Chapter 19

Ever froze in disbelief as the barista repeated the words; “Both cards declined.” Her stomach dropped, and her friends around the table exchanged uneasy glances as if exchanging words with their eyes.

“That can’t be right,” Ever murmured, digging into her bag to find another card. Her fingers fumbled through its contents, but she found nothing. Panic began to rise as she tried to make sense of what was happening.

Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the tension. “Are you alright?”

Ever turned quickly, startled to see Damien standing behind her. He stepped closer, his expression calm but laced with concern.

“Yeah… I’ll be fine,” Ever replied hesitantly, brushing imaginary dust from her clothes.

“I can see you’ve got a lot on your plate,” Damien said smoothly, his reassuring smile oddly disarming. “Let me help you out.”

Before Ever could respond, Damien reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek black card. “Here. Use this to cover the bill. You can return it when we get home,” 

Ever hesitated, her fingers hovering over the card. Something about his offer felt strange, but her embarrassment over the situation outweighed her suspicion. Finally, she accepted it.

“Thank you,” she said, managing a small smile. “This means a lot.”

Damien nodded, his lips curling into a faint smile. “Stay safe,” he said softly before turning and walking away.

Ever watched him leave, her thoughts swirling. There was something about Damien’s demeanor that unsettled her, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Unbeknownst to her, Damien had slipped a tiny chip into her bag when he handed over the card. The device, barely larger than a grain of rice, was designed to monitor her movements with precision. While Ever was busy grappling with her worries, Damien’s plan was already in motion.

Immediately, Damian disappeared from the bar. Ever’s friend touched her hand, bringing her back to reality as she wouldn’t stop staring at a space.

“Who was that?” one of her friends asked with a knowing teasing smile.

Ever shook her head trying to shake off the thought that lingered more than she had expected. 

She walks to sit down in her space still staring blankly. 

“You grabbed my question,” the girl from earlier smirked loudly. 

 “No one important. Just someone I happen to know,” she replied casually, taking a sip of her drink.

“Come on, stop blabbering. Why would you say you just know him? Somebody that came, like a knight, and saved you from embarrassment? Come on, tell us how you know him. At least we are your friends. You can tell us if he’s your—”

“Come on, stop it,” Ever shut her up, not giving her the chance to complete her sentence. “He is not my anything, he will never be. He just happens to be somebody that I know. And to top it all, he is a friend of somebody that I don’t like. So don’t even expect any relationship between us,” Ever snapped, sipping her drink.

“Huh? I don’t why why I feel like you are lying,” the girl pressed further. 

“Then why bordering asking, think whatever you want,” she replied coldly and her friend exchanged annoying glances between each other. 

Her thoughts went back to Damian and how he had saved her. She never thought Damian would be around here not to talk of saving her. 

It felt strange but no matter how far she thought about it, it made no sense. 

In the evening, she returned home, with a heavy sense of exhaustion weighing her mind down.

 She tossed her bag on the couch and made her way to her room. She shrugged down on the comfort of her bed, but the sense of uneasiness would not let her be. 

“Why does it feel like everything is falling apart?” She muttered under her breath, running a hand through her hair. 

Her hands found her spellbook sitting on the bedside table. She grabbed it, flipping through the worn pages, hoping that magic might progress. 

She began chanting softly, the familiar words flowing from her lips. But as the spell progressed, something felt off. The energy that surged up seeped through her fingers and fluttered, like trying to grasp smoke. The spell fizzled out, leaving her breathless and frustrated.

“What is going on?” Ever whispered, clutching the book tightly.

A sudden knock at the door made her jump. The door quickly opened, and Emma appeared, her posture relaxed. 

 Ever quickly hid the book under the pillow in a wiry manner that wouldn’t make Emma notice.

“What do you want, Emma?” she snapped, glaring at her.

Emma ignored her tone and leaned casually against the doorframe. “I was just wondering if you’ve seen Mum and Dad. I can’t find them anywhere,” Emma muttered.

“Mum and Dad?” Do you always snap around? Can't you see I'm busy” Ever jaw tightened in frustration. 

“Busy with what? I can’t see you doing anything,” Emma scoffed 

Ever shook her head, her frustration boiling over. “You are the reason why nothing is working, Emma. You are the source of all my problems,” she yelled angrily. 

“If that is what you want to believe, then go ahead, you are free to live in the realm of your imagination,” Emma tilted her head, her expression cool and unreadable. 

“You think you are so clever, don't you?” Emma’s calmness only enraged Ever further. 

Before Emma could respond, their parents appeared at the door, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern.

“What’s going on here?” their mother demanded, looking between the two daughters.

“Nothing,” Emma said smoothly, her voice sweet and composed. “Ever is just upset again,” she added.

“She is lying!” she shouted, pointing at Emma.

“Stop yelling at your sister you this bastard!” their father said, raising a hand to slap Ever, the one who quickly moved back a bit escaping the slap. 

“Dad,” Ever called with a disappointed tone, staring between his dad and mum. 

“Stop frightening innocent when you are not one, see the way you are shouting at your sister, are you a barking dog?”