Blade institute: the unseen prophecy

24

Evangeline felt a flicker of unease, the tension Evangeline's mind raced as Rian's words sunk in. She felt the cold dread of his warnings seep into her bones, but there was also a flicker of anger that refused to be extinguished. She understood his fears, understood the danger she was playing with, but his constant doubt—his lack of trust in her ability to control her own fate—was beginning to wear on her.

The tension between them, which had been simmering all day, finally boiled over.

"Why do you always assume the worst of me?" she snapped, her voice sharper than she intended. She sat up in the bed, turning to face him fully. "Why do you think I'm just going to lose control and become some monster?"

Rian's eyes narrowed, his own frustration flaring. He pushed himself up to sit as well, turning to face her, the small space between them crackling with intensity. "Because I've seen what happens when people think they can handle power they don't understand!" he shot back, his voice rising. "You're playing with fire, Evangeline, and you're too damn stubborn to see it!"

Evangeline's fists clenched, her heart pounding in her chest. "I'm not Liam, Rian! I'm not your brother! Stop comparing me to him every time I do something you don't like!"

Rian's expression darkened, a flash of pain crossing his features. "This isn't about whether or not you're like him," he growled, his voice dangerously low. "This is about the fact that you're walking down the same path he did—thinking you're invincible, that you can handle whatever comes your way. But you can't, Evangeline! No one can!"

The bitterness in his voice cut deep, and for a moment, she almost faltered. But the anger bubbling inside her wouldn't let her back down. "You don't get to tell me what I can and can't handle," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "You don't get to make that decision for me!"

Rian's jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "I'm trying to protect you," he hissed through gritted teeth, as if the words themselves were painful to say. "You're so damn stubborn that you don't see the danger you're putting yourself in. I can't—I won't lose someone else because of this!"

His words sent a wave of conflicting emotions crashing over her—anger, frustration, but also an ache of understanding. She knew he was coming from a place of fear, that he didn't want to see her fall into the same darkness that had claimed his brother. But his overprotectiveness, his refusal to see her as capable and strong, was suffocating.

"Stop treating me like I'm helpless!" she shouted, her voice breaking as the emotions she'd been holding back all day finally spilled over. "I've survived things you can't even imagine, Rian! I'm not some fragile little girl who needs saving!"

His eyes flashed with something darker, more primal, as he leaned in closer, the air between them thick with tension. "And what if I don't want you to end up like Liam?" he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "What if I can't stand the thought of watching you destroy yourself?"

Evangeline's breath caught in her throat, her heart racing as she met his intense gaze. There was something raw and unfiltered in his eyes—something that spoke of fear, anger, and a desperate need to protect her, even if it meant pushing her away.

But the anger that had been simmering between them, the frustration of being misunderstood, of being doubted, was too strong. She couldn't hold back the biting words that came next, even as she knew they would cut deep.

"Maybe I'm not the one who's afraid of losing control," she said, her voice trembling with fury. "Maybe it's you."

Rian's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing as her words hit their mark. "You think I'm afraid?" he said, his voice laced with bitter sarcasm. "You're damn right I am. But I'm not afraid for myself—I'm afraid for you. And you're too damn proud to see it."