If We Were Heroes | ONC2022

chapter twenty

chapter twenty: I am supposedly not the hero

tw: conversation surrounding self-sacrifice

It was dark outside when someone finally walked down the stairs, or at least I thought it was. The time of day was kind of hard to tell when you were underground.

I raised my eyes, expecting to meet to dark blue of Holden, or the darkest brown of Sebastian's father, but instead meeting a clear green.

I blinked. 'Ethan?'

He raised a finger to his lips as he came into the room, pulling out a set of keys from his pocket, and trying to unlock the doors without making a sound.

His efforts were in vain though, as the doors swung open with a painful creak.

Ethan gestured for me to follow him once my bonds were undone, creeping out of the cellar and walking straight into Rylan. He glared.

'You need to be more careful, kids,' he breathed in a tone barely louder than a whisper. 'Werewolf senses are sharp.'

Rylan quirked an eyebrow to his left, showing us the way out.

I nodded at him in gratitude, but gestured upstairs.

Sebastian, I mouthed. Ethan frowned.

Clear, Rylan mouthed back.

I gestured for Ethan to wait, which he clearly wasn't happy about, as I creeped up the stairs, wincing every time my steps made a sound that was a way too loud.

One more, one more, one more.

I wasn't going to pretend I wasn't scared. I had probably never been as scared in my life, and my heart rate was happy to declare it.

Just how sharp were wolf senses anyway? I was probably bumbling around like an idiot for all I knew.

I turned the handle of the door, glad for my good short-term memory. Looking to my right, I noticed that it was all too bright outside. Guess time feels shorter when you're locked in the basement.

My breath of relief was obvious as my gaze fell on Sebastian still asleep, oblivious to anything else. Now there was only the problem of getting him out of here.

I edged around him, looking for any way to pick him up. He looked so delicate, like he might shatter if any force was put on him. I decided that the best way to get him out was to sling him over my shoulder.

This was the part where I wished I had gone to PE class, or at least actually tried. If Ethan had come, he could probably do it. Mia probably could do it was well. Curse my stick-man arms.

I shook my head as I tried again.

'You may want to try waking him up first.'

To say I had jumped was an understatement. I could've sworn my head hit the ceiling.

I whirled around to face Sebastian's father, the effect hardly as dramatic as I had hoped it to be, as he was nearly an entire foot taller than me. Fae or not, it was clear that Sebastian had stemmed from this man.

'Relax, boy,' he said, holding his hands out in surrender. 'Holden's in the back. Just get out of here as fast as you can.'

'Why would I trust you?' I asked.

He sighed, a sound that was almost, almost melancholy. 'I know we have had some... disagreements.'

I scoffed. Disagreements was an understatement.

'But,' he continued, 'I saw Holden raise a hand to you. As horrible as you think I am, I do not believe in excessive corporal punishment. I saw the way you flinched. That isn't right. And I know you can make it right.'