Shadow of the Heir

Love's the Death of Peace of Mind

Just a quick note, because this got spicier than originally intended, target audience has now been adjusted and I'll be putting warnings (like this! <3) for chapters with smut. Please don't brandish the pitchforks at me--I cannot help Sebastian, he is a menace. If you're not a spicy guy/gal/pal, then you can totally skip to the last scene at the bottom. 

It was very late. She hadn't slept, on par with her expectations. Ella had decided to get up after sitting on the corner of the four-post bed in his parents' room—which had taken her a painstaking amount of time to find—for what seemed like forever. She'd made good on her decision to write to Garreth. Now, however, as she sat in the red high-back chair in the study with the parchment she'd stolen from the desk across the room, she had no idea what to say. She started off with what was safe: 'Dear Garreth'. Was 'Dear' too formal for someone she was breaking it off with? Too informal for someone who'd been so close to her? She scratched out 'dear'. Too formal.

Ella ran a hand through her hair. How was she supposed to actually end it? What was she ending? The whole thing had gotten away from her. It wasn't supposed to be anything. She could say 'it's done'... but that sounded like an assassination notice.

'Don't write me anymore'?

'I can't meet up anymore'?

'I might be in love with Sebastian so just forget about me'?

She sighed loudly. This was not supposed to be difficult. In fact, she wasn't sure it was even warranted. Maybe Garreth had already gotten the point the last time she'd seen him. Maybe Sebastian's arm around her had been the only sign he needed. Ella crumpled the parchment. She was overthinking this. She didn't owe him an explanation for why he didn't get access to her body anymore.

Right?

"You should be resting."

Ella gasped at Ominis's voice across the study.

He jumped slightly at the sound of her reaction. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"I don't have magic anymore. Forgive me if I'm jumpy." Ella snapped in response. It wasn't the overtiredness talking—she was still insanely hurt at him. It wasn't forgotten.

Ominis cleared his throat and nodded. "I know you're upset with me—"

"That's putting it very lightly, Ominis."

"—but, no one's going to hurt you here."

Ella frowned as she looked him up and down. She didn't really think Ominis would do much to defend her with the history between them. She made a small sound and looked out the arched window. "I tend not to think that much of anywhere."

"I didn't either."

She side-eyed him. Bold of him to be trying to have a heartfelt conversation with her. Ella didn't reply. She looked back out the window to the dark horizon.

"There's something healing about those two. It always feels different here. Like a... cozy little pocket." The words didn't sound like his. They sounded like Anne's.

It made Ella laugh a little. She frowned immediately, betrayed by her own sense of humor. "I'm still mad at you."

He nodded. "I expect you to be angry for a long time."

"You're still being very generous."

He laughed softly. It annoyed her. "There are extra sleeping draughts in the kitchen cupboard. One will suffice. You need sleep."