War of the Griffins

Chapter 20

Matthew frowned softly as he placed the phone down on his desk and turned his gaze back to the man on the other side of the office. His emerald-green eyes darkened as he stood up and walked towards the window. "This feels too convenient Thomas," he growled out reaching up and stroked his beard.

"You don't know what someone is willing to do for their Anam Cara, I do. I lost mine and she doesn't want to lose hers. This is perfect, she gives us the powers and we kill her. Think about it. It's basically taking out two birds with one stone," Thomas said with a smirk though internally something did feel off, but he wrote it off as paranoia.

Both of the older men lost in thought they didn't notice the knock on the door. It was only when Lizzy poked her head in that they looked up towards her. She smiled sheepishly worried if she had interrupted her father before she spoke, "mother told me to come let you know food is almost ready and that you are more than welcome to join us cousin."

"Tell your mother we'll be out shortly," Matthew said and nodded at her briefly to let her know she could go.

Once the door was shut, Matthew exhaled softly and walked to his desk briskly. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the open bottle of rum and closed it before placing it back in his hidden cabinet. He pinched the bridge of his nose before nodding at the other man in the room and said, "well let's go before my wife decides to come back and check on us herself, don't want to keep her waiting."

-------------------------------------

Evelyn blinked the sleep from her eyes as little bits of light poured onto her face through the curtains. She listened to the sounds around her, the soft chirps of birds outside, and the rustling of people outside the room. She looked down noticing she had been tucked in and chuckled hollowly, eyes already wet with fresh tears. She shook her head for a moment as she rolled her shoulders to try and relieve herself of any trace of aches and pains. How long did I sleep?

She blinked again as her eyes scanned the room for a clock and shook her head in disbelief. It's already the afternoon? Why did they let me sleep this long?

Evelyn sighed softly as she brushed a hand over the comforter before she brushed a hand through her auburn hair trying to tame it. She groaned softly as she hated just how much her hair got messed up in her sleep. Rolling her eyes, she exhaled softly, deciding to deal with it later before she threw the covers off herself. She took a moment before she went to sit up, a shiver running down her spine as her feet hit the wood floor. It had been so long since she'd spent a night in this bed, almost twenty-seven years.

"Oh, Leon and Ysabella...I wish things could have been different. I wish we could have been happy raising our baby girl together..." She whispered before she stood up and shook her head. No use in wondering the what if's I can't change the past.

Another moment passed as her eyes zeroed on a photo in the mirror. Her shoulders shook as she reached forward for it. His short blonde hair sticking out slightly as Ysabella stood on one side of him her tongue stuck out her long dark brown hair in a ponytail and herself on his other side. I remember that day, it was the day they asked me out.

Evelyn chuckled softly as she stroked it lovingly and shook her head before she turned and went to get a pair of shorts from the dresser nearby and slipped them on. We were so happy back then before my family found out. Well, I've spent enough time wallowing in this room, I need to see what progress the others have made.

She took a deep breath as she turned the handle opening the door and stood in the hallway, her hands on her hips. "Alright anything new you guys?"

She stepped down the hallway with ease, rolling her eyes at the shocked look on her parents. Of course, they'd be shocked to see her dressed so casually. She sighed as she turned to look at Stephan and Marciel, the latter having a laptop resting on her lap typing away furiously. "Nothing at the momen-"

Stephan was interrupted by a soft 'aha!' before he turned to his wife, whose gaze went from a look of revelation to a soft frown. Her dark blue eyes turning up to Evelyn's green as she whispered, "I-I found a match, but you're not going to like it."

"What do you mean I'm not going to like it?"

"He knew we would never look for him with his actual identity, but if my hunch is correct, he's using an Anglicized form of the name he was born with. Thomas Quinn, your brother-in-law."

As Evelyn processed the information given to her the sound of a door opening caused the collective group to turn towards the entrance. They relaxed though as Natasha and Damien stepped more into the room from the outside.

"So, any news?"

Stephan exhaled softly as he heard what his daughter said before he nodded and spoke, "sit we have new information."

----------------

Her eyes lifted up from the floor wearily as light started to flood the cell, her lips tight as she refrained from retorting at the figure. Though her shoulders slumped, and she let her head hang back down and her eyes closed as she let out a soft exhale. It wasn't him.

"Won't you get in trouble for helping me?" Carolyn whispered, a soft hollow chuckle leaving her lips as her eyes misted with tears, "though a more appropriate question is why? What do you gain from helping me?"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"Oh really? He won't get cross knowing his wife is helping the enemy?" Carolyn snorted as she shook her head before a soft groan escaped her lips. She inhaled softly and blinked at the scent of soup.

"I don't know how long he's kept you without food, so I don't want to put too much in your stomach right away or you'll get nauseous," Vivian whispered softly, eyes softened as she knelt in front of her, placing a hand on Carolyn's cheek. A soft exhale left her lips as she saw exactly what her husband had done to the poor girl.

She doesn't deserve this. Vivian shook her head before she wiped any bits of dried blood away with her sleeve then reached for the bowl as she continued to speak, "I really am sorry I can't do much more, but please know help is coming as soon as it can."

Carolyn shook her head and smiled softly, opening her mouth when the older woman brought the spoon to her lips. Once she had swallowed, she sighed softly and spoke, "Thank you."

"How old are you? You don't look that much older than my Elizabeth,"

"I'm twenty-four," Carolyn whispered softly before taking another spoonful into her mouth.

This became a pattern; Vivian would ask her a question then feed her another spoonful of soup. Soon the bowl was empty, and Vivian stood before pressing a kiss to Carolyn's forehead, "I'll be back tomorrow, I really am sorry for my husband. I can't promise you'll come out unharmed but please have faith you'll be ok in the end."

Without another word Vivian slipped out of the room with the bowl not seeing as Carolyn bowed her head again, tears escaping her eyes as she whispered, "I'll try."