⊹ Book 2 of the Aldergrove Duology ⊹
{ONC 2023 Shortlister}
Desperate to see his dead mate again, Sebastien makes a deal with the Devil. But the price he has to pay is much more complicated than simply handing over his soul.
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⤠ ≻ ◈ ≺ ⤟
When Sebastien got back to the apartment he shared with Mathew and Mavis—whom he'd promised Clementine he'd take care of, but were pretty much taking care of him since his father disowned him—he flew in through the door and set his eyes on Mathew. The dark-haired, red-eyed boy was sitting in front of the flatscreen TV on the beige rug with a bowl of popcorn and a large stack of papers. The white curtains were drawn, and the smell of cooking bacon came from the kitchen.
"Matt," he said hastily, kicking the door shut behind him.
"Oh, Sebastien," the lanky, dark-haired guy said, looking up at him as he stopped to his left. "Did you meet him? What—"
"You have a car, right?"
"Yes..." he drawled, his crimson eyes filling with skepticism. "The one the law school provided."
"Great. I need to borrow it."
"Is that Sebby?" came Mavis' high-pitched voice. She skipped out of the kitchen in a pink apron with a greasy spatula in her hand and her grass-green hair tied in a bun. When she set her sparkling eyes on Sebastien, she fluttered her butterfly-like wings and smiled. "Is it good news?! Share with us all the what's, where's, and who's!"
He looked down at Mathew again. "Where are the keys?"
"Uh...I need the car to get to school, Sebastien."
"I need the car to get to Aldergrove—"
"Aldergrove?" Mavis called, still standing in the kitchen doorway. "Why do you have to go to the place you loath?" She then gasped. "His Lord Caedis said yes, didn't he? You have to go and collect Clem's body—is that the key?"
"What? No—well, he said yes," Sebastien confirmed, "but he's got me completing some task before he grants my wish, and that's why I need the car," he urged, clapping his hands on each word.
Mathew sighed and pointed to the glass bowl sitting on the cabinet by the door. "Just don't break it, Sebastien. It's not mine to break."
"Don't you want us to come, too?" Mavis asked as Sebastien made his way to the bowl and took Mathew's car keys.
"No," he said, heading down the hall to his room. He snatched his clunky cell phone and shoved it into his trouser pocket. Then, he grabbed what cash he had in his savings tin, stuffed two handfuls of clothes into a rucksack, and then carefully slid the white envelope Caedis had given him in there, too.
"What do you have to do?" Mavis called from down the hall.
Sebastien shut his door and walked to the front door. "Find some random guy. Simple as shit." He pulled the door open—
