Being a Greengrass after all should sound pretty serene.
But being a part of "the Emeralds" should not, especially when hearts become entangled with the infamous Regulus Black.
Goodness, lawfulness, or evilness. Which path will they tread in the ti...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
May 2nd, 1979
Greengrass Manor stood beneath a sky the colour of old parchment, its stone walls draped in winter ivy that clung stubbornly to the centuries-old masonry. Avery sat curled into one corner of the velvet settee, turning a silver ring slowly around her thumb. She had been doing that for nearly twenty minutes.
Across the room, Regulus stood by the window. At first glance he looked composed, almost detached, but Avery knew him too well now. The tension sat in the line of his shoulders, in the stiffness of his folded arms, in the way his gaze lingered on the gardens without actually seeing them.
"They'll be here soon," she said quietly.
"I know." Regulus looked back out the window. After a moment he added, "Are you absolutely certain Dorcas isn't going to hex me the second she walks through the door?"
Avery cracked a smile. "No, I'm not."
That drew the smallest twitch at the corner of his mouth. "How reassuring."
She reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "They deserve to know the truth. I trust them both. And Dorcas... she might take a moment, but she'll understand."
Regulus nodded once. He wasn't entirely at ease—he hadn't seen either of them in nearly a year. The sound of the front door echoed faintly through the manor.
"They're here," Avery said, standing.
Regulus exhaled and straightened up, smoothing his sleeves like it would somehow prepare him. He didn't move from his place by the window. Avery walked to the door just as the butler stepped back, letting in two familiar figures.
Dorcas was first—tall, sharp-eyed, and dressed in a black coat that made her look like she'd stepped out of a storm. Her gaze landed on Avery, softening for a moment. "Hey."
Behind her, Pandora looked smaller than usual, bundled in pastel knits with her hair braided loosely over one shoulder.
"Hey," Avery said, voice tight with emotion. "Come in. Thank you both for coming."
Dorcas stepped inside without hesitation. Pandora was slower, quieter. Her eyes landed on Regulus a beat later—and she blinked. Her lips parted like she might speak, but no words came. Regulus turned to face them. He simply looked at them both and nodded once respectfully.
"Hi," he said, and his voice was lower, rougher than they remembered.
Avery took a careful step forward, her eyes flicking between the three. "I know this is strange. It's a lot. And I'm asking more than I have any right to. But if you're going to know the truth... you need to see both of us."
Dorcas folded her arms, her jaw tightening. "Well," she said, voice dry, "that much is painfully obvious."
There was no venom in it, just tension and hurt clinging to old memories. An awkward pause stretched before Pandora spoke.
