William Blackwell was not a patient man. And he certainly wasn't one to take kindly to being told "wait."
So, exactly nineteen minutes and forty-two seconds after Caelum had left, William was already gearing up to follow him.
Evelyn barely had time to turn around before she heard the unmistakable snap of Will's cloak billowing behind him, signaling that he was heading straight for the door.
She sighed loudly, exasperated.
"William," she called, her voice taking on the unmistakable warning tone of someone who knew exactly what he was about to do.
"I'm just—"
"No."
"But—"
"NO."
Will kept walking, his steps sure and steady, shadows beginning to stir and swirl in response to his will. If Evelyn didn't stop him now, there would be no stopping him at all.
So, naturally, she did the only logical thing.
"UMBRA, RAVAGER, VESPER—HOLD HIM DOWN!"
Will didn't even have time to blink before his own shadows turned on him. Dark tendrils lashed out, wrapping around his arms and legs, and three of his most powerful shadow soldiers materialized—each of them looking as apologetic as their dark forms allowed.
"Wait—what the—GUYS?!" Will started, confused.
BOOM.
The floor shook beneath him as Umbraxis, the monstrous abyssal wraith, crashed into him first, sending him sprawling.
"I AM SORRY, MASTER."
Ravager, the massive armored knight, grunted as he grabbed Will's left arm. "Forgive me, my king."
Vesper, the shadowy assassin, hesitated, glancing nervously at Will. "He's going to kill us for this later."
"Not if you HOLD HIM DOWN," Evelyn snapped, marching over with an air of authority that could rival the most seasoned generals.
Will fought with every ounce of his strength. Shadows lashed out in every direction, his raw power shaking the walls and threatening to tear the room apart. Ravager's armor groaned under the pressure, and Umbraxis flinched as if anticipating the worst.
Evelyn rolled her eyes. Dramatic.
She marched right up to Will, positioned herself on his chest, and folded her arms with a determined expression.
And just like that, the God of Shadows was pinned.
Will glared up at her, pure frustration radiating off him. "Evelyn. Get. Off."
"Nope."
"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there?"
"Yes. Caelum knows too."
"He's sixteen!" Will shot back, voice rising.
"You were out fighting gods at sixteen, Will," Evelyn countered, her tone soft but unyielding.
"I was twenty-one, and that's not the point." Will struggled again, but Evelyn didn't budge.
She leaned in closer, smugness dripping from every word. "Face it, love. You're stuck."
"You're enjoying this too much."
"A little."
Will groaned, letting his head fall back against the floor with a heavy sigh. "Caelum's going to die, and it's going to be your fault."
Evelyn simply patted his face with a fond, almost affectionate touch. "Then you can yell at me when he gets back alive."
The shadows rippled ominously around them. Umbraxis, still holding Will down, cleared his throat nervously. "Master, if I may say—Lady Evelyn is always right."
Will shot a venomous glare in his direction. "You're ALL fired."
None of them budged.
Evelyn, unfazed, only smirked.
For a full minute, Will lay there, trapped under the combined weight of his own soldiers and a smug, satisfied Evelyn.
Vesper, still holding down Will's leg, leaned over to Umbraxis. "Do we let him up now?"
Umbraxis visibly shuddered. "Not until Lady Evelyn says so. I value my existence."
Will twitched. His shadows writhed in frustration, the air thick with the crackling intensity of his power. But still, Evelyn did not move.
He hated this.
Not just the fact that he was literally pinned to the ground by his own soldiers, but that he was supposed to just sit here while Caelum was out there—alone.
A low growl rumbled in his throat. "Evelyn—"
She just smiled down at him, her voice sweetly mocking. "Yes, dear?"
He gritted his teeth. "This is ridiculous."
"Is it?" Evelyn tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Or are you just mad that you're finally not the strongest one in the room?"
Vesper snorted. Even Ravager couldn't suppress a low chuckle.
Will glared at them all. "I can still fire you."
"But you won't," Evelyn said with a saccharine sweetness before flicking his forehead.
Will flinched, scowling harder. "I could break out of this."
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead, then."
The room fell silent. His shadows twitched in agitation. Umbraxis gulped audibly. Ravager shifted uneasily, his massive armor creaking. Vesper casually took a step back.
And then—nothing.
Will grumbled, clearly irritated.
Evelyn beamed. "That's what I thought."
She leaned forward, her elbows resting on his chest, her fingers tracing small, deliberate circles against the fabric of his shirt. "Listen, I know you're worried. I know you want to keep him safe. But Caelum needs this."
Will's jaw clenched. "He's not ready."
"He'll never be ready if you don't let him try."
For a long moment, Will went silent. His shadows, still unnervingly restless, slowly stilled. His expression tightened, but Evelyn could feel the slightest relaxation in his posture.
After what felt like an eternity, she sighed, her voice softening. "Look. If something happens, we'll go after him. But for now—just trust that you raised him right."
Will exhaled, long and slow. "I hate this."
"I know."
A beat of silence passed between them.
Then, very quietly, Will muttered, "Can you get off me now?"
Evelyn tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. Let me think about it."
Will narrowed his eyes, impatience flashing in them. "Evelyn."
She laughed, rolling off him with exaggerated care. "Alright, alright."
The moment she moved, his shadows released him immediately, and Will sat up with a deep, grumbling sigh, rolling his shoulders.
Ravager immediately stood at attention. "Master, shall we resume patrol?"
Will waved dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Go do whatever."
The shadows bowed before vanishing into the ether.
Will rubbed his temples, muttering to himself, "I swear, I should just put a tracker on that kid."
Evelyn smirked. "Oh, because that wouldn't be overprotective at all."
Will shot her a flat look. "You're enjoying this too much."
She winked. "A little."