If You Trust Me - An Onward Fan-Novel

◊ Chapter 10 ◊

Previously on Onward...

Ian determines that the best way to take the S.S. Medallion back from Barley is to distract him. But after many failed attempts at getting Barley to come out of his room and away from the talisman, the younger Lightfoot begins to wonder if Mr. Vance is right, and that he doesn't actually know his brother at all...

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◊ A Last-Ditch Effort ◊

The next morning, Ian felt absolutely tense. He had to sneak into Barley's room and find the S.S. Medallion now. And not just the medallion, but its new hiding place as well! Ian knew it still had to be somewhere in his brother's room because if the older elf had hid it outside his room, their mother would most definitely find it. She did have a habit of finding loose things around the house, particularly things that belonged to Barley.

Thinking this through, Ian made himself some cereal for breakfast, then he sat down to eat it at the dining room table. Though very soon after settling in, he began to hear his mother doing her usual chastising to Barley in the kitchen.

"Barley, Colt is coming over for dinner tonight and you haven't showered in four days," she said sternly. "I'd like you to go upstairs and clean yourself off."

"But Mom—" Barley began to protest, but Laurel cut him off.

"No buts! Otherwise, I would like your keys to Guinevere the Second for the rest of the week," she warned as she held out her hand.

Both Barley and Ian knew firsthand that when their mother was serious about a condition, she'd threaten to take Guinevere the Second's keys away. It was one of Barley's biggest weaknesses—especially since it was only the middle of the week. There was no way he could give that up.

"Okay, fine...," he relented, "I'll shower..."

"Thank you," Laurel said in satisfaction, then she headed towards the living room to begin her morning exercise routine.

He wouldn't admit it out loud, but Ian was entirely thankful to his mom from the bottom of his heart. At long last, Barley actually had to do something that would keep him out of his bedroom. Best of all, it would be long enough to give the younger elf what he hoped would be plenty of time to search for the S.S. Medallion and its new hiding place.

As Ian smiled and giggled with a mix of happiness and relief over this turn of events, a complacent Barley leaned in on him—knowing exactly what his younger brother was thinking.

"Don't hold your breath, Sir Iandore," he said, causing the jumpscared younger Lightfoot to almost choke on the cereal he was eating. "I'm telling you, you're not gonna find it..."

Afterwards, the older elf turned away and headed for the stairs. But his sarcastic, singsong encouragement only made Ian roll his eyes.

"I wasn't holding my breath," the younger elf said back with defiance, then before taking a bite from another spoonful of cereal he'd just scooped up, he muttered to himself, "I'll show him." After that, he gorged down the rest of it.

With now an empty bowl, Ian took a quick glimpse over at the living room and saw that his mother had begun her workout. She seemed focused enough on the TV's exercise program that she wouldn't notice her younger son sneaking into her older son's room.

So without any time to lose, Ian went for it, hoping that here and now this would be the last time he'd ever have to do this.

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