Descent - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter twenty-four

Lucia

May 29th, 6:45 a.m., Highlands Hideout

The first rays of the morning sun filtered through the cracks of the crumbling hut, but what woke me were the beams streaming through the small window right beside the bed. Reaching out instinctively, I found the bed next to me empty. Mattheo's absence puzzled me; had he even slept last night?

As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I realized Mattheo was nowhere to be seen within the cabin. A sudden pressure in my abdomen prompted me to jump up and rush into the bathroom.

While washing my hands, I heard a voice - Mattheo's voice.

"Yes. It's going well. I think she's starting to trust me," he said. I froze. Was he talking about me?

Curiosity overwhelmed me. Moving cautiously, I crept towards the window, peering out through a gap. There he was, standing outside, speaking into his wand. To the uninformed, it would seem strange, but I knew exactly what it meant. My father had taught me well.

Traditional communication methods like sending owls or using other means could be easily tracked by the Ministry. Since Voldemort had taken over, he controlled this surveillance, making it perilous for anyone opposing him to communicate openly.

My father had therefore taught me and my siblings an alternative: a form of dark magic, forbidden for obvious reasons, but invaluable in emergencies. It allowed brief, untraceable communication if both parties knew the spell.

Mattheo was using this very method. As I strained to listen, my suspicions grew.

"Yes, father. I will soon have everything we need. Soon enough."

My breath caught in my throat. All this time, Mattheo had been deceiving me. He had pretended to be my ally, slowly gaining my trust while secretly remaining loyal to them.

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. The man I had started to rely on, who had shown glimpses of something more, was still in league with Voldemort. Anger and betrayal churned within me, but I knew I had to remain calm. I couldn't afford to let him see my distress, not yet.

What was his plan? How long had he been stringing me along? Questions swirled in my mind as I struggled to contain the rising tide of emotions. I had to confront him, but I needed to do it carefully. I needed to understand his game before making my move.

Stepping away from the window, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the confrontation that lay ahead. The trust I had begun to place in him was shattered, replaced by a fierce determination to uncover the truth.

For now, I would pretend. I would play his game, all the while unraveling his intentions. He wouldn't know what hit him when I finally exposed his betrayal.

Bracing myself, I walked out of the bathroom and into the main room of the hut, ready to face the man who had so thoroughly deceived me.

***

The first rays of the morning sun filtered through the cracks of the crumbling hut, casting soft, golden patterns on the rustic walls. I was jolted awake, the vivid remnants of a dream clinging to my consciousness. In the dream, I had overheard Mattheo talking to his father, his words a chilling betrayal. The sensation of betrayal, so intense and real, lingered as I blinked away the last vestiges of sleep.

It took a moment to orient myself, my breath coming in short gasps as I looked around the cabin. The light, the setting - it was all so familiar, eerily similar to the dream. But as my eyes adjusted, I noticed a key difference: Mattheo was lying behind me, his arm draped protectively over my waist. His presence, solid and warm, was a stark contrast to the treachery I had just dreamed.