Flower Amongst Thorns [Boy x Boy]

Chapter 16

"Fine! Go off on your own and die for all I care!" The swordsman yelled back in anger.

Ivy took in a sharp breath of air to stop himself from breaking down right there.

"Goodbye Art." He spoke with a shaky voice, trying to sound as calm as he could, before walking off into the dark woods on his own, without turning back.

Artios huffed in annoyance, a sharp pang in his chest as he watched the younger disappear into the night.

If Ivy wanted to go off on his own, so be it. Who was he to care? It was his own life the teen was putting in danger. It did nothing to the swordsman.

In fact Artios finally got to get rid of him. It was a win really. He received his payment, a royal treasure might he add, two days early without even having to complete his job.

Talk about a jackpot.

He wouldn't have to constantly
get dragged to random places, have an annoying kid babbling beside him twenty-four seven or anyone clinging to him while camping out. This was a good thing, a very, very good thing.

Too good to be true...

Wait a second.

Artios instantly turned his attention to the little leather pouch in his hands, and roughly tugged the string holding it together loose. It couldn't be!

Did he get scammed?!

That little minx! He knew he shouldn't have trusted anyone. That was the one thing he had learned through his past experiences!

The swordsman angrily dumped the contents of the little bag on the ground, tearing it in the process.

A small pile of gold and silver coins scattered across the dirt, along with two wooden keychains and a gleaming blue rock with gold streaks running through it... the Regiis Fortitudo.

It was real. Not a scam.

Guilt stabbed him in the chest like a knife for thinking that Ivy had tricked him, and for breaking the boy's pouch.

The younger was talkative and annoying, but he was also innocent and foolishly trusting, he always had been from the start.

He didn't have the ability or the heart to pull off such a lie. He hadn't lived in the world Artios had. He hadn't lived much at all from the sounds of it...

"Say Art, Don't you travel around a lot? It must be so fun going everywhere. It's my dream. One day, I'll travel around the world. It's gonna be amazing!"

It didn't matter now, it wasn't like Artios was ever going to see him again. He wasn't going to be able to return the leather case anyway so he guessed it belonged to him now.

The swordsman picked the gem off the ground and felt it in his palm. It was cool and smooth to touch, and had a faint golden glow in the darkness.

It truly was one of the most beautiful things the thief had seen. It was much more luminous and awe-striking than he could've ever imagined.

It had a certain, distinct lure to it that made you want to observe every single mark and colour with the utmost care and precision, to stare at it forever.