Typhoon & Tempest

Chapter Twelve

Jack's back was twisted like a vine. Sleeping on the clean sofa in Niall's living room wasn't her original decision, but Cay suggested giving Lily space and any movement on their shared mattress might jolt her fresh wound, so she made herself at home on the stiff and tiny furniture.

Jack angrily stared up at the ceiling, already showered and dressed for the day. She didn't sleep well - her joints creaked like a door hinge due for oiling and the shower had only softened them slightly. For a moment Jack kept watching the ceiling and the little fly buzzing around the light. She had a lot of mixed feelings about the events of the night before but one stood out more than most.

They broke Lily's trust last night - Claire cut into her shoulder without permission, without care, and it resulted in her power going mad. She hadn't seen the state of Tyrill yet. Jack knew it was going to be disastrous and it would only hurt Lily seeing how much damage she'd unintentionally caused.

Jack hadn't heard a lot of the commotion amongst her worry for Lily after she left their room last night. The storm still above them this morning was enough of a hint that Lily wasn't okay with what happened either.

Her focus yesterday had to quickly shift from Lily to Karen when she heard the vampire screaming outside - and saw the fallen tree over her legs. Niall's sister Annie was watching the stars when Lily's storm rolled in too quickly for her to get inside. Karen, like Jack had asked, was still hanging around the house in case Lily went out of control and it was lucky she was. Karen was the fastest of them all and she sprinted out to Annie, pushed her aside and took the brunt of the tree that would have fallen on Niall's sister a second later.

Claire was too distraught to heal her so Haidan had carefully picked up the snarling vampire after Niall lofted the tree aside with his abilities, put her in his car, and drove her to Trawalla Hospital. Jack hadn't heard anything since - Claire had run the emotions off in Tyrill and the Guthrie siblings took one look at Jack's exhausted face, seeing her patience was on a knife's edge, and left her alone for the night.

Blinking up at the ceiling and watching the fly scouring around the light in search for a flower to land on, Jack's concentration snapped when someone stomped into the living room and kitchen with the buckles of their bag scraping the floor.

Jack bolted upright with a frown and scowled at Claire's bedraggled ringlets and tense shoulders. She hadn't changed her bloody clothes from last night. Jack watched her drag her bag behind her, shaking her hand out at the newly-broken nail on her finger. The fairy jolted seeing the witch sitting on the sofa with a ruffled, handwoven blanket over her legs.

"Oh." Claire muttered seeing Jack watching her. "It's just you."

Jack raised an eyebrow, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What are you doing Claire?"

"I'm going to..." Claire's throat bobbled. "I'm going to Karen."

"Wait, how are you getting there?" Jack wondered aloud.

Claire's expression hardened. "Oh, I see. When Lily's injured you'd move towns for her safety but when it's Karen you won't budge?"

"Woah, hang on, that's not what-"

"It doesn't matter. Haidan's lending me his car anyway." Claire scoffed, her feet falling heavy on the wooden floors. Jack jumped to her feet and followed her friend to the door as the fairy's voice rose. "I'd hoped you would drive me but it's clear you won't help me and you won't leave Lily's side! I can't believe I called you a friend for so long - if this is how you treat people, playing favourites, I won't no part of this friendship!"

"Hey!" Jack snapped, Claire stilling when her hand was on the door handle. "If you're going to disrespect me you can look me in the eye and do it, Claire."