Beyond the Gates of Evermoore

She stood and leaned forward, planting her tiny fists on her desk. Melody could see every deep-set line etched into the woman’s wizened face. Their eyes met, and Xiomara’s expression was utterly solemn.

“Please fucking tell me you brought back the egg…”

37

It was the one thing she’d been dreading the whole ride home. Beneath the pride at having survived Evermoore… at having saved Lucus — and saved herself — the ultimate failure of her mission tainted every other accomplishment.

You had one job.

Xiomara’s gaze hardened. She knew.

One task…

Melody wanted to look away — wanted to avert her eyes as she tried to explain away her failure. Anything out of her mouth would sound like an excuse. Anything she said would fall woefully short of explaining—

THUMP!

She looked down at the same time Xiomara did. Lucus had pulled something from inside his shirt and planted it on the desk. His dirt-caked, blood-stained hand was still wrapped around it:

A beautifully crafted, gold-chased, ivory jeweled egg.

Xiomara’s expression was rapturous. Her eyes went wide with inexplicable glee.

“We brought back La

dy Neveux’s egg,” said Lucus. “Just as you asked.”

It was the first time he’d spoken since they arrived. Slowly Melody turned to face her lover, absolutely incredulous. If Xiomara had been paying attention to her expression, she’d realize Melody was just as shocked as she was.

Her eyes never left the egg though.

“You…” The old woman’s voice cracked as she spoke. “You did it?”

“She did,” said Lucus.

Carefully he placed the object in the Head of Order’s outstretched, reverent grasp. When he finally released it, Xiomara’s hands were shaking.

“T—This…” She could barely contain her emotion. “This is…” She blinked twice, then looked up at Melody. “Do you have any idea what this means?”

“No,” she shrugged. “But I’m hoping it was worth it.”

Xiomara took the egg back to her side of the desk and stood it on end. Very slowly, she began turning it, examining it from all angles. Her face was a mask of unbridled euphoria. Melody had never seen anything like it.

“It really is beautiful,” Melody noted. “I can’t believe how delicate and—”

She gasped as the top of the egg suddenly popped open. Xiomara’s fingers were moving deftly over the surface, pressing a series of jewels and hidden buttons that were invisible to the naked eye.

“What the—”

The sides of the egg folded downward, tiny hinges collapsing in upon themselves as the egg peeled open from the inside out. Jewels popped off, clattering to the desk. Piece of gold filigree twisted downward, bending and curling.

“You’re destroying it!”

The Head of Order had forgotten them entirely — it was like they weren’t even there. She continued the elaborate opening of the egg until its contents were finally revealed: an opaque, frosted white orb. About the size of a ping-pong ball.

Xiomara turned the egg upside down and shook it, until the orb fell into her hand. Then, unceremoniously, she tossed Lady Neveux’s egg over her shoulder. It hit the floor with a loud CRACK! Jagged shards of broken ivory and tiny gemstones scattered everywhere.

“HOLY SHIT!”