Life Goes On

Chapter 16: Alone

"So it was carved into the ceiling? And you're sure that rune is not actually in the map chamber?" Sebastian asked as he stared intently at me.

"I told you already, it's not. It was definitely some sort of sign."

I laid my head on the coffee table, these nightmares were so draining, and getting drilled for all the details by Sebastian and Ominis didn't help.

"Perthro. Living in the unknown, the rune of fate and the unmanifest." Ominis was sitting on the arm chair deep in thought.

Sebastian shook his head "That's just the basic understanding, it's a lot more complex. It can be nothing or everything, good or bad, death or birth, a good or a bad omen. It all depends on the circumstances in which it manisted itself. It is a rune full of mystery. Truly, Fig couldn't have given you something a bit more useful?"

I groaned. I couldn't believe that Fig would ever say the things that he said to me in my dreams. I refused to believe it was him speaking to me.

"I insist that we should visit the map chamber and try to talk to the keepers about this." Sebastian nudged my arm.

I groaned again and gently knocked my forehead on the table. "Can we please just take a break? I want to finish my Halloween costume and go shopping for Hogsmead weekend and the festival. I just want to have a normal week please."

"Ophelia, I hate to break it to you darling, but you are not normal. In fact, you're extraordinary, and as such we have to deal with these... Responsibilities." Ominis walked over to me and stroke the back of my head. My face still flat on the coffee table. I groaned again.

I felt Sebastian wrap his arms around me and place a kiss on my head. "I promise, when school is done, and this ancient magic nonsense is resolved, we will live quiet boring lives out in the country somewhere with all the magic beasts you want to take care of."

"Ominis has to promise too." I mumbled without turning my head.

Ominis let out a deep sigh. "I promise darling. Boring life filled with animals and poop."

I turned my head and smiled. I loved these two more than anything in my life.

***

"Ok, ok, you have to promise that if they start going off about keeping the magic a secret or about finding more repositories or anything of the sort you'll pretend to kill me and run out of there with my body." I insisted.

The three of us were headed down to the map chamber and I felt like I was going to barf.

"I will do no such thing." Ominis replied with an annoyed look on his face.

"Sebastian please....?" I begged giving him the biggest puppy eyes and pout I could make.

"Sallow, close your dam eyes like I told you to, do not look at her." Ominis snapped.

"But I can't she's so cute.. you don't know what it's like!" Sebastian pleaded, his will slowly breaking.

"Oh sure sure, the blind guy doesn't understand. Grow a spine won't you?" Ominis barked back.

Ugh. Why had I agreed to do this.

As we approached the entrance to the map chamber I looked up at Sebastian again begging, but he refused to look at me, his eyes glued to the ceiling. Ominis stormed into the map chamber before I could start forcing tears out of my eyes.

As we walked in, the portraits were all empty. I let out a sigh of relief.
"Well, we tried, no one's home, let's go..."

"Uh uh uh, not so fast. Let's call for Professor Rackham." Ominis grabbed my hand and led me to Rackham's portrait. He gently pushed me forward by the small of my back and gestured to the portrait.