Peacekeepers

Chapter 38: Kaiden Malfoy

Sebastian came out of the back door covered in soot and smoke, but with a rather proud grin on his face.

"What happened? Look at you!" Diane scoffed, patting some of the soot off his shoulders.

"What? Is he alright?" Ominis said in alarm, immediately reaching toward Sebastian, who chuckled under Ominis' touch as he ran fingertips along his face and shoulders.

"He's covered in soot and smoke!" Diane explained with a scoff.

"You two are so protective." Sebastian said happily, a soft blush coloring his cheeks from the attention. "But don't worry, I just got rid of all those damn crystals. No explosions today." He reached up and gently touched either of their cheeks with his hands. "No one gets hurt."

Diane smiled under his touch and turned to kiss his hand before refocusing at the task on hand. "So the coast is clear?"

"It is. We can go find Kaiden, now. Hopefully he'll be somewhat cooperative." Sebastian said, glancing back to the house.

"Somehow I doubt it." Ominis said flatly.

They crept into the back room again, Ominis and Diane looking around in surprise at the dozens of circles of soot and burns along the ground where Sebastian had taken care of the crystals. She reached out to set a hand on his back, glad that none of them had gone awry. He looked back to her and smiled reassuringly, getting to the doorway and peering carefully either way down the hallway that lay beyond the first room.

Sebastian put a finger to his lips to signal them to be quiet, Ominis holding his wand up warily as it pulsed for him to see better.

They moved down the hallway slowly, a strangely haunting sound of classical music being played on a phonograph echoing through the hallway. It was an opera of some sort, with the warbling sound of a male singer joining the instruments.

Shouting and the sounds of things falling to the ground came from further into the house, Sebastian tensing when Connor and William had apparently found Kyle... but where was Kaiden?

The music cut, and someone swore from further down the hall, a man coming out of a room and staring at them wide wide eyes.

He had long white hair that fell down his shoulders, his dark hazel eyes staring at them for a moment before they hardened. "Stupefy!" He shouted, but Sebastian brought up a shield quickly enough to block it, baring his teeth in anger that he was wanting a fight.

When he looked back up he couldn't see him anymore, the shield falling as he looked around wildly for him. "Where is he?!"

"Appare Vestigium!" Ominis cast, blowing the golden powder that erupted from the end of his wand down the hallway, illuminating the outline of Kaiden running down the hall. He knew Diane and Sebastian could see the clues better than he could.

"There he is!" Diane ran forward, taking her wand out as Sebastian and Ominis followed behind. "Locomotor Mortis!" She cast, and a loud thump sounded as Kaiden fell to the ground.

"Bloody hell! Finite Incan-" he started, but stopped when Diane had caught up to him. He let the Disillusionment charm fall, glaring up at Diane with fierce eyes. "What the hell do you want?"

"We want to know if you're with Kyle." Sebastian said, glaring down to him.

"With- what do you mean? I live with him, if that's what you mean." Kaiden grumbled, his legs still feeling numb and useless.

"No, are you part of the Right Hand?" Ominis hissed.

"Right Ha-" Kaiden looked at him and froze in shock. "Ominis Gaunt?!"