The Old City

0.25: Untrodden Past. Uncertain Future

"You don't have to stay here," Seneca reiterated, even as Angelica laid out his thin sheet on his bed. They had pulled it out of his bedroom to make room for Ryke and leaned it against the wall in his kitchen. Seneca had planned to sleep in the dining room after everyone had left, but Angelica seemed to have different plans.

She kept her silence, slinking into the bed and turning away from him, but leaving just enough room on the right that he might fit.

I shouldn't.

He wanted to. Instead, Seneca sat at the far side of the room, between Angelica and their prisoner. If he did manage to break the seals, Seneca would have to stop him and it could get explosive.

The old building creaked in the wind, sending a familiar shiver down his spine. It was cold for the summer and the storms were worse than usual. Any day now, the sailors expected a bad one to strike. If they were lucky, the storms would stave off additional soldiers from arriving. If they weren't it would just decrease attentiveness at the port.

And what will we do with Ryke? He thought. He might know something else, but we can't hide him here for long. I'd rather not kill him either...

"You don't have to sleep on the floor."

Angelica's frustrated voice cut through his thoughts. He turned and saw the space on the bed had grown a little wider.

"I should watch the door in case the seal breaks."

"You put a hundred charms on that door and Alaria said he'd sleep for another two days after their session."

For all his strategies, he never seemed to win these arguments. Instead, Seneca crawled into the bed and pulled a small corner of the sheet over himself – but he made sure to leave most of it for Angelica.

Stillness sat between them like a chasm, yet only inches apart. The building groaned under another heavy seaside gust and Angelica spun around suddenly.

"Is this really the only blanket you have?"

Seneca blinked, taking in

"I have a jacket if you're cold."

"Your flimsy jacket won't help."

Why don't I have something as simple as a blanket? It's always cold here, even on summer nights. I should have bought one months ago.

"I'll get a heavier one tomorrow – today, I guess."

"Make sure you do. You'll catch a cold if you sleep like this."

Angelica shivered under their thin shared sheet and sighed. Her breathing grew quick as she rubbed her arms and legs for some modicum of heat.

When she was about to give up on any warmth, Seneca wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him.

"Is this what you wanted?" he whispered softly into his ear.

"Of course not, idiot." Seneca lifted his arm to move away, but Angelica grabbed onto him. He placed it once more around her torso, engulfing her in this embrace. Her shoulders relaxed and melted into his chest. Her head, fitting perfectly against his bicep, grew heavy. Having finally found some small comfort, Angelica asked the question that Alaria had inflicted upon her. "Did you enjoy that kiss?"

"Of course not, idiot." Perhaps he could only respond well with mimicry, but he continued. "She only wanted to make you and Marcus jealous. If I'd realized sooner, I wouldn't have let it happen."

"See that it doesn't happen again. I was worried she'd do something like that."

Seneca felt Angelica's heartbeat slow against him and wanted to capture the moment, hold onto it forever. He would not let sleep come if they stayed like this. No, every second was too precious.