Evelyn Parker

Chapter Eighteen

-Angel Starling's Catacombs-

Eleanor strode towards the cowering woman in the corner of the cell, her resolve echoing in every resolute step. The authority she commanded was palpable - evident in her crossed arms, taut jaw, and piercing gaze.

Halting a few strides away, Eleanor addressed the captive woman with a biting edge in her voice, "What seems to be your grievance, Avelia?"

Avelia, ensconced in her corner, clung to her knees, her gaze unwaveringly trained on the frigid stone floor. She offered no response, remaining mute even as Eleanor repeated the question, the air of frustration in her tone growing more evident.

"What could possibly provoke you to assault a mere teenager?" Eleanor questioned again, her voice escalating with every word.

Avelia squirmed a little but preserved her silence. With a frosty glare, she met their eyes before abruptly averting her gaze and spitting defiantly on the cell floor. The sound reverberated throughout the cell, making Eleanor wince.

Renji proposed, "Perhaps a conversation might be beneficial."

As Avelia rose, crossing her arms and locking eyes with Eleanor, she sneered, "You're utterly clueless, aren't you? Do you presume you can saunter in here and demand answers?"

"Surely, if the knowledge were ours, we'd have no need for your voice," Eleanor countered, her fingers entwining with the iron lattice that caged them.

Avelia continued her ridicule. "Look at you both, entirely oblivious. I'd have thought you, of all people, would discern the truth merely by observing her. You know what? I don't think I'll divulge anything. This is far too amusing to spoil."

Renji advanced, conjuring shields in his hands, his eyes darkening. "You may wish to reconsider your stance," he warned, his voice low and foreboding.

"No, there's no necessity for violence," the Guardian of Earth intervened, signaling Renji with a raised hand. "Let her maintain her silence. We hold no desperation for her revelations; she wields no power over us."

At this, Renji retreated, his arms falling to his sides.

Avelia's chuckle reverberated through the cell, her tone icy and malevolent. "Your young apprentice is in jeopardy, Barnett," she declared in a chilling whisper. "Your folly was in bringing her here. I won't be the only one on her trail, and when I reveal her secrets to the rest - or what remains of us - her life will hang by a thread."

Eleanor's tone was sharp as she fired back, "What are you insinuating?"

Avelia's sneer was haunting. "You should have never allowed me to set eyes on her," she taunted. "You've committed a grave error, and the price will be exacted with interest. I've said my piece."

With a glare that could have frozen fire, Eleanor spun on her heel, leaving the cell with Renji in tow.

Avelia's fury found voice in a piercing cry, "Your shield may guard her now, but eternity is vast, and your arms too short to embrace it!" Her proclamation, a bitter symphony, resonated in the desolate corridors.

.•° ✿ °•.

Eleanor reclined gracefully at a wrought iron table nestled within the school's verdant courtyard, her hands tenderly embracing a cup of tea that wafted tendrils of steam. Her gaze lingered on the trees, their foliage whispering secrets in the caress of the breeze.

"I should have foreseen this," she whispered, her voice a delicate tapestry of concern. "For one presumably unversed in our ways, her progress is startlingly swift."