Crimson

II- Chapter 42: Burnt Photographs

"How did you know where I was?" Maurice asked.

"That's all you care about?" Eleanor replied coldly. "Theo told me everything. I know how this place works and what you've been keeping from me. Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I was trying to protect you," Maurice said. "Come inside, we need to talk. Where's Theodore?"

"Y/n?"

Eleanor had finally seen you. His eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"What are- why are you here?"

Maurice pulled his brother inside and promptly shut the door. Then, with much resistance, brought him to the table where you stood uncomfortably, unsure of what to do or say.

"If you were able to find this place it means you already know that magic is real," Maurice said.

"How can you see without your glasses?" Eleanor asked.

"Never mind," Maurice answered. "Y/n is here because she knows too. There's still a lot you don't know, and I don't know what Theodore told you..."

"He told me enough," Eleanor replied in a detached tone. "But I figured everything out on my own. Now tell me what's going on and why you two are together."

After quickly eyeing Maurice, you saw he was dead serious. He didn't look at you as he spoke, but Eleanor's eyes darted from you to him like a cat's tail swinging back and forth.

Eleanor almost seemed to know more than you, and he hadn't even read the almanac. It didn't surprise you that there were more books in the vast libraries that could have said any number of things. But it was truly the incident with Sophia that told him something wasn't right.

And so Maurice explained everything- that the night students were vampires Cadere had collected over the years in the hopes of helping and training- vampires with unique abilities. Maurice told Eleanor that he'd met Theodore when he was beginning school and that Theodore saved his life. Only over the last two years did he begin going to school. And most importantly, he explained that the vampires knew that you knew, and that both her and Theodore were in danger. It was obvious Maurice didn't want to tell Eleanor about your role in anything or even about Theodore being held spiritually captive, but Eleanor knew Theodore didn't have his kitsune balls so there was no point trying to hide anything from him anymore.

Eleanor's anger slowly melted into worry, although it didn't disappear completely.

"We obviously have a lot more to talk about," Maurice said to his brother. "But the night class doesn't know that you know. While I'm training y/n you can be a part of this too."

"Don't you think it's seventeen years too late?"

Maurice took a second before speaking.

"I only wanted to protect you. I see now that sometimes you have to subject yourself to pain in order to avoid it."

Eleanor glanced at you, something stirring in those eyes.

"And you're okay with this?"

"I'm not okay with anything," you said, beginning to hear rain fall outside. "But this is the reality."

Everyone ate Maurice's cooking in awkward silence, although after some time passed you and Eleanor began going back and forth about how you knew all along there was something not right about Arcadia. After lunch, Maurice told you that you'd better know what to expect from each night student, and this peaked Eleanor's attention.

True he told his brother just about everything, but he didn't tell Eleanor exactly how you were planning on finding the thief. The boy had heard too much for one day.