Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 56: Ambush

Chapter Fifty-Six: Ambush

Xaphile's nap was destined to be a short-lived affair. 

He woke to Ella shaking him, pulling him to a sitting position, and helping him slide into his pants. When she shoved his feet into his boots, he stared stupidly at her. 

"Can you at least try not to be dead weight?" Ella snapped. "Wake up!"

Xaphile couldn't even formulate a response. He coughed a few times and spat out the mucus in his lungs before staring off into space, unable to do much else. However, she was incongruously delicate in dressing him despite her harsh words, and when she handled his injured leg, it was with fingers that seemed used to handling the most fragile of crystal or glass.

"He's ill... don't belittle him!" Vrael growled, giving her a dangerous scowl. "He can't help it!"

Xaphile stared up at him as Ella gently tugged a short-sleeved tunic over his head, wondering what was going on, then turned his face back to Ella. The girl was glaring profusely at his shirt.

Ella...? he finally asked. What's going on?

"We're leaving," she snapped. "Sinmir is going to be carrying you. Just stay quiet and cooperate... do you think you can handle that, you mental oaf?"

The insult didn't even register.

Looking half-awake, pale face flushed, he simply nodded. She frowned even harder when he gave her a docile look. Sinmir sauntered up when she finally got to her feet, then turned and squatted down in front of him.

Xaphile blinked, watching as the blonde glanced back over his shoulder. 

"Since I've got the most endurance, I'm gonna be carrying you," he grunted, giving a toothy grin and waggling his fingers; it took a bit for his words to actually mean something. "Climb on, lad... can't have you dying on me before we can make good on that bet."

Giving a slow blink, Xaphile nodded and leaned forward. 

With joints as stiff as cooked spaghetti, he scooted up until he could rest his forehead between Sinmir's shoulder blades. The small movements exhausted him, but with a few bursts of energy, he eventually managed to drag his legs to either side of the man's hips. 

Sinmir frowned, since he actually had to reach back and put his arms around his neck.

"He's weaker than I thought," the prince muttered, rolling his shoulders. "I hope whatever you're planning works, otherwise he might be in real trouble."

"It's the only chance we might have," Gus retorted from a small distance away. "Let's move out."

"Try to hold on," Sinmir grunted, large hands slipping under Xaphile's knees. "Up we go."

With a jolt, the blonde yanked him flush against his back so he could stand up without leaving him stranded on the ground. Sinmir had to walk a little like a hunch-back to keep him from losing his grip, but sure enough they managed to start moving.

Xaphile could see their surroundings since his head was pillowed on Sinmir's shoulder. 

Ella, who was watching them from afar, scowled.

"He's going to fall off," she said, speaking in an 'I'm-saying-something-that-you're-too-stupid-to-notice' sort of voice.

"Watch your tone with me, girl... I'm not one of your lackeys," Sinmir snappishly retorted, casting a warning look her way. "He's too weak to attempt locking his hands. I'll manage."