A Ballad of Snakes and Shadows // A Dark Sebastian Sallow Romance

Chapter Sixteen: Writing's On The Wall

Writing's On The Wall - Sam Smith

I would have said it was sheer luck that we'd made it out by the skin of our teeth, but it had been Ominis' quick thinking. As we ran from the arena's box, he demanded that I pull my broom out and we fly as far away as possible from that godforsaken place, until we were out of the apparition ward.

We made it back to the Room of Requirement only minutes later. I was thankful Ominis hadn't left me somewhere else, but that did not help the unease in my gut. Now that Ominis knew the truth...

What would he do with it?

He was going to want answers - the kind that would hurt him. The answers he would seek from me were the ones full of shadows that I kept close to my chest. I was afraid of what they'd look like when they were spoken aloud and forced into the light.

All those answers were mangled creatures, ugly and horrible.

I fell to my knees when we apparated back to the main hall of the Room, clutching my body tightly as I reeled from the memories of what we left behind. Ominis flung himself to the other side of the room, as far away from me as he could get.

I didn't blame him.

Who would want to be in the presence of this detestably weak and sinful flesh?

I kept my eyes on the ground as I tried to tug my dress up over my body. It was in ruins - completely crumpled and creased. My trembling fingers tried to soothe the crinkles as I searched for anything to keep me from looking at Ominis.

I did not have the right to look at him.

I didn't deserve the sight of him any more than he deserved to be lied to. I was undeserving of the kindness or mercy he might offer in place of anger. I wouldn't grovel at his feet for forgiveness. I would not fight the fury in his words.

I'd face whatever storm Ominis threw at me, whether it was light rain or a monsoon. I'd drown in the waters of my consequences all the same.

A few moments of silence passed between us and my body tensed as Ominis inhaled sharply.

"What in the actual fuck, Hyacinth?!" Ominis exploded. I was indeed destined to be the eye of his storm then. I winced.

No matter how resolved I was to my punishment, I hadn't been ready for the bite in his words.

I kept my eyes trained on the floor as I did everything in my power not to bend underneath Ominis' pressure just yet. I had to keep myself together long enough to let Ominis have the truth. I could fall apart once I was alone.

Alone... like I deserved to be.

Only then would I allow myself to break completely.

"Explain what just happened. All of it." It wasn't a request that Ominis barked - it was a command. I clutched my knees to my chest. This was my own doing, all these lies and disguises. I found myself trying to swallow the vomit rising in my chest.

I didn't think it would hurt so much to confess the truth I had been protecting Ominis from.

This is what it felt like to truly let someone down.

"Do I need to break his fingers too, Hyacinth? Or would you prefer I snapped his neck instead?"

I hadn't saved Ominis. I had only put him in more danger. I had been a fool for believing I could shelter my best friend from the shadow of our choices. Ominis was just as damned as I was.