The Song of Loss

Chapter Seventeen - Strings Attached

Azmerah, goddess of music, stood before them in a plain floor length dress the color of the deepest oceans. It looked cool against her sun warmed skin. Long black curls twisted around loose braids below a leather cord wrapped around her forehead. She crossed one leg over the other and waved them towards a plush couch opposite her.

"You should sit and rest while you can, there is much we need to discuss," Azmerah said.

They sat, hesitant once again. The only relaxed one among them was the horse who had the nerve to lay down by one of the fountains.

"Why did you call me here?" Darcy finally asked. There was no other way she could think about it other than being called. Between the dreams and the music luring her through the temple she'd practically been screamed at. The bunny still held almost all of her attention as it blinked slowly at her. She reached a hand up to the medal under her shirt.

Azmerah laughed, a sound close to windchimes. "I think you can guess, seeing as you're already hell bent on finding your former friends," she answered. The hem of her dress billowed around her ankles as if moved by an invisible current. "They have been using my name and gift for selfish gain and I want them stopped." The dark gold of her eyes flashed with anger.

"Why give them the gift in the first place if you thought they might misuse it?" Percy asked. He ignored the jab from Darcy and leaned forward. "Humans are quick to aim for wealth when it has the possibility to improve their lives."

"It is a gift I give to my most devoted followers to share with others. Krea was one of my most beloved priestesses once upon a time. It was that man who turned her head," the goddess spat the words out, trying to rid her mouth and mind of the poisonous memory. She stood and allowed the bunny to jump down from her lap. Golden strings spread from her fingers to wrap around the fountains. As she spoke, the water took shapes around her.

"Krea came to me from a wealthy family as the fourth child. There was no wealth waiting for her unless she married well. She chose to join my temple instead and I personally guided her along her path. You would be shocked how easy it is to hide among mortals even with statues of yourself in every room," she joked. The strings glowed brighter the deeper into her memories she went.

"She was happy here, or so I thought. It only took that man two nights in my temple to sway her mind. In no time at all he'd ferried her away and convinced her to share my blessing." Azmerah sat along the stone edge of the fountain with her hands in her lap. "And she has shared it with you and sealed her own doom."

"What can I do?" Darcy whispered. The strings wrapped around her ankle and pulled her to the goddess. "Surely you've seen what they can do. Even with Krea's blessing I can't compete against all four of them, and Percy doesn't have any musical talent to speak of so he's no help."

From the couch, Percy protested loudly.

"You will have my blessing, though your heart is claimed by another god," Azmerah explained. She reached out to pull Darcy's medal from where it was hidden. The bone looked somehow whiter in her hand. A second later she'd pulled the flute from Darcy's sleeve as well and held it at eye level to closely inspect. "There will be a price you both must pay of course."

Percy's protests were much louder now and he stood from the couch. "Why would we pay a price? They're the ones who misused the gift or whatever it is," Percy shouted. He stormed forward and tried to pull Darcy back. Instead he was caught up in the same golden strings that were already holding the bard in place.

The water slowly returned to the fountains without so much as a splash. "Can you say you have not used my power for your own gain?" She looked at Percy first. "Despite your apparent lack of musical talent you've been quite profitable since joining that man. In fact I believe having them perform in taverns while you picked pockets was your idea."