Chapter 387: She Won The Round
Evaline:
The air in the living room turned heavy the moment River’s words settled.
His words echoed in my head, even as the silence that followed thickened. The clock on the far wall ticked once, twice, before Kieran finally moved. His expression tightened, the muscles in his jaw flexing as if he was holding back the urge to shout.
"You have agreed?" he repeated slowly, disbelief lacing his tone. "Have you lost your mind, River? Do you even realize what you are saying?"
Oscar, still cradling Lioren, froze mid-motion.
And River, who had looked so steady just a moment ago, visibly tensed under his brother’s sharp tone.
Kieran wasn’t one to lose his composure easily. But when it came to his family’s safety... or mine in this case... he tended to lose all sense of calm.
"Letting her involve herself in this investigation is reckless!" he continued, his words cutting through the room like glass. "What if something happens to her? What if-"
"That’s enough, Kieran." River’s voice came out low, but with a clear touch of warning.
"No, it’s not enough!" Kieran shot back, his tone rising. "You think agreeing with her makes you supportive? It makes you careless! What if she ends up hurt, River? What will you do then?"
River exchanged a glance with me, and I could see it - that flicker of hesitation, the quiet plea for help. He wasn’t afraid of Kieran, but he also wasn’t ready to argue with him again, not after the fight we had already had earlier.
I took a slow breath, feeling the familiar heat of frustration coil inside me. This argument - the overprotectiveness, the constant fear of what might happen - it was exhausting.
So before Kieran could throw another accusation, I stood up.
The movement startled him enough to pause.
I walked across the room, every step measured and deliberate until I stood right in front of him. He looked up at me from where he sat on the couch, his brows furrowed, clearly not expecting me to insert myself between them.
Letting out a quiet sigh, I planted my palm firmly on the back of his couch, leaning down until my face hovered just inches from his.
His eyes widened.
"Evaline..." River warned quietly from behind me, but I ignored him.
Kieran’s breath caught, his shoulders stiffening as I leaned closer. My posture made him automatically recline back against the couch, a reflexive surrender to the sudden proximity.
The look on his face was priceless - a mix of shock, confusion, and something he didn’t even know how to process.
"What exactly is your problem, Kieran?" I asked, my voice calm but carrying a sharper edge than usual.
He blinked, completely thrown off by my tone - it wasn’t pleading or soft like he was used to. It was commanding. Firm.
From the corner of my eye, I could sense the amusement radiating from River and Oscar. They weren’t going to interfere, not when I had the upper hand like this.
Kieran opened his mouth, probably to argue, but before he could utter a word, I pressed a finger against his lips.
"Don’t," I said quietly. "You have spoken enough. Now you’ll listen."
He froze again. I could see the struggle in his eyes, the internal conflict of a man who wasn’t used to being silenced, especially not by a young girl who had been obeying his every word up until recently.
"The only thing I asked," I began, lowering my voice but not my gaze, "was to look at the records. Just the records, Kieran. That’s all. I never said I wanted to run off into danger or chase monsters outside your protection."
He tried to speak again, but one sharp look from me kept him quiet.
"I just want a chance to see if there’s anything I can find," I continued, my tone steady. "Am I a hundred percent sure I’ll find something useful? No. But at least I’ll know I tried."
I straightened a little but didn’t move away, keeping my eyes locked with his.
"For you," I said softly, "and for River - it’s nothing. Just a matter of access. A few records, a few files. You could give them to me with a single call or click. But instead, you both made it sound like I was asking to walk into hell."
He swallowed hard but said nothing.
"If you had helped me in the first place," I went on, my voice lowering to a whisper, "I wouldn’t have had to sneak out and put myself in danger. Don’t you see that?"
That one landed. His eyes softened, guilt flickering across his expression.
For a moment, he looked utterly lost - caught between the urge to protect and the realization that his protection had already backfired.
He sneaked a quick glance toward his brothers, probably looking for backup.
When I caught him doing it, I didn’t hesitate to glance back and lift a hand slightly over my shoulder - a silent signal that said, Don’t you dare interfere.
As a result, River only raised a brow and looked away with a faint smirk, while Oscar turned his attention to Lioren, clearly pretending to be busy.
Kieran, meanwhile, looked increasingly cornered.
His fingers twitched against the couch, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly. "Evaline... I just-"
"No," I cut him off, my tone firm. "You just don’t want to accept that I can handle myself now. You keep seeing the same girl who used to follow your every rule at the Academy. The one who sat quietly through your lectures and never argued."
I leaned closer again, close enough to see the faint flush rise on his neck. "That girl’s gone, Kieran."
He blinked up at me, his lips parting slightly. For a fleeting moment, he seemed to forget what he was angry about.
"This," I said, tapping a finger lightly against his chest, "is the real me. I’m not going to sit back and wait for permission to take control of my own choices."
The silence that followed was thick and electric.
I could feel River’s gaze burning into me from behind with a mixture of admiration and pride, while Oscar didn’t even bother hiding his grin anymore.
Finally, Kieran let out a shaky breath and muttered, "You are... unbelievable."
"Get used to it," I replied simply.
It was then that Oscar finally spoke, his tone laced with teasing amusement.
"Well," he drawled, "looks like the professor’s finally joined the club."
Kieran shot him a glare, but that only made Oscar grin wider.
River chuckled under his breath. "Don’t feel bad, brother. She’s got a way of doing that to all of us."
I straightened, finally stepping back from Kieran and crossing my arms, a small smile tugging at my lips. "So," I said, glancing between them, "does that mean I have your blessing now?"
Kieran sighed, rubbing a hand down his face, clearly too flustered to argue anymore.
"I don’t think I ever stood a chance, did I?" he muttered.
River and Oscar both laughed quietly, and I couldn’t help joining them.
Maybe I hadn’t won the war yet... but I had definitely won this round.
And for now, that was enough.