Spindle Wood (COMPLETED)

Chapter 90

Remus fidgeted with his hands. "I don't like this." He decided.

"None of us like it, Re," Roman sighed, "but we have to do it."

"No, I don't mean leaving the kid- well, I do mean that but that's not the point." Remus bounced on the balls of his feet. "I don't like leaving him up there. Alone. It's just sunset now, Janus can still get to him."

"What's the point, though?" Virgil asked. He leaned against the wall - apparently the image of calm - but his arms were crossed protectively over his chest. He was nervous. "We're here, Patton's back to being a prince. There's no point." He shrugged. "Janus knows when he's beaten. We've won."

"Have you? Have you really?"

All three fairies looked around wildly at the disembodied voice. It laughed cruelly.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you."

The voice vanished, as did an oppressive presence in the room. They all stood, frozen, staring at each other in horror.

Remus was the first to break out of it. He hurtled up the stairs, calling Patton's name.

"Patton?! Kid?! Kid, talk to us!"

"Re, wait!" Roman huffed out an annoyed breath and ran after Remus. "Re, it could be a trap!"

Remus paid him no heed. He went spiralling up the stairs to Patton's room. The door was stood open.

"Patton?" Remus rushed into the room and circled around wildly in the middle.

Patton wasn't there.

"Re-" Roman appeared in the doorway, out of breath. Before he could even get his sentence out, Remus grabbed him and started shaking him violently.

"Patton's not here!" He yelled. "He's not here, Ro! You call that a trap?! If it's a trap then where the fuck is my nephew?!"

"Remus." Roman snapped. Remus stopped shaking him in horror at what he'd just said. Roman pried Remus' hands off him and leaned against the doorway, even more out of breath than before.

"Remus, he's not your nephew." Roman said simply. "He never was-"

"I know that!" Remus snapped desperately. He looked like he was going to break down. Roman realised what a mistake he'd made.

"Re-" He tried gently, reaching out to his brother. Remus shook his head and pushed his hand away.

"He's not my nephew." He repeated. "He never was. I just need to get over it."

"Re, that's not what I said-"

"Guys!" Virgil's strangled cry came from above them. The brothers looked at each other before rushing up the stairs.

The room was tiny. Tiny and practically empty apart from a spindle in one corner, Virgil crouched next to it.

"Vee, what is it?" Roman asked. Though, with a sinking feeling in his chest, he thought he already knew.

Virgil looked up, tears for once pricking his eyes. He wiped his eyes but to no avail. He stood up slowly.

"We lost." He said, a hiccup breaking through his words. Roman and Remus moved together, Roman towards Virgil and Remus towards Patton.

Virgil collapsed against Roman, hiding his face in his chest. Roman held him silently. For once, he had nothing to say. He hadn't seen Virgil this distraught since they'd met.

And he had good reason, too. Patton was slumped against the wall, fast asleep, completely unaware of how much pain this was causing.

Remus sat down heavily. He looked like his entire world had come crashing down around his ears. Again.

Roman swallowed, trying to clear his throat enough to speak. It was like a great rock had taken up residence in his throat and had no intent to move ever again. "What are we going to do?" He whispered.

No one replied.

Remus wiped his eyes with his thumb. He took a deep breath in through his nose and stood up. "I've got an idea." He said. There wasn't a single tremble in his voice. Not a single ounce of sadness in his face as he gazed down at Patton. He'd just... blocked it all out.

Roman had never seen him do that before. It was worrying.

"You two are going to stay here. Explain this to the king and queen somehow." Remus' voice sounded like it wanted to break but he wouldn't let it. "I'm going to go and finish what I should've a long time ago."

He turned away without another word and walked towards the door. His movements were almost mechanical. There was barely anything of the old Remus left.

"Re?" Roman called softly. He half-fancied Remus wouldn't reply. Remus turned around to look at Roman.

"What?"

Roman swallowed. "You can't go there alone."

"Virgil can't stay here alone." Remus said. "He needs you more than I do." He turned away again and then paused. "Better yet," he turned back, "put the whole kingdom to sleep."

"What?!"

"In case I'm not successful." Remus said simply. "Make them all fall asleep. They don't need to know pain. And it's only temporary." He looked at Patton and the first crack appeared in his unfeeling mask, splitting the whole thing open. "At least then, when Patton wakes up, he'll actually have a kingdom to lead. And parents to teach him how to lead it."

I am on some good shit with this book and, no, I don't know where it's come from
Bye,
Blaize