Chapter 218: So You Came Here

Chapter 218: So You Came Here
Evelyn's POV

After Brandon's magic field collapsed, everyone still under control woke up almost at once. Some dropped to their knees. Others sat down hard. A few just stood there looking lost.

Freya moved through the battlefield, pulling people toward the safe zones in small groups. She didn't rush, but she didn't waste time either. Every person who passed her, she stopped and checked their eyes—making sure the red was gone, making sure they were actually back.

Nadia walked beside her. When someone didn't speak English, she'd switch languages mid-sentence. English, Spanish, French, sometimes stuff I couldn't place. She kept her voice low and steady, like she was talking someone down from a ledge. It worked.

Sophia stayed close with a notebook, marking down names as people went by. Every few minutes she'd pull someone aside and ask a couple extra questions. Checking for anything off.

Cyrus sent updates through the mind link one at a time:

North border's clear. No one seriously hurt.

West border almost done. Still checking three people.

East border locked down. Waiting on next steps.

All of it steady. No panic.

I stood where I was, watching the whole thing come together. Let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

How much did that cost you, my wolf said. The aura thing.

A lot.

That's not a number.

It's the only answer you're getting.

I felt it roll its eyes at me.

Elliot's voice came through the link: North side's done. Nothing major.

Freya said, Good work.

Pause.

Elliot said, ...Thanks.

His voice had that "wait, who said that" edge to it.

Mark cut in: Your face right now is priceless.

Elliot said, Shut it.

Mark said, Just calling it like I see it.

Elliot said, You done?

Mark said, Yeah, I'm done.

I almost laughed out loud.

Milo's voice broke through next: Nadia, where are you.

Nadia said, West border.

Milo said, Stay put.

Nadia said, Why—

She didn't finish because Milo was already there. I watched him lift her straight off the ground from behind.

Her feet left the dirt maybe four inches. She twisted around. "What're you doing?"

Milo turned her to face him, looked her over head to toe. "Making sure you're all here."

"I'm all here. Put me down."

"Hang on, let me count everything first."

"Milo—"

"Arms, legs, head—"

"You gonna put me down or what?"

He set her down, then crouched and looked her over again from the ground up. Completely serious. "You're good."

Nadia stared at him. "Thanks for checking."

Milo stood, brushed his hands off. "No problem."

Both of them totally straight-faced, like they'd just discussed the weather forecast.

Elliot watched the whole thing, then said to Freya: Those two are weird, right?

Freya said, Nope.

Elliot said, ...So it's just me.

Freya said, Yep.

Listening to all this, I felt some of the tension drain out. The battlefield wasn't exactly relaxed. But at least it didn't feel like everyone was about to snap.

Brandon got taken to a holding point on the edge of the territory. Magnus told Griffin to watch him, but then stayed himself. Just stood at the entrance. Didn't explain. No one asked.

Griffin looked at him. "You can take a break."

Magnus said, "I'm good."

Griffin held his stare for a second, then walked inside without another word.

Magnus stayed where he was. Back straight. Eyes on the door.

Freya's voice hit the link: Where's Evelyn?

Sophia said, She was just—

Orion cut in. Short: Got her.

I relaxed a little.

Where, Elliot asked.

Orion said, Edge of the field. Bringing her back now.

Need a hand? Milo asked.

Orion said, Nope.

Orion's POV

I found her at the edge of the battlefield, sitting against a tree.

Legs out in front of her. Hands loose at her sides. Eyes closed.

Still breathing. Just completely out of gas.

I knelt down. "Bri."

She opened her eyes halfway. "Yeah."

Barely more than a whisper. But she could still talk.

I checked her pulse. Steady. Weak, but steady.

What she'd just done—holding that aura over the whole territory—that wasn't something you walked off.

I stood and picked her up.

She cracked her eyes open again. "I can walk."

"I know. But you don't have to."

She looked at me for half a second, then gave up and put her head on my shoulder. Eyes closed again.

Mark jogged up beside me. "Let me—"

"I got it."

"Then let me carry something—"

"Really, I got it."

Mark stopped. Looked at me. "Fine. I'll just walk next to you. Won't even help."

I glanced at him. Didn't argue.

So Mark walked alongside us. Just walked. Didn't say a word.

Elliot came back from the north side, saw what was happening, took a step toward me. "I'll take her."

"I got her."

"You sure?"

I didn't answer. Just kept walking.

Elliot said behind me, "I'm trying to help—"

Freya grabbed his arm. "They're fine."

Elliot said, "Why can't I—"

Freya said, "Because I said so."

Elliot looked at her, then just followed. Freya followed too. No hand-holding, no touching. They just walked together like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Lucian caught up on my other side, leaned toward Evelyn's face. Quiet: "Hey. We won. You're allowed to be happy about it."

Evelyn kept her eyes shut. "Can't. Too tired."

Lucian said, "Then be happy later."

Evelyn made a small noise.

Lucian said, "I'm holding you to that."

She didn't answer. But I felt her mouth twitch like she was trying not to smile.

By the time we got to the medical room, Magnus was already standing at the door.

He'd handed Brandon off to Griffin and come straight here. Didn't say why. Just stood there.

When I set Evelyn down on the bed, Magnus stepped closer. "You okay?"

"She's fine," I said. "Just burned through her aura."

Magnus nodded. Didn't move to leave. Just stayed by the bed.

Lucian dropped into the chair next to her, leaned back, looked at Magnus. "You're not watching him?"

Magnus said, "Griffin's got it."

Lucian stretched his legs out. "Huh."

Beat.

"So you came here."

Magnus said, "Yeah."

Lucian didn't say anything else. But his mouth did that thing where he was clearly thinking something and choosing not to say it out loud.