Descent - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter twenty-five

Mattheo

June 1st, 9:35 p.m., Cottage near Hogsmeade

"Lucia?" I called softly, hope threading through my voice. She had only spoken my name, but her tone carried a strength I hadn't heard in days. The wound from the spider was nearly healed, though the eerie greenish glow still lingered.

She managed to sit up slightly on her own, and I placed a hand on her back to support her. "What...?" she began, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.

"The giant spider scratched you during the battle before you defeated it. After that, you deteriorated rapidly. I brought you out of the Forbidden Forest and found this cottage. We need to get to Hogsmeade. A friend of mine can help us," I summarized quickly. "How are you feeling?"

Lucia let out a weak cough, then slowly turned to me. "Better," she murmured. "I don't know. I'm still dizzy, but it was worse before I lost consciousness."

I reluctantly released her and glanced around. Grabbing a bottle of water from our bag, I handed it to her. "Here. You should drink something."

She nodded, giving me a grateful look before taking a few sips.

"Do you think you can walk?" I asked cautiously after she had nearly finished the bottle. I would have preferred to carry her, but we would be quicker if she could manage to walk.

Lucia moved her legs tentatively and then nodded. "I think so," she replied. "This friend of yours... can we trust him?"

"I've known him since childhood. His father is a high-ranking follower of my father. We've been through a lot together. He has his quirks, but he's reliable," I explained.

"Do you really trust him?" she asked again, her gaze piercing.

"Yes," I replied without hesitation. "He would never betray me."

"Not even if his own life depended on it?" she pressed.

I understood her skepticism. In today's world, blind trust was a rare commodity; people were inherently selfish. You had to prioritize your own survival. But if there was one certainty in my life, it was that I could trust Theodore implicitly. He would ensure my safety before revealing anything, if at all. My plan to rescue Lucia had been spontaneous, and I had confided in no one, not even Theodore. He didn't know our whereabouts or our plans, and if I hadn't needed his help, he wouldn't even know if we were still alive.

That wasn't the conventional definition of friendship, but Theodore understood the complexities of our world as well as I did.

"Yes," I repeated firmly. Theodore was one of the few people, perhaps the only one, for whom I would willingly risk everything, and I knew he would do the same for me.

Lucia studied my face, sensing the depth of my conviction. She nodded and offered a faint smile. "I'm glad you have at least one person you can trust so completely."

I returned her smile, albeit faintly. It never ceased to amaze me how she could remain so kind and hopeful despite all she had endured and witnessed under my father's regime. Most people had become cold, selfish, and hostile. But Lucia was different. She was so much better.

After a while, Lucia slowly stood up. She was unsteady at first, almost collapsing. I caught her just in time, my arm around her waist, the other supporting her hip. She hung in my arms for a moment, and suddenly, we were very close. Our eyes locked, and I could feel her heart beating against my chest. I swallowed hard.

She was so undeniably beautiful. Her light brown eyes framed by long lashes, the full lips, flawless skin, and flowing hair. Once again, I found it incomprehensible how this woman could still be innocent. If she had attended Hogwarts with me and my friends, every boy would have vied for her attention, and I would have claimed her, even if only for a night.