So You Might be Soulless

26|| Perfect

"Now that is one ugly statue."

"I couldn't agree more." Sebastian nodded, staring at the deformed stone man with furrowed brows. "I'm struggling to get my head around the strange... dimensions of this."

Diya squinted and ducked her head. "Is that his–"

"Yes."

Her jaw dropped. "Good grief. What happened to–"

"It was an accident."

She snorted. "Pretty unfortunate for an accident. Didn't your delightful brother get mad?"

Sebastian turned and tilted his head to the side. "No, he didn't. Why do you two hate each other so much? Neither of you is as bad as the other thinks."

"I have been nothing but polite and understanding towards the Second Prince." Diya kicked the circular base of the statue with a dignified sniff. "Not my fault he's so petty."

He shrugged. "I just hope some day the two of you can get along- it's exhausting living with two people who are always fighting."

"Yeah, yeah." Diya spun and sat on the edge of the base. She looked up at Sebastian and quipped a brow. "So, had any visions lately?"

He sighed and shook his head. "You?"

"Me neither. Let's head back to the library, Crown Prince. We can continue our search from last time."

Diya stood and her fingers brushed against the hard, unforgiving stone. A warm jolt shot through her spine as something shifted from the depths of her stomach. An inky blackness bled from the tips of her fingers and stained the stone, covering half the statue in mere seconds. Everything the darkness touched crumbled to ash.

"Dee!" Sebastian cried, his eyes widened as the statue's upper body teetered over her.

"It's Diya!"

He sent a bolt of energy, but narrowly missed. The statue leaned forwards and Sebastian managed to dodge the bust, pulling Diya out of the way.

For a few moments, the duo stared at the crumbled remains of the ugly statue. Sebastian was still holding Diya's arms, but she didn't push away- too fixated on the black spiderweb slowly melting into the ashes.

"I think you're the one being paid to protect me," Sebastian remarked, running a hand through his blue hair with a surprised scoff.

"Consider us even for the banquet." Diya pushed him away and rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. "Your brother is going to kill me."

He placed a solemn hand on her shoulder. "I'll make sure to forever carry on your legacy as Ugly Statue Destroyer. I'll even have it carved on your tombstone so no one forgets."

Diya scowled and shoved her hands deep into her pockets. "I wish I'd let the evil spirit haunt you."

"But then you wouldn't get paid." He grinned and interlocked his fingers behind his head.

"It's the only thing holding me back, Prince." She kicked the debris and watched it scatter across the previously clean floor. "Think someone will notice it's missing?"

"We can always say Caspian took it away after the unfortunate chopping of his... lower region. Now c'mon, we have to leave before–"

"Before what, Crown Prince Sebastian Askanier?" A cold, commanding voice rang out and the duo stopped in their tracks.

The colour drained from Sebastian's face as he turned, oddly reminding Diya of a restless spirit realising they're dead for the first time. He clenched his hands into tight fists by his side and gulped harshly. "Hello, Father."