by Monica Doke
“Shut up,” Ziodin barked. He dragged Melody up the stairs while the Pramacretine tried to stay on her feet. She clawed at Ziodin's arms but he did not pause.
“You have been working with her since she began?” Melody choked on her words, causing the last few to be higher pitched and broken up.
“Yes, my dear, the whole time. It was the lure of immense power. You know what it is like, I know you do,” Ziodin teased. Melody scoffed crossly. Ziodin yanked her hair painfully.
“I may be powerful, but I am not evil,” Melody spat. Ziodin chuckled.
“Good and evil are nothing in the wake of gaining power,” He smiled down at her. “This is not about good and evil. Not in this world. It is about where you are in the end. I, for one, do not want to be on the losing hand. That will be where you and your family will be. I want to be powerful, defy death and have my hand in the ruling of the world. Either way, I will succeed, because I have my place and power in this world, far longer than anyone else does. And if luck has it, I will also have this very palace.” Melody found her tongue firmly glued to the roof of her mouth. After a few moments, she managed to speak.
“What…what has she been doing? What does she want with me? And why do I need to be untouched?” Melody asked all at once, as he pulled her into a room. It was her father's office.
“You know you are a threat to her. She wishes you to die here so she may gain your Ether. The incantation she will use to gain it requires of you to be a virgin - to be unscathed and pure,” Ziodin said, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “I find it unfortunate. How would she even know you are a virgin? How would she know if you are now? You have probably already seduced my son!” He stepped forward and threw her into the floor. Melody looked around and saw her father sitting in his desk chair. She cried out to him and he looked up. The wound in Andover’s forehead bled furiously, covering his face. Melody saw his hands bound to the chair. He looked dazed as if he had just regained consciousness. Melody reached out to him, a sob escaping her throat. Ziodin smacked the Pramacretine across the face. Melody's head struck the floor causing her vision to blur. She watched as Ziodin grinned at her father. Andover growled deep in his throat.
“Leave her,” Andover snarled. “Do what you will with me but leave my daughter be!”
“I cannot do that, great Pacretine, she is my target. Not you,” Ziodin replied happily. “The Blood Witch requires her Ether. I will deliver her alive but I doubt she will remain that way.”
“Please,” Melody began to plead carefully. “Please, since I am to die, tell me why she has been so very quiet up to now. Please tell me why it took her so long to get me. Why has she stayed in shadows and not turned the world upside down with her power? If she is so great, then why would I be able to be any kind of obstacle?”
“You are a Pramacretine. You are a warrior and a scholar. You are everything a mighty Macretine should be and a leader against any great evil. Just like Serendipity. It is no great surprise that you should fail, it is sad that you will take so many down with you.” He fingered the crown on Andover's head gently in his gloved hands. “She had not found the one the Prophecy spoke of until only recently. She knew nothing of you, besides your fate as Macretine of Agoura. Even the Blood Witch Rovingae could not deny your fate in this nation. She set out to stop that, but she decided to take it slow. You were young. There was no reason to rush into your death, since you were no threat to her as a child. That is, until she found out what you are. The Divine is a great threat to her, indeed.
“Unfortunately, she felt that even if she were to begin her own search, her powers are not great enough to fight the whole alliance of Agoura alone. She must have your blood to face such an immense battle. That is why she has been quiet. To bring herself to the attention of more than mere local authorities would cause her plans to fall through. We could not have that,” Ziodin explained. He was proud to know Rovingae's plans and enjoyed sharing them. Melody felt her head swimming. How could her blood bring Rovingae to greater power? She jumped when Ziodin laughed, his loud voice hurting her inside. As if he read her mind, he spoke.
“You of all people, you the notorious scholar do not understand her meaning upon your sacrifice? The legend says, their blood did spill, the blood of the innocent, the blood of the damned, and the blood of heroes did fall upon that pool. From this pool, a dry, unhappy young woman drank, to find only that her womb filled with the spawn of a bloody war. The evils of death and battle took the young mother’s life, giving the creature born of her loins’ life and power unsurpassed by all but that of one other: The Divine,' Ziodin quoted. He glared at her condescendingly. “Your blood spills like all of the other blood that fed her, since her birth. She took the blood from the pool. She took the blood and life of her mother. She took the blood of all of those mighty sacrifices she has made throughout these hidden years. The blood is where she replenishes her Ether. With your blood, her power will truly be unsurpassed. She will take over this world you know and all will bow to her whim,” Ziodin finished with a flourish of wicked exaltation, the gleam in his eyes made Melody sick in her stomach.
The Conjurer turned to Andover and chanted an incantation over him. The Pacretine slumped in his chair until it fell into the floor. Ziodin knelt and picked up Andover's crown and placed it on his own head. Melody cried out. She did not know what happened to her father, what Ether Ziodin had used on him. The Pramacretine felt as if her body wanted to expel all it had seen and learned. Suddenly an idea flickered to life in her mind. She quickly shut away the recognition she felt. In only a moment, she began to play out her idea. She held herself together and ignored her father's body in the floor. As she stood and straightened, she knew what she could do to distract Ziodin. He had made it clear. Melody had learned much of bad men in the recent past.
The young Pramacretine of Agoura turned and shut the door, twisted the lock and smiled. The Conjurer stared at her cautiously. He gave her space and Melody could sense his tension rising. He did not know what she was planning. Melody approached him slowly, placing her hand on his shoulder. She pulled herself up onto her Father’s desk and sat her body right beside Ziodin. Her blue dress hung loosely on her slight frame.
“Why would it matter if I were pure, if the blood is for an evil being anyway?” Melody asked, deftly masking her anger with a husky voice she knew would affect the Conjurer. “After all, she would not know who did it,” Melody purred. She forced her hand to trail around Ziodin's back seductively. Immediately, Ziodin had closed his eyes and readied his body for her. Melody pressed his form to her own and grimaced out across the room so he could not see it. She began to untie her gown, which was already far too large. Once her breasts were nearly free, she knew the man was distracted enough for her to play out her plan.
In a flash, her hands had grasped his thick, graying hair in an iron grip and she pulled his head back with great force. The Pramacretine wrapped her legs around his torso in an iron grip. She felt Ethereal fire begin to surge up from the earth, into her veins, through her incandescent eyes and into Ziodin's. She heard him gasp, a look of wild terror and realization all too late overwhelmed his wicked face. The light from her gaze engulfed Ziodin's face. The conjurer bucked and kicked but Melody held tight to his head. After a few moments, he cried out and fell in a heap on the floor. Melody probed him with her Ether, making sure his heart had stopped completely. Her own heart was beating out of her chest and she bent over away from the corpse to vomit painfully on the floor. She hyperventilated and began to cry from the adrenaline coursing through her. Melody scrambled to her father. He had a pulse but it was very faint.
Melody stumbled to the door. Her hands did not want to work and her vision was blurred. She struggled against the doorknob but could not figure it out. Melody slumped against the wall and screams just spilled out of her. Time passed slowly. Melody tried to clean the vomit but could only use her own discarded clothes. She covered it with her robes, which left her only in her nightgown. Thane and J
ax burst in together, quickly followed by half of the guard. Jax gasped and cried out when he saw his father in the floor. He dove down to Melody and frantically inspected her face. She had a busted lip but that seemed to be the worst of it. She stared at him, her tears blurring his face.
Thane saw Melody's gown was torn and he growled.
“Are you alright?” Thane asked, confused. Melody looked down at her bare chest. She let out a small cry and tried to lace it. Her hands shook so much so she could not manage it. She began to scratch at her skin frantically. Thane gently moved her hands away and tied the front of her gown for her. He left her to aid their father.
“What did he do, Melody? What did he do?” Jax asked as panic bubbled out from him. She knew he was speaking of his father and that he thought Ziodin had violated her. She shook her head. Her weeping grew heavier and more desperate. He pleaded with her to tell him what had happened. Finally, she had quieted her sobs enough to gasp the scene to him. Jax felt his blood boiling. He saw the room turn red and he felt as if his whole world had just instantaneously crumbled into painful fragments. He shot up and ran to his father's body. He kicked it repeatedly. Screaming, Jax wailed on his father. Yirah tried to stop Jax and finally managed to contain him. The Helacorn guard held him back until the Conjurer could calm down. Melody sobbed in the floor. She was so tired, so abused at this point that the Pramacretine could not calm down. She had killed a man. She exposed herself again. Melody choked, causing the Conjurer's anger to morph into concern.
“Father, my father,” she sputtered, her voice hoarse from vomiting and crying. “Is he alive?” Once again, her breath stopped and sobs burst out in a rage of tears. She could not stop it this time, holding her head in her hands she cried unabashedly. Jax knelt down and picked her up. He carried her to her room. Along the way, he shouted as loud as he could for everyone to wake and fetch the palace guards and Healers. He ordered the soldiers who responded immediately to his cries to take the corpse of Ziodin away and burn it and to the rest he advised them to check the prison in the event of their release. Jax knocked loudly on the doors between the Pacretine's office and Melody's bedroom as he balanced Melody gently in his arms. Genewen emerged and raced down the hall towards Jax. She looked at Melody's face to make sure she was okay. Finding her stepdaughter had been overtaxed; she asked Jax what was happening.
“Ziodin attacked the Pacretine and Melody killed him,” Jax gasped. Genewen's eyes widened and her face became authoritative.
“Get her to bed, now!” Genewen ordered. She had once been a Captain. “She may still die, Jaxon, she has not slept for days and her unchecked use of Ether could kill her. We do not know!” Jax nodded. “I will handle the rest,” the Macretine told him. “Thank you.” Genewen shot out. Jax inclined his head and raced to Melody's room.
…
A few days had passed, as the whole palace was abuzz with activity. Andover was gravely ill and no one knew how to recover him. Melody had spent much of her time with him and had not yet spoken with Jax about his father. She was worried about him but knew at least that the Conjurer would live. Thane sat quietly on the other side of the room. Thane had not left his father's side since the night of his attack. Melody looked at her brother and guilt marred her features. She had been asleep for two days after the attack. Today was the third day.
“Melly, stop that,” Thane said. He walked over and knelt down in front of her. “You are not responsible for this,” the Healer said gently to his sister.
“Thane, I did not even try to fight Ziodin's incantation,” Melody said. She bowed her head miserably. Andover had been non-responsive for days and it did not look good.
“Melody, Ziodin attacked you after you had not slept in days. He watched you closely. He knew what he was doing. The only reason you are still alive, as Father would want, is that you were able to think quickly enough to kill him before he could kill you. Besides, Father may still pull through this,” Thane reassured her. Melody sighed and leaned onto his shoulder. Thane held her in an embrace for a while.
“Have you spoken with Jax?” Thane asked Melody after a while. “You have been cooped up in here and I think Jax will need to speak with you. He may need to speak with someone,” Thane said. Melody thought of Jax's mother dying in his arms and guilt crept into her gut.
“I should,” Melody whispered. “I have neglected him since that night. He was so good,” Melody said looking at Thane. The Healer nodded, smiling.
“He is,” Thane agreed. “You were right all along.” Melody promised to see Jax before she went to bed that night. She made Thane promise to allow Acacia to relieve him so he may sleep in a bed.
…
Melody approached Jax's door. She felt her nerves sing with tension. She felt guilty for ignoring him after all he had done for them that night. She was so embarrassed and afraid he would think badly of her for the way she had handled his father. She had spent a long while preparing herself to see him. Melody did not know why but she wanted him to see her when she looked pretty. He had seen so much of her in a state of disarray and harm. She wanted him to know she was more than that. She looked down at herself and sighed, then knocked on the door.
The Pramacretine heard a rustling sound and Jax calling out to know who knocked. Melody announced herself nervously. The young Conjurer came to the door. He was not wearing a shirt, his belt was gone and his boots were by the bathing room. Melody could see he had been sleeping.
“I didn’t think you would come,” Jax said, blushing as she removed her cloak and sat on his bed. He found a tunic and pulled it over his head.
“Why not? You may have saved my life,” Melody said, she was not smiling, but her face was glowing and Jax sensed her tension. He sat beside her.
“I was afraid that since everything happened because of my father you would want nothing more from me,” Jax said. He was low but he had already brought himself to terms with the idea. Melody walked over to him and put her hand on his cheek.
“I could never blame you for his actions, Jax,” Melody replied evenly. Her sparkling eyes communicated how completely serious she was. She stared into his face for a while longer, finding that it calmed her nerves and brought her clarity.
“I have only been here a fortnight and I have all but destroyed this nation,” Jax said, his face burning with embarrassment and anger.
“No,” Melody said. Her voice was authoritative. “You will not do that, Jaxon Callfah.” Jax flinched at his last name. Melody noticed it and looked at him inquisitively.
“May I take a new name?” Jax asked. “I do not want my father's surname.” Melody nodded.
“What was your mother's surname?” the Pramacretine asked.
“Tiltan,” Jax replied smiling at Melody. Melody nodded resolutely.
“Tiltan shall be your new surname. A name of which you should be proud to carry on for generations,” Melody declared.
“Can you do that?” Jax asked. Melody laughed.
“I do not have to,” Melody answered. “It is only up to you to know what you would like to be called, but I can submit it to be recognized by our nation. I can marry people, too. I have the authority.” Jax laughed.
“I can hardly believe how little time I have known you but how much I like you,” Jax said as he pulled Melody to him. He hugged her and put his chin on her head.
“The concept of time is harder to perceive as expendable by mortals,” Melody whispered. She looked up at him. “If I were normal, I would live a life at least twice as long as yours. If I fell in love with you, I would lose you as soon as halfway through my life.” Jax's face darkened and his brows furrowed.
“Then do not fall in love with me, Melody,” Jax said, boldly. She shook her head, smiling.
“It hardly matters,” Melody replied sadly. “Immortality means little when I already know I will die young. I worry about your heart if I take it. It will break when you lose me,” Jax gazed at her, his expression unreadable.
“You will b
reak many hearts upon your death, Melody,” Jax replied finally. “But I think everyone who loves you would prefer to have had the opportunity than to squander it.” Melody blushed.
“I do not want to hurt anyone,” Melody whispered huskily. She knew she would.
“You are too wonderful for this world,” Jax whispered, his cheeks burning. “Besides, love is everlasting, is it not?” He asked, his voice quavered. He was not sure if he wanted to say the words that spilled forth. “I could find you after I die, too.”
“That is a sweet thought that I will hold onto,” Melody replied. Her face was red.
“I am older than you, anyway, so it will not have to be so long,” Jax said cheerfully. Melody laughed at his mirth while speaking of death.
“I doubt it will feel like less time either way,” Melody said. Her face darkened when she thought of her father.
“Melody, I am so sorry – I mean, about your father. I should have been better, more aware. I should have killed my father before or...” Jax stumbled over his sentence until he felt like a fool and fell silent.
“Jax, please do not do that. I have spent the day thinking all of the same things and I know we cannot do that to ourselves. The only one to blame is this is your father,” Melody replied. Jax listened intently, while thinking about what Melody said.
“I think we can blame the Blood Witch,” Jax replied. His voice held a level of contempt that was out of place on someone so young. Melody pressed herself against him to stop his train of thought. It worked perfectly.