Safe & Sound//Sebastian Sallow

fifty.

When Sebastian and I made it to Surrey, we rushed to Lira and Charle's home. I was thankful that magic allowed us to get there so quickly. Smoke was coming up through the chimney, so someone was home. Sebastian knocked on the door a few times before someone came to open it. Lira looked at us, surprised.

"What are you two doing here," she asked.

"We need to talk to you and Charles," Sebastian replied.

"Is everything okay?"

"No, not really."

"Come in and I'll get Charles. Emery is still in bed, so we can talk privately." Lira stood aside and let us in. She led us to the kitchen and excused herself to get her husband. Sebastian and I sat at the table and waited for them to join us. When minutes had passed, I began to get nervous.

"Something isn't right," I said, pulling my wand from its holster and standing up.

"I was thinking the same thing." Sebastian stood and grabbed his own wand.

We slowly made our way through the house and searched each room. They were all empty until we reached Emery's room. Lira lay unconscious on the floor with blood pouring from her head, Charles and Emery nowhere in site.

"Lira," Sebastian called out and rushed by her side. He checked her pulse. "She's still alive. Help me heal her."

I opened my bag and quickly grabbed the essence of dittany that I always carried. I threw the bottle to Sebastian and he opened it, using the dropper to drop the potion onto Lira's wound. I felt relief as I watched it heal.

"Aside from this, there's no sign of a struggle. I hate to say it, but I think Charles caught her off guard," I told Sebastian as I rummaged through the bag for my smelling salts. We needed to wake Lira.

"The bastard took my son," he said through clenched teeth.

"Maybe Lira will know where he took him." I hurried to his side once I'd found the smelling salts. I opened the bottle and held it under Lira's nose. After a couple of breaths, her eyes began to flutter open. She looked around slowly as she regained consciousness. A moment later, she began panicking.

"Emery," she cried as she scurried to her feet. Sebastian and I stood back up and did our best to help steady her. "Where's Emery," she asked frantically.

"We think Charles hit you in the head and then took him," I told her.

"Do you know where he could've taken him," Sebastian asked.

"Why would Charles do that? He wouldn't hurt me or Emery," she said, shaking her head.

"Do you remember what happened before you were hit? Did you see anyone else here," I asked.

"I-I don't remember anything," she cried. "I came to get Charles and saw him walk in here. Then I don't remember anything." Tears spilled from her eyes.

"Someone has been attacking those around us. Was Charles home last night," Sebastian asked.

"What? I think so. Emery and I went to see my mother. Charles wasn't feeling well, so he stayed home. He was asleep when we got back."

"Depending on the time, he could've very well caused the explosion and ransacked Ominis' home," I told Sebastian.

"But he must have known we'd come here after everything. He had to have known we'd try to warn them," Sebastian replied.

"Maybe that was the plan. He was hoping we'd come here. He wants us to come after him," I said. We were puppets to him and he was pulling the strings.

"Charles wouldn't do this," Lira cried.