Pantheon Book 2: The Way of the Tao

A Distraction

        Melody paces at the edge of the clearing, her face scrunched up in thought. She mutters to herself, rehearsing how she'll start her conversation with Marcus. In her head, nothing could be easier. All she has to do is walk up to him, ask to talk in private, and ask point blank. What was up with that illusion? Why did it look like we were about to kiss at the end?

Of course, it's always going to be easy in her head. It's putting it into practice that's the hard part. The group decided to land for the night over an hour ago. The terrain is completely different from anything Melody has ever seen - high cliffs with jagged rock faces flanking wide flat patches where beautiful trees and flowers grow. The sun is setting, casting long shadows over the peaceful scene. But Melody can't enjoy any of it. She's too busy planning her attack.

"Marcus, we need to talk," she mutters for the hundredth time. "I want to know about that illusion. Don't deny it - I know what I saw," she adds, anticipating his reply perfectly. He's obviously going to try to deny it. But she won't let him. "The last part, when we had all the treaties. We were about to k-kiss. What does that mean?" She mimes out thrusting a finger into his face like she's just solved some great mystery. "Do you think we would be dating if we had kept meeting!? Because-" She stops, her throat tightening.

She wants to deny it. After everything that's happened, everything that she's been through, every part of her screams that it would never happen. Marcus is basically a different person now. He's always grumpy, and he jumps at every chance he gets to fight. Whenever he talks, his words are harsh and blunt. Not to mention, it's obvious that there are a million thoughts buzzing around in his head that he's not sharing. The old Marcus wouldn't do that.

So why can't she bring herself to say they wouldn't be together?

She starts pacing again, kicking loose rocks whenever she spots one in her path. She runs through the conversation again, anxiety growing in her chest like a ball of molten lead. All she has to do is walk up and ask.

"So, there a reason you're terrorizing the pebbles?" Marcus says, his voice slicing into her thoughts. She yelps, jumping back from him with a guilty look on her face. She pants heavily, trying to swallow her heart to get an alibi out past it. Marcus chuckles, crossing his arms. "Instead of giving me some half-hearted excuse, maybe try telling me what's going on?"

"N-nothing's going on!" She snaps, suddenly very conscious of her hands. She lets them fall to her sides, but they feel fat and heavy. She crosses her arms, but then it feels like he's staring at them. So she awkwardly leans against the rocky wall next to her, resting the other on her hip. "See?"

"Right, how silly of me," he replies sarcastically. "Want to try again? I might believe it if you trip over yourself some more."

"It's nothing!" She says, her mind kicking into overdrive. Suddenly every conversation she practiced plays at once, and she can't grasp one long enough to use. Marcus chuckles, leaning his back against the cliff next to her.

"Let me guess - you're worried about the Jade Emperor," he says with a grin. "You don't know what you're going to say to convince him to sign the treaty." Melody's thoughts grind to a stop, and her mouth falls open. She had forgotten about the Jade Emperor. And the treaty. And now that their situation is fresh in her mind, she realizes that he's right.

"We're going to arrive in two days," Melody gasps, her teeth chattering. "Maybe even tomorrow! I-I'm not ready, I can't-" she stammers, running her fingers through her hair. They get caught in the tangles of curls, but she doesn't notice. "What am I going to say to him? I don't know the first thing about the Tao! I need - I need to research!" She waves her hand, conjuring her old research journal from back home on Olympus. She flips it open to a fresh page, searching her mind for what books she has on the Chinese Pantheon.