The Miracle's Curse

Dollie

Terra's house stood across from the brewery, but Mari couldn't find it in herself to approach it. She had traveled with Leon halfway across the city all day. But as she stood there, staring at the pink door, she couldn't knock. So she stayed by the front of the brewery, tugging anxiously on her ponytail. She hadn't thought of a single word to say to Terra. She forced out a long breath. Leon had made her promise to be done with it before he returned from scoping out the area.

Finally, she moved across the cobblestone road and raised her fist. With her first knock, it swung open. Terra didn't look anything like her brother; her dark eyes and blonde hair had gotten her called adopted before. She was shorter than Mari by half a head, but she was much fiercer-looking. Her eye was bruised, and her bottom lip had a cut in it. She practically dragged Mari into the house and slammed the door closed.

"I was waiting for you to come over. Standing there like that outside my work." Terra's voice was high pitched and near to a squeak, especially when she was angry.

The inside of her normally organized house was torn to pieces. Bookshelves were knocked over, tables flipped on their sides, and dishes smashed. Even the pink rug had been tossed carelessly to the side. "Where's my brother? He nearly got me killed! The stupid, stupid man." Frowning, she took Mari by the shoulders and turned her attention away from the mess. "Do you hear me, Mari Lynn? Where is he?"

Mari scrambled for words. It was all so sudden. Questions tipped her tongue but she held them back. Who broke into your house? What did Adrian have to do with this?

Terra hissed with her lack of speech and spun away from her. She kicked a half broken pot with the tip of her boot and wrapped her shawl tighter around her. "Should've known...the fool."

"What...Terra, what happened?"

"What does it look like, Mari Lynn? A party?"

"I'm trying to help you. Who broke in?" Mari's eyes trailed to the broken frames with missing paintings.

"There's nothing you can do." Distastefully, she added, "a group of men. They weren't skilled—more like barbarians to me. I caught them on my way back from the brewery when they were smashing all my frames. Started spouting nonsense about hiding illegal vials—like I could ever be mixed up in those sorts!—and when I tried to get them to stop, they whacked me. Only last night they were here. I'm sure this is Adrian's doing. I am sure of it."

"That's impossible." Mari couldn't help but say. Her heart was racing.

"Is it?" Terra's voice was flat. "They only took photos. I know everything I own, and they only took photos with him in it. Even his Graduation picture." She shook her head solemnly. "The fool got himself in deep trouble this time." Her dark eyes suddenly shot up. "As much as I hate to say it, you're not just his partner. You two are the world's most stubborn couple. There isn't anything he wouldn't tell you. So tell me this: where the hell is he?"

Mari felt a stinging in her eyes. "Whatever reason those men were here, it-it's not because of Adrian." When Terra didn't respond, and just stared at her, she continued. "He was missing for weeks. I followed his tracks and..." she dropped her gaze. "He's dead, Terra."

"No." At first it sounded like a denial, but it wasn't. She meant it. "He's not. He can't be."

"I saw the footage for myself." Mari started to explain. "He was killed."

"Shut up." Terra's high voice dropped dangerously low. "You're wrong."

Mari shook her head. "He was targeted by the Pure Bloods for something he knew. I'm trying to figure it out."