Legacy Disowned - Book 2

Chapter 3 - A Strange Feeling

Sebastian rolled over with a groan, his limbs heavy, wondering if he had actually managed to get any sleep. The party had wound down late, so he should have been completely exhausted by the time his head hit his pillow.

Instead he had lied awake, suddenly struck by this strange knot of tension at his core, just below his rib cage. He had spent most of the night staring up at the canopy of his four-poster bed, unable to shake the overwhelming sense of unease that had settled there. It had kept him tossing and turning all night.

With a sigh, Sebastian tried to piece together what was causing this sudden unrest. Perhaps everyone returning to the school had thrown him off balance? Over the summer, the castle had been his home, where it was just himself, Darling, and occasionally Ominis. Now, with the influx of other students, the space felt invaded, as though filled with unwanted guests encroaching on his home life.

With a resigned huff, Sebastian forced himself out of bed. As he pulled on his clothes and attempted to tame his unruly hair, he tried to untangle the knot of emotions festering within him. "It's just another school year. You've done this before."

As he stepped into the common room, Sebastian's tense shoulders relaxed slightly at the sight of Darling and Ominis waiting for him by the common room windows.

"No seriously Ominis" Darling was saying, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "There is one outside right now."

"You are single handedly ruining this tradition for me" Ominis snipped, though the corner of his mouth twitched, resisting the urge to smile. "We are supposed to be convincing the new first years, it's a right of passage. Not just–"

"Sebastian!" Darling said brightly as she caught sight of him. "Finally! I thought you'd sleep the entire day away."

"Leave him be Darling," Ominis said dryly. "We both know how desperately he needs the beauty sleep."

"Very funny," Sebastian replied, rolling his eyes before exchanging a quick mischievous smirk with Darling. "Merlin's beard! Is that a mermaid outside the window?"

Ominis deadpanned. "I hate you both."

Darling giggled. "Come on, let's head to breakfast. We still need to get our schedules."

As they walked through the halls, Sebastian allowed himself to be swept up in the easy conversation between his two best friends, and he had almost forgotten about the crowded school and the unwelcome sense of change. He was just starting to settle into some sense of normalcy when a voice rang out behind them.

"Miss Darling!"

Leander Prewett jogged up to join them, his eyes alight with a mixture of admiration and something akin to desperation. The knot of unease in Sebastian's gut seemed to tighten in an instant.

"Hello, Leander," Darling replied, her voice polite but not without an edge of resigned exasperation. Sebastian couldn't blame her – Prewett had always been a nuisance.

"You're looking as radiant as ever," Prewett gushed, seemingly oblivious to Darling's annoyance. "I hope you had a summer as lovely as yourself."

"Oh yes, it was grand," Darling replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm that sailed right over Prewett's head.

Sebastian felt a flare of irritation. He couldn't recall ever seeing Prewett and Darling exchange more than a few words before, and yet here he was, acting as if they were old friends – or worse, sweethearts.

He's such a fool, Sebastian thought angrily. A ginger idiot who had once made the mistake of pursuing Anne, only for Sebastian to teach him a sharp lesson. Clearly it hadn't been sharp enough, if he felt bold enough to fawn over his best friend right in front of him.