The Forest King

Chapter Six

S I X

Ossenna walked quietly beside Grace as she led them to Zacreus and Melinoe. The silence didn't sit well with Grace; from what she's seen of Ossenna, silence seemed near impossible especially without Emeril around. Something was biting at the tip of her tongue; Grace could feel it.

"So, I met Zacreus at dinner, but he didn't mention what it is that he does."

Ossenna's eyebrows shot up, seemingly startled by the sudden conversation. She tightly smiled, "Yes, well, you see, Zacreus and Melinoe are quite different from the rest of us. Mainly, just Melinoe. She can be intimidating from the outside perspective or intense, but she is very bright and knows more than anyone can ever imagine. However, she cannot hear."

"She can't hear. What, like, she's deaf?"

"You are very hard to speak with." Ossenna shook her head, brows knitted with confusion. "Melinoe had a hard time before she found Zacreus. It's really not for me to say, I'm sure they'll explain all you need to know."

Ossenna's lips widened with her smile, her hands gesturing to the house before them. They were stopped a good distance from the door but Ossenna bowed her head before leaving Grace alone. She supposed she were to knock herself and do all the introduction alone. Taking a deep breath, Grace raised her hand to knock, the wooden door pulling open before she got the chance to make contact. Melinoe stood in the doorway, her eyes piercing and holding Grace captive. Ossenna wasn't speaking lightly when she mentioned the intensity of her stare.

Grace waited for the uncomfortable feeling from earlier to return, her stomach squeezing in anticipation, but it never happened. Her body felt calm and relaxed, comfortable even. It was like Grace was seeing an old friend for the first time after a long while. They just sort of stared at each other, a look of determination morphing against Melinoe's features that Grace could not quite place. Around them, the wind picked up as Grace straightened her back against its force. Along with the gusts came the faint sounds of whispers, knocking against Grace's mind.

Everything wrapped up in one felt like they were being sucked into a tornado of a thousand souls, each cut off harshly when Grace was pulled back by the shoulders. Zacreus dropping his touch like she was made of fire. His eyes shot to Melinoe who hadn't removed her stare from Grace. She shot a breath from her nose in frustration, looking to Zacreus with an almost snarl.

"Grace, I didn't expect you so soon. This is Melinoe, she cannot hear you nor can she speak, but through me she will know exactly what we are saying and feeling."

It didn't make sense. Ossenna said that Melinoe couldn't hear but nothing about not being able to speak. "So, you're like a translator."

"Uh, something like that. Come, come inside." Zacreus grabbed Melinoe by the hand and led them into the house. A strong scent of sage hit Grace's nostrils instantly. The area was cluttered with balled up paper, dried herbs and jars aplenty. The area was darker than all the other houses that Grace had been in so far. "Has anyone explained tethers to you?"

Grace shook her head, "Tethers?"

"Yeah, thought as much. Uh, tethers are like an unbreakable connection. Everyone is the Gardens is tether to someone. It's like, uh, soulmates if you will. When you tether with someone it's a bond for life. You can feel everything they feel, except for you its like a whisper of the feeling; not as strong as if you were feeling it yourself. Uh, happiness, excitement, pain. If they were to die, it's the greatest loss."

Grace remembered, then, hearing the word tether used before. Bodhin had mentioned something about tethers, something about AC. He was tethered to the woman with jet-black hair, Macaria, meaning they were together. Somehow it made perfect sense that they were soulmates, both equally strong and powerful seeming. Grace wondered if the woman was a scout just like AC. As Zacreus spoke, Melinoe steps away and out of sight.

"You and Melinoe are tethered then?"

Zacreus gives a solitaire nod, "Yes but different."

"Different how?" Grace was fully invested in learning about whatever Zacreus was willing to share.

"Hm. Melinoe and I have advanced abilities within sorcery and mystics. Our tether runs deeper than just soulmates. Think of it like this, if Melinoe were to get injured the toll would be monumental compared to the others. Where they feel a ghost of what their partners feel, we feel it as if it were our own pain. Our own emotions. I could not even imagine what losing her would feel like."

"Is the tether the reason you can communicate so easily?"

A small, crack of a smile played at his lips, "You're very smart, Grace. Yes. It's the exact reason."

Relief filled Grace that should have felt misplaced. Yet, hearing that these people have more than silly relationships made her feel like she could understand a little better their differences. Zacreus looked to the empty spot beside Grace, his eyes tired and aged beyond his years. It was like he had seen so much of the world and had to bear it nearly alone.

Grace listened as he explained their process and expertise. Melinoe has tie to almost everything. The past, the present, and, although rarely, the future. Spirits guide her but they can't always be too trusting. Some spirits mean to do more harm than good, Zacreus makes it know that it isn't a simple task and it takes a lot from Melinoe. Where he is more in-tuned with orphic mysteries. Dealing heavily with the ancient spirits of their lands and sifting through paranormal frequencies. Such as those that roam the forests at night.

Everything he told her onlygave Grace more questions. The Gardens and its people were already such a mysteryto her, and every minute she spends with them the more she wonders of thedangers of her being there truly are. AC had told her would help figure it allout, but Grace couldn't help but to worry that by him helping would mean thathe's going against his people. Against his tether, against Macaria. Was she willingto make him chose, knowing it wouldn't be the stranger he found in the woods?