Royal's Way

Chapter 11

"What the hell, Levi?!" Ruth shouted as she pulled me through, her grip tight on my arm. The stinging of my hand intensified, but I ignored it; I was now engaged in an argument I wasn't going to get out of.

I noticed Miriam standing beside her. I frowned. "You told on me?" "You're lucky I did," she sneered back.

Ruth was holding her lantern in her other hand. "I thought you'd know better!"
I didn't meet her gaze. She was gonna yell at me all she wanted until she got a response out of me. "Did you just forget how much danger you're in right now?! Did everything I say go in one ear and out the other?"

"I-I didn't think they'd be here," I stammered. I thought I'd be able to take the beating, but clearly not.

Ruth's grip tightened slightly. "I thought you would be smarter than this!" "You refused to help me!" I finally responded, my voice cracking as I pulled my arm from her grip, "There were so many ways we could have figured this out much quicker, but you decided to lock me up!" "This isn't something that would happen on Earth, Levi! This isn't something that can be hidden from easily! You know that!"

I frowned. It hit me hard, the realization.

Tears immediately streamed from my face. "You never wanted to help me!"

Her brow rose slightly.
I hiccuped between words. "You just said it so I'd listen to you!" "Levi-" "I thought you, of all people, would understand!"

She hesitated. "You saving others would've been what your brother wanted-" "No, it's not!" I shouted back, my cheeks drenched with tears, "He doesn't understand! He would want me to find him! He's scared! He's not as brave as you! None of us are! He wants to come home!"

That shut her up.

I felt like I lifted one weight off my chest, only for it to be replaced by another. A regretful weight, that feeling of betrayal, but overall stupidity for trusting her.

I wiped my tears away, turning on m heels and heading the other way as I croaked, "I'll find him on my own."

==

I was scared of my mom's reaction when I returned home and found her car in the driveway.

I approached the door, storming in with my bloodied hand clipped behind my back. I quickly sped past the kitchen, but didn't quite make it.

"Levi?"
I cringed, turning and meeting her eyes.

She was miserable, too. Dark circles hung under her eyes.
She grimaced. "You okay?"

I bit my lip. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just..." She forced a smile as she patted my shoulder. "Maybe sleep will help us both out today, okay?"

She patted my arm, when she quickly realized my hand. I cringed.
"What happened?" she cried. I shrugged. "I just fell. It's fine." "Do you want me to-" "I can fix it. I'll be fine."
She hesitated, her lips pursing. "You know, Levi..." She hesitated. "If you ever felt like... like you'd need to go back to the doctor's..." "I'll tell you," I replied, feeling a little guilty that there wasn't any truth in that at all, "I promise."

She forced another smile. I hated seeing her this way. Everything was thrown off balance when Ian wasn't around.

"Fix yourself up," she said softly, "Go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

==

My house was quiet. My dad was sitting on the couch, quietly reading a book, like every night.

His gaze lifted when I entered, and a smile spread on his face. "How was your day?"
I hesitated, forcing a smile back. "It was fine."
He rose a brow, slowly setting his book down and taking his reading glasses off as he said, "You look shaken up. Is everything alright?"