The Cost of Betrayal

Chapter Thirty-eight

Maura was looking around the island, she felt so good there. She didn't want to leave, but she knew that she would have to face her problems soon enough. The Dragon queen and king had treated her so kindly, and she was so relaxed there. She sighed as she allowed the last of the sun's rays to warm her wet skin. She had been swimming along the shores, playing with a few young water dragons. The sun was going down and she was going to have to make her way back to the castle for the night.

"Maura," a soft voice called to her.

Maura turned, startled by the woman speaking to her. "Who are you? And how do you know me?"

The woman smiled, "I am Selene, and I was asked to speak with you." She pointed to the spot beside Maura, "May I?"

Maura shrugged and nodded, "Sure," she agreed.

Selene sat beside Maura, "So, you're fated to someone, hmm."

Maura nodded, "Yes." She looked out at the waves as they splashed gently against the sand. "We have joined our lives, and are married. "

Selene could feel Maura's apprehension, "I can hear the but," she coaxed gently. The fact that they were already joined could make this even harder, but she was confident that Maura could do it.

Maura nodded again, she felt so relaxed with Selene compared to her own goddess Hecate. "What am I supposed to do? I have to save my coven from something, and I feel like it's connected to the man I am fated to."

Selene smiled softly at Maura, "You can save your coven and yourself. They are not so entangled that you can not take care of yourself. But take your time, and be sure that you're ready. I can feel your strength and wisdom. I know that you will do the right thing, at the right time." Selene could feel her time drawing to an end with Maura, but that she would see her again. Selene took Maura's face in her hands, "Be true to yourself. I trust that you'll be able to do what you need to."

Maura smiled at Selene's words of encouragement, she felt stronger just from that simple action.

Selene patted Maura's hand encouragingly, "I know you'll do what's right when the time is right." She disappeared silently before Maura could respond.

Maura hugged herself tightly as she realized she was alone again. "Thank you," she whispered into the wind. A gentle breeze blew in response, almost as if it were reassuring her.

When she returned to the castle, her mother handed her necklace back to her. She looked perplexed, "I tried to find out the cause of what burned you, but once it was off, it did nothing."

Maura accepted the necklace back, relieved to have her grandmother's gift back around her neck. "That's okay, Mom. I appreciate your trying." She fastened the clasp around her neck and the burning began again. This time it was gentle warming and not the searing pain from before. However, she could feel Birsha's betrayal deep in her stomach again. As the stabbing pains began again, she vowed to make him stop. One way or another, she would be happy.

**********

Birsha plunged himself deeply into the woman beneath him. He didn't care that she wasn't his wife, he just wanted to feel the power of holding the woman down. He was surprised that he didn't need to imagine Maura as hard to get himself 'in the mood'. Now all he had to do was think of overpowering the woman and he was more than ready. Maybe he didn't need her as badly as he thought he did.

He finished in a few strokes and sent the woman away. She looked at him disappointed, muttering that he was a selfish, two-pump chump. Birsha heard her and, with a flick of the wrist, silenced the ignorant woman. She walked away, crying silently, clutching her throat. Birsha chuckled maliciously, he surprised himself sometimes at his kindness. It would have been nothing to kill the b***h for insulting him, but he let her live with her mistake. It wasn't like she was going to say anything ever again. He got dressed and sauntered out of his room, shirtless. He was fit and well-muscled and could get any woman he wanted, which was why he was so confused about Maura's lack of willingness in their bed. He made his way to the kitchen to get a drink. He looked around, and he grew angry that his wife was still missing. He recited the spell again, his anger rising with each word. He threw the glass against the wall, "Where are you?" He hated needing her. It wasn't fair. He was a man! He shouldn't need a woman. Yet, here he was wishing she were close. He had to figure out why she had to be part of his life.

Maura opened the door, gasping in pain. The burning from her necklace was worse this time. "Oh, my Goddess! This necklace! Why?" She put her bags down and shut the door. "Birsha, are you here?" She called out. She knew he was, and that he wasn't alone. She had felt the tale-telling stabbing pain in her heart and stomach as she approached her home. She could smell the musky odor of s*x in their house. And she saw the woman running silently down the path from the cottage she shared with Birsha.

Birsha stormed from their kitchen. His eyes were dark with anger. "Where the hell have you been?!" He crossed his arms and waited, the anger radiating off him in waves so palpable, Maura almost shivered in fear.

"I left with my mother," Maura said simply. She wasn't afraid of him, his anger would dissipate as quickly as it appeared.

Birsha took an ominous step closer, he sniffed the air. Checking to see if she had been with any others, satisfied that she hadn't, he stepped back. "Why?"

Maura crossed her own arms, she was getting tired of this, "Because I wanted to," she snapped defiantly.

Birsha scowled at her, he pointed an angry finger at her, "You left on our anniversary, and you didn't bother to clean up."

Maura returned his scowl, her eyes narrowed in anger, jabbing her own finger at his bare chest, "And you screwed some b***h on our anniversary."

"I can do what I want, I am the male," he retorted sharply.

Maura scoffed, "You may be a male but you have no respect for me or our relationship!"

Birsha could feel his anger rising at Maura's surprising rise in strength. "Where did you go?" He snapped, her responses were very much out of character.

"With my mother," she repeated. She wasn't telling him anything anymore. He didn't deserve it.

"I asked you a question. I expect an answer," he said sharply.

"I told you where I went," she replied calmly. The more his anger rose, the calmer she became. She didn't care anymore. As the realization washed over her, she felt something lift inside her. She didn't care about him anymore.

Birsha's hand reached out and slapped Maura, something he had never done before. Sure he had struck insubordinate creatures before, but never her. The anger in his body took over.

Maura touched her cheek where he had hit her, his actions solidifying her next words.

"I, Maura, descendent of Morgana, reject you Birsha, as my mate and lover," she said the words confidently and with such purpose that Birsha was surprised.

As the pain washed over Birsha at her rejection, he fell to the ground. He ground out, "I don't accept your rejection. Take it back." The pain came in waves, making him angrier and angrier. He had to keep her.

Maura stood tall, picked up her bags, and walked away. Before she opened the door, she turned back, "I won't." She stepped out the door and closed it gently. The soft click was the loudest sound Birsha had ever heard in his life.