Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 139: Escape

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Escape

Xaphile's heart was in his throat.

His brother was still crying, limp and battered body cradled in his arms, and inside his head a thousand thoughts were flying off in different directions. He followed Ella and the others out of the castle, carefully avoiding the guards and the sentries that were searching for them.

The ball was still going on, and people were enjoying themselves, but he was oblivious to everything but the little boy that clung to him. He couldn't take his eyes off of his little brother, and similarly, Adariel couldn't look away from him.

My brother, he told himself, feeling a strange mixture of joy, anguish, shock, and confusion. My baby brother... god... how can I love someone I've never met until now so much?

But perhaps it wasn't the first time.

Perhaps the unconscious part of his memory still remembered this child and the love that had been between them. Whatever the case, he had never been more determined than he was in that moment; face locked into a frightening grimace, he held fast to his little brother.

They fled down the castle stairs with the help of Amelia's illusion magic since she had made a big point of turning them all invisible the moment she was able to. People were milling around, conversing like preening peacocks, but Xaphile and the others ran right past them without their knowledge, down into the city streets.

He heard Ella and Sinmir muttering behind him, but he didn't notice until the man gasped.

"Are you certain?" he whispered. "Did he really do that?!"

"Yes," Ella said, panting as she jogged. "He started giving orders to have me captured and quietly executed. Spack interrogated him right there, and they kept talking about some plot I supposedly conjured to overthrow the king, and..."

She trailed off, and Xaphile glanced over his shoulder, staring at them with uncertainty.

"Well, truthfully, he ordered Vrael and myself to be tortured as a spies," Sinmir said calmly. Xaphile's pulse went glacial. "Not a way to treat residents from a neighboring country, I believe."

Adariel instantly began to bawl all over again, drawing his gaze; hefting the child's weight, he set a clawed hand against his bruised, battered cheek and looked him in the eyes.

"It's okay," he said soothingly. "You're out of the castle... I've got you. You're safe."

Adariel hid his face behind his hair and weakly buried it in his shirt. Every part of him trembled.

"Big brother," he whimpered. "Am I really safe? You won't let them take me again, will you?"

"Never," he vehemently hissed, tail lashing out and whacking someone in the face; a startled yelp alerted him that it was Vrael, who rubbed his nose but said nothing. "I won't ever let anyone hurt you ever again. I promise."

"How is he doing?" Amelia panted, trotting up beside him as they jogged through the city. "Can he hold out with his injuries until we make it back?"

"Not sure," Xaphile said, meeting the eyes that mirrored his own. "Can you hold out until we're safe?"

Adariel sniffled, then buried his face in his shirt again and nodded. Ella's presence was still inside his head, but he didn't focus on her until she touched him.

"What?!" he barked, dragging his eyes away from Adariel and baring his teeth. "Can't it wait?"

His unexpected viciousness made her recoil, eyes wide.