Silver and Green with Envy: A Sebastian Sallow Story

Chapter Forty-Two

Well. 

This was certainly a case of things going from bad to worse.

Everyone just stood there, unmoving, unblinking. Poppy was choking back tears, I could hear it. I was waiting for the three of them to just immediately start casting on us and for a very split second, I wasn't sure if I'd have the heart to hurt the love of my life as well as a good friend, if he actually was.

Speaking of latter, I noticed that Xander was sporting a black eye that hadn't been there that morning. 

It reinforced to me that everything felt...wrong.

Suddenly, Harlow burst out laughing and actually put his wand away. Sebastian and Xander did not, however, keeping me from just immediately attacking him. "I see Verne underestimated you. I thought he might. You don't even look like you've started to sweat."

I said nothing about the spiders. I said nothing at all. He didn't seem to care, and merely continued. 

"I've...watched you for a while now, Miss Varris. All three of you. The dugbogs, the trolls...all planted by Mr. Manx, here. Urton was his idea as well, really. Had to lie a little bit to Mr. Sallow about where you were getting sent. You should have seen how angry he got over it a little while ago!"

...Well that explained the eye.

"But that's neither here or there anymore. I watched all your other little adventures as well. Everything after the unfortunate incident with the unicorn, anyway. That was you, wasn't it? Marcus was one of my best men, I was shocked you were able to take him out so easily."

I'd already had enough. "Can we get on with it, Harlow? Make a point, or take your wand back out. If I remember correctly, you talking too much led to me dropping you the first time."

"I'm not worried about it."

On cue, the courtyard filled with more poachers as they shed their invisibilities or came from doors to the ruined bits of tower still standing. Because of course it wouldn't have been as simple as it appeared. It never was. At least there wasn't an overwhelming amount, but still far more than I wanted to deal with for when things inevitably went south.

Harlow fixed his hat some and rocked back and forth on his heels for a second. "Don't worry. They're merely here to watch. This is strictly between you and I, little Grim. If you don't mind, please have your friends step to the side."

"Elena, we're not leaving you..."

"Yes. You are. Please."

I heard them hesitantly turn and walk away from me, hopefully to a safe distance around what had become a makeshift dueling arena. 

My eyes were still faced forward, though they flicked toward Sebastian for a moment. He was looking at me, terrified. 

I wanted to let him know I forgave him. That I loved him.

But there was no time. As soon as Natty and Poppy stepped back, Harlow whipped out his wand and fired a shot toward me. I deflected it and started advancing toward him. 

"Confringo!" He cast another spell at me.

"Protego! Incendio!"

"Stupefy!"

Around and around we danced and cast, circling each other, neither of us gaining any ground. As soon as the attacks came they were deflected aside or shielded. 

"Diffindo!"

I had wore him down just enough that his deflect came a little too late, the spell cutting through his left shoulder. He screamed in anger, not in pain, his face red as he started to sweat. But it also made him start casting recklessly and in quick succession.