Page 66 of Rise of the Melody
“I know what I saw.” His voice was low and steady. “I’ve replayed it in my mind every day of my life since I was sucked into that nightmare. And to prove myself to you, you might recall that my ma brought me to your shop days before for healing herbs and a counter spell when I drank an old potion I’d found.”
Lorna gasped and her eyes got huge as she seemed to remember. “It was an old love potion. The first person you saw after you drank it was the cook, and you obsessed over her. She had to come with you to the shop because you wouldn’t let go of her leg.”
Zar’s eyes narrowed in annoyance at the details.
“But this is amazing news!” Aunt Lorna exclaimed. “If everyone is in Faerie, we can try to get them out! How did you do it?”
He was silent a long moment, studying her. His jaw rocked back and forth as if contemplating what he should say. I held my breath until he said, “All you need to know is that I made it from H’trae to the wilds of Elphame where I was released back through the Scottish portal two years ago. Nobody knows this except the family who took me in, and it’s going to stay that way until I’m ready.”
“Oh, Zar. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.” Aunt Lorna went to reach for his arm, as if to give comfort, but he pulled away and took a step back, eyeing her with disdain.
“You stand there acting as if you’re innocent.”
Her forehead scrunched and my stomach twisted.
“Zar…,” I warned, but they were still locked on each other.
“What do you mean?” my aunt asked.
He reclosed the space between them, looming over her. “You were there that night, standing beside my da before the portal was opened.”
Again, the crease appeared in her forehead as she shook her head, then her whole face scrunched as if in pain. “No.”
Zar spoke up again. “Aye.”
“Gaia,” she whispered. “But how…no.” She shut her eyes tightly. “I wasn’t?—”
“You were there.” He didn’t raise his voice, but his words still felt like a scream.
I could barely breathe as I watched them face off. Aunt Lorna looked bewildered, and I knew her well enough to know it wasn’t an act. He had it wrong. I knew it couldn’t be true!
“Okay, that’s enough,” I said as Aunt Lorna pressed fingers to her temples. “She wasn’t there. It had to be another nix who looked like her.”
“What happened that night?” Zar asked her, not seeming to care that she was practically folding in on herself. “Tell me.”
She shook her head, face scrunching, and I placed a hand on her back, yelling up at him. “Leave her alone! She wasn’t there!”
“Shewas.” He said this to me, but his eyes never left my aunt. “And there was other magic coming from inside the cave behind her.” Aunt Lorna whimpered as he went on. “Who else was there? What were they planning?”
She shook her head and I yelled, “Stop!” But it was like he was in a trance, feeling so close to getting the answers he urgently needed.
“Why are you denying being there, Lorna MacIntyre? I saw you. I remember. What was supposed to happen that night?”
“I don’t know…I don’t know.” She repeated it like a breathy mantra. Aunt Lorna gave a shudder and made a pitiful sound, grabbing her head as she suddenly collapsed to her knees. I yelled and bent to catch her, helping her body down. She lay on the porch, not moving.
“Auntie!” I knelt beside her. She was breathing. I squeezed her shoulders then patted her cheeks. The last time she passed out she came to quickly, but she was fully out right now. “No, no, no. Come back.” I looked up at Zar, filled with anger. “I told you this would happen! I told you! Get out of here!”
But he didn’t move. He stared at Aunt Lorna with something akin to confusion.
“I mean it!” I screamed, tears streaking my cheeks now. “Leave! Now!”
CooShee nudged Aunt Lorna’s neck and he gave a little whine. I shook her shoulders gently, then rubbed her cheeks harder, murmuring her name over and over. She wasn’t waking up. When I looked back over my shoulder, Zar was gone. My eyes scanned the yard. How did he keep getting here? Walking? Whatever, I couldn’t think about him right now. I pulled out my phone and called Ron.
“She passed out and she’s not waking up this time,” I said through tears.
“I’m getting in my car right now. Have you checked her pulse?”
“Yes.” I swallowed. “She has a pulse.”
