Charades

Chapter 26

     We were in Graythrone. We rented out a house and we got a medic immediately. The doctor tended to Ronan and told us to let him rest, so we listened, and found a place to stay while Ronan healed.

     I sat in the bedroom where Ronan slept. It was a tiny room with nothing but a bed with white sheets and a small night-table that was carved from fine wood, and the walls were colourless. My eyes lingered on Ronan who's breathing was ragged. He would grimace as he slept, as if he was having a nightmare, and the sight broke my heart. Because his pain was my fault.

     Ronan groaned and rolled over, so that he was facing me. My heart skipped a beat as slowly, his eyes pealed open and he gazed at me, seeming in a daze. He rubbed his eyes to clear his sight and then sat up, groaning wth every movement.

     "Hey," Ronan said. His eyes glanced around the room and he frowned, his eyebrows knitting together. "Where are we?"

     "Graythrone," I said. His eyes flew wide and he froze. "We're going to ask Helena and Flynn for help."

     "Wait... how did we get here? What happened?"

     His eyes were wide and I smiled sadly. He shuddered with every breath he took and he seemed to be going into shock.

     "He's awake?"

     I jumped at Devan's voice and soon, Devan was entering the room, his eyes full of remorse. His eyes were on Ronan and only Ronan, and Ronan stiffened. No longer did Ronan look innocent and in a daze - a fury overtook him, boiling up in him and lighting his eyes up.

     "Get out," Ronan snapped. "What are you doing here traitor."

     Devan's eyes flew wide and even my jaw dropped. I'd never heard Ronan talk to anyone like that. And to hear him talk to his brother like that made me freeze.

     "Ronan..." Devan began, his face paling. "I'm here to check up on you. I was so worried and-"

     "This is all your fault. So don't act like you care."

     Devan winced and faltered, taking a step back. Ronan was trembling and I glanced between the two boys, feeling lost on what to do.

     But then, Devan sniffled and whirled around, and stalked off, closing the door behind him. And immediately, the tension ran out of Ronan, leaving his shoulders slacking.

     "Sorry," Ronan said, his eyes softening. Only then, did I realize I'd been holding my breath in. "I just... I can't get the thought of him betraying us out of my mind. And I don't think I ever will."

     I nodded, but said nothing. It wasn't my place to speak.

     "So, how did we end up here?" Ronan said. "The last thing I remembered was being whipped and then you throwing yourself over me."

     "It was Indira and Devan," I said. "They came to Narakha and formed a team of people to crash the wedding and they saved us. And we went straight to Graythrone from there."

     Ronan's eyes widened. "My siblings did all that?"

     I nodded. Ronan's eyes were wide with amazement and I smiled, remembering how in awe of them I were. They were merely teens and somehow, they pulled off saving our lives.

     "So that's why we're here," I said. "We want to ask Prince Flynn for help. It was actually Devan's idea."

     "Well, we wouldn't need to ask for his help if it weren't for him," Ronan said, his eyes hardening. "I'm grateful for his help, but that doesn't change anything."