Behind the Evil (Villain Series Book Two)

The Healing

Chapter Fifteen

 The Healing

Our meeting finishes and everyone disperses. We will have a big dinner, a long night’s rest, a resting day tomorrow with another big dinner and long nights rest so that we can put the plan into action the day after. Bernard gives William and Adrian a tour and then we have dinner. Valentine keeps the dinner light and enjoyable, Calista and Lloyd meet William and Adrian and everyone enjoys their time.

I am grateful to retreat to my room; it’s been a very long day. I get into my pyjamas and curl into my bed. Someone knocks on my door and I grin happily when I see it’s Duke in his pyjamas.

 He smiles at me too and climbs into my bed, “I don’t care if you’re not scared of the dark, I want to sleep with you anyway.” He whispers. We cuddle each other and fall asleep quickly.

……………………….

The next day after breakfast Duke speaks alone with Adrian. Feeling bored, Jett, Darcy, Blade, Amara and I sit on my bed playing Old Maid.

“You know you’ll lose Blade because you’re as ugly as an Old Maid.” Jett states casually, studying his cards.

Blade sneers at him, “Coming from you, you ugly shit.” He growls.

Jett smirks and Blade makes his move. Darcy, Amara and I laugh at their banter. It’s been a while since all of us played cards. We would play a lot when Jett was recovering, he was too sick to move and none of us were really strong enough to do much anyway. As we all got stronger however, we spent more and more time with our partners and less time with each other.

“I don’t know why you don’t link with a donkey because you look like one’s ass.” Jett says and Darcy, Jett and I laugh loudly.

“Why you…” Blade begins.

“I-I think you’re very handsome, Blade.” Amara whispers, her cheeks going red but her eyes staring into his bravely.

Blade shifts uncomfortably in his spot and nods his head proudly, “You and I are the only ones with brains here.”

We all laugh, I really have missed this time so much. I wish Duke would stop talking with Adrian though so he could come join us. As if on cue the door to my room knocks, I perk my head up excitedly and dive off my bed, running to the door. Jett whistles to me as Amara hides my cards from Blade.

I pull the door open, it’s William. He smiles awkwardly, “Do you mind if I come in?”

I nod slowly, “We’re just playing cards…” I mutter, turning away from him and sitting back in my spot. Damn, I had really wanted it to be Duke and now I’m embarrassed for acting so excited only to see it’s William.

Jett shouts and slams his final card down, “I am not the Old Maid!” He cries, putting his middle finger in Blade face.

“Get that out of my face or I swear I will snap it in half!” Blade growls, but he has the most cards in his hand.

“You can join in the next game, if you like.” Amara says to William with a friendly smile.

“Yeah, you’re welcome to help us quick Blade’s ass.” Darcy says and I pair my final card, coming second.

“Yeaaaaah Eva!” Jett cries, high fiving me with way more enthusiasm then I have. “Hurry up Darcy, you’re too beautiful to be an Old Maid.” He says this to Darcy who grins at him.

William watches as we continue our game, Darcy finishes next and then Blade, leaving Amara as the Old Maid. She stares at the card in her hand and her head drops sadly. Blade’s eyes widen, “Y-you’re not ugly!” He cries and she lifts her head a little to look up sadly at him.

Darcy giggles, “Oh god, get a room you two!” She cries, throwing a pillow at Blade’s face. He instantly glares at her and grabs Amara’s hand hastily.

“Fine, we will.” He says and drags a flustered Amara out of the room.

“Well this game isn’t as fun without Blade to lose so, let’s go watch a movie or something Darcy.” Jett suggests and Darcy nods eagerly.

I catch Darcy’s eyes and I shake my head hurriedly, please don’t leave me alone with William! Darcy smiles, knowing I don’t want her to leave but she stands up with Jett and they exit anyway.

Silence follows in my room and I pack up the cards, they did this on purpose, so I would have to talk with William alone.

William is the first to speak, “This sounds terrible for me to say, but I never expected you, some of Valentine’s most fearsome fighters to banter in such a playful way.”

I shrug, “We’re each other’s family.”

We’re silent again and I put the cards in my bedside table. William gets up and looks around my room, his eyes stop on a photo hanging on the wall of Zaebos. “…I’m really sorry, Evangeline.” William whispers, turning to face me. He looks genuinely upset and I feel a twinge of guilt for getting so angry at him earlier.

“No, I’m sorry. I let my anger get the better of me, you didn’t kill him. You were trying to kill me and Zaebos sacrificed for me, I killed him.” I say, I realized how true it was. I had intended to just apologise but then I said something that even I had only just figured out.

William steps closer to me and surprises me by pulling me into a hug, “No, the war killed him.”

Tears spring to my eyes, of all the people for me to cry in front of why must it be William? He’s the last person I want to show weakness to. I hold in my tears but hug William back.

“Can you tell me about him?” William asks gently.

“He came to me in high school, it was when I was going through Succession and I had just joined Valentine. I felt lonely and confused then but Zaebos was there to support me. He said he had watched me for years before and we bonded quickly. He was so clever, he was cautious around people he didn’t know and peck at people in my place. He loved to eat human food and was picky if it wasn’t. He was cheeky but very intelligent. I loved him so much.” Talking about Zaebos was really hard, I had talked about Zaebos with Duke before but I could cry easily with him around, with William, I’m struggling to hold in my tears. I blink rapidly to try and stop tears.

William lets go of me and tries to look at me but I turn away, turning to look strong. He could tell this wasn’t a very good subject so instead he asked me about Duke. We sat down in my chairs and I told him how we met and what he was like but I got shy and felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment so instead he asked me about Jett. I could talk easily about Jett; I find Jett fun to talk about because he’s just a fun person. I talked about some of our pranks and William would smile but grimace at the same time, shaking his head. William told me about Oliver but I soon found out he didn’t know much about him either. He doesn’t know what power he has, he gets exceptional grades in school and has a few friends but there wasn’t much time for William or his parents to bond with him. Lavender has the best bond with Oliver. We talk for hours, until dinner time. I feel much better, like a piece of my heart that had been broken years ago has at last been healed.