Legacy Disowned - Book 2

Chapter 13 - Unforgivable

(TW: I know I usually do not include warnings as I feel they can spoil the story but, felt I should here. As stated in the story description this is not an nsfw fic so there is nothing explicit but there are themes of NC in this chapter that may be difficult for some readers)

Silvery moonlight filtered in through the terrace doors of Mr. Malfoy's study, providing Sebastian with just enough light for his search. As he'd suspected, the office and library two floors below had offered no truly valuable information. Already, he'd spotted several books on the shelves that the noble patriarch would never risk keeping downstairs where guests might come across them. If the information he needed existed in this Manor, it would be in this room.

He knew Darling and Ominis would be furious at him for going off plan like this, but they need never know. Jackdaw had confirmed that there was nobody patrolling the halls, everyone was down in the ballroom, and based on the pace at which guests were pulling drinks off his tray earlier, nobody was going to be coming up here to conduct business any time soon. It was for that reason, that he felt he could take his time, wanting to be certain that he left no stone unturned.

"There has to be something here," Sebastian muttered to himself as he carefully thumbed through a stack of documents he'd found in one of the desk drawers. This was very likely the only opportunity he would ever have to get the upper hand on Burke. If he was going to keep Darling out of that man's clutches, he couldn't leave this estate empty handed. But as he reached the last page his heart sank, nothing.

With a frustrated sigh, he returned the stack of useless papers to where he'd found them. But just as he drew back to slam the drawer shut, his knuckles grazed across something that made him pause. Flipping his hand over, he ran his fingers along the roof of the drawer. A wide grin spread across his face as he felt the unmistakable grooves of several familiar runes carved there.

"Well Mr. Malfoy," he breathed, "Seems you have something worth hiding after all."

Tracing the carvings with the tip of his wand, he whispered, "Per libertatem revelare..."

A soft glow began to emanate from inside the drawer as Sebastian continued muttering the spell, and his heart quickened with anticipation. Almost there—

"Sallow!"

The sudden voice made him jump, causing him to slide the drawer shut on his own hand, the light extinguishing in an instant.

"Jackdaw!" Sebastian hissed, rubbing his knuckles as he watched the ghost rise out of the floor. "What are you doing here?"

"I think that's my line," Jackdaw replied pointedly. "Darling sent me."

Fuck

Sebastian groaned internally, he was sure he would never hear the end of this, but he'd come too far to give up now. "There's something in here," he said, sliding the drawer back open. "A runic seal, I just need a moment to crack it— wait— why did Darling send you? Don't tell me the necklace—"

"We got the necklace," Jackdaw cut in hurriedly. "Garreth and Imelda ran into some trouble, when I couldn't find you I went to her. She took care of it, but now she's on her way up here to look for you."

"What?!" Sebastian exclaimed in alarm. "She wasn't supposed to leave the ballroom!"

"You weren't supposed to leave the main floor," Jackdaw shot back with a raised eyebrow.

"Damn it, Darling," Sebastian sighed, running a hand through his hair. She was directly going against Burke's instructions and potentially implicating herself in this theft over nothing. This was all the more reason. "I can't leave without something we can use against Burke."