In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 103: The Ties That Bind

Previously:
Elizabeth shared her idea that the relic affected Sebastian's mental state, and he got upset with her, wanting to own his actions and not defer the blame - and not to attribute his improvement to a potion. He noticed, when Andrew fell, that Silas Larson was not only present at the game, but was the first to try and slow his son's fall.
Andrew had some injuries from the fall that Nurse Blainey took care of quickly, and Aria was there. She inadvertently planted the idea that Andrew should talk to Sebastian, as the worry about Sebastian being a murderer has been troubling him since school resumed (Which has been like... 4 days)

Andrew

Ominis and Grace were headed towards the dungeons while Sebastian split off to climb the marble staircase. Andrew jogged to catch up with Sebastian, his legs feeling rather rubbery under him. He had a plan to give himself some peace of mind - foolish plan, but a plan nonetheless.

"Hey!" Andrew called after him. "Do you have a moment?"

"Yeah, of course," Sebastian said, pausing and turning towards him. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine - Nurse Blainey fixed me right up," Andrew said, falling into step beside him. "But, I was wondering if you might be up for some dueling practice, in the, er, Undercroft."

"You want me to duel you when you just got out of the hospital wing?" Sebastian asked with a snort. "I think I'll pass - for your sake."

This final remark was accompanied by a grin and Andrew managed a shaky smile in response.

"Perhaps dueling practice was the wrong way to put it," Andrew said, thinking quickly. "Do you remember that one spell you used when we dueled in Isvik? The one that sort of duplicated you? I was wondering if you could teach me - for the next Crossed Wands match."

"Ah, I see," Sebastian said, then shrugged. "I could definitely help with that - now or later?"

"Now - if you've got time."

"Alright then," Sebastian said, abruptly changing direction to take a shortcut hidden behind a tapestry. "But, as long as I've got you... I had a thought about a gift for Ominis' birthday, but... well, I'm not sure..."

As Sebastian talked, Andrew nodded along, only half listening. His mind was too busy thinking of what came next. He knew he had to ask Sebastian - it was eating him alive - but he wasn't foolish enough to do it while he was armed, just in the off chance it was all true. That was where the dueling request had come in, if he could win. Sebastian had beat him soundly every other time they'd fought, though he'd had to resort to unblockable spells or underhanded tactics most times, but that had been because he'd been holding his own, hadn't it? His hands were ice cold and he had a death grip on his wand in his pocket. Perhaps it was better he had had to come up with the alternative excuse. 'He killed you, just like he did Solomon'. He could be walking into a secret room alone with a killer. It was a thought that had crossed his mind many times since the summer - yet it had never felt so real before. He might have been able to put aside his worry, with how much closer he and Sebastian had grown, and yet... 'Solomon was his uncle, and that didn't stop him.'

Sebastian was still chatting away happily as they rounded the first floor staircase, heading for the clock that hid the entrance to the Undercroft. There was a light in his eyes and a smile on his lips - so different from the sullen, angry person he had been a mere year ago. That person Andrew could see as a killer. But, the boy who had shed tears of happiness to see his sister cured? The clockwork mechanism whirled and opened, Sebastian leading the way inside. Andrew supposed he'd find out the truth now. The heavy clockface clanged shut behind him, the sound oddly final as it cut off the light of the hall and sent a shiver down his spine.