Page 62 of Evergreen

“Come on,” I said, grabbing Linden’s shaking green hand and pulling him toward his dorm. “I don’t want to stay out here anymore. Let’s get to your room before we get run over.”

We pushed through the throngs of panicked students and worried parents, my heart still hammering against my ribs from the adrenaline and fear of what we’d just escaped. The campus that had felt so safe and familiar just hours ago now felt vulnerable, exposed. Every shadow seemed to hide a threat, every unfamiliar face a potential enemy.

Linden’s hand was trembling in mine, and I could feel his magic crackling erratically like it didn’t know whether to fight or flee. I squeezed his hand tighter, trying to ground him the same way he’d grounded me so many times before.

“It’s okay,” I murmured, even though I didn’t entirely believe it myself. “We’re safe now. We’re back at Widdershins.”

But even as I said it, I wasn’t sure that was true anymore. If the Purity Front could attack the Elder Council in their own chambers, what was stopping them from coming here? Last semester they’d been here, attacking the athletic building. Even with increased security, I had no doubt they could get in again. And the parents knew that too. That’s why they were here now, collecting their children before it was too late.

We made it to Linden’s dorm without incident, though I caught more than a few curious and frightened looks from other students as we passed. I probably looked like hell. My clothes were torn in places, I was covered in dust and ash from the chamber, and my eyes were likely still dark from the magic I’d channeled. Linden looked even worse, his green skin practically glowing with barely suppressed power, his eyes wild with something that looked dangerously close to rage.

I fumbled with his key, my hands still shaking too badly to get it into the lock on the first try. On the second try, the lock clicked open and we stumbled inside. I slammed the door shut behind us and locked it, though there was no deadbolt. A heavy wooden door and a shitty lock was far too little to protect us from intruders.

“Should we tell someone?” I asked, my voice sounding distant even to my own ears. “Tell them what happened? Tell them about the attack, about⁠—”

“They know,” Linden said, his voice flat. “Everyone knows. The world we knew is gone.”

I sank down onto his bed, the weight of that realization sinking onto my shoulders. Nothing would ever be the same after this. The Elder Council was down at least one member. Jackson Rose was dead. Elder Briar Hall and Elias might be dead too. And Widdershins could be next.

“I killed someone,” I heard myself say at last. The words felt strange in my mouth, disconnected from reality. “I put an icicle through a man’s chest and I watched him die. I didn’t even think twice about doing it either.”

Linden turned away from the window, his golden eyes finding mine. There was no judgment there, no horror. Only understanding.

“You did what you had to do,” he said simply. “I would’ve killed anyone that came after you without hesitation.”

“Yeah, well, that doesn’t make me feel any better about it,” I said, running a hand through my hair. My fingers came away dusty and covered in ash. Everything about me felt contaminated. Like I’d been marked by violence in a way that wouldn’t wash off.

Linden crossed the room and sat down beside me, his massive frame making the mattress dip like it always did. He reached out and pulled me against his chest, and I let him, burying my face in the familiar warmth of his skin. His magic hummed against me, still agitated but gradually settling as my own chaotic energy began to sync with his.

“Where do we go now?” I asked. “Do we stay here? Do we go to the grove? Do we wait for Elder Briar Hall… if he’s still alive…”

“What about your parents?” Linden asked in return. “Shouldn’t you tell them you’re alright?”

I couldn’t help but scoff. “They don’t give a fuck. Believe me. I’m just a disappointment to them.” I looked up at Linden, my hand coming to rest on his cheek. “I’m going wherever you go, okay? That’s where I belong. Nowhere else.”

Linden’s arms tightened around me, and for a moment we just existed like that, wrapped up in each other while the world fell apart outside his dorm room window. I could hear the chaos continuing out there. The raised voices, the sound of more parents arriving through the standing stones, and Dean Thornfield barking orders to the security team with his magically enhanced voice. But here, in this small room that had become our sanctuary for the moment, there was a fragile pocket of stillness.

“I need to know if Elder Briar Hall made it out,” Linden said after a long moment, his voice rough. “And Elias. I need to know they’re alive, especially after everything they did for us.”

I pulled back just enough to look at him. His golden eyes were still wild, still crackling with that protective magic that had surfaced during the attack. I’d never seen him like this before. It was terrifying and beautiful all at once.

A knock at the door made us both startle. Linden’s magic flared instinctively, and I felt mine respond in kind, electricity crackling between us. But the voice that came through was unmistakably Professor Paulson’s.

“Mr. Reed? Linden? It’s Professor Paulson. I need to speak with you both.”

Linden exchanged a glance with me before moving to the door. He opened it cautiously, revealing a familiar face on the other side. And behind her were two other figures that I couldn’t quite make out.

“Thank the gods you’re both alright,” she said. “We’ve received word about what happened at the Elder Council chambers. I… I can’t believe it…”

“Do you know if anyone survived?” Linden asked quickly. “If the rest of the Elder Council members are alright?”

“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “And I don’t think we’ll have any details for a while.” She paused, taking a breath and wiping her eyes. “But that’s not why I came up here. I came here because I was looking for Mr. Reed.” She gave me a nod from the doorway. “I brought your parents⁠—”

At that moment, to my surprise, I watched as both my mother and father pushed their way past Professor Paulson and into the room. My mother’s face was wet with tears and my father looked almost terrified, his blazer rumpled and his hair unkempt. I barely recognized them in their current state.

“Cass,” my mother breathed, rushing forward to pull me into her arms before I could even process what was happening. “Oh my god, Cass, we heard about the attack and we didn’t know if you were⁠—”

“I’m fine, Mom,” I said, awkwardly patting her back. This wasn’t normal. My mother didn’t do hugs. She did disapproving looks and disappointed sighs. “I’m okay. We got out.”