REVOLUTION: A Rebel Among Monsters ✔

Thirteen••An Immature Surprise

Melaynia's glossy, grassy eyes scanned the room, and a frown plastered on her tanned face as she sat and grumbled.

"Welcome to my office, Mel." Valnia leveled her voice, but when Melaynia turned and glowered at her, she gulped. "Anything I can get you?"

Nostrils flaring, Melaynia tipped an inch forward. "Are you real?"

Valnia blinked. "Yes, of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Why isn't she happy to see me?

Scoffing, Melaynia slanted into her seat and crossed her arms. "Okay, but did you actually die? Or were you given the same crap speech I got?" Her tone fizzled with negative energy.

"It's not crap, Mel. It's all true. And," she peered at her hands, turning them, before resuming her narrowing gaze at Melaynia, "I didn't die."

The resentment pouring from Melaynia's expression caused knots to form in Valnia's belly. "But it's all a joke, right? Collecting teenagers, forcing them to abandon their families, to engage in a Monster's feud; it makes no sense, don't you agree?"

Mad at the methods, not at me.

Valnia sighed, her fingertips fiddling with the quill in front of her. "It's not a joke. The Impians are a real threat to the planet and must be stopped. It involves us all. We're uncertain why they rebelled, but it disrupted our world's rotation." She tugged a little too hard, and a small chunk of the feather ripped off. "They're dangerous. We can't communicate with them, can't predict their next move. And after two hundred years... they might have the strength to do just about anything."

Brows rising, fury dissipating into intrigue, Melaynia's stiffened seating position loosened a little. "What do you know?"

Pushing the quill aside, Valnia slid her palms over the desk, towards Melaynia, as if reaching out for her. "The Eldian's powers were damaged when they separated from the Impians. They struggled to maintain the planet's proper functions, since it lost half its energy. So the plan... they had to. They feared chaos and war if they recruited Ceruleans openly to aid in their plots."

"But Sacrifices—"

"—yes, they induce panic, too. But... for the greater good, Ceruleans would abide by any law, including this one, drastic as it was. Plus, making them fear the Monsters, fear their... carnivorous tendencies... kept them in line." Valnia retracted her hands when she caught Melaynia's frown returning. "We're a peaceful planet, Mel. Imagine telling the entire world half of our founders are evil! How would they react?"

"Well..." Melaynia huffed and a breeze billowed through a few loose strands of her chestnut hair, blowing it up and backwards. "No better than instructing them to let the Monsters eat them."

"Yes, well..." impatience threatened to storm into Valnia's tone, "that was the safer option. The fear, the anticipation of death... made Ceruleans more vigilant. And it showed them the Eldians were benevolent, choosing to devour only one teenager at a time, once a year. It ensured their safety; a controlled Ceremony, set up to help the Monsters gain strength and keep the world alive. Everyone knew... expected the Sacrifices would end at some point."

Melaynia shook her head, mumbling incomprehensibly.

She doesn't want to accept it, no matter how right we are.

"This isn't easy for anyone involved, Mel." Melaynia's arms remained pressed against her torso. "Forbidding contact with the grieving families is difficult, but we have to remember if we prevail against the Impians, we'll be reintroduced into society and those of us whose families are still alive—"