Through the Archway

Chapter Twenty-Two -- Part One

"What do you think gives you the right to stand up to me?" Asked a voice. Evelyn knew it was Thomas before she turned around and prepared herself mentally for the questions she suspected he would ask.

Thomas stood in a corner, half–hidden in shadow. The others would not have noticed him. He was sneering, like a bully who had caught his victim completely alone, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Perhaps because I am free to," said Evelyn. Her voice was surprisingly level, despite the fact that she was trembling with rage. "Why?"

Thomas raised his eyebrows. "Freedom," he muttered. "How completely ironic."

Evelyn made to turn around and leave, too tired for his ridiculous remarks, but found that she could not move; her feet were rooted to the ground. Her eyes widened, but she looked back at Thomas, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her struggle.

"You have my attention," she said. "What exactly is so ironic?"

Thomas laughed, stepping closer to her. "Will never had freedom when we spoke," Thomas said. "Everything just seemed to... spill out of him."

Evelyn could not contain her gasp this time. Thomas smirked, pleased that he had gotten to her. Evelyn tried to move again.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Thomas took another deliberate step toward her. "Oh, we had our little chats. So very many of them. They often ended in pleading." He smiled as though thinking back on a fond memory. "Please, Thomas, kill me," he said imitating Will's voice, "Make it stop! Just get it over with!" Thomas chuckled.

"I eventually obliged, of course and he dropped — like a rag doll."

Evelyn felt her skin lose all its warmth and she began to shake. Her eyes felt warm as tears began to form, but she refused to let them fall. Thomas, David's brother, had murdered Will. It seemed so obvious to her now, that she hated herself for not noticing it before.

Thomas laughed at her distress, his eyes glinting. He raised his hand, his palms glowing with power. The best Evelyn could do was lean back as far as possible. "I could make you drop, too," he said. "I could make James drop, and your father drop... What fun that would be."

"You're disgusting," Evelyn spat in his face. "How could anyone be so horrible?"

Thomas chortled. "I can be worse. And I will be worse, you just wait and see. You have no idea what I'm planning, but you will soon enough. And you will join forces with me, soon enough."

Evelyn recalled the vision she had so far avoided thinking about — the one of her meeting with Will and Thomas. She had no memory of that meeting. How? Could Thomas make it happen again? She didn't want to think about it, but here it was, staring her in the face. She was powerless.

"All I have to do is scream, and someone will come running," Evelyn said. Fear was overtaking her. She felt so completely alone... so cold.

"You will," said Thomas. He pulled his hand away, and it returned to normal. "Just not yet. You, though you may appear to be absolutely worthless, are useful to me. I'll need you. And when that time comes, I expect you to be most cooperative. Right now, I have a job for you."

She had just enough time to see him grin before her world faded into darkness.

Evelyn awoke in her bedroom far earlier than what was normal to her. For a moment, her mind was blissfully blank and she felt pleasant and warm; then the events of last night came rushing back to her. She pulled her covers off and drew her knees up to her chest, shutting her eyes to the world, retreating into her thoughts. She wanted nothing more than to remain there forever.

How was she supposed to tell James about Will? Then again, how could she look him in the eyes and say nothing? Deep down inside of her, she knew that the right thing to do was tell him before he found out some other way; but her fear conquered her anger.

She racked her brain, desperate for a way to tell James without Thomas knowing, but she had no idea what sort of resources he had gained after last night. They all needed to know — everything. What Thomas had done, that he had powers, that he was scheming against them, that Thomas had made her go blank like in the vision of her meeting with Will and Thomas. Her heart thudded. What had he made her do?

James deserved to know, she knew that. But she also knew that he would go after Thomas as soon as he found out and she didn't want him to get hurt. She didn't know that much about Will, but she knew that he was an excellent fighter. If Thomas had overpowered him, who knew what he could do? She had no idea what he was capable of.

Evelyn sighed and slid out of bed, knowing that as soon as she left its embrace, she would have to face the world. A world where Thomas was no longer a bitter, powerless prince — but a murderer. Had she taken part in it?

Evelyn dressed and walked downstairs as slowly as possible, trying to prevent the inevitable. She sat herself at the dining table, trying not to think about Thomas. A server brought the food out just as the morning bell chimed. After a few minutes, people began to trickle into the dining room.

Rebekah sat beside her, helping herself to a bagel, and Evelyn knew the one thing troubling her mind was Taylor.

Evelyn tried to enjoy her breakfast, but everything seemed flavorless and cold. Thomas entered after a few moments. He passed Evelyn without looking at her, which infuriated her all the more. She swallowed the last of her toast and left the room without another word.

The council would begin at eleven, giving her an hour to herself. She made her way to the library, her presence like fog drifting soundlessly through the halls. She pushed open the double–doors when she arrived, and began picking through the shelves of books, her fingers tracing the words embossed on the spines.

The library in Glendale was beautiful; as large as a cathedral with grand staircases leading to the upper levels. Like in the council hall, there were larges arched windows several stories tall, looking out over fields of green grass and a cloudless blue sky that expanded to the heavens.

She stayed in the library for a while, her sanctuary, and entered worlds that were not her own for a while — until she had to return.

Evelyn made her way to the Council Hall where everyone would gather. Evelyn began to walk up a stairwell when she heard footsteps behind her. She prayed that it was not Thomas.

"Ev, wait up!"

James. James, who was kind, who had been through so much and still found a way to be happy. Would he stay that way if she told him where he could get revenge? Would he change if he knew?

Evelyn turned around and watched as he rushed toward her. His face was flushed and was breathing heavily. There was an unmistakable look of guilt on his face. Evelyn felt like a knife had been thrust in her heart. She did not know how to face him.

Not telling him would be betraying him — it was wrong and selfish; but it was better than him being locked in the dungeons for attacking Thomas.