Page 29 of The Cursed Sebastian Storm

Sebastian was given a key on the spot and a lease to sign. He sat at the dining table and looked up his lawyer’s number online, then made another call.

Once the lawyer got over the shock of his famously reclusive client calling him for the first time, he was happy to arrange everything Sebastian needed. A deposit and the first month’s rent were sent to the landlord and an account with debit card access was opened for Sebastian.

It should have felt good to accomplish all these things. Sebastian’s life outside Storm House was more tangible now. It was working out smoothly. He had everything he needed to rebuild except the ability to leave Moonlight Falls. But even that didn’t seem like much of a loss at the moment. The idea of going to unfamiliar places still made Sebastian’s insides squirm.

However, instead of feeling good, he was melancholy. He didn’t know what to do next. What did he want from his life now that he had it back?

Luckily, he didn’t have to dwell on the big picture for long. He walked through the town back to James’s house to meet the others.

Sebastian was a mess of nervous guilt as James pulled up in Eli’s car. Even if James and Eli didn’t blame him for their parents’ accident, he was still the cause of their past trauma, and Sebastian didn’t know how he was supposed to ignore that. If Sebastian had never been born and the curse never transferred, James and Eli would still have their parents. If Sebastian had never tried to escape Storm House, James, Eli, Parker, and Hazel wouldn’t be trapped by the curse. These were just facts, and Sebastian couldn’t ignore them.

He told himself he believed James when he said he didn’t blame Sebastian for the accident fourteen years ago. James wasn’t mad at him. He wouldn’t lie about his feelings. But Sebastian didn’t understand how James could be so reasonable, so doubt kept creeping in. No one else in Sebastian’s life took his side or looked past his flaws. Maybe James did blame him just a bit. He couldn’t get rid of the idea, even after how wrong he’d been this morning when assuming the worst.

The worst could still happen, a scared little voice inside him whispered.

But Sebastian had resolved to try with James, to hold on to the hope they could last. He hadn’t given up when he was trapped at Storm House. If he could manage that, he could try to make this work. He could believe what James had told him despite his doubts. He could try to solve the problems he’d created, absolve his guilt, and make a place for himself in Moonlight Falls.

Sebastian wanted to be chosen for once. He wanted to be kept. He wanted friends and James, and he’d do anything to earn them. He could prove he was worth keeping. Maybe then the worst wouldn’t happen.

“I got myself a place to live.” Sebastian stood from where he’d been seated on the front steps as James, Eli, and Parker got out of the car. He had his box next to him, ready to go.

James looked at him for a long moment before speaking. “Glad it worked out.”

Sebastian glanced between James and Eli. “How did it go?”

James approached, his hair wet from the pool. He reached out and clasped Sebastian’s shoulder. “It went fine, Sebastian. It’s disorienting learning something new about our parents’ accident after so long, but neither of us wants to let old anger about the event back into our lives. And like I told Eli, I was already mad about what your family did to you with the transfer spell. Finding out they also hurt my family is hard to hear, but it doesn’t change that much for me. I was already mad at your mother. She has a lot to answer for.”

“My mother?” Sebastian asked dumbly.

James gave him a confused, almost pitying look, his eyes scrunched and lips thin.

Eli and Parker came up behind them. Eli pushed past James and captured Sebastian in another unexpected hug. “I’ll be careful with the veins, okay? But we need to go take a look at them. And not just because my curiosity is killing me.”

“It’s not going to be hard for you to be there?” Sebastian glanced between the brothers. “Knowing what part the veins played in everything?”

Eli crossed his arms. “I spent a lot of time being mad at the section of North Road where Mom and Dad’s car was found, but in the end, it’s just a place. I don’t need to be angry at the veins as well. I’d rather study them and see if we can fix them so nothing bad like this ever happens again.”

“I agree,” James added. “The best thing we can do is try and correct this whole mess.”

They piled into the car. Sebastian placed his box in the trunk so he could drop it at his new place later. He should probably grab some bedding and other things while at Storm House, but he spent the ride being grateful Eli still wanted to help after learning the whole story rather than compiling a to-do list for moving into his new home.

Hazel met them at Storm House, her van already waiting outside the gate when they pulled up.

Right, it was time to do this. Sebastian climbed out of the car and marched up to the gate. “You won’t feel the haunting effects of the property anymore now that the curse has you. So at least being here won’t make you feel like shit.” He unlocked the chain and swung the gate open. “Don’t bring anything onto the property with a battery, or it will get drained.”

Everyone left their phones in the cars. It took Sebastian a second to remember he had a phone in the pocket of James’s leather jacket.

Eli pulled a pile of books out of his trunk and handed them to Parker, then grabbed a leather case. “I did some research on how to measure the power flowing through the veins. All my usual tools are electronic, but luckily people have been quantifying magical power since before electricity. Parker and I did some crafting this morning to recreate some old instruments.”

“See, this is exactly why we need you.” Sebastian smiled at Eli, and the younger man smiled back. They hadn’t known each other growing up any better than Sebastian had known James, but of course, they’d seen each other around. Eli was pretty friendly, and Sebastian wished they’d been in the same grade in school. Maybe they’d have been friends.

Sebastian led everyone onto the property. His eyes kept snagging on little things. Today’s newspaper on the gravel driveway. The weeds popping up near the front steps. All the apples weighing down the trees.

They were heading toward the forest when Miss Moo came charging over to them. The cow stopped in front of Sebastian and snorted before letting out a long moo.

“Hey, girl.” Sebastian patted her head. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this cow run.”

James joined Sebastian in petting the cow. “Seems like she missed you.”

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