Pure Magic (Ballad of the Seer, Book One)

Chapter 32 - Helpless

Sebastian stood on the other side of the room, staring directly at Lily. When their eyes met his smile widened, forming dimples on his cheeks. On anyone else that smile would be alluring. On him it was just menacing.

He would chose this night to show up again. It was as if he bided his time, waiting for her to experience even a moment of peace, just so he could ruin it. Or maybe he was just trying to piss her off. Because he was certainly succeeding at that.

Reluctantly, Lily tore her eyes from Sebastian and turned them in the direction Duncan had gone. A swarm of people surrounded the refreshment table, devouring what was laid out; Duncan was somewhere amongst them. He needed to know about Sebastian, but she didn't have time to search for him. She had to get Sebastian out before he hurt anyone, or caused her to reveal her powers. Everyone already thought she was strange. This was not the place for her to come out as a witch.

When Lily looked back to find Sebastian, he was slipping through the exit door a few feet away. He looked over his shoulder and met her eyes once more, daring her to come after him. She watched him disappear through the metal door. It slowly closed behind him, separating them.

Lily decided right then that Sebastian Caine wasn't going to continually disrupt her life. She would not live in constant fear. She wouldn't allow him to slip away again. She took a deep breath in, to steel herself. She made an excuse to her friends as she left the table.

Lily cut a course across the room, dodging dancers to avoid any unwanted attention. The last thing she needed was a curious classmate following her.

With her hands pressed to the lever on the door, Lily turned back, just as Sebastian had. She hoped to see Duncan. Instead, the eyes she found were Jack's. He was still dancing with Bianca. She could tell he was wondering why she would be using this door. They both knew it led out toward the football field, which had been dark since last night's game, when St. Steven's dominated over St. Ignatius.

Lily smiled, trying to assuage whatever doubts Jack might be having. Bianca's lips moving, saying something to Jack. He looked down at Bianca, giving Lily time to make her escape.

The heavy door closed behind her with a loud click. She was instantly cut off from the music and voices inside. Everything was suddenly too quiet.

Gooseflesh broke out across Lily's skin when a gust of frigid wind blew past her. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, to get warm. She wished she had taken the time to grab her jacket from the rack in the hall, but someone definitely would've noticed that. She also couldn't risk Sebastian getting away.

As it was, the warlock was nowhere to be seen outside, though she could only see about ten feet in any direction. He could be standing just beyond the circle of light, created by the single bulb in the glass globe above the door. Of course, with all this darkness, he could have travelled anywhere in the world by now.

Lily sighed; her breath visible in the freezing air. It was too cold to stand here and stare into the night, so she pulled on the door handle to go inside. It didn't budge.

She groaned in frustration, shaking the door. It was locked. She beat on the door, but it was futile, no one would hear her over the music unless they were standing beside the door.

Lily was about to walk around the building when she remembered she had another way to get inside. "With three knocks, this door unlocks." she chanted. Just as she was about to rap on the door she heard a soft chuckle behind her.

Spinning on her heels, Lily asked, "Who's there?" She knew it was a stupid question before the words left her mouth. It was obvious, even before Sebastian stepped into the circle of light. She came looking for him, after all.