Chereads / HUGUEL x1 / Chapter 15 - 15

Chapter 15 - 15

"How would I know?" Achilles finally answered hesitantly. "All I know is that you told me to get rid of it. I guess that means no one has slept there in years." He glanced at his watch. "Or maybe someone does come here sometimes. But they never stayed long."

"That's odd," Hercules mused, shaking his head. "This must belong to one of the servants then." He paused, then added, "But who is she? And why haven't I seen her before? I feel like I've met her somewhere before." He glanced at Pegasus, who also looked puzzled.

For a moment, neither boy noticed the strange look the blond threw his way. They only became aware of their surroundings when the door behind them flew open, letting in the sounds of rushing water. A flash of lightning lit up the room, and Hercules jumped involuntarily as he turned to stare at the person standing on the threshold.

"Pegasus!" cried the girl, hurrying into the room, her face pale with anxiety. She reached the other side of the bed, her eyes searching frantically through the room. She stopped when she found him sitting on the edge, staring straight ahead. "You're awake! Oh gods, thank god! I heard a crash and a scream and I thought the worst had happened! Are you alright?!"

Pegasus blinked slowly, his head tilted slightly as he listened to her words. He was confused, unsure why a woman would care about whether he was okay or not, but he didn't voice those thoughts. Instead he said, "Yes, I am fine. Where are the others? Have they managed to escape yet?"

The young woman shook her head. "No, we're alone here. Why aren't the others escaping yet?! What happened?! Who was that?!" Her gaze moved to the boy beside Pegasus and she froze. She took several steps forward, her face turning pale. "Who is this?" she repeated, a note of fear in her voice. "What have you done to him?!"

"What are you-" Hercules began, only to stop short when he heard a faint whimper coming from the corner. Turning, he saw that the boy - no, the teenager - was trembling in fear, looking terrified.

"Shh… it's okay. Don't worry," the woman cooed gently, reaching out a hand to him.

He pulled away violently, pressing himself back into the wall behind him. She withdrew her hand, her eyes widening in surprise. The boy's eyes widened as well and he gasped sharply when he spotted the blood on her palm. A strangled gasp of shock left his lips as he stared at it for a second, and then a sob escaped his throat, cutting off his words instantly. Tears streamed down his cheeks, falling onto his lap.

Pegasus shot a concerned look towards the woman, feeling guilty for making her cry. He hated seeing people cry.

The woman's eyes flickered quickly between the two boys, her heart twisting painfully at the sight of tears streaming down their faces. "Don't worry," she whispered, taking a step forward towards the boy and crouching in front of him, trying to ignore the way she stumbled a bit over her own feet as her legs grew weak due to the strain caused by her injuries. "It's all right," she continued gently. "Everything will be alright. We'll help you get back home. You can rest now."

The boy kept crying quietly.

Hercules watched on helplessly. He wanted to comfort the kid, but he didn'