CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

MELISSA

Execution.

The spare room she occupied was furnished in lush fabrics. The large bed in the corner invited Mel to rest, but she couldn’t. Her brain raced. Tiny jewels sparkled as the curtains billowed in the breeze. The heady scent of sweet flowers filled the air, making her feel slightly sick. Her feet sank into the carpet as she paced.

Execution.

She glanced up at the servant in the corner. She bowed. “Do you require anything, Lady Melissa?”

“No, just… How much longer?”

“Your sister is on her way, Lady Melissa. She had some other matters to attend.”

Mel growled. Everyone here was so nice to her. After all the horrific stories Jahle and the Water People told her, she expected monsters. Instead, she got polite smiles, consideration, kindness and a heaping plate of food she had zero desire to touch.

The door flung open with a crash, making Mel jump. A petite blond woman stood in the doorway, her chest heaving. Her pale green and blue gown shimmered. She raised her hand to her mouth.

“It is you,” she said, her voice breathless.

“Jenna?” Mel almost didn’t recognize her younger sister in her finery.

“Mel!”

Jenna flung herself across the room and into her sister’s arms. For a second, Mel expected Jenna to burst into tears, but to her surprise, it was her own eyes that grew misty. She wrapped herself around Jenna and held her tight.

She heard a quiet voice and saw a tall Ennoi woman direct the servants out. This woman wore a gown of similar color to Jenna’s but hers was much simpler, unadorned and straight cut. She closed the door, and placed her back to it, folding her hands in front of her.

“I got your message,” Jenna said, referring to the SOS Mel had recorded aboard the Geran vessel. “Why did you sign off as Garfield? You hate that name.”

“I figured if it got to you, you’d know it was really me.”

“I was so scared,” Jenna whispered. “I thought they killed you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m tough to kill.” The tremble in her voice belied her confident words.

“I’m sorry you had to wait so long. I had to bid goodbye to the Council before I could see you.”

The sisters drew apart, and Jenna pulled Mel to a bench by the window. “Come tell me everything,” she said.

Mel’s eyes flicked to the woman by the door.

“Oh,” Jenna said. “That’s Cyndrae. She’s okay. You can talk in front of her.”

The Ennoi woman bowed to Mel, and when she rose, Mel saw her face held as much relief as Jenna’s did.

She cares about Jenna.

Mel acknowledged her and let Jenna drag her to the bench. Jenna patted the padded seat and smiled. “Tell me everything.”

Where do I even start?

“You first,” she said, plastering a fake smile on her face. “Why are you all dolled up?” She gestured at her sister’s hair, fine gown and the giant emerald-colored jewel sitting on her chest.

Jenna narrowed her eyes. “I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to distract me. I wrote that damn playbook, Garfield. What’s going on? Spill.”

Mel’s face crumpled. “I-I… I didn’t know where you were.”

“I didn’t know where you were. I worried you were suffering. I worried you were dead.”

“I nearly did die, Jen. Like a thousand times. At least.”

“I had a close call or two myself,” Jenna said, taking Mel’s hand.

“I almost got eaten by a giant squid!”

“No way!”

“And I killed a guy.”

“I did too.”

“Did you do it with a giant centipede? Because I did.”

“Okay, well, that sounds kinda bad-ass. Did he deserve it?”

“He totally did. Guy was a jerk. Total tool. The giant centipede, too.” Mel shuddered. “But that’s not the worst part.”

“What could be worse than that?”

“I had to drink my own pee!”

“Ew, gross!” Jenna clapped her hands over her mouth. “I would die! Okay, okay. You win.”

The sisters smiled fondly at each other, before bursting into laughter. It was good to be reunited with Jenna. They drove each other crazy, but Jen would always have Mel's back. The being together part was worth the frustration.

Just like…

Mel’s smile faded, and her brow furrowed. “No wait. I lied. That wasn’t the worst part. There’s an even worster part.”

“What’s worster than drinking pee?”

“I had to do it all with the most annoying, infuriating… Ugh!” Mel kicked the foot of the bench. “He drove me bonkers the entire time.”

Jenna studied her sister’s face. She bit her lip. “Mel, I know you. I bet you gave as good as you got.”

That made Mel laugh. “Yeah, I think I did. He was a jerk… No, he wasn’t. He was kind and compassionate. Just not to me.” She jumped to her feet and started pacing again. “He lied. He pushed me around. He kept me safe.”

“It sounds complicated.” Mel didn’t miss the look Jenna shot to her Ennoi friend.

Mel slumped back onto the couch. Her anger seemed to ebb away.

Her whole life, Mel had been the responsible one, bailing Jenna out of trouble. Making sure her daydreamer sister did her homework and ate something every day. Keeping her safe when they crossed the street. Holding back the bullies who wanted to tease Jenna for believing in aliens.

Sorry, Kimmy from three doors down. Your ugly face was wrong. Aliens do exist.

Mel had made sure Jenna had a place to stay while building her career as an actress. Their shared apartment had been as much for Jenna’s sense of security as it had been for Mel’s need to be in charge.

It had felt good, though, to relax. To have Jahle watching her back. It was nice being taken care of once in a while. She didn’t have to be as strong when she was with him, but she didn’t feel weak when she leaned on him. They worked well together. As a team.

Or at least, I thought we were a team.

Her eyes began to prickle again. “Jen. Oh, Jen! I lied. That wasn’t the worst part. There’s an even worsterest.”

“What was the worsterest part, Mel?” She laid her hand on Mel’s.

“I fell in love.”

“Oh, Mel!”

Mel sniffled, and the sniffle grew into a sob. She threw herself into Jenna’s arms, soaking her sister’s shoulder. Jenna patted Mel’s back and whispered words of comfort. When Mel’s sobs slowed, and then stopped, Mel found Cyndrae beside her, offering a handkerchief.

“Thanks.” Mel blotted her eyes and blew her nose.

“You are welcome.” Cyndrae returned to her position by the door while Mel blew her nose.

Jenna patted her sister’s shoulder. “I did too. Fell in love, I mean. Isn’t it wonderful?”

“No, it isn’t. It really isn’t.” Mel blew her nose again. “He doesn’t want me.”

Jenna shook her head. “Impossible. Does he have eyes? Did his brain fall out of his skull?”

With a shaky laugh, Mel reached for a pastry on the plate. “Maybe. He is a dumbass now and then.”

She bit into the morsel and chewed mechanically, barely aware that the pastry was savory instead of the sweetness she expected.

“Did he tell you he doesn’t want you?”

She dusted off her fingers. “Not so much. But when a guy keeps pushing you and pushing you, you kinda gotta take the hint after a while.”

Jenna chewed the inside of her cheek. “But he came to Cadam with you? This guy?” She looked at Cyndrae, who inclined her head.

“There was an Ennoi male on board,” Cyndrae replied. “My sources tell me he was Avowed.”

Jenna sat up and stared at Mel.

“What? Do I have food on my face?” Mel dusted at her lips.

“He’s your Avowed?”

“What does that mean?”

“Avowed,” Jenna repeated. “Avowed! Is he?”

“Ugh, everyone keeps throwing Ennoi terms at me without actually explain what they mean.”

Jenna huffed. “Did you sleep with him?”

Mel’s face burned. “What!? I’m not answering that!”

“You did,” Jenna said, triumph filling her blue eyes. “And it was magical, right?”

“I’m not discussing my sex life with my kid sister.”

“But the next morning, he wasn’t the same, was he, Mel? He looked… different?”

“Yeah. How did you know?” Mel remembered the strangeness of waking next to Jahle. He had changed in appearance overnight.

What had happened while I slept?

Jenna leaned forward and flicked Mel’s forehead with her index finger. “Noodle-brain.”

“Ouch! What was that for?”

“Because he’s your Avowed. Or you’re his. I don’t quite know which way it goes with Ennoi and humans. It goes both ways when the couple are both Ennoi, but I’m not quite sure how it goes when one is human. I mean, it’s not really happened before, or if it has, it hasn’t really been studied…”

“What are you babbling about, Jen?”

Cyndrae stepped forward. “We Ennoi are not like humans. We are born with two hearts. The first beats when we draw our first breath at birth. When we meet our Avowed mate – our soul mate – our dormant second heart begins to beat, and our bodies grow stronger. We transform. We gain… other benefits, as well.”

Mel frowned. “Like being able to turn into a dragon?”

Jenna grabbed Mel’s hand. “He did? Isn’t it the coolest thing ever?”

“Yes,” Cyndrae replied. “Our Virtue.”

Mel shook her head. “So, you’re telling me that Jahle is, what, my soul mate?”

“Yes,” Jenna said, a wide grin across her face. “He’s your true love!”

“No offense, but we fight too much for soul mates.”

Jenna smiled. “And I bet that’s half the fun for you, Mel.”

A lump formed in her throat. With the anger in her heart faded, she could see clearer now. She remembered his taunting, goading her to exert herself, and to face her fears. He got her to slide under the stuck door in the lock. He made her angry enough to enter the borebug tunnel in Kastik. He had called her a coward, knowing how she would react.

Because he’s my soul mate.

My Avowed.

“But it doesn’t matter anyway,” Mel said, her voice thickening. “He’s going to be executed.”

“What?” Jenna shot to her feet.

“Yup.” Mel choked back another sob. “Executed.”

Jenna turned to Cyndrae. “Can you-”

“I will see what information I can gather.” She hurried away, closing the door behind her.

Oh, please don’t cry again, Mel.

She sniffed and forced the tears back.

Angry Mel was so much better than the soggy version of herself she had become.

As if reading her mind, Jenna squeezed her hand. “You are not this person, Mel. This is not you. The Melissa Harlock I know doesn’t wallow in self-pity. You’re not the kind to sit on your ass and moan with this woe-is-me crap.”

“Stop, Jen. I’m supposed to be the strong one with sensible advice. Don’t steal my shtick.”

“You say you want this guy?”

Do I want him?

She thought about his laugh. The way his nose wrinkled when he smiled. The way he stepped up to help, even before she asked. The way he gave, without expecting anything in return. The way she sometimes caught him staring at her. The awe in his face. The trust she felt for him, even when she had no cause for it.

All along, he must have known he was her Avowed. He tried to talk her out of loving him.

It didn’t work.

“More than anything, I want him.”

“Melissa Harlock has never been afraid to chase what she wants. Not on Earth, not on Cadam. So fight for him.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. But I do know you won't do it alone.”