure of desire stirring back to life.

He pulled her tighter against him, their bare skin sliding, pressing. Celene’s back arched ever so slightly, her body molding perfectly into his.

"I’ll help you relax properly..." she whispered, her voice velvety, like silk brushed against skin in the dark.

And she meant it.

She didn’t know the weight Xavier was carrying that day, but she didn’t need to know. She could feel it in the way his body moved. The slight slump in his shoulders. The silence behind his smiles. And she wouldn’t let him carry that alone.

Celene gently cupped his face for a moment and kissed his forehead, then moved with a fluid grace, her bare feet soft against the floor. She grabbed the water pitcher beside the washbasin and poured a little stream directly into his mouth, letting him rinse. Her fingers caressed along his jaw as he did, wiping away traces of dirt with a soft towel. The warmth of her touch lingered even after she moved away.

The bathtub had already been used, but she wasn’t satisfied. She pulled the small lever to drain the murky water, then turned on the tap, releasing a new stream of water—clear, steaming, and inviting. The steam rose slowly, dancing in the amber glow of the lantern light. The invention was old magic meets crude technology: tanks warmed by sun-fed heat, kept bubbling with clever valves and vacuum seals.

But even all that brilliance was nothing compared to the woman at its center.

Xavier hadn’t looked away from her once.

Not even for a second.