Free Web NovelChapter 274: Chapter 274: The Final Filing
She found Damon in the training room. Eve stood in the doorway and watched him. The way he moved. The precision of each strike. The control wrapped around something that wanted to break loose.
He saw her and stopped. Caught the bag with both hands and held it still.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," she said.
She crossed the room and he pulled off his gloves and turned to face her. His shirt was soaked through with sweat. His breathing was elevated but controlled. His eyes were sharp and tracking her face for something she could not name.
"Tomorrow," she said.
"Tomorrow," he agreed.
"It’s real."
"It has always been real." He reached out and pulled her in. His arms came around her and she put her face against his chest and breathed him in. He smelled like sweat and pack and home.
"I’m afraid," she said against his chest.
"Good," he said. "Afraid means you are taking it seriously."
She almost laughed. "Silas said the same thing."
"Silas is smarter than he looks."
"I will tell him you said that."
His chest moved with almost-laughter. His hand came up and cupped the back of her head. Held her there.
"We are all here," he said quietly. "Every step. You do not do this alone."
"I know," she said.
"Come back to me after," he said. "Always."
"Always," she agreed.
He held her for a long moment. Then he let go and stepped back. "Go. I need to finish this set before I can think about sleeping."
She left him to his bag and his controlled violence and his own way of managing the things he could not say out loud.
****
Thursday morning came too fast.
Eve woke up before dawn and lay in bed watching the light change outside the window. Today the documentation went in. Today it became official. Today they started the countdown to the end.
She got up and dressed and went downstairs to find everyone already in the kitchen. Maya making coffee. Vessa organizing papers at the table. Damian reading through the filing checklist one more time. Damon leaning against the counter with his arms crossed watching everyone with that sharp focused that meant he was ready for something to go wrong.
Silas came in last. Sat down beside Eve without speaking. Put his hand over hers on the table.
They ate breakfast in near silence. When it was time Vessa stood up and gathered the boxes and Damian helped her carry them to the back of the building where Eve would open the portal.
The opening of the portal to the Conclave building was quick this time around, unlike last time. frёewebηovel.cѳm
They arrived at the Conclave building just after nine. The filing office was on the second floor in the east wing. A clerk met them at the door and directed them to a private room where the formal documentation could be submitted.
Vessa laid everything out on the table in perfect order. The directive first. The vote record second. Sable’s testimony third. The witness statements fourth. She walked the clerk through each document while the clerk made notes and stamped pages and filed everything into the official record.
It took forty five minutes.
When it was done the clerk handed Vessa a receipt with the official filing number and the date and time stamp.
"Proceedings will be scheduled within seventy two hours," the clerk said. "You will be notified by courier."
"Thank you," Vessa said.
They left the filing office and walked back down the corridor toward the main entrance. Eve felt the weight of it settling in her chest. It was done. Filed. Official. No going back now.
They were almost to the doors when Eve felt it.
A cold spot.
She stopped.
Damian stopped beside her. "What is it?"
Eve looked around. The corridor was empty except for them. The walls were old stone. The windows were tall and letting in morning light. Everything looked exactly as it should.
But the cold spot was there.
Like stepping through a pocket of winter air in the middle of summer.
She turned slowly. Scanned the corridor. Nothing. No one. Just old stone and morning light and the specific quality of emptiness that came from being in a building older than anyone currently walking through it.
The cold spot faded.
Eve exhaled.
"Eve?" Damian said quietly.
"Nothing," she said. She looked at him. "I thought I felt something but it’s gone now."
His eyes scanned the corridor. The same sharp tracking she had done. Looking for threats. Finding none.
"Let’s go home," he said.
"Yes," she agreed.
They left the Conclave building and went back through the same portal she had opened earlier.
"It is done," she said.
"It is done," Eve agreed.
They arrived at the estate just after eleven. Damon was waiting for them at the backyard. He pulled her into his arms immediately she walked out through the portal.
"How did it go?" he asked.
"It’s filed," she said. "Everything. They have seventy two hours to schedule proceedings."
He pulled her in tighter. His arms came around her hard and she held on just as tightly.
"Good," he said into her hair. "Good."
They went inside together. Maya had lunch waiting. They ate in the kitchen with all of them around the table and it felt....normal. Almost normal.
After lunch Eve went up to her room and lay down on the bed. She did not sleep. Just lay there looking at the ceiling and feeling the weight of the week settling into her bones.
Two days.
Maybe three.
Then the Conclave would schedule proceedings and everything would begin.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out the photograph. Looked at her parents. At their faces. At the laughter.
"I’m doing it," she whispered to the photograph. "I’m building what you would have built."
The photograph did not answer.
But she had not expected it to.
She put it back in her pocket and closed her eyes.
Outside the estate was quiet.
The week of preparation was over.
Now they waited.
