Evelyn ran her fingers through Moonsparkle’s golden mane. It was dry, with no evidence that she’d used it as one large tissue. In fact, it caused her golden mane to shine all the brighter, if that was even possible.

“I made you both when times were simpler.” Evelyn spoke out loud for no reason. “And now things are so… complicated.”

Clarissa watched her as she offered the basket to the unicorn, who reached inside and continued to eat. Clarissa brought her knees up, leaning against Moonsparkle. “Simple or complicated… we’re still here.”

Evelyn wasn’t sure what that meant. Instead, she, too, leaned against Moonsparkle and closed her eyes.

“Does it bother you that I am in a courtship with Ezekiel?” Clarissa asked.

“No.” This one was honest. Ezekiel hadn’t felt like Rafael’s character in years. The more appropriate question would be whether or not she felt uncomfortable that it was Nick’s other character more than it was Rafael’s. But now that the characters were here, she could see them as their own person. It was as odd as if someone asked her permission to date Rafael’s cousin. Ezekiel was not Rafael. “I’m happy for you both. What does Ezekiel… feel about all this?” Evelyn asked.

“Hurt,” Clarissa said. “There is a lot of pain in this group, and he’s at a point where I don’t think he has a story to make sense of this situation. And Rafael has gone back to avoiding him.”

Evelyn kept her eyes closed. She was exhausted. She couldn’t stay out here forever. Her parents would worry about her if she was gone for too long. It was hard to pull up the desire to go back, but she would have to. Eventually. Here, in the protection of Moonsparkle and Clarissa, she felt safe. They didn’t have to do anything but be there, and she felt she could slowly organize the shattered pieces of her life.

Once Moonsparkle finished eating the cacti, they returned. Clarissa and Evelyn rode on the back of the unicorn, which filled her with that same sense of wonder and ecstasy as when she first saw the creature.

They got as far as Moonsparkle wanted before she got too nervous with so many houses around. Evelyn gave the unicorn one more hug before it trotted away, then she and Clarissa quietly walked home.

It was late, and she slipped in the house, still not prepared to see Walt again. The betrayal came back sharp all over again. She placed her phone on the desk when she noticed there was a missed call. She glanced at it, and saw it was from Tyler. She must not have heard it while she was on her run. Or with Moonsparkle and Clarissa.

She picked up her phone and let out a breath. She wasn’t sure if she could do this. Didn’t know if she wanted to hear what Tyler had to say. Every time someone talked, she was bracing for them to say something like Walt did. Hear another story where someone took Rafael’s side. Some sense of betrayal.

If she didn’t call him now, she’d stay up all night wondering. She hit the call button and placed it against her ear, listening to it ring, preparing herself mentally for a conversation.

“Hey,” Tyler said.

“Hey,” Evelyn said.

There was a moment’s pause, but only a moment. Tyler cleared his throat. “We have a session coming up Saturday. You are in charge of who goes to it.”

“Um, what?” Evelyn asked.

“I don’t know what the session will be. But it’s up to you who will attend. If you want Rafael to not attend, he’s not going. If you don’t want his sister there, then she won’t be there. If you don’t want Derek there, I’m forcing him to stay home. If you want me to be away, I will go away. The only thing is I can’t have Nick there, as your father has already made his mind up about that. Other than that, it is up to you. Whatever you want. Whatever you need to feel safe,” Tyler said.

Evelyn covered her mouth, tears pricking her eyes. She tried not to let her watery voice get in the way. Tried to pretend she was a lot braver than she was, but she still couldn’t say Rafael’s name. “He… he doesn’t have the bond with Ezekiel. If he can’t go, then Ezekiel can’t, and he won’t level up.”

“And I… really don’t care. He can go off on his own and help Ezekiel level up during the week while we do our thing Saturday,” Tyler said.

“What about the saber tooth tigers?” Evelyn asked.

“They’re not here yet. Besides, he has to fight it alone. I don’t know when it’ll come, but it won’t be Saturday. They might not be here for a while yet, and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. But Rafael hurt you, and that is unacceptable. You deserve to feel safe.”

Evelyn slowly sat on the edge of her bed. She thought her tears were all dried up, but these were a different sort. The true conversation she wanted to have with her therapist was right here. She needed to know. “Tyler, what if… what if…” Her heart was hammering in her throat. It was difficult to speak. “What if we have to work together? To get them home? What if the game masters make me partner up with him in order to-”

“No,” Tyler said.

Evelyn tried to swallow, her heart aching. “No?”

“I don’t know if I’m doing a good enough job explaining myself, so let me word it another way. If you never want to see Rafael again at CCNC, then you will never see Rafael again. I don’t care what the game masters say. I don’t care if the fate of the world depends on it. I will personally fight an army of mythical creatures myself before I ever allow you to work with Rafael against your wishes. If you don’t want to. You. Don’t. Need. To. And… in another day or two when I am in a better state of mind, I will make sure Rafael understands that, too.”

Evelyn let out a breath. Someone was in her corner. Tyler was in her corner. Nick was, too, but she was honestly afraid he would murder Rafael, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Evelyn closed her eyes, glad that this was a phone call, because she was pretty sure she’d collapse into a heap again and sob. One of relief. Tyler was certain she would never have to work with him to save their characters. There was a way. She wouldn’t have to see Rafael if she didn’t want to.

With that huge burden placed to the side, she began to think about Tyler’s original question. She remembered her brief thought at the therapist, and realized it still rung true.

“I’d like to stay home and roll from a distance with Nick,” Evelyn said. “At least until we get more information from Neal.”

“Alright,” Tyler said. “And you are coming to con?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d still love to go to that.”

“And you want Derek there?”

Evelyn understood the question. Derek had gone with them to Calawit’s tent to get information about lycanthropy. Derek had smiled and waved at her in the hall, but hadn’t come to talk to her. It didn’t feel nearly like the betrayal of what Walt said, but she couldn’t lie and say it didn’t hurt, but she also knew that they had never actually talked. “I… don’t know if I could force him to stay away from con.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“I could.”

The absolute certainty in Tyler’s voice surprised her. “Does he… does he actually think what Rafael did was okay?”

“No,” Tyler said quietly. “No, he’s still quite mad at Rafael. But Derek’s always been the kind of guy to give friends a second, third, even fourth chance. It’s reckless. It ends up hurting other people, and himself. I understand if that kind of behavior hurts, and if you don’t want to be around him, either.”

Evelyn sighed. It did hurt. “He’s been giving Rafael a chance. Why isn’t he giving me one?”

Tyler sighed. “And that’s where it hurts. He probably thinks you hate his guts since he did go to Cal’s tent and probably figures you don’t want him around.”

Evelyn frowned, glancing at the door of her bedroom. A bit of fight entered her. She loved hanging out with Derek, because he was such a dork. He seemed safe. It was easier to think about spending time with Derek than it was with Rafael. Despite how much this hurt, she couldn’t cut him out. Not without him looking her in the eye and telling her that he did not believe it was wrong what Rafael did. She needed to hear the same level of Walt-like betrayal from Derek’s mouth before she made a decision about him.

“Let him come to con. I want to hang out with him. I want him to take a chance on me, too,” Evelyn said.

Tyler hesitated. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yes.” Then she hesitated, too. “You’re going to be there, right?”

“Yep.”

“Then absolutely yes.”

“Alright. We’ll go to con. We’ll figure out what to do with these characters. Then… we’ll make a more detailed plan after.”

Evelyn closed her eyes, letting out a breath. “Thanks, Tyler. For everything.”

***

Friday morning at school, Nick split off from Evelyn to go… wherever he went in the morning. She was almost tempted to follow him, but he had this glare that made her scared. He was marinating in his hatred. She hardly talked to him as they drove to school. Despite him obviously being on her side, she was also scared of him. Scared that anything she said would drop him over the edge and he’d end up with an actual criminal record. It wasn’t safe. Nick needed his own therapist. But how could she possibly go about suggesting that to her parents?

Evelyn sighed as she put in her combination. She opened her locker door, glancing at herself in the mirror to make sure her make-up was still fine. She reached into her locker when she heard his slithering. She closed her eyes and took a breath. Wait for him to slither past. It’s what he always did. Always with Mr. Stower.

She grabbed her history book, placing it in her bag.

“Hello, Evelyn.”

Everything inside her froze. The bag and her book tumbled out of her hands and onto the ground. Akshi was talking to her. Actually talking to her. Mr. Stower was nowhere to be seen. She remained quiet, but her textbook and bag were on the ground, and she was too terrified to pick them back up again.

“It’s alright. You can keep pretending you don’t see me. I simply have a message to give you.” Every sound disappeared. Every sound but his voice and her own increased breathing, echoing in her head. “You understand, now, don’t you? How some people decide to step away from the law? Take matters into their own hands? Set up our own empire?”

Heat pricked her eyes. Her book and her bag remained on the ground. Something screamed at her to pick it up again, but she was scared. Akshi was targeting her, using nothing but his words.

“Rafael may be of your world, and I may be of a different one, but I can make him break. I can make him suffer.”

Evelyn gave a tiny gasp, then knelt and gathered her book and bag. She couldn’t be listening to him. She had to keep pretending he didn’t exist.

“All I ask is that you let me. Give me permission, and I can hurt him,” Akshi said.

A tear formed, threatening to fall. She realized the monumental information Akshi just gave her. For now, he needed permission to hurt another. For now, he could touch the world if one of them let him. For now. He was asking her to let him break Rafael. And she couldn’t let him.

Right?

Evelyn stood up, slamming her locker closed. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and walked forward, right where Akshi was standing. She plowed forward, pretending he wasn’t there, like he didn’t ask her something impossible.

Until she slammed into his very solid shoulder.

Gasping, she backed away, staring wide eyed at the floor before her gaze shot to Akshi. The crime lord of Osvoroth was smiling. “Well, isn’t that interesting. You’re considering it, aren’t you.” He reached forward with a hand, and Evelyn scuttled away, a tear falling from her eyes. Akshi curled his hand into a fist that glowed a sickly green color, still smiling. He could touch her. Fear threatened to tear her throat out. “Give me permission to show Rafael how much he hurt you. No one here can help you. No one here can. I promise you, by the time I’m through with him, he will never hurt you again. I simply need your permission.”

Evelyn’s chest was heaving, Clarissa’s character sheet appeared in front of her gaze, waiting for her to summon her. She’d never summon Clarissa. It was a death wish. This was Akshi. He was almost as bad as the fae. Easy with promises that had four dozen strings attached. Ones that usually ended up with fatal results. She could not agree to anything he said. No matter how much it hurt, no matter what, he would make things so much worse.

“Don’t worry, Evelyn. Once you decide to use my skills, you’ll know where to find me,” Akshi whispered.

“Evelyn!” She tore her gaze from Akshi to see Derek heading right for her, a terrified look on his face. “Yo, girl. How are you?” Despite the terror on his face, his voice sounded like everything was okay when he could plainly see who was in front of her.

“Derek,” she said, far more of a whisper.

She grabbed her elbow and moved. Derek sailed right past Akshi, and Evelyn did nothing but keep up. She couldn’t think. Her mind was scrambled, and she was scared.

They slipped into an empty classroom and Derek braced himself against the door. “What did he say to you?”

Evelyn shook her head. “Nothing.” It was a lie. A lie she couldn’t bring herself to change. It was Derek. Her friend who pretended like everything was fine between them the past week until Akshi came. Until he was forced to make a decision. He was still avoiding the decision.

“Nothing?” Derek asked, panting as he kept his back to the door.

“You… got to me too fast.” She swallowed the lie, feeling her shoulders slouch. “Th-thank you.”

Derek shook his head. “Don’t.” He glanced behind him, trying to peek out the window. “Shit, Evelyn. I don’t even want to think what Akshi could do to you.”

She was aware of the tears that had already fallen. She was lying to Derek because she was afraid of what he would think if she told the truth.

“He’s not going to hurt you, okay?” Derek said. “Shit, you’ve already been hurt enough.”

Evelyn looked at him, not sure why that surprised her. “Have I?”

Derek turned from the door to look at her, completely confused. “Obviously. You know… with what Rafael did.”

She shrugged, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. “I know. I was just… surprised. To hear you admit that.”

Derek’s body stilled. He kept studying her, the confusion melting off his face. “Evelyn…” He trailed off, almost like he expected her to interrupt. But she didn’t want to. She wanted him to keep trying to explain himself. To have the conversation they were dancing around. Derek looked away, placing his head against the door he was still bracing.

He opened his eyes, face resigned, as he looked at her. Evelyn braced herself for him to talk. “What would you like me to do?”

She wasn’t sure what she expected, but it wasn’t that. She expected him to explain himself, to stumble. Maybe he still would. If she asked him to torture Rafael like Akshi implied he would, Derek would decline. Of course he would. Because that would be wrong. She shouldn’t ask anyone to hurt Rafael. To get any sort of justice this way. She wanted to still test Derek’s loyalty, but that, too felt wrong. Not after her conversation with Akshi. She was too exhausted. Instead, she thought of the true thing she needed from Derek.

“Don’t tell Nick what you saw,” Evelyn said.

Derek frowned. Just like she didn’t expect his words, he clearly didn’t expect hers. “What?”

“Don’t… tell Nick that Akshi was going to talk to me,” Evelyn said. Because if Akshi gave the exact same suggestion to Nick, he might take it. She couldn’t keep this secret. But she also couldn’t tell Derek.

“O… kay,” Derek said slowly.

“And take me home. I… can’t be at school right now. Not with Akshi, not with…” Evelyn trailed off, giving a slight shake of her head.

The bell rang right after she said that. She winced, glancing at her hands. Derek kept looking at her, then straightened. “Come on, Evie. I’ll take you home.”

She kept her arms folded as she headed toward the door. Derek held his hand out, stopping her as he glanced out the window. No doubt he was looking for Akshi.

They slipped out of the classroom, and out into the halls. Evelyn didn’t say a word as they walked out of the school. Derek pulled out his keys, unlocking his car. “I know you don’t want me to tell Nick. That much I will respect.” Derek buckled himself before starting it. “Please let me tell Tyler.”

Evelyn sighed as he pulled out of the parking lot. If anything, they all knew the dangers of secrets. “Yes. That’s fine.”

Derek breathed easier as he pulled out onto the street. Evelyn didn’t feel his same calmness. She had to admit to herself that Derek did come. He saw her with Akshi, and he plowed through to help her, like the friend she remembered. It was a partial comfort to her. Akshi was a known enemy, and she could still rely on Derek to help her. She wasn’t sure what he’d do against someone he considered a friend. And for that alone, Evelyn lied to him about the conversation.

She couldn’t lie to Tyler. And maybe someone did need to know that Akshi offered her a deal. One she couldn’t possibly take. Akshi made a first strike, and Evelyn blocked it. For now.

Once you decide to use my skills, you’ll know where to find me.