The Son-in-Law's Revenge Against the Elites

Chapter 005 - Saved

Kaden pulls Rohan’s head up. “Since you will die soon, I will tell you something really good,” he says. He leans closer to his ears and whispers, “I killed my sister Kyndra. I had no choice. She is about to squander our fortune. Too much for being one of the Twelve Elites. She is a massive fool, destroyed when she met you.”

Rohan’s eyes flew open and sees the ceiling of a house. He is only dreaming. No, that was real. As he was dying, Kaden whispered it to him. That monster killed his wife! And then, he killed him too!

His eyes begin to well up with tears. If he could go back in time, he would do everything differently. He and Kyndra would stay together forever. Instead, they wasted years, and their marriage only ended in misery and sorrow.

“Why is the young man crying?”

Rohan’s eyes go to an old man by the door. He is holding a pitcher with a small cup on top. And on his other hand is a water basin with a towel hanging on its side.

“So, angels look like that?”

The old man chuckles. “Are you disappointed?”

“N-No!” Rohan sobs, shaking his head. He doesn’t know what to say. Is this heaven? Or hell?

“Good, because I will be the only one you will see around here.”

“So, this is heaven?”

The old man laughs again. “No, this is earth.”

Rohan wipes the sweat from his brow. It is hot in the little room. Thatched roof, wooden walls, and basic furniture, and is that the sound of the ocean?

“Heaven is hot and by the side of the sea?”

This time, the old man bellows in laughter. “I think the gods let me live until today to meet a hilarious man like you.”

Rohan frowns at him. He looks at himself and realizes his body is in pain. He is also thinner than before. There are bandages around his body, including his face.

“Priests say that there should be no pain in heaven. So, why am I covered in bandages, and my body is in pain?”

“Because you are not in heaven or hell. I told you that you are still on earth. You are still alive, young man.”

Rohan scowls. The old man wears sandals and an old kilt made of linen. His beard covers most of his face, but he gives the appearance of an elderly wise man.

“Don’t get confused,” the old man snickers as he pours water into a glass and hands it to him. “You are not dead yet. Your heart is still beating. You are durable.”

Rohan gulps down the water.

“Slowly now, don’t drown yourself,” the old man warns. “By the way, my name is Crete, and you are currently in Amarillo.”

“Why am I alive?”

“My daughter and I brought you here.”

“Daughter?”

He nods. “My daughter already left, though. So, there’s only the two of us.”

Rohan wipes his mouth. “Why did you save me?”

“They threw you into the ocean. And you were dying. We saw it, so our instinct is to save you. But only after the ship left.”

“How long have I been here?”

“Three weeks. You are slipping in and out.”

Rohan groans. He is starving and needs to eat.

As if reading his mind, the old man offers, “I have some soup. Do you want it?”

He nods.

“I hope you like fish soup.”

He frowns. “I don’t think I am in any position to be picky.”

“Well then, I’ll bring it here.” The old man stands up. “While I am away, I think you’d like to check yourself out?” He points at a small cabinet. “I left clean clothes there. You can change by yourself.”

The old man leaves the room. Rohan stands up. His muscles are still sore, and every part of his body aches. He tries to stretch out his arms and legs but he feels pain everywhere.

He limps towards the cabinet and opens it. Inside, he finds a white shirt, black pants, and slippers. He removes his clothes and puts on the new ones while wiping himself with the towel.

When he finishes changing, he looks at himself in the mirror. Instead of seeing a bruised face and swollen lips, bandages cover his entire face. It’s only his eyes that he can see. It looks dark and tired.

When the door opens, he scrambles for the bandage, wanting to remove it. He shifts his attention to the old man.

“Can I remove this?”

The old man narrows his eyes at how Rohan’s hands are raised. “I advise you against taking off the bandage. Your wounds are still not healing. Give it another month or so.”

“But... I think I need to go back home.”

“What home? You have one?”

Rohan’s jaw tightens as a flash of pain pierces his heart. His memories come like an avalanche. He remembers the Waltons and their malicious intent–to take his inheritance away from him—no matter the cost! Fury courses through his veins as he realizes they gone so far as to kill Kyndra, their own blood!

“Yes, I had a home,” he hisses.

The old man chuckles. “Well, you will have to wait till you heal before you can leave.”

“But I don’t anymore. It’s been taken from me and I need to take it back.”