Sebastian Bear (complete)

FORTY-SIX

Sebastian dropped down into the dungeon from the crack in the foundation. He could smell the wet before his feet hit the ground. It was oddly silent. The only sound he could hear over his own breaths was the constant drip of the rusty pipes clinging to the ceiling. The cells were all empty. It wasn't surprising though. The Mother didn't see the purpose of punishment. If you did enough wrong to warrant her audience then you earned your death almost immediately. Sebastian had heard Lucian and Krake talking about the horrors. She was rumored to have the ability to crush every bone in your body with a mere wave of her hand. He didn't want to find out how much of the gossip was actually true.

A wave of disappointment ran through him as he realized Madsy hadn't been left there. That would've been too easy. The climb to the castle had been trying enough. If she had been locked up they could've made their escape quietly toward the Nothing with no one the wiser. He moved quietly over the cemented stones, running lightly up the steps and listening at the doorway for any proof of life. He would have to go look for her.

The problem was the size of the place. Sebastian knew if there were no evil Mothers or deranged henchman lurking around he could run through in a matter of minutes and find her. He had to take his time with each door, running from one shadow to the next, ear pressed against the walls. The castle seemed empty. Apart from the flickering candles that lined the first hall, he would've thought it looked abandoned. At the last door he decided to move up the next set of stairs. There were voices, quiet and muffled by a wall but signs of life nonetheless. He paused at the top step, back pressed hard against a thick tapestry decorating the stairwell.

"She's back in her room. Mother said to check in on her." Sebastian could hear the hushed tones of a young maid whispering to another. They looked panicked, though Sebastian thought to live under the same roof as pure evil might result in constant worry. The receiver of the information nodded quietly. He could see the dark gray fabric of their uniform as they parted ways. He wasn't absolutely sure they were talking about his Madeline but he would have to take the chance. He waited until the first woman moved through a large set of doors. He peeked around the corner just in time to see the one he intended to follow disappear around the far corner.

He lurked in the darkened doorway of an unused room. The maid hadn't gone far before she'd stopped and knocked politely at what was hopefully Madeline's room. It opened slowly and there were a few quiet words exchanged between the two before the door returned to a close and the maid moved quickly back down the hallway. Sebastian couldn't see her from his place in the dark but something pulled at his ribs and he knew it had to be her in that room. He paused long enough to count to ten, listening for any surge of voices or footsteps. He slipped from the shadows, running the edge of the hall to the door he'd seen the maid stop at before. He stopped before tugging at the handle, his fingers shaking at his sudden realization that maybe he was wrong about his feeling and there was someone else behind that door. It could all go to pieces within a matter of seconds.

He couldn't take the time to consider anything else. He pushed open the door, thanking the gods that it wasn't locked. He stepped inside. The room was well lit, every lamp alive with a golden flame. The bed was made, the faint smell of fresh flowers lingered in the air. There was no one there. Sebastian let out a puff of air, closing the door behind him. He was sure it was that room. He dropped to his knees, searching the shadows under the bed. No one. The place was empty. He stood up, sighing hard, wiping his open palms across his eyes. He froze completely when he heard a familiar voice whisper his name.

Madeline was in shock at first seeing someone in her room. She had disappeared inside the closet for just a minute to change out of her tattered gown. After realizing that the closet was filled with fine garments, she had settled for a long black robe that tickled the tops of her feet when she walked. She had heard the door open and shut before she'd peeked her head out the closet, uncomfortable chills settled over her skin at the empty room. She took a couple of quiet steps toward the door, body tensing when a figure appeared from the side of the bed. Her breath caught in her throat, swallowing hard at the familiar figure standing before her.