Unbranded- Theo Nott Love Story

XXVII: The Curses of a Brother

Addison sat in a chair with her knees pressed into her chest as she rested her chin on them. Her shins rested against the edge of the wooden table she sat at, a chess board on top of it with her marble pieces placed against Blaise's marble pieces. Blaise sat opposite her, his elbows pressed to the tabletop as he analyzed the board.

"Any day now, brother," she taunted as she waited rather impatiently for him to take his turn. "Shall we time our moves? I reckon you'd lose every match if that were the case."

He ignored her as he instructed his knight to d-4.

She lifted herself as she looked at the pieces separated across the board. The beautifully decorated marble pieces were impeccable and almost too perfect to destroy. But did she love the way they sounded as they smashed to bits.

She started for her bishop to take out his knight, but something moved behind Blaise. She lifted her gaze to see Theo dressed in a thick wool winter coat with her coat in his hands. He tilted his head back toward the common room door with a wicked smirk.

She perked up and nodded as Blaise's gaze tilted down toward her next play. She changed course as she picked up a pawn to place one square forward.

Blaise snorted and used his knight to take out the bishop she was going to use to attack him. The piece shattered as his knight stood in its place. "Check." She gasped and slammed her hands down on the table.

"This is outrageous." She stood and pushed the board so hard the pieces fell and lost their spot. "I don't believe this. You keep cheating."

Blaise fell back into his seat as he gawked up at her. "Bloody hell, what is wrong with you?"

She huffed and pointed an accusing finger at her. "You need to sort out your priorities here, Blaise. If you wish for me to keep playing with you then you can't keep cheating." She stepped away from the the table. "You know what, you can pick up this mess. That's how I'll know our playing together really means a lot to you,"

"Addi-"

"Clean it!" She shouted as she ran toward Theo who had backed away out of sight of her brother. He used the shadows to conceal him until she neared him, then he stepped out with his hand raised toward her. She met him with a smile and grabbed his outstretched hand as she kept running toward the door, a smile growing ever more on her lips.

They slipped out before Blaise had the thought to turn his head to see where she was running off too.

The dark cold corridor slowed them, and she turned toward Theo with a laugh. "If Blaise finds us alone together, I think he'll pop a blood vessel."

He grinned cheekily as he offered her the coat he had snuck away. "That's why I had to be discreet. He's not being slick this week. He's done everything he can to keep us apart."

She nodded as she slipped the coat on and buttoned it up to her chest. She freed her hair from the back of the coat and let it curtain around her shoulders. "I don't know what's gotten into him. He hasn't said a word about it. He's just been more... meddlesome than usual."

"I can't believe you forfeited a chess game for me," he boasted as he grabbed her hand to tug her out of the dungeon.

She wanted to roll her eyes and give a sassy comment, but his warm palm against hers evaporated every bit of sass she had to offer. Instead, she squeezed his hand and stepped closer to their arms were nearly flush.

The depths of the dungeon provided a hearty cover for them, but as they slipped up into the main part of the castle, the open windows poured white light from the moon reflecting off the fresh snow. Portals of bright heavenly light soaked the cobblestone floors and walls until they drenched slips of heaven straight into their realm.