Echoes of Fae: Book One of the Divine

by Monica Doke

  Once the two were dressed for bed, they fell out of their dark silence. Jennifer sensing her companion’s discomfort, she sat on her bed and smiled. Cybil smiled back.

  “I have never actually met an Infeline,” Cybil said, her smile genuine. Jennifer could not help but find the young woman compelling.

  “Not many have,” Jennifer replied with a grin. “We are hard to come by, since the war our numbers have been thinned and the rest of us keep quiet about existing.” Jennifer picked up a silver brush and began to release her wild, curly red hair from its braid. “How is your back?” the Infeline asked, changing the subject. “Do you need anything for pain?”

  “No, thank you. It hurts just enough to keep me level, but not enough to impair me,” Cybil answered.

  “That is different,” Jennifer said as she crawled into the bed. She looked at Cybil and admired the abnormality of her skin, since she had never heard of a dark Helacorn.

  “My mother used to say pain was the threshold of clarity,” Cybil rolled into the bed and pulled herself into the covers beside Jennifer. She squirmed about until finally she settled onto her stomach. “My mother was a philosopher and my father was an architect. Of course, neither of these things get one anywhere in the world today.”

  Jennifer smiled and asked, “So, do you get your unusual skin color from your father?”

  Cybil shook her head in the pillow, “No, my mother. She had dark skin, dark eyes, dark hair and pitch black wings.”

  Jennifer’s eyes widened. “How unusual that is!” The Infeline exclaimed, gazing curiously at the lumps on Cybil’s back where her wings once were.

  “Most agreed with you, the dark Helacorn used to be bountiful. They were the only Helacorn with sensible males and brilliant females. They were killed during the Fae war for their difference,” Cybil informed.

  “How did your mother survive?” Jennifer asked.

  “My grandmother disguised her as a C'ghalie and put her into the care of a Conjurer. The man raised her with his son, who taught her to use a sword and fight with her fists,” Cybil smiled thinking of her mother. The young Helacorn girl buried her face in the pillow and let the hot tears fall from her eyes again. “I wish I had saved her,” she whispered into the pillow. Jennifer patted her hair. After a long stretch of time, Cybil looked up at Jennifer, tears staining her eyes. The Infeline’s breath escaped her in a startled cry.

  “Your eyes!” Cybil stared at Jennifer, not comprehending her incomplete thought. She got up and went to the mirror; her eyes were a calico of pale blue, gold and burgundy.

  “My eyes have changed colors,” she knew it was a sign, but did not know what it meant. She went back into the bed and rolled onto her stomach once more. Jennifer stretched wide, body part by body part like a tiger and yawned.

  “I am tired. We will think of this phenomenon when morning greets our pretty heads,” Jennifer advised. Cybil agreed with a yawn and closed her eyes. Both women fell into a deep slumber within moments.

  The moonlight was thick and gentle. Melody’s bare feet gracefully traversed the white stone walkway winding through the garden. She stretched her arms wide, inviting the cool breeze to join her. The wind blew as if it reacted only to the Pramacretine and gave her an otherworldly look of levitation in her flowing gowns. She felt at peace and wanted to remain in the moment for the rest of her life. She knew it would not last and lowered her arms. She moved her feet forward silently. There was a cough behind her, causing her peace to crumble and she whipped around, startled. Jax witnessed a change in expression so different he felt as if he had seen her transform.

  “I saw you outside of my window,” Jax stated, apology hiding in his eyes. His voice was low and soft and Melody felt it wrap around her. She smiled happily and held her hand out.

  “You look pasty in the moonlight, you know,” Melody said while trying not to laugh, though it bubbled through regardless. Jax walked to her and took her hand, a smile on his face that the young Pramacretine thought made him look very charming.

  “You look lovely,” he said heavily. “As lovely as oxen get, I suppose,” he grinned. Melody pushed him and laughed happily.

  “Do you think we could possibly get more agonizingly sweet, Jaxon Callfah?” She asked, laughing.

  “I would loathe raising any expectations,” Jax said. He pulled her back to him by the hand. He looked at her face, which was flushed with laughter and he wished he could always make her smile. He watched her lean into him, the air between them grew warm. Melody smiled uncertainly. Jax felt his blood boil in his veins. He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. They stood silently, happy with the closeness.

  “Would you like to walk with me?” Melody asked, wrapping her hand around his. Jax felt his hand tingle familiarly from her touch. It rattled him to the bone. Guilt coursed through the Conjurer.

  “Yes, we should talk,” Jax said, his face dark. Melody nodded resolutely. They entered the secret tree once more and Melody wrapped it in some Ether to make it actually a secret tree. For a long while, they were both silent, facing each other.

  “Is my father still here?” Jax asked. They had returned during sleeping hours, so only workers knew they were there. Melody shrugged uneasily. “He probably is,” Jax sighed.

  “Jax, please,” Melody said, leaning back. “I like you, but I have not been able to trust you. I need to trust you, I have a huge role to fill that I cannot jeopardize over blind love.” Her face etched with anxiety in the semi - darkness. Jax hung to the word love, his heart racing far ahead of him.

  “You are right to protect yourself,” Jax whispered. He pulled himself into a tight ball in front of her. In the shadows, Melody could not see his face. She could sense his anxiety. After a little while, she could feel a shift in him. He hardened himself. “I was sent here to dispose of you,” Melody heard him confess. She scrambled back as far away from him as she could. Not for fear of his attack, but out of shock and pain from the statement.

  “My father sent me,” Jax said. He did not move a muscle. Melody gasped for air. She had not expected this.

  “Why?” she choked. Jax rubbed his temples gingerly.

  “You are the Divine,” Jax stated, “My father is in league with Rovingae.” The Conjurer listened as Melody hyperventilated. He gave her a while to calm down. He admitted to himself that he was surprised she had not run away. She inched closer to him as she calmed.

  “You did not kill me,” Melody said, her eyes searching his face in the darkness. “Why?”

  “I could not. The first moment I met you I knew I could not, but I grappled with it. When I left this last time, I abandoned my father's orders. You must understand that I have been Ziodin's assassin since I was a small child. He started asking me to kill animals because I could lure them to me. I can do the same with many creatures,” Jax confessed. Melody could see the shine of a tear fall down his cheek.

  “Have you killed people?” Melody breathed.

  “Yes,” Jax answered quietly. Silence followed for a long while as both of them reacted to the confession.

  Finally, the Conjurer stirred uncomfortably, “I never wanted to, not once. Each creature I killed from a mouse to a man another piece of who I was would die.”

  Melody reached out, touched his hand, and asked, “Why did you do it if you never wanted to?”

  Jax shifted uncomfortably away from her touch. Her goodness burned him. “He has my mother. He keeps her suspended and uses her to force my hand. When I was little and did not do as he asked, he would hurt her. When I grew older I stopped defying him because I could no longer hear her cries,” Jax said. He was spilling then; he had cut the wounds and bled out to her. “When I was twelve, she begged me to kill her. She begged me. Father had placed her in a barrier that disabled her ability to hurt herself. She had tried too many times to end her own life to save me. She had tried to run with me,” Jax said. Melody remembered her father's story of Jax's mother showing up with him when he was little.

&n
bsp; “Father made it impossible for her to leave our home and for her to die by her own hand. She could break her body in any way but she would not die.” Jax said. Melody cried out in alarm. Such a fate was grotesque to the Pramacretine. “She begged me to end her life, but I could not. I was selfish. I know that now. I should have killed myself; I should have taken myself away from him. He used me to hurt others. He used me to hurt my mother, more than he could. I was weak,” Jax sobbed. Melody gathered him up in her arms and held him as he cried.

  “You are not weak,” Melody said sternly. “Your father is weak.”

  “I am my father's son,” Jax replied. They were silent for a long while.

  “So, when I found you in the forest,” Melody started. “You had defected from your father's command and he beat you?” Jax nodded into her shoulder. “Your mother?” Melody asked quietly. She need not have finished the question. Jax sobbed and shook his head. Melody rubbed his back and tried to calm him.

  “Jaxon, I know this is callous of me, but your father is in there with my whole family,” Melody whispered after the Conjurer had calmed down a little. “He is here to kill me and if he succeeds, more people will die. I am so sorry if I sound cold, but we have to do something now.” Jax gently removed himself from the Pramacretine.

  “We shall,” Jax said as he stood. He extended a hand to Melody. “And then I will take my leave of you.” Despite his resolute tone, Melody heard the pain in his words. She hugged him.

  “There is no need,” Melody said. “I know you have told me the truth. Now that I know your secret, I may begin to trust you. I want you to stay,” Melody said. She felt herself shaking.

  “I have killed so many people, Melody, for absolutely no reason,” Jax said into her hair. She shivered at his words.

  “I know,” Melody said. “I cannot pretend that this does not hurt me, but it hurts me for you. Those people did not deserve to die. However, I do not believe you killed them. One does not blame a sword for its blows, but the arm that clings to it.” Jax choked out a laugh.

  “You are generous, my lady,” Jax said. Melody, surprised by the comfort his closeness brought, did not want him to leave.

  “Jax, it would be imprudent for me to pass judgment on you. In my life, I will kill many people whom I cannot surely say deserve to die. My father killed many people I am sure did not deserve to die. Yirah and Issy? They used to be assassins as you were, working for their men who controlled them through violence. You must let your history teach you and move forward with renewed understanding of yourself. Allow the wounds to heal, now,” Melody said. She pulled him with her to the palace. They walked quietly as Melody tried to formulate a plan.

  “Jax,” Melody whispered. He looked down at her. His expression was of strong determination. “Tell no one, yet. I want to reveal your role in this slowly.” Jax nodded.

  Melody and Jax entered her room. Melody let out a tiny cry when she saw Thane sitting at her desk.

  “What? I am out of paper,” Thane said distractedly. She walked into her closet and shut the door, leaving Thane and Jax alone. The Pramacretine emerged with trousers and a tunic on. It was time for clothes and action. Thane turned to look at her, his eyes wide. “Melody, what is happening? You look ghostly. You both look ghostly.” For a long time, no one replied. Thane glared at Melody, his face clearly making them aware of the situation. Melody glanced at Jax, who shrugged.

  “It is time,” Melody said, turning to him as she pulled on a vest and strapped a belt around her hips. “Jax told me everything and Ziodin is here to kill me.” Thane's eyes widened at her words and he glanced at Jax. The Conjurer looked uncomfortable but did not speak. Thane stood, but sat back down in shock.

  “Why you?” the Healer asked glancing again at Jax. Melody gave the Healer a look at which Thane nodded.

  “We should handle this carefully, Melody,” Thane said. Melody sat on her bed facing the boys.

  “What do we do?” Melody asked. She was worried and scared. “What if he does something tonight?”

  “We should inform Father so he can have Ziodin arrested,” Thane said. Melody looked at Thane, her expression conveying concern. “What? You did not think of that?” She shook her head.

  “What if he finds out and runs? He will find me again and not on our turf,” Melody said. She glanced at Jax. Thane caught the look and frowned.

  “What? What are you keeping from me?” Thane asked seriously. He looked at Jax squarely in the eye.

  “I am involved in my father's plan,” Jax said averting his gaze.

  “What?” Thane cried. He checked his volume and darted for the Conjurer. Melody stopped Thane.

  “His father was controlling him,” Melody said calmly. Thane glared at Jax until Melody's words registered. He looked down at his sister.

  “With Ether?” Thane asked. “Could he still be under control?” Melody shook her head.

  “No,” Melody explained. “It is worse than Ether. Ziodin has used Jax's mother as a tool to ensure his son's obedience.” Thane looked at Jax, confused.

  “My father abuses my mother when I disobey. Recently she has been so fragile that he has begun to threaten her life. When I left before Ziodin arrived here, I left to see her. I knew my father was out. I told my mother of you,” Jax said, looking at the Pramacretine. “She told me she was so sorry for everything and she demanded I must break free of my father.” He thought back to the conversation.

  Jax's mother, Aliyah, lied in her bed looking as small and ill as ever. She turned to look at her son and extended her arms. Jax sat in the bed and pulled his tiny mother into his arms.

  “Mother, Father wants me to kill the Divine,” Jax whispered. “He has threatened me with this Ether that destroys your soul.” Jax said. Aliyah smiled sadly. “I cannot kill her, Mother.” Jax breathed into his mother's hair. “She is too special.”

  “She is your love,” his mother said feebly. He looked down and saw tears in her eyes.

  “How did you know this?” Jax asked. She smiled up at him.

  “I am your mother, I know you. You have never failed to follow your orders before, not for anything. I know she is important to you,” Aliyah said. She took his face in her hands.

  “He will not take my soul,” she whispered into his face. Her voice was weak but her words strong. “He will not return in time.” Jax gasped. Aliyah pressed her lips to Jax's forehead. “I love you, my sweet baby. Be the man I know you are in your heart. Do not allow your father to turn you into a monster.” Jax shook his head.

  “You cannot die, Mother. I have to save you from this; I cannot lose you because of him – because of me!” Jax cried, holding his mother tight.

  “Hush now, Jaxon. You know you are not responsible. You will never lose me,” Aliyah whispered pressing her palm to his chest. “I am your mother. I will be with you always, guiding you and loving you.” Aliyah sobbed, “I am so sorry I could not save us.” Jax smoothed his mother's hair.

  “Do not,” Jax said. “I love you, Mother. I will not remember you as weak. You are what I see when I think of strength and beauty.” Aliyah smiled wearily. His mother closed her eyes and leaned against her son. Jax felt a heat rise through the room.

  “You must leave as soon as I pass,” Aliyah spoke nearly inaudibly. “Ziodin will know when his Ether is tampered with.” The small woman coughed hard for a few minutes. When she was quiet, Jax looked down at her. Her face pressed into his shoulder and her lips curled into a smile. Jax touched her forehead. He felt her essence had left her body. The Conjurer stood with his face impassive. He took his mother gingerly into his arms and carried her out of the house. She deserved to be out of doors. Jax carried his mother's form toward the Agouran palace, and then he buried her reverently in Kensman Wood.

  “Little boy,” a disembodied voice called. He looked down at the fresh grave he was planting flowers above. “Oh, no, not there!” The voice exclaimed.

  “Where?” Jax asked. He looked around until he saw a small b
ody sitting on one of the flowers he had planted above his mother. It was a Ninze. One of the more metaphysical Fae of the forest. Fae lived invisibly. Most were part of the air or earth, but they could choose to take whatever form they desired.

  “Jax,” the Ninze said. “She wants me to tell you 'thank you.'” Jax knelt down to see the tiny figure better. Her shape flickered like candlelight.

  “My mother?” Jax asked. The Ninze tinkled in what may have been a laugh.

  “Yes, little boy. Your mother. She is here with me. They have not taken her away yet,” the Ninze said. “She says to thank you and tell you that she is okay. She will move along and find a new life later. She also says to say 'keep the girl alive.' I assume she means the Divine, which is silly since the Divine is to die quite soon.” Jax shrugged. He had no other intentions regardless of Melody's supposed fate.

  “Who are you?” Jax asked the Ninze.

  “I am Cal'wyat. You may refer to me as Cally,” the Ninze announced importantly. “I am speaking with you for your mother. She found me and begged me to help. I could see your life in her eyes and my curiosity was piqued.” Jax nodded. He did not really care.

  “I have to leave now,” Jax said.

  “One more thing, boy,” Cally said. “Your Pramacretine has left her home and is headed south. You should find her if you move that way.” Jax inclined his head at the Ninze.

  “Thank you,” Jax replied. He pulled himself off the ground and left his mother behind.

  “Be wary of the way,” Cally called. “You must take your power back now.” Jax did not turn back but instead moved forward silently. He had only been moving a few hours when he heard a sound beyond him.

  “Jaxon,” Jax heard the familiar voice before he saw the face. He winced involuntarily.

  “Father,” Jax replied. Ziodin strode forward. His short dark hair blended in to his long dark beard. The man's eyes were solid brown and cold. He stood a few inches shorter than his son did.