An Owl's Rise

Evelyn felt a great many eyes on her when she walked out and stood next to Maeve. It was uncomfortable to be appraised by so many people, but she tolerated it for now. This was all part of the job and would be a good opportunity to identify the greatest threats in the Miris Sect.

However, when Maeve's grandaunt Vivienne approached along with a man with red eyes and hair, Evelyn lost her composure for a second.

She recognized him from the attack on the Roost. He had been one of the many people to fruitlessly chase her around as she dangled herself as bait to buy time under Melisandre's direction.

'Evelyn, keep your emotions in check.'

Hearing Lucia's voice suddenly in her mind, Evelyn erased the surprise and hostility that had momentarily flashed in her eyes.

As a precaution the two of them had consumed a pair of telepathy potions before leaving for the party. This way they could converse without being overheard.

Thankfully, the man who was the leader of the Miris Sect seemed to brush off the brief malice he had felt as a figment of his imagination.

After that Evelyn managed to keep herself in check while going through with the aggravating process of introducing herself to the elders and core members of the Miris Sect.

Remembering their names was the last thing she cared to do, but Lucia had stressed the importance of doing so. It was possible that they might need to use some of these influential people in the future.

'I'm really not cut out for this.' Evelyn thought once all of the introductions were over.

She wanted something to wet her parched throat, but most of the drinks being served were unfortunately alcoholic and just the smell of it wafting through the air was enough to put her in a foul mood. No matter what she would never drink a drop of the stuff.

Thankfully she was able to find a glass of fruit flavored water and took that.

Yet as it seemed like the party would truly begin, the hall's main entrance opened and two people that did not belong tot eh Miris Sect entered.

Evelyn immediately recognized both of them. They were members of the Deamhain Sect and individuals Evelyn had fateful encounters with before.

One was the azure haired man that she had first met in the Elmot Gorge and later attacked her party during the attack on the Roost. He was high up on the list of people Evelyn wanted to kill, but the person behind him was only under the Deamhain Sect's leader.

Evelyn could still vividly remember the moment he had arrived and defeated her parents. If not for him, her peaceful life would not have been torn asunder.

'Uriah.' Evelyn thought, recalling the man's name as fury boiled within her.

If Ellison had brought out a single drop of her anger, these two brought forth an entire ocean.

Unable to restrain herself, Evelyn's fists tensed, and she shattered the glass in her hand.

For a moment everyone else in the entire great hall seemed to disappear as she turned her entire focus towards the objects of her hatred.

She was a single instant away from blowing her cover and attacking with her full might when a voice resounded through her head.

'EVELYN!'

Lucia's sudden shout brought Evelyn out of her blind rage.

She had been only an instant away from unleashing the full might of her magic on the two men from the Deamhain Sect.

A part of her still wanted to completely disregard Lucia and continue on with what she had planned to do.

Nevertheless, she could see the bigger picture and reined herself in. There were too many people here and exposing themselves now would at the very least ruin their plans.

'There is no guarantee that I could kill them both with Vivienne and the Miris Sect leader right next to them. I just need to wait for the right opportunity.'

Evelyn sealed away the animosity that had been festering and growing inside her since the day so many years ago now that her parents in this life were taken away from her. For now, she only needed to put on an emotionless mask. She knew her chance would come soon enough.

Having calmed herself, Evelyn turned her attention towards the conversation that Ellison and Vivienne were having with the two members from the Deamhain Sect.

From their demeanors it was clear that they were not friends.

Ellison looked like he was holding in his frustration and Vivienne was practically scowling at the two uninvited guests that had crashed her grandniece's welcome party.

Still, neither of the two highest authorities of the Miris Sect made any move to kick out the azure hair man who had introduced himself as Osvaldo, and his lacky Uriah.

The Deamhain Sect vastly outranked the Miris Sect and no matter how much Ellison wanted to force the two men to leave, he could not afford to antagonize one of the six great sects.

In the end the four of them left the venue and went off to have a private conversation.

"Do you know what that was about?" Lucia asked Maeve.

"No, I have never seen those two before, and my grandaunt never mentioned that they would be stopping by."

After the brief interruption from the pair of unexpected guests, the party picked back up.

Now that Vivienne and Ellison were gone, more people with malicious intent approached Maeve.

Of course, Lucia was not going to let their best contact within the Tyrannis union fall prey to their scheming.

Her social acumen sent many away fuming. She seemed to have memorized all of the best euphemisms for insulting people.

Evelyn meanwhile was barely getting involved with any conversations. Her mind was almost entirely focused on Osvaldo and Uriah.

She had lost against both of them in the past and failed to eliminate them when the chance had presented itself before.

This time though, she would not let them get away. Evelyn did not care how many magic items she had to use, or whatever nasty scheme she had to concoct, she would kill them without fail.