Echoes of Fae: Book One of the Divine (15 page)

              Rictor observed the Infeline first and was completely fascinated. They were so very rare! He stared at her, admiring her slanted gaze that shown an intense yellow-green and her face, which was small and square. Her small feline ears protruded naturally from her wild red hair. Rictor sensed her awareness of being under his stare and he quickly drew his eyes away from her.

              He saw the two women he knew despite their cloaks as Helacorn. They stood far above the rest of the women, their long faces glowing with some sort of Ether, but he did not know the particular origin. He could tell it was a freshly created incantation. Rictor’s eyes shortly fell on a petite, shapely woman with big blue eyes. He could see she was very powerful. She looked very tired, which was only a tiny mar on her beauty. The woman caught his gaze and smiled. He returned the smile readily.

              “Please, come in and have tea,” Rictor offered genially. His dark eyes searched all of them.

              “We would, but we must wait for the rest of our company. They are tending to the horses,” Melody said politely. Rictor smiled.

              “I can have Feruun bring them in,” Rictor said, encouragingly. “You look famished and I happen to have a knack at cooking a very quick meal.” Yirah guffawed, stepping in.

              “I am starved. The boys can follow the Gnome inside,” Yirah declared. Melody and Jennifer followed Yirah sheepishly. They sat in the middle of a very interesting room. The walls were pale green with different creatures painted exquisitely on them. The furniture was dark green and velvet. Everything in it looked strange. There were strange objects, like little circles of glass wired together. Melody had read about these “eye enhancers.” She looked at them admiringly. Rictor noticed her gaze on the item and approached.

              “Are they not lovely?” Rictor asked. Melody smiled.

              “They are,” she replied carefully, attempting to hide her interest. Rictor smirked in recognition of the futility of her efforts.

              “They were given to me by my father, whom invented them,” he said as he touched the frame tenderly. “This was the first model.” 

              “They are magnificent. My father’s first wife wrote about contraptions like these. She did a lot of writing. So, you are Aloran Rictor’s son?”

              “I am,” Rictor replied.

              “Do you do a lot of inventing?” Melody asked, looking around the room while the men of their group entered.

              “I dabble. I could not be compared to my father,” Rictor said plainly. Melody smiled at him. He admired her face. It flushed when she smiled. He had not met many people who could smile with their whole being as this woman did. He struggled to identify her race. This intrigued him.

              “I am not much on inventions. I rather like exploring,” Melody replied.

              “You do look like one who would enjoy seeing the world,” Rictor commented, grinning a little too wide. Melody laughed.

              “I fancy it, but I am one who had not previous to this day seen even this far,” Melody told him. Rictor cocked his head slightly.

              “Why ever would you not explore further than this?” Rictor asked, perplexed. Melody blushed, worrying that she had been too open with this stranger.

              “My position does not allow it,” Melody supplied. She hesitated to explain further.

              “May I ask what it is that you do?” Rictor asked. His eyes were wide and illuminated.

              “You may, but I may not answer,” Melody said with a smirk. She shrugged her shoulders apologetically. Rictor laughed.

              “Well, then I must formulate my own theories of you to entertain my curiosities,” Rictor said as he bowed his head.

              “Be careful with your imagination,” Melody protested, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We could not have you guessing correctly.”

              Rictor smiled and led her to the rest of the group with his forearm. Melody sat beside him. He made her laugh quite frequently. The Helacorn women stared at him admiringly. Jennifer followed Thane to look in on Haroah’s sister. Haroah demanded his right to join them. Melody smiled at their departure.

              “Is she able to receive so many at once in her condition?” Melody asked. Rictor’s eyes twinkled at her.

              “I believe so. Haroah has only communicated with his sister by letter through her entire life, but he is still her brother. I believe his presence will assuage her,” Rictor said, placing his hand carefully at her lower back. Melody did not recognize the forward gesture. His flirtation did was obvious. Jax felt his stomach cringe and his fists tighten. He attempted to swallow the angry lump that settled mercilessly in his throat. The Conjurer stood and walked stiffly out of the room and then out of the very house.

              Melody noted the Conjurer's exodus but did not understand it. She looked at Jennifer uncertainly. The Infeline smiled.

              “If you would excuse me,” Jennifer said to the party. She followed the path Jax had made out of the house. Melody warily continued to converse with Rictor and Issy. After a short while, Yirah emerged from the bedroom. Her face was wet with tears. She sat beside Issy who looked sadly at her sister.

              “Thane set her shoulder and bandaged her wings. He thinks he can repair them with what he called 'treatments.' I do not know how one could repair damage as severe as hers,” Yirah said. Fresh tears trailed down her cheeks. She exchanged silent words with her sister and turned back to Melody and Rictor.

              “Since he needs help with his treatments and we have a few days journey to reach home, we must depart immediately,” Yirah said. “My sister and I are very much ready to see if Thane can repair Cybil's wings. If he can, he will be a hero to my people.” Issy nodded emphatically.

              “We can spare the time to stay and honor this hero,” Thane said as he entered the room. “Cybil needs to sleep a while longer.” Rictor stood and inclined his head at Thane.

              “Thank you for helping Cybil,” Rictor said, extending his hand to the Healer. “I knew her father and mother long ago and would be shamed if I had not attempted to help her.” Haroah entered the room and immediately embraced their host.

              “I am indebted to you,” Haroah said to Rictor. “You saved her life.”

              “Please,” Rictor said, indicating they all find a seat. “I will have dinner prepared.” 

              “We must not tarry,” Melody said quietly to Thane. “Jax ran out and I do not know what was wrong with him.” Thane looked over at Rictor who was staring openly at the Pramacretine. The Healer sighed.

              “Melly, maybe you should take Yirah or Issy and go check on him,” Thane suggested.

              “Jennifer went,” Melody said. Thane shook his head significantly. After a pause fraught with confusion, Melody nodded. Issy approached and offered Melody her arm to escort her outside.

              “Please excuse me,” Melody said to Rictor. “I need only check on my friends for a moment.” Rictor inclined his head. He did not attempt to hide his disappointment in her departure. Thane eyed the man suspiciously.

              “Jax!” Melody could hear Jennifer calling. The evening was warm, but the breeze was cool and smelled of summer greens. “Jaxon, get back here!”

              “Is he gone?” Melody asked, her eyes watering. “I do not know what I did,” she confessed. Issy patted her consolingly. Jennifer walked up to them shaking her head.

              “He ran west. I do not know if he will return here,” Jennifer told Melody. The Infeline smiled at them. “Melody, the Conjurer is in love with you,” Jennifer said. Issy nodded and smiled down at Melody. Melody gaped at them.

              “No he is not, I have only known him a few days!” Melody cried. “Besides, I do not even know if I can trust him. He is hiding something from me.”

              “Yes,” Jennifer said. “This is probably so, but he does it because he is in love with you and does not want to lose you.”

              “No,” Melody said. She knew he liked her; but love?

              “Melody, there is nothing wrong with this,” Jennifer said. Issy nudged Melody happily. “However, Rictor was quite enamored with you and Jax noticed. He saw you as you did not fend the man off. I could tell you had no idea, but Jax did not.”

              “Oh,” Melody said. She was so confused. She liked the idea of Jax loving her, but was terrified of it, since she did not know his secrets or if he would harm her.

              “Let us go inside,” Jennifer said. “Jax will return and if he does not, then I am wrong about what I tell you.” Issy chuckled. The three women made their way back inside.

              Jax was crouched behind a shrubbery within earshot of the cabin. He had heard every word Jennifer and Melody shared. Melody was right. She could not trust him. Sorrow filled the Conjurer. He fell back onto his bottom and sat for a long while in thought.

              Inside the cabin, Thane carried conversation with Rictor as Melody no longer felt like speaking. Rictor noticed her silence and was sorry he had been so forward. He did not interact with anyone often so he was rusty with the nuances. He should have known the Conjurer had made some claim on Melody. He could tell she had not known this either when she came back inside.

              “I am afraid we must be going,” Jennifer said. “We have accomplished all of our goals for this trek and we mean to make our way back to the palace to deliver some news.” They watched as Rictor's eyes widened. Thane cringed.

              “You work at the palace?” Rictor asked. They all looked at each other uncertainly.

              “No,” Melody said. “Not all of us. Thane is the Prapacretine,” she said, smiling at Thane. Rictor gasped and bowed deeply.

              “Oh, my gracious. I have been so improper, my lord!” Rictor said.

              “Please, no, it is all fine,” Thane replied uncomfortably. “But we do need to make our leave.”

              “Very well,” Rictor said. He looked at Melody. “Please, if you find yourself traveling again do not forget to stop by. I have many interesting artifacts here.” Melody smiled and nodded. Rictor offered her his arm and escorted them all out. Haroah had gathered Cybil and everything the Gnome sent with her. The little man was very sad to see her go. She smiled down at him and kissed his cheek. Cybil thanked Rictor again and they all departed amicably.

              Rictor closed his door and felt sad to see them leave. He knew there was something more to Melody but he could tell she did not want to speak of it. She was so beautiful and powerful. Rictor knew he would dream of her for a long time.

              Outside the cavalry joined together where they had tied the horses.

              “Can Cybil ride alone?” Melody asked Thane. They looked at Cybil who wobbled beside Haroah. Melody frowned. Thane shook his head. “I will take her with me,” Melody said. “I am the smallest so we will be able to travel longer with two on one horse. As they prepared, Melody stood silently, staring off into the distance.

              “What happened?” Thane asked. “Where is Jax?” She allowed a look of concern to cross her small face but did not speak. Yirah stepped up beside her after helping Haroah’s sister onto the back of Melody's horse. Melody mounted her horse behind Cybil and grabbed the reins. The long girl was slumped and unkempt in front of Melody. Cybil held onto the saddle as best as she could.

              “He has run off after seeing the man of this house make eyes at Melody,” Yirah told Thane as she struggled against her straight hair in the wind. Issy stepped beside her sister.

              “He was very friendly,” Thane said. He was not well versed in romantic matters. Jennifer looked at Melody, who had put the hood of her cloak over her head and held onto Cybil with one arm. Jennifer grabbed the reigns and turned Melody's horse around. Melody lifted her small face. She looked very tired.

              “Will he be alright out there?” Melody asked hesitantly. She remembered the way they had last found him. Jennifer inclined her head reassuringly, but she could hear Melody's ragged breath and the Infeline could smell the Pramacretine's concern rolling off her. Jennifer handed the reins back to Melody. She mounted her own horse and rode beside the Pramacretine.

              “I think he will be,” Jennifer said. “I do not know what he is hiding, Melody, but until we do, you must not be too worried.” Melody nodded. She knew she could not afford to be upset over Jax. He had not been forthright with her so she should not have been so concerned with his sudden abandonment. Someone being friendly to her should not have caused such a reaction in a grown man.

              Their journey back to Heighman inn compared poorly to the journey back. They traveled quickly through the night. They were wary of being out in the night. Their arrival at the inn met with a hot meal for each of them. Daarsh had their rooms cleaned by a few men who could not pay for their meals. Melody tipped the men generously. The whole group excluding Melody noticed Daarsh’s quick, nervy behavior. Melody had been distant the whole evening and had been staring into her cup for an hour. Thane decided to ask one of the men who had cleaned their rooms about the innkeeper’s strange behavior. The man sat down beside Thane.