26] A Curse to Break

The mother I never knew was being threatened, basically held hostage to keep me in line. The mate I despised was lurking and the Clans Temporary King, Aegir Snr., was trying his best to discredit me. I was powerful with the Orca teeth around my neck. The power over the Rough was something Queens beheld.

Though I barely knew how to use it, I didn't anticipate the Clans to understand what it was. They knew more about it than I did. At least they were scared of it. The seven of us Servants of the Water's Will were a threat to the island's ruling system of Clans, though the Clans respected us just enough to stay away.

I had a few days to decide how to negotiate further with the Clans via Aegir Snr. and his son Aegir Jnr. I had two options, let them have the talk in the village, or stand my ground.

I didn't want to give in.

To either problem. The Clans restrictive ways... and Eros' violent nature.

"Are you brooding again?" Halina comes out from the cavern to sit by me on a ledge of rock that was just above water while it was low tide. My feet are dipped into the waves and Halina sits right by me, elbow to elbow, "Is it what Aegir said... you know it's just because we all have these special, strange destinies. Having powers means we're like weapons. They want us contained so we don't do anything they don't want."

"Do you think... that I... am destined to rule something... or something..."

"Of course," Halina picks up my hand and she warms it with two of hers, "Lily, you've been quietly leading us since you brought us here a week ago. You found this place. Your word is respected. You have a quiet authority that we trust."

"Thank you, Hal. I feel like I'm meant to unite Clans," I admit, "I feel like... I'm meant to speak my mind."

"...is this, um, about Eros really?" Halina asks, her tone going cold.

"Partly. Mostly. Kind of. Yeah?" I scrunch up my nose as I think, "...yeah. Don't worry, I'm not going to seek him out."

Halina goes quiet for a few minutes, "Listen. Lily. I don't want you to. But you have to now."

"Why do you say that –?"

"When you meet with Aegir again to settle the location for the meet, you need to have more bargaining power. You're going to need to bridge that gap..." she doesn't want to say what she's holding back, but I know what it is.

"Now is a better time than any to seek out Eros," I murmur.

"Why?"

"Eros' Clan has been sent out into the Deep..." I say it suspiciously, "He's trying to lure me into a false sense of comfort. He didn't chase me today."

"That's good, right?" Halina crosses her legs under her and picks up a piece of sea weed, pulling it apart, "I do have to tell you something, Lily."

"What's that?" I turn to her when her voice drops, and she sounds guilty of something.

"We made a collective agreement, that... this is going to sound really mean."

"Just say it, be honest," I gulp, fearing what it'll be.

"We've all been quietly terrified that Eros will eventually attack us with his Ezili Clan. Our anxiety gets worse every day. We think you need to resolve your feud, or at least find a middle ground, with your mate. Until then... you can't come back."

Wait a minute.

"You made a collective agreement to banish me until I find a middle ground with –?"

Halina grabs my hand again, and turns it over.

Where she rubbed it, I see a blue powder staining my hand.

"...Darya made a curse... it'll disappear after you're not a virgin. And then you can come back."

"Why did no one talk to me about this?" I look to Halina and she chews on her lips, shrugging one shoulder.

"We do love you, Lily, but you need to prove to us that you can handle Eros. He watches our every move."

"And if I waltz up to him, and he slaps me in irons, throws me in a tank and tells his Clan to do the same to you six, what then?" I snap, losing my temper, "Have you all lost your damn minds?"

"That's exactly what we don't want to happen, Lily," Halina hisses at me, and I hear the real terror in her voice. She pushes aside her hair and shows me the scar on her shoulder, "He nearly ripped my head off."

I shut my mouth.

It was true.

"I'm... I'm sor–"

"Don't be sorry," Halina gets to her feet and throws the sea weed into the water, "Just do better. We're all first and foremost submitting to the Water's Will. You have a huge burden, but it will effect us all in the long term. It may even kill us until you face it. You need to control Eros. You can't fail. Rivea, Vanora, Darya, Zandy, Roanne... and I. We want you to grab a hold of your fate and own it. Stop running from it now. Sooner to later Eros will come to you, and he won't stop even with us by your side."

"He hasn't come anywhere near us –"

"Erebos are our enemy, and until you conquer their King, we're in danger. You can do it, Lily. Find your inner sex goddess and find a way to make him safe to be around. Please," Halina turns, "You can't return until you do it, Lily."

"So, you're all sacrificing me? Not banishing me?" I try not to feel so pushed out by their group decision.

"With that attitude... wait, just listen," Halina stares me down "...we all know you need a push to make it happen, Lily. Believe it or not, we know you'll make it through."

She waltzes back into the Ruins after imparting their word.

Wow.

I look at my hand, "...those backstabbing swordfish," I growl to myself. I turn, stand and walk towards the Ruins, but as I get closer, a 'gentle' wave crashes in and washes me out in a foaming ripple of bubbles.

My Orca teeth weren't even on me right now. I left them inside.

I see, even from this distance, Rivea and Vanora in the rock pool, whispering. Halina sits with them and points to me. They all look up and I give them the rude finger.

Of course they banish me just before night fall.

Argh.

Now I had to face the music. They were right, even if they were rushed because Aegir's plan was successfully placing pressure on the girls to make drastic decisions without me.

Unfortunately, they had a point.

I didn't consider this a real betrayal. This was more... reality. I couldn't ignore my mate, King of Clan Ezili, forever.

I had to face Eros. I swim backwards and I look up at the castle as the black rocks shine in the coming moonlight.

There's light coming from the bedroom.

Damn it.

Here we go again.

****

I'm walking, completely naked, up the steps of the castle. I hadn't been intercepted yet. After swimming in circles, I went over every possible way I could initiate a civil conversation. Those attempts in the past, failed every time.

This time, I needed to be bold, rough and to the point.

I don't knock. I grab the castle doors and shove them open. They creak anyway, and an ocean breeze dries the water on my skin. The whole place is empty and no candles are lit on the first floor.

To stop the breeze, I slam the doors shut. I turn, clenching my fists, I muster up confidence I don't necessarily feel right now.

"Oh... lover...?" I try to sing, my voice not shaking, but a bit tight, "Oh, dearest, most... violent... and handsome... mate of... my moon..." I bite my cheek and curse myself silently. I had to do better than that, "I'm alone, Eros, I'm dying for you... for you to take... what's yours... so sweet and... bitterly yours..." I head to the stairs, each silent step uninterrupted, "I can't swim nor run from my fate, and you don't stumble and fall for my taste, come get me... come... get me... mate of my moon... mate, um, don't make me... swoon?" It's all a whispered hushy toned kind of song. Whether it struck a cord or simply made him mad, at least he'd be listening to every word.

Once I'm at the top of the stairs, I see the warm ambience flickering from the bedroom.

I boldly strut the rest of the way and turn in the arch.

My mouth snaps shut.

It's empty.

Where the heck was he? I walk to the bed, and then the balcony when I hear something.

I can see the cliffs, but not the cliff that leads to the bay. I can hear, however, rough snarling breaths of someone stomping every foot fall to the entrance. It's his classic rough stalk.

Shit. I was actually doing this.

For a moment, I panic. But then I turn and a new sense comes over me.

Do the opposite of what you'd usually do, Lily. Okay. I walk to a wardrobe and I pull out a few draws until I find a silky scarf of darkest green. I quickly whip it out and then head back to the bed.

Don't think. Just do.

I get on the bed, which is neatly made and I sit in the middle, quickly tying the scarf around my eyes.

It was to stop myself from looking at his cock when he found me, it'd only freak me the fuck out and then destroy this encounter, which needed to be successful.

Please, this had to work.

Self-blindfolded, I lean back on my elbows, I open my legs and I breathe deeply to try and calm my trembling body.

I think of another song.

Nope. I can't. I'm too nervous.

I reach between my legs and I slowly rub my clit in small circles. I hear Eros ascend the stair case and I feel stupid as hell for laying with my legs spread.

I almost chicken out, but I grab one of my tits with one palm, squeezing it.

I keep my second hand between my legs but I don't do much, I just...

His strides stop in the archway.

"...half-wit?" I hear the surprised snarl from Eros' throat.

"Fuck me," I whisper the words. Silence on his part, "Eros...? I'm here. Take me."

I jerk when I feel a hand on my ankle. He grabs it tightly and he holds it, obviously looking at me.

"You're not even wet. Why are you here?" Eros waits and his hand slips from my ankle.

Bloody hell, I had to be honest.

"I'm trying to break this curse," I hold up my hand, the blind fold thankfully hiding his reaction, "You need to take my virginity. I've been banished from the Ruins until then."

"...how perfect... why thank you, sweetest Lily. You gave me my answer."

"What the hell does that mean, Eros?"

"Oh, sweetest, if I take your virginity, you'll leave. If I don't... you'll remain," ...um. This was not how this was supposed to play out, "We'll do it my way, half-wit, turn around," Eros pats the inside of one of my knees and he sounds rather impatient, "Now. Lily. I will take your apology. My way. Then we will start fresh... I might even hand feed you again in the morning. How sweet will that be?"

"Start fresh?" I whisper, not understanding the deeper meaning. Maybe we'd do some weird 'dry hump' dance where he was pleasured but my virginity was still intact. In exchange for starting fresh? Not such a bad deal.

I guess?

I turn over.

"On your knees, ass up," Eros' waits, and I do as he says, far more confident while blind, "I'm going to fuck you a little unconventionally. In your second hole. Any objections?" I go to answer, but he's somehow launched on top of me and his hand is on the back of my head, pushing my face into the sheets to muffle my words, "I didn't think so, half-wit," he drawls his poison into my ears, "...don't fret, starfish. I'll go slow... so it hurts all the more. When it gets too much, I'll shred your neck... and then your half-wit coven of witch Darvs can hear your screams of pleasure all the way to the Ruins and they'll be jealous that they do not receive the same loving as you. Isn't it delightful? We're going to punish them. Together. I do love the way you think, Lily. An ass fucking. It's just what you need!"

When Eros starts laughing, mixed with a throaty snarl... I know I'm in big trouble.