The Cost of Betrayal

Chapter Thirty-nine

Maura turned to the closed door and paused briefly, deciding what to do. She wasn't expecting the pain that coursed through her own body, but she tamped it down. It didn't hurt nearly as badly as the pain he had caused her the past few years. She quickly waved her hand over the door, sealing it shut temporarily. She knew that it would only give her a few minutes' head start, but she had to get out of there. Now. She lifted her bags and scurried down the path. She could hear Birsha's cries of anger, but she wasn't about to turn back. She made her way down the street, she hurried towards the school. She knew that she could try to get help from her old history teacher.

The headmistress looked up at the unexpected visitor and smiled in a warm greeting, "Hello Maura, what brings you back here?" She noticed the red mark on Maura's cheek and waited for the young lady to answer her.

Maura looked up at the headmistress, "I need to disappear," she whispered. She could feel her own sense of disappointment getting the better of her, but she had to save herself if she was going to save her coven. And right now, that meant staying away from Birsha.

The headmistress stood up and walked across the room, wrapping her arms around Maura comfortingly. "What happened?" She asked softly. "And where is your mother?" She could feel Maura's emotions and she wanted nothing more than to comfort the poor girl. She had been thrust into something she didn't want or even need, from the time she was born.

Maura looked up at the motherly figure of the headmistress and gave her a half-smile at the mention of her mother, "My mother has found a new love. We were out on a trip and she met someone that made her happy. I wanted my mother happy, and she deserves it. I had to come back here. I needed to be with Birsha."

The headmistress smiled, "That explains your mother, and I am very happy for her. But why did you come back to be with him? He seems to be doing you more harm than good."

Maura shrugged, "He is fated to me. I should stay with him."

The headmistress lifted Maura's face gently and turned it to examine the angry red welt that was slowly turning purple. She shook her head sadly, "You deserve better and you are better. And you came to me, I assume, to help you disappear?" She nodded her head down, "From this?" She paused, and narrowed her eyes, "And did he do this?"

Maura nodded silently, she wasn't going to cry. He didn't deserve any more of her tears.

The headmistress nodded, "I will get Mr. Prodromus, I'm sure he knows of a way to help." The headmistress walked to her desk and pressed a button, calling the teacher through the intercom.

Stefan walked in, "Maura, a pleasure to see you!" He greeted her cordially. He approached her, about to embrace her in a hug when he noticed the bruise on her cheek. "Oh, no," he said softly. "Who did that?" He asked gently.

Maura shook her head, indicating that she didn't want to talk about it, "I just need to disappear."

Stefan nodded his head, he wouldn't do anything to that slime ball just yet, but he would happily slap him twice as hard for hitting a woman. "I think we need to get Circe and Aislinn involved?"

The headmistress nodded, "I agree." She lifted her phone and dialed the number. She knew that they would be here quickly.

*************

The phone in the little seaside shop rang happily, but Circe could tell that it was bad news on the other side of the ring. She lifted the receiver, "Hello?" She wasn't surprised by the voice on the other line.

Aislinn came out and tilted her head slightly and gave the 'who's that' look to Circe. Circe put her finger up as she nodded, "Yes, of course." Her shoulders dropped sadly, "He didn't." She straightened her back, and she smiled proudly, "She did. Of course, we will." Circe hung up the phone and turned to Aislinn. "Pack your bags, we're going on a trip." Circe turned and gave Aislinn a warning look, "And keep the council out of this."

"Where to?" Aislinn asked as she made the phone call to have someone watch the shop while they were gone. She didn't even bother to ask why. It was obviously important.

Circe smiled, "To Jade Oasis."

Aislinn chuckled, she knew that Circe was a sucker for dark-haired, olive-toned men. "But I have a feeling this is much more business than pleasure.

Circe's smile turned down a little, "Yes, it seems the young lady Maura, needs to disappear for a while."

Aislinn shook her head, "I hope she's okay. And that slimy eel hasn't hurt her." Even if she could feel the problems beginning, she just hope Maura could stay strong.

*************

Birsha stood up, the pain from Maura's attempt at rejection still making his body ache. He punched the wall, leaving a hole, "That worthless b***h!" He yelled angrily. "How dare she try to get rid of me!" He stomped to their room and tore it apart, looking for evidence that she had been seeing another man. He knew now what all of those strange visits were trying to warn him about. He was glad he didn't accept it.

That creepy feeling fell over him again, "As long as you don't accept it, you will remain powerful. You need her," the voice whispered in his ear, tickling him as if it were a serpent.

He looked in the mirror above the dresser, seeing nothing but feeling the grip of the creature. "I don't need a female, I am strong without her!"

The invisible grip tightened on him angrily, "You're wrong, she is more powerful than you. You need her. Don't let her get away." The voice warned, it knew something Birsha didn't and Birsha didn't care for surprises. He would prove to this creature that he didn't Maura to be the most powerful sorcerer the world has ever known.

Birsha could feel himself growing faint from the death grip the invisible creature had on him, "Alright, I won't. But I don't want her either."

The disembodied voice chuckled mirthlessly, "You don't have to want her anymore, you just have to keep her. Do what you want with whomever you want. Just don't allow her to sever the ties that bind you. And never say you accept the rejection. And we will go far."

Birsha looked up into the mirror again as the invisible grip loosened, "Who are you?" He wanted to be able to prove that he would do this without her. He would be more feared than Mavaka was in his time.

"Someone who can help."

Birsha could sense he was alone again. He scoffed at his reflection, "I doubt that he can. I will be the most powerful. I will do it alone." As he spoke the words, he saw a bright flash outside as a thunderstorm rolled in, mercilessly throwing the coven into chaos.

***********************

The Fates were angry, Clotho was weaving furiously, "How the hell did he get loose?"

Lachesis shook her head, "I have no idea!" She turned to Atropos, "What do you know about this?"

Atropos lifted her shears, "You two wouldn't let me snip that little s**t's thread after he was born. So don't look at me! I've been trying to kill him off for years!" She was still angry that they let him live. "Just look at the mess he's been making!"

Clotho sighed, "I can see that."

Lachesis nodded in agreement, "How do we fix this?"

Atropos snipped her shears but didn't say a word.

Clotho shook her head furiously, "I don't think that would work now. We need to fix it."

"But it would stop any more damage."

Lachesis lifted the thread and handed it to Atropos. She was over this stupid power-hungry scum of a man. It was still very long, she wasn't sure it would work.

Atropos chuckled in glee, "It's about time!" She put down her usual shears and lifted the ones that were scorching red. The heat didn't bother her in the least, but she wanted him to suffer. These were only for particularly wrong people.

************

Birsha rubbed his chest, the burning deep inside was a strange sensation. He felt as if he couldn't breathe. His vision was getting blurry and his ears were ringing. "What the?" was all he got out before he collapsed on the floor.

**************

"Atropos! Stop!" Chronos called.

Atropos had cut a few tiny threads of his rope when Chronos stopped her. She threw her scissors down in blatant frustration. "NOW WHAT?"

"He's not done yet."

Atropos sneered, "Obviously." She crossed her arms and pouted. "This better get better."