Of Cunning Minds: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 24 - Bargaining Power

"I don't know!" Sebastian roared over the sound of Ominis' screams. "I swear, Merlin, please! I don't know how to break the curse!"

"Lies!" Clyde shouted. He twisted his wand and the spell cut deeper into Ominis twitching form.

His wails cut through Thea like a knife and she cried helplessly. Sebastian's face was also streaked with tears as he pleaded with Clyde.

"I'd need to see it!" he urged. "I'd need to see the artifact to understand what's protecting it!"

Clyde drew his wand up lazily, breaking the Cruciatus Curse. Ominis sunk to the floor; he was unconscious. Thea found that the restraints used against her had been released as well. She immediately rushed to kneel in front of Ominis. His breathing was uneven and his skin was burning to the touch.

Thea turned back towards Clyde; he was extracting a wrapped item from the inside pocket of his suit. He pulled back the burlap fabric to reveal a silver pocket watch. Thea could sense the dark magic buzzing within the item from across the room.

Clyde conjured a table and placed the pocket watch on its surface. He released the levitation charm on Sebastian causing him to drop to his knees. A dry sob racked through his body as he pulled himself to shaking legs. Clyde smiled wickedly and gestured to the watch. Sebastian approached it cautiously.

"It's a 1673 Bulgarian, half-hunter watch," Clyde explained, tapping it with his wand. A cloud of jet black smoke oozed out of its metal lid. "I've tried every revealing incantation."

Sebastian gave Thea a nervous glance before leaning forward so that his nose hovered inches above the ticking object. His eyes widened.

Thea recalled the page of his journal describing the pocket watch. He had written about blood curses that prevent anyone from non-pure-blood families from opening the artifact. Judging by the look on his face, Sebastian must have just confirmed his research. He gulped and stared at Clyde.

"What is it?" Clyde demanded. "Come on, spit it out."

Sebastian remained quiet.

"I'm giving you a choice here, boy. You should be grateful."

"Oh yes, I get to decide between you torturing one of my friends to death or stealing the soul of the other. Thank you for that." Sebastian replied sarcastically.

Clyde raised his wand to Sebastian's temple; Thea didn't need to see the glassy look in Sebastian's eyes to know Clyde was using Legilimency on him. A low chuckle rumbled out of Clyde's mouth. "How about I make your options more enticing?" he offered. "If you don't tell me how to open the watch, I'll kill Gaunt."

Sebastian's expression was blank. His chest rose and fell in time with the ticking watch. Clyde was deep in his mind.

"However, if you do tell me, I'll let you both walk free. No charges, no conditions. He can go back to his swanky job and you can live your life beyond that infernal cell she threw you in." Clyde nodded towards Thea, a malicious grin stretching across his face.

"No, wait—" Thea began. "Sebastian, I didn't—" Her voice was cut off by a silencing charm.

"How could you show mercy to a traitor like that?" Clyde spit. Sebastian's eyes drifted towards Thea, his expression still unreadable. "I won't be killing her, you know. I just need her soul. She'll simply be left as a shell of a human being. That's no different than how she left you, now is it?"

Tears rushed down Thea's cheeks as she silently pleaded with Sebastian. His pupils had shrunk to the size of quill tips. His head lulled around feebly.

"I'll let you go, Sebastian," Clyde promised. "You can finally reconnect with your sister."

Sebastian jerked his head to look at Clyde. "Anne?"

"Yes, Anne. You can go find her. She misses you; she needs you."

"Anne," Sebastian repeated in a whisper. He glanced at the pocket watch, then again at Clyde. "It's a blood curse," he said softly.

Clyde smirked and shot a devilish look in Thea's direction. "Go on," he egged.

"You'll need a member of the original owner's family to reverse it," Sebastian explained, the blank expression still plastered on his face. "Or you can use troll blood and tentacula venom to weaken the spell. That works on most blood curses."

Clyde chuckled and reached for the watch. He took great care in wrapping it before returning it to his pocket. "You may call me many things, but I am a man of my word." He waved his wand and Sebastian's eyes returned to their normal, responsive state.

"Wait, no," he stuttered. "I didn't mean to tell you—how did I tell you?" His body became overcome with panic as he sank to his knees. Ragged breaths rippled through his body.

Clyde leaned out of the door to the room and whistled through his fingers. Two Aurors appeared almost instantly.

"These two can be released from holding," he barked to the men. "I'm afraid they were merely acting under the influence of this one's Imperius Curse." He pointed at Thea.

"No!" Sebastian screamed as one of the Aurors moved towards him. "She didn't do anything! It was me" Please!" He swung a fist at the man trying to help him off the ground.

"You may need to stun him," Clyde explained lazily. "The spell messed with his mind a bit. Who would have thought a tiny witch could perform such a nasty curse," he tutted.

"Stupefy!" The Auror shouted causing Sebastian to fall unconscious. He levitated his body so that it hung in the air next to Ominis'.

"All charges will be dropped for these two," Clyde ordered. "Just make sure they're returned to their homes safely and understand the conditions of their release." His voice was laced with malice.

Thea cried silently as she watched her friends get carried out of the room. When the second Auror turned the corner, Clyde pivoted to face her shaking form. An evil glint sparkled in his eye.

"And then there was one," he purred.