Lucianne’s eyes cleared to find Xandar holding her to his chest and drawing comforting circles on her back shoulder, soothing her earlier inferno. She parted their bodies and looked him dead in the eye as she said firmly, “We are NOT putting anyone in the kingdom around the Forest of Oderem.”

Xandar blinked as he thought about what she said before suggesting with a cheeky smile, “Well, we could put them IN the forest instead, it’ll b—”

“XANDAR!”

Xandar chuckled and pecked a kiss on her forehead before assuring her with a smile as he stroked her forearms to soothe her, “Okay, okay. Until we know more about the forest,...