Spindle Wood (COMPLETED)

Chapter 97

Logan's head shot up as the door burst open. There was a man he didn't recognise stood in the doorway, shaking out his hand.

"Elven mischief, it feels good to use magic again." He said to himself. He glanced around the cell and his eye fell on Logan. Logan shrank back into the wall.

"Are you Patton's boyfriend?" The man asked.

Logan felt anger bloom out of seemingly nowhere, scorching the inside of his head. "I told you not to use him against me!" He yelled. "You have no right!"

The man blinked. "Is that a yes?"

Logan turned his head away. He wouldn't speak to the sorcerer, he wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing him hurt anymore.

"Hello?" Logan wouldn't reply to him.

The man sighed and snapped his fingers. To Logan's astonishment, the shackles around his arms fell away. Slowly, he stood up, rubbing his wrists. They stung.

"Look, I don't know what Janus has told you but-"

"Who's Janus?" Logan interrupted. The man blinked.

"Janus... the sorcerer." He said slowly. "Locked you up here? Tormented Patton since his birth? Lord of All Evil?" If he was waiting for recognition, he would be sorely disappointed. "No?" The man paused for a second before gesturing to the left side of his face. "Scales guy."

"You mean you're not him?"

"What?!" The man sounded almost scandalised. "No! I'm Roman." He held out a hand. "This is probably not the best time to be introduced to Patton's... guardian but-"

"Guardian?" Logan thought back to some of the things Pat- Patton had said. "You mean your his 'dad'? Or 'papa'?"

A look of pain crossed Roman's face. "I was his dad." He hesitated. "I kinda let him down."

Logan drew himself up taller and lifted his chin, trying to look every day of his 17 years as a royal. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"How do I know I can trust you?" Roman countered. "I know Janus' tricks, this could all be a pre-set illusion. Who are you?"

"Prince Logan of Aristal." Logan bit out. "Or I was. I've run away."

Roman's eyes widened. "You mean you've been betrothed to Patton all this time?!" He smiled and it shocked Logan. It was warm and excited, not like the sorcerer's smile at all. "Oh, that's absolutely brilliant. You are a God send, I tell you." He grabbed Logan's arm. "Come on-"

"Absolutely not." Logan pulled his arm out of Roman's grip. Okay, so he wasn't the sorcerer in disguise. What other reason did Logan have to trust him?

"Patton is in trouble, he needs you."

"If you're his guardian, why is he in trouble?" Logan felt more anger bubble to the surface. "Why didn't you protect him? Why is he high in a tower, fast asleep, forgetting everything, forgetting me?!" Logan didn't expect his voice to crack and tears to come to his eyes. "Why didn't you save him?!"

Logan watched as something behind Roman's eyes shrivelled and died.

"I should have protected him." Roman said slowly. "But I was a coward."

"Why is that my problem to fix?"

Roman raised his eyes from the ground and glared at Logan. "What does Patton see in you?" He asked, the venom in his voice clear. "He said you were kind. And sweet. And that we'd all love you as much as he did when we met you. But I don't remember him saying anything about you being rude-"

"I have been locked in this dungeon for hours!" Logan yelled. He was finished with letting people beat him down. "I have been tortured, enticed and warned in the span of these past few hours. I barely know what is real anymore and if I knew what Pat saw in me, I would tell you." He shrugged. "I really would. But I don't know what he sees in me. I do know, however, that I love him with all my heart and I am lucky that he even cares the smallest bit about me."

"Then help me!" Roman pleaded. "Please! I messed up, I know, I admit it, this wouldn't be the damn first time."

Roman was hurting. He was hurting about so much and it wasn't just Patton.

"But Patton is in danger." Roman continued. "Don't let him be hurt more to spite me."

There was something incredibly earnest and unguarded about that. Logan had always been afraid of running into danger. He'd sworn it off.

But this was for Patton!

Logan pushed his glasses up his nose and blinked away the tears that still dotted his vision. "I couldn't have refused it, anyway."

This chapter sucks, I think I'm dehydrated.
Bye,
Blaize