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This, to put it mildly, was an absolute mess.
“Terra. Where are we? What’s going on?” Cormac asked, continuing to look around the room. “Who is this?”
“Hi there. I’m Bianca, and it seems to me like you’ve landed yourself in some trouble here.” Bianca offered him some more water.
“In trouble? AmIin trouble?” Cormac winced as he eased himself up a bit, bringing a hand to touch his forehead before Terra batted it away.
“Don’t touch. We’ve only just stopped most of the bleeding.”
“Blood? You’d better tell me what is going on. Right now.” Cormac tried a serious tone, and Terra rolled her eyes. Like he was in any position to order her about?
“It was you. Wasn’t it? With Marias?” At her words, Cormac stiffened and moved to get off the bed.
“I don’t think so,” Bianca said, holding a knife to his throat. Terra’s eyes widened. “You’ll be staying and answering your sister’s questions.”
“I … I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cormac’s gaze dropped to the left, and Terra’s heart broke. Her own blood. He’d not only betrayed Eoghan, but he’d also lied to Terra and allowed her family to turn against her. The beloved brother she’d once known fell away, and now she stared at a man that she did not know.
“It’s too late to lie, Cormac. The Goddess Domnu herself all but delivered you on a platter. Rian would be in his rights to seek his justice.”
At Rian’s name, Cormac’s face paled.
“Terra … you have to…” Cormac stuttered to a stop when she held up her hand to halt his words.
“No, Cormac.Idon’t have to do anything. You are a liar and a cheat. Imagine how Eoghan will react once he learns what you’ve done. You bring shame to our family, and yourself. We used to…” Terra’s voice broke as tears filled her eyes. “We used to be best friends, me and you. It broke my heart when you both banded against me. But at least I could understand why. But this? No, Cormac. I can’t understand this. Even if you never truly cared for me, you can’t say you didn’t love Eoghan.”
“He always had to be perfect. Perfect life. Perfect job. Perfect wife.” Cormac sneered, his mask dropping away, and Terra closed her eyes as her stomach twisted in pain. He might as well have put a knife to her gut, his words hurt that much. “And shewasperfect. Perfect as a lover. Easy to seduce as well. I enjoyed her.”
“Oh, Cormac. Why? To what end?” Terra begged of him, trying to understand what had driven his decision.
“I wanted to see a chink in Eoghan’s armor. He never … he never had time for me anymore. Not once he met her.” Cormac’s words were bitter, and Terra just shook her head. All of this heartbreak and lives ruined — because he was jealous that his big brother was giving attention to someone else. The sheer selfishness was astounding. It wasn’t in Terra’s nature to hate someone, but she realized she was dangerously close when her nails dug into her palms, and she lifted a fist at her brother. Seeing the expression on her face, Cormac flinched backwards.
“You pathetic baby of a man,” Terra hissed. “You don’t get what you want so you throw your toys out of the pram and destroy others’ lives? Do you have any idea how selfish you are? If … and this is a big if … you get out of here alive, I will be bringing you before the High Council. I do not care that you are my blood. Because all you are to me now is an embarrassment.”
“Terra … you wouldn’t.” Cormac gaped at her, clearly thinking that she would never expose him to Eoghan. “You can’t tell Eoghan. Youcan’t.”
“Oh, I can. And I will. You’ve sowed your own seeds, Cormac. Now your lies will bear fruit.”
“But … Eoghan will … he’ll hate me.” Cormac clutched her arm as she rose, and Terra wrenched herself free from his hand. His touch made her physically sick.
“Oh, it’s Eoghan you’re worried about, is it? Not the fact that you’ve managed to kick me out of the family and turn everyone against me? It’s fine it is if I’m the one hurting, but not your precious Eoghan? You’re a disgrace.”
“I wouldn’t say any more if I were you,” Bianca advised him as Terra stormed for the door. “You’ve caused more problems than you can possibly know. Selfish little shite, aren’t you? I’m guessing Terra’s not wrong about calling you a big man baby.”
“You can’t speak to me…” Cormac trailed off, and Terra imagined that Bianca had a blade to his throat once more. She didn’t worry for Bianca’s safety, Cormac had never been strong with weapons or magick. In fact, he’d never been strong in any particular area other than charming people. Fury drove her into the pelting rain, and she stood for a moment, letting the cold drops wash across her skin, wishing for a way to make this all go away.
It was never that easy though, was it?
The earth rumbled beneath her feet, responding to her anger, and she realized she was furious. It was such an unusual emotion for the ever-patient Terra to feel, that she paced in a circle, enjoying the roar of the waves below the cliffs as they slammed into the rocks. She wasmad. Mad at Cormac. Mad at her lost time with family. Mad that Rian had been exiled. Mad that Rian had used her emotions to get her brother here. At the last thought, Terra turned. At least she’d have a stronger opponent to direct her wrath at. Catching a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye, Terra watched Rian stomp his way toward the Cathedral Cliffs.
Well, you know what? She could stomp too.
Decided, Terra followed him, bringing each foot down so heavily that the earth shook with her steps, and she laughed with the power of her rage. The rain whipped around her head, as gale force winds gathered, and zeroed in on her prey as Rian skidded to a stop and turned. Like a banshee, Terra all but screamed her way to where he stood, swinging wildly between laughter and rage, only coming to a stop when Rian brandished a knife at her.
“Back off,” Rian hissed.
“Me? Oh now he’s wanting me to back off, is it?” Terra threw her head back and laughed, the icy rain pelting her face, and she was beginning to think she was becoming a touch unhinged. “You weren’t saying that last night when you had your hands all over me, were you? Or the night before when I brought you to completion? Now it’smebacking off that you’re wanting?”
“The edge is close. I won’t have your rage tossing me off the side to be speared on those rocks below,” Rian shouted as the wind picked up, pushing him back. “Call off your wind. Have you lost your damn mind?”
