The Ymbryne Academy

Chapter 53

"Boys, please settle down." Esmé says quietly, not wanting to start a fight as she watched them trash the house, running after each other.

"Shut up you overgrown chicken!" Billy yelled as he ran after his brother.

Esmé went quiet and gave up scolding them, taking a seat on the chair by the kitchen table, looking at the small picture frame that's glass frame was cracked from the boys knocking it over.

Suddenly the picture frame flew up and slammed into her shoulder, Travis laughing when she shouted.

"Travis enough!" Esmé snaps with a glare and the boy slams it aside, Esmé watching the framed photo of Alma and her rip apart and she looked away.

Esmé rushed over to the ripped up pieces and picked it up. "Aw is the chicken gonna cry?" Billy laughed.

"Go to your room." She says in a low tone and felt a piece of glass scrape her cheek.

"You know not to tell us what to do." Travis sneered. He shared a look with his brother and Esmé's vision blanked before Alma appeared in front of her.

"Stop it!" Esmé shouts as she watches the scene unfold. She watched the older woman leave as she ran after her, begging her not to.

Alma turned to look at her, glaring at the younger woman. "I hate you."

"Horace, wake up!"

The boy jumped awake and Alma was there, looking over him in concern as she gently set down on the edge of his bed.

"What's wrong?" She asked gently.

"It was that woman again." He said upset. "Her wards- one of their names is Travis."

"What happened this time?" She asks softly, looking over the boy.

"You were there.." He said, not fully understanding what had just happened.

"I was there?" Alma asks confused.

"Not completely. I think that one boy- he can control what she sees." Horace says, sitting up in bed.

"There was a photo of you and the woman. And Travis ripped it up. She got really upset and scolded them. But then-" Horace said quickly, having to pause to catch his breath.

"Slow down, there's no rush." Alma says gently, trying to comprehend the information herself.

"Whoever she is, she knows you. She looks like the woman in your photo down stairs." Horace says.

Alma went silent, thinking over the new information. "She- damnit Avocet." Alma cursed under her breath.

"Are you alright?" Horace asks and Alma stood.

"Yes, I just have to take care of something. Try to get some rest." She says softly.

Horace watched his ymbryne leave, clearly upset about something. She went downstairs trying to think of her next course of action.

She decided to place a call to Avocet. It was late, but ymbrynes normally stay up most of the night.

Thankfully the old woman picked up the phone. "Where is Esmé?" Alma demanded.

"Alma, dear, I told you that we do not share information as to where they are."

"You told me Miss Crow and Miss Sparrows loop in case I needed them. Where is Esmé?" Alma demands.

"Alma I'm not telling you." Miss Avocet said sternly.

"You old bat, tell me where she is!" Alma snapped. "Who are her wards?"

"Alma, that is private information." She says firmly and hung up, Alma seething with rage but kept it down in order not to wake her children.

Alma didn't know what to do now. She couldn't find Esmé on her own, and no one would tell her where she was.

She took a seat in the kitchen with a small cup of tea, her talons nervously tapping on the table.

Alma sighed as she thought about Esmé. Despite everything she still loved her and she hated the thought of her being in that situation.

"Miss Peregrine?"

The ymbryne was taken from her thoughts and looked over, seeing Bronwyn by the doorway.

"Yes dear?" Alma asked with a small smile.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing love, what do you need?" Alma asks gently.

"I just can't sleep."

"Not used to the home just yet?" Alma asks and Bronwyn shakes her head. "That's alright, it is a big house."

"Victor says it'll feel more like home soon enough." Bronwyn said.

(Yeah, 6 feet in the ground💀)

"He's absolutely right." Alma smiled.

"Is that why you're up?"

"No, I don't sleep much." Alma says.

"Why not?"

"Ymbryne's don't need as much sleep as other people. So my sleep schedule is a bit different from yours."

"That's interesting." Bronwyn says with a small smile, walking over to join her at the table.

"Are you enjoying it here?" Alma asks softly, hoping she was.

"I'm happy Victor and I weren't separated. And you're very nice. But I still need to get used to it." Bronwyn said with a small smile.

(Just you wait Bronwyn)

"That's alright, take as much time as you need but I do hope you eventually settle in." Alma says with a gentle smile. "Now off to bed."

"Alright, thank you." She smiled, going back upstairs to sleep. Alma sighed and leaned back into her chair.

"Oh Esmé, I'm sorry." Alma says quietly, biting back her tears. She didn't know what to do, she shouldn't have ever left her. Why had she been so awful towards her when she did leave?

Alma didn't know what to do. She wanted nothing more than to find Esmé and wrap her arms around her and never let go.

Meanwhile Esmé was lying in bed awake, staring at the wall as she thought of her ymbryne. She missed her so much, she wished she could visit her.

Esmé had thought about leaving before but she'd never been able to. She wasn't sure how she'd ever get away from her wards in the first place.

With a sigh, she got the blanket Alma had made for her and held it close, tears building in her eyes when the faint smell of her vanilla perfume was on it.

She regrets so much of what she's done. She should've told Alma sooner how she felt. But now she may never see her again.

Maybe she would leave soon. Leave her wards behind. Sneak out. She had a gun hidden in her drawer the wards didn't know about.

She could leave, go anywhere but here. End it once and for all. Esmé hated that she was in such a dark place, but she had no one to help her. And the council wouldn't believe her.

She looked over at the stuffed falcon that lay on the bed, finally making up her mind. She would leave within the next year. To give herself some time to plan this out.