Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale ` 12 Summary
In Chapter 12 of “Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows,” Avery confronts his sister Margaery over a pile of 55 vouchers representing remedies he once believed were rightfully his. The tension between them is palpable as Margaery asserts her claim to the remedies, revealing that she had acquired them through deceit to gain Avery’s favor. Avery, feeling the weight of her accusations, insists that he has changed and is no longer a thief. However, Margaery’s resolve is unyielding; she demands the return of the remedies, claiming that she must make amends for her past wrongs, particularly to Tessa, who is in desperate need of help.
As the argument escalates, Avery’s frustration grows. He pleads with Margaery to prioritize Tessa’s immediate needs over her desire for apologies. Margaery, however, remains calm and unmoved, emphasizing her intention to restore the remedies to their rightful owners. Avery’s anger flares as he realizes that Margaery is now cold and calculating, contrasting sharply with the sister he once knew, who would eagerly share her remedies with him. This realization deepens his resentment, as he suspects her motives are tied to unresolved feelings about Tessa.
The tension reaches a boiling point when Dominic enters, expressing his concern for Tessa and accusing Margaery of being heartless. Both brothers implore her to act like the elder sister and provide the remedy for Tessa’s suffering. Margaery’s response is chilling; she claims she does not possess the remedy and offers the choice of stealing it instead. This suggestion shocks Avery, who fears the consequences of such an act. Margaery’s bitterness is evident as she reflects on her past treatment and the family’s hypocrisy, revealing her transformation and resolve to no longer play the dutiful sister.
Ultimately, the chapter highlights the emotional turmoil within the family as they grapple with loyalty, honor, and the lengths they are willing to go for one another. Margaery’s cold demeanor and refusal to help create a rift between her and Avery, who is torn between his ambition and his duty to Tessa. The stakes are high, and the conflict illustrates the complexities of familial relationships when faced with life-and-death decisions, leaving readers questioning how far each character will go to protect their own interests and those of their loved ones.
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**Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale**
**Chapter 12**
Avery stared at the pile of 55 vouchers, each one a testament to the remedies he had once believed were his rightful gain. The air between him and Margaery crackled with tension, thick enough to cut with a knife.
“Aven, even if I were to possess it, I wouldn’t part with it,” Margaery stated, her eyes narrowing as she regarded him with a cool, unwavering gaze. There was a finality in her tone that sent a shiver of unease down Avery’s spine. “And those remedies you pilfered from me? I acquired them through deception, all to win your favor.”
Avery felt the weight of her words settle heavily upon him, an ominous chill creeping into his heart. “I’ve mended my ways now—I’m done with thievery,” he replied, hoping to quell the storm brewing between them.
“What are you playing at, Margaery?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, the dread of her newfound virtue looming over him like a dark cloud.
Margaery’s gaze remained locked onto his, her resolve unyielding. “I’m telling you, dear brother, that I want every remedy you took returned to me. Tomorrow, I will see them restored to their rightful owners.”
Her voice softened slightly, almost as if she were trying to reach out to him. “After all, an apology isn’t just owed to Tessa—it’s owed to everyone I’ve wronged. That’s the only way to demonstrate that my heart has truly changed. Don’t you agree, brother?”
Avery’s jaw clenched tightly, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “Margaery, are you even thinking straight? Tessa’s life hangs by a thread—she needs help right now! Your apologies can wait. And those remedies? They’re already with the Royal Medical Hall. How am I supposed to fetch them back?”
“That’s not my concern,” Margaery replied, her calm demeanor reminiscent of a still lake, betraying no hint of the storm that raged within him. “I gave you those remedies to gain your assistance, but you never kept your word. It’s only right that you return what is mine. I have amends to make.”
Avery’s temper flared, the heat of his anger rising like a tide. “You’re impossible! If I had known you would turn so cold-hearted, I would never have given you that charcoal!” He gestured angrily towards the glowing brazier, his voice sharp and filled with indignation. “I won’t return the remedies. If you want to keep that fire burning, you’ll hand over the cure for Tessa’s ailment and brew her medicine now.”
Margaery observed him falter, a faint, chilling smile playing on her lips. She glanced at the brazier, her voice turning as icy as winter’s breath. “So, your care comes with a price, does it? Those remedies I gave you were worth a king’s ransom, brother. This pitiful pile of charcoal doesn’t even begin to measure up.”
“You’re haggling with me?” Avery exclaimed, disbelief flooding his features. “Margaery, this isn’t the sister I grew up with.”
“And what sister did you know?” she shot back, her smile now a sharp blade that cut through the air between them.
Avery hesitated, his words caught in his throat. The Margaery he remembered would have rushed to him with every new remedy, her eyes sparkling with hope as she pressed them eagerly into his hands. A single “Good work” from him would light up her face, never once expecting gratitude in return.
For two long years, he had collected nearly twenty of her precious remedies. With them, he had built a shining reputation, forged alliances, and secured his position within the Royal Medical Hall. If everything went according to plan, when Nolan Fischer stepped down, Avery would rise to take his place.
55 vouchers.
He would become the youngest head of the Royal Medical Hall in the history of the Eastvale Empire, perhaps even earning the title of the King’s Royal Healer.
His ascent had been smooth, wrapped in praise and ambition. He had thought her remedies were his by right. Didn’t she say so? “I am her brother, and giving them is only natural,” he mused, resentment bubbling just beneath the surface. “Why is she holding back now? It’s because of Tessa, isn’t it? Margaery’s always been petty, all sweet apologies but never sincere, still stewing over Tessa.”
The thought stung, and he fixed Margaery with a piercing look. “Are you still sore at Tessa? Is that why you’re keeping the remedy for her chills all to yourself?”
Margaery opened her mouth to respond, but before she could utter a word, Dominic burst into the room, his face etched with worry from Tessa’s suffering.
“There’s no need to reason with her,” he snapped, his glare directed at Margaery. “How can you be so heartless? Tessa is your sister, wracked with pain no physician can ease. Yet you hoard the remedy. Is this how family acts?”
“Exactly,” Avery added, his brow furrowing as if Tessa’s pain were his own. “If you’re upset, I’ll apologize right now. Just hand over the remedy. Tessa’s hurting.”
“You’re the elder sister,” he pressed, his tone cutting through the tension. “Act like it. Just give it to me.” He extended his hand, ready to take it by force if necessary.
Margaery stared at him, a cold weight settling in her chest, as if winter had crept into her very heart. “I told you,” she said softly, “I don’t have it.”
Hearts always picked sides, and if that was their way, she was done playing the dutiful sister. Swallowing her hurt, she met their eyes with a steely resolve. “You have two choices: I can tell you where to find it, and you can steal it for Tessa. Or you can leave. Now.”
“What?!” Avery sputtered, his face flushing with anger.
‘She’d have me steal?’ he thought, panic rising. ‘If I were caught, I’d be ruined in Sinderin City!’
Her steady gaze held no lie, and his anger began to wane, doubt creeping in like a thief in the night. “You really don’t have it? You used to get remedies all the time.”
“That was before,” Margaery replied, her laugh sharp and bitter. “Forgotten already? I’ve been locked in the woodshed. And the last time I begged you to believe I hadn’t hurt anyone, I gave you a remedy.”
Avery fell silent, the memory choking him. That remedy, taken from her trembling hands, was three nights ago when she had been confined. She had nothing left.
“Fine,” he said, his tone softening. “Get your cloak. We’ll go where you got it before. If you did it once—”
71
“So I should turn thief for Tessa?” Margaery interjected, her voice turning as hard as steel. “Didn’t you all say my character’s lacking, nothing like Tessa’s? Well, I’ve changed. I’m done. If Tessa wants it, she can steal it.”
The truth struck like a hammer: for Tessa, this family would abandon all sense of honor. Duty, shame—empty words.
Dominic’s expression darkened, his frustration palpable. “This is life and death. Tessa’s too weak to leave her bed.”
“Then you steal it,” Margaery shot back defiantly. “Westview Street, number nine.”
Secretly, she hoped Craig would teach them a lesson they wouldn’t soon forget.
“How dare you!” Dominic’s voice trembled as he flung his sleeve dramatically. “You’d have me skulk like a common thief?”
“So you know shame after all,” Margaery replied, her smile laced with scorn, a bitter twist of irony hanging in the air between them.
Conclusion
In the charged silence that followed, the weight of familial bonds hung heavily in the air, a fragile thread fraying at the edges. Avery stood at the precipice of realization, the echoes of his ambitions now tainted by the stark truth of Margaery’s transformation. The sister who once offered him remedies with love had become a stranger, her heart hardened by betrayal and the scars of their shared past. As he grappled with the stark reality that the path to healing Tessa lay not in the remedies he had hoarded but in the willingness to confront the choices that had led them here, a flicker of understanding ignited within him. The stakes had shifted; it was no longer about reclaiming power but about reclaiming family, even if it meant embracing the shadows of their shared history.
Margaery, too, stood at a crossroads, her resolve tested by the very siblings she had sought to protect. The bitterness she had nurtured was now a barrier between her and the love she desperately craved, but the choice to break free from the chains of her past lay in her hands. In the face of Tessa’s suffering, the true cost of their rivalry became painfully clear. The remnants of her former self whispered through her, urging her to choose compassion over pride. As the tension between them simmered, a new possibility emerged: that through their shared struggle, they might find a way to mend the rifts that had driven them apart. In the end, it was not merely the remedies that mattered, but the healing of their hearts, the restoration of trust, and the fragile hope that perhaps, together, they could shape a brighter tomorrow.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
**What to Expect in Next Chapter?**
As the tension between Avery and Margaery escalates, readers can expect a dramatic exploration of family loyalty and betrayal. With Tessa’s life hanging in the balance, Avery is thrust into a moral quandary that will test not only his resolve but also the very fabric of his relationship with Margaery. As they venture into the shadows of Westview Street, the stakes will rise, and the consequences of their choices will reverberate throughout the Eastvale Empire. Will Avery’s desperation lead him to make choices that could jeopardize his future, or will Margaery’s cold demeanor crack under the weight of familial obligation?
Moreover, the chapter promises to delve deeper into Margaery’s transformation, revealing the complexities of her character as she grapples with her past and the consequences of her actions. Her defiance hints at a deeper conflict within herself, one that may hold secrets capable of shattering the fragile bonds of brotherhood. Expect unexpected alliances, a test of character, and perhaps the emergence of hidden truths that could alter the course of their fates. As the clock ticks down for Tessa, the choices they make will not only define their relationship but could also reshape the future of the Royal Medical Hall and the lives intertwined within its walls. Prepare for a whirlwind of emotions and revelations that will leave readers breathless and yearning for more.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
