Shadow of the Key | Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 46: God Save the Queen

"Reset my patient violence along both lines of a pathway higher. Grow back your sharpest teeth, you know my desire."

- Sleep Token

Sebastian's POV

"Did you give him more chocolate?"

"I forced an entire pack down his throat last night."

Sebastian stirred at the familiar voices. The first thing his senses picked up, along with the smell of burning wood.

"Oh, I think he's waking up."

"Wake up, Seb."

He felt a hand lightly squeeze his shoulder and he slowly fluttered his heavy eyes open.

Valencia and Anne stood by his bedside, concern evident across their features.

Anne wore a knit green sweater that looked too big for her small frame. The sleeves covered her hands and the hem draped past her thighs, while wearing black cotton pajama pants. Another thing that caught his attention was the small cut above her eyebrow.

That's definitely Ominis' sweater.

His eyes landed on Valencia next. She sported a cut of her own on her top lip, a single strand of auburn hair dangling in front of one of her tired eyes. The warmth of the calming fireplace across from his bed must not be enough because she wore a thick, cream wool sweater with cream wool pants to match, her arms uncomfortably crossed.

They both look rough. What happened?

Sebastian blinked a few times to gather a sense of where he was. He was in a small, dimly lit bedroom with brown walls. Pictures adorned them, filled with people he couldn't recognize.

"Wh-" He coughed up phlegm. He felt terrible. "What happened? Am I dead?"

"No, you idiot," Anne hissed. What a caring sister she was. "You're in a safe house."

Sebastian glanced down and tugged the blanket up to see he was wearing silky striped green pajamas.

He had to be dead. He was way too comfortable right now.

"Ominis and Alfred helped bathe and change you," Valencia answered for him, "They're both downstairs with everyone else. All of us broke you and Lilith out of Azkaban two days ago." She grew a faint smile. "It's a good thing you taught me how to perform a Patronus Charm."

The familiarity of her voice reminded him of the girl he couldn't protect. Couldn't save.

Amelia was dead. Because of him.

Sebastian tried to sit up, but the pounding sensation in his head and the ache in his bones were giving him a difficult time in doing so.

"Don't move," Anne told him, placing a hand on his shoulder to gently lower him back down, "You're still recovering. You didn't eat or drink anything for a week."

"I-" Sebastian choked out, the corner of his eyes welling with tears, "I couldn't save her..."

Anne's eyes softened, but Valencia simply shook her head.