LIAR LIAR, HOUSE ON FIRE
Evangeline stomped her foot hard against the wooden floor, her mind racing in every direction. She spun on her heel, looking around wildly, thinking, calculating. What the hell was she supposed to do now?
With a frustrated groan, she bolted up the stairs to the third floor, nearly tripping over the hem of her dress. She reached her room, shoved the door open, and grabbed her phone from the nightstand, fingers shaking slightly as she scrolled through her contacts.
She pressed Tide’s name and brought the phone to her ear.
He picked up on the first ring.
"Please tell me you’ve already cleaned up your mess," he said dryly.
She took a sharp breath. "That’s why I’m calling. I need your help."
A pause. "I don’t like where this is going."
"Are you with all of them?" she asked, ignoring his hesitation.
Tide let out an exasperated sigh. "Yeah. Fourth Master saw his favorite ice cream truck, so he’s currently standing in line."
Evangeline frowned, and shook her head. Nope, she's not going to try to imagine it.
"Anyway…" she muttered, shaking her head again. "Move away from them for a second."
There was some muffled shuffling on the other end before he spoke again. "Okay, I’m away. What’s the problem?"
"I need you to stall them," she said quickly, gripping the edge of the nightstand. "Just buy me a little more time to fix this."
And there was silence.
She frowned. "Tide? Are you there?"
A second later, he let out a dry laugh. "Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you were talking to me. What the fuck are you saying? You want me in my grave that bad? Why do you always want to drag everyone down with you?"
She rolled her eyes. "Please, don’t be a second Adeline right now."
"Well, whatever she said is right," he snapped. "I can’t stall them. Do you have any idea what would happen to me if they figured out I was trying to delay them? Do you think they’re stupid?" He whisper-yelled.
Evangeline pressed her fingers to her temple, inhaling deeply. "Tide—"
"So you want me to not think. The second they realize something is off, that ice cream is hitting the ground, and my head is rolling right after it!"
She sighed. "Oh, come on, Tide. Just this once. I need more time."
"And I need to not die young," he deadpanned.
She sighed, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Okay, how about this?" she said smoothly. "Just this once… and I’ll let you have me tonight."
The line went silent.
For a moment, she thought he’d hung up.
Then, Tide clicked his tongue. "You’re lucky I have no morals."
She grinned. "So you’ll do it?"
"You better be worth it."
Shyw giggled. "Oh, you know I am. Thanks baby" She dropped her phone and bolted down the flight of stairs, her bare feet hitting the cold ground as she rushed outside. She came to a stop, chest rising and falling rapidly, eyes locked onto the towering structure of Hera Castle before her. The west wing.
She inhaled deeply, centering herself, then stretched out her right hand, palm facing upward. Her fingers began to move in slow, circles as she murmured the incantation under her breath.
*"Ignis fatuus, apparetio!*
*Flammae simulacrum, ergo sum!*
*Lux mea, ardere videatur!*
*Spectaculum ignis, ecce!"*
Her voice gained strength. She repeated the words, her breath hitching as the air around her pulsed with energy.
*"Ignis fatuus, apparetio!*
*Flammae simulacrum, ergo sum!*
*Lux mea, ardere videatur!*
*Spectaculum ignis, ecce!!"*
*"Ignis fatuus, apparetio!*
*Flammae simulacrum, ergo sum!*
*Lux mea, ardere videatur!*
*Spectaculum ignis, ecce!"*
A violent gust of wind howled through, swirling around her as if the very air was alive. Her dress whipped around her legs, and her hair lashed against her face. Then, with a loud crack, a spark flickered to life at the peak of the castle’s roof.
It spread rapidly.
Within seconds, flames roared across the top, licking hungrily at the darkened sky, casting wild shadows against the stone walls. The fire danced as if it had a mind of its own, curling downward, consuming everything in its path.
She staggered, her vision tilting for a moment as the price of the spell began to take its toll. She wiped a streak of blood from her nose with the back of her hand, steadying herself before turning on her heel and rushing back inside.
She slammed her palm against the fire alarm, and a piercing, shrill sound filled the air, echoing through the castle halls.
Upstairs, the students jolted awake, some springing out of their beds in confusion and pusjiygheir dinner down while others groggily blinked themselves into consciousness.
Upon realization of what was going on, scream soon echoed around the walls. Footsteps thundering down the halls.
Teachers, now fully alert, hurried out of their rooms, their voices overlapping as they tried to maintain order.
"Everyone out! Stay calm—grab what you can and move quickly!"
Thick smoke had begun to seep through the corridors, slithering like an ominous fog. Evangeline shoved past a few students, rushing toward the stairs.
A teacher caught her arm. "Miss! What the hell is going on?"
"I—I don’t know!" she hissed in annoyance, shaking her head, voice filled with feigned urgency. "I’ll find out later, but right now, we need to get everyone outside!"
The teacher nodded, turning back to help the students, and Evangeline took off toward Blakely and Xinmei’s room.
She burst through the door, coughing slightly as the smoke thickened.
Both girls were already moving fast—Xinmei stuffing clothes into a bag while Blakely hastily packed whatever was within reach.
"Hurry up!" She shouted, crouching beside Blakely’s bag. She shoved the last of her belongings inside, zipping it up in one motion before yanking it off the bed.
They ran.
The three of them barreled down the stairs, shielding their faces from the suffocating heat, their lungs burning with every breath.
Outside, students flooded the open grounds, their faces pale, eyes darting between the burning castle and the adults scrambling to maintain order.
After making sure they were safe, Evangeline veered quickly toward the study, where the students' confiscated phones were kept.
She nearly tripped in her hurry, reaching the two heavy boxes, stacking one on top of the other before sprinting back outside.
Dropping them onto the grass, she gasped for breath, her head spinning from exhaustion.
"Miss!" A teacher rushed to grab her phone from the box. "I'll call the bus"
Evangeline nodded, fumbling as she helped the other teachers direct the students toward the castle gate, urging them to move quickly.
Some stood frozen, staring at the burning structure, unable to believe what was happening.
The fire had already swallowed half of the third floor.
A few of the estate staff—men dressed in green jumpsuits—rushed forward with industrial hoses, spraying jets of water toward the flames.
It should be enough, right?
But as all of this unfolded, amidst the chaos, the shouting, the heat, the tears—Blakely stood at a distance, her gaze locked on a distraught Evangeline.