Prince In Darkness Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 13: Empty

*Alora POV*

Anne graciously put a blanket around my shoulders as we all sat around the fire. Putting a cup of tea in my hands to warm me up. The smell of the lemon and honey sucked me into my happy place as the hot liquid dripped down my throat. 

"Mmmm... Anne. You always did make the best tea." I said warmly, taking another swig. "Thank you."

She smiled happily at me, coming to sit next to me on the chair near the fire. 

The house was quiet. Even with the background noise of the crackle of the fire, things still seemed out of place. The absence of Sebastian and Ominis really made this place into something different. Sebastian's sarcastic and fun nature while Ominis with his whitty and nark comments really did light up the atmosphere in this house. 

But now it was just quiet. Too quiet. 

The wakes of Sebastian being gone really felt like a dark and cold blanket, leaving us shivering as our thoughts went to him. 

The creak of Anne's chair pulled me out of my daze, my eyes flickering over to her as I knew she was waiting to hear what had happened. 

I sighed.

"Well, come on Circe. The suspense is killing us." Garreth said. He was sitting across from me, his hands around his own cup of tea. His green eyes watching me intently as he motioned for me to continue. 

I smirked, "Yes........ he was there."

Anne gasped as Garreth inched more forward in their seats. Waiting to intently hear more. 

"Was he-" Anne said.

"Yes, he was okay."

Anne visibly relaxed in her chair, sinking back into the cushions. 

"He...... was never taken to Azkaban. Not yet anyway......" I sighed, "They wanted to prosecute him almost immediately so he's awaiting trial. It will be in three days." I said softly. 

I pulled the time turner from my pocket, laying it down in front of us as our eyes gaze upon the gold trinket. 

"Garreth........ why didn't you take us where we needed to go to find who put him behind bars. That was the plan and we ended up somewhere completely different. Why do we have this?" I asked firmly, pointing to the time turner. 

Garreth looked beside himself as he thought carefully, grabbing the trinket from the table. The gold reflecting off our eyes as he began to spin it from the top. 

"I know it's not exactly what we were going for, but as I thought more about it as we were dropping into the Ministry........we were already short on time and when I looked down in the direction where the information was needed, and it was still heavily guarded.........."

He took another sip of his tea, placing the time turner back onto the table quietly. "I remember my father telling me about these once and I had to think fast!"

I frowned at him, trying to make sense of it all but I wished in some way this could have been communicated while we were there so that maybe I could have tried.

He sighed, his head leaning against his arm as the exhaustion under his eyes was becoming more and more prevalent. 

"Do you even know how to use it?" Anne spoke up. Garreth's eyes shifted towards her. His cheeks turning red from embarrassment.

"Well..... not exactly-"

"Weasley! You have to be kidding me!" I groaned.

"It's going to be fine! We just have to-"

"Have to what!? Try to figure this thing out in the meantime?! His trial is in three days Garreth! Us going there was essentially a waste of OUR TIME!" I yelled. 

The echo of my voice traveled through the small house, Anne visibly flinched in her seat from the sharpness.

Garreth breathed heavily, his eyes wandering my face as I gritted my teeth. 

"At the time this was my only option Alora, I'm sorry.......... regardless, we have to face it. Even if he was framed, he has evidence pointing against him that he did that they think he did. Strong enough to arrest him..... This might be the only thing we can do to go back and see who actually planted it against him....."

Anne breathed that she had been holding was finally released, leaning forward onto the table as she cradled her head. 

I was exhausted as I rubbed my eyes, feeling the tension in the room strong enough to slice it with a knife. 

Garreth stood quickly, bringing our attention to him as he scooted the chair back into his spot. 

"Where are you going?" Anne finally asked. 

"Home. I'll ask my father more information on it and be back tomorrow hopefully with some more answers."

I raised my tired eyes to him, trying to apologize for my outburst. 

He came to my side, gripping my shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

He smiled slightly, "Relax Alora..... we'll figure this out. Trust me."

I nodded my head, hearing his footstep lead outside the house as the door shut behind him. The sound of the magic swirling with a pop as he apparited back home. 

"Bloody hell...." I groaned, leaning into the table. 

Anne squeezed my other shoulder, giving me a soft look, her eyes shined slightly as the fire captivated them. 

"There's still hope...... " She barely whispered. Watching as her eyes landed on the door. I knew she was insinuating that Ominis would hopefully be back soon with answers and to clear his name but......... I was still as ever doubtful. 

"I don't know Anne...... nothing feels the same anymore. This house...... without him.... it feels, so empty."

She sighed heavily, "I know exactly what you mean..... Sebastian, that boy, always had a way of being the life of the party."

Anne got up slowly, edging towards the other side of the room behind the curtain with the beds and started digging through his trunk of clothes. 

I frowned at her, watching her pull out a dark green sweatshirt of his. 

"Here." She said, coming back over to me. 

I grasped it, feeling the soft fabric underneath my fingertips. 

"I think you need this more than I do...." 

I chuckled lightly, bringing the sweatshirt to my chest. It smelt like him, bringing my nose down to it. I probably looked like a complete maniac, smelling her brother's sweatshirt. Feeling my cheeks heat up from embarrassment. But I didn't care, the closeness of the reminder of him made my heart start to slow and the panic started to diminish. And maybe for right now, that's all I needed.