Chapter 37: Tangled Webs

Xander's POV

The morning sun filters through the curtains, its warmth doing little to dispel the fog clouding my mind. I blink, trying to piece together the events of last night. Fragments of memory flash through my consciousness – Elara's seductive smile, the sweet taste of wine, and then... nothing. A blank void where coherent thought should be.

A soft stirring beside me snaps me back to the present. Elara stretches languidly, her naked form barely covered by the silk sheets. She turns to me, her eyes glittering with an emotion I can't quite place.

"Good morning, my love," she purrs, trailing a finger down my chest. "Last night was... magical."

I force a smile, fighting the unease churning in my stomach. "Elara, I—"

But before I can voice my confusion, she sits up abruptly, her face suddenly pale. "Oh!" she gasps, clutching her abdomen. "I don't feel well..."

Concern overrides my discomfort. "What's wrong? Should I call for the healer?"

Elara shakes her head, a small, secretive smil