Chapter 131: Ale, Memory, and the Boy Who Saved Daniel

Chapter 130: Ale, Memory, and the Boy Who Saved Daniel

Orion laughed, breath loud and free, and made a face at Ronan that was half grin, half insult then flipped him off as he pushed himself upright. Ronan bowed mockingly, grinning like a man who’d won something he hadn’t expected to win.

Orion reached for Sophia without thinking. He offered his hand to her to help her stand up and he was not expecting her to accept his help due to how stubborn she normally is but to his shock, she did.

They rose just as the announcer called the winners to the center. At first, Sophia thought by some miracle, they had won but then she saw the dancing woman and another woman receiving the flower wraith and she joined in clapping because the woman was a good dancer.

"Been a while since I saw you dance, Orion," Ronan teased, elbowing him as they walked.

They had to move from where the dance was taking place because soon enough, another round will begin and Orion had no plans to exert energy dancing again.

Orion shot him a sideways glance. "Someone," he said, sweeping a look in Sophia’s direction as if that would make the admission lighter, "wouldn’t shut up until I did."

Sophia grinned. "You could have said you knew how to dance instead of letting me flail into the octopus. I thought you couldn’t dance and had to do something to show you solidarity."

Ronan laughed at her words as Orion chuckled too.

"I never said I couldn’t dance. That was your misunderstanding. And um... for the sake of all of us, don’t attempt the octopus again. It was disastrous."

"Don’t attempt the octopus again." Sophia repeated mocking him.

Ronan watched the exchange with a small smile. Orion was the one who made people move on and celebrate on this day but he had carried so much weight, refusing to participate in the festivals so he was glad that he was here with them.

Ronan leaned in, "So? Did you like the juice I gave you?" he asked Orion, eyes glittering with mischief.

Orion’s brow lifted. "The drink you trick..."

Before he could finish, Sophia scowled, indignation flaring. "You tricked me, Ronan! You said it was grape juice. I thought it was just grape juice!"

Ronan laughed, delighted by the outrage. "It was grape juice and a bit stronger than you expected."

"A bit?" Orion asked him.

"Okay so maybe it’s the highest alcohol you’ll find here but you are standing alright so I’m sure it didn’t affect you. Some people wouldn’t even be able to dance after taking just a sip." Ronan told her.

"She’s standing partially because I took it from her. Sophia has a sweet tooth and doesbt care if there’s alcohol as long as it’s sweet." Orion told him.

"That reminds me of Lysander." Ronan laughed

"Lysander has a sweet tooth?" Sophia asked in shock.

"He does and it’s funny because he’s the head of the medical facility always telling us what’s good for our health and what’s not but has a weak spot for sweets." Ronan said.

"Well enough talking." He said clapping his hands together. "Let’s get you all together taste some of my father’s ale. It’s tradition for every adult to get a taste of it during every festival."

He did not give them time to argue. He turned, already weaving through the crowd with an impatient little bounce in his step that made anyone who watched suspect he’d been born to lead parades. The throng parted like a sea before him; familiar faces called out and pushed them forward: a greeting here, the clink of tankards there, a child darting through with a paper moon stuck to his forehead.

They found Daniel before Daniel found them.

He was seated on a low bench that had become a hub for anyone who liked their telling of a story hulking and loud. His cheeks were flushed and he held a tankard that looked as though it had been refilled more than twice.

Around him sat a motley of listeners: a laughing Caspian with his arms wide, a rowdy group of hunters, some older pack members and three children perched like sparrows on the lower step. Daniel’s voice rose and fell with theatrical timing as his hands punctuated his tale.

When his eyes landed on the trio approaching, something broke open in his chest. The story stalled mid-thunderous sentence.

"There he is," Daniel said, rising as if the bench had become too small for his gratitude. He set his tankard down with a clap that scattered a few nearby miscreants and crossed the small space to them in two long strides. For a moment everyone quieted, sensing the change.

"This is the boy," Daniel announced, voice thick, "who saved me when..." He faltered and then swallowed, knuckles going white as he gripped Orion’s shoulder like an anchor. "He saved my life during the Enclave’s..." His jaw tightened at the old word, and for a second his features were lined with a grief that still lived like an ember under ash.

Then his face shifted and he closed in on Orion as though reluctant to let the memory stay a ghost. He pulled Orion into an embrace that was somehow both possessive and grateful, the kind of touch given between men who had walked through the same fire.

Orion stiffened for a heartbeat under the weight of the thank-you, awkward in this role of hero he never asked to be. He was the boy in a long-ago story and Commander of now; some nights the two roles clattered like mismatched armor.

"You’re blushing," Daniel said, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand as if embarrassed by his own sentiment. "You’re supposed to be one of the proudest men in the pack and you’re all soft as bread."

The bench erupted into good-natured teasing and laughter, but the laughter burned clean. It was gratitude, not pity, and it tasted sweeter than anything in a season of ash.

"This boy...he’s all man now," Daniel said as he dragged Orion to the group, "...he..." He hiccuped. "...he was the one who saved my life that day. He was the one who let me know there were traitors and took a painful shifting to save me. His wolf was too taxing on his body but he didn’t mind...he killed for the first time at a very young age...he wasn’t even up to ten when it happened but if not for him...if not...I wouldn’t even have an arm with me..."

Sophia watched as Orion blushed harder under the eyes of everyone. Orion had not told her that part which made her realize that there was more to the story about what happened during the enclave. But he was so ridden with guilt that he didn’t see that people appreciated him.