Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 71: Embracing the Unseen Truth - Part 2

Liam acting as her guide, Freya leads the three of them toward Elek's room when they encounter Roland at the door. During the commotion yesterday, it wasn't until things had settled that he realized his key to the room was missing.

"Lady Freya..." Roland begins.

"You will get it back once we have our time with Elek. This is my doing, and I will accept any consequences Ervin considers appropriate, but you will let us speak to our brother."

Roland closes his eyes, his head dropping. Based on what he managed to learn from Ervin during his last opiate-induced stupor this morning, this might be the last time they see him.

"Yes, Lady Freya." He bows his head and steps aside.

When they enter, Freya takes the lead and uses her cane to find the bed, the tip of the cane causing the chain that binds Elek to rattle. A grimace of disgust crosses her face, then she shoves it away with her cane before moving forward. Once they reach the bed, the two of them hear Liam gasp at how Elek looks.

"Liam? What's wrong?" Rosaleen asks.

While Freya already can only guess what Elek's condition is, Liam's hand is clasped over his mouth as he starts to sob.

Elek's face is barely discernible from the blindfold over his eyes, the bruises, swelling, and the bandages. Without a shirt, his torso is wrapped in bandages from the whip strikes to his back and stomach, unable to see the burns inflicted by them. In addition to the chain, he looks to be in the sorriest of states for being the former heir to their family.

"Ervin... showed no restraint," Freya answers, only able to imagine.

Liam can't help but throw himself onto Elek, burying his face in his chest as he clings to him, sobbing his name over and over.

With a weak groan of pain from the weight on him, Elek reaches toward his chest and finds Liam's head.

"Liam... I've missed you..."

With Freya sitting on the edge of the bed as Rosaleen makes her way around and finds Elek's other hand, Liam's head lifts from his chest.

"Where have you been?" Liam hiccups between his sobs.

"Away... It's a long story to explain..." Elek manages to answer.

"We heard that a monster in the desert devoured you. Did you manage to escape?" Rosaleen asks.

"It's a long story..."

Just from his vague answers, Freya can tell he's hesitant to answer. "Elek, you have been gone for years. You were out of our lives without warning. I think we at least deserve some explanation."

"Yes, Elek, do tell them about what you've been doing lately." Ervin's irritated tone silences the room.

The others face Ervin, who is leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, his clothes and hair disheveled as if he had just crawled out of bed after a rough sleep. Freya rises from the bed, her stance showing she's ready to protect them at any cost. Elek wouldn't be able to move even if he wanted to.

"Tell them, Elek," Ervin commands.

Elek takes deep inhales, wheezing still lingering in his breath.

"I... fled," Elek says, sensing the attention has shifted to him. He pauses before continuing. "I faked my death... and fled to the wastes..."

"Yes, Elek, you abandoned your duty, your family," Ervin adds with a sharp edge in his tone, stepping into the room. Though instead of coming to the bed like they would expect, he goes to the only bookshelf in the room instead.