“It would be so easy.”
Elspeth blinked, confused. She did not remember coming outside. Could not remember anything past laying down for a nap. But here she was, in the cold quiet shade of the clifftop gazebo, staring at Winter’s back with Arariel’s voice in her head.
Again.
Nothing she did would shut him up. No matter how violent, how painful, she could not chase the demon away.
“Just a push. No one is looking. And you’ll have Alerich all to yourself again.”
Elspeth’s breath caught. She didn’t want that—did she? To be honest, she did not like the other wizard woman. She was too sweet, too loving, too fucking perfect. Too much to stand. And she held all of her twin brother’s attention. Her and the baby girls she carried.
But Elspeth didn’t want Winter to die. Suffer a bit, sure. Be taken down a notch or two. But death seemed a bit extreme.
“Do you really think so?”
Elspeth gave her head a violent shake, making herself dizzy. It had become clear early on that the demon was privy to her private thoughts and delighted in tormenting her with them. Once, it had been Alerich that Arariel had taunted so, but being banished from the Mortal Realm seemed to have cut that tie. At least, Alerich never talked to her about it, anymore. But then, his attention was riveted elsewhere.
Maybe she did want Winter to die.
Arariel’s chuckle rolled through her mind. “That’s my girl. Now, whatever will you do about it?”
Just a push? Would that really be all it took?
“There you are. Cian has lunch ready.” Alerich’s voice carried up the garden path and Elspeth shrank back out of sight against the winter withered wisteria vines, guilty.
Winter turned, a gentle smile on her face, and Elspeth wanted to rip it off. “I’m watching the dolphins, but lunch sounds wonderful. I’m starving.”
Alerich kissed her and laid a hand over her still-flat belly. “I imagine you have help with that.”
Winter’s smile widened. “Not quite yet, but soon.”
Alerich turned and looked around. “I could have sworn I saw El come up this way, earlier. Is she not with you?”
“I’m all alone. Maybe she found the path down to the beach? I can send the pixies to look so her lunch won’t get cold.”
“Excellent idea.” Alerich took Winter by her hand and led the way toward the House. “I saw a cloud of them by the back porch. We can ask when we get there.”
Elspeth held back a growl of frustration and waited until her brother and his woman were out of sight before heading down in the direction of the beach. Fine, whatever. She didn’t want Winter dead, anyway.
Diabolical laughter echoed through her mind.
“Shut up,” she muttered and kept walking, waiting to be found by the garden pixies.
If you liked this flash, you can find more original short fiction and all things Seahaven at www.aelowan.com.