Malevolence (A School for Good and Evil Fanfic)

Chapter 5

When the baroness turned to Anadil, she hadn't dropped the 'benevolent' expression.

"What do you want, mother?" asked Anadil sullenly. She noticed that the grin on her mother's face had turned furtive, like she had a secret and was dangling the knowledge of it out in front of Anadil's nose.

"You know, I suspected it before, but I really needed to see it for myself to be sure."

"What are you talking about?"

"How you clearly have some sort of warm and fuzzy feelings for your demonic Leader."

Anadil furrowed her brow. "Of course I do, Mother. She's my best friend."

"She's my best friend," her mother mocked. "Setting aside that Nevers aren't supposed to be 'friends' when they can take people under their control, that is not what I am speaking about. I'm referencing the mooney eyes, following her around like a dog when you could have been a Leader at that school, and the probable thoughts of moving into a quaint cottage in the woods."

Anadil pinched the bridge of her nose, already done with this conversation. "I can't believe I'm talking to you about this, of all people, but I can assure you I'm not interested in pursuing a romance with my colleague." She was confident about this. Sort of.

"I should hope not," her mother said. "Darling, I can understand the appeal of a great romance. Save for the pastels and rainbows, the Evers make it seem like some sort of necessity, something you need to be happy. Evil is not so stifling. 'Love' as they call it, is just another of the ridiculous, pointless emotions that floats around inside of our heads on a daily basis."

"I know that, mother," Anadil replied, backing slowly toward the door. "That is exactly why I prefer not to rely on emotions. They merely get in the way of a larger goal."

Her mother patted her on the shoulder. "That's my girl. And you will make sure you and your Leader are on the same page about this? I'd applaud you if you were merely using her to get at her power or fortune, but from my vantage point, it appears that affection is getting involved. Don't let 'love' get in the way of your aspirations. Your father made that mistake, and you know what happened to him." She shook her head. "A pity."

Anadil stopped in her tracks, barely processing the threat. For a moment she was a child again, standing on this very dance floor. She heard the screams, the sounds of crunching bones, saw the trail of red running across the floor, coming to rest mere centimeters from her small, velvet-clad feet. She saw her mother walking toward her, spotless save for a single drop of crimson staining her cheek. She'd smiled, placing a hand on the side of her daughter's face.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," she'd soothed, and Anadil had clung to her mother's skirts as she left the room, gruesome images seared into her mind. That was the night her mother had given her Granny's bracelet. The night she'd tucked her into bed and told her she'd make her proud.

Now, her mother's hand was on her face again, cold and smooth, but a small part of her still wanted to lean into it, craving comfort like the child she'd once been.

"My perfect girl," her mother murmured. "I know you won't fail me."

Then the hand was gone, a ghost on the wind, and when Anadil opened her eyes, her mother had disappeared.

Shaking her head to clear the fugue that had overtaken her, she left the room.

Hester was waiting in the hall, her brows drawn together in worry. Concerned, as always. Caring way more than she should, as always.

"What was that about?" Hester asked, falling in step beside her. "I swear, when she left the look on her face was so smug. Though I suppose she's looked like that all day."