The Twilight Children//The School for Good and Evil

22 ~ The Circus of Talents

. : Sebastian of Havfrue : .

Sebastian watched out of the corner of his eye as Tedros bounced from foot to foot. His metal sword-- the one engraved with the lion of Camelot-- swung from hand to hand. With each pass, it came closer to Sebastian, until he was shuffling away from harm's reach.

"Tedros, are you ready?" Sebastian kept his voice mild. They hadn't spoken since their small argument a few weeks ago, and now, as they waited for the Circus of Talents to begin, the tension was palatable. 

Tedros grunted in response and Sebastian rolled his eyes at the younger boy. He glanced at Nikolas, who shrugged. 

"Are you really going to be like this for the rest of our lives?" Sebastian hissed through his teeth. "Ignoring me like a petulant child? All because I told you to get your head out of your ass?"

Sebastian was admittedly still frustrated about Laura. Since their little fight in the library, it had been back to square one. He kept doing the little drills she had taught them, and it helped keep his body temperature regulated, and his mind focused. Still, he felt like he was plateauing. He hated to admit it, but he needed her help. He had evidently crossed a line, asking about her past. He couldn't help the part of his mind that scratched at him, wanting to know more about her. How was he supposed to trust her to train him if she wouldn't share any information with him?

"I'm not acting like a petulant child," Tedros snapped back. "I'm angry that you're keeping secrets from me. You know something, something that could potentially help us all, and you are keeping it a secret."

Sebastian huffed. "You have been so self-absorbed this past month, Tedros, that I've barely had time to share anything with you. One day, I will sit you down and explain what is going on, but until then, I'm afraid you are just going to have to be content with being mad."

Nikolas came up behind them and braced a hand on both of their shoulders. "Are you ready to go show off your sword fighting skills?"

Sebastian gave him a small smile, thankful to the tan boy for trying to lighten the mood. He needed to explain to Tedros what was happening, but he wanted to be confident in his own choice first. One day he would sit down and have a long talk. He couldn't do it now.

Tedros shrugged Nikolas' hand off. "Come on, let's go in now. We can find a good seat before the show starts."

Sebastian sighed, but let Tedros walk ahead.

"He's really quite miffed at you," Nikolas commented quietly.

Sebastian nodded. "He'll get over it, he's more like his father in that aspect than he realizes."

Sebastian took the seat next to Tedros on the cushioned bleachers as Evers and Nevers filed in. Tedros was glaring like a hawk, and Sebastian followed his gaze to the Never entrance. He was no doubt keeping an eye out for Sophie. Sebastian didn't know if she would show, but part of him was praying she didn't.

The hall steadily filled up with students, the teachers long since locked into their rooms.

"Isn't it a little late in the term for new students?" Nikolas murmured. The boy leaned close, smelling of wind and sand. 

Sebastian hummed in confusion, following Nikolas' eyes. His eyebrows shot up.

"That's not a new student," Sebastian responded. "That's Agatha."

Tedros snapped his gaze in the same direction as Sebastian and Nikolas, and Sebastian watched his eyebrows vanish into his hairline. 

Agatha had obviously come into her confidence and was walking in a gown so blue it looked like midnight. Her hair had been swept up, and beneath the dress, peaked a pair of clumps.