Chapter 64

"Where were you?"

"Out."

"Doing what?"

"Investigating, doing my job."

"You mean figuring out the mayor's whereabouts?"

Sometimes, things just seemed to fall into place for Melyssa. "Yes. I was concerned when I heard he took a sabbatical. That witch is his wife, so more than likely, they are in a place I cannot access."

The Grandmaster eyeballed her newest protégé, wondering if she was telling the truth or not. "Very well." She decided to give Melyssa the benefit of the doubt since she was, so far, doing as told. "McBurn tells me you had a…moment with him. He claims you are being too friendly with Crow Armbrust and Ash Carbide."

"Of course he did. He seems to think I'm still on their side when that's not the truth at all. I work with them, Grandmaster. I have to be SOMEWHAT friendly towards them in order to keep up this spy façade." Melyssa folded her arms in front of her chest, a stoic expression on her masked face. "Unless you'd rather I blow this operation because of McBurn's concerns?"

"Hmm…he's looking for an opportunity to make you his still, it seems. I will have a talk with him and I assure you, he won't bother you again during this operation…unless absolutely necessary."

Melyssa bowed to the Grandmaster. "Thank you. I won't let you down."

"See that you don't."

Melyssa left the Ouroboros compound, which was on the outskirts of Crossbell City, deep in the woods. She muttered something under her breath, the ground glowing beneath her and soon, she was transported back to her apartment, inside. Of course, she was lying to the Grandmaster about being on their side, but like Machias said, she had to keep up the act until they figure out a way to destroy Ouroboros for good. It would take time, she was prepared for the wait, even though she hated her masks.

McBurn wasn't amused with how everything did always seem to fall into place for Melyssa. When she had defied the Grandmaster, she had gotten off easy and the Grandmaster still trusted the woman around her 'former' friends, even when the defiance had been due to a former friend. He was concerned that Melyssa was a type of witch because he was well aware how things just seemed to go 'well' for her.

The Grandmaster was losing her touch, losing her grip. She needed to be replaced before that little witch wormed her way into a position of power she had no business being in. That little witch belonged under his thumb, and other parts.

If McBurn so much as TRIED taking her out, the Grandmaster had NO problem sending him to the depths of Gehenna. She was A LOT stronger than any of the Anguis and Enforcers she personally chose. This was McBurn's fault for bringing Melyssa into the fold in the first place and the Grandmaster knew the ONLY reason he did it was because he wanted her for himself. Not happening. McBurn would toe the line and follow her instructions…or he would be replaced.

"McBurn, you are under NO circumstances allowed in Crossbell City from here on out." The Grandmaster held her hand up when he went to speak, snapping her fingers. His mouth was instantly sealed shut, unable to pry them open even with his own magic. "I will silence you completely, if you do not follow my instructions. You will NOT enter Crossbell City, nod if you understand."

He did, reluctantly, with narrowed eyes.

"Good boy. I will send you somewhere else for the time being and Mariabell will take over your duties in Crossbell City. Nod if you understand."

Again, he did.

"Lysa is no longer your concern and you will put her out of your mind, if you know what's good for you. She is not your toy to play with and I know that is why you brought her to me in the first place. You thought she would screw up and then I would hand her over to you." The Grandmaster was not stupid and folded her arms in front of her chest. "If you wanted her as a toy, you never should have recommended her to become an Enforcer. That was your mistake and you need to deal with it. Now, I'm going to unseal your mouth and you are going to walk away without a word. Nod if you understand." Once he did, she snapped her fingers again and he could pry his lips apart finally. "Your new assignment will be Jurai. Off with you now."

The Grandmaster had proven his point.

Everything just naturally fell into place for that tart, even when everything should have been logically stacked against her. Even as he marched away, biting his tongue, McBurn felt hatred bubbling and taking over the desire. Melyssa Brackett was a natural born witch, there was no other explanation, and Jurai was the perfect place to start investigating this witch's origins. He had to wonder how many other people she had charmed, who had fallen under her sway.

Ash and Crow were back in Crossbell, back on the clock and Machias had returned as well, reluctantly. Emma had been relocated so she would be safe, along with their unborn babe, and out of potential fallout's way. Humming, Ash let himself into his apartment, knowing Melyssa should be home in hers. He had to wonder what she had told her Grandmaster, considering she had left with him the other day, were they dating now? At least, was that the story she had given? Probably not. He was a bit surprised to find he had been somewhat hoping, or something.

"Ugh…"

Since she was working closely with Ash, the Grandmaster didn't question her on it. Either that or the Grandmaster didn't know she had left with Ash. Maybe there weren't spies around Crossbell City all the time. Maybe she was paranoid when it came to her apartment. Just to be on the safe side, however, she didn't remove the mask until at night since sleeping with it tended to break her out. Fingering the small diamond necklace around her neck, Melyssa wondered if Ash was back yet and contemplated going over to see him. For some reason, she couldn't get him out of her head and sleeping in his arms at the log cabin had been amazing.

Friends, we're just friends and it has to stay that way. I won't lose him too.

It was bad enough she had lost Rean. She had come home, had a crying jag and threw away the starry night necklace he gave her for her birthday. Melyssa didn't want anything that reminded her of Rean Schwarzer, trying to mend her broken heart as fast as possible.

It wasn't until the next workday that Ash and Crow saw Melyssa.

She looked exactly like she had the day she had come in for an interview for this position, mask included and now that they knew what the hell that was, it was creepier than before. "Machias has a full schedule today." Ash informed her when she stepped off the elevator and onto Machias' office floor, standing guard right at the entrance way.

Crow was in the office with Machias, doing yet another sweep for bugs, or anything that hinted at magic. The stakes on this game had grown exponentially. But yet they all had to keep pretending everything was normal, business as usual, and go on like they DIDN'T know a damn thing.

It was infuriating to say the least.

"Awesome, should be a fun-filled day then."

Melyssa smiled at them, looking pristine and perfect in a blue buttoned up blouse and a white and blue polka dotted pencil skirt with white pumps on her feet. She had gone shopping for some 'proper' work wear since Machias was gracious enough to give her an advance on her paycheck. Thrift stores were a thing and she had found some cute outfits for under $100.

"Ah, there you are, dear. Glad you're on time. Now come along for your training."

Melyssa blinked at the older woman and remembered she had to be trained on etiquette, what to say and, more importantly, what NOT to say. "See you guys later." She waved at them before being whisked away, her arm securely looped through the older woman she would be replacing.

Ash gave her a half wave before resuming his post, eyes ahead on the elevator, which was the only official in and out of this part of the building, for Machias' safety. He had totally forgotten Melyssa was being trained today, she was still a new hire, this was her first official day, right? It seemed like so much time had passed since the day she had come in for her interview until today, it was insane.

"Anything?" He asked softly when Crow came to join him.

"No, but I'd imagine they'll expect something to show up within the next week." Since she was technically Ouroboros' spy.

"We're safe here, right?"

"Yes, my office is a complete safe zone, so you can take the mask off if you'd like, Melyssa."

Nodding, Melyssa peeled it off and let out a huge sigh of relief, setting it down in her lap. Her training went well enough and she now understood the basics of what her job for the Mayor would entail. "I spoke to the Grandmaster on Sunday. I was summoned to their hideout, which is deep in the woods on the outskirts of the city. I can direct you there, but I warn you, it's HEAVILY guarded. I wouldn't recommend going there unless you plan on attacking them with an army of your own."

"Understood." Machias was already seeing how having Melyssa on their side would prove beneficial. "What did the Grandmaster want to know? What did she ask you?"

"My whereabouts on Saturday. I told her I was searching for your whereabouts since you took that small sabbatical. She did not question me leaving with Ash, however, so I'm assuming she doesn't know or doesn't care."

"Interesting…" Machias stroked his chin thoughtfully, looking at Crow and then Ash. "Do you gentlemen have any questions for her?"

"Remember how we thought things were almost too easy before?" Ash had been thinking about this all day, trying not to dwell in the past, but there were some similarities that were beginning to crop up that he simply could not ignore. "How some of it felt way too easy?" Like getting into their hideout, getting Roger to agree to a meeting… hiding in one giant cluster of people in a warehouse… and Ouroboros had wiped the floor with them both physically and with magic. "This kind of feels that way."

Ash made a very good point. "You think they're setting us up? Do you think they know I've switched sides? I would hope the Grandmaster wouldn't, but…she has proven to be one step ahead of us in the past." Or ten, rather. "She DID send McBurn away to Jurai and promised me he wouldn't interfere in my work from here on out. Apparently, he went to her complaining about what I said to him, the last time he visited me and…she took my side on it. He's been in Ouroboros a lot longer than me and he's stronger…" Now she was worried, chewing her thumbnail nervously. "I don't know what to believe, honestly, but we can't rule out the fact she may already know of my treachery."

McBurn was very powerful and they all knew it, to send him away was a big thing and could go either way. Melyssa had already defied the Grandmaster once by refusing to assassinate Machias. Of course that had also been partially because it was against the deal she had made with Ouroboros, but… they all knew for a fact that Ouroboros didn't play fair and couldn't be trusted.

"I've known you for a while," Not as long as Crow obviously but enough to know that things did not just fall into place naturally for Melyssa. The woman actually had the worst luck out of anyone he had ever met. "You usually don't catch breaks."

"I know. And I still have no idea why I was recruited in the first place. I don't know what's so special about me that the Grandmaster is putting me above one of her top Enforcers." McBurn was No. I while she was No. XVII, way down the totem pole. "I didn't feel anything different with her during our meeting." It was weekly. She had to report to the Grandmaster directly with any new information regarding Machias. "Now that I've started this job for you, Machias, I'm going to need you to give me some kind of information to tell her at my meeting next week. She's going to get suspicious if I don't have something to tell her."

Machias nodded, eyeing her thoughtfully. Nobody had ever figured out why Melyssa had been targeted outside of McBurn's lust and even then… for Ouroboros to accept her offer -not that they were trying very hard to keep to their end if they had ordered a hit on him-, not much made sense. "I'll have something for you, nothing major." Because while he trusted Melyssa, he'd have been a complete fool to reveal anything major intended for Crossbell while she was technically Ouroboros. And some things were just need to know, they were all playing a dangerous game here and there were a lot of lives at risk.

"I don't want you to tell me anything major. The less they know, the better." Melyssa was in complete agreement with Machias and she preferred him not to tell her anything major either, just in case. She never knew what kind of magic the Grandmaster would perform on her at a moment's notice. The woman could probably read minds, knowing her. "Miss Wakaba wanted me to give you this to look over. It's the schedule for next week's meetings." Each major city, like Heimdallr, would be visited by their leaders, such as Machias' own father, Governor Regnitz. "You will have meetings with each individual to discuss mending rifts between Crossbell and the Erebonian cities and if you need to change anything, let me know and I'll switch some things around to make it more convenient for you."

Machias nodded, frowning when Crow cleared his throat. "What?"

"She's going to have to give them a copy of your schedule." Crow pointed out a bit apologetically, but it was very obvious. She had access to the mayor's schedule, Ouroboros would know that and expect a copy as well, which meant his and Ash's workload would likely increase. "As much as I hate saying it, if she doesn't, it's going to look suspicious."

Ash groaned, shaking his head. He hadn't thought about it, but then again, he wasn't a former terrorist either, or former Ouroboros affiliate or whatever Crow had been. "He's right…" He hated his friend right now. "I guess this means we're going to have to go above and beyond for your precious, mayoral backside."

"Already way ahead of you. Here." She handed over another schedule, one that she wouldn't have to show Ouroboros and smiled at their confused expressions. "The schedule I gave you will make them think your appointments are at those times, but really you're going to have your meetings in the privacy of your home later that evening. With a little help from Rosalie, Ouroboros won't be able to see them arriving or leaving your home." Magic truly was a beautiful thing and having a very powerful witch on their side was proving very effective. "And Rosalie even made it to where, if I go over to Ash or Crow's apartments to discuss something, they won't know either. She cast a spell on all three of our places, so there's some kind of invisible wall that Ouroboros won't know about." This way, she didn't have to keep her mask on and she would also be alerted whenever someone from Ouroboros showed up.

It was some kind of magical security.