A Moment of Weakness// Sebastian Sallow

{Chapter 56}

Thoran

"How do you think Rowan will react to seeing her like that?" Athlea questions. Her knees are tucked into her chest as she sprawls herself into one of her many lounge chairs. For the past ten minutes, she has been violently biting at her nail beds in pure anticipation of how Eden, Rowan, and Grayson will react to Mariah's current state.

"None of it is your fault," Ominis utters, letting his hand feel around for Althea's. I watch him grab the hand she has nearly bit raw, letting his thumbs trail along her fingers as she winces.

"Hurting yourself isn't a solution to your stresses," Ominis says, keeping her hand within his own as she draws in a large sigh.

"How did my father keep Mariah and a whole other child hidden from us for so long?" I question, racking my brain as I try to find an answer.

I move toward the fire blaring in front of us, slightly poking it with a prod as I try and get its embers to stay lit up. I let its heat warm my face. I pull my hands to its warmth almost immediately.

"Maybe he wasn't hidden," Althea says, biting her nails on her free hand as she watches me.

"Not hidden? How so?" I question.

"Think about it. I mean really think about it. Was there never anyone that stood out in the crowd? One of your father's followers that seemed different than the rest?" Althea questions.

I rack my mind to every follower's face I encountered, trying my best to pinpoint one specifically. They all are a mush of black hoods and angry scowls, no one, in particular, seems to be resonating with me.

"All I can see is one asshole after the other," I say, prodding the fire once more as I take in the dwindling flames.

Ominis quietly shivers, keeping his head held high as he continues to comfort Althea.

"I'm sorry handsome, I should have kept the fire going," I say, pulling myself from my trance as I move to kiss Ominis on the head.

"I am going to grab a few more logs from your shed," I mutter, rubbing Althea's head with small motions. She and Ominis both nod with appreciation at the statement.

With one motion I pull on my cloak, letting my eyes trail over the accumulating snow on the other side of the glass pane. Snow is one of those things I could truthfully live without, in many ways I feel as if it is useful for nothing more than keeping the earth wet when summer's cruel heat begins to creep in. With a nudge I am out of Althea's house, letting the cold flakes cling to my lashes as I make my way down the steps and to her shed. It's an old rickety thing. Some of its boards have begun to detach from the structure throughout the years. I rub my hands against my arms, letting my skin warm under the touch. The door swings open hastily with my touch, my eyes immediately find the dozens of logs stacked on one another in an orderly fashion. One by One I begin putting logs beneath my arms, blowing air in and out of my mouth as I try and warm myself up.

"I was just one asshole then?" A voice questions from behind me.

I drop all of the logs, turning on my heels to observe the blonde now staring at me from the doorway of the shed. I feel myself ready to yell for Althea and Ominis seeing as my wand is nowhere to be seen.

"Don't be pathetic little brother. Yelling for your blind boyfriend has to be the most emasculating thing I've ever seen," Jace utters, my lips instantly close.

He is blonde, the complete opposite of either of our parents. His eyes are a mix of blue and brown. It's off considering our genetics. He stands in a long black coat, his clothes underneath a gray shirt and brown pants. He's fully leaned into the doorway, watching me with utter amusement.