The Storm Tower | Vol.4, The Eldenarian Artifacts ✓

10.

For the second time that week, Sebastian found himself in the dungeons of the Eldenarian Palace.

He dragged his feet behind Imogen as they made their way towards Dorian's cell. Despite it being the middle of the day, it was as dark as ever beneath the floors of the palace. No sunlight made it down there. He shivered as the cold air crawled over his skin like a thousand tiny spiders.

He didn't know how Dorian managed to stay sane down there.

No sunlight. Barely any human interaction. It had to be torture.

Served him right. If it were up to him, he would've been thrown in Nyghtmir with the rest of his kind.

Werewolves—especially the Redfang clan—were a savage species. Most creatures of the night were heartless beasts, but the wolves were a different kind of horrible. They didn't have any regard for life outside of their own. They hunted in packs, murdering their prey in vicious and inhumane ways.

Dorian was just like them. No matter how hard Sebastian tried, he couldn't figure out why Makaela would associate herself with. He claimed to not have been hired by Thorian to protect her, so that meant she willingly allowed him around her.

He shook his head.

That girl was a bottomless cauldron of infinite questions and mystery. He wasn't sure if he would ever uncover—or understand—them all.

"Come on. Let's get this over with," he grumbled.

Part of him wished Dorian would decline the offer. But he knew they would need his help. Dorian satisfied their requirements in two ways: not only was he likely deemed expendable by Olivier's terms, but he was also a werewolf. And likely a formidable one at that. There had to be a reason why Makaela had him around her.

His jaw clenched as he thought of another explanation.

Dorian's annoying handsome face and onyx skin entered his head, goading and mocking him. A tiny voice in the back of his head told him he could never compare to the wolf. He was shorter, not as attractive. Dorian and Makaela also had more in common than he ever would with her.

He grimaced.

A low noise rumbled in the back of his throat. He forced it down and jammed his hands into his pockets. In front of him, Imogen shot him a disappointed look.

"What's your problem, Mr. Moody?"

"I just don't want to talk to him."

"What's your issue with him, anyway?" Imogen asked.

Sebastian's lips parted as he stopped walking. Was she serious? She couldn't have been. "He used to work for the Order. You know, the people trying to murder us and take over the world?"

Imogen gave him a wry smile. "So did Makaela. Or does she not count?"

"Of course she doesn't count."

"And why not?"

He stuttered, his words stumbling over themselves. Flustered, he turned away from her and glared at the stone brick floor. "She just doesn't, alright? You saw her during the battle. She's on our side now."

"You seem to be forgetting that Dorian was with her too," Imogen pointed out. "He also was with her at the portal shrine, according to him. For all we know, she never would've made it out without him."

"Allegedly." Sebastian made sure that was made known.

Imogen scoffed at him. "You're unbelievable."

Deep down, he knew Dorian wasn't working for his father and the Order. At least, not anymore. If what he had told him was to be true, then he defected from the dark magicians alongside Makaela.