Our Last (book 3)// Edmund Pevensie✔

VIII

Avelyn made sure to be as quiet as possible.

Not only was she trespassing, but also wasn't sure who or what she would be up against if she got caught.

As soon as she reached the first floor, she noticed the library to her left. Tip toeing through the dimly lit hallway, she slipped into the huge library.

She looked around to make sure no one was there before slowly advancing toward the shelves.

A string of curses started to tumble out of the girl's mouth as the thought of finding that one book among tons of others crossed her mind.

Before the girl could further swear, a table with a rather big and old book caught her eye.

Judging by the fact that it was standing alone by itself right in the centre, she decided to get a closet look. There were random letter sprawled on the cover of the hardbound book and it seemed to be clamped shut but a thin metal flap lying horizontally toward the right edge.

She tried to pry open the book but it was useless. She felt specs of dust under her fingers before she pulled back to wipe them on her trousers.

"My," she grumbled "how long has this been here?"

She blew against the cover of the book to get rid of the dust. As soon as she did, the letters began to rearrange themselves. As suspected, it read 'The Book Of Incantations'.

The tiny flap keeping the book shut, now lifted up with ease allowing the girl to flip open the book.

Avelyn randomly turned pages, reading the titles of certain spells.

"A spell to put one to sleep, a spell to forget," she went on "a spell to sew someone's mouth shut. Ha, could use that on Eustace"

She giggled at her own joke before clearing her throat and continuing to go through the book.

Her eyes stopped on this one spell.

"A spell to explore you're worst fear"

The girl didn't know what she feared the most right now. She wasn't scared of Agramon  (she'd killed him once, she'd do it again) She wasn't scared that people would leave because she knew that the ones who she loved now had already become like family.

Curious, she began to read the spell.

Come one, come all,
Don't try to distract, don't try to stall.

We're all imperfect, all of us here,
Each and everyone has their own fear.

You don't need to look far,
Promise it's very near.

For deep within your heart,
Lies your current fear.

Avelyn looked around. Hoping a genie or a gypsy would show up and tell her what she was afraid of.

Nothing.

Rolling her eyes, thinking that this was nothing but a book of poems and that those creatures who sent her her were probably just playing a prank on her, she sighed in annoyance and turned around to leave.

Instead, here she was, standing next to a fifteen year old Edmund, in front of Jadis.

It was like a flash back of what happened years ago...

"So tell me," the white witch bellowed "How is it that my wolves found just you here, along the banks of the now melted dam? The others were there too, where did they go?"

"That," Avelyn tried to keep her voice steady but was finding it hard to do so since she was shivering, despite slipping on Edmund's sweater which he offered her "is none of y-your conc- concern"

"Hmm" Jadis hummed before striking Edmund hard across his cheek, leaving a cut beside his eye because of her ring "where are they headed, daughter of Ave?"

"I, I" Avelyn hesitated as she cast a sorry glance at the boy.

Noticing that she was almost going to confess, Jadis smiled.

"You know, I ought to kill you both. It'll make things so much easier" she eyed her carefully "but, I think I have found a rather useful tool against you"

She smirked at Ed before she caught his wrist, bringing up her sceptre to plunge it into the boy.

"No! Wait!" Avelyn screamed as she tried to push Ed behind her "they're headed to Aslan's camp"

"Aslan?" The witch laughed, letting go of Ed "you honestly want me to believe that? He's been away for years"

"Oh he's here alright" Avelyn snapped "and he's going to end your reign. You'll see, his army is probably twice-"

The girl bit her lip but it was too late. She'd already let it slip.

"An army" Jadis repeated before turning to the wolves "if it's a war Aslan wants, then its a war he shall get"

"What have I done" Avelyn mumbled under her breath "I've.."

She had given Jadis a head start to prepare for a possible oncoming battle.  And if the witch did succeed, then Avelyn will have failed the Narnians.

The entire surrounding changed.

She was now standing in front of the broken stone table. Caspian was there, so was Peter, Edmund and Lucy along with trumpkin. There was a glass wall with a frozen Jadis stretching out her hand toward Caspian.

Avelyn was sixteen years old.

"We both know you can't do it" the wolf growled as he let a chuckle escape "come on princes- oh forgive me, my Queen, drive that sword right through me"

Avelyn's hands trembled. Why couldn't she do this? She'd fought a war before.

Sure, she hadn't killed anyone. She'd just slit at their calves so that they wouldn't be able to stand ley alone fight.

But this was different. She couldn't injure this beast. Unlike fighting in a war, there wasn't any preexisting crowd and chaos to distract them for seeing the girl creep up to injure them. In this case either shed have to kill him or he'd kill her.

"Alright times up" he snarled as she lunged toward her "goodby-"

Avelyn flinched as Edmund jumped in between, slicing deep through the wolf's chest. The wolf fell limp at her feet before Ed turned to face her, eyes full of concern, his left arm bleeding for where the wolve's claws sunk into him.

"You alright?" He asked gently as he caressed her cheek.

"Yea I, uh I" Avelyn fumbled, her hands still shaking while the swords slipped and hit the ground "I couldn't kill him"

Everything started to turn to mist before it exploded into sparkles and Avelyn was once again standing in the library.

Breathing heavily, the girl turned toward the book.

Her fear was failing.