Echoes of Fae: Book One of the Divine (22 page)

              “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 break 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.

              “You are beautiful,” Jax said into Melody's hair. She laughed into his chest.

              “You are silly,” Melody replied. Jax pulled her back to look into her face.

              “Only because you knock me out of my senses,” Jax replied seriously. “Before I met you, I was nothing. I wanted to die. The day I caught you was the first day of my life.” Melody stared up at him. Touched by his sincerity, her stomach twisted into knots. “I am so sorry about all of my lies. I wish I had just been honest from the beginning, but I was selfish and I did not want to lose my mother.”

              “That was your father's game, Jax,” Melody replied. “He bribed you with her life from when you were very little. You knew nothing else. I am very pleased that meeting me has brought you out of that.”

              “I am as well,” Jax said. “So was my mother. She died on her own terms,” Jax said. “She died in my arms and gave me my freedom. I will not waste that, I promise.” Jax's eyes widened when he remembered something.

              “I met a Ninze!” Jax said suddenly. Melody laughed.

              “You did? That is strange,” Melody replied. Jax led her to the bed so they could sit.

              “I know, but she told me to take my power back,” Jax told Melody. “Her name was Cally.” Melody smiled.

              “That is very interesting,” Melody told him. Jax smiled down at the Pramacretine. He leaned down to Melody and kissed her mouth. Melody returned his kiss gently. Jax pulled away blushing.

              “I am sorry,” Jax said. “I take many liberties with my Pramacretine.” Melody shoved the Conjurer as she laughed. He leaned over and kissed her again.

The Tragedy

              Genewen was in a flurry of motion as she cared for the Pacretine. She had asked Alastaf to take on the duties of the Pacretine until further notice. Alastaf did as asked but was very concerned about his father. Thane was primary in the care of his father. He had spent the morning searching for remedies in some of the texts. He still could not find the incantation the late Conjurer had used. Melody tried to describe it, but was sad to find she could not remember much.

              Thane stepped into the room, his stomach tight and his knees hesitant. He finally reached his father’s side and knelt down beside him. The Healer placed his hand against Andover's forehead. He held his hand to Andover's mouth and held it there. There was breath but it was slight. The Healer checked his father's eyes but was disappointed to find that they were sightless and did not react to light. Thane's heart pounded from the dread of his father's illness. Thane placed one of his long fingered hands on the Pacretine’s temple as he attempted to bring back his consciousness. It took many long moments, as the young Healer had to probe through his father’s mind to find where his consciousness was hiding. Without comment, his brother and stepmother watched as Thane began to hum. There was a sudden thickness in the air as they felt the Ether Thane wrought permeate through Andover and then through the rest of the room. They knew he was trying to bring his father back. The memory of him walking through the palace toward them lit up in their minds. This was Ether, not reality. They knew because Thane had tried many times before.

              To everyone's complete surprise, the Pacretine twitched and grunted to life. His eyes did not open as he groaned from pain. Thane watched as tears ran down Andover's face. The Pacretine whispered something inaudibly so Thane bent down to hear him. When the Healer heard his father repeat it, he replied loud enough for everyone to hear.

              “She is here, she killed Ziodin,” Thane said. He looked at Alastaf who nodded and fled the room.

              “He did not take her, Father. She took his life,” Thane repeated when Andover asked again. He was restless and in pain. In only a few moments, Melody ran back in with Alastaf. She stood beside Thane and took her father's hand.