the seven devils [completed]

chapter fifty

The girl stood woodenly in her spot as the wizard give her a nimble stare, then completely disregarded her as he strode by and threw his luggage in the back of a taxi. The driver tried to salute him, but Icarus only got into the backseat and slammed the door.

Through the darkened window, Petrov could still make out tight features and sleep-deprived eyes, and she wondered how much the boy had heard, if this was what Tom had wanted to achieve.

"Awkward," groused Rosier, and the fiery-haired girl elbowed him in his stomach, making him double over in pain, "Fucking hell, Selwyn."

The opulent lady only hoisted an eyebrow at his agony, then turned to face Varya, "Worry not, I will talk to him." With that, she strode over to the same car and got inside, taking a seat by Icarus and immediately turning to face him.

The guilt was indescribable, and Varya's apricot face grew melancholic as she remembered how she had used the boy, led him on, then had not even bothered discussing with him that she was sleeping with his friend. Her sable eyelashes moistened as she batted her tears away and tried to stay composed, knowing well that it was only her fault. After all, she could have refused Riddle at any point, but had been too focused on herself to realize what she was doing.

"He will get over it, do not worry," breathed Ren as he placed a gentle arm on the girl's fallen shoulders, "Or at least, he might be able to look you in the eyes soon enough."

"I messed up," admitted Varya.

"You did," was the answer she received from the fatalistic man, "But that is quite all right. We all do at some point, and the fact that you are aware of it is already half of the run to being forgiven."

With that, he made his way to the taxi car, and waved at her before stepping into the passenger seat and immediately throwing his feet on the dashboard, earning a displeased look from the driver. Rosier winked at him, then stuck his head out the window to send Varya a kiss with his hand, bringing at least some amusement to her face.

It was short-lived, however, as Riddle stepped out of the Manor, white dress shirt clinging to his figure as his blazer was thrown over his shoulder, and he gripped it with one hand. When his eyes landed on Varya, he stopped in his tracks, and then his eyes darted around, seemingly looking for an escape.

The girl scoffed at his demeanor, at his audacity to appear the one to be offended by what had happened. Why must he act as if the idea of being loved by her was such torture? Such repulsive behavior, and she made way to the driveway, looking for a car to take her back to London, yet blanched as she saw Nott and Avery pull Ren's car to the front.

Varya hiked an eyebrow at Maxwell as he gave her a disgraced look through the window, then he lashed his head forward, face turning claret, and he stiffened. Avery grinned in the driver's seat, and then he rolled a window down and glanced at the witch.

"Ignore Nott; he gets flustered whenever someone has a sex glow—"

"Nicholas, I will swerve the steering wheel into the opposite direction and make sure you drive into a tree," Nott seethed at the boy, then glanced at Varya from the corner of his eye with an apologetic look.

"That is quite fine," the girl mumbled, although her fingers went back to play with the necklace tensely, and Riddle took that moment to step behind her. He glanced at her, then noticed she was still wearing the collier, and his stomach flipped with an odd sensation.

Tom made to open the door for her. Still, the girl dashed to the other side of the car, swinging it herself and then getting into the passenger seat, making sure to stay as close to the edge as possible, putting enough distance between the two that another person could fit in.