Periculum

8.

I ended up sneaking down to the dungeons.

I hadn't talked to my father in days, going out of my way to ignore him even and pretending like he wasn't talking when he was. It infuriated him but it was all I could do to keep from fighting him.

I missed Mateo, I missed being treated as an equal and so I snuck down to the dungeons to see him, wincing when I did. 

Mateo was chained to the wall, dried and fresh blood covering him, his clothes were torn and he hardly seemed to be breathing which scared me but I could smell his heart, however weak it may have been. 

Going forwards, I knelt in front of his cell and whispered, 

"Mateo?" 

Mateo looked up, he looked exhausted but perked upon seeing me, "Sebastian?" 

"Mateo" I nearly sobbed, grabbing onto the cells bars, "oh Mateo...what've they done to you?" 

"a lot-" Mateo hacked and coughed, "a lot...I won't bore you with details" he said with a weak smile which quickly fell and he winced as though it hurt to smile. I felt tears fill my eyes. 

"I'll get you out of here" I said, "I promise...I promise Mateo" 

"Sebastian it's fine" 

"It's not! I put you here!!" I cried, "all...all because I love you" 

"Then I'm partially to blame...because I love you too" 

Mateo said it with such sincerity that I did end up crying, covering my face to cry and I heard Mateo hum. Hum the lullaby that he'd sung to me so many times before to comfort me and even now, it worked. 

I heard Valentine calling for me upstairs and I looked to Mateo in fear, he jerked his head to the stairs, 

"Go...It's fine my love" 

"But-" 

"I'll be fine...at least I got to see you..." 

I bit my lip, standing up and blowing a kiss to Mateo before heading up the stairs and walking off to find Valentine. 

I did find him eventually. 

"Sebastian, where were you!?" 

I didn't respond, didn't even look him in the eye. 

Valentine snarled, "No matter, we have important business to discuss" 

I stayed quiet but followed Valentine as he walked off, Mateo's lullaby echoing in my mind.