“You won’t,” Aggravain said. “I never did. I only know now because I pay attention. It’s like right before a thunderstorm when you can feel the lightning that hasn’t struck yet. It’s hunger in every part of you, a hole you can’t fill and you know you want more than food but you don’t know what else. It feels like you can smell everything, everywhere. It’s all awake, alive - every part of you feels like it’s running away from all the other parts, in a hundred different directions.”
Melody’s silence was response enough. Aggravain sat back, satisfied, and Jovan sighed. Senna reached over and took her hand, squeezing her fingers.
“Miss? Excuse me?” The young woman who approached the table was quiet, with eyes only for Melody. “Miss?”
Releasing Senna’s comforting hand, Melody turned to the newcomer, whose pale blue aura shimmered, as if it were trying to shrink. “Yes?”
“I’m not sure why I think you can help,” the girl said, looking back over her shoulder at her friends. “But we— I mean, I feel like I should know you? Like you can help me?”
“Of course.” Melody gave a reassuring smile. “My name is Melody. What can I help you with?” she asked. This was someone her song had awakened, she was certain.
The girl bit her lip, and glanced over her shoulder again. “Can I just show you?” Not waiting for an answer, the girl picked up one of the empty pottery mugs from the table. Her hands were shaking, however, and the mug dropped to the floor, where it shattered.
“No cure for clumsy,” Aggravain muttered.
Melody ignored him, and knelt to help pick up the pieces. “It’s all right,” she reassured the girl. “We can get another one.”
“Wait,” came the reply. When all of the fragments were on the table, the girl looked around, then scooped them into her cupped palms. After a few moments, she set down a whole, unbroken mug in front of them.
“Oh,” ‘Vain said.
The girl looked at Melody, nervously biting at her fingers. “I couldn’t do that yesterday,” she said.
Jovan examined the mug, but found no cracks or even a sign that it had been broken. “That’s useful,” he said, setting the mug back down.
“Am I evil?” asked the girl. She was trembling, her eyes wide and fearful. “Will … will the Lich King come for me?”
“Of course not,” said Senna.
“It’s a gift.” Melody showed her the repaired mug. “It’s magic.”
“But I don’t want it,” the girl pleaded, keeping her voice low. “What if someone sees? Please, take it back?”
“I … I can’t.” Melody’s heart sank. Aggravain had been right. Magic was as natural as breathing to her, but these people had been raised to fear and distrust it. Her song had awakened powers in them that they didn’t understand, powers they believed to be evil. Powers they didn’t want. “Whatever you’ve been told,” she said, “magic is not evil. It’s a tool, only as bad as the person using it. You’re not evil.” The girl did not look comforted.
“What do your friends do?” Jovan asked.
The girl stared, wide-eyed. “How do— why do you think they can do anything?”
“I’m guessing that anyone who was here last night can do something today,” Aggravain said.
The girl’s eyes widened further, and she stared at Melody. “You did this to everyone?”
Melody’s stomach twisted. “The potential for magic is in everyone,” she said. “I only awaken what’s already there.”
The girl was pale. “But Reskan was here last night. Did you give him magic too?”
“Who is that?” Jovan asked.
“He’s a trapper, they call him Mad Reskan. They say he’s mean to the bone. Even the guard is afraid of him. What powers did you give him?”
“I don’t give out magic,” Melody protested, sick to think that her song might have awakened someone who would use the power to hurt, or harm. “I don’t control that. I’m sorry, I didn’t think—“
“Maybe you should have.” The girl wrapped her arms around her stomach and looked back at her friends. “What are we supposed to do now?”
Senna spoke up. “Duke Thordike’s doors are open to magic users,” she said. “You can go there today, or if you don’t want to go alone, you’re welcome to come with us tomorrow. Please, tell your friends, it will be all right.”
“Maybe.” The girl left without another word, and Melody brought her hands to her face, rubbing at her temples.
“Not to say I told you so…”
“Not now, ‘Vain.” Senna met Melody’s eyes, and reached again for her friend’s hands.
“What have I done?” Melody looked around the table, reading the uncomfortable expressions of the others. “What am I doing?”
“What you have to do,” Jovan said. “This is the only plan we have, we can’t go up against Semaj without magic.”
“What about the trapper?” Melody pulled her hands back, fidgeting restlessly with the mug in front of her. “She said—“
“We’ll watch for him. Not everyone gets magic when you sing,” he reminded her. “I didn’t.”
Aggravain sat back in his chair. “I’m not saying you’re wrong, Jovan, but there has to be a better way. These people didn’t ask for this.”
“You’ll get better,” Senna assured Melody. “You’ve only done this twice. I’m curious - how did she know to come to you?”
“I put it in the song.” She saw their confusion, and clarified. “I showed them my face. I thought I could help them if they were confused, or scared.” She picked at her fingernails. “I don’t think I helped."
“Can you change the song again?” Senna asked. “I don’t know how it works, but what if you could show them what’s at stake, why their magic is a good thing? You could encourage them to go to Duke Thordike.”
“Giving them nightmares of the Lich King is not going to make them feel better about waking up with magic, Senna,” Aggravain said.
“It doesn’t have to be nightmares,” challenged Jovan. “She’s right, though. Melody, how much can you do with your song? Can you use it to make people not be afraid of the magic you’re waking up?”
“Probably. I think so? Yes.” She knew she could. With the magic she had sensed on the journey here, the currents she had touched, Melody was certain that almost anything was possible. “I’ll try to think of something, I just … my thoughts are all over the place right now.”
“That reminds me.” Aggravain gestured towards the door with his chin. “We should get to the woods,” he told Melody. “I can make it a good distance away pretty fast, but you’re going to slow me down.”
Jovan shook his head. “I told you no.”
“Well she can’t stay here,” ‘Vain snapped, trying to keep his voice low. “She’d tear through every one of these people, or die trying. She won’t exactly be thinking clearly, not once it starts.”
“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Melody wrapped her arms around her clenching stomach. “But what if I don’t? What if I go with you and you’re the only one who changes?”
“You’re not going to take that risk,” Jovan said.
Aggravain shook his head, meeting Melody’s frightened eyes. “What if you stay here and you do change? Will you risk that?”
“What if Jovan stays with her?” Senna suggested. “If she changes, he could—”
“She would eat him alive,” ‘Vain said, turning his serious gaze to Senna. “And you know it.” Senna paled as she remembered her sister. Anna had sought out Aggravain when the moon was full, and she had been torn to pieces.
“Maybe in a dungeon,” ‘Vain continued. “Maybe in chains - maybe then you could contain her. Without that, though…”
Jovan could feel Melody’s panic rising, and he took her hand. “You won’t change,” he assured her quietly. “Remember your dream?”
Melody remembered. Her other self hadn’t said anything about being cursed, or changing when the moon was full. That would have been important enough to
share, she thought.
“I do, but Jovan, I feel so … strange.” The sensations flooding through her were getting more intense. “What does it mean?”
“It means we get you out of here,” Aggravain said. He was restless, too, tapping his fingers on the table.
Jovan spun, slamming his hand on the table so hard that even ‘Vain pulled back in surprise. “No,” he said. “You go. She stays.”
Melody shifted in her seat. “But what if—”
“I’ll be with you. We’ll be away from everyone else. But I am not risking your life by sending you out with him. We know he’ll turn. I still don’t think you will.”
‘Vain stood up, shaking his head. “I hope you’re right,” he said, stretching his neck and cracking his knuckles. He leaned down and kissed Senna, thoroughly, leaving her breathless. “See you on the other side of the moon.”
Senna took a deep breath when he had left, and brought her attention back to Melody. She didn’t want to think that Aggravain was right, but Melody was just as restless as he had been. “Let me check you out,” she suggested. “I’ll see if I can feel anything strange going on. At the very least, I can check on the baby.”
Melody chewed at the edge of her finger as she followed Jovan and Senna back up to their room. Her thoughts were spinning, and she couldn’t seem to make them line up. Would she become a monster? Even if she wasn't like Aggravain, people were angry with her for awakening the magic within them. Would changing her song change what she was, or what she was pulling these people into? Was she a monster already?
“Sit,” Senna said, motioning towards the bed.
Melody sat.
Jovan stood by the window, alternating glances at the sky and the women. Senna went quiet and ran her hands over Melody’s body - not touching her, but hovering just above her clothes. Melody tried to be still, but couldn’t stop the bouncing of her toes.
Senna sighed. “The baby is fine,” she said. “Active, though you probably can’t feel it. So are you. But I can’t tell anything else.”
“What do you think we should do?” Jovan asked. “Should she have gone with ‘Vain?”
Senna shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She remembered Anna again, wondering if Jovan could survive an attack like that. Melody’s guilt would destroy her if he didn’t, she thought. “We’d better think of something in case we’re wrong, though.”
Melody picked at the threads in the fabric of her skirt. “‘Vain said something about a dungeon?”
“I don’t think many inns have those,” Jovan said, teasing.
“Rope,” Senna said. “There will be some in the stable, I’m sure. It would only be for a little while,” she continued, seeing Melody’s eyes widen in alarm. “If you didn’t transform, Jovan could release you, and if you did—”
“I’d have time to stop her before she hurt anyone.”
Stop. Melody’s stomach dropped. He meant kill. The sick feeling worsened as the Healer and Jovan continued, nodding, agreeing that tying her up in the stable was the best choice that put the fewest number of people at risk, that the stable was perfect because it was a completely separate building…
“Melody? Are you all right?” Jovan was watching her, and she realized she had worried a hole in her dress. She put her hand over it, and nodded.
“When?” she asked.
“Sooner is probably better,” Senna said. “Do you want me to come?”
“Maybe safer if you don’t.” Jovan reached for Melody’s hand, and she stood, her heart pounding. “We’re fine,” he said, more for Melody’s benefit than Senna’s. “It’s going to be fine.”
8
The stable area was deserted save a single boy who took Jovan’s coins and agreed not to notice them. He had the air of a boy accustomed to not noticing things. Melody could hardly bring herself to follow Jovan into the dim warmth that smelled of horses and leather - scents that filled her memories with fear and pain.
“Melody?” Jovan spoke softly, feeling the shadow of her rising tide of panic in himself. “What is it?” He shut the door behind them, and she jumped at the sound of the latch falling into place. “It’s all right, I’m here.”
She had no words, only memories, so she gave him those - waking bound in a room under a stable, collared and helpless with a man who—
Jovan pulled her into his arms immediately, sickened at the visions she gave him. She had shown him back then what Garen had done, what it had felt like. How could he have forgotten? How could he have thought to bind her here, in the stable of all places?
Because there was no other place, he realized. Even if there was, as short as the winter days were, there was no way to get there fast enough. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered into her hair. She was shaking in his arms. “If there was any other way, I would do it, but we have no time, Melody. Please, be strong. I’m with you.”
He brought her to the back of the stable, climbing the ladder to the loft behind her so she wouldn’t panic at the coil of rope he’d picked up. She might not change, he didn’t think she would, but she was so restless, so anxious that even he could feel the edge of it. If there was even the smallest risk …
“There,” he said, pointing at the center beam. Melody said nothing as he moved a bale of hay up against the post for her, but when he gestured for her to sit, he saw the tears in her eyes and on her cheeks. His heart sank. How could he ask this of her?
“Maybe we don’t have to do this,” he said immediately, moving to embrace her again. Anything to take the fear from her face.
She put a hand against his chest, stopping him.
“We do,” Melody said, and her voice was shaky. “I don’t want to, but … I feel different, Jovan. Like ‘Vain said I would. I’m just … What if I turn? You’ll have to kill me.” She looked up at him. “That’s what you meant when you said stop, right?”
“Melody, it won’t come to that. This,“ he showed her the rope, “is just a precaution. I’ll be gentle,” Jovan assured her, kissing her forehead. “I promise.”
“Just … don’t let me hurt anyone.” She took a seat with her back against the post, and reached behind her back. “Make sure.”
“I will.”
Melody squirmed as Jovan wrapped and knotted the rope, securing both her wrists and elbows to the post. She couldn’t seem to sit still, but there was no give in the knots when he finished. Despite the chill of the stable loft, her cheeks were pink and warm.
“There you go,” he said, moving to sit in front of her. “Now we wait.”
Melody took a deep breath, and leaned her head back against the post. “Shouldn’t you leave? What if—”
“I’m not going anywhere, Melody. Moonrise will be soon, and when you stay yourself, we’ll get out of here.”
“How are you so sure?” she asked, fighting the urge to pull at the ropes just to be moving.
“Two things,” he replied. “First, you showed me your dream. The other you, the one in the dream - she didn’t say anything about full moons or monsters, right?”
Melody shook her head. “No. But she didn’t look pregnant, either. I am. What if I’ve already failed?”
“If she was the you after everything that’s still ahead of us, then she would have already had the baby,” Jovan rationalized. “She still would have told you anything important. Don’t forget, I was also there when you broke the fever. I felt it, I felt you stop it.”
Melody took another deep breath, unbearably restless. She wanted to rock her hips, flex her muscles, arch her back … she wanted to bite. She was hungry, but also not, and it was as though she couldn’t get enough air. “Maybe I didn’t,” she said, tossing her head to get the hair off her neck. “It feels like I’m burning from the inside out.”
Jovan frowned, and touched her cheek - her skin was hot under his palm. He could see both of their breaths as misty clouds when they breathed. For her to be that hot … “I’m going to go check the sky,” he said, pointing at the hay-door i
n the side of the barn. “I’ll be right back.”
He didn’t have to open the door far. The sky was the pale purple of the moments following sunset, dark enough to show him the full moon just barely peeking over the marketplace in the distance. He looked over his shoulder, but Melody was still there, looking back at him.
Jovan smiled in relief.
“You’re safe,” he said, latching the door against the chill breeze. “The moon is full. You’re you.”
“Then why do I feel like this?” Melody asked, squirming impatiently as Jovan worked the knots free. She remembered ‘Vain’s saying how her thoughts would be all food, sex, and fighting— He was right, but why? She hadn’t changed.
She suddenly wanted nothing more than to touch Jovan, smell him, run her hands and teeth over his bare shoulders, taste the salt on his skin …
“We should ask Senn—”
The instant her hands were free, Melody wrapped her arms around Jovan and kissed the words from his lips so forcefully he lost his balance. She stumbled forward with him, refusing to let go, and her desire was irresistible. Nothing mattered, not the wooden floor or the hay, the cold or the horses shifting below them. Melody wordlessly insisted that he love her, and love her he did.
9
“Come.” Duke Thordike looked towards the office door expectantly, and Jayden Korith raised his head from the map he had been studying.
“No one knocked,” he said, just as Thordike’s steward Simon slipped into the room.
“Pardon me, my Lord, but there are visitors to see you,” the steward said. “They claim to have information about the Lich King, and are offering their aid.”
“Thank you, Simon. They are in the receiving hall?”
The steward nodded. “Yes, my Lord. I’ll tell them to expect you momentarily.”
Jayden sat back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. “Does a day ever pass here without interruption?”
Thordike stacked the papers he had been reviewing. “I will never turn away a hand looking to hold a sword for me,” he said, standing up. “Come, let us see what this group can tell us that our own sources cannot.”
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