Aftermath ✧ Sebastian Sallow

chapter twenty-four

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Trigger Warning: This chapter includes sensitive conduct - please see the comment for a full description of conduct. 

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Ominis' Perceptive

Fucking animagi. 

I had been distracted by Sebastian following us, that the animals around didn't seem important until it was too late. I hadn't considered that the pack of wolves nearby were actually animagi that were hiding. The realization came too late when one of them took human form before they grabbed me and apparated to the campsite. 

I shouldn't have worn my house cloak. They recognized the Gaunt sigil and thought they could get a good ransom. I felt ashamed that I let myself get trapped. 

They had tied me up inside one of their tents while deciding how to go about the ransom. My hands were tied against a beam above my head, holding my arms uncomfortable high and forcing me to stand. They took my wand as fast as possible and I had no way to know where it went. It seemed like about hours had gone by, but the pain made it difficult to truly tell. My arms were aching from the lack of blood flowing toward them. 

"You can join your blind friend in here," A different voice than the wizard that gapped me entered the tent. This one was a witch, her heels clicking against the boarded floor as she entered.

"Ominis! Are you okay?" Poppy's voice filled me with relief and guilt. 

"No talking!" The witch yelled before I could answer. 

I nodded towards her voice while still attempting to play nicely to the kidnappers. The witch was struggling and cursing to herself, likely having difficulty tying Poppy's hand to the beams of the tent as well. 

"Harlow will decide how much you two are worth later," The witch threatened before taking her leave of the tent.

"I'm fine Poppy. They gapped me before I had a chance to warn you. Are you okay?" I asked in a hushed tone. There was likely someone posted outside the tent and I wasn't eager to be overheard. 

"I'm fine. They split Amelia and me up, I think they took her directly to Harlow. She's alone, we need to go help!" Poppy's concern was overwhelming as she was already fiddling with the ropes binding her hands. 

"She's going to be okay, she isn't alone," I confessed, "Sebastian has been following us this whole time. I'm sure he would follow her."

It was true, Sebastian wouldn't follow Poppy if he heard that they were bringing her to the same tent as me. He wouldn't let Amelia be alone with Harlow and follow her instead. 

But it also meant that he wouldn't be able to come to help us any time soon. Poppy and I would be left to figure out how to escape ourselves. 

A heavy sigh of relief came from Poppy. Her boots clicked rapidly against the ground. She was much shorter than I was and I expected that her rope might be short and forcing her to stand taller than she was. 

"Did you see any guards outside when they brought you in?" I questioned.

"No. There was no one outside the tent." Poppy answered quickly, "The camp is mostly empty. I only counted six people, one witch already dead, and one being Harlow."

"Dead?" I questioned in shock.

"Amelia used her ancient magic." Poppy's voice was shaken, "I think she's dead. I didn't hear an incantation. But all I saw was Amelia just touched her with her bare hand and pulled black smoke from her body. I'm not sure what she did exactly, but the witch looked dead. The others didn't take her back with them either."