𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

𝟎𝟑𝟗. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫

039. THE WITCHING HOUR

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Finn raised an eyebrow and gestured toward Rey. "What happened to you—"

"Not a word about it," Rey warned and again tried to brush off some of the slime from her arms, "next time someone else deal with the killer plant."

"You're a little wet there yourself, Finn," Poe noted with curiosity.

"Almost drowned by a giant rock monster," Finn explained, "Did you get cut?"

Poe reached a hand up to his jaw and winced at the slight sting from making contact with the cut. "Huh, didn't even realize that was there. We met some pretty angry natives with spears."

"Skywalker!" Evangeline shouted and stormed past the three. Both Anakin and Luke lifted their heads to look at her. She never clarified which one she wanted, instead she stomped up to Luke and accusingly waved a finger in his face. "You knew this whole time?!"

"Could I receive some context here?" Luke looked behind the girl for some sort of help; however, he received none.

"You were there that night." Evangeline's tone was still hostile, but she had calmed down slightly. "You were the one who brought me to the temple that night. But whenever I asked, you gave me nothing."

"Jedi aren't meant to have attachments," Luke tried to explain, "I thought that if you didn't know—"

"Then what? It would be easier on me?" Evangeline threw her arms up into the air in exasperation. "I have no idea who I am or where I came from. I've scoured this whole sarking universe for even just a name. And you've known this whole time! Who is Corrine?"

"Evangeline—"

"Who is she?!" Evangeline's eyes brimmed with tears as she clenched her fists. "Who else was there that night?"

Luke lowered his eyes to the ground to compose his thoughts before he faced the girl that was once his apprentice. He sighed. "Corrine Plutarch was your grandmother... She was the mother of your father, Jacen Plutarch."

Kenobi and Anakin glanced at one another. It was impossible to know what exactly was going through their minds. She'd have to question them later to see if they knew anything about that night. Although, it was improbable considering that both of them were dead before she was even born.

"Why did you come get me?" Evangeline asked slowly. She was slowly coming to fear the answers, but she needed to know.

"I felt your presence through the force as I was returning to the school," Luke explained, "But I could also sense you were in great danger. A powerful Sith lord had tracked you down and was determined to prevent the school from taking roots, so he planned to eliminate all possible students."

"Who was he?"

"I don't know."

"I think you do."

The two stared at one another in silence, each daring the other to break first. The tension among the other grew as no one was willing to make a sound. That was until the witch smacked a stick against her makeshift cauldron. The small metallic bowl levitating over the fire clanged at the impact. The liquid within the bowl ran up along the edge, but not a drip spilled over.

"It is time."

Evangeline gave one last lingering glare before turning away from Luke. Before Ben could join the others around the fire, she pulled him aside.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow and looked her over in confusion. "I swear if you mention the building—"

"This isn't about the temple, Ben." She'd noticed that he'd flinched less each time she used his actual name. "Did you know about my parents?"

Ben slowly shook his head. "Of course not. I don't think Luke has ever confided in me."

"You're sure?" She seemed to warn him if he was lying.

He raised his hands defensively. "Yes, have I given you a reason not to trust me?"

"The building." She looked at him unamused before a slight smirk formed on his face. "Also, I'm pretty sure you kidnapped me a few days ago."

"Um, if I recall, I'm pretty sure you were breaking the law," Ben retorted with a similar expression. "Or are we just going to forget that you were stealing First Order supplies."

"I suppose this is a discussion we'll have to finish later," Evangeline replied, "unless of course you want to lose now."

"By all means," Ben urged her to continue.

"Hey," Rey joined the conversation hesitantly, "Nim says she needs the two of you to start the spell."

"Right." Evangeline nodded her head. "I almost forgot that my life was in danger for a minute."

"Are we ready now?" Nim asked as the other three finally joined the rest of the group. They nodded their heads in reply. Nim closed her eyes and inhaled some of the fumes that rose from the bittercress root that had caught fire. As she opened them once more, they were a solid white. Although caught off guard, no one disturbed her. She then began to chant. "Revertatur retro horologium. Emendandum vinculum et prope pontem. Reparare fractum tempus. Frangere his terrenis vinculis et posuit spiritus libero."

Mist emerged from the surrounding jungle and slowly it became impossible to see anything. Evangeline turned and considered calling out to the others, but she quickly realized that she wasn't alone as the witch's voice echoed.

"Revertatur retro horologium. Emendandum vinculum et prope pontem. Reparare fractum tempus. Frangere his terrenis vinculis et posuit spiritus libero."

The witch continued to chant, and a small light appeared inches away from Evangeline's face. She reached out a hand to touch it, but it floated backward as if summoning her to follow. She took a step forward and the light moved backward. She continued forward and didn't realize the danger of what lie ahead until she almost fell off the edge of the cliff. She turned her head and realized that she could hardly hear the witch's chanting anymore. The mist cleared slightly to reveal the edge of the path and the void just a few steps ahead. The light floated further out into the open expanse as if taunting her to follow. She heard footsteps from behind. Out of pure paranoia, she checked her shoulder and found herself surprised to see Ben and Rey step out from the mist.

"Is this some sort of dream?" Rey asked as she looked around trying to make sense of her surroundings.

"I think we've been pulled into some sort of in-between," Evangeline hypothesized.

"Well, now what?" Ben asked as he noticed that they certainly couldn't continue forward.

"The answers you seek lie ahead. Do you have it in you to chase them?"

Evangeline looked back at Ben and Rey as if she'd made a decision. Then without saying anything at all, she leapt and disappeared into the darkness below.