The Ymbryne Academy

Chapter 20

Once they were downstairs Alma brought Esmé into her arms on the couch and held her gently.

It was after dinner and both of them were exhausted, thankfully no one overhearing them from earlier. Alma carefully ran her hand through the younger woman's hair, looking down to see the marks on her neck stopped bleeding and just seemed sore instead.

"You feeling good?" She asked gently as she kissed her cheek.

"Mhm. A bit tired but that's just fine." She said with a smile.

Alma gently brushed her thumb over the red marks and Esmé moved her hand away from them, instead bringing it to her cheek as she shut her eyes and leaned against it.

"I love you." Alma smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

"I love you too, beautiful." Esmé smiled up at her.

Since the children were upstairs asleep along with their old mentors, Alma decided to take the time to spend with the woman since it's been a while.

"You like spaghetti don't you?" Alma asked. "We could have a little date night. Neither of us ate much for dinner."

"I do, but I'm not too hungry. I'd still like a little date night though." Esmé says, scrunching her nose slightly when she sent her a tired smile.

"What shall we do for our little date night?" Alma asked with a smile.

"Remember how at the academy we had little nighttime flies together?" Esmé asks softly. "Why not tonight?"

"I'd love to, though will you be alright doing so? I know you're tired."

"I'm sure, let's go." Esmé said happily. She stood and grabbed Alma's hand.

Alma smiled and got up with her, watching Esmé shift and take off towards the entrance of the loop. The older woman quietly shut the door behind her, shifting and catching up to her.

Esmé flew around the older woman who was flying slower so she could do so.

Once they made it outside the loop, they made their way through the town of Wales, flying between the houses. They both were enjoying themselves until a gun shot was heard. Esmé felt her heart jump at the noise and quickly shifted back, catching her breath quietly as she looks around, Alma landing beside her and shifting back. Both of them went quiet as they looked around the dark town until her eyes landed on a person who coughed in the alley, another gun shot heard. Alma instinctively brought Esmé behind her, but the younger woman seen who it was.

Miss Sparrow.

"No!" Esmé shrieks, running towards her mentor when she felt the cold metal of the gun against her temple.

Esmé stopped in her tracks, her eyes locked on the bleeding ymbryne on the ground in front of her. She looked up at Esmé, terrified. "You shouldn't be here." She said as her tears fell. "Oh Esmé I'm so sorry."

"No no, get away from her!" Esmé snaps with a furious look at the shooter, but the woman simply walked off and Esmé got up, about to charge at the woman, but Alma caught her hand.

"Esmé, no!" Alma said in a panic. "No. Don't." Esmé knelt down and held Miss Sparrow in her arms.

"Are you okay? What are you doing here?"

"You both need to get out of here. Now." Miss Sparrow says firmly and Esmé felt the tears finally fall.

"No, no, I'm not leaving you." She says in a panic, looking around for help, but the town was dark with everyone asleep.

"She's going to come back. You need to leave!" Miss Sparrow insisted. Esmé ignored her and held onto her.

"Alma you need to get help!"