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According to Sasha, it was cold out today. Unusually so - there had even been ice crackling around the banks of the river that morning, and that only happened in the deepest depths of winter.
Melanie didn’t feel it.
She strolled along the busy street, hands tucked into her pockets, loose tunic billowing in the wind. Her jess rattled around her wrist, metal cooled by the chill air but still far warmer than it ought to be. Sasha huddled close by her side, bundled up in a thick jacket and hat, with at least two pairs of gloves covering her hands.
“Sometimes,” she huffed, breath steaming out in front of her, “I’m really, really jealous of your powers.”
Melanie laughed.
~~~~~
“Don’t let them get to you,” her father said, brushing away the tears that fell across her cheeks. “You should be proud of what you can do. There’s no one else like you, little moth, no one at all.”
“I don’t want to be the only one,” she had said, six years old and burning already. “I wish I could be like everyone else.”
“Come here.” He’d wrapped her in his arms, patting her head consolingly. “It’s hard to be different, I know. But you’ll love it, someday, I promise. As soon as you learn to control it. Someday, you’ll grow into your powers, and then everyone will be jealous of you.”
~~~~~
Martin’s place was on the edge of the city, an old family mansion that had never really suited his personality or style, but which he had never had reason to move out of. It was grand, majestic: filled with gold leaf and marble statues, sweeping stairways and aesthetic vases and trinkets scattered on small, delicate tables in every room. After seeing Martin in the landscape of the Magnus Estate, with its cramped bookshelves and maze-like corridors and frankly disturbing eye-based decorating scheme, Melanie could hardly believe he had ever called this place home.
“You better have a damn good reason for dragging us out in this weather,” Sasha groused as soon as the door was opened. Martin laughed, ushering them inside.
“Well, the tailor’s here to fit me for the wedding, does that count?”
She brightened immediately. “Oh, it does indeed. Should we have brought Tim?”
Martin grimaced. “No offense to Tim, but his fashion sense doesn’t really suit me. I’ve banned Jon from the room too, Gerry’s keeping him busy upstairs. I’d have invited Georgie along, but-” he turned to Melanie, smiling, “-I think she’s going to be a bit preoccupied. East wing sitting room.”
“Much appreciated.” Melanie winked at him, patted Sasha in the shoulder, and left them to it. Fashion could be fun sometimes, it was true, but the level of enthusiasm they were both bringing to the wedding preparations was getting to be exhausting.
The east wing sitting room was one of the more homey parts of the mansion. It soaked up the sunlight in the mornings, bright and friendly, and a fireplace in one wall kept it warm even in winter. It had walls lined with bookshelves, and the furniture, though hideously floral, was well-worn and comfortable.
Georgie was curled up on a sofa in front of the fire, a thick woolen blanket pulled close around her shoulders. She looked around as Melanie entered, face brightening into a smile, and damn. Every single time, she took Melanie’s breath away.
“There you are. Not joining in on the wedding fun?”
Melanie walked over to the sofa, flopping down on it with a dramatic groan and tossing one arm over her face. “I’ve had it up to here with wedding stuff, I need a break.”
Georgie laughed, and poked Melanie with her foot, and Melanie dropped her arm and thanked the Graces she didn’t blush easily.
“Don’t let Martin hear you say that. Or Jon, for that matter.”
“I mean, I’m happy for them,” Melanie offered. She was, she really was, and she’d been overjoyed when they announced they were visiting, and more so when they arrived and delivered the news, and every time she saw them together she couldn’t help feeling a little bit proud that Martin had found someone that fit him so well. Her friend was happy, and so she was happy, but...
“That doesn’t mean we don’t deserve a break.”
“Agreed.” She glanced over at Georgie, smiling. “At least I don’t have to live with them. That must be a nightmare.”
“Eh, I’m used to it.” Georgie smiled back. “Besides, it’s worth it to come along and visit all of you. It’s felt a bit quiet back home, after everything that went down last summer.”
Melanie was really, really glad she didn’t blush. “Had a chance to talk to Basira about the lamps yet?”
“Oh, yeah, she said she might be able to set something up for me. Got a few ideas already.”
“Good. You type hellishly slow.”
Georgie threw a pillow at her head, and Melanie caught it, laughing.
They had started talking regularly once the courier lamp network was extended up into Jon’s domain, trading a few words every now and then, and then every day as they got to know each other better. But, while Melanie had been a born and bread lamps operator, well-versed in the various codes and shorthands from a young age, Georgie had never used one before in her life. Martin had given her what help he could, but she was still slow in typing out each new message, and the delay was extraordinarily aggravating. Melanie had suggested asking Basira if there was a way to simplify the encoding and decoding process so that beginners didn’t have to spend quite so long searching for the meaning of each new semaphore code.
She settled the pillow behind her own head, drawing her legs up under her on the sofa and turning to face Georgie. Georgie’s head was tilted to the side, watching her, and her hair fell loose around her shoulders.
Melanie reached out, grabbing one of the curls, and tugged it gently. “It’s getting bouncier.”
Georgie wrinkled her nose. “Haven’t worn a helmet in a couple of weeks. It does that.”
“It looks good.” Melanie tugged the curl again before letting it go, and watched in delight as color crept into Georgie’s cheeks. Grace of Beauty, she was stunning.
“Thanks.” She cleared her throat, glancing away. “So, ah, how’re things in the Mews?”
Melanie caught her up on the latest gossip, smiling and laughing as she related the most recent drama over a supposed ghost sighting in the kitchens. It was lighthearted, meaningless chatter, but Melanie felt herself relaxing as their back-and-forth continued.
They’d gotten on so well last summer. Spent so much time together. And in the months since, over the courier lamps, they’d talked a lot, but it wasn’t the same. Melanie had been worried-
Well. She had been worried, was all.
This wasn’t the first time she’d seen Georgie since the Vaskandrans arrived in the city, but it was the first time they’d been alone. And it was looking like all those worries had been unfounded.
Georgie shivered, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders. “How are you not freezing right now?”
Melanie raised an eyebrow. “I’m basically made of fire. How are you cold? I thought the northern climate was way worse than this.”
“Yeah, it is, so we insulate our houses better.” She frowned at the thin glass of the windows, then at the small fire. “Care to give that a little boost, fire girl?”
“Oh.” Melanie shifted, suddenly awkward. “Only if you’re willing to wait for me to go fetch Sasha.” She twisted the jess on her wrist.
Georgie turned the frown on her. “Sorry?”
“You know. I need her to…” She raised her arm and her eyebrows, nodding at the small copper band.
“I don’t know, actually,” Georgie said.
“Oh,” Melanie said again. “I need Sasha to use my powers. I kind of thought that was common knowledge.”
“Very much not.” Georgie’s expression had shifted from confused to enthralled. “I didn’t know anyone’s magic worked like that. Are you two bound together, then, or something?”
Melanie blinked. “I mean, sort of? She’s my Falconer, so…”
Georgie tilted her head to the side. “Yeah? I thought that just meant she trained you.”
Melanie’s worldview shifted, just slightly. “Okay, I guess this is just Raverran common knowledge.”
“Given the look you’ve been giving me, that makes sense.”
“Okay,” she said again, chuckling slightly. “So, there’s nothing special about my powers, or about Sasha. The only thing that binds us together is this.” She held up her wrist again, letting the copper glint in the firelight, the small red stones it was inset with glimmering like dying coals. “It’s called a jess. Every Falcon has one. And I don’t know if the term ‘Falcon,’ or ‘jess’ came first, but you can see the connection.” Georgie nodded. “Basically what it does is it keeps my powers under control. Sasha’s the one who gave me the jess, so she’s the only one that can release them. Until she says the trigger word, I can’t access my fire at all.”
Georgie’s eyebrows drew together in concern. “That seems… unfair.”
“It’s not, really. Unless I’m bound like this… I, I’ve lost control before.” She glanced down, biting her lip. “I’ve lost control a lot.”
“So that stops you before it gets out of hand.”
“Yeah.”
Georgie tapped her fingers against her leg, seeming to consider this. “Did you lose control earlier, then?”
“What? No, I- no, I haven’t burned anything today.”
“So why are you on lockdown, then?” She reached over, fingers gentle as she lifted Melanie’s wrist to peer at the bracelet. It would have been so, so easy for Melanie to pull her hand back a little, slide Georgie’s fingers into her own, clasp them softly and never let go.
She didn’t.
“Because…” She drew the word out, lifting an eyebrow at Georgie. “I always am?”
“What?”
“I mean, it’s kind of the law? Sasha’s only allowed to release my powers when we’re training, or in battle. It’s just safer that way.”
“Wait, so you’re never free?” Her expression shifted to horrified. “But- but I’ve seen Basira use her powers when Daisy’s not there, she’s not-”
“Artificery is a hell of a lot safer than fire, though.” Melanie’s eyebrow still hadn’t dropped. She didn’t understand what Georgie wasn’t getting about this. “She’s hardly going to destroy a city block by accident.”
“But- but you’ve got the jess, Sasha would be able to stop you-”
“Sasha can’t always be there.” Now Melanie reached out, clasping Georgie’s hands in her own and looking earnestly into her eyes. “Trust me. It’s better for me to be on lockdown, the Council passed the law years before they found me, and it was a good decision. They can’t - I can’t - risk losing control.”
~~~~~
It burned. Bright and blue and beautiful, and she laughed, and laughed, and laughed.
A tree caught, igniting with a whoosh of noise and wind that sent her hair flying back from her face. It danced, mirroring the flames, and her arms rose as she conducted this symphony of destruction to new heights.
She laughed again, and it sounded like the crackle of the flames.
“Melanie!” It was a screech, terrified and raw. She ignored it.
The flames were hungry. She was hungry, and the hunger only grew as the blaze spread.
“Melanie, please!” There were people there, three of them. Fuel for the fire.
“Melanie, wake up!”
Melanie. That was… familiar. That was…
“Melanie!”
Her.
Melanie gasped, bringing her arms down to her sides. A ripple spread through the fire around her, but it did not go out. There were three figures across from her, cowering in the middle of a rapidly shrinking circle of flames; the trees around them, around her, were already ablaze.
Andy. Toni. Pete. Her friends.
She clenched her fists and her eyes shut, blocking out the roar of the world around her, focusing on the quiet of her thoughts. Breathe.
In.
Out.
Cool air in her lungs, a cool breeze across her forehead.
In.
Out.
She was Melanie, not the flames. She could control them, they didn’t have to control her.
In.
The fire went out.
Melanie’s legs collapsed beneath her, and she fell to the forest floor. Ashes crunched under her body as she hit the ground.
They’d come out here for a lark, she remembered, now that she could remember. Toni had stolen a bottle of wine from her mother’s store, and they were going to drink it and goof off where none of the adults could find them.
Andy had been the one to ask her to light a fire, as the evening curled in around them. They’d all gathered some sticks, cleared the underbrush so it wouldn’t spread, and she’d smirked at them, delighted to get an opportunity to show off. And then…
She couldn’t really remember anything else before hitting the ground.
Melanie peeled her eyes open with a groan. The woods were dark without her flames to illuminate them, but she could see the three of them across from her, Pete still clinging to Toni’s arm and Andy with his fists raised to punch - though what he was trying to punch was beyond her.
“You guys okay?” Her voice was raspy, and she winced. That was a sore throat for the rest of the week for her, then.
“Are we-” Andy’s lips were thin. She’d never seen him like this before. He was usually so laid back. “You do- that - and you have the gall to ask if we’re okay?”
“I mean, yeah, I’d like to know.” She struggled to her elbows, then into a sitting position. Cutting off her flames always took it out of her. Balefire took energy from the things it burned, and was self-sustaining once it started, but as soon as it was stopped that energy-debt snapped right back onto her.
“What the hell, Melanie.” Toni’s voice was soft, but she looked… scared.
“I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t know that would happen.”
“You didn’t-” Andy laughed, and it was cold. “You know damn well what you can do.”
“You’re the one who asked me to!” Finally, finally, she managed to get her feet under her to stand. Pete flinched back, gripping Toni’s arm tighter. “Look, we should probably head home, if anyone saw that they’re going to be worried about us.”
“Yeah. We should head home.” Toni shook off Pete’s hand. “But not with you.”
“I’m… sorry?” It slowly dawned on Melanie that they hadn’t come any closer to her. That none of them had offered her a hand to stand up. “Guys, I didn’t mean to-”
“That just makes it worse.” Andy’s voice was sharp. “You lost control, Melanie. I thought you said you knew how to handle this.”
“I do!” She looked at them beseechingly. “I stopped it, didn’t I? No one got hurt.”
“Not this time.”
“Andy, please…”
“We almost died, Melanie.” It was the first words Pete had spoken, and they cut like a knife. “You almost killed us.”
“I… I didn’t…”
“We’re leaving,” Toni said. “Don’t follow us.”
“But, guys…” She hated how broken her voice was. “You’re my friends.”
“Not anymore.” Andy said it. Looked at the others, got nods of encouragement. “You’re dangerous, Melanie. You always have been, but this is the final straw.”
Melanie’s mouth dropped open. She didn’t even have the words to protest.
“You’re lucky we don’t turn you in to the Falcons,” Toni again. “We’ve spent too long hiding you, maybe it’s time they put you on a leash.”
“No!” The word broke past her shock. They couldn’t- the Falcons, they were- “Please Toni, please, I don’t want to join the army, I don’t want to hurt people.”
Toni snorted, and Pete grabbed her arm again.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s just go.”
She held out a hand, begging them to stop. “Please…”
Andy gave her one last glance. “Goodbye, Melanie.”
And they were gone.
She couldn’t even blame them. She was dangerous, after all.
~~~~~
Georgie knocked softly on the doorframe, and Melanie smiled, tossing her book down on her bed and bouncing up.
“You found me!”
“Took me long enough,” Georgie grinned, coming into the room and flopping onto the bed. Melanie sat down again, next to her. “The layout of this place leaves much to be desired.”
“Yeah, whoever designed the Mews was not thinking about functionality. It gets easier the longer you spend here.”
“Is that an invitation?” Georgie shot her a look, one eyebrow raised and her lips quirked in a smile. Melanie took a moment to let her heart rate settle before returning it.
“Depends on if you want it to be one.”
“Well then,” Georgie said, and leaned gently against her shoulder. Melanie’s heart rate spiked again.
Grace of Love, crushes were inconvenient.
“So, uh…” She cleared her throat, trying to keep her voice steady. She could feel the coolness of Georgie’s shoulder against hers, a pleasant contrast to her own constant warmth. “What brings you here today? I know you said you wanted to see the place, but there’s really not much interesting going on other than training.”
“Right.” Georgie straightened again, clapping her hands together. “I talked to Jon, and he and Martin are both on board to help us smuggle you over the border to Vaskandar.”
Melanie stared at her for a second. “...I’m sorry, what?”
She shrugged minutely. “Okay, well, I actually talked to Martin first, and he told me more about all the restrictions the Council puts on powerful mages. Which,” she shuddered. “For gods’ sake, Melanie, you’re really not allowed outside the Mews without Sasha?”
“Um. No.” She still couldn’t do much more than stare.
Georgie nodded, eyes wide. “Okay, we’re definitely getting you out of here. We’ll have a chance at the wedding, all of us’ll be up there already so we’ll just need to find a way to delay you while the others leave, and-”
“Wait, Georgie-” Melanie interjected, starting to panic, but Georgie just shook her head and kept talking.
“I know, I know, there’s going to be problems we can’t anticipate, and they’re probably going to send someone to try and bring you back, but once we’re over the border there’s precious little they can do about it, it’s not like the Council has any jurisdiction in Vaskandar and Jon can keep out any unwanted intruders-”
“Georgie-”
“Do I even want to know what I’m interrupting?”
Both of them spun to the doorway. Sasha was standing there, pretending to cover her eyes with her hand and smiling teasingly.
Georgie shot to her feet, trying to look innocent and failing spectacularly. It would have been cute if Melanie wasn’t still in shock.
“We’re just talking about… hobbies! Melanie’s arguing that training doesn’t count, but I say, if you enjoy it, of course it’s a hobby! Um.” She shifted her weight, leaning back on her heels as Sasha turned a skeptical raised eyebrow on her. “It, uh, it got… heated?”
“It’s fine, Georgie,” Melanie stood up as well, pulling Georgie out of the way so she could face Sasha. “She’s trying to convince me to run away to Vaskandar with her.”
The eyebrow turned from skeptical to amused. “Oh, is she, now?”
“Not like that.” It was said through gritted teeth. Sasha was far too perceptive for her own good, and she had known that there was something going on between Melanie and Georgie from the very first messages they’d sent over the courier lamps. “‘Run away’ as in defect from the Falcons and go into hiding.”
Georgie was tense next to her. “Your military is inhumane. Melanie’s little better than a prisoner here. She can be free in Vaskandar.”
Sasha stared at them for a second. Then: “Okay. Have you talked to anyone else about this? I can get Tim on our side pretty quickly.”
Georgie relaxed. “That’d be great. I’ve already started working out a plan with Jon and Martin, so if you guys help us out-”
“What?” Melanie spluttered. “Are you being serious right now?”
Sasha turned to her, shrugging. “You never wanted to join the Falcons in the first place. This is your chance to get away. Of course I’m going to help you.”
“But-” No, she hadn’t wanted to join the Falcons. She had needed to. She couldn’t leave. She latched onto the first thing she could think of to stop this discussion before it got out of hand. “What about the jess?”
“We can talk to Basira,” Sasha said, eyes going slightly distant as she thought it through. “She’s the best artificer we’ve got, and she’s trustworthy, I’m sure she’ll be able to find a way to get it off without hurting you.”
“Hurting her?” Georgie frowned. “Can’t you just, like, take some wire cutters to it?”
“Grace of Mercy, no!” Sasha exclaimed. “That’d kill her.”
“What?”
“If a jess is removed without the proper precautions, it turns a mage’s magic against them and they die,” Melanie recited, flatly. Every child of the Serene Empire learned this by rote. “There’s a few days’ grace period, but the same thing happens if their Falconer-” she gestured at Sasha “-dies.”
“That’s horrifying.” Georgie looked slightly ill. “And everyone’s just okay with this?”
“No.” Sasha’s voice was heavy. “But it’s a system that’s been in place as long as the Falcons have existed, and any attempt to change it has been met with severe repercussions. Technically speaking, it’s treasonous for us to even be talking about this.” She tilted her head to the side, smirked. “But hey, anything’s better than the lawless wastes of Vaskandar, where Witch Lords hunt children for fun, right?”
Georgie grimaced. “Okay, we need to get you out of here as soon as humanly possible.”
“No.” The certainty in Melanie’s voice surprised even her. “I’m not leaving.”
Sasha frowned. “Why not? You never chose to join, there’s nothing keeping you here.”
“Nothing-” Melanie laughed. “How about my whole life? I like the city, the canals and the shops and the people and- and- there’s nothing for me in Vaskandar!”
She saw Georgie wince a little, at that, and briefly regretted how heated her words had become. But she wouldn’t take them back.
“There’s freedom, Melanie!” Sasha insisted. “Georgie’s right, you’re a prisoner here, and you always will be! I’ve done everything I can to help you, but I can’t set you free! If you go to Vaskandar, you can-”
“No!” Melanie’s eyes were blurred slightly, though she was unsure why she was crying. “No, I don’t care if I’m not free! I’m safe, you’re all safe, and I can’t- can’t hurt anyone here!”
Sasha’s mouth fell open, though whether it was in shock or to voice an objection, Melanie couldn’t say. She shoved forward, pushing past her before she could speak and fleeing the room.
~~~~~
The village was burning, and Melanie didn’t care. Let it burn. Let her burn with it. Let everyone who had ever said she was a monster be proven right.
Toni’s mother’s shop caught, and Melanie could see the swish of Toni’s dress as she ran away. She sent a small tongue of flame to lap at the material, and smiled viciously as Toni screamed before she was able to tear the burning cloth off and get away.
Let them all be proven right.
There was nothing special about today that had caused this mood, truly. Just a series of small events, all adding up and up and up until they spilled over in a torrent of rage and hopeless fear:
Being asked to leave the town hall mid-meeting because it was getting too warm inside with the summer sun and she was making it worse.
A mother steering her children to the other side of the street when Melanie walked past, and the sharp-eyed, curious looks the children sent her way.
Staying hidden inside when the travelling fair came through, because her mage-mark was too bright to go unnoticed and they’d report her to the Falcons.
Getting banned from the fields, because they couldn’t risk the crops burning down and she always smelled of smoke.
Andy leaving to study at the University in Ardence, when they’d always said they’d go together.
Half a lifetime without friends.
A village where she was hated for being alive.
Let it all burn.
Melanie threw her arms out, pushing the fire further, faster. The road was blackened and charred under her feet, and there was a roar behind her as the first of many houses finally succumbed to the flames, and collapsed.
The screams were constant now, though Melanie thought it was a little overdramatic of her neighbors. It wasn’t like anyone had died yet, after all. Just a little property damage.
Another house collapsed, and she laughed.
She turned, reveling in the destruction of the only home she’d ever known. It was cathartic, clean; she’d have a fresh start, now, could leave this place with no strings to tie her down, could make a new life somewhere they’d never learned to fear her…
There was a group of people gathered around a house at the end of the road, trying to force the door open as the fire crept closer. The house next door was already aflame; as Melanie watched, blue sparks jumped through the air and set the roof ablaze.
For the first time in her life, Melanie felt cold.
That was her house.
Her father was still in there.
His health had been steadily declining, and he couldn’t run.
“No!” Her voice came out with the roar of a flame, and she stumbled forward a few steps, toward the house.
The fire surged with her, and the group around the door scattered, fleeing to save their own lives and abandoning her father to his fate.
“No no no no no-”
The fire went where she did; she backed up, hoping to draw it away, but it had its claws in now and only burned brighter.
“Please, please, please-”
Breathe. In, out, in, out, cool air, calm, control-
She was hyperventilating. The air was hot and dry as tinder, and control was a distant memory.
“Please gods no no no-!”
There was someone next to her, sudden and startling, and cool hands seized her, wrapping something around her wrist. The cold spread up her arm, icy and numb, bringing silence and darkness in its wake. She was going to faint, but that was good. Her fire always stopped when she fainted.
Melanie let the darkness take her, sinking into cool relief. Strong hands grabbed her shoulders as she pitched over backward, and the last thing she saw before the world fell away was that her rescuer was wearing the uniform of the Falcons.
~~~~~
The Mews’ courtyard was quiet. Small patches of frost still clung to the ground in the shadows near the walls. The branches of the trees were bare, skeletal silhouettes against the cold white sky.
Water dripped off the bench Melanie was sitting on as the stone thawed at her touch. She sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve and regretting it instantly.
“Hey.”
She glanced up. Sasha gave her a small smile and a wave, ducking her head under a low branch and walking over to join her on the bench.
Melanie shifted over to give her room.
Sasha didn’t speak when she sat down, just sighed a bit and tilted her head back to watch the sky. Melanie could see her shivering slightly, and she moved closer to keep her warm. Sasha leaned into the touch with a grateful smile.
After a few moments, Melanie cleared her throat. “I’m fine.”
“I know you are.” Sasha glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. “I just wasn’t sure if you knew that.”
“I’m dangerous.”
A shrug. “So am I.”
“Carrying a pistol and knowing how to use a sword are a bit different than being able to burn down entire cities.”
“Still dangerous, though.”
“I suppose.”
She fell quiet again. Sasha allowed her a few moments before speaking.
“What’s got you so afraid?”
Melanie closed her eyes. “The last time I wasn’t wearing a jess, I nearly killed my father.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Because you got a jess on me.”
Sasha nodded. “You’re afraid of losing control again.”
“Yes.”
A moment passed. “You haven’t lost control like that in years.”
“My magic hasn’t been free like that in years.”
“Melanie-” Sasha started, then stopped. “Okay, then. Exsolvo.”
Melanie shivered as her magic rushed back to her, a heady warmth flowing through her veins. The ground at her feet started to steam slightly, and she took a deep breath, pulling all that heat back into herself. Sasha was smiling. Melanie frowned at her.
“And what is this supposed to prove?”
“That you have control.”
“This is hardly a good test of that.”
“Isn’t it? You’re in extreme emotional distress right now, there’s flammable material on all sides-” she gestured at the trees, “-and your magic is always at its most unpredictable when it’s just been released. And you didn’t so much as singe a twig.”
“It’s not as simple as that.”
“I think it is.” Sasha tilted her head to the side. “Face it, Melanie. You’ve come a long way. I know you still don’t trust yourself, but… you’ve got control. You’re always the first to ask me to cut off your power, long before I would judge you to be at risk.”
“Being aware that I’m about to lose control doesn’t mean I’d actually be able to stop myself losing control.”
“It’s a pretty important step in stopping yourself, actually. Knowing when to start pulling back.”
“Maybe.” Melanie hunched her shoulders. “It’s just too big a risk to take. Even for…” Freedom. The chance to live her life on her terms. The knowledge that she’d never be called upon to hurt people she didn’t even know, all for the sake of an Empire whose army she had been forced to join. It was still better than hurting people she did know, just because she couldn’t keep a cool head.
Sasha sighed. “I know you’re scared. And the decision is yours, if you choose to stay. But…”
“What?”
“You remember back at the attack last summer?”
Melanie nodded. It wasn’t exactly easy to forget.
“You could have lost control so easily. There was so much chaos, so many things you needed to burn. But I didn’t have to restrain you a single time.”
“Of course you did, you had to-” she stopped. Frowned. “Didn’t you?”
“No.” Sasha smiled at her, and her eyes were soft. “No, that was all you. Even when everything was burning, even when the entire castle was on fire, you kept it contained to the valley. You stopped it from hurting anyone on our side, and when the Lady of Masks finally crumbled you cut it off instantly. I didn’t even have to tell you to stop, and I certainly didn’t have to cut off your power. Melanie, you’re not going to lose control again. You had a lot to learn, back when we met, about control and how to keep it, and I am so glad that I’ve been able to help you get to where you are today. But you don’t need me anymore. You don’t need a jess anymore. You’re beyond that.”
Melanie bit her lip. Her memories around the attack were fuzzy, with how much energy she had expended, but she knew Sasha wouldn’t lie to her. And if she really had been in control that whole time…
She twisted the jess around her wrist, watching the small red beads flashing among the copper wires. What would it be like to not have to wear it anymore? To feel her power buzzing at her fingertips all the time?
“What am I even going to do with myself in Vaskandar?”
Sasha smiled, and shrugged. “Read a bunch of books. Bug Martin. Get Gerry to teach you to paint.” The smile shifted mischievous, and she bumped Melanie’s shoulder with her own. “Flirt?”
“Sasha!” Melanie pushed her away, laughing, and Sasha cackled.
“Oh come on, you’ve been so obvious!”
“Shhh!” Melanie tried to shush her, looking around with exaggerated caution to check no one was listening. “I have not!”
“You have too.” Sasha pushed her hands away before crowding back against her side out of the cold. “Besides, I’m certainly not disapproving. She’s cute.”
“So cute,” Melanie agreed, and earned herself another teasing grin. She returned it for a moment before her mood shifted back into melancholy. “I’m still not sure if I want to go, though.”
Sasha frowned. “Why not?”
“Well…” Melanie looked away, swinging one foot and letting her toes scuff along the ground. She spoke quietly. “I’ll miss you.”
Sasha was silent. When Melanie dared to look back, she found herself confronted with the most disbelieving expression she had ever faced.
“What?” she said defensively.
“Melanie,” Sasha said, and pushed her glasses up into her hair as she rubbed her hand over her face in exasperation. “I’m going with you.”
That… was unexpected. “But- but what about your life here? You’re a captain, and Tim-”
“Can handle himself without me babysitting him. And will understand why I want to leave.” She reached out, grabbing Melanie’s hands. “I made you a promise, Melanie. I don’t intend to break it.”
~~~~~
Her eyes flicked open. There was a woman watching her, worried eyes peering out from behind large round glasses. Long hair framed her face. She smiled as soon as she saw Melanie was awake.
“Oh, good, you’re alive! You had me worried for a bit there.”
Melanie sat up slowly, glancing around at her surroundings. She appeared to be in a tent of some kind, lying on a small, portable cot. The woman was sitting on the ground next to her.
She licked her lips before speaking. Her mouth was dry. “Is my father okay?”
The woman nodded. “Yes, he was in one of the inner rooms of the house, and the fire never reached him. He’s waiting outside to see you, once you’re feeling up for it.”
Melanie sagged back onto the cot. “Oh gods, he must be so angry.”
“I think he’s just worried about you.”
She turned her head to the side, looking over at the woman. “Are you the one that stopped me?”
“Yes.” The woman stuck out her hand for Melanie to shake. “Sasha James, Falconer extraordinaire.”
Melanie sat up to shake her hand, a leaden feeling settling in the pit of her stomach as the motion tugged on her sleeve and revealed the copper bracelet fastened around her wrist. A jess.
“Melanie King. Falcon, apparently.”
Sasha nodded. “I’m sorry. It was the only way to stop you.”
“Right.” She tugged gently on the bracelet, testing its strength. She knew the dangers of taking it off, but it still sent an extra spike of anxiety through her to realize she wouldn’t even be able to. There was no way to run away from this, not even the most extreme one. “Was anyone hurt?”
“Minor burns. Nothing serious. There was a lot of property damage, but we’ll make sure everyone has enough financial aid to get back on their metaphorical feet.”
“Thank you.”
Sasha shrugged. “It’s what I’m here for.”
That brought up an interesting thought. “Why are you here, actually? We don’t get many Falconers out this way, I’d have been- well.”
“You’d have been forced to join years ago,” Sasha completed. “Someone turned you in, let us know there was an unstable fire warlock in the area.”
Melanie’s heart sank. “Who?”
“A Mr. Caine, I think.”
“Andy.” She wrapped her arms around her legs, drawing her knees to her chest. “Of course.”
“You know him?”
“Yes,” Melanie sighed. “He’s… an old friend.”
“Hm.” Sasha frowned. “Not a very good one, if he turned you over to us.”
“No, I suppose not. Though,” she chuckled bitterly. “It looks like he had the right of it. I am unstable.”
“Nah,” Sasha grinned at her. “You just need a little training.”
Melanie looked at her silently for a long moment, until the grin faded away and she cleared her throat awkwardly.
“I truly am sorry,” she said. “You shouldn’t be forced to join the army just because of your powers.”
“You really believe that?”
“Yeah.” Sasha shrugged. “No one should be, I think.”
“Why did you join, then? If you’re so against it.”
The grin crept back. “My family had arranged a marriage for me. I objected. I still get angry letters every now and then from my jilted groom.” Her tone turned serious. “I joined the Falcons to give me freedom from my family. I’m sorry that it has to be a prison for you.”
A small smile flickered at the corner of Melanie’s mouth. “At least I know I’ve got one person on my side.” She hesitated. “So what, uh, what happens now?”
“Now, you see if you can stand up without fainting again. Then you go reassure your father that you’re okay.” Melanie grimaced, and Sasha raised an eyebrow at her. “Trust me, he’s not mad. After that, we spend about a week here making sure there are systems in place to help the town recover. Then we set out for Raverra.”
Melanie’s eyes widened. “The capital?”
“That’s the one.” Sasha sighed. “Again, I’m sorry. You shouldn’t be forced to leave your home like this, but it is genuinely treasonous not to.”
“I know, it’s just- I hadn’t really considered- wow.” The farthest Melanie had ever been from her home was one town over, for special occasions. The risk of getting caught was always too high to go farther. “What happens when we get to Raverra?”
Sasha shrugged. “You get settled in the Mews and we start training. Help you get some control. Oh, also, I introduce you to my friends, Tim didn’t believe there was an actual fire warlock in hiding and he owes me a bottle of wine.” She grinned. “Expensive wine.”
“Y- your friends?”
“Yeah.” Sasha blinked at her. “If you want. What, you thought I was just going to drop you in the Mews and leave?”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
“Nah.” Sasha leaned forward, tapping one finger against Melanie’s jess. “We’re stuck together for life now.”
“You could still ignore me except when we’re training, though.”
“I could,” Sasha conceded. “But I won’t. You seem cool, I’d like to get to know you better.”
“Oh.” Melanie swallowed, and was surprised to find there was a lump in her throat. There hadn’t been anyone who’d wanted to get to know her in a very long time. “You, uh, you sure about that? I’m pretty much the opposite of cool.”
“But calling you hot has very different connotations.” Sasha seemed to notice, then, the tears beading the corners of Melanie’s eyes. “Hey,” she said. “It’s going to be okay, don’t worry. I know it’s a big change, but you won’t be going through it alone. I’ll be there to help you adjust.”
Melanie sucked in a breath, squeezing her eyes shut against the tears. She had been alone for so long. “Promise?”
“I promise.” There was a smile in Sasha’s voice. “I won’t leave you.”
~~~~~
“Em.”
“No.”
“Nee.”
“Definitely not.”
“Mel?”
“Graces, no.” Melanie shuddered. “I had an aunt that went by Mel, she was horrible.”
“Hm.” Georgie frowned at her. “I’m running out of nicknames, here.”
“I don’t need a nickname.”
“Sure you do, I’ve been making fun of Martin for being the only one here without one and I want to keep it up. Sasha’s already Sash, so that just leaves you.” Georgie considered her for a few seconds. “Lenie?”
“If you must, Georgina, if you must.”
“You sound awfully put out by this.”
Melanie shrugged. “I’m just not a nicknames kind of person.”
“Have you never had one before?”
“Not really?” She thought for a second. “My father used to call me his little moth.”
Georgie raised an eyebrow. “What, were you always trying to catch them, or something?”
“No.” Melanie grinned, lifting a hand and shaking a few loose sparks from her fingers. “But I was always drawn to flames.”
“Oh, right.” Georgie stared at her for a second. “You know, Lenie, that is an absolutely adorable story.”
Melanie froze for a moment. “Huh.”
“What?”
“I think I actually quite like that.”
“Do you, now?” Georgie grinned.
“Mm. In a sentence like that. Not in isolation.”
“So if I were to say, ‘hey, Lenie, you look stunning in that dress,’ you’d like that?”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Uh, um, y- yeah. That’s- I like that.”
“Good. Because you do.”
Melanie took a quick breath, fighting for composure in the face of that onslaught. She quirked an eyebrow and returned Georgie’s grin. “I’m not the only one.”
Success. Georgie spluttered out an incoherent response, face flushing. Melanie laughed.
They were standing near the edge of a large field outside the Magnus Estate, avoiding the crowd that was milling in the center. The trees around them were festooned with garlands and ribbons. At the other end of the field at least a hundred chairs were set up, facing a small archway that was covered in flowers.
“You know, Martin's always wanted a spring wedding,” Melanie mused.
“Really?” Georgie smiled. “I don’t think Jon ever thought about it before, to be honest.”
“Where is he, by the way?”
“Still inside, I think, having a panic attack. Gerry’s trying to calm him down. Where’s Martin?”
“Inside, having a panic attack. Tim’s egging him on.”
Georgie laughed. “I’d have done the same, that’s why Jon kicked me out.”
“Of course you would have.”
“Oh- hey!” Georgie grabbed her arm, pointing out into the crowd. “Keep an eye on that guy, will you?”
“What?” Melanie frowned, trying to see where she was pointing. “Which one?”
“The one in the pink suit over there, he’s a menace.”
“Him?” The man Georgie was pointing to looked old and frail, hardly the sort to need a warning. “And he is…?”
“Fairchild, he’s the Sky Lord. See the guy all in brown? That’s the Earth Lord, we need to keep them separated. Fairchild tries to antagonize him any time they’re in a room together and it’s a nightmare. I told Jon not to invite them both…”
Melanie whistled, impressed. “Out of curiosity, how many Witch Lords are hanging around right now?”
“Uh, let’s see…” Georgie stood on her toes, peering over the crowd. “Jon, obviously. Fairchild, Wakely… oh, Helen and Michael showed up.”
Melanie followed her gaze, spotting the two over near the buffet table. Helen saw them looking and waved.
“Looks like Julia is a no-show, so much the better… oh, Lord Banks is here!” She pointed to a somber, handsome man deep in conversation with one of the local villagers. “I’m glad he’s back, I’ve heard he’s nice.”
“Really?” Melanie raised an eyebrow. “He looks a bit grim.”
“Yeah, well, you would be too if you were the Lord of Tombs. But…” she dragged the word out, still scanning the crowd. “I think he’s the last. So six Witch Lords, counting Jon.”
“Wow,” Melanie said. “That’s, uh… that’s quite a lot.”
Georgie nodded. “They’re all curious about the man who stole the Eye Lord’s heart.”
Melanie hummed. “Poor Martin.”
“Eh, he’ll survive.”
Georgie had to head inside shortly after that to get ready for the ceremony, and Melanie made her way into the crowd to find Daisy and Basira. They all took seats in the first row of chairs, in front of the archway, and the assembled guests slowly migrated into their places behind them. Tim, Sasha, Georgie, and Gerry were the collective best men and maids of honor, and emerged from the Estate soon after escorting the slightly panicked-looking couple between them.
The ceremony was short and sweet, and by the end of it both Jon and Martin were crying. Melanie would be lying if she said there weren’t a few tears in her own eyes as well.
One of the conditions of the other Witch Lords attending had been that there would be no political talk during the event, so it was a surprisingly relaxed affair for the wedding of such a prominent figure as Jon. Still, despite the ban, Melanie could feel the eyes of the crowd on her as the band struck up and Sasha swept her into a dance; she’d killed two Witch Lords, after all. That wasn’t the sort of thing that went unnoticed.
She shook it off, laughing as Sasha tried to dip her and they both almost tumbled to the ground.
“How’s the happy couple?” she asked, as soon as they were upright again.
“See for yourself.” Sasha nodded across the field, grinning.
Melanie looked. Jon and Martin were dancing together, smiling softly and staring into each others’ eyes. They seemed to be talking, and after a moment they leaned in and kissed. Martin laid his head on Jon’s shoulder as they continued swaying, oblivious to the world around them.
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m starting to rethink this ‘running away to Vaskandar’ plan. I’m not sure if I can take being around this much condensed sappiness every day.”
Sasha laughed. “Hey, it’s their wedding, they’re allowed to be a bit sappy. I’m sure they’ll calm down eventually.”
“They’d better,” Melanie grumbled. There was no bite to it, though. Much as she might pretend to be disgusted by the overt displays of affection, she was truly delighted to see the two so happy.
Sasha snorted, then lit up as she spotted someone in the crowd nearby. “I know what might change your mind - hey Georgie!”
Before Melanie knew what was happening, she was being spun out of Sasha’s arms and into those of Georgie Barker. She blinked, startled at the sudden change, and met Georgie’s - also quite startled - eyes.
They both looked to the side, and met the winks of Sasha and Gerry as the two danced away.
Melanie took a moment to process what had just happened before speaking. “Sasha I understand, but I must admit I feel a bit betrayed by Gerry. I didn’t think he was the sort to pull a trick like that.”
Georgie laughed. “Wait till you get to know him better, that’s exactly the kind of thing he does.” Her arms wound around Melanie’s waist. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Oh, certainly not.” Melanie draped her arms over Georgie’s shoulders, linking her hands behind her back. “I’m not going to turn down the opportunity to dance with the prettiest person at the ball.”
“Hm, might have to disagree with that assessment, Lenie,” Georgie mused, eyes sparkling. “I’m pretty sure I’m the one dancing with the prettiest person here.”
Melanie smiled at her for a second, then cast a glance over the field. She dropped her arms from Georgie’s shoulders, shifting to grab her hand, and tugged her toward the edge of the crowd. “Follow me?”
“Sure.” Georgie looked confused, but followed along.
Melanie led her a few steps away from the crowd, stopping at the treeline. She took a minute to glance back, smiling at the festivities - at Jon and Martin, still lost to the world in each others’ arms, at Sasha and Tim, doing their best to teach Gerry a popular Raverran dance while he looked on with raised eyebrows, at Daisy and Basira, seemingly locked in an intense debate over the buffet table as they sampled various foods and argued which was best - then turned back to Georgie.
“Okay. I don’t know how to ask this without sounding juvenile, so I’m just going to ask: do you like me?”
Georgie’s eyebrows shot up. “Of course I like you, Melanie, why do you think I’ve been spending so much time with you?”
“No, I mean-” Oh, gods. Melanie could actually feel a blush creeping up her face. That never happened. “I mean, like… we’ve been flirting a lot, and it’s been fun, and I’d like to keep doing it, but- but I’d also like to know if it’s going anywhere? It doesn’t have to be!” she hurried to add. “I just, you know, want to know if I’m justified getting my hopes up.”
A slow grin spread over Georgie’s face. “You are, indeed, justified in getting your hopes up.”
Melanie breathed out, relaxing. “Good. I thought it was best to check.”
“I’m glad you did. Now I know I’m justified in getting my hopes up, too.” She winked.
“Well then,” Melanie held out her arm. “Does the prettiest person at the ball want to continue dancing?”
“Second prettiest,” Georgie corrected, linking their arms together. “And yes, she would.”
~~~~~
The Raverrans were due to leave a week after the wedding. They waited a few days to let the tumult die down, sending Jon and Martin off on their honeymoon to play tourists in some of the more unique Raverran and Vaskandran cities and waiting for the rest of the guests to depart.
Then they all gathered in the Estate’s kitchen, and Basira removed Melanie’s jess.
“It’s not actually all that complicated a process,” she muttered, eyes intent on the little circle of copper and stone as she poked at it with a long, thin tool. Her mage-mark shone deep green as she worked. “It’s just a matter of…” - she untangled a few of the wires, weaving them into a new pattern - “...redirecting the energy flow and…” - one red bead was delicately removed, placed carefully on the table by her side - “...draining the power from the system in a controlled manner. Daisy?”
Daisy passed her a different tool, taking back the one she had been using. Basira started redrawing a few of the runes that were etched into the bracelet.
“Of course, it doesn’t work if you’re not an artificer, but honestly you only need an intermediate skill level to get this right once you’ve got instructions.”
Melanie stayed quiet as she worked, tense with anxiety. Sasha was sitting next to her, one arm around her shoulders for comfort, and Tim, Georgie, and Gerry were sitting nearby, looking on.
The process only took fifteen minutes, all told, but to Melanie it felt like a lifetime. Finally, the last of the copper wires was cut, and Basira gently lifted the remains of the bracelet from her wrist.
Melanie flexed her fingers, swallowing hard. Her arm felt too light without it there.
“Alright, Melanie?” Sasha asked. She sounded concerned.
“Y-yes, I’m- I’m fine.” She glanced up, looking to Basira for confirmation. “Did it work?”
“Only one way to find out.” She nodded to Sasha.
Sasha took a deep breath. “Revincio.”
It didn’t do anything. Melanie could still feel the fire blazing hot inside her, buzzing at her fingertips. She pointed one hand at the fireplace, focusing on pushing that heat out and away from her.
Blue flames shot from her fingertips, striking the bricks of the fireplace with a shower of sparks before settling into a merry blaze. She clenched her hand into a fist, and the fire went out.
Then she looked back at Sasha, eyes wide. “I’m free.”
Sasha pulled her into a tight hug. “As you should be.”
Melanie squeezed her back. There were tears in her eyes. “Thank you. For everything.”
“Of course.” Sasha let her go, passing her a handkerchief as soon as she saw the tears. “That’s what friends are for.”
Melanie laughed, a bit wet, then gasped as she was grabbed from behind in a strong hug. “Tim!”
“I’m going to miss you,” he said, not letting her go. “You’d better find a wig and some baggy clothes to wear as a disguise and come visit.”
“Can’t visit if you squeeze the life out of me,” she complained, and when he let her go she stood up, turning around and catching him in a proper hug. “And the eyes would still be a bit of a giveaway. But I’ll see what I can do.”
He grinned when she stepped back, snapping his fingers and pointing at her. “I’ll hold you to that.”
Tim was replaced by Georgie, wrapping her in a secure embrace. “Congratulations,” she said warmly, and when she leaned back her lips ghosted across Melanie’s cheek in a whisper of a kiss.
“Th-thanks,” Melanie stuttered, and Georgie winked.
Daisy and Basira were next, both smiling as she hugged them tightly, and then she turned a raised eyebrow to Gerry and lifted her arms slightly. He held up a hand to stop her.
“Not a hugger,” he said, and she shrugged and was about to drop her arms when Georgie snorted.
“Yes you are, you big liar,” she said with a huff, then grabbed his arm and propelled him in Melanie’s direction.
She hugged him too, laughing at his protests, and he patted her on the shoulder awkwardly when she let him go. “Welcome to the family.” He shot a look at Sasha over her shoulder. “You too.”
They both smiled. “Happy to be here,” Melanie said.
The rest of the week passed quietly. Sasha spent most of her time with Tim, trying to convince him to stay in Vaskandar as well and helping him craft the excuse he’d give to the doge as to why his right-hand Captain and her bonded fire warlock had not returned. Basira fiddled with the courier lamp system, applying all the modifications she’d been drawing up; Daisy split her time between helping her and sparring with Georgie on the grounds of the Estate. Melanie bounced between them all, talking with Sasha and Tim, flirting with Georgie, tracking down and bothering Gerry when he tried to hide from everyone so he could read in quiet.
It was an adjustment, and a large one, without the jess on her wrist: she found herself forgetting that the fire was at her fingertips whenever she wanted it. It would take time, she knew, but it was time she was looking forward to with great excitement. Her whole world had opened up before her.
She didn’t plan on leaving this particular corner of it any time soon, though. The company was too good.