In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 39 - Fall

CONTENT WARNING:

Torture, Death

PLEASE READ: This chapter contains a detailed descriptions of torture using the Cruciatus curse - so not blood and gore torture, but still torture. There will be another bolded/underlined warning before the scene for those who wish to skip it, along with a paragraph summarizing it afterwards. That's not to say the rest of the chapter isn't also rather dark, fair warning.

Elizabeth gasped for air as they landed roughly at their destination, the sound echoing off the cold stone walls. Her heart hammered against her chest, each beat a painful reminder of her precarious situation. She could feel the man's grip on her arm, his fingers digging into her skin painfully. She was alone and unarmed in the lair of her enemies. Fear coursed through her veins, threatening to paralyze her, but she refused to let it consume her. With every ounce of willpower, she summoned her courage, determined not to let them see her trembling.

As she surveyed her surroundings, her eyes locked onto the disorganized bookshelves that adorned the crumbling stone walls. The room was a testament to neglect and decay, a fitting backdrop. Her gaze then shifted to the imposing figure seated behind a large desk, a figure she recognized too well.

"Yaxley," Elizabeth growled.

"Actually, Selina Rookwood. It's nice to meet you," Yaxley - or rather, Selina Rookwood - said, giving her a cold smile. "I believe you knew my husband, Victor?"

"I should have guessed," Elizabeth spat at her, trying to pull her arm from the man. "Sebastian was right about you. What do you want from me?"

As she closed the distance between them, Elizabeth felt a chill crawl up her spine, her entire body tensing in response to the malice radiating from Selina's piercing eyes. The weight of that gaze bore down on her, as if Selina could see into the depths of her soul, unraveling her fears and vulnerabilities.

"And here I thought you were smart," Selina sneered. "You can let her go, Nathaniel. She can't do anything."

The man, Nathaniel, let her arm go. It ached from his grip, but Elizabeth resisted the urge to rub feeling back into it. It was as if Selina possessed an uncanny ability to see through Elizabeth's facade, to discern her deepest secrets and hidden weaknesses. Elizabeth felt exposed, vulnerable in the face of Selina's icy scrutiny. Elizabeth stood tall, locking eyes with Selina, ready for whatever horrors awaited her. Sebastian was still out there. She just had to keep telling herself that. He would come for her... wherever she was.

"You foiled us at every turn," Selina said cooly, leaning against the desk, arms folded. "I didn't expect you to be such a fool. 'What do you want from me' - honestly. I want you dead, you little murderer." She spat in Elizabeth's face. "We tried to flush you out of that accursed stronghold of a school with those letters, but somehow they only made you harder to find. And even when you came running to your precious orphanage, you brought company. So I came myself - none of the other fools in this group would have been capable of fooling Black. But a little charm and a pureblood name had him eating out of the palm of my hand."

Selina sighed, still glaring at Elizabeth. "You were so close to that Fig, I thought for sure you'd sign up for that pointless class, then I could pick your brain for a way to get you out of the school, away from all the protections. But you didn't. At least your little friend did, though. He knew enough for us to decide to keep a closer eye on that orphanage - that you had a friend there. Still, even when you finally did come to my office - you avoided my eyes. I thought for sure you'd figured out -"

Elizabeth gasped with sudden realization. "You're a legilimens! Ominis was right."

Selina scowled, looking at Nathaniel. "Are you sure this is the right girl? She's an idiot. But, yes, the Gaunt boy. We thought about using him instead of the muggle, but his family called in a favor. Regardless - you finally visited that muggle this past weekend. As soon as we had a chance, we took her and I escaped the castle before we lured you out. And here you are."