No Solace (The Flames of Retribution - Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-four - Another Fine Mess

After I recovered a little, I put my priest robe back on, which was now too large on me, and walked back into the living room. I sat down on the green chair. Ursula had helped herself to bread and cheese from the kitchen and a large black dog was munching on some bits Ursula fed to her.

When Ursula saw me, she snorted at how ridiculous I looked, swimming in my clothes as it were. Then she hopped up and brought a pot to me that she'd relieved of a petunia so I could deposit the homunculus into it.

"Let's see that book, Ursula." I was wiping the sides of my mouth, checking to make sure I got all the dirt off of me. 

She handed the book to me, and I began to scan the information inside.

"...love, you must come see me on the 8th, the 17th, and the 27th... I will give you a special prize of golden feathers..."

"...twelve days hence... the darkest star will come to see if he can steal our love away..."

"...stay with me, so that I may find if he has a heart. And should he lie, I will steal it from him..."

"......if I do not receive answers tomorrow, I shall assume the worst and destroy it..."

"The most beautiful of all birds... the only man who could save her... the king of the fairies will be there, waiting for her.... I have been practicing... my skills are perfect..."

"And when the sun sets upon us forever, Faluel will repay!" I read aloud.

Each of the entries was in a different hand, some masculine, some feminine, all signed Melusine.

"So, Melusine isn't a person, it's a group. Right?" Ursula guessed. "What does all this gibberish mean?"

"It's code." I replied. I sighed as I looked at the unconscious Janicen. "Let's wake her up. She needs to tell us what this code is."

Ursula grinned at that, then slapped Janicen sharply on the thigh. "Wakey, wakey!" The dog growled at that, but one look from Ursula made her whine and quiet down.

Janicen opened her eyes slowly, blinking as she stared up at the ceiling. "Huh?"

"Wakey, wakey! Your friends want to know what the codes mean," Ursula repeated sweetly, grinning again.

"You are insane!" Janicen exclaimed as she struggled to sit up, while holding her head. Her dog started barking in alarm but stayed planted on her butt in fear.

The woman blinked as she recognized me without my disguise on. "Solace?" Janicen asked, her voice growing thready. "What are you doing here?"

I grimaced, wishing I'd had more time in the homunculus. "I want answers. You seem to have some.

Her expression grew stony. "I won't tell you anything."

I leaned forward. "I've had some harrowing experiences, Janicen. Ever since I set foot on Janesport, things that had nothing to do with me avalanched upon me. I can ask nicely, and receive answers nicely, or..."

Ursula stepped near her. "I can get the answers from you, but I won't be nice."

Janicen set her jaw. 

"What is Melusine? Who does it serve? The emperor?" I leaned forward more, locking gazes with her. "Did Gladys get killed for something she found out?"

She shrugged, which I took as a yes.

"Why?"

Silence. Janicen stared past me at the wall.

"Answer Janicen!" I shouted.