6. Evelyn
6
Evelyn
“ I need to share something with all of you,” I began, my voice more composed than I truly felt. “Something…impossible happened. At first, you might think I’m crazy, but it’s the truth.” The expectant silence prodded me to continue. “I’ve lived this year before.”
The words lingered in the air until a few eyebrows were raised.
“What do you mean?” Chad asked, scratching his head.
I fumbled with my sleeves. “Well, in our future, but in my past, Morgana performed a dark ritual by burning me at the stake.” I choked on my words, memories clawing at my throat. The smell of burning flesh, the searing pain—it all came rushing back. I had to close my eyes for a moment to steady myself. “I died. Yet somehow, I was reborn exactly one year before my death, with all my memories intact. That’s how I knew Theo was spelled—his change in character happened the same way as it did before.”
I paused, looking at each of them, hoping they would believe me.
“What do you mean, you died?” Alister asked.
“In my other timeline, I died and came back to the past.”
“And I wasn’t there to save you?” Alister’s voice was tinged with concern.
I shook my head.
“When does this happen?” Alister pressed.
“On the Autumnal Equinox. But since coming back, I’ve changed several events. I’ve taken new classes, and met new friends,” I explained, meeting each of their gazes. “Lucien and Rafe protected me from the siphoning of my magic. I didn’t know in my other timeline, or that my powers were blocked.”
“That’s why you ended up in my library,” Alister mused.
“Exactly. Rafe found out that I had something binding my full powers. We were researching a way to unbind them, I was also researching why my lineage had golden eyes since my mom died before she could explain the meaning.”
The silence stretched as I bit my lower lip.
“So, you died and came back?” Lucien asked as he seemed to process my story.
I nodded. “And I met your brother. Your brother introduced me to you. You introduced me to Rafe.”
“And you met me at the Defense Classes because you wanted to learn to protect yourself,” Chad chimed in as if everything was making sense. “You were afraid since your magic alone wasn’t enough to save you.”
“Exactly. I promised myself I would never be weak again. Still, in my other timeline, I didn’t suspect anyone in my coven. I didn’t think my best friend and the witch who raised me after my parents’ death would lock me up, send someone to torture me so I’d give her my powers, and ultimately burn me at the stake to steal the power I refuse to give them.”
Ryker’s fist slammed against a hard surface, making me jump in my seat. “I’ll kill them all!”
“You’re big, but you’re no match for a coven of witches,” Chad reminded him. “Plus, I’m here too. You need to leave some for me to kill.”
I blinked at their nonchalant discussion of killing my enemies. I thought it would be harder. I was ready to face their disbelief and their questions. Looking around, I noticed Rafe was lost in thoughts while Lucien and Alister had their hands balled into fists as if controlling their anger.
Lucien broke the silence. “Who tortured you in the other timeline?”
“I believe I know why you returned to the past,” Alister interrupted. “My venom most likely acted as a tether to this world and somehow brought you back to life.”
“Exactly a year before my death?” I asked him with a raised eyebrow.
He shrugged. “Then I don’t have any other explanation.”
“Does that mean you believe me?”
He nodded. “You have no reason to lie. Do you?”
I shook my head.
Chad’s expression softened, and Ryker grumbled as if assuring me he also believed my story.
“Was it Miss Clarissa?” Lucien asked.
“Yes. How did you know?”
“She’s the only one in your coven who could break someone’s spirit with her ability to infiltrate other people’s minds. You also placed a part of the book in her office. It’s obvious you had a vendetta against her.”
“We need to figure out how much of the future has been changed because of your return and the new decisions you took,” Rafe spoke, startling me with his reasoning. “The power to pull a soul from the beyond and send it back in time is something only gods can do.”
“Not even the most powerful angels can do that?” Lucien asked him.
“No. We have no power over the fabric of time. We can heal, we can protect, and wield magic, but no one is powerful enough to travel to the past or future. Some are clairvoyant. Some can walk between worlds, even universes, but that’s it.”
“I still think our connection might have had something to do with it,” Alister said.
“Your venom might have tampered with Eve’s powers, but it wouldn’t be enough to create an alternative reality,” Rafe rebuked.
“When I died, I went to a dark place, and a voice told me I had to come back and correct the staggering wrongs that had been done ,” I clarified since they seemed too busy coming up with theories.
“That would mean that whatever happened once you were dead would affect the world so much that a god had to intervene,” Lucien mused. “After all, you’re the most powerful witch that we know of. Especially now that you can access the powers of your ancestors.”
“There was a caveat I haven’t mentioned yet. The voice said I could come back, but I could no longer use my magic, or it would drain my life force,” I explained.
Rafe’s eyes widened. “That explains a lot. I couldn’t figure out what was happening to your magic. It makes sense now—there had to be a sacrifice made to allow your return.”
I nodded in agreement.
“Do you think the ritual gave them access to my bloodline’s powers in the other timeline?” I asked Lucien.
“I’m not well-versed in dark magic, Evelyn, but I do know it’s unpredictable. One thing’s certain, though—power like that always comes with a heavy price. Pain and destruction tend to go hand in hand.”
“True,” Alister agreed, nodding. “Powerful witches have been killed in the past because of their dark intentions. Vampires and shifters have faced similar fates. Some bloodlines have less magic, but Morgana’s attempt to steal your powers suggests a deeper motive. You’re already part of her coven, which adds to their respect and prestige. There’s likely a hidden agenda behind her desire for your powers.”
“Lia,” I said. “She was the one benefiting from the siphoning of my magic.” I paused, furrowing my brow. “But I feel like something is missing—there must be a larger goal at play.”
“Another one trying to conquer the world,” Chad said with a shrug. “How creative of them. Still, killing one of their own is unforgivable.”
Ryker grunted in agreement.
I couldn’t help but feel a surge of warmth from both of the shifters, mingling with witches, an angel, and a vampire for a common goal. Well, I was the one they wanted to protect. Still, I’d never thought this could happen in my former life.
“I’m assuming Theo didn’t die in the past,” Lucien said.
I looked at him. “He didn’t. He acted like a dick, but I now understand that his memories had been tampered with and he wasn’t himself. His death wasn’t foreseen, which makes me fear for the rest of you. You’re in danger if you decide to help me.”
“I don’t care. No one messes with my girl,” Chad claimed.
Alister cleared his throat. “My wife.”
“Not yet,” Lucien chipped in.
Chad moved closer to me. “But are we really going to ignore the fact that some crazy witch had our girl tortured and then burned alive?” he asked, carefully scooping me up onto his lap.
Avoiding my wings, he tenderly grabbed my hands, nuzzling my neck protectively.
“Of course not,” Lucien assured, his eyes hardening. “We won’t ignore what she did. But we need to be smart about how we handle it.”
Rafe’s brow furrowed with concern. “Evelyn, are you okay? I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through.”
I took a deep breath. “I’m…managing,” I replied, trying to summon a reassuring smile. “When I came back, I mistrusted everybody and felt afraid. If you remember, I almost burnt the Academy to the ground when Lucien cornered me in his office,” I said. “But a few months have passed and I’m not as na?ve as before. I know who my enemy is. I’ll have time to process my trauma once Morgana and Clarissa are exposed to the rest of the society as dark magic users.”
“You can count on me to help you,” Chad mumbled against my neck.
Rafe nodded with a serious expression.
Alister’s voice was low and dangerous. “Morgana and Clarissa will pay for what they did to you.”
Lucien gave a curt nod. “But first, we need to be strategic. We have an advantage over Morgana now, but with everything Evelyn has been telling us these past few weeks, her schemes might be bigger than we expected.”
“This is not the first time she’s tried to kill you, though,” Alister added, almost as an afterthought.
“What do you mean?” I glanced at him.
He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair before looking back at me with solemn eyes.
“The night your parents died. You were in the car with them.”
I swallowed hard. “I don’t understand.”
“I had been tracking you ever since the day I bound your magic. Your parents were frantic, and I wanted to make sure you weren’t in danger. I had finally found you, and….” He stopped and held my gaze. “The accident happened so fast. I believe the car brakes had been spelled. Your parents didn’t have time to react, and I barely got you out unscathed.”
His words hit me like a tidal wave.
I was with my parents.
I should be dead?
“Why would Morgana want to kill Evelyn and her mom if she could siphon their magic or somehow benefit from it? They were the two most powerful witches alive at the time. It doesn’t make sense,” Lucien said, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“She may have initially wanted to eliminate any potential rivals,” Alister speculated. “Then maybe she found a way to siphon the magic later. Perhaps she learned something along the way that changed her plans.”
I nodded, still unable to speak.
“Are you okay?” Rafe asked.
“I’m fine,” I lied, as Chad squeezed my hands tightly in his.
“I’ll give your memories back, little phoenix,” Alister said. “If you want them. These are not nice ones, though.”
Again, I nodded. Reliving my parents’ death was not a memory I wanted right now.
“Any more surprises?” I asked.
“None here,” Chad said, pointing to himself and Ryker.
I looked at Alister.
“Maybe a few more, but they are personal. I’d rather tell them when it’s just the two of us.”
“Fine.”
“Lucien?”
“Nothing of importance,” he said.
I turned my eyes to Rafe and raised my eyebrows.
He took a long breath, his eyes glinting with a vulnerability he seldom showed. “You all know I’m half angel, half human. My mother, a guardian, fell for a human one night and…here I am.” He gave a half-hearted shrug. “My existence has been solitary, to say the least. I’ve never quite belonged anywhere.”
His gaze shifted to the floor, then rose again. “But then I found Arcanum Academy. Last year, when I arrived here, it was the first time…I felt accepted. Valued.” A small smile tugged at his lips. “I had my art, Lucien’s friendship, and the respect of those who sought my healing abilities.”
The room was silent as we absorbed his words.
“However,” Rafe continued, his expression darkening slightly, “at the beginning of this term, I was summoned back to the celestial realm.” His voice took on a note of disbelief. “They had a task for me—a guardianship.”
I could see the mixture of shock and pride in his eyes as he spoke. “It’s something I’ve always longed for, but never thought possible because of my mixed heritage. I had trained for it my whole life, but when the time came, I was denied. That’s why I left.”
Chad whistled. “Like a guardian angel? Those are real?”
Rafe nodded. “Yes. And because of my…unique position here,” he glanced around at us all before settling his gaze on me, “they’ve granted me this role.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.“What are you saying, Rafe?”
His expression softened as he looked at me. “It means I’m your guardian angel, Evelyn.” He paused as if gauging my reaction before adding, “That’s why I can feel your emotions so clearly and know where you are at all times.”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
“And there’s more,” Rafe said as he got up and reached behind him. In one fluid motion, he drew out a sword from absolutely nowhere.
Rafe, who normally wore loose jeans and tees, completely transformed before our eyes. His clothes were replaced by shimmering armor that hugged his form like a second skin. His golden hair seemed to glow with an inner light as he stood there, an angelic warrior with a sword that seemed to radiate power.
We all stared in awe.
Chad whistled again. “That’s some serious hardware. Can I see?” He gently placed me on Alister’s lap and went over to Rafe.
Rafe handed over his sword to Chad with a serious expression. “Just be careful. This isn’t just any sword. It’s the Blade of Seraphim, forged in celestial fire and imbued with ancient magics.”
Chad nodded, his eyes wide like a kid in a candy store.
Lucien waved for attention, steering the conversation back. “What does this mean for us? For Evelyn?”
“It means,” Rafe began, turning to face me with solemnity, “that the threats we face are more dangerous than we ever anticipated. My ascension to guardian status wasn’t just an honor—it was a necessity. There’s something that we must absolutely prevent from happening. There’s a reason they gave me that sword in particular.”
“The voice in the darkness,” I said. “It told me that I had to ‘right the staggering wrongs.’ I thought it meant my torture and betrayal, but what if it was something more or something else entirely?”
I rubbed my temples.
Then, without warning, everything around me faded. The room and the voices—all dissolved and transformed before me. Morgana’s face appeared, her expression sharp, and filled with determination.
“Morgana’s coming here!” I yelled, standing up.
Lucien looked at his phone. A message had just pinged. “I just received a notification. They’re holding a special funeral ceremony at the academy’s amphitheater before everyone departs for winter break. The burial will take place at the family’s estate, but the school wants to commemorate Theo first. Morgana will be leading the ceremony.”
“You might have seer abilities now,” Rafe added.
“Well, that would’ve been handy before all the torture,” I muttered.
“I received another notification,” Lucien added with a cringe. “I’ve been summoned for an interrogation by the Supernatural Law Enforcement Agency later this afternoon. I imagine you,” he said, looking at me, “Rafe and Chad will receive one too.”
We all looked at Chad, who was swinging Rafe’s sword oblivious to our conversation.
I swallowed, and it felt like ash. “How am I going to manage that? I can’t even get my wings to cooperate,” I asked frantically.
“I have some connections,” Alister said. “I can arrange for the interrogation to happen here at the mansion. It’s more controlled, and we can ensure Evelyn is not exposed.”
Lucien agreed, “That would help.”
Alister pulled out his phone and began making calls. A short while later, he turned back to us. “It’s arranged. The chief of the agency owes me a favor and will ensure that the officers are sworn to secrecy. They won’t report your powers to anyone outside the investigation.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
Then there was a crash.
“Oops…” came Chad’s voice as he handed the sword back to Rafe, looking sheepish.
Somehow, he had managed to break a panel of one of the windows, and a gust of wind hit me.
I needed to be outside.
With a squeal, I lurched forward at an alarming speed, my wings flapping rapidly. Alister, thankfully, got to the front door just in time before I flew out into the front yard and landed face-first into the cold ground.
It smelled so good.
Like breathing for the first time.
I could feel the frozen ground beneath me, the blades of grass, and the dirt weaving through my senses. I could feel the trees and the multitude of life forms surrounding me. It was as if they were an extension of myself. This connection to the elements felt like coming home, a symphony of nature resonating within me.
I dug my hands into the ground, feeling the dirt.
It was the best thing ever.
Then I rolled on the ground.
Like a dog.