In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 11 - The Grapevine

Ominis

When Ominis awoke Sunday morning, the dorm room was already empty. He stretched languidly before hauling himself out of his warm, comfortable nest of blankets to get dressed. At least Sebastian hadn't woken him at the crack of dawn to go to the library this morning. Ominis paused. That did beg the question - where was Sebastian?

Ominis quickly found the answer to this question when he entered the common room. Focusing on his wand, he got the gist for the state of the room - folks were milling around, playing chess, and looking out the windows. And two people, one pressing the other up against the wall in a secluded corner. Ominis sighed. This had been a common enough occurrence in previous years, but this year, Sebastian had been taking it to a whole new level.

Ominis sideled closer, then quietly cast the lip-locker jinx. The change in sound was immediate, and Ominis could barely get out the counter-jinx for laughing.

"What the hell, Ominis," Sebastian demanded, obviously incensed to find his best friend doubled up with laughter.

"Just having a bit of fun," Ominis replied with a grin. "Though, I do have to ask. Must you do this first thing in the morning? Don't you think this is a bit much Sebastian?"

As he spoke, Ominis heard the girl Sebastian had been kissing stalk off with a huff.

Sebastian snorted. "It's hardly first thing in the morning, Ominis. If you slept any longer you'd have missed lunch too."

"Who was that anyways?" he asked, "Not... Imelda Reyes?"

He mimed horror, though he knew very well it was not Imelda.

"Merlin, no," Sebastian said, "It was Aria Blackwell."

Ominis groaned. "Aria, Sebastian. Really?"

"What," Sebastian said indignantly. "Look, forget her, you had a letter arrive this morning. No name. I didn't open it."

Ominis felt as though the blood in his veins had turned to ice. He gingerly took the letter Sebastian passed to him. Were his hands shaking? Could Sebastian see?

"Thanks," Ominis said, "I'm going to go listen to it. Do you want to get lunch together after?"

"Sure," Sebastian said.

As Ominis turned back to their dorm room, he could tell Sebastian was hurrying after Aria Blackwell. Once he was sure he was alone, Ominis broke the seal on the letter, and tapped it with his wand to hear what it said.

Little brother,

Your time is running out. Twenty-four hours to return what you took.

That was all it said. Ominis crumpled the paper in his shaking hands. His heart was racing and he felt like he couldn't catch his breath. Fear and anger pulsed through him, a potent mix that left him reeling. He had no idea what his brother was talking about, but even if he did, he wouldn't return it, he couldn't. Not after everything they had put him through, not after the pain and punishment they had inflicted on him. He was done with all of them.

But what could he do? Ominis felt as though he was backed into a corner with no way out. He didn't want to involve Sebastian or Elizabeth in this, they'd suffered enough. But he also couldn't face this alone. He'd already shown Elizabeth the first letter in a moment of weakness. He needed help. He needed to find a way out of this mess before it was too late.

Ominis paced until he settled his mind. When he returned to the common room, Sebastian was nowhere to be found, so Ominis claimed a couch and settled in to wait. He fiddled with a quill to keep his fingers busy. While he mulled over what his brother could possibly be after, he tried to tune out some giggling, gossiping girls nearby. Until a familiar name caught his ear.