Like Moths to a Flame // Sebastian Sallow [Book One]

Chapter Thirty-One: Forbidden from Feldcroft

That night, for the first time in years, Sebastian slept like the dead. That didn't mean he didn't have nightmares. In fact, he vaguely recalled a feeling of dread that he couldn't quite brush away, but he didn't remember waking up in the middle of the night, not even to Henry's scattered snores.

While he still basked in the exhilaration of finding the relic, his happiness - if one could even call it that - was tinged with the uncertainty of everything that had happened in Feldcroft. He hoped Damien was able to convince Uncle Solomon to let him see Anne. It would make things more than a little bit complicated to cure her if he was forbidden from seeing her. But if that was the case, he would find a way.

It was now late afternoon, and he was waiting in the Undercroft for Damien to fill him in on that conversation. Instead of pacing, he scribbled absentmindedly on the chalkboard leaning against the wall. He found himself sketching the rune symbol for ancient magic. It made him think about Damien and his goblin acquaintance. After everything that had happened in Feldcroft yesterday, Damien had proven himself a true friend. And to offer to speak with his uncle, without Sebastian even asking - it was frankly, incredibly selfless of him. Maybe Sebastian had overreacted. An apology was probably necessary. He wasn't sure if he had it in him to apologize in person, but a written one, yes, that would be acceptable.

Damien entered the room; the customary screech of the gate opening and closing gave him away. Sebastian swiveled around to greet him.

"Did you speak with my uncle?" Sebastian asked.

Damien grimaced. Sebastian felt his heart drop. "I wish I had better news about your uncle and Anne."

"Well? What did he say?" Sebastian tried to wrest the tears away from welling up in his eyes.

Damien looked down at his feet. "I'm afraid he wants you nowhere near Feldcroft - nor Anne."

Sebastian's despair bubbled over into anger. He clenched his fists tightly at his sides. The injustice of it all gnawed at his core, fueling his resolve. "I had to stop that goblin from killing my sister! He has no right to banish me from my own twin!" He watched Damien flinch back at his outburst. "If he thinks banishing me means I'm going to give up on Anne, he's sorely mistaken."

Damien continued, "He also said he cannot excuse the use of Dark Magic in any form. And that if he hears of either of us using it, he'll go straight to Professor Black."

Sebastian laughed bitterly in spite of himself. "Ha! That relic, Dark Magic or not, is the key to saving Anne. To reverse that curse. I will not lose Anne for good." He contemplated for a moment, then mumbled, "I should send the crest to Anne. She'll know that we need to meet." Hopefully sending the crest, not a letter, would bypass his uncle's careful plan to keep Sebastian from corresponding with Anne. He wouldn't know who the crest came from, but Anne would.

"I'm afraid I don't follow," Damien replied.

Sebastian shook his head. "Nothing. Just a thought. Now I'm more determined than ever to learn what power that relic has."

Damien tried again, "What did you mean you'd send Anne a 'crest' so that she'd know to meet you?"

Sebastian sighed. "It's - we'd just lost our parents, and we were packing up to go and live with Solomon. We couldn't take everything." Everything that had survived the fire, at least.

"Speaking of that..." Damien began, but trailed off.

"My parents?"

Damien nodded. "I - I think Ominis was going to tell me what happened to them the day he confronted us in the Undercroft, but I didn't press him. I'd rather hear it from you. If you want to share," he finished.