Necromancer's Descent

81 - Fear and Advice

Henrietta Hydel's Point of View

I stare at the door in my private room, as a knock draws me from writing the letter to Liam.

It's practically time for bed, so I should expect Mia to want to sleep here tonight.

I click my tongue and get up, loosening the top button on my shirt before I go to open the door.

Just be as calm and collected as possible. Don't overthink.

Yet my skin crawls at the thought of giving physical comfort to the manipulative, cruel little creature who-

I bite the inside of my cheek.

It's fine. It's the price that needs to be paid for our safety. My feelings aren't worth more than that.

I open the door after putting on a polite smile, but instead of Mia... the one who is looking at me with fear and worry in their eyes... is Wallis.

"Uhm... Henrietta... can I... can I borrow a bit of your time?"

He nervously rubs his thumb against the back of his hand, and glances at the door to Claudius' room down the hall, where Mia has been ever since Claudius carried her away.

...

"Sure."

I step to the side and let him in, and Wallis awkwardly stands right by the door, with his head almost sunk between his shoulders.

"Don't be so nervous, sit down," I encourage him with a warm smile to boost his confidence just a little.

Wallis is actually a bit taller than me, but because of his bad posture, and the way he tries to make himself seem smaller, most people don't notice. Add to that his tiny meals and those he skips entirely, he just looks lanky under all those robes.

Wallis quietly nods, and awkwardly shuffles to the chair by the side of the desk I was just writing at. I myself sit down at my desk again, and flip the letter I was writing over, to prevent him from snooping, even if he appears too distracted with his own worries.

"What's wrong, Wallis?"

He's not even bringing around his beloved tarrot deck, but just shifts uncomfortably in the chair.

"...I-..."

He hesitates.

"...I don't understand what happened... with... with Theodore."

His gaze flickers nervously, as the blood drains from his face.

"What about it?"

Wallis then freezes in his spot, shaking like a newborn fawn.

"He tried to kill Johannes."

"Johannes did try to kill him first. It shouldn't be that much of a surprise," I argue in return, but Wallis just shakes his head.

"You don't understand. He-"

Wallis pauses.

"When Theodore came out of the tent, and I saw Johannes run at him I- I used the magic to save Rosalin... because I owe her..."

He shakes harder, and glances to the side.

"The thing that Theodore's red magic turned to... it- it got Johannes' entire upper body, and left his head intact... when- when it c-crunched down, J-Johannes sss-ssscreamed and Theodore... he... he smiled. He looked so gleeful. He- He laughed. He said- he said 'So much for being a genius'."

Wallis scratches his arm.

...

So I was definitely right about Theodore hating Johannes. Though despising might be more fitting.