Evaline:
The mont I stepped out of the suffocating walls of the Council headquarters, the cool evening air hit like a balm. Still, it wasn’t enough to chase away the fire that River’s words had left burning beneath my skin.
The parking lot was quiet, bathed in the fading light of dusk, and I was relieved - actually grateful - to see the familiar black car parked near the edge. Mr. Wood was standing by the open back door, giving a slight nod.
I gave a tight nod back and silently slipped into the backseat.
The second the door closed behind , sealing away from the world, everything inside crumbled.
I pressed my forehead against the cool glass window and tried to hold it in, but it was almost impossible to do. My throat gave a sharp, painful tug. My eyes were burning, my chest was heaving, and before I could stop myself, tears started pouring down my cheeks. Hot and heavy. Silent but relentless.
Mr. Wood glanced at through the rearview mirror. He didn’t say anything, didn’t ask questions. He simply started the engine and drove.
And for that, I was thankful.
I didn’t want anyone to ask what had happened. I didn’t want to explain. I didn’t even want to say his na out loud. The way he had looked at ... like I was the enemy. Like I was everything he claid.
I didn’t want to go back to the Academy. Not when I was still holding back sobs like they were knives threatening to spill from my throat.
"Mr. Wood," I said softly, clearing my voice. "Can you drop at Lakeshire... near the old station? I just need a bit of ti."
He looked at again through the mirror with concern shadowing his kind eyes. But he gave a nod.
"As you wish, Miss Evaline."
The drive was peaceful. Serene. Far more forgiving than the chaos churning inside . When we reached the little town tucked at the base of the mountain range, I gave Mr. Wood a faint smile and a quiet thank you before stepping out.
I found my way to the park near the pond. It was a place I had stumbled upon once during my previous visits.
Autumn had claid the land beautifully. Rusty golds, warm ambers, and faded greens were dancing in the breeze. The scent of fallen leaves and pine wrapped around .
Children were playing around the park. A couple walked past hand in hand. And on the bench across the pond, a young mother was cradling a sleeping baby in her arms while the father kissed the baby’s forehead with the kind of love that could make the world stop spinning.
My throat tightened.
I looked away, trying not to think about my baby. But how could I not? The ache in my chest intensified at the thought of the life growing inside . So small. So fragile. Unaware of the ss its mother had been thrown into.
I pressed a hand gently to my stomach.
I’m sorry, I whispered internally. For everything.
I took a seat on one of the benches and allowed myself to breathe. I got too lost in my thoughts that I completely lost the track of ti. It was only when soone called my na, did I returned to reality.
"Evaline."
I turned my head slightly to see Kieran standing a few feet away. He was dressed in a white suit and his eyes were full of quiet worry. He approached carefully, almost cautiously, like he was afraid I would bolt if he ca too close.
I wasn’t surprised he found . Mr. Wood worked for him. Of course, he would be inford.
"I was worried," he spoke in a low voice. "Mr. Wood said you didn’t want to return to the Academy. I figured sothing happened."
I forced a small smile as I replied. "Nothing major. I just... got reprimanded. I didn’t do my work properly. That’s all."
It was a not exactly a lie.
His jaw clenched slightly, and I felt his eyes searching my face. Looking for the truth I wasn’t going to give.
But before he could press further, I changed the subject. I couldn’t afford to let him see the raw parts of right now, not when I was trying to pull away. Trying to regain control over my own story.
"Do you rember the deal we made?" I asked quietly, straightening on the bench. "Back when you helped get into the Academy."
He blinked, startled by the shift. "Of course I do."
"I want to be done with it."
He frowned. "Evaline-"
"I’m serious." I reached into my bag and pulled out a bank card. His bank card. I held it out to him. "I don’t need this anymore."
He didn’t take it. Instead, his gaze darkened. "You don’t have to-"
"I do," I cut in firmly. "I can’t keep carrying it. Using it only reminds that I’m not here because I earned it. That I got in because of your help."
"That’s not true-"
"It is true," I said with a shake of my yead. "You helped . I wouldn’t have made it without you. And even then, I needed your card to buy my supplies. I needed your help. But I don’t want that anymore."
I took out an envelope next. "This is a third of the amount I used from your card. I’ll pay the rest in the next couple of months. And..."
I hesitated for a mont, then continued, "I need you to tell how much you spent on the night you dropped at the camp. I have a rough estimate, but I want the exact figure. I’ll return it all as soon as I can."
He finally took the card, and the envelope, though his expression had hardened with every passing second.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked, his voice rough. "Evaline-why now?"
I looked away, fixing my eyes on the autumn leaves drifting over the pond’s surface.
"Because I need to stop feeling like I owe anyone for being where I am," I answered honestly. "I need to know that whatever happens from this point on, I got there on my own."
His silence was heavy.
"You helped when I was at my lowest. I’ll always be grateful for that. But I don’t want to carry that debt anymore."
He stepped closer and then kneeled down on the ground so he could et my eyes. "This was never about debt for ."
"I know," I whispered. "But it is for ."
He was silent for a mont, and when he finally spoke, his voice ca quieter than ever before. "Does this an you are cutting off?"
I shook my head as I answered, "No. I’m drawing a line."
And I was.
It was a line that made things clearer. A line that put distance between us. That freed from the guilt of needing help. A line that said I can stand on my own now.
His eyes dropped for a mont, then returned to mine. "You have always stood on your own, Evaline. Even when you didn’t realize it."
Sothing twisted inside at that. But I didn’t let it show.
I gave him a tight nod, then stood from the bench. "Thank you," I said softly. "For everything."
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