Hiraeth | Sebastian Sallow Love Story

Chapter Eighteen: The Half-Arsed Truths

The witch crossed her arms, adding, "Let's make a deal."

"Deals and you tend to never go my way." He countered, his long, elegant fingers turning a page, but Gracie knew he wasn't reading anything. No, he was thinking of his own terms and conditions. "...What are you offering?"

"I tell you why the Unbreakable Vow didn't work and you tell me everything you know about Morganach and Bragbor."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, "No deal."

"What-"

He shut her up by poking her chest where her heart laid beating, "No I want something much more important."

"My soul?" Her eyes grew wide with mock horror, "Sorry to inform you, but that was gone a long time ago."

Around the same time her mother walked out on her.

Sebastian's eyes gleamed with wicked amusement, "That's not worth much to me." He smirked seeing her glower, "Instead, I want to know something as well."

"And what would that be?"

Gracie's heart hammered, wondering what he'd ask of her. He tilted his head slightly, recognizing the faint signs that she was nervous. Her bottom lip drawn into her mouth as she bit down anxiously. Her eyes held his gaze, but she couldn't deny she wanted to look away from the intensity.

"Tell me what you were going to study as an Unspeakable. Before the War happened." His eyes narrowed, "And why."

Her stomach dropped.

Bollocks.

That was a can of flobberworm she didn't want to open. She'd rather give up her soul than talk about mommy issues with Sebastian. Maybe she could twist it by offering the bare minimum. Maybe he wouldn't see in between the lines.

She nodded once, "Very well." Gracie pressed her lips together in a firm line, "Get to talking, Sallow."

Chapter Eighteen: The Half-Arsed Truths

"You first." Sebastian said slyly, "You're the one bound to find some sort of loophole. Depending on how much information you give me will directly correspond to how much I tell you."

Gracie's nose wrinkled in distaste. Fair. She didn't like it, but it was fair.

"I was going to study in the Ninth level of the Ministry because I was curious." She shrugged her shoulder, "That's it."

The look on Sebastian's face told her he wasn't surprised by this. "Isidora Morganach was an ancient magic wielder. Bragbor was a goblin she trusted." His lip curled, "That's it."

"You're annoying."

"You give as good as you get, shortcake." Sebastian's eyes flashed with a pang of... She couldn't exactly tell. It almost appeared to be something akin to sadness, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. Like he was lost in a memory, but snapped out of it immediately.

It was going to be an uncomfortable talk for her which meant she didn't want the heat of Sebastian's body beside her. She moved, sitting across from him, and crossed her arms again to provide a barrier between the two. Sebastian was relaxed in the train seat, confident that he was profiting more from this deal than she was.