Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter SEVENTY NINE - Deserve

Sebastian chuckled nervously and gripped Ominis' arm, hauling up the flustered boy with a single quick tug. His slight cringe of pain did not go unnoticed.

"What are you talking about? We didn't do anything."

Ominis was unamused, taking deep breaths in before speaking. "Then why is there a hole in the fucking wall Sebastian... and did you hang art in it?"

He had snatched his wand back from Sebastian and shoved it into the pocket of his robes, crossing his arms expectantly. "Honestly, you just expected me not to notice-"

"I mean... its been like that for a few days and you didn't-"

I smacked Sebastian's arm and he gripped it, eyes wide and screaming silent arguments with mine. If my mind wasn't reeling, I would have found his expressions quite humorous.

"To be honest Ominis-"

"Yes, please be honest with me."

I swallowed, slightly flustered at the interruption. He was usually so well mannered in conversation with me.

He seemed to sense my hesitancy and dropped his arms.

"Atley, I need you to tell me what's going on." He ran a hand along the back of his neck. "I've been quiet far too long and I- I'm worried about you two. You are my closest friends- my only friends aside from Anne and this isn't the first time I've felt something was... questionable."

Sebastian snorted. "Way to lay it on thick mate. Not fair, you know her weakness is our friendship."

I slapped his shoulder again.

Ominis smirked.

"I'm only trying to get to the bottom of things Sallow." Ominis made a face as soon as the words left his lips.

Sebastian also looked mildly disgusted.

An awkward silence clicked around the room.

"Yes, no please forget I ever called you that. Immediate regret on my part." Ominis flustered.

"I wasn't going to say anything but that- uh. Nope."

"Right."

"Would you two please stop." The prickle of awkwardness was like tiny spikes all over my skin. "Ominis, I'm so sorry but I can't tell you much more - that archway magically appeared the other night with an empty triptych inside and I swear that is the truth."

His fingers fiddled with the edge of his robes uneasily and I could nearly feel his heartbeat in the silence.

His shoulders fell but he tilted his chin high.

"You don't trust me. I understand. I'll just- uh- just be on my way then." He turned just as his nostrils flared once and my gut tied itself into knots.

Sebastian looked to me and grabbed my hand, winding his fingers through mine, pleading gently through a small smile.

My fears of abandonment from last night flickered among the candle flames but Sebastian's warm hand in mine extinguished all doubt.

Fuck it.

"Ominis wait."

----

I didn't tell him about my parents.

I couldn't. Not yet. It was a secret I hoped would remain beneath my and Sebastian's ribs - at least until I was ready.

I let everything else in its entirety out to Ominis' pleading brows and steady hands, fingers squeezing mine as the three of us sat in the center of the Undercroft. Sebastian leaned against my shoulder rubbing lazy circles against my knee, the warmth of his skin urging me on.

Ominis, though not as positively excited as Anne, drank in every word just as she had. He fumbled with his bottom lip as I recounted the dragon attack and stopped breathing for a moment as I outlined the events of the first trial.

His brows crumpled together as I described the flares and I choked on the words as I explained how I'd accidentally hurt Sebastian. I was glad Ominis couldn't see the faded bruises along Sebastian's hands, if I looked too close it began to make me nauseous.

The brown haired boy had huffed gently. "Nothing I couldn't handle!" Though his eyes sent silent shivers to my heart. "It really wasn't that bad, here- Ominis-"

Before either of us could voice a word of protest, Sebastian had grabbed Ominis' left hand and brought it to the ovals at the base of his neck. "Feel that? Barely anything even there."

This boy and these damn marks. I swear.

Ominis had ducked his red cheeks to the floor and tugged his fingers away quickly, also dropping his other hand from mine.

"Right- so- ancient magic... if I am understanding you correctly, it is incredibly rare and unpredictably powerful... and these keepers are going to help you harness it..?"

"I hope so."

"I doubt it."

Sebastian and I spoke at the same time and I turned my nose to him, confused.

"What do you mean you doubt it?"

"I'm just saying-" He swallowed and darted his eyes between the two of us, voice dropping. "If your magic is so dangerous, yet you already posses it... why wouldn't they want to teach you how to control it right away? Sounds to me like they'd rather keep this information to themselves and send you on a wild Zouwu chase."

"A zo- a what?"

"Stay with me Barlowe." He pat my knee. "These keepers have the knowledge to prevent any other ancient magic accidents, yet they want to make you- what, work for the answers you deserve?"

"It seems Sebastian has a point darling."

"I- I have to trust that they know what they're doing. They have to know whats best..." I desperately wanted to believe my own words.

"I hope you're right." Sebastian mumbled.

Feeling a prickle of irritation run up my spine I moved over to my bag and tugged the ancient book from its place, flicking open the cover.

And as if the keepers had been listening, the little symbol pulsed to life.