without him—and knowing that he, too, in turn could not live without her. Once again, it was difficult to determine which was more exciting.
Abigail leaned against the mop, staring at Robin as she stirred distantly.
“I have to admit something to you.”
“Oh?” Robin let the stirring stick settle for a moment. Leaning forward, she focused all her attention on her friend. “What’s up?”
“The man I’ve said I’m in love with? The one I see?”
This was a sudden turn in talk, but that was fine. Abigail had been distant all day long.
“Your mysterious Romeo?” Robin nodded. “What about him?”
“It’s Case.”
“It’s...it’s Case ?”
This was even more shocking than Robin’s own hidden romance. She struggled with the sudden revulsion that shook her. Revulsion that centered squarely around the thought of fucking a stepbrother—when fucking her own, Troy, was the worst idea in the world to her.
“My brother. Yeah. The one...you’re marrying.”
“Right.” Robin had almost forgotten about that. “Right. Yes. I see.”
“He loves me back. It’s not just me being crazy.”
“Of course he does.” Robin nodded. “Of course he does. Why wouldn’t he? You’re terrific.”
Be supportive. Try and understand. Abigail knew what she was doing. What she described was taboo, but Abigail had always been out there.
God, what a taboo, though.
“It’s just that...now with the marriage, he wants for us to stop. Because of what people might think.”
But Robin’s mind raced. If Robin went to Brall, then Case would have to turn back to Abigail. He’d be emboldened, even, by Robin’s move. Abigail would comfort him. They would be together.
Everyone would get what they want.
“It will all...” Robin shrugged. “It will all work out. I know it will.”
She did not look convinced. “How?”
“It just... will , that’s all.”
Abigail's mouth became hard, then.
“Do you have anything to tell me?”
“W-what do you mean?”
“Anybody you’ve been seeing? Anything that’s happened?”
Abigail knew. Of course she knew. Abigail always knew what was happening with Robin.
But still, Robin shook her head. “Nothing. Sorry.” She gestured back to the pitch, and her bag of documents beyond. “Boring life.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Abigail.
But strangely, she didn’t seem sorry at all. She left soon after, to where Robin did not know.
Chapter 11:
––––––––
A s the evening fell over Temple. Carthage dragged Brall out from his tent and walked him toward the hills surrounding the town.
Brall didn't want to go—he was due to meet Robin—but Carthage insisted.
“What have you got, big Boss? Who ain't gonna wait on you? Come on. This is important. You'll like this.”
Brall didn't know to explain himself without revealing far too much. And so, he went along with Carthage, feeling trapped though he didn't know why.
Robin would understand, he told himself. He'd explain it all the next he saw her. Get a message to her through someone in town. That would be simple enough. And then he'd make it clear—well clear, beforehand—that he was not to be disturbed during that time.
Just a kink to work out. That's all this delay was. And then he'd sink himself into Robin just how he had always needed.
Hell, if they finished up soon enough, he might even still see her. She would wait. He knew she would wait.
He continued to press onto Carthage, asking him what was happening. At first, the big man would reveal nothing of his intentions, but after several minutes of Brall’s demands, Carthage finally gave in.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he smiled. “Your girl. We’re going to indoctrinate her.”
“What?”
“I know who your girl is. I found out. Very smart, your friend Carthage is. Now she’ll be yours. Consequences be damned. We are the Cauldron. If they want to fight us, let them boil.”
Brall’s heart hammered with anticipation. He
Abigail leaned against the mop, staring at Robin as she stirred distantly.
“I have to admit something to you.”
“Oh?” Robin let the stirring stick settle for a moment. Leaning forward, she focused all her attention on her friend. “What’s up?”
“The man I’ve said I’m in love with? The one I see?”
This was a sudden turn in talk, but that was fine. Abigail had been distant all day long.
“Your mysterious Romeo?” Robin nodded. “What about him?”
“It’s Case.”
“It’s...it’s Case ?”
This was even more shocking than Robin’s own hidden romance. She struggled with the sudden revulsion that shook her. Revulsion that centered squarely around the thought of fucking a stepbrother—when fucking her own, Troy, was the worst idea in the world to her.
“My brother. Yeah. The one...you’re marrying.”
“Right.” Robin had almost forgotten about that. “Right. Yes. I see.”
“He loves me back. It’s not just me being crazy.”
“Of course he does.” Robin nodded. “Of course he does. Why wouldn’t he? You’re terrific.”
Be supportive. Try and understand. Abigail knew what she was doing. What she described was taboo, but Abigail had always been out there.
God, what a taboo, though.
“It’s just that...now with the marriage, he wants for us to stop. Because of what people might think.”
But Robin’s mind raced. If Robin went to Brall, then Case would have to turn back to Abigail. He’d be emboldened, even, by Robin’s move. Abigail would comfort him. They would be together.
Everyone would get what they want.
“It will all...” Robin shrugged. “It will all work out. I know it will.”
She did not look convinced. “How?”
“It just... will , that’s all.”
Abigail's mouth became hard, then.
“Do you have anything to tell me?”
“W-what do you mean?”
“Anybody you’ve been seeing? Anything that’s happened?”
Abigail knew. Of course she knew. Abigail always knew what was happening with Robin.
But still, Robin shook her head. “Nothing. Sorry.” She gestured back to the pitch, and her bag of documents beyond. “Boring life.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Abigail.
But strangely, she didn’t seem sorry at all. She left soon after, to where Robin did not know.
Chapter 11:
––––––––
A s the evening fell over Temple. Carthage dragged Brall out from his tent and walked him toward the hills surrounding the town.
Brall didn't want to go—he was due to meet Robin—but Carthage insisted.
“What have you got, big Boss? Who ain't gonna wait on you? Come on. This is important. You'll like this.”
Brall didn't know to explain himself without revealing far too much. And so, he went along with Carthage, feeling trapped though he didn't know why.
Robin would understand, he told himself. He'd explain it all the next he saw her. Get a message to her through someone in town. That would be simple enough. And then he'd make it clear—well clear, beforehand—that he was not to be disturbed during that time.
Just a kink to work out. That's all this delay was. And then he'd sink himself into Robin just how he had always needed.
Hell, if they finished up soon enough, he might even still see her. She would wait. He knew she would wait.
He continued to press onto Carthage, asking him what was happening. At first, the big man would reveal nothing of his intentions, but after several minutes of Brall’s demands, Carthage finally gave in.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he smiled. “Your girl. We’re going to indoctrinate her.”
“What?”
“I know who your girl is. I found out. Very smart, your friend Carthage is. Now she’ll be yours. Consequences be damned. We are the Cauldron. If they want to fight us, let them boil.”
Brall’s heart hammered with anticipation. He
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