The Devil Doesn't Bargain (MatD part 2)

Chapter THIRTY NINE - The Goblin

Dew drops surrendered to thick sun beams as daytime trickled by. Our little waterfall cove had been abandoned in favor of exploring the forest, much to Ominis' dismay. Our boots crunched against crumbling bark and decaying leaves from the prior autumn, each step wafting pine under our noses. 

Though the scarlet light of Ominis' wand caressed most of the branches that hung too low in our path, he was unable to accurately avoid them all and I had linked my arm with his, hanging back as the twins galloped wildly just ahead. Sebastian had been hesitant to leave my side, his warmth lingering but Anne's insistent pleading and a gentle nod of my head spurred him onward. They poked at odd growths with long sticks and skipped stones down cliffs. Especially round rocks were reserved for volleying back and forth until inevitably, one of them lost grip and it tumbled to the forest floor where it was then kicked back and forth until forgotten. Pinecones and small stones lined their pockets and peculiarly special treasures were tucked into the baskets Ominis and I had naturally ended up carrying in lieu of their boisterous adventure. 

My nose tingled and my throat felt stiff as I watched them. The sudden realization barreled through me over just how much of this the two had missed out on for two years. The thought lodged itself in my gut, heavy and profuse.

A particularly large, billowing tree with hearty limbs and thick roots captured their attention and with little more than a quick glance at each other, our Sallows sprinted to it, two clumsy footfalls at a time. Their hoots and hollers echoed back to us and Ominis' fingers tapped subconsciously against my arm, tutting and fidgeting anxiously.

"What now?"

"They're scaling a tree as we speak."

Ominis huffed. "I should rather hope they are using the utmost caution."

As it were, the two were most definitely not using the utmost caution and had in turn begun to race each other to the top.

A smaller branch snapped on cue and Ominis flinched, though after no sounds followed of bodies crashing back to the ground, he straightened himself again.

"Please distract me Atley dear, I do not think I can handle much more of this worrying."

"Oh erm. Yes- I-" Fumbling words lodged in my throat, as usual, all coherent thought tumbled out the back of my brain somewhere when asked something simple."-Anne and Sebastian have been writing to each other again?"

Obviously.

I ignored the little demon voice as it chastised me for my stupidity. My mind was just lingering to the idea of them.

Ominis' shoulders relaxed into the question, his lip twitching once before answering. "Suppose they have for a bit now. Honestly I'm surprised you hadn't noticed sooner, it seems a regular nightly occurrence again. Though, I cannot say I'm particularly fond of Anne's stubborn insistence that the letter be written before any other activities." He frowned.

My mouth quirked, disbelief of his forwardness coating my lips. "Ominis!"

He paused a moment, brows turned inward before loosening. He sniffed. "Oh darling, Sebastian has ruined you yet hasn't he? I only mean to say she prefers to write before either of us can even begin our studying. Anything further is... well it's never expected and I would never hold her in obligation to me rather than her family-" He flustered. "-I only wish to catch her up on her studies... something this group seems rather fond of ignoring altogether as of late."

I could feel my cheeks blushing and felt guiltily grateful that he couldn't see it. "I'm terribly sorry Ominis. I didn't mean to presume-"

"Of course not sweetheart." He tapped my arm. "In regards to the letters though, as I said, I have my occasional irritations, but I cannot be more appreciative of the good they are doing him. Her. Both of them. Truly." He paused a moment, chewing on his bottom lip. "Suppose I am also a bit jealous."