Xander vol.1 Transmutation Read Online Free PDF Page B

himself.
    “ Other than the fact that
it’s not Athena?”
    Sven scoffed. “And they
call me the
trader. What’s wrong with Athena?”
    “ Absolutely nothing,”
Xander defended.
    “ Well, now that’s just
optimistic. Or blind.”
    “ Nothing’s wrong with Athena. I
just want to explore another world. I want to see their
culture.”
    “ And why are you so
interested all of a sudden? What’s got you hooked on the human culture?”
    “ None other than the
humans, of course. I spoke to one of them yesterday. Two, almost.
She kind of ignored me, though.”
    “ Oh, right. The visit. How
did that go?”
    “ Eh.” Xander laid down
against the length of the thick branch, looking up at the rest of
the tree. “Vida sent Saphora off to train when we started talking
about Ares. And Maverick ran after her after there was some crisis
with the human girl, who went looking for her. Big
mess.”
    “ And this ,” Sven laughed. “Makes you want
to learn their culture.”
    “ It doesn’t make me not want to.” Sven
laughed. “Besides. It was relatively important. The forest beside
the castle was covered in flames and smoke. Ares’ work, no
doubt.”
    Sven shook his head,
rolling his eyes before looking up at the sky. His eyes quickly
zipping to the left to follow the swift movements of his guardian,
who was coming to land on his head. Sven smiled, reaching his
finger up for her to perch on.
    “ Good luck getting
permission for that voyage.”
    Xander sighed a groan,
resting the back of his hand on his forehead.
    “ I know ,” he grumbled. “She’s going to
kill me.”
    “ Better come up with a
better reason to go than exploring. Especially with war so close on
the horizon.”
    Xander paused on the
thought, struggling to come up with a reason that would prove to be
good enough in his mother’s eyes. He frowned, not coming up with
one on the spot. His frown deepening when his thought process was
disrupted by the high frequency squeaking of Anavae. Sven raised a
brow to his feathered friend, listening to her
considerately.
    “ Hm, good point,” Sven
hummed. “Xander, did Hydra bring back Saphora’s escape pod?” Anavae
squealed again. “And/or Arol’s?”
    “ No,” Xander said,
matter-of-factly, his frown vanishing. “The human told me that they
had left some of Hydra’s things in his living space,
too.”
    “ Well, maybe you can say
you’re going to get the stuff. I’d think it would be a good idea to
have it back.”
    “ I doubt she’d care about
one or two pods,” Xander scoffed.
    “ Well, it’s better than
saying exploring .”
    Xander fell silent in
consideration. Mischievous consideration.

    “Hear me out, Mother,”
Xander said, stepped up behind Aredelle as she sat before her
vanity, brushing her long, muddied pink locks.
    She raised a brow at her
son in the reflection of the large, elegant mirror as her brushing
slowed to a stop. He had come to her chambers specifically while
his father was away so that he would not be lulled into her
decision on his request. Aredelle’s full lips tightened into a
somewhat hard line as she turned her head in his direction,
skepticism written all over her features.
    “ You sneak in here without
so much as a greeting?” Aredelle scolded. “And without your
father.” Her chin remaining high as she turned to face the mirror
again, her eyes lowering to her lap. “I don’t like it
already.”
    Xander rushed over to her,
wrapping his arms lovingly – strategically around his mother’s
shoulders, leaning down and kissing her cheek. She couldn’t help
but grin at the affection as he took her brush from her and sat it
atop the vanity’s surface. She glanced over at him as he laid
another peck along her jaw, making her giggle.
    “ Enough, Xander,” she
laughed, swatting him away. “I’ve just brushed my hair.”
    “ And you look as ravishing
as ever,” Xander complimented. Aredelle laughed, shaking her head
as she turned her body completely to face