Fateful Signs (Ballad of the Seer, Book Three)

Chapter 15 - The Ties that Bind

Exhausted from almost dying - again - Lily curled up in bed. Duncan held her close, whispering affirmations in her ear, to ease her wary mind. After her attack, she was feeling vulnerable, and despite the warnings from Tally, Lily cast a spell on their room, so that no one - magical or otherwise - could enter without permission. It wasn't until she did that that she felt like she could relax and get some rest. Sleep brought with it another vision of Mia.

        "What were you thinking?" Sebastian yelled at her. She could see the anger burning behind his dark gray eyes. To know that anger was because of Lily made her blood boil. She wanted wring Lily's neck. Again.

        "She deserved everything she got." Mia said, through gritted teeth.

        "It was stupid and reckless." Sebastian spat, getting in her face. He then lowered his voice, a sign that his temper was reaching dangerous levels. "I told you not to go near her."

        Mia raised a finger to his lips. "Actually, you said not to touch her. I didn't lay a finger on her."

        Sebastian grabbed her wrist. His grip was too tight. It hurt. But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of showing if. "You know what I meant."

        She snatched her arm away. She turned away to rub the sore spot. "I guess I didn't."

        "Her power is ten times what yours is. She could have destroyed you."

        Mia faced him again, laughing, amused that he would think that. And also a bit insulted. "If she's so strong, then why am I the one standing here, while she's laying dead in a bathtub."

        Sebastian's pale face lost what little color it had; his mouth dropped open. "She's not dead, Mia. God, you're such a little idiot." he snapped. "If she dies, so do you."

        "What?"

        Sebastian gripped his fists in his dark locks, turning his gray eyes heavenward as a scream of annoyance rang loudly through the large living room. "You're still connected to her." he explained, pacing back and forth, wearing a path into the Persian rug. "And me. It's part of the spell that created you. If something happens to one of us, you disappear. Poof." He made an exploding motion with his hands.

        A pang of fear struck her. She took a few steps back, turning to face the shuttered window - he insisted on keeping them closed so no one could see inside. "Why didn't you tell me that before?" Mia's voice was barely audible, but she knew he could hear her.

        She felt him approach, standing so close to her, barely any space between them, yet keeping his distance, withholding his touch. That was a form of punishment from him. He made her to love him, and he used that against her. He pushed her hair off her shoulder, leaning in closer, still not touching, though. "I didn't know you would go on a homicidal rampage." he said into her ear.

        Spinning around to face him, Mia stroked his cheek. "I get my murder-y side from you, my darling," she reminded him. She slapped him, hard. "So you can blame yourself for that. And the second that I get unconnected from her, I am going to slit her throat and watch her bleed out all over the floor."

        Sebastian grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against the wall, lifting her up until her feet no longer touched the floor. "If you go near Lily again, without my consent, you'll be the one that's bleeding."