Consuming Darkness: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 84

-Sebastian-

My eyes ran over Ronnie as she struggled to support herself on the floor, cradling her abdomen. Her dress had been torn in multiple places, the fabric hanging from her shoulders, her body had so many cuts all over it in varying severity. Her eye was already developing an awful bruise and there was blood on her lips and smeared along her cheek. The fire in her eyes had dimmed as she struggled to keep them open.

"Stay with me, darling. You've done such a good job," my voice unsteady. I wanted to run her to the hospital wing, heal her... help her.

"What are you doing here boy?" Pierce shouted, pulling my attention. "What have you done to my nephew?!"

Ronnie looked up at me with a slow blink. "He has my magic... he has my wand... I-I..." she sagged nearly falling to the floor. I quickly reached down before she fell, and gently laid her to the floor.

"Where is Finnian?!" Pierce screamed again.

"Don't fall asleep Ron, you have to stay with me," I begged, ignoring Pierce as long as I could. The situation was far more dire than I thought it would be.

"Can you stay awake for me darling?"

She nodded. "He'll kill you Bash... please..." The tone of her voice and the look in her eyes were begging me to listen. "I'll figure a way out of this. He's not going to kill me. He wants my ancient magic. Please.. just go. I'll be ok-"

I smiled at her, hoping I was hiding my fear. I would have rather died here than leave her. "You know I won't leave you."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar blue flame shoot toward me.

Shadows pulled toward me instinctively, shielding me from them at the last second. I turned to Ronnie one last time. "Stay awake for me okay Ron?"

Ronnie nodded, her face filled with concern, as she slowly rose to a seated position, her movements labored.

"That's my girl."

I turned to Professor Pierce who stood in front of the empty and scorched frames. Though I had suggested we burn them a while ago standing in this room with the floor broken and the pictures burned... it was far more grim than I had imagined.

"Where is Finnian you wretched boy?" Pierce sneered.

"You put far more faith in your nephew than you should have," I held my arms out with a cocky grin, shadows dancing along my arms, clinging to my body, my brand showing through my torn shirt. I watched his eyes widen at the display of my new magical abilities.

"What did you do to him?" Pierce barked angrily.

I felt Ronnie's eyes on my back, and I tried to hide from Pierce how much my anxiety for her well-being was affecting my thoughts, forcing my eyes to stay forward on him. "Let's just say... he's far more qualified for the Headless Hunt than Nearly Headless Nick," I said coolly as a manic grin spread along my lips.

Pierce disappeared in a flash of blue light, a move I'd seen Ronnie do countless times and I dodged on sheer reflex.

Blue flames filled my vision and I quickly threw a wave of shadows toward them as they roared towards me. The flames immediately began to burn away the shadows and I was forced to roll to the side to avoid incineration.

He knew how to use her magic, and I'd most assuredly pissed him off by killing Finn, but now I had his full attention.

I shrouded myself in shadows, disappearing from his view.

"Hiding now boy?"

He at least didn't seem to know how my magic worked, but it wouldn't be much help in anything other than dodging and deflecting if I couldn't get close enough to get inside his head.