In the Shadows of a Legacy // A Sebastian Sallow story

Chapter 9-Gods & Corsets

"I brought you some food," Sebastian murmured walking into the room with a couple apples and a cooked squirrel.

Sebastian's presence in the room was palpable, but I remained immersed in the words on the pages, deliberately avoiding his gaze. He had left a book on the nightstand and with nothing else to do I had begun reading it. He placed the food on the nightstand, a hesitant gesture. I could feel his uncertainty hanging in the air.

"What is it?" I asked, my eyes still focused on the book, a french book called Phantom of the Opera. I read the lines and over and over again, refusing to acknowledge his proximity.

(Side Note: Phantom of the Opera didn't come out until 1909, but it's one of my fav books so whatever hehe)

"I... I should perform another healing session," he muttered softly. Reluctantly, I pulled back the blanket, exposing my injured calf to him. He assessed the damage, his incantations weaving a spell of healing. His touch sent a shiver down my spine, but I did my best to ignore it.

"how is Eowyn?" I inquired, my voice distant.

"She's fine," he replied in a low tone.

I let out a frustrated sigh, sinking deeper into the bed and directing my gaze towards the ceiling. I desperately tried to shift my thoughts away from Sebastian and the way his touch affected me.

"You should eat," he suggested, his voice filled with concern.

I sighed, my appetite non-existent, consumed by other matters. His finger gently traced up my calf, the proximity of his body was overwhelming. I took a deep breathe trying desperately to steady my breathing. I hesitated, feeling his finger tracing a path up my calf. The proximity of his body was both familiar and unsettling, stirring up conflicting emotions within me. A wave of confusion washed over me, why was he being so gentle with me, if he plans on hurting me?

"I can't focus on eating right now," I murmured, finally meeting his gaze. There was a mixture of longing and apprehension in his honey-brown eyes, mirroring my own conflicted feelings.

"Well you need to eat something," he coaxed, his hands massaging the swelling in my calf, causing a sharp wince of pain to escape my lips.

"I'm fine," I replied, taking a sharp breath as the pain intensified, building pressure in my calf.

"Sorry, is this too hard?" His hands froze, abruptly pulled away as if he had done something wrong.

Confused by his sudden change, I raised an eyebrow at him. "Why the hell do you care either way?"

He grunted in frustration. "Damn it, Ophelia, you're just as stubborn as ever."

Crossing my arms, I retorted, "I am not." My voice carried a defiant edge, refusing to admit my vulnerability. He looked at me with annoyance, or maybe it was playfulness? I was getting more and more frustrated as this boy went back to massaging my injured calf.

I adjusted myself in the bed, tugging at my tightened corset so I could lay just a bit more comfortable. "Will you stop moving so much?"

I rolled my eyes, "I'm laced into a fucking torture device, so you can shut the fuck up."

Sebastian burst into laughter, surprising me with his sudden display. He stood up and held his hand out to me. "Here, I'll help you get out of it."

I raised an eyebrow, suspicion flickering in my eyes. "Wouldn't you prefer it if I were miserable? Isn't that why I'm here?" I spat defiantly.

"Merlin's beard, woman, do you always have to make things ten times more difficult?" His voice carried a mixture of exasperation and amusement.

I scoffed, "I do not!"