Chapter 6

"What if I can tell you I know the whole of it, with one word?"

"Now you are just boasting."

"Melusine." It was barely a whisper but it had its impact. Sam's smirk melted off of his face and contorted into something like grief and anger.

"HOW DARE YOU UTTER HER NAME!" He roared as he pulled his dagger free of its hilt and threw it at Hieronymous.

Hieronymous closed his eyes and braced himself for the pain but it did not come. He looked around confused. A surprised scowl was on Sam's face as he pointed behind Hieronymous.

"Master." His heart stopped at the sound of is servants voice.

Not wanting to expose his back to his enemy he grumbled darkly. "Great stuck between a Manus and a madman." He raised an eyebrow and addressed Sam. "Done throwing daggers at me?"

"As much as I want to make goblin fodder out of you..." He made a strange gesture with his hand, the air grew think with magical energy. "I have a something I am sure you would love to see."

The air shimmered between them as the image of a camp appeared before them. Setsunai was trapped in a circle as she screamed at the top of her lungs. Goblins were hopping around an inert body lying some fifteen feet away from Setsunai.

She was sobbing frantically. "I call on the Manus that serves the House of Grabiner! Save Hieronymous!" Her voice cracking from use. She kept screaming it over and over again. Rocking back and forth with her knees drawn up to her chest.

Hieronymous' stomach dropped as he realized that the body looked eerily like him. "How many bloody changelings do you have?"

"Master has many, I only have a handful at my disposal." He tucked some of his ruby hair behind his ear as he watched the shimmering image with amusement. "Shes a smart one and stayed in the circle. How long do you think she will hold out for when they begin to feed?" He made yet another strange gesture with his hand.

At some silent signal the goblins rushed at the body and began to pull and bite at it. Setsunai began to shriek as the feeding noises grew louder. She clapped her hands over her ears and closed her eyes as tightly as possible.

"No, no, no! Gods no! Oh, Hieronymous. No!" She rocked back and forth with her hands clamped to her ears, sobbing in disbelief.

Minutes dragged on like hours as the morbid scene continued. The goblins went into a frenzy and fights began to break out over which ones would have a chance at the body. The ground was stained with black blood and scraps of cloth were strewn around. Sharp snaps of bone breaking punctuated the wet tearing sounds of flesh as the goblins growled and chattered.

"Enough!" Hieronymous roared. The horrific tableau flickered then slowly disappeared. "What do you want, Sama'el."

Black eyes looked into Hieronymous'. "I thought you would never ask. I bet you could guess it in one word."

"Depends. Will you try to murder me again if I get it right?" He ran his hand over his face in frustration.

"Master. Your wife is calling for me. What do you wish me to do?" The Manus hovered anxiously.

"Make em bring her here. If you try anything that angers me I will gut her in front of you and make you watch as the light leaves her eyes." He flicked his wrist and a dagger materialized out of nowhere and hovered in front of him. He plucked it out of the air and sheathed it at his hip.

The goblins were done feeding and they began to huddle in a semi-circle around Setsunai. The ground was a black and red mess, shards of bone glinted a sickly white in stark contrast. Several goblins died in the fights that broke out over the carnage, their broken bodies tossed to the edge of the camp. Setsunai sat there with her knees drawn up her hands still on her ears but her eyes were wide open in the terror that she had witnessed. There was no hope to be had. He was gone, no one else would be able to save her. How easy it would be to stretch out her leg and break the circle and let the goblins kill her. She shook her head at the thought and gritted her teeth as she tried not scream in fear and frustration. All she felt was a hollow spot where Hieronymous was. Was that how he felt when he lost Violet? Empty? Hopeless? No, he never seemed hopeless, he had his anger. He held on to it and brandished it like a sword. She still had a weapon. That damned Manus. She would use it to exact her revenge. Now that Hieronymous was gone it would be left to his wife would it not? She choked back a sob as she realized that she was a widow. Was it her childish obsession with her reluctant husband that got mistaken for love or did the magic of May Day open his heart to love again. Would he still be alive if she decided not to visit him instead of skipping the dance? He would have definitely be alive today if she would have never ran head long past his circle to save him. If she would have went for help instead he would still be alive.

"This is all my fault." She croaked looking up at the sky. Harpies were already beginning to circle above.

She thought about what she could do that would please Hieronymous as her final act in his honor. She shook her head. He would want her to use caution. He told her time and again to use that mind of hers and think. He would want her to survive, he would want her to choose to live in spite of what had happened. She thought of his half smile and how she would never see it again. She thought of his rich voice and how it could be velvety one moment and sharp as steel the next. She remembered how his eyes would crinkle in the corners when he found something amusing but did not want to show anyone he was amused. Last of all she remembered how her heart fluttered like a caged bird in her chest when he kissed her. He might have meant to just say hello with that kiss but it had given her heart wings.

Setsunai stopped rocking and removed her hands from her ears. Squaring her shoulders and nodding at herself she took a deep breath. "I call upon the Manus that serves the House of Grabiner. Please hear my call!" It might not have heard her when she was screaming for help for Hieronymous but by all that was holy she would keep trying until it would listen.

"Mistress summoned me?" The Manus whispered. Hovering somewhere behind her.

"Kill all the goblins that are before me. They killed Hieronymous and I want revenge." She growled through clenched teeth. The spot where her heart ached hurt even more know that Hieronymous must be dead if the Manus is now able to heed her call. How would she face the world if she got out of this alive. She would not be able to walk through Iris after this is all done. Every hallway had a memory of Hieronymous, every classroom would hold echoes of his voice.

"As Mistress commands, so it shall be."

She heard a loud rumbling as the ground split open beneath the goblins and they fell into a deep chasm. As soon as the last goblin fell with a shriek the earth flowed back into place with liquid-like grace.

"Of course! You save me now! Now that Hieronymous is dead!" She wailed at the top of her lungs. She remained in the safety of the circle reminding herself that the Manus was a very dangerous creature. He floated into her view and she felt a jolt of panic in response. He still looked as frightening as the day she almost was killed by it.

"Does Mistress have any more commands for me?"

"Yes, take me to safety."

"Mistress must break the circle first. My magic can not reach you."

Setsunai wanted to stay in the safety of the circle but she also wanted to get the hell out of this forsaken place. "I will break the circle if you promise that no harm will come to me."

The Manus nodded its agreement. "As you wish."

She cautiously slid her foot out till it hit the edge of the circle. Holding her breath she pushed her foot through and felt an audible pop when the circle was broken. Before she could even exhale she felt herself being teleported. When the world stopped spinning she cried aloud in frustration. She was still in the wastes and she was looking at her captor. Everything she did was for nothing. She stood up her knees wobbling from lack of use and exhaustion and launched herself at her captor.

"It is all your fault he is dead!" She screeched as she pounded on his chest. "I hope you die!" She began to scratch at his face as she cursed and cried. "I didn't even have a chance to tell him how I feel!"

He grabbed her wrists and spun her around. "Well now is your chance." He hissed.

Setsunai's mouth made a little "o" of surprise as she laid eyes on Hieronymous, her legs gave out from under her as she collapsed and began to sob and shake her head.

"I watched him die. He isn't really there. This isn't real."