A Man Has Horns // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 38 - Partners in Dance

"Did you find him?" Ominis stopped me in the corridor two days later. 

"Yes," I answered him. 

"Did you speak to him? What is happening?" Ominis continued to ask questions. 

Our conversation had made a significant impact on him. 

"I did," I answered not knowing how to dispel his worries. "He is fine."

I couldn't believe that I was about to lie to him again. 

But he would never allow this to happen again. After everything that had happened 5th year. After my repeated reassurances and justifications.

I grew more worried about the prospect of if he did find out, Ominis would not hesitate to inform the headmaster of the truth about Solomon. 

And he would be right to do so. I had vouched that this was a lesson to Sebastian and he would never seek the Dark Arts again. 

"Lilith answer me, has he resumed looking for a cure for Anne?" he asked me seriously and coldly, sensing that I was hiding something from him. 

I had to lie. 

"No," I answered not being to able to hide my disappointed and pained expression, which Ominis definitely sensed. "He avoided me because he did not want to continue anything romantic with me."

It was the only thing that came to mind that could explain my reaction.

"What?" Ominis was confused by my answer. "Why was he absent at nights then?"

"He...tried to reach back out to Charlotte," I spoke without the ability of much forethought. 

"He...?" Ominis' face finally changed back to normal but deeply taken aback by this conversation. "I...I apologise for his brutish behaviour then."

He was struggling to find his footing back. This was not a discussion he wanted to have with me, which was the main reason I had chosen it to be the reason for Sebastian's odd behaviour. 

"You should not apologise for other people's mistakes," I repeated after Garreth's words. I felt this conversation was strangely revealing of the actual happenings. 

"I will exchange some harsh words to him regarding this..." Ominis concluded as he just turned  to leave.

_____

Another day later as I was walking to the courtyard, I got stopped by Sebastian walking from class. 

"Did you tell Ominis I was back with Charlotte?" he whispered sharply as he grabbed my arm inconspicuously from others around us so we could walk parallel. 

"Yes," I answered shooting a look back to him, slightly startled from the sudden grab. "I was looking for you and made him nervous about your sudden absence."

He rose his eyebrows at me.  

"I had to say something so he would not find out," I finally said with a detachment. 

His eyes flashed and he understood I lied for him. 

"I am sorry Lilith," he replied. 

"How did the conversation go?" I asked as we had reached the end of the dead end corridor, hidden from view by two large pillars on each side. 

"Very confusing," he said with a bit of humour. "Had some choice words."

"Such as?"

"That upsetting you was not a wise decision. And that his opinion of me as a man had fallen," he answered, also feeling that Ominis' words were reflective on a larger scale.