Lucid Nightmares - Fated Flowers Saga

Ch 28: Free Falling

Everett smirks and nods in agreement.

Orferio gives him a look, "Shut up. I didn't ask you."

Everett grins smugly as if he knew Orferio couldn't touch him.

Orferio pauses for a moment before chuckling softly. He smirks at Everett for a moment, as if he were impressed, then looks back at me.

"Glad you're okay," Everett says, "you had us worried for a bit."

I begin to fall out of Orferio's lap, trying to stand up again. But Orferio easily pulls me back onto his lap. "Rest for a second," he says, "you're still recovering."

I stare up at him for a moment and reach up to put my arms around him. My fingers press into the space between his shoulder blades before tracing a circle on his back. "How did you save me?"

"It was kind of underwhelming," Everett cuts him off, "no flashy lights or anything."

Orferio frowns briefly before smirking. "Come on, man, give me a little credit."

Everett smiles that familiar grin before looking over at me. "Though he wasn't short on dramatics. It was very theatrical. He should be an actor."

Orferio rolls his eyes and shoves Everett by the shoulder.

I giggle at the sight of Orferio arguing with Everett. He's arguing with himself.

Everett stands up, brushing his pants off. He looks out at the darkness around us and fists his hands. "It looks like they're not giving us much time to recover."

I looked over and felt my stomach flip flop.

Shadows began to swirl around us like a dark tornado, screeching and threatening to lunch for us.

My eyes widen in horror. I grip Orferio tighter. "Cheese and rice, I didn't realize they were right there."

Orferio gives me a curious look from the odd curse replacement before his expression returns to serious like earlier.

The moment is over.

"I have my shields up, they've been gnawing at it for a while now. It's getting weaker but I already sent out a call for Max. They're coming soon."

Everett paces in the small space for a moment before standing guard. "I hope Arlo is safe," he comments quietly.

"Saving you took most of my energy," Orferio admits, "totally worth it, but we're not in the best position. The moment my shields drop, they'll attack."

"How did you save me?" I ask, watching the Shadows in frozen fear. "I thought Shadow poison was totally lethal."

"It is... however, there is a special salve to cure it."

"Oh, so you used the salve."

"No. During my time with the Shadows, there was a constant issue of my armies being poisoned by the Shadows. Though we do have the salve at my base, I don't have it with me." Gently, he began to lift me from his lap and set me on the ground.

"I learned how to cure it a few years ago when one of my officers, General Kilorn, was infected by a Shadow. We didn't have time to find the salve so I used my energy, otherwise known as life force, to heal him. This technique is dangerous and only works a few seconds after the poison is administered. You would have died if I hadn't reached you in time."

He used his life to save me.

Orferio stands up before smiling softly at me. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too," I admit, breathless from exhaustion. Then I freeze and quickly add, "A—And thank you. Thank you so much."

Orferio laughs before reaching over and ruffling my hair. "No problem, sweetheart."