Shadow of the Key | Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 15: Comfort

"My sanctuary, where fears and lies melt away."

- Hikaru Utada

Amelia's POV

"How the hell did he do that?!"

"I... I don't know."

Sebastian paced around the Undercroft with furrowed eyebrows and hands to his hips in deep thought.

"I didn't think the bloody twat could actually create his own spells. What if he hurts you when the finals come up? What then?" He asks worriedly.

"I can handle him, Sebastian," she assures him.

"I don't trust it, Amelia. I don't trust him."

"So what do you want me to do about it?" She walks up to him then, "Back out?"

"Preferably, yes," he admits, stopping his pacing to stand in front of her.

She scoffs, "Yeah, that's not happening."

"You saw what he did to Astoria!" He shouts, "It was like he was performing the Cruciatus Curse on her mind. What if he gets in your head?"

"He won't," she states confidently.

"How do you know that?" He stares down at her questioningly.

"I can come up with something," she tells him, walking towards the pile of ancient magic texts that sat on one of the tables.

"Amelia, you need to back out. Seriously."

"No!" She shouts at him, whipping her head towards him, "I'm not letting him win this bloody tournament over a forfeit."

He watches her as she opens up one of the textbooks and begins reading, "You can't use your ancient magic, Amie. That's what he wants."

"Whatever it takes," she finalizes, continuing to read.

He scoffs at her, "You're unbelievable."

"You know what, Sallow?" She glares at him.

"Don't 'Sallow' me, Amelia," he scolds.

"I'm going to, you know why?" She walks up to him until she's directly in his face, "Because you don't trust me. After everything we've done together, you still don't trust me."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Amie!" He groans in frustration, palming his eyelids shut, "I just told you, I don't trust him. I've never trusted him. After seeing what he did to Astoria, I don't want him doing the same to you."

"And he won't," she says, "You're forgetting that I can pull tricks of my own."

He sighs in resignation and walks towards the wall, leaning against it with his arms crossed, "There's no stopping you, is there?"

"No," she admits.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, clearly trying to fight the frustration that is fighting to come out of him.

They say nothing else, him remaining in the same spot while Amelia flips through her textbooks in search of spells.

She didn't want to use her ancient magic, but she also didn't want Clive to win. Or frankly, do what he just did to Astoria.

What a stupid bloody rule. All spells go? What is she suppose to do, cast the Killing Curse on him?

...Well...