Deadly Secret

Promises

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted! Anyway, hopefully you enjoy this short chapter!

One thought pierced through the layers of grief and aching, Run away, runaway.

Esther stared hopelessly at the frozen elves scattered around the room. Their faces mirrored her own shock and devastation. She couldn't breathe, and her throat ached from screaming their names.

Their last comments echoed around the room. Murderer. Neverseen. Exile.

Footsteps spattered throughout the hallway, and Esther stumbled to the door. Scorching tears wobbled and raced down her cheeks.

She grasped the door handle and shuffled into the hallway. A few elven students passed her by, whispering bits of gossip and chiding each other for crimes of forgetfulness and clumsiness.

"Help," she whispered hoarsely, "I need help,"

Someone notice me.

Esther slumped against the cold wall, her heart drenched in shame and guilt. Everything was falling apart. Bramble. Statues. Bramble. Statues. Still bodies.

Lady Gisela's cold, cruel voice slithered through her mind. She's a failed experiment. I suppose the girl could be useful as a weapon, but her brother shows more promise.

Failed experiment, her mind echoed bitterly. I hurt everything and everyone I touch. Bramble, Elwin, Beren, Sophie.

Keefe. A reckless chill ran through her bones as an idea flared into existence.

Slowly, gradually, Esther lifted herself up. She tentatively scanned her surroundings before slouching her shoulders and melting into the crowd. A few students bumped into her, but no one seemed to realize that she didn't belong.

Her throat constricted when a gnome bumbled past. The green thumbs, the silver eyes... Esther willed the burning tears away. She tried to ignore him. His death. His life. Bramble would want you to focus. You didn't know him well enough to know what he wanted.

Focus.

...

"Hello,"

Esther paused and looked up from her seat amidst a sea of sparkling pathfinders. Her jaw dropped, "Beren, what are you doing here? I thought I..."

"I left the room before you froze them," he explained.

A large smile curved her lips, "That's wonderful. At least someone escaped..."

He nodded and warily stepped closer, "What are you doing here?"

"I need to find my brother,"

"You know, it's not a guarantee that he'll be able to fix them," Beren said softly.

Esther tried to swallow the lump in her throat, "I know. But what other option do I have?" her eyes glimmered with unshed tears, and she glanced away, "I never should have come here. Maybe I belong in a cage,"

"Don't say that," Beren plopped onto the ground beside her. He stretched out a hand, a tender look dancing in his eyes, "I promise I'll help you," 

"Thank you," she breathed, "Everyone else thinks I'm a murderer, but you... don't. Why?"

He chuckled, "It's fairly simple. You didn't have a motive or opportunity. You were at Everglen. There's no way to prove it was you, and yet the world shoves the blame on you anyway. I can't blame them. You're an outsider– the daughter of the infamous Lady Gisela. If it wasn't you, it must have been one of us. And that's a hard pill to swallow,"

"And yet you don't seem to have a hard time swallowing it," Esther said.

"Well," he paused, "I guess that's because I don't want it to be you. I like you, Esther. You care,"

A delicate smile curved her lips, and she blushed faintly.

"I stopped caring a while ago," Beren admitted, "I don't know what happened. Every day became a grey blur. People were just... people. Nothing mattered anymore. And I don't know what your secret is— maybe I should dye my hair or find a stuffed alicorn— but somehow, you're still alive," he gazed into her eyes, and she felt a rush deep in her chest, "And I think you might be rubbing off on me,"

"If you help me find Keefe, I'll try to keep you alive," she promised sincerely.

He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"We can do it," Esther spoke confidently, "Where there's a will, there's a way,"

"For both our sakes, I hope that's true," Beren said.