Accusing, Denying - Flower Husbands Book 2

Chapter 3: Catching Up

!!TW/CW: None!!

. . .

Scott pushed himself upright as quick as his weak body would allow. He gasped for air, choking and coughing until his lungs filled evenly and his chest rose steadily. He panted slightly.

He glanced around, expecting to see whatever form of afterlife was actually true. Instead, he saw... his room? The curtain above his desk was pulled open and tied back. His desk was still strewn with papers.

He continued to look around.

There was his wardrobe, one door open just as he left it.

There was Joel, staring at him from his spot leaning against his bedroom door-

"Joel!" Scott choked on his spit.

Joel rushed forward, engulfing Scott in a tight hug, making sure to avoid his feathers. "Oh, God! Holy hell!"

"Joel-" Scott pushed Joel away by his shoulders. "What the hell? What's going on?"

A slow tear rolled down Joel's cheek, though he smiled softly. "Uhmm, sorry. A- A lot is going on, actually."

"Why are you in my house?"

"It's a long story."

"Joel."

"You died."

"Excuse me-"

"Or... your Council announced you dead. They were keeping you asleep, just in case their plan fell through."

"Their plan?"

Joel sighed. He sat at the end of Scott's bed, pulling a knee up as he faced Scott. "You fought Xornoth."

The memories rushed back all at once. "I-"

"You won, technically. Xornoth didn't die immediately. They- oh, God - somehow, they flew you all the way home from where you were. The Council managed to... save you both."

"Xornoth is alive? Did I fail?"

"No! Xornoth is alive, but Exor is no longer with them. They are free."

"They're... free?" Tears welled up in Scott's eyes.

"You saved them, Scott."

"I-I want to see them!"

"Unfortunately, neither of you are cleared to walk just yet," Joel corrected quickly. "You will see them soon, I promise."

"I'm feeling that there's more," the elf deflated, leaning back onto his pillows.

Joel gave a tight–lipped smile as he nodded. "Your Council decided to tell your people that they weren't able to save you. They plan to manipulate Xornoth and make them their perfect king, give them a whole new look and personality. Real black magic shit."

"They haven't, though, right?"

"Not yet. I'm not going to let them."

"How do you think you're going to do that? They're... more powerful than a king, Joel. They-"

"Last week, they tried to get rid of Sage by stripping her of her title and killing her for treason. Before they took her to the dungeon, she used a transport spell to send me this." Joel held up his right arm. A beaded bracelet fell from his wrist to his forearm.

. . .

Scott recognised that bracelet. He was there when Joel gifted it to Sage.

Joel and Sage grew up in the same orphanage in the same Elven village.