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Mal could feel Evie’s eyes on her the entire trip back from Aurodon. Away from campus, back across the magical bridge, all the way back into the streets on the island that were once so familiar, so safe. So much a symbol of who she was and who she was meant to be,
But now. Well, now nothing was the same.
She closed her eyes, thought of the moment where it all went wrong — standing there, holding Ben’s hand, surrounded by people she thought were her friends, the green smoke suddenly swirling and she had known. Had known it was all coming to an end.
That smile on her mother’s she once thought was so beautiful but was now directed at her. The gasps of the people around her — her friends, her classmates. Her mother’s stern warning — send them back now or face her wrath.
She’d thought they would fight for her, for them, but she had been stupid. Faster than she could even believe, they were back in the car, going back where they came from. And everything else, everything she thought she had been fighting for, was gone.
And it was about to get worse. Her mother was never going to let her go back to school. She would be lucky if her mother ever let her out of her sight. If she didn’t punish her severely first. Give her an example of what being truly evil means.
She didn’t realize she was shivering until Evie’s had reached out and grabbed hers, until Evie’s warm body pushed itself up against hers.
“You are not alone,” Evie said quietly. “Whatever happens, I will be there.”
“You don’t know what’s about to happen.” Mal said. “How bad it’s about to be.”
Evie clutched her hand harder. “I don’t care, Mal,” she said. “I love you, and I will be there.”
Mal didn’t say anything back, but her own reply, her own declaration, hung there, and all she could hope was Evie knew.