Out of the Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Seventy-Seven

*Warning: This chapter contains heavy emotions, dark magic, death and grief.*

"Rach!" Sebastian called from up above the crater. "Rachel! Are you ok?"

I just stood there, my chest heaving, plotting my revenge on my own brother.

He slid down to the bottom to come over to me.

"Rach." He said softly. "You're.... glowing..."

"Yeah, it happens." I said just as softly.

I could feel that he was going to reach out to me and I cut in quickly, "Don't touch me. I don't know what'll happen." I snapped at him. He pulled his hand away.

"I... I'm sorry. About Deek. I really liked that elf. And Scarlet. She was incredible."

I didn't reply. I had nothing to say.

"I... I don't know what to do..." He uttered quietly.

"I do." I started to climb out of the crater.

"What? Go after him? That's exactly what he wants, Rach. You can't do that! Don't allow him to win!" He was practically yelling at my back. I could hear him huffing air, climbing out behind me. He was going to follow me, wasn't he?

"I wouldn't come with me if I were you." My feet found solid ground and I started toward Irondale which I knew was just up the road, around the side of the big hill.

"Why not?" He asked, exasperated.

"You don't know what I'm capable of. You don't know what Will is capable of. And when we get together... it's something beyond this world. I expect it won't be pretty." I growled back toward him. I could feel my burning red eyes and my hot skin setting alight further with the thought of confronting him.

"Rachel. Rachel! Rach, please! Stop!" He finally screamed out.

I stopped to indulge him momentarily. "What?" I asked, no inflection to my voice.

"Please, please don't do this. I just got you back. I ... can't lose you again. Please." He had tears in his eyes. "Let's go home." He extended his hand to me. It was slightly shaky but looked so inviting. The tiniest part of me wanted to grasp it and go anywhere with him. For the rest of my life.

But I knew my brother would haunt me for the rest of that life. I needed to end this. Now.

"No." I said simply. "You go home. I'm taking care of this." I turned back around and continued walking briskly, leaving a glowing red trail in my wake.

"Then, you force me to come with you."

"Stay out of it, Sebastian. I'm warning you. If something happens to YOU because of me, how do you think I'd take that? You want to make it worse?"

"No. I don't. But I can't just leave you. I can't."

"Great." I huffed out.

The rest of our walk was silent. It gave me the opportunity to contemplate what I was going to do. I couldn't let him get away with this. But I was not about to let that vile Justus Pilliwickle win either.

Also, I now thought Azkaban was too kind a place for Will. I was so enraged; I couldn't see beyond the mental image I had of poor little Deek burned to death cradled in the blackened wings of that stunning phoenix. I don't think that image would ever leave my brain.

I could see Irondale approaching and I took a right, sloping downward. I knew where he'd be. Probably awaiting my arrival. There's no way he thought I wouldn't come looking for him after what he did.