Legacy Disowned - Book 1

Chapter 25 - Loyalty

Ominis picked listlessly at his breakfast as Darling sipped her coffee beside him. The Slytherin table was filled with the familiar scents, sounds of fidgeting, and murmur of conversation, but one presence was notably absent.

Sebastian seemed to have completely withdrawn into himself since the incident in the Catacomb. He'd become distant, avoiding people whenever possible, especially Darling. Ominis didn't think Sebastian had spoken to her at all since that night.

It wouldn't be hard for one to think him ungrateful, or worse, that he'd only used her to bail him out. But Ominis had gotten Sebastian out of enough trouble over the years to know better. As much as Sebastian had benefited from Ominis' connections, he'd always repaid those favours with his own kind of support —usually by making sure that anyone who spoke ill of his friend paid for it.

No, Ominis felt quite certain that this distance was not due to a lack of appreciation. He knew himself, the insurmountable guilt that came with knowing you had destroyed your own family. Sebastian was going to need time and even after that, Ominis wasn't sure if he would ever quite be the same. But he also knew just how important Darling's friendship had become to him. If the time came when Sebastian was finally ready to talk, and he found that he'd inadvertently pushed her away, Ominis was sure his friend would be absolutely miserable. He knew all too well just how hard those gaps were to bridge once they had been formed.

"Darling," he began slowly, "I know Sebastian hasn't been around much lately, but I do hope that you won't take it personally—"

He had just opened his mouth to continue when he was cut off by the sound of her soft musical laughter.

"Ominis," she said, still chuckling gently. "I know it isn't personal."

He tilted his head slightly, taken aback by this response.

"Can I say something without you asking follow-up questions?" she asked lightly.

Ominis hesitated for a moment, very much hoping he wasn't going to regret agreeing to such a request but finally, he answered, "Of course."

Darling took a deep breath. "A while ago, I lost everything I ever knew and everyone I ever loved."

Ominis' heart skipped a beat. He was already regretting his promise not to pry further and desperately wanted to ask for more details– How? When? Why?

"After that, I had all these people, strangers, saying they 'knew how I must feel' and, telling me how they thought I should cope with it. But the fact was, none of them could possibly know what I was feeling, and truthfully, I don't think any of them ever really tried. All their condolences did was make me feel more and more alone, like every single time someone said 'I understand,' it was just a fresh reminder that nobody ever would." A soft sigh escaped her lips. "I hated it. All I wanted was for them to just leave me alone so I could sort through my own thoughts without being told how to feel or what to do. Sebastian's just lost everything, and I'm not so selfish as to make it about myself. I really don't mind giving him the space I wish people had given me. So don't fret, ok."

Ominis sat in stunned silence, processing her words. Hearing her speak with such candid wisdom was as unexpected as it was comforting.

The sound of wings flapping pulled him from his thoughts as an owl landed on the table in front of them.

"Is that for you?" he asked curiously.

"Um, yeah," Darling murmured as she tore open the envelope. "It's from my friend Lodgok, he wants to meet me later at the Hog's Head."

Ominis frowned. He still didn't fully understand the context of this friendship. All he knew was that it had created a rift between her and Sebastian and while neither had been willing to fully elaborate, it did seem to have something to do with why both the Loyalists and the Ashwinders were trying to get their hands on her.