Chapter 9
Chapter nine
Dominick
He snickered all the way past Darine Hall. Sera was going to kill him, or maybe kiss him, depending on how her journey with Al went. Regardless, Dominick couldn’t help planting the seed, or whatever they said.
The streets were empty in front of the Ogdelo. A few coven members hurried from one building to the next, creating a well-worn path from the grand Council chambers to the massive barracks. It wasn’t until a flash of red barreled toward him that he took any real notice of the people around him.
“Dominick,” Sam yelled.
He winced. Moons, he should have ended it last night. He almost had. Then, well, Sam had done that thing with his tongue that Dominick so loved, and Dominick was a weak warlock.
“Samuel, what are you doing out of your perch? Don’t you have a ward or something to reinforce?
” Dom turned away from Citadel proper toward Jedan Quarter.
He wanted to get his task completed before he had time to reconsider.
The last thing he needed was to get caught helping Jedan members.
Even though he was high on the chopping block, the Council wouldn’t hesitate to throw him in the tower.
“We were called for a meeting at the barracks. You want to get dinner after?” Sam reached out and squeezed his bicep, and Dom swallowed his disgust. One thing he hated was public affection among lovers.
“Oh, Sam. Listen.” Dom leaned in a little closer. He’d learned that if he lowered his voice, they usually didn’t cause a scene. He lowered his head and took in that hopeful look in Sam’s eyes. “I think this has run its course.”
And as if the dark clouds had opened above them, shock rained over the warlock. Sam’s eyes widened for a second, his mouth open, but then, there… Anger. “You fucking prick.”
Dominick tried not to smile and backed away slowly. “It’s been fun, truly.”
“I hope you turn to dust, you asshole,” Sam called out, louder than Dom would have preferred.
But he wasn’t following him, and Dom was grateful for that.
Too many messy situationships ending in the middle of the street and he’d have an even worse reputation.
He didn’t mind, not really. Let them think what they wanted.
It still didn’t stop him from attracting admirers, at least not yet.
“I’d rather turn to dust than be burned,” he said under his breath and continued toward Jedan.
“Where the fuck is it…” The doorframe was in rough shape, and he had already gotten one sliver feeling for that blasted hole she’d shown him.
She didn’t have enough magic to hide a key away, nor had she given him a spare for whatever reason, but Sera had mentioned on more than one occasion that there was a slit between the wall and the frame, and she’d stuck the spare inside.
He had to get her out of this place. When she got back, he’d put his foot down and get her into a nice place in Dobro.
The hallway, despite looking clean, smelled musty.
He’d refused to use the single bathroom, opting to piss outside if he ever had to.
The last time he’d been here was half a year ago.
Sera’d had to carry him out of Mystic’s, and they’d slept side by side all night, cramped and hot.
There.
He wedged his finger into the space and pulled on the metal. Fitting the key into the lock, he pushed.
“Shadow…” He didn’t know where to look first. This wasn’t Sera. He checked the symbol on the door and confirmed he was in the right room.
Empty elixir bottles were littered everywhere. Her bed was unmade, clothes strewed about. He had known she was hiding something, and it had broken his heart when she finally told him what it was. But this—Sera’s darkness was destroying her.
Dominick grabbed a cloth bag Sera used to carry her books in and placed all the empty bottles inside.
Then he wiped the dust from the mantle and swept the ashes from the small fireplace.
How had he been so blind? She was practically begging for help—screaming, if her room was any indication.
Sera had destroyed an entire human village: no small feat.
But this felt like staring into her soul.
One that was suffering, disheveled, and lost.
When the room was at least maneuverable, he approached the bed. The sheet bunched under his hand as Dom heaved the mattress up.
“You have got to be kidding me, Seraphina,” he whispered to himself, although if she were there, he’d scream it.
Cut into the bottom of the frame was a hole, and in it a large wooden box, filled to the brim with coins. The mattress pressed into his shoulder as he lifted the box, trying his best not to drop any of its contents.
The coins clinked, and a few rolled under the bed when he set it on the floor. She must have been saving for years. There was more than enough here to live comfortably in Dobro.
This was all too much. Sera was unwell. Did Lavinia know this?
He needed to calm himself before making a mistake and cornering the witch. Master mastria or not, one day, he was going to finally give Lavinia Wildrick a piece of his mind.
Dominick reached under the bed, swiping out the few coins that had rolled under it, but instead of his fingers brushing gold, he grabbed a notebook. Opening the first page, he read:
Family Klein… a dozen swaddling wraps for newborn
Family Meulen… fresh produce, asked for a crate, gave them three
He flipped through pages and pages of the palm-size book, the words blurring from the tears collecting in his eyes.
She was making a real difference, and every line he read indicated she wasn’t paying for frivolous things.
She was gifting food, building supplies, and essentials that should be provided to them freely by the Council.
“Shadow bless you, Sera,” he said, and sent a kernel of his power to the goddess.