Descent - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter twenty-six

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Thank you, Sherlock Holmes. I had no idea that was the plan," she retorted, her sarcasm cutting through the tension.

I shot her a look that was equal parts confusion and irritation. "What the hell is your problem now?" I whispered sharply, but she shook her head and began to crawl out of the compartment. With a resigned sigh, I followed her.

From the front of the train, we could hear the methodical approach of the Death Eaters, systematically inspecting each row of seats. Our path was blocked; our only option was to head to the end of the train and hope for an escape route.

When I glanced at Lucia again, I saw that she had already identified a potential solution. In the last compartment of the train, there was a small window in the ceiling. Without hesitation, Lucia stood up, carefully opened the window, and with a look of steely determination, pulled herself up and out.

For a moment, I was transfixed. The way she maneuvered through the hatch with such grace and agility was mesmerizing. My breath caught in my throat as I watched her, my palms growing clammy.

She was so goddamn sexy.

Not that I hadn't noticed before, but she was making it increasingly difficult to ignore. The fluidity of her movements, the strength in her lithe form; it stirred something deep within me that I was struggling to suppress.

With a deep breath to steady myself, I followed her lead, determined to protect her and find a way out of this treacherous situation.

With a heave, I hoisted myself through the narrow window, my muscular form making the maneuver significantly more challenging than it had been for Lucia. My shoulders scraped against the edges, but I managed to pull myself up and out, joining her on the roof of the train. The wind whipped around us, carrying the chill of the night as we crouched low to avoid detection.

Lucia moved with practiced stealth, her form barely a shadow against the darkened sky. I followed her lead, my eyes scanning the area for a safe descent. But just as we neared the edge of the train, something shifted in the air. A sharp whistle cut through the night, followed by the rapid approach of footsteps.

"Down!" I hissed, pushing Lucia flat against the roof as a jet of red light sizzled overhead. The Death Eaters had spotted us.

A flurry of curses and spells erupted from the platform below. The Death Eaters were relentless, their wands flashing with deadly intent. I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a burst of green light that would have ended me instantly.

"We have to fight!" I shouted to Lucia, who was already brandishing her wand, her eyes blazing with determination.

Side by side, we rose to face our attackers. I sent a powerful Stupefy curse at the nearest Death Eater, watching with satisfaction as he crumpled to the ground. Lucia's spells were quick and precise, her hexes disarming and incapacitating several opponents in rapid succession.

The train's roof was an unstable battleground, every step a precarious dance between balance and agility. As the train began to move slowly out of the station, the fight became even more treacherous. I conjured a shield just in time to deflect a barrage of curses, the impact sending vibrations through my entire body.

Lucia moved with grace, her dueling skills formidable. She deflected a curse with a flick of her wrist, then retaliated with a stunning spell that sent another Death Eater sprawling. Despite the chaos, we fought with a synchronicity born of necessity and desperation.

"Protego!" I yelled, casting a protective barrier around us as a particularly vicious spell careened our way. The shield held, but the force of the blast sent us both skidding dangerously close to the edge.