by Brea Alepoú
“Nari,” Lydia whispered.
More gasps—this time louder—and people started to whisper and point. Melony turned to see who their third person would be. A tall woman with blonde hair and high cheekbones approached. Next to her was a large tiger that had long fangs and reminded Melony of a saber-tooth tiger. Melony squinted her eyes. The third person almost looked like a younger version of the queen. She turned to look at Lydia.
“Lempi!” Lydia shouted.
“It’s Lemy.” Lemy made it down and walked to stand next to Nari and Phillis behind Melony.
“This is outrageous. Councilman Leo, I declare you not take this seriously. My sister is obviously playing at some game.”
Oh, shit.
Melony glanced behind her, and sure enough, Lemy stood behind her with a stern look on her face. Melony didn’t think she was playing around. Melony looked over to Nari and got a wink before Nari stared back over at the councilman. Melony turned back around. She would need to talk to Nari about disclosing all the information in the future. It would have been nice to know that Lemy was the queen's sister.
“I kid you not. I am joining her coven,” Lemy said.
“No!” Lydia shouted. The whole room went quiet. “I forbid it.”
Melony was pretty sure if there had been a chance, a really small chance, that she could have walked out of there without dying, it had all just gone to hell. Based solely on the murderous look Lydia was shooting her way.
All because her sister—which Melony hadn't known about—had decided to join Melony’s coven.
“This ends here,” Lydia commanded. She moved to stand in front of Melony, next to Leo.
“I agree. This ends here,” Melony said. She turned to look at Leo only. “I have met the stupid requirements. Now what?”
The anger that flashed over Leo’s face made no sense to Melony. He acted as if her personal doom would benefit him in some way. For all that knew, that was the case, and that’s why he was so bent on punishing her for something she hadn’t done.
“This is no game,” Lydia said through gritted teeth.
Melony rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know that.”
Leo stood next to Lydia, both of them glaring down at Melony as if she was nothing more than an eye sore. A smile appeared on Leo’s face, and Melony’s stomach turned, knowing the councilman was going to say something to fuck up her plans.
“I understand you are a coven under Queen Lydia.”
What?
Lydia instantly smiled and nodded. “That would be the ca—”
“Like fuck I stay under her! We aren’t with her at all,” Melony declared.
All who were there gasped at Melony’s announcement, but she paid them no attention. They all seemed to think she could only exist as long as she was under Lydia's thumb. It might be true, but Melony didn’t want to believe it.
If looks could kill, Melony would be six feet under as Lydia and Leo both stared daggers at her.
“You don’t have anyone to protect you,” Lydia informed her.
Melony shrugged. “What’s to say I can’t protect us?”
Whispers spread in the crowd. “Challenge.”
No.
Melony didn’t have a death wish; at least, she didn’t at that moment. She wasn’t challenging Lydia. She really wanted everyone to leave. Maybe then, they wouldn’t start things.
Lydia lifted a groomed blonde eyebrow. “Are you challenging me?”
What was she supposed to say? No felt like she would be showing weakness, but yes would be a lie. Would be no, but yes if you think I’m a punk ass bitch? She didn’t respond fast enough, and the next thing Melony knew, the embodiment of her fear stood next to Lydia. The air felt thick and hard to breathe. Melony wasn’t sure if it was because Isabelle stood next to Lydia, or if something else was happening.
“Choose your words wisely.” Lydia looked down at Melony. “I have allowed you to speak freely. No more. You are in front of a queen, your better. Your next words should reflect that,” she said haughtily.
Melony opened her mouth, ready to tell her to shove her crown up her ass, but Isabelle took a step forward and fear coursed through Melony at breakneck speed. Her legs trembled, and they threatened to drop from under her. She didn’t have time to be afraid, but it was easier said than done. The person who tortured her stood in front of her, and now she was supposed to overcome the fear? She hadn’t even overcome everything that had happened to her.
“To think, Queen Lydia is afraid of a young witch,” someone commented.
Melony turned behind her to see who had spoken. Lemy walked over and stood next to Zola.
“Lem—”
“I didn’t come here to challenge you,” Melony said, interrupting Lydia. She hadn’t come there willingly, and none of her plans included fighting Lydia, or however they handled challenges. “I’ve declared my coven, that means regardless if I’m guilty—which, I want it to go on the record that I’m not—I have a coven to serve out whatever community service you have.”
The air only got thicker. Melony was sure it wasn’t her fear. She was still scared shitless of Isabelle, but thanks to Lemy momentary distracting her, she hadn’t looked at Isabelle since she’d appeared and was avoiding looking down.
“It isn’t that simple,” Leo said.
“It is,” Lemy declared.
Melony was happy she was helping, because Melony honestly had no idea if it was that simple or not.
Leo stood taller. “There is paperwork to be filed, and the council must approve, and there are mu—”
“You’re coming up with all of these excuses, because you're having sex with my sister and she probably wants something. Melony has declared she has coven in a large room full of witches and a member of the council. Now, you can either do your job or is your dick more important than upholding the witch council’s law?”
This time, when the crowd made a shocked noise, Melony joined them. She hadn’t seen that coming. Although, it now made sense why Leo wanted Melony to join Lydia's coven so badly. Melony would have fist bumped Lemy if it she could get around Zola to do it.
Suddenly, Melony was nearly choking with how thick the air was. She turned and saw that others were having the same issue. Many of the witches in the stands fled the room, some not making it out before passing out in the stands.
“Lempi, you would do best to stop this childish act of yours. You’re my sister, and I will give you this last chance to repent,” Lydia threatened.
Lemy had a backbone of steel, and she was apparently used to whatever was happening with the air, because she took a step forward, her saber-tooth tiger hissing and growling next to her.
“You are not my queen, coven leader.” Lemy squared her shoulders. "You have never been a good sister and never treated me like one, so don't start now."
The calm look that overtook Lydia's face had Melony taking a step back. She had a bad feeling, and apparently, she wasn't the only one. The tiger next to Lemy crouched down, ready to attack. Itsumi and Zola both tensed next to her.
Arms wrapped around Melony, but she couldn't see who they belonged to. Everything moved too fast. She landed on the floor with Itsumi covering her body, and a loud noise nearly shattered her ear drums. Sparks went off in the air, and she rubbed her eyes, trying to see if it was a trick. It wasn't; there were sparks everywhere.
Melony sat up, looking around. She moved her hands and felt something wet. She looked down and saw she was touching Itsumi. She pulled back and blood covered her hand. She wanted to scream, but it was lodged in her throat, unable to escape. She could clearly see Itsumi’s back rising and falling. She was still breathing. Melony moved Itsumi’s black hair to the side to see her face. Itsumi’s face scrunched up in pain, her eyes fluttering as if she was fighting to wake up.
"Thank fuck," Melony whispered.
She looked around, not seeing Zola, until she turned and saw she was fighting a group of wolves. Nari and Mateo were fighting side by s
ide. Nari had some old-looking book in her hands, and a green-haired girl fought alongside Nari as they battled too many witches to count.
What had happened?
Melony looked over to where she had been standing and saw that Lemy was losing to her sister. Her tiger bleeding and barely holding itself up.
“Are you okay?”
Melony looked down at Itsumi where she still clung to her lower half, still trying to shield her from whatever attack had happened. Melony hadn‘t noticed anything.
“I should ask you that,” Melony whispered. She cupped Itsumi’s head, turning her face so she could gaze into her dark eyes.
Itsumi smiled tentatively back at her then moved to get up, and Melony reached out to keep her down. An ear-shattering scream had Melony whipping her head to see who it had come from. Nari and the two with her were fine. Phillis was barely holding his own, but she didn’t think the scream came from him.
Her heart was in her throat as she looked for Zola, but she found her still fighting. Blood covered her face and the majority of her body. Zola had found a sword and now swung and fought like the seasoned warrior she was. The relief that came over Melony was short lived. She looked back over to where Lemy had been fighting Lydia.
Lemy was on her knees, covering the tiger that had been fighting with her. Melony gasped as she tried to see if the tiger was breathing, but was too far away. Lemy’s body shook as she crouched over the tiger’s still form. Lydia’s hand rose, as if she was about to attack. Without thinking, Melony set the queen on fire. Whatever magic Lydia was about to do stopped as she screamed in pain from the flames.
Itsumi stood, pulling Melony up with her. Melony moved with purpose. She didn’t have a plan, and she really wanted out of there, but she couldn’t run without the ones who stood with her.
So she would fight.
She may be new at the magical life, but she would fight for them. She had to.
“What’s the plan?” Itsumi asked.
Melony wanted to shrug, but she figured that wouldn’t be good enough. She turned in time to see Lydia putting out the last of her flames. She’d figured the flames wouldn’t match up to a queen witch, but she’d hoped she would have enough time.
“First, I need you over there to help Nari and Philis. Once you guys clear that area, move to Zola. We’ll need her to escape this place.”
Itsumi didn’t move. “What are you going to do?”
Melony smiled with a confidence she didn’t feel. “I’m going to fight Lydia.”
The shocked look on Itsumi’s face would have been funny if not for the situation they were in.
“Don’t worry. I’ll come up with something besides setting her on fire.”
Itsumi nodded and kissed Melony on the cheek before taking off toward Nari and Philis. Melony watched in awe as Itsumi changed, purple flames covering her from head to toe. A beast just as tall as Melony—maybe even taller—stepped out, tails whipping in the air. It attacked the witches, hitting them with its many tails.
She stood there watching Itsumi for a second longer. She opened her giant mouth filled with teeth as sharp as blades and killed a witch in seconds as she chomped down. Blood ran out of her mouth.
Melony felt as if she should be upset or disgusted, but the only feeling she could identify was pride that Itsumi was so strong. She turned to check on Zola once more. She still held her own, battling many witches and creatures.
Melony turned to Lydia as she snuffed out the last flame, her eyes set on Lemy once more.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Melony
Melony ran toward Lydia, focusing on her hand and calling forth the flame. A small flicker appeared, and she focused on making it bigger. She was so trained on the flame, the hit to her chest had her flying back, an attack she hadn't seen coming.
Melony groaned on the floor, trying to breathe. The air was still thick with magic, and now her chest hurt. She rubbed the sore spot. Her chest burned with the force of breathing, and she sat up slowly, still trying to force air in and out.
“What the fuck?” she croaked out.
“All you had to do was to join her coven, and none of this would have happened,” Leo said angrily.
Melony looked over to Leo and saw he had a boulder the size of her head floating next to him. Well, she’d figured out what had knocked her in the chest and sent her flying. She’d forgotten Leo was even there, having not noticed him with all the fighting going on.
“You ruined everything! Now, you must all die!” Leo raised the boulder higher, chanting words Melony couldn’t understand.
Melony wasn’t sure what plan they had, but she wasn’t about to die because of it. The boulder came flying at her and she rolled to the side just in time. The rock sat next to her; it created a dent in the floor.
“Shit, that would’ve crushed me,” Melony yelled.
Leo had another boulder and Melony scrambled to stand, she dodged the next boulder flying at her. Her lungs now burning from exertion. Leo continued to chant the book in his hand flipping a page. The bolder went from just being a rock to being a rock on fire.
“Son of a bi-” Melony jumped to the side as the boulder went flying past her. Barley missing her. Unlike her fire, his burned her. The smell of burnt hair filled the air, adding to the already suffocating air. “Let’s see how you like it when someone burns your hair.” Melony focused on setting fire to Leo’s hair. In seconds a flame started. Leo didn’t seem to notice right away as he got another boulder ready to through at Melony.
She easily doge the next boulder as Leo lost concentration, no longer chanting. He was trying to put the fire out on his head. The smell of burnt hair mixed with flesh now a smell Melony wish she never knew but one she knew that she would always know. Before Leo could put the fire out Melony set fire to the book he was flipping through. The book burned bright white before exploding. The explosion knocked Melony back. She hit the floor hard.
She sat up from the floor once more. She was becoming best friends with the floor at this point she had spent more time on it then anything else. She shook her head from the fogginess that tried to take her. She had no time to pass out or rest she still needed to make it over to Lemy. She hadn’t even known Melony and had stood up for her. It might have been for selfish reasons but Melony now counted her among the ones who were quickly becoming somewhat of a family to her.
Melony watched as Leo fell to his hands and knees asking for help, he screamed the noise sounded garbled as if he was choking on water. The other hand no longer there. The flames ate at him till there was nothing but a figure engulfed in flames reaching out. Leo no longer distinguishable. Melony turned in the direction Leo had been reaching out toward, Lydia held Lemy by the throat.
Lemy dangled there in the air in Lydia clutches not moving or fighting. Her hands open and her eyes closed as she hung in the air. Melony once again focused on a fire in her hand making it into something she could through. She threw it as hard as she could. Surprised when the fire ball hit Lydia. Forcing her to release Lemy as she went flying back with the force of the ball. Melony got up and raced over to Lemy, she lie on the ground. As she reached her, Lemy was moving. She didn’t get up to run she moved back to where the saber tooth tiger still laid not moving.
“Lemy,” Melony called out.
Lemy tear stricken face turned to look at her. “He’s dying,” she cried out. Her words choked up.
Melony didn’t know what to say she didn’t know what to do. At her feet the saber tooth breathing was low, his side only lifting a little. Melony remembered the gem Zola had made her use the one that healed. She was guessing Lemy didn’t have the gem, she turned around looking at the few witches who were fighting against them. Some of them had gems, and if they had gems that mean they might have a healing gem.
“Lemy can you still fight?” Melony asked her.
Lemy shook her head. “She destroyed my casting book. I can use gems but barely they are too hard for me to control.”
Melony nodded. New information for her. Book magic and gem magic different and one either uses either or. She turned to see how Nari and was doing, she was fighting with a book in her hand. Melony couldn’t see Mateo and the green hair girl but she knew they were over there. Every time someone stepped behind Nari or tried to sneak up on her something would come out of the shadows and kill who ever dare sneak up on Nari. Itsumi was fighting with a few nolveks. They kept her busy, biting her tail and legs she was fighting to many for Melony to count but just as many were fighting her many lie on the ground dead.
Zola was her only hope at that moment. In seconds Melony concentrated, setting fire to all those who were fighting Zola. Some flames touched Zola and Melony feared that she hurt her. To her surprise Zola dashed past the flames. they moved out of the way allowing her to walk. The flames doing the same thing for Zola that it did for Melony. She moved past the flames as if she was the one who controlled them and not Melony. In seconds Zola stood next to Melony. The screams and the smell of burning flesh couldn;t distract Melony form watching Zola come toward her. With Zola so close Melony inspected her making sure all the blood that covered her wasn’t in fact hers. She sighed in relief when she didn’t seen any open wounds on Zola.
“Are you okay?” Zola asked.
Melony nodded her head she looked down at the barely breathing tiger and the still weeping lemy. “We need to get some healing gems,” Melony informed her.
Zola’s face pinched but she nodded. Her eyes looked to the tiger. Zola turned to look at the pile that was nothing more than ashes. “A few of them had gems,” Zola said pointing behind her.
Melony winced. “Do you think the gems can survive fire?”
Zola shrugged her shoulders. “They usually can but your fire is powerful.”
A shrill scream pierced the air. Melony turned to see Lydia walking through the hole she had flown through when Melony had thrown the fireball. “Of course she’s still alive,” Melony muttered. She turned to pull the flames from the ashes of the dead creatures and witches. “You search the ashes,” she commanded. She touched Lemy on the shoulder. “I need you to help Zola, two sets of eyes is better than one.”
