14. Evelyn
14
Evelyn
T he evening of the Yuletide arrived faster than I was ready for.
A few days before, Alister had given me a laptop with an open page to an online store, telling me to order whatever I wanted. After much deliberation, I had chosen a beautiful black silk slip dress and a matching blazer. It made me feel elegant and, perhaps, a bit more confident than I actually felt given the circumstances. I paired the outfit with comfy flats; there was no way I was risking stilettos in case all hell broke loose and I had to make a run for it. I was already uncoordinated enough—no need to add walking on needles to that.
Lucien was wearing a dark suit, looking positively handsome despite the scowl etched across his face. Clearly, he wasn’t looking forward to the evening either.
“You look beautiful,” he told me as I came down the grand staircase.
“Thanks. I didn’t think you were the type to compliment someone,” I said with a smirk.
He shrugged. “Not someone. You.”
I blushed, taken aback by his candor.
Our eyes locked for a moment before Rafe and Alister walked in, urging us to be extra safe. Alister was on edge, his monster peeking out.
“I don’t like this. I should go with you,” he insisted, his voice tense.
“It will be OK,” I assured him. “Lucien will be there.”
“Evelyn, you’re going into a room full of your enemies, those who tortured you and watched you burn at the stake. Just thinking about it makes me want to rip their heads off. My bond demands that I protect you at all costs.” His eyes turned red with intensity.
He crushed me in a stronghold of a hug.
“I will protect her with my life,” Lucien added. “You have my word.”
“And you guys are forgetting something crucial here,” I said, extricating myself from Alister’s grip. He reluctantly let me go. “I’m pretty powerful,” I added with a wink.
“Precisely why you need to be extra vigilant,” Alister said, grabbing my face between his hands.
“I will be, I promise.”
Alister kissed my forehead, then Rafe gave me a long hug, and we were off.
The one-hour drive felt like an eternity as we sat in tense silence. We seemed to be mentally preparing ourselves for a night neither of us wanted to partake in. Lucien’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel.
“Remember to put your barrier in place before we walk in,” I reminded him softly. “If you don’t, you won’t know when Miss Clarissa’s in your head. But if the barrier is up, you’ll sense her attempts.”
Lucien’s jaw tightened at the mention of Miss Clarissa.
Both Rafe and Alister had suggested he play into her advances to gather more information—a plan that made my stomach churn but seemed our best bet.
Morgana seemed keen on having Lucien join their ranks, so if the opportunity was offered, the professor would accept and see what he could uncover from the inside.
“And I’ll try to remain calm and not burn the place down or pop my wings,” I said.
“Not funny, Evelyn,” he exhaled loudly.
“Sorry.”
“I hate this plan,” he muttered.
“Me too.”
The rest of the drive passed in silence, the tension thick between us. Finally, we pulled up to the grand estate.
I had once found its Gothic architecture to be beautiful; now it felt like stepping into a nightmare.
“Ready?” Lucien asked, glancing at me as he turned off the engine.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied.
Opening the door, I stepped out of the car and smoothed down my dress under my coat.
Lucien adjusted his suit jacket, still scowling but more composed now. He placed a reassuring hand on my back as we approached the heavy wooden doors. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the night of hell that awaited us inside.
As we walked towards the entrance, I kept repeating my new mantra in my head.
Keep it calm, keep it contained, no wings, no flames.
Lucien and I stepped into the grand estate, greeted by the overwhelming splendor of Yuletide decorations. Garlands of pine and holly adorned every archway. Twinkling lights cast a warm glow, and the air was fragrant with the scent of pine and spiced cider, creating a deceptive sense of warmth and festivity.
The hum of conversation and laughter filled the air as we approached the grand ballroom. As we crossed the threshold, I sensed a subtle shift in the room’s energy; eyes turned our way, likely sensing my increased power.
The ballroom was a sight to behold, with an enormous tree standing proudly in the center, a replica of what it had been in the previous timeline, decked out in silver and gold.
Morgana glided towards us, her forced smile not reaching her eyes. “Evelyn, dear. Professor Lucien. How delightful you could join us!”
Lucien’s jaw tightened as he forced a smile. “Thank you for the invitation.”
Morgana’s gaze raked over Lucien, her smile widening predatorily. My stomach clenched.
“You look stunning,” I blurted, stepping slightly in front of Lucien, feeling the need to protect him from the matriarch’s intense gaze.
Morgana tilted her head and gave me a once-over. “And you look…” she began, seemingly searching for the right words. “Effortlessly understated,” she declared with a faint smile. “It could use some stilettos and jewels to spruce it up.”
I nodded and smiled back, gritting my teeth.
Lucien grabbed my arm. “Shall we mingle with the other guests? Thank you for having us, Matriarch.”
“Why are you in such a rush?” Morgana asked, grabbing onto my other arm.
“I’m sure you have other guests to greet,” I replied.
“Not at all.” She grimaced as her eyes locked onto mine. “Evelyn…” She stepped closer. “I’m worried about you. Your magic seems…unsettling stronger tonight.”
I shrugged casually, trying to mask my nerves. “I have been getting plenty of rest.”
Morgana held my gaze. “You should consult a physician. One is present here tonight.”
“I’m fine,” I insisted, doing my best not to rip my arm off her hand.
She let me go. Her lips pressed into a thin line, clearly unconvinced but unwilling to push further in front of everyone before she glided away.
Lia was there too, standing a little further away with Ruby at her side. Unlike Ruby, who looked resplendent in a blue gown, Lia appeared muted and distracted.
Before I could ponder Lia’s demeanor further, Miss Clarissa appeared and latched onto Lucien’s arm. She was draped in a form-fitting red dress that hugged her curves.
She looked stunning, even if she was a witch bitch.
He stiffened beside me, his discomfort evident, as he let go of my arm as she led him away under the pretense of discussing some potion questions.
I forced myself to engage in polite chitchat with those around me, though my mind was elsewhere—constantly aware of Morgana’s gaze boring into my back and Lucien’s absence beside me.
The room was abuzz with conversation, and the festive decorations glittered in the candlelight. But I didn’t care for any of it. Nor did I care for these people, most of whom were as corrupt as Morgana.
Thank goodness the twins were there. As I approached them, Raven raised her glass of sparkling punch. “Look who decided to grace us with her presence,” she teased.
“It’s not like you don’t see me every day. I had no idea you missed me so much,” I teased as I grabbed a glass from one of the servants.
Raven’s black dress hugged her figure, the dark fabric shimmering under the lights, while Aurora’s white dress flowed like a soft breeze around her. Their choice of attire complemented their personalities and personal tastes. They looked so similar that if it wasn’t for Raven’s goth makeup, I might not know who was Raven and who was Aurora if they dressed alike.
Aurora rolled her eyes at her sister. “Ignore her, Eve. She’s bored because the music isn’t of her liking and there aren’t many people of our age that we want to talk to.”
“These parties are never fun,” I agreed as I took a sip of my drink. “The food isn’t that great either. Too fancy for my taste.”
“And brought in small portions!” Raven nodded. “I’m glad I ate before coming here.”
I giggled. “I should have thought of that. But I was too nervous.”
Aurora furrowed her eyebrows. “Nervous? Why?”
I shrugged. “Lia and I grew apart this last semester…Theo is gone…”
Aurora moved closer and rubbed my shoulder. “Let’s not talk about sad things today. Theo’s death has affected us all, you more than us, since you have known each other for ages. Still…” She swallowed dry. “I can’t imagine how his family might be feeling.”
“Our parents got extra paranoid after the incident,” Raven whispered as if she didn’t want anyone else to hear. “Rumor has it that his family and the matriarch are no longer on good terms. None of his family came to the party.”
“Oh!” I glanced around and realized that Raven was right.
“Our parents have been talking about moving covens,” Aurora whispered with wide eyes.
Raven elbowed her sister. “Hush. It’s a secret.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” I assured them both. “It’s not a bad idea to stay away from here for a while.”
Raven arched an eyebrow. “You sense something’s off with our coven too, don’t you?”
“The walls have ears and eyes,” Aurora warned as she glanced around.
“Is it safe to talk about the elephant in the room?” Raven asked.
“The elephant?” I asked, puzzled.
“Your magic! What happened?”
I cringed. “Can we postpone that discussion? Aurora’s right—it’s safer to talk about this at the academy.”
“Well, it’s not like we see you around after classes. Where are you hiding?” Raven complained.
“Most likely spending time with the gorgeous angel,” Aurora said, covering her mouth as she giggled. “Can you blame her?”
“He looks too angelical for my taste. I like my men big and slightly scary,” Raven shared.
“Which rules out almost every warlock in the academy,” Aurora mumbled as she rolled her eyes. “Mom and Dad won’t be pleased when you bring your shifter lover home.”
“I’m not seeing anyone,” Raven defended herself. “If I was, you’d know.”
I kept taking small sips as I witnessed the twins’ banter. I wondered what would be like if I had siblings. Though I treated Lia as a sister, our relationship wasn’t as playful as Aurora and Raven’s. They might be sarcastic with one another, but they clearly loved each other.
Raven leaned closer to me. “About the angel. Is he a good kisser?”
I laughed, trying not to spit out my drink.
“Or maybe you’re seeing that shifter you train with. He’s gorgeous and…delicious,” Raven kept talking. “Does he have a brother? A cousin?”
“You’re so meddling,” Aurora grumbled.
“You also wanted to know,” Raven accused.
I kept smiling as the twins argued with each other. It was nice to be among friends. Which reminded me of Lia.
I caught sight of her not far from us. Unexpectedly, she was looking at me and looked away when I caught her.
Was she keeping tabs on me?
Her boyfriend was there, but so was Ruby and a few of Lia’s other friends. They seemed to be having a fun conversation. Even if Lia didn’t seem amused about it or even part of it.
“Eve,” Raven called, nudging my shoulder. “Help us decide. Who looks more stunning tonight? Aurora or I?”
“You’re asking me the impossible. You’re twins and it’s all about your tastes.”
“Let’s get you out of here,” Aurora said, holding onto my hand and looking at Lia’s entourage. “There’s too much noise.”
“Yes, let’s find something to eat,” Raven agreed, following behind us as Aurora made her way to the buffet.
As the night wore on, I noticed some suspicious activity between Morgana and the elders. As for Lucien, he was too busy entertaining Miss Clarissa and being introduced to anyone important from our coven.
Morgana often glanced my way as she whispered in the elders’ ears. I tried to ignore it, but even the twins noticed at some point.
Then Aurora and Raven left the party with their parents.
Left alone, I remained in a corner and checked my social media on my phone.
I sighed as I looked around in an attempt to find my ride home. Miss Clarissa was still shadowing Lucien and acting as if he belonged to her.
The nerve!
I was about ready to poke my eyes out with a cocktail skewer when my phone pinged with a text message from Alister.
“Having fun?” he texted.
“A blast,” I wrote back, adding the emoji of a hangman.
“You look like you’re about to pass out from boredom,” he responded.
I looked around with a confused expression. “Are you here?” I typed.
“Outside near a window.”
“What are you doing here?”
Seriously! Had he been spying on me the entire night? I thought bodyguard duties were Chad’s.
“Making sure you are safe. Now, could you walk to the front hall? I need to ask you for a favor.”
“Okay,” I typed fast as I walked past the crowd to reach the exit to the foyer when I bumped into someone.
It was Lia.
“Sorry,” she muttered quickly.
She was alone for once, and I couldn’t help myself and asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she replied before scurrying away. Her boyfriend materialized and followed close behind, his hand hovering protectively over her lower back.
Before I could reach the entrance, someone grabbed my shoulder and stopped me in my tracks.
“Evelyn, may I have a private word?” Morgana requested, startling me.