isamacmillan:
There was no denying that something was wrong. Isa hadn’t intended to deny it this time either. Her lashes were still wet, cheeks flushed from the effort of weeping as she had. Her chest and stomach both hurt, as if she’d tightened the muscles in her chest for too long, and her sniffles were entirely undignified and unladylike as she regarded her older brother for the first time in ages. It wasn’t that she’d been avoiding him, it just was the way of things these days. She reached a hand up to wipe at her tears before she gestured for him to come and settle. “I––” She tried, her voice straining with the effort. She swallowed thickly before trying again. “It’s a long story, Evander. Please give me time.” She insisted, as she moved to sit on the sofa in her formal room. She tucked her knees under her, drawing a thick quilt over her as she watched him. “I’ve been spending a lot of time with a newer friend, and we’ve gotten quite close. It feels good, after Arabella.” She confessed, heart hammering in her chest.
Her tongue felt too big for her mouth, but she knew if she stopped explaining now he’d never get it out of her. He couldn’t know everything, of course, but he could know half truths. “We made plans, to meet at the Shafiq New Year’s party. I know what you’re going to say,” She held her hand up to stop him. “Why did I go alone? Why didn’t I tell you I’d be attending?” She mimicked, before shaking her head. “That’s not the point.” She sighed, “The point is we were meant to meet there, and it felt very important, but my friend never arrived.” Her lip wobbled as she bit down on it to still it, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks.
“I’ve written letters, I’ve stopped and talked to all their friends, coworkers, but nobody’s seen them, Evander.” She admitted, voice cracking as a sob wracked through her. “And now this business with the Minister, and the awful mark in the sky? It feels like the Prophet attack all over again and I can’t lose another friend, Ev. I know what you think about Bella, but I can’t bear it. I’ve been trying to, but I’m scared, and it feels too much like something Bella warned me about, when we were researching her article. She told me to watch for signs of change, for people suddenly quiet or gone altogether, for career changes, for changes in authority. Are we heading toward another time like before?” She’d been too young to really know what it was like, but there were tiny memories, glimpses here and there.
She took a deep breath, another sob breaking through despite her best effort. “I don’t want to be scared all the time, and I don’t want to lose anyone else. So I need you to ask no questions, and just help me find them. Please.” She begged.
His heart clenched then sank as soon as he stepped inside her flat. Her words poured out, soaking into his skin and wrapped around his throat. Evander knew of his sister’s involvement with the prophet’s article. Knew that she had at least something to do with it. It was well known between the two of them how he had felt about Arabella’s friendship with her. How he felt about her in general. But this was not the time nor place for him to voice his opinions on those things. Evander could feel Isabella’s frantic desperation fill the space between them. He closed his eyes, allowing her to say what she needed to. She was too young to remember anything about what happened before. They both were. But the difference was that he had more of a memory of the way things had played out. He remembered all the violence and fighting that had ensued. He also knew that if Isabella ever knew that he was helping things progress the way they were that she would never speak to him again.
So, he kept his mouth shut. Held his tongue on matters that were sensitive to talk about with her. And more importantly, he kept his dealings with Tom Riddle to himself. Of course, he had questions about her attending the New Year’s celebration at the Shafiq’s. His sister’s safety would always be his first priority. Whether he was one of the people threatening that or not. Evander truly believed that he could keep her safe in all of this. That as soon as things changed, she would be much better off. If only he could change her mind on how the world should be. “Shhh,” he cooed, gently pulling her into his arms. One hand urging her to rest her head on his shoulder, the other rubbing circles on her back to soothe her. Evander placed a soft kiss on the top of Isabella’s head. Noting the tension that wrapped around the two of them. There were words that weren’t being said. An elephant in the room that needed to be addressed. But that would have to wait for another time. “Of course,” he assured her, voice soft, soothing, “of course, I will help you. I’ll pull all the strings I can in the Ministry and everywhere else I can to find this friend of yours.”
He pulled away, only enough so he could look her in the eye. Hands on her shoulders as he held her. “I will never let anything happen to you. No matter how the world might fall.” Evander’s heart tugged as he thought about how Tom might request his assistance with other matters. Matters that might hurt Isabella. Betray her trust in ways. “Now, who am I looking for?”