The Violet Witch - The School for Good and Evil

16) One Hug?

When Evelynn, Sophie and Tedros were out of sight from anyone else, Evelynn stopped shapeshifting again.

"I can't keep it up anymore." She said, "I need to rest and hopefully my talent will be back to normal in the morning."

"I have watch duty in the School master's tower," Sophie said, slowly releasing Evelynn, "Will you guys get down to the dungeon okay?"

Tedros stepped next to Evelynn, slipping his arm around her to hold her up. "I can help her Fillip."

Sophie nodded, then pulled a face as she left, rather confused about everything going on.

"No," Evelynn mumbled, but she didn't pull away, "I don't need your help."

Tedros didn't let go, and reluctantly she let herself lean into him, too exhausted to resist.

He smirked. "Are you sure you don't need my help?"

"Yes! Why do you think I didn't tell you who I was?"

His hand grazed her ribs as he shifted his grip. "Why are you here, Evy?"

"Not for you, if that's what you thought."

She expected Tedros to scoff or smirk again, but he looked ahead, his face deadpan once more.

Evelynn glanced at the floor, she felt so many things and didn't know how to deal with it. The last time she'd spoken to Tedros as herself was in the school master's tower, and that wasn't the most controlled encounter as they were brandishing swords at each other. They didn't get the chance to discuss the problems with the new schools either, she didn't even know how he truly felt about it.

"Agatha asked me to come."

Tedros nearly dropped her, his eyes darkening with anger and betrayal. "What?!"

Evelynn looked up at him with wide eyes, she'd almost forgotten how much he hated Agatha in that moment. "It's okay, Agatha asked me to come so I could let her know what's happening, but I came because I want to fix this. I don't want Sophie and Agatha to die Tedros, and I don't want the boys to be slaves. I just want everyone to be safe."

Tedros stared at her for a second, they'd stopped walking at the top of the stairs down to the dungeon, frozen in place. "It doesn't work like that. Agatha betrayed me, she ruined our fairytale."

Evelynn suddenly remembered why she was so angry with Tedros before she got to the boys school, she'd pushed it aside because he was struggling, but it could no longer be ignored. "And what about your betrayal, Tedros?"

His face softened for a second. "Evy-"

"-No. I told you I'm not here for you. I'm here for my friends, I'm here because I protect the people I care about, instead of acting stupidly and irrationally due to how I feel. I've made mistakes in the past, I've been wronged in the past, but for the greater good I'm ignoring that. I'm ignoring how you hurt me because you can help me."

Tedros frowned, then didn't speak for a while, gathering his thoughts. "If it means anything to you, after everything that's happened. I'm sorry...and thank you. You made me feel better at my weakest point, even when I thought you were a complete stranger."

Evelynn stared at him, for once lost for words. No snappy comeback reached her lips, no hatred came to mind. She was only reminded of before. Before their relationship fell apart, and even after that, they were still drawn together, almost dependent on each other.

They were still dependent on each other.

She ached to lean forward and wrap her arms around his waist, to bury her cheek against his chest and hear his heart pounding. To forget all of the issues they'd faced.