Consuming Darkness: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 82

-Sebastian-

"Sebastian! Please!" Finn begged, eyes wide with terror.

"Tell me where Ronnie is, O'Leary!"

"She isn't worth it, Sebastian! She doesn't deserve-"

"Diffindo," I spat out, flicking my wand toward his right arm, slicing it clean.

Finn screamed in agony, struggling against his bonds in an attempt to coddle his missing limb.

I grabbed his hair and wrenched his head back. "Tell me where Ronnie is!" I didn't have time for this.

Finn was struggling to hold back sobs and I allowed the shadows to enter his mind, adding to the torment he was experiencing.

"Where did Pierce take her?" I demanded.

Tears began to pour from his eyes. "Please! Sebastian... I- Please- I can't- You could help! We'll give you whatever you want! My uncle could help your sister once he's taken her magic!"

I looked down at the pathetic mess of a boy who knelt before me, sniffling and begging for his life.

I yanked his head back once more and he whimpered. The shadows, growing in power, had almost entirely filled the room.

"All I want is Ronnie."

Finn stared up at me in bewilderment.

He was useless and so I dove into his mind. This was unlike anything I'd done before. Every other time I had used the shadows' magic to enter someone's mind it had been methodical and careful. I'd been practicing, taking my time, learning. Not this time. This time I tore through Finn's mind with not a care for how it would affect him in the long run. I ripped through memories and emotions as I searched for the information I needed, the shadows splintering off and scanning his mind as well.

Finn cried out in agony, his pain and fear fueling my magic, unlike anything I'd felt before. I would not let Ronnie go through anything as horrible as she had last year alone. She had gone through so much already. I would find her, and I'd fight by her side like I promised I always would. I tore through horrid thoughts he'd had about Ronnie, things he'd wanted to do to her, memories he had of wiping her memories, the sick pleasure and pain he had in hurting her. He had cared about her, or at least he thought he did. Every vile thought and memory made my hatred for him burn hotter than I thought possible.

Then I found it. The Map Chamber.

I ripped out of Finn's mind to see him whimpering and shaking still bound on his knees before me. The sight made me smile.

The shadows laughed.

Look at him! They hissed with pride.

"Pathetic," I said out loud and Finn opened his eyes to look at me. His face twisted with pain and mania. He had lost it.

"You'll never make it in time," Finn croaked out.

"Diffindo."

The spell made contact with its intended target and Finn's head fell to the floor with a sickening thud. The shadows hummed with dark power, their magic made even stronger by what we had just done. I pulled them back and Finn's body fell to the ground with a heavy thud. I stared at it for a moment.

"That sounded horrific..." Ominis groaned, pulling my gaze toward him. Ominis sat with his head between his knees, forearms propped on his knees. "Please tell me that wasn't what I think it was Sebastian..."

"Fine. It wasn't what you think it was." I responded, slightly out of breath, and the shadows began to pull back.

"I think it was."

"Well I'm just glad you didn't have to see it," I laughed.

"Me too," he huffed out with a small smile.

I stood over Finnian's body for a moment, and I felt nothing but relief and disgust for his lifeless body. I didn't care what that meant for me and my humanity. He deserved it.

I turned away and walked toward Ominis and examined his injuries. Neither of us spoke while I did.

"I'm going to try to heal your broken ankle," I told him.

He nodded.

"Brackium Emendo."

There was a sickening crack as the bone popped back into place and he groaned in pain. I cast another spell to heal his split lip and broken nose. Then another to wrap his torso in a bandage.

"You good enough to walk?" I asked as I stood and wiped my bloody hands on my black trousers. I was covered in blood, some of it my own, some of it Ominis' but most of it was Finnian's. I intended to keep in on when I went to the Map Chamber. Proof of what had happened to Pierce's nephew. A promise of what I'd do to him.

"Yeah, let's go. We can't waste any more time," Ominis remarked.

I held my hand out to help him up, worried he wouldn't take it, but he did.

I helped him to his feet.

"Ready?" I asked.

He nodded and slug his arm over my shoulder for support. I looped my arm around his back and helped hold him up before apparating us as close to the castle as I could get.

"Finn was just a distraction. Pierce knew that we would come to help her and sent Finn somewhere that was convincing enough for us to believe she'd be there. Bloody prick," I cursed and I hurried down the path with Ominis limping behind me. My spell could only do so much, he would still need to go to the hospital wing for his ankle.

"Well he's dead now so-""

I groaned. "You wanted to come Ominis."

"I did."

"I told you-"

"I know!" He shouted. He groaned and took a breath. "I know..."

I didn't know how to respond, my legs aching to run faster, but I didn't want to leave Ominis behind.

"Go ahead without me mate," Ominis huffed out, falling back further. "You can get to her way faster without me slowing you down."

"You sure?" I asked, trying not to sound too eager.

He nodded. "I'll get help as soon as I get to the castle."

"Find Natty," I told him. "And tell Professor Weasley. Get yourself to the hospital wing."

He nodded and I waited a moment longer.

"Ominis?" I asked.

His eyes lifted toward me.

"We good?"

Ominis sighed a long and exasperated sigh before smiling slightly. "Yeah mate, we're good. Now get out of here!"

I smiled and took off running toward the castle. To the Map Chamber. To Ronnie.