Family of Lies: Sebastian (30 page)

Diana clutched her chest. “My Gods, Sebastian, did you just admit to being stubborn?”

“You’re the only witness, so yes.”

“Who knew falling in love could tame you?” Diana petted the top of Sebastian’s hood.

Sebastian flicked her hand away. “The market opens soon, so stop fooling around.” He removed a jar of
xenyr
feathers from Diana’s bag and placed it next to the potions. The jar had barely touched the table when a hand snatched it up.

“Such a small batch, Diana?” a strange woman asked.

Sebastian turned to Diana, who rolled her eyes.

“Hello, Imegan. You can put that back down if you value your hand,” Diana said.

Imegan sniffed. “I wouldn’t want such lifeless feathers.” She returned the jar and reached into her satchel. In it was a large parcel brimming with brighter
xenyr
plumage that made Diana’s haul appear tiny and dull.

Diana smiled. “Whatever customers you tempt with those things deserve to lose every copper.”

Imegan snapped her satchel closed. “Are you implying something?”

“Not unless you shot down every bird in Larnlyon.”

“Just because you are a lousy hunter doesn’t mean you can go around making false accusations!” Imegan stormed off while Sebastian and Diana shook their heads.

“She could at least have the decency to be subtle about it,” Sebastian said.

“She makes Father and his miracle cures seem honest.”

Throughout the day, they had a steady stream of customers, but every now and then they heard people flocking to Imegan’s tent in wonder over her numerous rare items. A few looked in her direction with annoyance and headed to Diana’s stall.

“You’re missing an opportunity to profit from that idiot’s flagrant ploy,” Lady Orwell said when business died down. “Your stock is even more valuable when fakes are on display.”

“I don’t bloat my prices on a whim, Mother,” Diana said.

“Having cheaper prices than hers makes yours look like the fakes,” Lady Orwell argued.

“I’m happy with my home, clothing, and food. Why do I need to raise my prices?”

“Never mind, I don’t know what I’m doing because it’s obvious I haven’t spent most of my life as a merchant. Carry on with mediocrity,” Lady Orwell said before she left.

“I might have to out Kraven’s secret so I can get her out of my business,” Diana said.

“At least she’s not Father. He would have altered your prices while you weren’t looking,” Sebastian said.

Diana frowned. “That bastard has done that five times and tried to take part of my profits for doing so.”

“He did make a good point. You wouldn’t have the extra money if he hadn’t done it.”

Diana added more bottles to the table and lingered over a hair-removal potion. “Sebastian, it’s not a good idea to hint at Mother and Father being right. Mistakes can happen when I’m upset.”

Sebastian looked at the bottle and at his sister. “I was reminiscing, not saying they’re correct. And you might want to stop threatening me with that potion, because I see James and Ellie.” Sebastian pointed to the market’s entrance, and James and Ellie laughed as they walked hand in hand with Lord Ausher at their side. Diana dropped her hand, and Sebastian smiled under his hood.

“You better not be smiling, you smug bastard,” Diana said while they watched James walk closer.

“Nope,” Sebastian lied. James had been the only one to get Diana back for her tricks. If James ended up bald for a week, it was a guarantee that Diana would be just as hairless days later.

“Sebastian!” Ellie called out before she rushed to Sebastian and grabbed him in a tight hug. “How are you doing, young hero?”

“Staying away from adventures,” Sebastian said when he let her go.

“But you still have so many more to have,” Lord Ausher said.

“You’re still as nosy as ever.”

“And you’re still as cranky. Speaking of which.” Lord Ausher turned to Diana. “What have you been up to?”

“Not lounging in a large mansion while doing nothing,” she said.

“You should try it, Frowny Face,” Lord Ausher said and touched the silver streak in Diana’s hair. “You don’t want more of this, do you?”

“You know damn well what it’s from,” Diana said, gently removing his hand.

Lord Ausher laughed. “I doubt you’ll say it out loud.”

Diana glanced at the Orwell matriarch negotiating with a customer. “Why should I admit to inheriting anything from that porcelain doll?” Her back stiffened so quickly that they could tell she’d heard them.

“Nice job, Diana,” James said. “You know how good her hearing is.”

“No one told her to eavesdrop,” Diana said. “Why have you abandoned the inn?”

“I need a break, and I’m forcing him to take one too,” Ellie said.

“I have to see all your ugly faces before Solstice?” Diana asked.

“Yep,” James answered. “We expect Kevin and Luke to arrive tomorrow.”

“I’m surprised after Father practically bought out their services through the winter,” Sebastian said.

James shrugged. “I think Kevin wants enough saved up to take a break of his own during the spring.”

Ellie smiled. “I think his vacation will be more entertaining.”

Lord Ausher laughed. “That poor man being locked away in a hut for months on end with an incubus.”

“That depends on whether or not we can get this one’s life sorted out,” Diana said as she pointed at Sebastian.

“Eat any more poisoned food?” Lord Ausher asked him.

“Excuse me?” James asked.

“Where did you hear that?” Sebastian growled.

Lord Ausher tapped his ear. “I put my ear to the wind and listened to interesting things going on at the castle.”

“What is he talking about, Sebastian?” Diana asked.

“I didn’t eat any poisoned food,” Sebastian said.

“I’m sorry. I meant tainted food with its poisons removed,” Lord Ausher restated.

Sebastian finished restocking the table and shoved the bag at James. “I’m going to visit our other siblings and see if they have something more intelligent to discuss.” He moved around Diana and brushed by Lord Ausher, who whispered, “Plotting to kill Trenton is a dangerous mistake.” Sebastian ignored him and made for his mother’s table.

That idea had barely flourished in his head, and Sebastian didn’t need that stupid wizard blabbing his thoughts to his family.

“Well, well, well. Look who’s joined us after groveling to our older siblings. Did they not take proper care of you, Sebastian?” Pratchett asked. “I don’t know if our humble presence is enough after their company.”

“Lord Ausher is giving you more attention than usual,” Demetrius said. “Are you that desperate for a husband that you’ve already forgotten your prince?”

“It’s like you compete with the others in idiocy,” Sebastian said. “I’m amazed that you always win.”

Kraven crossed his arms. “What did you tell Diana?”

“Nothing,” Sebastian said. “She already knows and wanted to make Demetrius and Pratchett paranoid.”

“There’s no way she could know if you didn’t tell her,” Pratchett said to Kraven. “You should stop telling him secrets if he’s going to blab.”

Sebastian tilted his head at his shit-stirring brother. “Nice try, but all you have to do is ask her. She won’t lie for my benefit.”

“Terror to all and allegiance to none,” Demetrius muttered.

“He’s the youngest,” Pratchett pointed out. “Even Kevin has a soft spot for him. I wouldn’t trust him, Kraven.”

Kraven glared at Pratchett. “I’ll ask Diana later if he squealed, but even if he did, I’m still not telling you my secret.”

Digging his finger in Kraven’s chest, Pratchett pushed him against the table. “Now it sounds like you’re getting cozy with them. Both of you need to decide which of us you’re going to listen to, or I’ll make that decision for you.”

“Two years older doesn’t mean you can boss me around,” Kraven said as he dug his own finger into Pratchett’s chest.

Demetrius made eye contact with Sebastian and tilted his head to the side.

Sebastian had no idea what would distract him from a family squabble, so he turned to look. Their mother had made multiple trips to the wagon and placed bottles on her table in a disorderly fashion. In all his years, she had never allowed a fight between them to last when they were at market. She’d also stopped calling out her wares and her movements were jerky. Sebastian couldn’t remember hearing her speak for a long time and remembered the last he’d heard from her was right before Diana had insulted her.
We argue and call each other names all the time, so I don’t know why today is different.
He glanced at Diana’s table and saw her gaze roam to their mother every few minutes. Diana’s jaw stiffened as time passed and their mother still said nothing.

Pratchett backed up closer to Demetrius. “I think I saw a glimmer of red. That’s why Mother keeps looking down.”

“If her eyes are red, we won’t sell anything from her scaring the customers,” Kraven said.

“We wouldn’t need to sell anything if Father hadn’t paid Kevin to drag Sebastian home,” Pratchett said.

“Diana angered her, so why am I being blamed?” Sebastian asked.

“Look at her,” Demetrius said, jabbing his thumb in Diana’s direction. “She’s getting pissed too.”

Sebastian stared at Diana and Lady Orwell, who were growing into silent, angry mirrors of each other. “I don’t see why I’m being held responsible for anything.”

“You are the youngest and by default can be the cutest. Use that otherwise useless talent to calm Mother down and then ask Diana to apologize,” Demetrius ordered.

Sebastian’s eyebrow rose. “I see zero incentive to do either thing.”

“You’re the one least likely to be cursed, and James and the others are leaving Diana alone,” Pratchett said. “They’ve given up too, and I’m not doing it. You cost us money, so you make it up.”

“This is horseshit,” Sebastian said.

“Maybe, but I think James agrees,” Demetrius said.

Sebastian turned and saw James eyeing him and slanting his head in their mother’s direction. “I hate you all.”

“All that sucking up and you still have no authority,” Pratchett said.

“Go fuck yourself.” Sebastian took a deep breath and went to Lady Orwell’s side. She was dividing potions by strength with her head bent down. Sebastian opened his mouth just as Imegan stopped by their table.

“Have you had another argument with that disobedient girl?” Imegan asked.

Sebastian closed his eyes and wondered why nothing was going right that day.

“Imegan.” Lady Orwell spoke up for the first time.

“Yes?”

“If you don’t move away from me, I will spell your tongue to rot and choke you to death with puss,” Lady Orwell said without looking up.

Sebastian lowered his head into his hand and groaned. Imegan made a strangled sound and fled.

“I’m not in the mood, Sebastian.”

Sebastian sighed.
How am I supposed to be cute?
“How did you know you were in love with Father?”
Gods, why did I say that?

Lady Orwell blinked, and her eyes flashed back to green. She stared at him suspiciously. “Are you serious?”

“Um, no. I don’t know why those words came out of my mouth. Sorry,” Sebastian said while sidestepping his way from behind the table. A hand firmly gripped his cloak.

“You may stay.”

“I didn’t ask to stay,” Sebastian said.

Lady Orwell’s eyes briefly flashed red again. “You’re going to stay.”

“Fine,” Sebastian said, knowing his mother’s strength increased when her fey blood surfaced. She used that strength to pull him closer.

“I know your brothers sent you, but I want you to answer my questions too.”

“I would prefer you ignored what I said.”

“It’s relevant to my mood.”

“What does that mean?” Sebastian asked.

“How does the prince see you?”

Sebastian shrugged. “I don’t know. A mysterious cloaked man who might be a little demanding.”

“What about after he saw your face?” Lady Orwell asked.

“A mysterious cloaked man with a surprise filling but still demanding.”

“Do you think he loves you or your appearance?”

“I think me. He told me he loved me before he knew what I looked like.”

“That is a positive first step.”

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Sebastian said.

“I thought you didn’t want me to.” Sebastian frowned beneath his hood, and his mother smiled. “I loved him when he first met me. He didn’t give a damn how beautiful I was and ignored me until he spied my apothecary badge.” Lady Orwell tapped the embroidered healer’s knot surrounding a poisonous flower. “He said he loved my style and invited me to watch him swindle a lord.”

“That’s romantic?”

“To be seen as a person and an expert by a stranger, yes, it was,” Lady Orwell said.

“That’s why what Diana said bothered you so much,” Sebastian whispered.

“Among my people, I was raised to be a doll that sat on a shelf and looked pretty.” Lady Orwell slid a nail across the side of Sebastian’s cheek. “Would you like to be called a doll?”

Something twisted in Sebastian’s stomach, and he thought back to others who didn’t see him as a person but as a thing. He shook his head vehemently, and his mother kissed the top of his head. Sebastian froze, not used to the affection.

“I do not want that fate for you, either. That is why I will support whoever you marry that is worthy of you,” she said.

“Did the same things happen to you that happened to me?” Sebastian asked.

“No. Strangers tried to make you do their bidding, and my family tried to make me do theirs.”

“That sounds kind of worse,” Sebastian said.

“Yes and no.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you are the only one who will understand. You can go back to the others. I’m calm now,” Lady Orwell said.

“All right.” Sebastian left her as she loudly hawked her wares to newcomers. He didn’t stop walking until he stood face-to-face with Diana.

“What do you want?”

“Apologize to her.”

“I must be hearing things, because I thought you just ordered me to be nice to Mother.”