The Perfect Storm

“Wow, Melody, what did you do to it?” Kevin asks, staring at my laptop with that matured-adult expression of his. “Did you take a hammer at it or something?”

“No. I can’t remember. I woke up on the floor. It’s like my memory’s been erased or something.” 

“Really?”

“I’m serious!” I say, shoving his shoulder playfully, “I can’t remember anything! My mind’s like all foggy and stuff.”

“Whatever.” Kevin rolls his silvery-golden eyes at me, getting to work on my laptop.

I stayed silent, reading the giant mythology book. “Is it weird that I can’t remember anything that happened yesterday?”

“You’re in shock. You just found out two of the biggest secrets Alison had hid from us. I didn’t even know about the Holy Devil.”

“Obviously.” I roll my eyes at him.

“Well, your computer’s fixed.”

“I didn’t know you even knew what a computer is,” I tease, smiling playfully at him, “I mean, you are American history.”

“Is there a day that goes by when you don’t tell me that?”

“Hmm … no. I can’t think of one.” Kevin rolls his eyes, turning on my laptop. A song that I can honestly say I’ve never heard before plays, and I look at Kevin confusedly.

“Michael Jackson? Thriller? I didn’t think you liked him.”

“I don’t. I’ve never even really heard of him. This is really weird.” A flash of something, and I was pushing it on pause. “Come on, I think I have an idea of what this means.”

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“You’re right, Melody, that’s the Demolf symbol. That’s the King’s crest,” Alison says, nodding to herself.

“English, please?”

“Every race has a crest imprinted on the back of the neck.” Alison lifts up her hair, revealing an odd tattoo-like marking. “It’s the mark of a Royal Witch-Riddle-Muse. Or, in English, a hybrid.”

“But, you’re not a hybrid,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“That is where you are wrong. I also have the mark of a Guardian.”

“What’s that look like?” I ask curiously.

“It’s on the left wrist,” David says, showing me his wrist, “It’s a heart with a sword and shield. The heart is symbolic for eternal loyalty. Soulmates often have half a heart on the palms of their right hands that are only visible when they hold hands. The shield is symbolic for protection. The sword on the other hand is symbolic for that I’m a born-Guardian.”

“Mine is a bit different.” Alison flips over her arm, revealing the odd snake-like creature that wrapped around the shield and heart, along with the wings that flew out from the heart. “The wings are symbolic for resurrection in this case.”

“And the snake?” I ask.

“Symbolic for a double-Guardian outcome. I’m the Fifth Guardian, who is guarded by David.” Alison rolls her eyes, smiling sheepishly. “You brought me back from the grave.”

“I knew you were the Fifth Guardian!” Raine says smugly, grinning.

“Yes, you did. Happy? You shouldn’t be,” Alison snaps.

“Why?” I ask curiously.

“Because the job of a Guardian isn’t just a field of flowers,” David says, rolling his eyes, “More than half of Guardians die every year.”

“Oh.” Wow. That must be a lot.

“Eh, it’s the price you pay. But, as I was saying with our little Demolf-sent message, this is the Royal Demolf crest … everything in it in sacred to Demolfs. Including the emerald of Aphrodite.”

“I had a dream about that,” I say automatically.

“No surprise there. It also has the blackish-auburn coloring. Jake!”

“Yes, Princess?” Jake asks sarcastically.

“I need you to forge something for me.”

“What?”

“The Royal Demolf crest.”

“Alright.” Jake shrugs, walking away.

“You should have Chris help him. Chris worked as a blacksmith for awhile,” Kevin says, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, but I’m not entirely sure what all of this means. Symbolism is different to every Mythic,” Alison says, rolling her eyes, “Alexandria, go get me that book you’ve been reading.”

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?” Alec asks confusedly.

“No, the book on mythology that I found under your bed.”

“Alright.” Alec grumbles as she walks away.

“I’ll let you know what I can un-code for you, Mel, but it’ll take at least a day. A week at the most.”

I nod, grabbing Kevin’s hand and walking away. All of this was making me sick to my stomach.

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“Melody, are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Kevin asks as I sit in my office, doing research.

“Yeah, I guess. I’m not really sure. I feel sick to my stomach and I’ve got a really had headache and there’s all these questions that are just bouncing around in my head and I can’t seem to focus long enough to get anything done and —”

Kevin’s lips were over mine, stopping me on my ridiculous rant about my problems. “Better?”

“A little,” I say, pulling him back down. He pulls back, chuckling at me as I pout. “Kevin.”

“What?”

“Why’d you stop?”

“Because if I continued then I might have just raped you.” I felt my cheeks burn red with embarrassment.

“No, you wouldn’t.”

“You wanna bet?”

“No,” I say almost automatically, “I will not participate in the gambling of my virginity.”

Kevin rolls his eyes at me, kissing me again. I smile, loving the taste and feel of his lips on mine.