𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Sweet Ignorance

Chapter Twenty-Seven

For three consecutive days, Matty's life had been surprisingly calm. With Poppy trying to figure out a plan and Natty who's efforts were being put on hold by her mother—Matty didn't have much to do.

She beat Imelda's time in another broom trial, played some more Summoners court, spent a ridiculous amount of time in the Room of Requirement vivariums just to watch the nifflers run around, and tried to keep up with some homework.

Who knew not being on life-threatening conquests could be so boring?

She and Professor Fig hadn't gotten a single word from the Keepers since just after Charles Rookwood's trial. Headmistress Nimah Fitzgerald was there, but she didn't say much. Apparently Matty still had more to do before she could complete the trial.

But thankfully, Sebastian came to the rescue by sending her an owl asking her to meet him by the Overlook late at night.

Of course, she was quick to oblige since she was bored and wanted to see him again. It was a bit away from the school but travel was much faster with the new broom upgrades that Mr. Weeks had been making. And after sneaking out so many times from the school, it became one of the easiest things to do.

Soon after, she arrived at the Overlook, seeing Sebastian waiting there for her.

"I came as soon as I could." Matty said to him.

Sebastian looked glad to see her. "I'd been so preoccupied with all that happened with Ominis in the catacomb—not to mention my uncle's reaction—that I'd almost forgotten what it was that struck me about that tryptic." He said. "This is the view painted on the canvas that was left on it!"

"That's incredible! You know this area well." Matty replied, genuinely surprised at Sebastian's ability to be able to piece all of that together.

"And while I was waiting for you, I scouted around and discovered an abandoned mine nearby—surrounded by Ranrok's loyalists." Sebastian stated.

"Do you think that there's a connection to the tryptic?" Matty asked.

She remembered how the goblins were in Feldcroft, where they had found the doorway to the Undercroft that led to the tryptic appearing in the first place. And now Ranrok's loyalists were here too.

"I have no idea. But perhaps they are searching for it—the way they did Rookwood Castle and Isidora's manor. How do we want to handle this?" Sebastian asked Matty.

Matty thought about it for a moment. With Ranrok's loyalists nearby it could pose a threat but it was nothing that they hadn't faced before. And perhaps they'd discover a few more things about Isidora if they went into the mine, since after all the tryptic location was here.

"We need to see what they're doing. But it's possibly best that we do not draw their attention." Matty answered. "And I still have that rune symbol we found on the tryptic. If there's a connection, I suspect we'll see that symbol again."

"Very well, let's go." Sebastian said.

Matty and Sebastian took off down towards the mine. There was a goblin camp right outside of it—which meant if they were going to get in without drawing a massive amount of attention, they'd need to take the goblins out quickly so that they wouldn't be able to run to the mine and alert any other goblins that may be in there.

Matty cast Levioso, levitating three goblins before Descendo to slam them into the ground. Sebastian took a more fiery approach by using Confringo.

They made sure not to let any of the goblins get close to the mine as they couldn't risk the other goblins being alerted of their presence but soon enough, the goblins were gone.