Evelyn Parker

Chapter Nineteen

Evelyn's eyelids quivered, a sliver of consciousness piercing the fog of her mind. Her limbs were heavy, unresponsive, and the world before her eyes swam in a murky haze. Her voice was a mere whisper, her throat parched and aching.

Gone was the chill of the Worldwatcher Room's unforgiving tiles; instead, a sumptuous, velvety expanse cradled her. Fingers trembling, she brushed against the fabric, its plushness unfamiliar to her touch.

The room's soft glow revealed a tapestry of night skies on the fabric, golden stars twinkling against the celestial blue.

"This is... my room?" Evelyn's gaze swept across the familiar confines—baby blue walls, a carpet deep as the midnight ocean, her chosen treasures dotting the space: a dresser, a chair, a sewing machine, each companioned by posters reflecting her soul.

A sudden memory flashed—Eleanor's frantic incantations, a portal's embrace—and realization dawned. She was back in her room in the café.

Attempting to rise, her knees buckled, sending her lurching for the bed's headboard. A sharp pain shot through her skull, eliciting a hiss of discomfort. The threshold tripped her, but she caught herself, eyes scanning for any hint of life.

"Renji? Eleanor?" Her call echoed, a lone voice amidst the silence.

She drifted through the hallways, each step a plea. The house answered only in whispers—creaks and sighs of an empty shell.

Evelyn's heart hammered in her chest as she stumbled back against the wall of Tierra-Tenorio's. Panic surged within her as she crumpled to the floor, struggling to comprehend the recent events.

Renji had been assaulted, but by who?

The young barista's mind flashed back to the bulging veins in Renji's neck.

Dark magic, she realized with a shudder. She remembered lessons from her class. The dark arts were prohibited for a reason—it seemed as though Renji had been poisoned.

She shook her head, determination steeling her resolve. "I have to find Eleanor. I need to know... everything."

Evelyn's heart hammered against her ribcage as she paced the main hallway, her breaths coming in short, desperate gasps. She was utterly lost, with no clue where to begin her search.

"Hello?" The word bounced off the walls, a lonely echo in the vast corridor. "Is anybody here?"

Rounding a corner, Evelyn's frantic gaze landed on a figure seated serenely between two statues, their intricate carvings casting shadows in the dim light.

Bria.

The woman's dark tresses framed her face, and her eyes, though closed, seemed to pierce through the veil of tranquility that enveloped her.

"Bria," Evelyn's voice cracked, betraying her uncertainty.

No response came; Bria remained as still as the statues flanking her. Frozen in place, Evelyn watched, waiting for a sign.

Suddenly, Bria's eyes snapped open, a soft gasp escaping her lips. "Oh! Evelyn, you gave me quite the fright," she exclaimed, her voice a delicate whisper. "Weren't you with Eleanor and Renji?"

Evelyn's confusion deepened, her brows knitting together. "I... uh, no, I mean—"

Bria's gaze fell upon her, gentle yet inquisitive. "I assure you, I savored the pastry only after offering payment," she ensured.

"That's not it, Bria," Evelyn fumbled with her words. "Something's wrong. I was with Renji and Eleanor at the school, in the Worldwatcher room. There was this... explosion. Renji's hurt, and Eleanor... I don't even know if she's—"