The Dragon's Scale (COMPLETE, EDITING)

5.1 || A Tale of Sacrifice

"YOU NEED TO leave right now—"

"—already bonded... until you're safe."

"—in front of Eli... get home for now—"

Josh?

The other words had been a distant chatter, but Josh's name resonated through the darkness around him. He groaned, trying to shift through his foggy memories. Pain wrapped around him like a hug. Well, if a thorn bush could give hugs.

Really? Your first thought is about thorn bush hugs?

Shut up. You're not helping me—

The memories slammed into him like water released from a dam. Darren and his dark energy, Mara and her ice, the voice's offer, the flash of light.

His eyes shot open and he hurried to his hands and knees. The ground creaked, its soft surface bunching beneath him. Wait, that wasn't right. He blinked, taking in the familiar navy blanket.

"Josh?"

His body ached in protest as he twisted around, taking in his surroundings as he did. It confirmed what he had already started thinking: he was in his room.

Eli sat on a beanbag chair by the closet. Tears slid down his cheeks as he gaped at Josh with red-rimmed eyes. Before Josh could speak, Eli darted over to the bed and tackled him in a hug.

"You're okay," Eli cried into Josh's chest. "You wouldn't wake up. I was so scared you..." He trailed off and tightened the hug.

Josh's chest panged, and a pain deeper than the aches and sores spread across the rest of his body. How long had Eli been sitting in a corner, left alone with the thought that his older brother was going to die? Josh's jaw clenched. He wanted to go back and give possessed Darren an extra punch. But he couldn't do that, and he had other things he needed to figure out.

"How did we get back home?" Josh tried to pull Eli off to look at him, but he didn't budge. "Where's Mom and Dad?" Still nothing. "Eli."

Eli sniffled, but he didn't let go. "I found Mom and Dad. But some jerk guy stopped us from going back. They kept arguing and arguing, and then they were suddenly running, and we found you on the ground, and the guy and some girl kept trying to take you and now they're downstairs arguing again and—"

"Wait, who is downstairs?"

Eli finally pulled back with a small frown. "Mom, Dad, and those two weird people."

Josh's mind raced as he used the new space to guide the confused Eli off him. This hadn't been a random incident. All the weird stuff played a part in it, he was sure of it, and the ones who knew how were in his house.

"Wait, where are you going?" Eli asked as Josh slipped off the bed.

"To get answers," Josh replied. His legs shook at first, but his steps grew steadier the more he took.

"No, you can't do that!"

Before Josh could reach the door, Eli scrambled to stand in front of it. He held his arm to each side and shook his head.

"I'll be fine down there, Eli. Now get out of the way."

"You can't." Eli ducked away as Josh reached out, but he stayed in front of the door. "Mom says that if I let you down there, I'll be grounded for three months!"

Josh tensed, pausing in his next attempt to move Eli. He wasn't just keeping Josh up here out of some fear he would somehow get hurt. Their mom had threatened him. With grounding. Something was very wrong.