The Cost of Betrayal

Chapter Twenty

As the winter months made way for spring, Maura's dreams became heavier and heavier. She didn't know what she was seeing or why, but the woman in them needed her. She was suffering at the hands of her husband and Maura wished there was a way to find her. She wanted to help her, she could feel the hopelessness in the woman's being as if it were her own. Her mother could see the worry as it built daily, but all Maura would tell her was, she was fine.

Bella sighed heavily as she watched her daughter walk down the sidewalk towards the school. A small smile crept on her face as she caught sight of Birsha meeting up with Maura at the end of the walkway. He had been walking her to and from school every day since winter break ended. "At least she has him," she whispered to herself as she walked back to the kitchen. She was putting the dishes away when a melodious ringtone broke the silence.

"Hmm, that's strange," Bella said as she looked at the lock screen. "She left the coven ages ago. Why would she be calling me?"

"Hello?"

"Hello, Bella," a familiar female voice answered on the other line. "It's Mary."

Bella inhaled deeply, gathering her strength to answer her sister-in-law. "Hello Mary, what can I do for you?"

Mary's voice faltered as she spoke, "I know that I haven't been around-"

Bella's attitude changed then, "Of course, you haven't been around! At the slightest sign of a problem, you left this coven!" Bella snapped, "You never even came back when your niece needed you over Yule!" She didn't care if she hurt Mary's feelings, she was over it. Maura needed her aunt and she wasn't there.

Mary sighed, "I'm sorry for that, but you know I can not come back to the coven!"

Bella huffed, "This was different! The council would have made an exception!"

Mary shook her head on her end, she hated that she had to leave and that her own family thinks it was for selfish reasons. "I don't think they would have," she replied sadly. "But I'm calling to find out if you can send Maura to me over the Ostara break. I would love to train her."

Bella scowled at the phone, "How dare you! You've wanted nothing to do with her since YOU LEFT, and now you want to help her? I don't think that would be a good idea. She needs consistency in her life, not some sporadic aunt who decides when she can be available for her niece." Bella punched the end call button on her phone before Mary could respond and tossed the phone on the table.

Mary stared at the phone, only slightly surprised by Bella's actions. She couldn't blame her, no one really knows why she left. Well, except for the council, and she was afraid this would happen. She shook her head, she would have to call Stefan and get his help. She could feel time running out and she was worried. She quickly dialed his number.

"Hello?"

"Stefan, it's Mary."

"I know," he replied, how he loved to hear her voice. He missed her something fierce but understood why she was no longer in the coven.

"Bella won't send her," was all Mary said.

Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose, this wasn't going to be easy. He was having a harder time keeping Maura away from Birsha, and that was the key to succeeding. "Well, what should we do?"

Mary thought for a minute, "What about a history trip over here?"

Stefan smiled, "That just might work." He was excited about the thought of seeing Mary as well as keeping Maura safe. "I'll send a message to the council and get permission from the headmistress. It's going to have to look legit. Talk to Aislinn and get her involved as well."

Mary nodded, "That won't be difficult. She does have quite the history collection. I'm sure we could make it into a museum in time for this."

The bell rang, telling Stefan that his room was about to be filled with very noisy teenagers. "I have to go, I'll speak with you later and fill you in on the next step." He hung up his phone just as Maura stepped into his room. "Hello, Miss Maura."

Maura smiled as she greeted the teacher, he was always so pleasant to her.

Birsha followed behind her watching the interaction with the teacher and wasn't happy about it. Stefan could feel the power bubbling beneath the surface of Birsha. He nodded, "Mr. Birsha, how was your evening?"

"Fine, thank you for asking," he acknowledged.

Stefan watched as Chastity and the boys followed in, he bit his lip to keep his mouth shut. The three groupies looked as if they were withering away to nothing. Chastity, whose hair was luscious and full at the beginning of the year now looked like it hadn't been washed in months, and the boys' skin had taken on a sallow tone. Their eyes no longer looked as if they had any sparkle to them, and they hung on Birsha as if he were their lifeline. He would contact their parents after school today.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, settle down." He raised his hands and patted the air signaling that he was ready to start the class. The class quieted down and he began.

"As Atlantis was about to fall into the despair of its own making, Poseidon felt bad for the inhabitants. He told them, that if they would follow him and help protect the creatures of the seas he would grant them a safe life in the water."

Birsha's amulet tingled as he listened to the teacher speak of Atlantis. He could feel his anger rising as he listened. "You're wrong!" he burst out, throwing his desk away from himself and standing up. "They didn't do it to themselves!"

The teacher snapped his mouth shut at Birsha's outburst. "Mr. Birsha," he said sternly, "Pick up your desk, immediately and return to your seat! This is what is in the history books and this is what you will learn."

At his outburst, Chastity and the boys rushed to Birsha's side and did their best to calm him. Birsha slammed himself down in his seat, he didn't know what had come over him. He just knew that they were wrong, Atlantis was not their fault. He didn't know how he could prove it, or when, but so help him he would.

Stefan would have to keep his eye on Birsha, this development was certainly new.

Maura was surprised, she had never seen this side of Birsha before.

Stefan dismissed the class and made a quick trip to the headmistresses office. He needed to get Maura out of here and with Mary. The sooner the better.

The headmistress only needed a little persuasion to agree to a trip to the seaside town. Once she heard about Birsha's outburst in class today, she was more than happy to send the class over there. "But, it will have to be after the Beltane formal."

The next day, Stefan handed out the permission slips and told the class to have them back by the end of the week. He wasn't thrilled that it would be after the formal, but from what he could gather, Birsha was not taking Maura, he was taking Chastity.