Running Out of Moonlight
POV: Alexandra
Aphrodite hurried over to place the suppressor bracelets on Malinus and Blake. By then Blake had regained consciousness but was dizzy and nauseous. The lump on his head was really big so I had to assume he was concussed. I ran over to where I had to place my coat and pulled out a handkerchief. I wiped the blood from what I thought was his wound. Fortunately, it appeared the blood was from someone else. I smiled at him, “Gave as good as you got, huh?” He didn’t smile back but nodded, “You know it. I’m never one to lay down.” Blake was definitely a fighter and did everything he could for the ones he loved. He fought like hell for his family and the lump on his head showed. I frowned at it, “I wish I had some ice to put on that.” Jynx stepped forward, “I can help him with that, my lady. I think they are expecting you in the temple. I nodded at her, “I’ll leave his care to you then, Jynx. Thank you.” She crouched in front of him and looked over her shoulder, “He is your friend, my lady. I must care for those you care for.” I smiled at her but didn’t add the words to show my appreciation, she knew how I felt from the smile since she gave me one back.
I walked back to the moon temple where Artemis was standing in front of the altar with her arms folded. She sighed, “You’re about to miss your window. If there are no other interruptions, can we start?” I nodded and looked over at Lucien who had joined me to stand on the other side of the altar. She looked at him with an analyzed eye and nodded, “This is Lucien?” I nodded at her knowing that, since Apollo bragged about me, it was likely that he also spoke of Lucien. She looked at Aphrodite who was standing next to her, “I don’t understand his problem with this young man. He seems fine to me. Is this a case of my brother being too picky? Oh, never mind! We can talk after, let’s start. Young man, please lie down on the altar. Solamor, next to me behind the podium on the opposite side of Aphrodite.” We all took our places and she looked around. She smiled knowing that we all took the necessary measures. Lucien got up slightly and leaned on his elbow to look at her, “Can I ask a quick question before we start?” She looked up at the moon and then nodded, “Make it quick, we’re running out of moonlight.” This comment confused me since it was barely night but she probably knew something I didn’t being she was the literal Goddess of the Moon. I turned my attention to Lucien as he asked, “How will I know this worked?” She scoffed, “It’ll work if we work fast but to answer your question. You’ll know right away. I know for a fact that you have a little doubt in your heart about her.” She jabbed her thumb in my direction and continued, “You didn’t have that before the young vixen cast that spell on you, did you?” His eyes widened, he looked at me apologetically but didn’t look back at Artemis as he answered, “You’re right, I didn’t understand it.” He had a pleading look in his eyes as if he was apologizing. Artemis cleared her throat, “Let’s get this ritual going. Time is of the essence and Chronos waits for no one.”
Lucien laid back down and stared up at the moon and Artemis started to speak, “Oh mighty moon, which shines its blessing of light upon this realm. We beseech you to grant us the power to lift this curse of love on this poor soul.” She lifted up the rose to the moon, “This flower symbolizes the color of the man who lays here beneath your shining light, I offer it up as a symbol of his soul.” The flower disintegrated and I was getting nervous about the gift that Lucien gave me. I looked at it shining in the full moon’s light. She lifted up the bracelet to the moon, “We offer up this gift of love from this poor soul to his lady love. This gift was given as a token of his undying love for his lady.” I looked up at the bracelet which began to disintegrate before my eyes. I held in the gasp because I was upset that such a lovely gift that Lucien had given me was gone. I looked over at Lucien and that anguish disappeared. It was a necessary sacrifice to ensure this curse was lifted. I don’t think he would have been upset that it was gone since it was helping him. She lifted up the lock of hair to the moon, “I offer up this symbol of his lady love that she gave willingly to ensure her love would not suffer under the curse which he has found himself under.” Just like the rose and bracelet before it, the lock of hair disintegrated. I watched the light from the disintegration float over Lucien. It was the first time I realized the lights over Lucien. It was dotted with rose gold, blue, and now purple.
Artemis turned to me, “Stand in front of the podium now.” I switched places with her. Aphrodite walked behind me and placed her hands on my shoulder. Artemis directed me to raise my hands to the lights. As soon as I did that, I felt a warmth spread throughout my body and I saw pink beams come out of my fingers. This power pushed the orbs down to Lucien and instinctively I lowered my arms slowly. I looked over at Artemis who nodded at me which meant that I must’ve been doing the right thing. I lowered my arms until the pink light from my fingers were on Lucien, he convulsed when it touched him. I looked at Artemis, “He’s hurting, should we stop?” She shook her head, “It’s working through his body, finding the blood magic. Leave it.” The beam enveloped his body for a while until red smoke came pouring out of Lucien’s mouth. Artemis pulled a vase out of Aphrodite’s bag and ran toward the altar. She opened a lid and the smoke poured inside like it was a waterfall. As soon as the last bit of smoke hit the vase, it kicked at her and she closed it. She placed the vase in the jar. I was curious why they wouldn’t destroy the blood magic but I didn’t think it was the right time to ask that question. Artemis nodded at Aphrodite and she took her hands off my shoulders. The warmth was gone and I was suddenly freezing on a fall night. Artemis looked at me and said, “You can put your coat back on, dear. I don’t want you to get sick. The ritual is over now.”
I looked over at Lucien who was laying there sleeping and I looked back at Artemis, “Is he going to be okay?” She nodded, “He’s just sleeping off the stress the ritual put on his body. Best not to move him until he’s ready to get himself up. You might need to be out here through the eclipse.” She looked up and I followed her action. A small black sliver appeared over the moon and I now understood what she meant when she said we were running out of moonlight. We had pulled it off by a slim margin. I looked at her gratefully and before I could open my mouth to verbally echo what my face said, she shook her head. She chuckled a little, “Family is for doing favors for their loved ones. Don’t even think about starting what you were going to say. I know what you are feeling by the look on your face. It is enough. Tell him to be careful next time and that I am rooting for him to impress my twin brother.” I smiled, “I have every faith that he will do just that.” She nodded, “I believe you do. Well, I must get going now. I have to be at my throne while that is going on or Almighty might punish me.” She disappeared in a white orb in the way all Gods and Goddesses came and went. I looked over at Aphrodite and she wrapped her arms around me, “I’m sorry about your bracelet, dear child. If I had known it was going to be gone, I would have told you.” I shook my head, “What’s a trinket when the one you love is suffering and the way to ease it is to sacrifice said trinket? I would give all my possessions if those I love needed them. Material things are nothing compared to love and family.” She leaned back and stroked my hair, “You are wise beyond your years. Many wouldn’t understand that sentiment even though it is the correct one to have when it comes to your loved ones. I can think of a few greedy ones here in Vellum whose comeuppance will be so great that Almighty himself will be in awe.” I looked her in the eye, “Do you know something I don't?” She shook her head, “No, it’s just a feeling I have. I know Lucien will find the proper punishment. I have to go now, dear child.” I kissed her cheek, “Thank you, Mother.” She smiled at me lovingly then disappeared into her orb that floated out of sight.
I turned to Lucien who was sleeping peacefully. I looked beyond the stone circle to where Jheelis, Jynx, Malinus and now Blake were standing. I was glad to see him fully on his feet. I summoned Jheelis over to the altar and as he got near, “Can you watch him? I don’t want to leave him unguarded but I want to talk to Blake.” He nodded, “Yeah, I can do that.” I patted his arm and walked a short distance away. I stood in front of Blake and asked, “What happened?” He shrugged, “I’m not entirely sure yet but I’m going to find out. I don’t even know if my mother got out okay.” Jynx stepped forward, “My lady, I can open a portal to Mesha to see if Panshad was able to get her there.” I looked back over at Jheelis, “Let’s all stand over there so we can figure this out together.” We all turned back to the moon temple and gathered around the altar. I looked at Jynx, “Okay, now that we are all together. I want you to check if the Queen Mother is in Mesha safely.” She nodded and walked a little away from the moon temple and opened a portal. She stepped through and we all looked back at each other. Blake sighed, “If they were smart they would have evacuated the castle but I don’t think they have. I will need to summon Panshad to have someone spy in the castle to see if it is clear for us to go back.” He pulled a stone out of his pocket and spoke into it. There was no answer and he furrowed his brow at the stone, “She always answers, something is wrong.” He looked at me as if he didn’t know what to do next but I was already thinking of solutions in my head. I spoke, “Mordred? I need you.” A portal opened and three men stepped out of the portal. Mordred, Cal, and Renier walked into the moon temple. Cal’s face was almost fully healed, he had a small scar through his eyebrow which made his already handsome face more character. He looked over at Lucien and back at me, “Is he okay, Alexandra?” His father whispered under his breath to him so we couldn’t hear but not so inaudibly I couldn’t hear it, “Don’t worry about your rival, boy.”
Mordred rolled his eyes and walked forward to wrap his arms around me, “You are cold, dear one.” He snapped his fingers and my coat floated toward him. He grabbed it and wrapped it around my shoulders, “I know you are always trying to take care of others but you must stop to think about yourself.” He looked at Blake, “We take you to House of Dark to get healed, Your Highness.” Blake shook his head, “Thank you but no thank you, Your Majesty. I need to get back to Mesha once Lucien is awake. We need to figure out if the castle is still occupied.” Mordred looked at me, sighed, and began to speak but a portal had opened. Jynx stepped through with a smile, “My lady, Her Majesty is safely in Mesha. Panshad was able to get her out in time.” Blake turned to her, “What about Panshad?” She frowned and shook her head, “Her Majesty said that Panshad came back to the castle to help defend it. She didn’t come back.” Blake looked crestfallen hearing about his loyal friend was missing. I looked over at Jheelis who was suppressing an angry look on his face. Had Renier not been present, he would have acted rashly about the fact that his half-sister was missing. I looked back at Mordred, “We need to find out about the castle.” He shook his head, “You’ve been out here so you wouldn’t know but The Order has claimed power over Vellum. They claim that the King is likely dead and Blake is not fit to rule.”
