Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter ONE SIXTEEN - Fallen Stars

Ominis stumbled back to his feet and I hauled myself up quickly aside him.

"What did you see?"

"What do you mean Sebastian's gone? Where is he?" My mind fluttered against the air, eyes flying over the flicker of flames.

"He left. Practically jumped from the pensieve and all he had to say was that he needed space... What did you see?"

My lips parted though the jumble of thoughts lodged between my breaths and words.

Ominis closed the little distance between us, wrapping his slender fingers sternly around my wrists.

"Atley darling. Please tell me."

"I don't-" I shook my head. "It was just- Isidora, she kept on taking pain? Or experimenting? I guess it continued to work and she found a way to contain it in goblin silver and she spoke of the pain she took as a way to strengthen her own magic... to enhance her ability to wield it. She thought she could harness it." My rambling voice faded off, unsure what more I could remember.

Ominis paused, his fingers flexing over my skin. "I don't understand. Why-" He squeezed my wrists again and I brought my eyes back to the reflected flames in his. "Should I have a guess, Sebastian ought to be heading to the Undercroft. Let us speak with him there..." He took a deep breath. "He has a tendency to retreat alone into his thoughts."

I nodded, remembered my company and mumbled a quick "ok".

"Perhaps you should speak to the Keepers first. Judging by the sounds here, I'm guessing we are near the map chamber?"

Little more was said between the two of us. I left Ominis just outside the giant room and stepped briskly across the stardusted floor. My boots scuffed through them in my hurry, bits of wavering fog dipped out away with each step.

The final portrait was now filled with the last Keeper I had seen in the memories. He grinned at me with clasped hands as I approached.

I made a point to keep my eyes from the far left portrait, a hint of the screams still danced in my memory. I wasn't particularly fond of Niamh at the moment.

"Is it true? Has someone completed the first three trials? A... child?"

"Seventh year." My voice sounded not of my own.

"I am Professor Bakar. I trust you have witnessed the most recent memories and are but aware of Isidora's pain... consumption. I am rather impressed by your ability to have made it this far." His eyes flicked up and down over me, pausing for a moment. "The knowledge you shall gain after you witness my memories is too valuable to share without further consid-"

"Even with Ranrok and Rookwood's lot?" My tongue tasted like salt.

"I shall require time to confer with the other Keepers..."

"Brilliant." The sarcasm swam beneath my words, my mind flooded with nothing more than speaking to Sebastian.

Professor Bakar's brow quirked but he said no more and I turned on my heal heading straight for Ominis. I looped my fingers through his and whisked us away to the stairs. Our hips brushed as we wound quickly through the castle and though our wands had appeared in our pockets once more, he let me guide him completely.

----

Just as Ominis had predicted, we found Sebastian holed up in the Undercroft, sitting on a stool near the far corner with his hands at the back of his neck, chin hung to his chest.

"Sebastian-"

His fingers remained twisted between the loose waves at the nape of his neck though the tightness of them pressed white at the sound of my voice.

Ominis squeezed my hand and we took a few steps closer.

Sebastian's shoulders lifted and sunk quickly before he turned around to us, eyes drifting down our arms to our interlaced hands. His bottom lip trembled before he spoke.

"I'm sorry- I just- needed to get out of there."

"What happened?"

He laughed humorlessly, brows furrowing.

"What happened...?"

"Sebastian, please let us in."

He shook his head at the sound of Ominis' voice and I noticed just how red the whites of his eyes had grown.

"I just needed space. I told you Ominis."

I pulled away and stepped up so my body was between Sebastian's knees, running my fingers through the messy strands of his hair. The pads of my thumbs traced down his cheeks and he snapped his eyelids shut, nostrils flaring as his face contorted, voice dropping to nothing more than a whisper.

"...It worked Atley."

"I know."

"She controlled it."

"I know."

The silence thickened so that it was sludge to my ears, having to lean closer in hopes not to miss a single of his breaths.

He sniffled.

"I can't hear you scream like that. Can't hear Anne-" His face scrunched again.

I cupped his cheeks in my hands, pulling his face back to mine and pressed a warm kiss to his nose.

Eyes searching the fallen stars in his.

"I'm fine Sebastian. I'm right here."

His eyes locked to mine, souls shifting and trading among the haze. "...I'd do anything for you..." The tears spilled over, flickering streaks of stardust streamed down his cheeks. "But I- I- won't ask you to do the same."

I'd trade my soul for his given the chance,

they were one in the same anyway.

But fear thumped beating symphonies through my blood. Memories of my parents, the way I'd so desperately tried to take their pain despite not knowing what I was doing. Flashes of magic that had wound round and round my fingers, around their bodies.

"I would... but I can't Sebastian. I- when my parents... I told you already- I tried to take their pain. I know that's what it was now, but I- it didn't- it created some sort of ancient magic... vortex? That pain I took- I don't know exactly what happened Sebastian. It was everywhere, blinding, hot... I can't go through that again and clearly its enough to scare the Keepers. Shouldn't it scare you too?"

"I know, fuck, Atley I know... but I can't unsee a possibility and THAT scares me."

My hands slipped to my sides, heart cracking.

He continued through trembling breaths.

"I don't want to feel this way, but I do. I can't ask it of you but I can't forget what I've seen- I need... something- anything to give me some other hope." His eyes dipped down to my fingers, lifting his own to brush against them though he didn't lace them together.

He leaned in slowly and my aching heart skipped. His lips pressed to the shell of my ear, whisper so quiet I knew even Ominis wouldn't be able to hear it.

"I'm going to retrieve the relic. Tonight if I must."

I looped my pinky around his.

"Then I'll be there with you."