Invisible String - A Sebastian Sallow Story

Chapter XXXI

She wasn't sure when exactly she had passed out, but she came back to her senses with a loud groan. Unsure what remained of her eye, as it had been practically sealed shut due to the dried blood, she looked around the tent with her limited view. For the time being Victor had left her, and when she completed a full slow turn, she realized she was completely alone.

Had she not been so tired she might've attempted to find some way out of this mess, but knowing that she likely wouldn't get far, and doing so might make things worse, she resided in her fate. Poppy knew where she was, and likely by now others had come looking for her.

Despite this she couldn't help but weep. By now Sebastian had most likely been informed about what happened, and if she knew anything about the young man, he would likely bring fire and brimstone upon every inch of the highlands if it meant rescuing her. Recalling the threat Rookwood had made earlier, she hoped that he was staying far away for his own sake.

It wasn't long before the heard movement behind her and an arm moved around her waist, pulling her bare back into a warm frame.

"Ah... it appears you are back to the land of the living" Rookwood spoke in her ear as his hands danced around her exposed body. She tried not to shudder at his touch, but she couldn't help it. His hands felt entirely sickening against her. She felt too exposed, too vulnerable. And while this was not her choice, a small part of her felt as if she was betraying Sebastian.

She could only find it within her to groan and Rookwood chuckled as she let go, circling her once more.

"You will need to get your strength back. I am not finished with you... You did steal my research, and I suspect by now the sallow girl is healed. No matter. I will just find someone else to try it out on. Maybe your lover will get caught in the crossfire sometime... After all... It was originally supposed to be him that got the curse that night... " Victor chuckled and her blood ran cold.

"What... what do you mean?" she asked, lip quivering as she tried to rationalize what he meant.

"Oh I see you didn't take much time to read my records. I had been in communication for a long time with Sallow... told him if he thought of going to the authorities my connections at the ministry might conveniently reveal what truly got him fired and he'd find himself with a one way ticket to azkaban. Being the coward he is, he agreed to allow me to test this curse on one of the children in his care, as long as I promised to use it on the boy. In the midst of the chaos I couldn't locate him, so it went to poor sweet Annabel... but It was always meant to be the boy. He'd have been stronger, much more fun to watch wither away. I did think it odd that Solomon seemed so insistent on the fact that it would be alright for me to curse his nephew, and not bravely offer himself up instead. He must truly think little of the boy..." Rookwood explained and without much warning she gagged, hard enough that stomach bile rose from her throat and she threw up all over herself.

" Merlin!" Rookwood said moving away quickly, disgusted with her reaction. She continued to sob once she stopped lurching and the man looked to her with a sly smile as she did so.

"Can't you imagine it? He has grown so much since a year ago... what would it be like for him to slowly lose all that strength he's grown to have. You've seen how thin sweet, innocent Anne has become, can you picture him just as sickly? The color, gone from his face. His body would writhe in pain every day. His screams echoing into the night..." Victor continued to taunt her as she cried, no longer wanting to imagine Sebastian in the state being described to her.

"No..." she continued begging for him to stop but he wouldn't.

"You cost me my hard work on the Sallow girl. You've cost me a fortune with what happened at horntail hall. Give me one reason why I should stop!" he demanded. She truly didn't have a reason to give him.

"Perhaps that is what I will do then. He was spotted in Feldcroft not long ago. Maybe I should have some of my men retrieve Sallow, bring him here. Make him watch as my men play with you. Make you watch as I inflict that curse onto him this time." he threatened and she kept weeping, wishing for it to stop. Wishing for this all to stop.

"Nothing to say? I must say I find it quite rude that you think you can't respond when I am talking to you." he said, once again lifting the knife from his coat pocket, dragging it across her chest this time, dragging it down her sternum as she screamed.

"Where would he have gone? Where was he before he arrived in Feldcroft?" Rookwood asked her, seeming insistent on knowing how to locate Sebastian. She shook her head, partly because she refused to betray him, and also because she had no idea truly.

Rookwood didn't like her rejection, pulling her hair back roughly spinning her around again before he shoved her hair over her shoulder, leaving her back exposed. Taking the knife he started carving into her back, in a pattern she didn't recognize as she continued screaming.

"You are going to cooperate with me whether you like it or not." he said, slapping her now sliced open back with the leather from before as she kept crying out. All she found it within her to do was whimper.

Initially she thought it might've been just the ringing in her skull, or a sound brought on by the blood loss, so she doubted the authenticity of the loud bang she heard outside the tent.

It wasn't until that bang was followed by shouting that she realized it wasn't in her head, but in fact very real. The only thought she had at the shouting was worry over the thought that she was being rescued and Sebastian would be in tow, as this was the last place he needed to be right now. Dread filled her as she waited to see what had caused the disturbance.

"Perhaps that is loverboy now," suddenly the line holding her arms above her head was cut and she fell to the ground, arms still tied. Before she had a moment to process, Victor lifted her from the ground, pushing her towards the exit as he replaced the gag she had when she woke up.

"Let's go see if lover boy is here to rescue you after all. I for one would really like to make his acquaintance wouldn't you..." with that he drug her out into the night air, exposed, bloody and hoping by some miracle Poppy had not told Sebastian what had happened before coming to rescue her. She didn't know what was about to happen on the other side of that tent, but deep down she knew it wouldn't end well. She only hoped Sebastian was far away from the danger in the meantime...