Cruel Fates

Book III: Chapter 4

By: Lily

*Special thanks to Daecivar, for answering my questions when I first posted this. *

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Stomping down the hall, I banged my fists on Jade's door angrily. I was going to kill her, I swore to the Darkness, I was going to chop off her bloody head and mount it atop my doorframe. She had gone missing yesterday evening. Had it not been for her absence at dinner, no one would have noticed. Worried, I had sent a servant up to check on her. He had returned a moment later saying no one was there.

I heard shuffling inside the room before Jade pulled open the door a crack and stuck her head out. "What did you think you were doing?" I growled, flinging the door open and stomping in without an invitation. "I waited up for you half the—"

I stopped, stunned into silence. Jade's hand on my arm tightened with tension. I let out an explosive breath; sure my expression must be very unbecoming. "Uh…Nathaniel, hello. What brings you here?" My voice came out like a whisper, but my breeding forced me to be polite no matter the situation.

Nathaniel stared up at me through a screen of burgundy hair. A sheet hid his no doubt naked body from sight. A good thing, otherwise I'd surely passed out from shock upon seeing him naked…and in Jade's room no less! I looked at the witch in question. She wore nothing but an oversized shirt, however her hair was still as neat as it was yesterday. It was difficult, but I managed to sustain any inferences. After all, there were a million and one logical reasons why they could be sleeping in the same room. It was my own fault I couldn't think of any just then.

"Hello, Silvara," Nathaniel said pleasantly, "To answer your question, I was bored so I thought I would drop by and visit Jady." He was unapologetic for his appearance, and his unruffled attitude seemed to restore Jade's cool indifference to which she approached everything. She released me and pasted on one of her polite, civilized masks.

"I apologize for worrying you, Silvara, but as you can see, I'm fine. You must pardon me however, because I must get dressed. We'll see you at breakfast, yes?" Jade said patiently, in a pleasant neutral tone I had seen her adopt whenever she was inwardly nervous.

"Yes, of course," I murmured, acquiescing to her silent request for privacy. The door shut behind me, and I felt Jade put up several shields, her paranoia reactivating itself after my intrusion. I walked away slowly, digesting this bizarre event and storing it away for future use. Yet another puzzle piece to Jade's secret life she led behind all our backs.

Embarrassment and determination to deter any other curious people drove me to throw up shields around my room. Logically, I knew they would be useless in the face of so many darker Jewels, but the presence of them was familiar and reassuring in that strange place. I turned away from the door, looking to Nathaniel. He stared at me, feigning innocence, and I felt a sudden resentment towards him bubble up.

"I told you not to stay here!" I hissed at him, needing to direct my frustration somewhere, anywhere, and the male currently taking over my bed proved to be the perfect target. He propped his head up on one arm, and replied to me, "You also told me to stay longer. Said you missed me. Or don't you remember that part?"

I snarled and cursed him silently for reminding me. I vowed never to be sentimental again. "Come on, what could be so bad?" Nathaniel asked easily, rolling onto his back and stretching. The sheets slipped, but thankfully still covered up the most controversial parts of him. "What could be so bad?" I cried, my voice climbing up the octaves, "I'll tell you what could be so bad. The Circuit already thinks we're sleeping together, and now this! Silvara's going to tell Sarai no doubt, and she'll tell someone else, so on and so forth, and it will be all the Circuit talks about for a month! Ugh!" I threw up my hands and screamed, thoroughly infuriated with the situation I'd gotten myself into. I lowered myself into a chair in defeat, and rested my head in my hands.

When I looked up, Nathaniel was standing beside me and looking down, holding the top sheet loosely around his hips. Having him remember I was uncomfortable with male nudity was a thoughtful gesture, and I made a mental note to thank him for it later. Nathaniel rested his hands on my shoulders; gently kneading out the knots I'd put in them through my own stress. He sighed, "Jade, it won't be that horrible. You and I both know it doesn't matter what they think. They don't know what we know…and frankly, I like it that way."

His words made me think of my own illogical behavior. Maybe I was getting soft or something? I never cared before when rumors flew about, why should I care now? I sighed, and shrugged. Obediently, Nathaniel removed his hands. Gauging my response, he asked, "So am I coming to breakfast?" I nodded, not wishing to say more. "Can I use the bathroom first then?" I waved a hand, indicating he should help himself. Without another word, Nathaniel walked into the adjoining bathroom.

I sat in the thick silence, and imagined the scene soon to come in the dining room. I could just imagine the shocked, wary faces of every resident in the Hall, and even more so, the look on Sarai's face as I strode in with Nathaniel. Chuckling at that visual, I made a decision that Nathaniel was right, it couldn't be that bad.

I woke up that morning feeling so much better than I had in weeks. I had seen Alex yesterday, and Keely, my baby. We went to the market in town, and out for lunch. We even did a little shopping. We bought Keely a new pair of pants (she grows so fast!) and shoes, and Alex bought me some new fabric I was admiring. I got back into the Hall late, and didn't happen to run into anybody in particular, so I went straight to bed.

In the morning I went through my normal routine of shower, dress, and then downstairs to the banquet hall. On my way down I ran into Gabrielle and Chaosti, also going my way. Gabrielle asked if I would walk with them, so I said sure. She inquired if it was true that I had been the primary Healer in her recovery, and I said yes. Then I explained to her that it wasn't really a recovery, but more of a way to slow the disease until a cure could be found. The connection to Silvara was only to give her a modicum of strength and vitality until that could happen. She and her husband thanked me profusely.

I remember blushing and muttering something, then walked off to the buffet line. I wasn't used to that kind of gratitude. In the Circuit, it was simply a part of life to constantly be aiding others, nothing out of the ordinary and to require so much fuss. I sat down on the other side of Silvara. My silver-haired friend had a plate in front of her, but only moved her food around. Instead, she talked with Titian, who had arrived a few days ago with Daemonar. The childhood friends had quickly reunited and spent a lot of time catching up on the past years.

I didn't mind. If I'd had a friend as long as Silvara had been friends with Titian, I would place my other friends further down on the priority list too. It was true, Silvara had pretty much left Jade and I to our own devices once we arrived at the Hall. She had family here, and friends, and a niche to fill. I was merely some Healer who was graciously given hospitality. Jade didn't even have that much clout. I ate my richly buttered biscuit happily. Every time I ate here I felt like I was ingesting a pure slice of bliss. Ah, how I loved Mrs. Beale's cooking.

"…he was what?" I heard Titian cry out in startle.

"Naked, I tell you, naked! En-ay-kay-ee-dee!" Silvara answered, her voice rising also. There was the tittering of schoolgirls following that, and I wondered whom they were talking about. I gave a mental shrug and told myself I didn't care all that much. Still, my curiosity niggled at me. I didn't have to wait long for the answer however, because soon the door to the dining room opened once more.

In strode Jade, tall and proud, looking every inch her usual unfettered self. To me, she always seemed above man's trivialities and untouchable to it all. However, walking alongside her, easily keeping up with her long strides was Nathaniel. His face was just as unreadable as hers, and he looked as scrumptious as always. (Okay, so I admit I thought he was attractive! So did most of my Circuit and a good portion of the others!)

I think upon first sight I might have gasped or dropped my fork or something. I saw similar shocked reactions taking place. The males immediately regarded Nathaniel with suspicion and even some hostility. However, Jade ignored them all and strode directly to Jaenelle and Daemon. I saw her nod her head politely, and launch into introductions.

"Jaenelle, Daemon, this is my friend, Nathaniel," she said. Nathaniel smiled in greeting, even though I knew his Warlord Prince aggression must have been prickling at his amicability. "Nathaniel, this is Jaenelle Angelline and her husband, Daemon Sadi. They are the kind and gracious hosts here at SaDiablo Hall." I heard Nathaniel exchange polite greetings with Jaenelle and Daemon, and then get straight to the point. "Jaenelle, I was wondering if it would perhaps be alright with you if Nathaniel board here as well?"

Jaenelle seemed to consider it, sharing a look, and no doubt silent communication with Daemon. Finally she nodded. "Of course, I'll have a room prepared for him immediately." I had no doubt Jaenelle would follow through. "However," Jaenelle said, "We are planning a party for this evening in honor of Gabrielle's recovery. You'll need to be attired in proper formalwear."

I saw Jade blanch from where I was sitting. She looked at Nathaniel pleadingly, but he only smiled back. I knew full well that Jade hated anything resembling a skirt. "That will be no problem at all," Nathaniel said smoothly. "Wonderful," Jaenelle said with a smile, "For now though, help yourselves to breakfast."

"Thank you very much, Jaenelle, Daemon," Jade said, and bowed smoothly. She walked away with Nathaniel in toe over to the sideboard. I wondered how the party was going to go tonight…it would certainly be entertaining, if nothing else.

I pulled my silver hair away from my face and debated leaving it that way for the duration of evening, then decided not to. It looked nicer down, at least I thought so. There was a knock at the door, and I gave permission to enter without much thought. It was probably Jade or Sarai, asking for an opinion. The door creaked open and in my bureau mirror I saw not whom I was expecting at all.

Damien sat behind me on my bed, already dressed and ready for my mother's celebratory gathering. The very thought of him and my bed combined nearly made me weak in the knees. "You look nice," Damien said, eyeing me with banked fire in his eyes. "Thank you," I replied, trying to keep cool under the pressure of his gaze. I dusted a light sheen of glitter on my eyelids and a bit of carmine on my lips, then I was done getting ready.

I walked to my bedside and held out a hand to him. "I assume you came to escort me?" I said playfully. He looked up at me, a glimmer of amusement in his honey colored eyes. "You may assume correctly," he said, and took my hand. Giving a slight tug, he pulled me down. I landed gracefully in his lap, and he wrapped his arms around me. He sighed, and said quietly, "I'd rather not go at all, but I suppose if I must go I might as well drag you down with me." I let Damien rest his head on my shoulder. His breath caressed my bare shoulder, as I had not put on my jacket yet, and I shivered, feeling it touch something deep within me.

"I'd rather not go either, but if I must…well, my reasoning is akin to your own," I told him, smiling. Damien looked at me and grinned back. Feeling the sudden urge to, I leaned in and kissed him. I felt Damien sigh against my lips, and he reached a hand up to hold me there gently behind the head.  I felt a certain childlike wonder as he parted my lips and let his tongue in to dance with my own. It was as though I were being kissed for the very first time and I wasn't quite sure what would happen next. It was easy to say that we continued in that dreamlike indulgence for a while, I'm sure. By the time we parted I was having trouble breathing.

"We'd better get down there," I said breathily. He mumbled an agreement, although his expression indicated he'd much rather stay up there with me…alone…and doing Darkness knows what. Removing myself before I could decide I agreed with that voiceless suggestion, I slipped on the overcoat for the light periwinkle camisole I was wearing to match the severely tailored black trousers, and heeled boots, and we headed out.

Arriving downstairs, we found almost everyone there. Sarai was in a corner speaking with Karla, Gabrielle, Morghann, Jaenelle, and other prominent Healers of the Court in a large boisterous group. I saw Titian already out on the dance floor with Daemonar, and the two seemed to be having a grand time doing so. Daemon, Chaosti, Aaron, and Khardeen spoke in a small group, no doubt revealing their woes and receiving comfort in the presence of those who understood similarly. Uncle Saetan and Tersa sat together on a divan discussing who knew what. I saw Marion coaxing Lucivar out onto the dance floor as well, saying loudly that if his son was man enough to do it, wasn't he?

 I might have laughed, for Damien looked at me strangely. There were many other people and faces that I recognized and some I did not, but the only ones missing were Jade and Nathaniel. I though to myself that if they had skipped out I was going to hunt them down and skin them alive. Damien recognized the signs of my silent fuming, and sought to distract me. He brought me over to a group of people, I noted dimly most of them were older, but one of them was near ancient. That was the man Damien introduced to me specifically.

"Ghanleif," Damien cried. The elderly white haired gentleman turned around and looked at us. He was dressed fine enough, but he was small, much shorter than me, and slightly hunched over. He squinted through his spectacles, and grinned. "Well if it isn't Damien SaDiablo! I haven't seen you in ages, boyo!"

Damien shrugged casually, "I've been busy." He smiled at the elder man. "Ghanleif, may I introduce to you Silvara of the Dea al Mon. Silvara, this is my good friend, Ghanleif. He runs an antique shop on Scelt, and is also Morghann's Steward."

I smiled, and wondered what the relevance of it was. Still I said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, my lord." Ghanleif smiled at me, and said, "And you, my lady. So you are the Dea al Mon's lost princess." He looked at me speculatively.

"Not a princess, my lord, merely the daughter of the Queen," I replied modestly. After all, I hadn't been anyone's princess my entire life. Damien interrupted the conversation; "Ghanleif has a special interest in the ancient history of the Blood, which is how we met at all."

"Do you really?" I asked, intrigued. Not one member of the Blood had ever bothered to trace their history back farther than the times of Lorn. It was as though we were landen and lived alongside the dragons. Then Lorn's Queen shed her scales and gifted those of us touched with them with the ability to be Blood. After that, there is a giant hole in our history where not much was recorded. It was a time of lost knowledge supposedly. Then suddenly the Blood evolved to be the sophisticated race we are today. I myself had a certain niggling curiosity about the gap in time.

"Yes, m'dear," he replied with his elderly charm, "I've collected most of the ancient tomes from the Lost Ages, and studied them. The writing system back then was very complex, and the language even more so. It's hard to translate, but I've managed to translate most of the texts. I'm sure there are some inaccuracies of course seeing how it is virtually a dead language. My favorites are what I've dubbed the Lunatic's Diaries."

"Lunatic's Diaries?" I asked, becoming enraptured in the tale, and a bit confused by the extremely corny name. I stared at Ghanleif, seeing what had drawn Damien to him, and was myself intrigued by. His knowledge of ancient society was abundant, a spring in the midst of a desert really.

"Yes. They are several accounts written by different people. The entries are different of course, but the fundamentals remain the same. Each of them are written in the same dialect of the ancient language, much more complex and archaic, but the dialect is different from any other I have seen. All of the accounts mention an ancient race of people. A few talk about rituals and such. One is a story about their homeland, but there are too many symbols I cannot decipher. Still, it is more than anyone else has gathered." Ghanleif smiled proudly, and I realized what Damien's intent had been to distract me from my irritation. It had certainly worked I amended. I was sufficiently involved in Ghanleif's secret passion for the lost history of the Blood.

I was working myself into a flurry of questions when the door opened and in stepped Nathaniel with Jade on his arm. I am quite positive my jaw dropped or something akin to that occurred. Jade looked so unlike herself! She wore a dress, first off, and a very aggressively feminine one at that. It was black and low-cut, the bodice merely a sleeveless corset, and the skirt a flowing river of smooth black leather. She looked every inch a proud young Territory Queen, and if I didn't know any better that's what I'd have said she was. Half of her long black hair was bound in a bun, and the other parts fell freely. She wore her Gray Jewel proudly, as always, and walked with the same smooth grace she always did.

Nathaniel looked equally stunning in his own attire: a grey silk shirt that fluttered around him loosely, giving him that air of a rakish bastard male (it was apparent to me he'd borrowed it from Jade), buttery soft black leather pants that conformed a bit too much to be appropriate, and polished leather boots that stopped a little over the knee. His hair shone like spun rubies against all those non-colors, and his eyes sparkled with mirth. Briefly I wondered if he'd been taking fashion tips from Jade, who never wore anything that could be considered a color.

The monochrome twins (kind of) glided over to me effortlessly, like they were floating. Jade drew up to my side, while Nathaniel hung back a little, unsure of how to act within such posh settings. He too, like Jade and Sarai, was not overly experienced with Court protocol. It was merely Jade's aura of confidence and surety that made her movements and behavior appear so natural, if a bit brazen. She offered no formal greetings of any kind, waiting until I was forced to introduce her. "Ghanleif, this is my friend, Jade, she is staying her with me for some time. Jade, this is Ghanleif, Morghann's Steward." Ghanleif nodded his head, and Jade returned the greeting in her cool, haughty manner. "It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Jade," the elderly man said. "I must say the same, Lord Ghanleif," Jade intoned in a distantly polite voice. She sounded almost bored, really, like she were ready for the party to end already.

"And this is Nathaniel," I continued, flashing a small smile at the stunning redhead, "He is another of my friend's, also visiting here." Ghanleif looked a bit apprehensive at greeting Nathaniel, but did so anyway. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Nathaniel." The redhead grinned, his eyes lighting up. No doubt he knew of Ghanleif's hesitance, but was unsure of what to do in the face of it. So he merely acted as himself. "You too," Nathaniel threw back at the elder man with a smile.

Meanwhile, Jade greeted Damien through her reserved public mask. I didn't hear what she said first, but Damien's reply was, "You look fantastic, Lady Jade, like a posh dominatrix. All you're missing is the whip." Jade growled lowly in reply, and a giggle managed to escape the tight hold I had on my amusement. "Fuck off, Damien." He merely smiled innocuously at her, and replied with a, "I'm being honest! Jade, you must save me a slot on your dance card tonight."

I watched Jade roll her eyes skyward. "I see your man-whore façade is in full swing tonight," she stated wryly, her voice quiet enough that Ghanleif failed to hear it, but pitched so it carried directly to Damien. Said male clutched his chest dramatically and cried, "Oh Jade! You wound me!" My friend snorted derisively through her nose, sounding rather indelicate. "I'd like to," she said pointedly, flexing her long, black-tinted claws at him. Damien responded in kind with his own claws, making hissing cat noises.

Determined to ignore him, Jade turned back to Ghanleif. "Lord, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope we will meet again." With that she spun on her heel, dragging Nathaniel with her. The redhead was laughing the whole way, still positively hysterical from the exchange. Ghanleif merely blinked, his eyes looking owlish. "Did I miss something?" he questioned to Damien, who was wiping tears from the corners of his eyes.

At that I simply couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter myself.

Some number of hours later, I found myself at the snack table, talking with Sarai, Titian, Daemonar, and Damien. The three youths of the extended SaDiablo family and my good friend whom I'd found what seems such a short time ago, especially as I stood there talking with these people like I'd hardly ever been away. Jade and Nathaniel had failed to make themselves known again, and I found myself constantly wondering where they were.

Sarai, I knew, could sense what my anxiety was about, and discreetly whispered, "Cut it out. They can take care of themselves." Still, I couldn't help it. The time had passed when Gabrielle swept into the room. There was a brief commotion as people went to check and see if she was really okay. My small group of compatriots and a few others knew she wasn't really, but we'd decided to merely keep it a secret. Now wasn't the time to give them hope and so cruelly snatch it away.

Taking a deep breath, I tugged on Damien's sleeve. "Let's go for a walk," I suggested, my voice crisp and falsely cheery. Damien sent me an odd look, a silent communication for 'what's up', but I couldn't answer just yet. I wasn't sure. It was just an odd feeling I had. He shrugged and escorted me out of the house, around to the back woods without even having to ask. I loved it there. It reminded me of the Dae al Mon forest. The rich scent of life perfumed the air, the heady smell of rich soil, the greenery growing everywhere, the soft titters of the animal life; I was intoxicated by it.

It was not long until we ran into Jaenelle, Daemon, and Saetan. The trio stood, looking bewildered. "You sensed it too?" Jaenelle asked, turning to face me directly. She looked stunning in her midnight blue finery, and stood out in sharp relief against all the black her father and husband wore. 

"Yes," I replied to the inquiry, "I sensed something…off."

Jaenelle nodded succinctly. "Someone has broken the wards I've set around the Hall."

"Meaning that either they have hostile intentions or that an unknown magic has been Crafted here," Saetan elaborated upon interpretation of both my and Damien's floundering expressions. I gasped upon understanding what they had revealed to me. "Then we've got to find the source of the disturbance," Damien determined, following his father and mother as the blond haired woman began tracking the scent. A fierce grin rose unbidden to my countenance as I summoned something I had not used in years.

Damien raised one fine dark brow in question as I held the carefully carved bow in my hands, testing the string. The quiver of arrows already rested against my back. "Well then, let's go," I intoned to the group, who had paused to watch my actions. "Where, exactly?" Daemon quipped in his honeyed tones, directing the question mostly towards his wife. However, I found myself unable to suppress my growled, "Hunting." I stepped up to Jaenelle's side and the two of us led the trio of men following behind. Jaenelle was taking care of the magical tracking. I, however, was using my entire latent Dae al Mon training to track the intruders physically.

My senses seemed hyper tuned and I smelled it before I saw it. The rich scent of…felines. Growling, I took point as out group broke through into a clearing. There, resting lazily on a bed of grass was a large black panther with the most overwhelming chartreuse eyes. It sprang up in an instant, growling and thrashing about. "It's not Kindred," Jaenelle said, "In fact, I feel no animal-like thoughts at all."

"There is something wrong here," Saetan said, taking his place beside his daughter, already beginning to summon the power to either kill the beast or throw up a shield. The panther began to stalk towards us with predatory grace, and I recognized its next move before it even occurred. The powerful hind legs tensed and sprung, and four hundred pounds of very large, very dangerous cat, were flying towards Jaenelle. In the same moment, my fingers drew back on the string, the arrow ready to sing in my hands, and snap! The arrow, charged with my own Ebon-Gray power was flying straight and true right towards it.

I heard Jaenelle's scream distantly, even though Saetan's shield had snapped up around us, Daemon's shield following soon after, and even Damien called his power forth. An inky darkness shot out from beneath the foliage like a knife cutting through molasses, the infinite moment that stretched out here. The other cat tackled the one still heading for a collision with my arrow and I hissed in disappointment.

The felines each rolled gracefully, the smaller one, the one from the vegetation, coming up first. I might have blinked, I don't know, but next thing I'm aware of is Jade, crouching in front of the panther that had just tried to kill Jaenelle. "Don't!" she cried, "Don't hurt him! He didn't realize what he was doing!" Her hand stretched out towards us, echoing her plea, and her large jade green eyes appeared stricken.

"Jade?" I gasped, my eyes barely comprehending the sight. My friend was on the forest floor, one leg tucked underneath her, the other outstretched to keep her balance from her rolling position. She was completely nude, I realized with shock. Then I also realized I'd never seen Jade without being totally covered before. I found it odd; incongruous to the image I had of her. I could see the small pale scars on her lower belly and thighs, scars from the man who had taken her and paid for the pleasure with his life.

A pair of pale arms reached around both sides of Jade, encompassing her small waist (had she always been so tiny? Had I just not noticed? I could almost see through her skin, it was so near transparency. Her ribs were prominent features on her body, whether from her position or just lack of meat on her bones, I couldn't tell). Both hands locked together, draping down, and it was then I realized he was trying to protect her modesty. "Silvara! He didn't mean it I swear! We were just playing and we got too caught up in the game! Really!" From behind Jade's cloud of unbound dark hair I saw a ruby colored head peek up, the chartreuse eyes just showing over her shoulder. It was then I realized with shock that Nathaniel crouched behind Jade, also without a stitch of clothing.

"I—What—Huh?" I stuttered. This was all too much for me. What happened to the two cats? Why were Jade and Nathaniel here? And naked at that? "I'm sorry," I heard Nathaniel say quietly, his voice just reaching me, "I smelled food. So…" I saw him shrug his broad shoulders.

"So you thought you'd go hunting?" Damien questioned from behind me, his voice exceedingly dry. I glanced back at him, and he made a downward motion with his hand. It was then I realized I still had the bow up and targeted. Without thinking, I'd grabbed another arrow and drawn back the string in preparation for another shot, then promptly forgotten all about it in my shock.

Finally, Jaenelle said the first coherent sentence she'd volunteered since entering the clearing. "I did just watch you two change from panther to humans, right?" Her voice sounded weak and somewhat stunned.  Jade cast a look down at the ground, her hand slowly lowering to rest on Nathaniel's. "Yes," she admitted in a low tone of voice.

Abruptly Saetan cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should resume this discussion someplace more private? My study?" He looked around for agreement. Jaenelle nodded briskly, as did her husband, who still seemed to be in shock. I agreed, albeit reluctantly, as did Damien. Jade nodded and dislodged Nathaniel, rising to walk back to the base of a rather large tree. Wordlessly, she tossed a bundle at Nathaniel and he rose to dress, completely unabashed that five people were watching him do so. Jade slipped into her dark gown, and presented her back to Nathaniel. Like he was reading her mind, he obediently buttoned up the numerous tiny buttons closing the corset in the back.

Both of them turned to our little group, and still shell-shocked, we returned to the Hall, although not to the party.

An awkward silence pervaded the room as seven grown adults could do nothing but fidget uncomfortably. No one wanted to be the first to bring it up. Jade glanced at Nathaniel, and a silent communication passed between them even though no thread was accessed. "I suppose it would be best to start at the beginning," Jade said, sighing and turning to face the rest of us.

"It must be quite apparent to you now that Nathaniel and I are not like the rest of the Blood. If you don't get that yet, here's a direct statement: we're not, we're Mutare. Changelings. Our island was called by the same name." Jade stopped talking, and I was reminded that talking with her was always like pulling teeth. "Where's that?" Damien asked before the rest of us could. "Mutare used to be near Chaillot, but further down the coast," Nathaniel answered, smiling his guileless smile at us. "Used to be?" I heard myself echo.

"Yes, used to be," Jade said, nodding succinctly, "Many, many years ago, back when the realms and the Blood were still but children, new to their powers and changing still, our people had already existed. Our societies were developed. However, the ruler of the Mutare had a terrible premonition about a darkness, a plague that would sweep the realms and turn everything to dust. She had horrible visions of what would become of her land, her people, and resolved to prevent that the only way she knew how. The island was evacuated and sunken down to the ocean floor."

I heard Jaenelle gasp behind me. "Such power that must have required!" Jade shrugged nonchalantly, "Yes, it did require a great deal. But the spell was triggered by more than just power; by blood also. The ruler bled herself dry to complete the task."

"Really?" I found myself asking, sitting forward on my seat like a child eager for a bedtime story, "How do you know all this? I mean, is there a book somewhere?"

"No, not really," Nathaniel answered my questions, "Mostly it's just passed down to us by our parents. There are a few vague accounts by people of our race, but most were lost."

"Ghanleif!" Damien and I cried in the same instant. The others looked at each other, equally confused. "Ghanleif has some of the accounts you're talking about!" I elaborated for them. Jade and Nathaniel exchanged another glance, and I almost felt their mutual agreement to look into obtaining those priceless artifacts, whether by fair or illegal means. I felt bad for releasing the duo on the elderly scholar, really I did.

"Continue with your story, please," Jaenelle interjected sweetly. Jade nodded, clearing her throat. "After the island was sunk, the Mutare scattered across the realms, desperately trying to hide their alien behaviors. It's worked thus far. Of course I'm sure a few were killed along the way, but the secret was kept. Until now. I really should kill you to protect the rest of my kind, but they're so few these days that it's really rather pointless." All this was said in the most casual voice you could have ever imagined. It was almost funny, really.

The room was silent then except for the sound of careful breathing as everyone absorbed this shocking new revelation. There was a race we'd never heard of, a race of people who could change shape from animals to humans. "Tell her about the plant," Nathaniel said suddenly, elbowing Jade in the side. Jade grimaced, obviously very reluctant about this.

"I—Well, Silvara, I know what's wrong with you're mother and I'm sad to say that there is no cure for it. Many of the Mutare suffer from this illness and die from it," Jade stated, her voice sympathetic, but her words matter-of-fact.

"You know what's wrong with my mother? You mean I've been searching frantically for an answer all this time, and you've known all along?!" My voice was rising in incredulity, a betrayed sort of anger filling my veins. How could she have kept this from me?

"I was protecting the Mutare," Jade said, her voice filled with stiff pride, "But yes, I know what it is. It is…a genetic affliction. Unfortunately, the only cure is a specific flower that grows only on Mutare. Unfortunately, that island is buried so deeply under the sea it is doubtful that anyone will ever see it again. Therefore there is no cure. The only thing you can do is to sustain your mother's life with your own."

"If this is a genetic affliction, what does that mean for Silvara?" Saetan asked, his voice calm and cultured. Jade looked grim. "It means that somewhere in her heritage there is something not so Dae al Mon. It's probably a recessive trait though. Her Mutare genes, I mean."

It suddenly made sense. How when I'd told Jade about Gabrielle's illness, she'd known just what to do. She had designed the spell in a matter of minutes and it was flawless. Maybe she'd done it before for another of her kind? Resentment bubbled inside of me. "How can you talk about it so casually?! You knew! You knew all this time and you didn't say anything! I trusted you!" The words and accusations came spilling out of my mouth before I knew it, rolling of my tongue easily.

"What would you rather I do? Tell you all of my people's secrets? Betray their trust? I know for a fact you have not told me all you know about the Dae al Mon. In fact, you haven't told anyone much at all. Why should I give you anything other than the same courtesy?" Jade's voice was cold, icy even. The very embodiment of the frozen tundra, and I suddenly felt very estranged from her. Who was it I had known all these years? Certainly not the creature before me.

I saw Jaenelle, Daemon, and Saetan discreetly abandon the room. Damien stayed though, his mere presence a silent gesture of support. "Courtesy?!" I cried, my voice incredulous, "My mother is dying! And you knew how to save her! And you won't do anything about it!"

"What would you have me do? Go to Terreille and raise Mutare?!" Finally Jade's voice was beginning to rise, heat coloring her words, "Fine! I shall! I will raise an entire island, undo my ancestors' work centuries past, so you can have your damn flower!" That said, Jade rose to her feet with an almost audible snap, and stalked out of the room, cutting off any chance of a reply from me. The door slammed behind her and knocked a painting off the wall, such was the force of her ferocity.

"Well, I think that went rather well," Nathaniel said cautiously, rising up from his seat. He flashed me a small, careful smile. I struggled not to direct my anger at him as well. "Yes, I thought so," Damien shot back from behind me, his voice tinted with the barest amusement. I shot him a dark glare potent enough to wither a lesser man's balls on the spot.

"I'll go find her," Nathaniel volunteered and glided out of the room after Jade. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers. Now that Jade was away, I found myself already regretting my harsh words. I knew that she'd do it. I just knew. I'd seen the conviction in her eyes when she said it. She felt guilty for not telling me, and this was her way of making it up to me. Jade would go to Terreille, and nothing set in her path could stop her.

"Jade," Nathaniel called, stepping into the room. "Jade." His black haired companion was not in the room, but a lone bag sat on the bed, already half-filled with the scant items Jade had brought with her for her stay at SaDiablo Hall. She was absolutely convinced she was going. Well, she had another thing coming. There was no way Jade was even attempting to resurrect an island. Over his dead body, maybe, assuming his demon-dead form didn't rise to stop her.

A shirt hung halfway out of the bag, and Nathaniel stopped in front of it to gently pull it out, fold it, and put it back in the dresser. Slowly, methodically, he continued to undo Jade's packing. The door opened some time later, just as he finished putting away the last of Jade's clothing, and took her bathroom necessities back into the adjoined room. He could hear the angry shriek as Jade discovered her carefully packed bag empty.

"Nathaniel!!" The voice was livid. Steeling himself, the redhead glided out of the bathroom, self-assured and poised. "Jade," he replied, a slight smile of welcome on his face, "You took off in a bit of a hurry, so I thought I'd better check on you." Jade was already off on a tangent though. "—and what right do you have to try and order me around?! I'm an adult! I can do whatever the Hell I please! If I want to go and raise a Darkness-cursed island, then Mother Night, I shall!"

"Then I'm going with you," Nathaniel stated in a peaceful voice, sitting down in a comfortable armchair. "I don't need a babysitter!! You will go back to your Circuit and stay there, dammit!" Nathaniel nonchalantly picked at an invisible piece of lint on his shirt as he watched Jade pace the room in long, angry strides. "No, you don't need a babysitter. You need a leash," the redhead agreed mildly. Jade stopped in her tracks, glaring at him. "Oh, and you think you're just the person to hold it, don't you?! Let me tell you a well-known fact, Nathaniel, I don't need anyone!!"

She began to stomp around, opening drawers and flinging the contents into her bag once again. Nathaniel frowned, obvious hurt in his eyes. The comment about not needing anyone had hit harder than expected. Good dart to throw, Jade, the Queen commended herself. Then Nathaniel seemed to recover, and stood up slowly. "If that were true, you wouldn't have stayed with the Circuit. You wouldn't have become friends with Sarai and Silvara and Alex and me. You wouldn't be so quick to make amends with Silvara either. I know you, Jady, and I know how you think. You don't need to do this to make it up to Silvie; she'll get over it. She'll realize that her mother is just fine the way she is, and leave it at that. Stop pushing this."

With three long strides, Nathaniel was beside Jade and pulling the tightly clutched shirt out of her grasp. It almost looked like he was getting to her, and then he had to go and make that fatal mistake. "I'm telling you not to do this." Those words seemed to bring all the defiance laced so deeply within Jade right to the surface. It was the same defiance that had kept her going throughout the harsh training sessions her mother insisted upon, the same defiance that kept her alive and fighting in that dirty alleyway, the same defiance that kept her standing tall when her whole body ached with enough pain to just curl up and die.

"You can't tell me what to do," she said coldly, and flew into motion again.

"Jade, please, listen to me," Nathaniel pleaded earnestly, already kicking himself in the ass for daring to say that one phrase. He tried the logical approach. "This isn't healthy for you. Traveling over land isn't good for you right now. I've seen how much weight you've lost, how little energy you have; I've seen the stress marks under your eyes. You're body isn't strong enough for this right now."

"I can take the Winds," Jade answered stubbornly, continuing to pack.

"Even if you do take the Winds that will still put a lot of stress on your body. You'll be using a lot of magical strength, which is even worse. Jade, I could never forgive myself if I let you go by yourself. What if something happened to you? Even more so, you're not strong enough to wield the full power of your Jewels. How are you going to raise an island all by yourself?"

"I'll do a bloodletting, or tie it to a web. I don't know yet. I'll figure it out later," she explained tersely, a sigh escaping her lips as she finally stopped walking back and forth between the dresser and the bed. Jade looked tired, Nathaniel noted. Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath. "Nathaniel, I need to do this. It's time. The Mutare have been living in secrecy for too long, fighting for our existence. It's peaceful now though. The Purge has cleansed the Blood of its overwhelming taint, and now it's time for us to move on as well. Besides, I—"

Nathaniel sighed, shaking his head so that his long red hair swished back and forth. "I know. You feel that you owe it to Silvara. I'm just…scared. You said that the Queen who sank the island killed herself in doing so. How are you going to avoid the same fate, especially when you're not at full strength?"

Jade looked up, determination shining through her eyes like fire. "I will."

Another sigh from the redhead. "Can I at least come with? That way, maybe I won't go completely insane from worry." Jade gave him a long look, then nodded her assent. "I suppose I could use the company anyway." Then the young Queen strode purposefully over to the bag, placing the items in her hand inside. "Help me finish packing," she ordered.

Nathaniel nodded, and fetched the last of the clothing from the dresser, folding it carefully and packing it into the bag. As he held the last item in his hands, a shirt, he remarked casually, "You know you've just dug your own grave."

Jade nodded, placing a pair of pants inside the depths of her traveling bag. "Then there's only one thing left to do—jump on in." So the pair continued to pack until the moon rose high in the sky, a smear of blood red circling it. Surely it was an omen? The laughter and revelry downstairs from the party trailed in through the open balcony doors, but it all felt distant, a whole other world away. A silent camaraderie existed in the room, marked by the white static of the party-goers and the distorted light of the moon, and through it all both knew that only one thing could possibly come of this: doom.

- - FIN - -

So…that's the end. There will be a sequel though! Don't know the title yet, but you'll know it when you see it. In the next story Jade and Nathaniel go on their adventure to Terreille. What will become of them?