Echoes of Fae: Book One of the Divine (6 page)

              “Not exactly,” Thane answered, “Some of the prisoners are here for crimes she struggles to understand; such as the Seraren woman, Acacia. She is Melody’s friend. Acacia is a good woman, honest and noble. She murdered her husband while he slept. Melody knows her innocence. She sees the woman hurt and thinks this is justification for her actions. It is, really, but our laws are clear. It may be that Acacia was justified but we cannot circumvent our own regulations for one woman or we must for all. Particularly since we can only know half of the story.”

              Jax winced. He felt pain in hearing Acacia’s story and of the Agouran justice against her. He shuddered and Thane noticed. The Healer thought the Conjurer believed their rules harsh. Really, Jax just pictured living within the walls of the dungeon.

              “By our rules, Acacia should have been put to death,” Thane offered, “She was given leniency, please believe that we did all we could to spare her.” Thane was speaking in response to Jax's nonverbal reaction. Trying to hide his thoughts from the Healer, Jax looked around and caught the gaze of a woman to whom Melody was talking. Her eyes were fathomless, ageless and frightening. He could sense her presence and it startled him. Quickly, Jax slammed a wall against her. She did not look surprised. She had seen something there and she looked uneasy. He stared at her pleadingly. She averted her gaze, but did not say a word.

As they moved forward, Thane also described some of the criminals who were very guilty. Jax felt uneasy in the prison. Melody called to them and they hurried to her side. She was standing outside of a cell, searching for a key.

“Ming is not responding,” Melody said, busily flipping through keys. “I think he has fainted.” Finally, the Pramacretine found the proper key and made her way into the cell. Melody shook the emaciated old man in the cell and poured some water into his mouth. Thane knelt beside her to assess the man. After a few moments, Thane looked over at Melody.

“Melly, he is dead,” Thane told her, gently. She frowned but looked resigned.

“He was very old. He stopped eating weeks ago no matter what I gave him,” Melody told them. Thane nodded. Jax backed away out into the corridor. His face was pale and unreadable.

“Thane, Melody, you must get away from him,” Jax said, his voice tight. Thane turned to Jax questioningly. Before the brother and sister could emerge from the cell, the door slammed shut, cutting the Conjurer off from the scene. The man who had just been dead on the floor was rising, his mouth a gaping cavern.

“Give me the girl,” Ming croaked. Melody cried out in surprise and backed away from him. Thane stood between the man and his sister. Jax ran up to the bars and grabbed Melody’s hand. He held on to her as Thane stood his ground against the ghoul. The old man tore into Thane with his fingernails and tried to bite him. Thane pushed him off, but sustained some wounds. The old man launched himself at Thane again, but surprised them all when Thane launched into midair. He bounced against the wall multiple times until he became still. The old man approached Melody.

              “Brother!” Melody shrieked. Jax held her back, his hand soft but demanding on her arm. She felt the tingling run through her again. She cursed her body and wondered why it would react so immaturely in such a situation. Jax looked at her sideways, and choked on a laugh and a sob. Melody realized he was using her Ether to strengthen his. The man came haltingly to a stop. Jax grunted with effort.

“Thane will die if you do not help me,” the Conjurer coughed. Melody concentrated her entire being on the thought of their spell beating that of the old man’s.

              He pulled at Melody’s Ether and felt his own swell as he tried to unravel the spell on the old man. He realized he had seen it before and knew he could not stop the spell. Instead, he broke the man’s body until it could no longer be a threat to them. Jax was able to stop the Ether than had pulled Thane from the ground. Jax used their power to lower the Healer gently to the ground. He then shifted his focus to the cell door and heard the satisfying clink of the lock releasing.

              Suddenly a flash of blue light knocked Jax from Melody and Thane into a pile of rotting hay. Thane sputtered and promptly vomited in the hay. “Do not move!” Jax shouted. Melody fell in a heap on the ground. Jax ran over to the old man and checked to be sure that Ming was gone. For good measure, he tied the man to the bars. A woman touched Jax's shoulder and he turned expecting to see Melody. Instead, he stood before the woman who had read his mind before. She stood oddly close to him.

              “Abai andecktor meltiforde,” the woman whispered. Jax stared at her. She gave him a knowing look followed by a flash of disapproval and sympathy. Jax frowned at her.

              “You are a strong Conjurer. I will help you carry them out,” she said into his mind. Before he had time to react, she had gone to Melody and picked her easily up. Jax retrieved Thane without question and followed the woman out. Thane had come to just enough to walk, so Jax led him with one arm wrapped around the Healer. Thane looked at the woman walking before them with Melody in her arms. He smiled at Jax.

              “That is Acacia. She is the Serare of which we were speaking,” Thane whispered faintly.

              “Yes,” Jax replied, “How did she get out?”

              Thane hesitated before he said, “No one can actually keep a Serare behind bars, and they are very strong Fae.” The Healer coughed roughly and hung his head. Jax stared at the woman with amazement. Mere honesty and respect kept her in a dungeon. He felt a surge of scorn throb in his temples. When he and Acacia reached Melody’s room, they placed the small Pramacretine into her bed and the Serare stayed to tend to her. She informed the Conjurer with her mind that she would tend to Thane shortly. Jax put Thane into his own bed and spoke to him.

              “You know,” Thane whispered, “What you did with Melody was big Ether. Does it hurt? I heard big Ether makes the wielder sick.” Jax shook his head.

              “I am dizzy and my head hurts like it never has before, but I did not actually use any Ether. I made the incantation but Melody’s Ether is what made it work. I am afraid I am not actually a very skilled Conjurer. My father taught me little,” Jax said.

              “Why did he not?” Thane asked groggily. Jax shrugged, but could not smother the anxiety that dashed across his face. Thane’s eyes narrowed, but he did not press.

              “I should go apologize to your sister, Thane,” the young Conjurer spoke softly. Thane shook his head.

              “She would be angry if you had not let her help me. She loves to be in control.” Thane grinned and then asked, “Do you have any idea how the old man pretended to be dead or how he moved me through the air?”

              “He was no old man, Thane,” Jax replied uneasily, “not anymore, his body was used as a vessel - like a ship at sail, someone was driving him and it was someone extremely powerful. Likely, he was not quite dead when he transformed. The Ether used for such a powerful incantation kills the body but traps the soul and uses the energy in the soul to power the Ether, which moves it. No one has used this nature of Ether before. There has been only one Fae who would perform such Ether.” Thane gaped, but the look in his eyes spoke more clearly than anything he could say.

              “Why is she after Melody now?” Thane whispered.

              “I do not know. For this moment, just know you are lucky to be alive,” Jax said.

“All thanks to the dynamic duo,” Thane smiled. Jax decided that he liked the Healer. He appreciated that Thane laughed even after he slammed repeatedly against a wall. The young men spoke for a while longer before Thane had to try to sleep.

              Jax made his way to Melody’s room. He wondered in what state she must be. The use of Ether to such a degree would normally kill a person twice her size. He was impressed either way. Halfway down the hall he saw Acacia. The Seraren woman looked him austerely in the eye and made her way to Thane’s room. He knocked, and after hearing her beckon, walked into Melody’s room and saw that she was sitting up, awake. He felt an odd urge to lie beside her and press his body against hers. She turned her head, and the urge magnified into longing. Melody smiled weakly.

              “How is Thane?” Melody croaked. Jax could tell she struggled to speak.

              “He will be fine. You are both impressively strong,” the Conjurer assured her. Melody smiled and nodded. She spoke again, but this time Jax could not hear her. He closed the distance between them and knelt beside her bed in order to hear her. Melody smiled over at him and fell asleep. He smiled ruefully and wondered what she had said.

…

Melody awoke the next day in a complete state of confusion. She wondered dizzily how long she had slept. The Pramacretine threw her coverlet from her and dragged her tired muscles from the bed. She walked unsteadily to the wardrobe and pulled out a simple white robe of silk. As Melody covered herself, she noticed she could hear her bathtub running. Her heart jumped as she wondered who waited in the bathing room. She opened the door cautiously and gasped when she saw Acacia standing over the bath, pouring scents and soaps into it. Melody ran up behind Acacia and hugged her warmly. Acacia turned and smiled brightly.

              “Good afternoon, my lady,” the Sararen woman said into Melody’s mind. She smiled.

              “You should speak aloud, there is a lot going through my mind and I do not want to share it all,” Melody requested kindly. Acacia smiled and nodded.

              “As you wish,” Acacia replied as she helped Melody out of her robe and into the bathtub. “Your father, the Pacretine, has requested to see you when you are made dressed and appropriate.”

Melody grunted. “That is what they keep telling me. As if I have never dressed in finery before.”

              “Hush now, no need for insolence,” Acacia replied.

Melody noticed her friend had a deep, sultry voice. Acacia was so small and delicate she looked like she should have a high-pitched voice. The voice Melody had always heard in her mind seemed more what she thought matched the woman’s face.

The Pramacretine wondered if that was just how she imagined it. The woman was many years Melody’s senior, but related to her with ease. The Serare were exquisite beings. Serare knew the nature of all things, they could see your truth even when you hid it from yourself and they were notoriously adept with the Ether in their minds. They could speak to others with their minds, or steal information, and they could move things with their minds. Melody knew the Serare were a mysterious race, which preferred to live away from mortals in their own compounds.

              Acacia helped the young Pramacretine out of her bath and into her white gown. The Sararen woman tied the laces in the back loosely as she knew the Pramacretine liked. As soon as they were dressed, a servant knocked at the door. Acacia opened the door reluctantly, and allowed an anxious Haroah to bring in tea. Melody invited him to join them and they sat around the fire, sharing stories of their heritage. The vast differences in the races intrigued Melody. Haroah stood suddenly looking serious. His ears turned crimson.

              “Pramacretine, I am so sorry. I am to tell you to report to the Pacretine urgently with your visitor,” Haroah reported. He inclined his head respectfully and quickly left the room. Acacia and Melody made their way to the Pacretine’s quarters. Melody entered first, pulling Acacia in by the hand. The Pacretine looked at them tentatively as they approached him.

              “Melody, I know how you love-” Andover began.

              Melody cut him off in a rush, “Please, Father. Acacia saved my life. She has always helped keep those in the dungeons healthy as they could be. You know, for all of those years she has been unarguably justified.” Melody stared at her father, wild-eyed and challenging. After staring hard at his daughter,

              Andover nodded before he spoke. ”I have, upon yours and Genewen’s insistence, given this much thought, Melody. Acacia may be free of the prison. She may not, however, stray farther than the castle grounds.” Andover turned to Acacia and said to her, “I believe your reasons, I do. We must punish the murderer of an official, under the law. I keep you in the castle grounds not to keep you punished, but to keep you safe.” The Seraren woman nodded, but Melody thrust forward.

              “I think these rules are ridiculous!” Melody bellowed. “People are rotting in there because they murdered bad men -” Melody started to argue, when Acacia held her hand up to the Pramacretine.

“Melody,” Acacia addressed the headstrong Pramacretine. “You are very young, and I love your passion. I admire your convictions. You must understand that what I did, all of us whom you reason to be justified, we knew what we were doing. We knew it was wrong. We did the last thing we could think to do. Since that night, I have thought of so many alternatives. I know that when I suffered, I acted rashly. I should not have murdered my husband. I should have sought help and preserved myself. I understand you see the injustice, as you should. Justice is never simple, child. It is complex. I will serve my time as my Pacretine orders, as my conscience dictates,” Acacia explained.

Melody’s eyes grew wide as she registered Acacia’s words. The Pramacretine felt shamed by her own outburst and she lowered her head. Melody realized that she behaved inappropriately, and felt very young and naïve. Andover stood and put his hands on Melody’s shoulders. She looked up at him. He was so tall, thin, and menacing. He looked youthful even with his white hair. Rumor suggested his hair had always been white. She remained unconvinced.