Delirium

Chapter 29 - The Map

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Jolie's blood went cold.

She feared her previously pounding heart had stopped entirely. The only thing that assured her that it hadn't was the overwhelming sound of rushing blood, roaring in her ears.

Amycus and Alecto had done that to Savannah's family.

Torture.

She felt George watching her, gently gauging her reaction. She felt his hand on her knee. His warm palm against the chilled, gooseflesh of her skin.

But he felt far away. She felt far away. Out of body.

Murder.

She knew he was still next to her, still watching her, but her eyes were unseeing.

A breath of a sound slipped from her lips. A question.

"You knew about this since Halloween?" she asked.

"Yes—"

"How could you not tell me earlier?" Jolie hissed, her eyes wide. "Why would you wait—?"

"I didn't know the details," he said, his voice still quiet. Soothing. "I wanted to make sure I had all the facts before I said anything since your family was involved—"

Jolie recoiled at those words.

'Your family'

George noticed, immediately rewording it. "Since they were involved. That's why I read up on their case. Or else I would have told you right after. You know that."

She did know that. She just didn't know what to do with herself. Didn't know how to control her own reactions.

Jolie stared ahead numbly, the silence ringing in her ears.

George ran a comforting hand down her back, making her realise only then that tears had tracked down her cheeks.

She sniffled as she wiped them away. More fell.

Up until last year, she had chalked up Savannah's hatred to a silly House rivalry taken too far. Then, once she began to see that this hatred clearly went beyond something as juvenile as opposing Houses, Jolie had just assumed it had been because of George. And Jolie had thought it was ridiculous.

But this made sense.

No wonder Savannah hated her. She didn't just hate Jolie—she hated the Carrows as a whole.

And it hadn't just been Jolie that had confronted her that night on Halloween. Jolie's sisters had been on either side of her. Twins. Three Carrow siblings. Three against one.

One that never really knew her immediate family. All because of those three siblings' own family.

It all made sense now.

Jolie ran a hand over her face, wiping away more tears. Still, more fell.

George swept some of her hair behind her shoulder and slid his hand beneath it, running his palm over the nape of her neck.

His skin was cool against hers, her whole body now flushed with the heat of all-consuming shame pulsing through her.

"I'm sorry. I know it's a lot," he said softly. "I wanted to tell you as soon as I knew—"

"How were they there?" she cut him off. "How'd they find her family? Do you know that?"

He opened his mouth, frowning and about to dispute, she knew. So she spoke again.