Page 39 of A Harmony of Procellarum

“Nearly two years ago, you celebrated your brother’s birthday on the island of Dominica, as you usually do. Did you not feel like that occasion differed from the others?” The smirk on her mouth is filled with contempt, the look making my skin run cold.

“Yes, obviously.” I can hear the eye roll in his voice. “We started sacrificing Magistrates. Raiden wanted out of the Order and we went along with that plan.”

Shereen’s head tips back with a laugh, the cackle bouncing off the walls. “Is that what he said? What if I told you it was to make way for new Magistrates because the last Luciphia was paranoid about the people under her?”

“To what end?” Torrent asks, his tone curious. “He hates this organization. Why would he do it for any other reason?”

“Because he was made Magistrate earlier that week.” Shereen clasps her laced hands together as she leans forward, watching for Torrent’s reaction. “Do you know what that means?”

“You’re saying my brother is the last Magistrate,” Torrent says as he reaches beside him and draws the hood off the last man on his knees. I choke around the gag as I stare at a gagged and bound Raiden. His eye is bruised and his lip split, telling me he put up a fight. “I already knew what his position was long before coming here and agreeing to your terms, and I knew he was here the whole time. I know his scent.”

“Really,” Shereen croons. “Tell me what he smells like.”

I watch as Torrent reaches for his brother and removes the gag gently as Raiden stares daggers at Shereen. “He smells like stripping whores and wrong decisions.”

The harshness of his words surprises me and I don’t know why. He’s never made it any secret how much he despises me, Tempest, and Sky. Maybe it’s because he was just inside of me not too long ago and the way he’s sounding disgusted by strippers makes me want to call him out for his contradiction. Until my eyes fall on Squall. He’s looking at me earnestly, his cold-blue eyes watching me watching his lover. My cheeks heat at being caught, and he gives me a small smile before redirecting his gaze to Torrent and Raiden.

“Shereen.” Raiden’s deep voice almost shakes the walls in this cavernous place. “You know damn well I am not an acting Magistrate. The day I agreed to that role, I had already put into motion to bring down this Order.”

“Didn’t work, did it?” She tips her head to the side, her eyes flicking to Torrent. “Was it because your brother loved this Order?”

“Just come out with it,” Raiden demands. “Am I here to be killed like the others? Are you going to force my brother to kill me?”

The room plunges into silence and I swear my heart beats hard enough that everyone must hear it. I want to believe that Torrent would never kill his own brother, but sadly, I don’t know if that’s the case. I feel like he doesn’t form attachments—blood or otherwise—to anybody, and if it suited him he would kill whoever he pleases.

“Torrent.” Shereen looks at him, giving him a wicked smile. “Would you kill the final Magistrate?”

I hold my breath just to prevent the gasp from escaping as I wait for Torrent’s answer, dreading the outcome.

“No,” he finally supplies, the sound startling me and causing my body to jerk with surprise. “If you had asked me this time last year, or even a few months ago, I probably would have done it with little thought,” Torrent confesses.

“You are my Vanquisher. I could order you to do it,” Shereen says, intimidation coating her words.

“Will you get on with it?” Torrent snaps, his anger starting to swell. “You wouldn’t have brought us all here if you wanted me to kill Raiden. Squall would never let that happen.”

Squall nods and narrows his eyes on Shereen. No, he wouldn’t let anything happen to his leader. He is loyal, even to a fault. Do I want Raiden dead? Not particularly, but if he’s been a Magistrate all this time and didn’t tell his family, that to me is dishonest.

“I never took that role seriously and you know it,” Raiden interjects. “It was all a ruse to get those Magistrates to the island to slaughter them.”

“Should I tell them about how you agreed to kill them for the previous Luciphia?” Shereen replies coolly.

“Go ahead.” Raiden nods. “But you should know, you’re making yourself out to look like a fool. Of course, I agreed to kill them … for my own purposes.”

“My brother has always been cunning, his personality nearly mirroring my own with its duality, but he’s no liar,” Torrent growls. “If you are trying to turn us against each other, there’s no need. I long lost respect for any of my Deluge bandmates.”

I look around Torrent to see Raiden’s face and I’m shocked when I see no reaction. His brother just admitted to having no respect for him and he doesn’t seem to care.

“Did you lose it the night you had to kill Father Robert for them?” Shereen inquires, her face dropping its nonchalant mask. “Did you feel alone after that?”

“I was never alone,” Torrent says as his eyes move to Squall.

“But you don’t respect him?” Shereen’s eyes follow his, and they both watch Squall.

“Squall will always own a piece of me. He knows that. Now stop wasting our time. What the fuck do you want?” Torrent snarls and Raiden grunts in agreement.

“I’m impressed with the strong front you guys have, even after all this time,” Shereen chuckles as she rises from her morbid throne. Her locs sway against her back as she steps down, the large amulet around her neck swinging with the motion. “I hate that my niece is so firmly in your grasp and convincing her to leave would be futile. Haynes has a sick sense of humor for doing that.”

“They were always fated, and maybe you were the path that led them to one another,” Squall suggests as he shuffles his feet. “Regardless, they would’ve ended up together eventually.”

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