Evelyn Disgrace

Chapter Twenty-Two - Ira of Sar

When Nat calls down Aster to the sitting room, I do not expect him to come with Evelyn at his side. I don't expect Evelyn to look like she had been upset. I expected us all to be together and then Evelyn is returned and we hear the message. But Evelyn gives no message, at least not immediately.

"What?" Aster asks. He appears unusually close to Evelyn, and it makes me wonder what they had been up to.

Nat looks at Evelyn with surprise. "You're back!"

"Yes," she says quietly, looking at the ground. However, I still recognize her tearstained expression.

Vena glances at Aster, and then says, "I suppose that solves our immediate problem, and I may have a solution for the Piper."

Evelyn's head shoots up. "What?"

"Yes, we went to a shop that helps with mysticism and magic. They gave us this bottle. We made a deal." Vena steps closer to Evelyn. "Are you alright? You gave us quite the fright."

"What deal did you make?" Aster inquires, his serious demeanor rigid as always. But when he glances at Evelyn, I see a quiet softening in his stature. As if he's concerned about something and it needs his entire attention.

"It doesn't matter," Vena responds quickly. She exchanges glances with Nat, a fiery blaze flashing through her eyes. Then she returns her concern to Evelyn. "Again, dear, will you tell me if you're alright?"

Aster moves toward Vena, in front of Evelyn, who appears to be unresponsive. "What deal did you make, Vena?"

Vena exhales sharply. "I said it doesn't matter. The point is that I got us a solution." She gestures to Nat, who raises the bottle up for Aster to see.

Aster rolls his eyes. "You were conned, Vena. How much did you pay?"

"I made a deal," Vena responds. "It's all taken care of. If you'll just trust me, then you'll see."

Aster shakes his head incredulously. "And why, might I ask, should I trust you with this? Why should I trust you made a proper deal, and why should I trust that this bottle contains the solution to our problems?"

Vena scoffs. "How can you even berate me about that when you won't even trust your own crew? How can you say that you don't trust me when you asked me to trust you?" Her nostrils flare angrily. "If it works, I must pay him money. If it doesn't, then he doesn't get anything."

"What's his leverage?"

Vena gestures around, flustered. "What does it matter? We have a chance at this, Aster. If what you say is really true about Verans being controlled, then we have to free them. We have to."

"Vena, what did you give him? What guarantee?" Aster glares at the young woman, his fists clenched tightly.

She meets his eyes, a dash of sadness mixed into a pool of assertion. "If we don't pay him, he has my life."

Aster processes this for a second, and then dives into his chastising. "What were you thinking, Vena? Did you not consider the cost to this? And how much was the price? How do you know that he's not going to just claim he didn't get the money and then kill you? How do you know if he's even a good businessman? It's only supposed to be my life on the line. Nobody else's."

"We all make our own sacrifices," Vena snaps. "This was my choice, Aster. You have no say if a make a bargain that risks my life. I'm doing it because people may need saving. If Verans are controlled by their blood, then they need to be saved. We can't just give up on them that quickly. If we do, then we're weak." The words are spewed at Aster in a whirlwind anger. And I suspect it's also mixed with fear.