The Ymbryne Academy

Chapter 74

Alma had brought Victor's body inside putting it onto his bed. She didn't know what to do, and she couldn't pull herself together.

Enoch spotted his ymbryne leaving the room, a few hours since she went in. The ymbryne knew she couldn't be gone forever, she had other wards to tend to.

Alma tried to be strong, and keep her emotions under control. But it was still hard.

She started working on dinner, needing a distraction to force the lump in her throat down. She didn't bother making the children finish the chores, Bronwyn especially was horribly upset. She would have to speak with her soon.

"Miss P?" Emma asked from the doorway. "Are you okay.?" Alma cleared her throat, and looked over.

"Of course, dear. Do you need anything?" She asks, keeping her tone smooth despite how red her eyes were from crying.

"No I'm just kinda worried about you." She said sadly.

"I'm fine, but thank you."

"You're sure?"

"Of course. Now relax for a bit, I'll call you when its time for dinner. Let Bronwyn and the others know if they need anything to come see me." The ymbryne says, Emma nodding before leaving.

Once dinner was ready everyone sat down to eat in silence. Except Bronwyn, who didn't come down for food. Alma decided to leave her be and she'd bring her a plate afterwards.

A few of the children were still upset, none of them really having an appetite so dinner ended early. Alma did the dishes and went upstairs to check on the little girl.

Alma knocked, then let herself into the room when she didn't get a response. "I brought you dinner, dear. Are you doing okay?"

Bronwyn was curled up in the blankets, tears running down her cheeks and Alma looked down at the floor for a moment, biting the inside of her cheek before walking over to her. She set the plate on the nightstand before sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Want a hug?" Alma offered, holding her arms out for her. Bronwyn moved closer and leaned against the ymbryne.

The girl was hugging a bit too tight, but Alma said nothing as she gently rubbed her back.

Bronwyn cried into Alma's shoulder, though the woman paid no mind to her jacket getting wet.

She didn't let go until Bronwyn did first, pulling away and tucking her hair back, handing her a glass of water.

"It's going to be alright. I know it doesn't feel like that, but.. I've lost people too. I know how it feels." Alma said gently. "It'll be alright."

Bronwyn looked at her and then took a small sip of the drink.

"You just have to promise me you'll take care of yourself, okay?" Alma says softly, taking the plate off the nightstand. "I know it's difficult, but everything will be okay."

"Will you help?" Bronwyn asked sadly. She wasn't sure she could handle this alone.

"Of course darling, I will always be here for you." Alma said gently.

The younger girl looked up at her for a moment before back at the plate.

"Do you want me to stay or would you like some alone time?" Alma asks softly.

"Will you stay please? Just for a bit? I don't wanna be alone." She said sadly.

"Of course." Alma says, getting comfortable on the bed with her. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

"Not really." She said as she laid back in her bed. "I just don't like thinking about it."

"Would you like to do something? Take your mind off of it?" Alma offers gently.

"Will you play a board game with me?" She asked, looking up at her.

"Sure." Alma says, getting up to look around in the closet for one.

"We have candy land, or sequence. And I think there's more in here. Anything sound good?"

"We can play candy land." Bronwyn says with a small smile and Alma sent her one back, glad she was helping in some way.

Alma grabbed the game and moved to set it up on the floor. "Alright, which character do you want to be?"

"This one." She says, picking up one of the characters and Alma chose one after wards.

"Would you like to begin?" She asked with a smile. Bronwyn nodded and picked a card off the top of the deck.

"Two blues." She said with a small smile.

The two of them played for a while, Alma eventually having to leave to send them all outside to do reset.

Once Alma was done with reset she tucked everyone in then went back to check on Bronwyn once more. "Hey dear, ready for bed?"

The girl nods and got into bed, Alma tucking her in and sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Are you going to be alright tonight?" She asks and the girl nods.

"Will you?" Bronwyn asks and Alma was a bit surprised.

"Yes, of course." Alma said gently. "Don't worry about me sweetheart."

"I don't want you to be sad too." Bronwyn said sadly.

"I'll be alright, dear. Focus on getting some sleep." She says and the girl nods. "If you need anything, I'm only down the hallway. Goodnight, Bronwyn."

"Goodnight Miss Peregrine." She said, watching the woman leave, going to close the door behind her. "Can you leave it open? Please?"

"Of course." She gently propped the door open before sending her one last smile. "Sleep well my dear."

Bronwyn smiled and closed her eyes, her day ending better than it'd started.

Alma walked quietly back to her room, her smile dropping and her facade leaving as she went into her bedroom, taking a small deep breath in.

She shut her door and undid her hair, her tears finally filling in her eyes.

She made her way to her bed, not bothering with the covers as she forced the quiet sobs down so no one would hear her. She let them down. She couldn't take care of one ward, she failed them.

Alma was so disappointed in herself, she was ashamed. She couldn't believe she could've failed her children so badly.

She buried her face against the pillow as she felt her tears fall, giving up on wiping them away. She couldn't help but suddenly think of Esmé.

She couldn't save Esmé just as she couldn't save Victor. Some ymbryne Alma was.

She dug her talons into her pillow, eventually feeling her eyes shut and the exhaustion take over her.