Chapter 308
Clementine:
I woke up in his arms, feeling completely content, a bright smile on my face.
I rested my chin on the back of my hands as they lay on his chest, watching his beautiful face.
He was sleeping peacefully, his breathing steady.
I felt shy thinking about our night together.
After getting dressed last night, we had decided to just cuddle and sleep.
I looked around and smiled.
I remembered noticing it while falling asleep, when he carried me away.
I hadn’t opened my eyes. For some reason, because it was Ian, I knew I was safe.
I hadn’t bothered to check if he was taking me somewhere dangerous.
Sure enough, he had brought me to the mansion, the safe house in Fleshmingo Town.
I remembered him mumbling something about not wanting to wake up to a monster staring at me.
“Are you going to keep looking at me?” he asked, nudging me gently and I giggled.
“I knew you were awake,” I said, pushing myself up from his chest.
But he grabbed my elbows and pulled me down again, refusing to let me go.
“There’s something else for you,” he said softly. “In my pocket p>
He kept surprising me with the things he did.
At this point, I thought he had already done more than enough to show he cared.
“What is it this time?” I asked, sliding my hand into his pocket. The moment I touched it, I realized what it was—the flags.
“Ian, you didn’t have to— but when did you?” I asked, confused.
He opened his eyes and sat up on the couch beside me.
“When I killed the ogres, I took the flags from their arms,” he replied, giving me a warm, genuine smile.
I kept looking at his face until I had to turn away, not because I was upset, but because tears were filling my eyes.
“Hey,” he whispered, “I heard what’s been going on. Zian told me. I’ll deal with them when I return p>
He brushed the hair away from my neck, his fingers touching the mark Zian had left.
“I’ll punish them myself, Clementine. Just let me return once p>
When he repeated that phrase, something in his words didn’t sound right.
“What do you mean, when you return?” I asked, staring into his eyes. “You’re back p>
I paused. “Wait—where are your flags p>
Confusion hit me hard as I snapped out of the calm haze of his arms.
We were still in the north. We weren’t alone.
The main door opened and I jolted upright, but Ian didn’t react.
His head was lowered, his eyes fixed on the ground.
Watching Zian and the Lurker walk in felt like seeing dead men speak for the first time.
The Lurker didn’t even try to hide that he wasn’t supposed to be in the north.
Things were changing. Truths were being revealed.
But the biggest question was, why were they here, and why did Zian have the flags in his hands?
“Good morning, lovebirds,” Zian said, walking in with a smile.
I noticed how different they were. Maybe they shared the same flesh, but they spoke and moved in very different ways.
Ian carried himself with quiet confidence, Zian behaved like a clown.
“Thank you for getting my flags, and you can thank me for reuniting you with your lover,” Zian continued.
I stepped in front of Ian to block Zian’s view of him.
“Someone’s really sassy, huh? And protective too,” Zian joked, and the Lurker standing beside him nodded.
“Why are you here now? Ian is back. You should leave before I tell everyone what you’ve been doing to him,” I hissed, meeting Zian’s eyes.
Ian rose from behind me and gently took my arm, trying to make me turn to face him.
“Did you not tell her? Aww, what a lover,” Zian mocked.
I turned my head toward Zian and then looked back at Ian.
“What is he talking about? What were you supposed to tell me?” I demanded, trying to read Ian’s face, but his eyes were distant.
“Well, I don’t think he can say it, so I’ll speak for him,” Zian said. “The thing is, I couldn’t go and slay an ogre myself. I’m more like a charming prince who needs protection. So I went to ask my dear brother for help.” He pointed at Ian.
I stepped to the side so both of them were in view. Ian looked defeated and ashamed, as if he had done something he couldn’t explain.
I listened closely, trying to understand why Zian had come back and was acting so smug.
“My brother, who was most disappointed, refused to help me,” Zian said. “Instead, he asked something of me. And you want to know what it was?” He leaned closer.
Ian slammed his hand forward and pushed his brother back.
Zian laughed and exchanged a look with the Lurker, then pointed at us, probably mocking Ian’s sudden aggression.
“He asked me to collect every photo of your mother and brother from across the werewolf land,” Zian said. “I delivered. He did my job, and he grabbed me the flags. He collected them for you too.” He glanced at the flags on the table and sighed.
“Well, okay. He did his part, you did yours,” I almost yelled at him.
“Now fuck off,” I hissed at Zian.
I was shocked that Ian had come here and fought monsters to earn my forgiveness.
But why would he slay monsters for Zian?
If Ian was back, he could have taken the flags and gone home instead of handing them to Zian so Zian could keep a place at the academy like an unwanted crusader.
“It’s not that simple,” Zian said, clicking his tongue. “I always ask for more. I offered him two tasks in return for getting this album for you.” His voice made my heart skip a beat.
“What was the other task?” I asked.
“It was a punishment,” Zian said, and his tone turned cold. “I poisoned Ian. That was the deal. I was going to let him meet you, let him save you in the north, and get the album. But if he didn’t return to the cage where he was tied, he wouldn’t get the antidote. He would die in front of you p>
As soon as Zian finished, I couldn’t hold myself. I struck him so hard I knocked him off his feet.