Malediction

31 - The Meeting

Staring back at the woman that had cursed my friend and his family, her eyes swiftly brushed over me, quickly averting when I noticed Danny stand close to my side, his hand reaching for my wrist, slightly pulling me behind him.

A smile wickedly lifted on her features, her teeth equally as perfect as the rest of her while she took in the man beside me.

"Isn't it bizarre how one can look so similar, yet so unalike to a relative?"
It was a question she didn't seek the answer to.

"You have his eyes, Danny" She informed him as though we didn't already know "But the real question here is, do you have the Newscot personality too? Because if you do.." She clicked her tongue as she began to slowly move around us, circling like a hawk

"What happened between you and my grandfather, it has nothing to do with me, nor my brother, my uncle, my mother.." Danny trailed off, the back of his hand still lightly leaned against mine "punishing me, punishing my family because of what William did, it's wrong, it's unfair"

Evalia seemed to be studying his face, her eyes narrow as she scrutinised his every detail

"You're more handsome than he was, a lot braver too" She was being arrogant and avoiding the true reason for the meeting "What happened to your hand? Get into a fight did we?" She attentively observed as her eyes flickered to mine

"I'm betting you had something to do with that" Her smile lifted, crooked "Tell me.." She began, her body now beside mine, her face moving close to my cheek, her breath in my ear

"Has he surrendered to you yet, or is he restraining himself?" Her words crushed my chest, my skin erupting in goosebumps. This was a game to her, and suddenly, I found my courage, I could play the game too.

"What happened in 1925?" I began, keeping my face forward "The reports said that you had died, that you had been murdered, how is that possible?"

Instantly I could feel that she had been caught off guard, stepping back from me

"Oh she's smart too, isn't she?" She chuckled as she glanced at Danny "What a dangerous combination, no wonder you've fallen for her" Again, my heart squeezed, no, it couldn't be like that, he couldn't feel like that

"So how did you do it?" I pushed

She stood in front of me, eyes unwavering over my face "I found my strength, I found my power"

Mentally I shook my body free from her grip "Power that makes you a monster is nothing to be proud of" I spat, I stood tall eager to let her know I wasn't afraid, even though I was

Her lips curled upwards once again, her pupils larger than an average persons should be

"There are monsters in all of us" She shrugged 

"I get it, I do, the trauma, loosing your family like that, it was awful, unimaginable, but trauma can either shut you down, or wake you up, you decide who you become, you always have a choice, you chose wrong"

Danny's hand was leaned on mine, a reminder of our touch when it became more forceful, a warning nudge. He was not defending himself, he was being too quiet, what did he expect me to do? I was the one fighting for his freedom, the opportunity directly in front of him, why was he not doing the same?

Evalia's gaze turned back to Danny, her expression soft "and let's just say I make the right choice and release the curse, what will you do then? Tell her how you feel? Respect her? Be faithful as your grandfather was?" her lips lightly curled like a snarl, agitated 

Danny shifted on his feet "You can't expect your experiences to define how others live their lives"

Her eyes watched him carefully, studying his reactions "Not a really good way to answer for what you want, is it?" She shrugged