Calliope [Book 2]

Mido walked for what felt like hours more, the beacon above him still shining strongly. He walked until his eyelids grew heavy and he lay down to sleep. When he awoke, he continued onward, losing himself to his thoughts once more, only this time, his thoughts grew darker.

He thought of what life was like for the witches in this world, damned to live there for all of eternity, never knowing where they were or when they were. Never being able to end their lives at their own free will. He wondered how Calliope felt, being stuck in this world for months. He couldn’t believe it had been that long since she had gone missing. It had to have been close to three months, at least, by then. Alone in a world like this for that long. He didn’t think Calliope could do that, never mind all of eternity.

And what if she realized she was never getting out? What if she had lost hope and gave up? What if she had gone mad, or succumbed to the black magic that slept inside her? Mido’s mind raced through these thoughts and wondered what condition she would be in, if he ever found her.

No, Calliope was stronger than that. He knew it. She was probably doing everything she could to find a way out. What if she already had? What if he were alone in that world searching for something that was no longer there?

He would be stuck there forever.

But at least he had the ability to end it all. To escape the world. To die; his one last act of free will.

He pushed the thought out of his head. He hadn’t come to that point yet. He wasn’t ready to give up. He hoped he would never get to that point, but he had a feeling a place like that could easily drive someone mad; human or magical being.

He looked to the beacon once more and wondered if it would stay with him forever. It seemed to only light of hope in that forsaken world. He felt tired again. He must have walked for hours more. It was impossible to tell and it frustrated him. There seemed to be no sign of life around him, so he lay down once more and closed his eyes.

#

Mido awoke and continued his journey through the nothingness of the world. Not even a single shadow crossed his path. He imagined he was far away from any sort of civilization; perhaps walking across the fields of Asmar or Librona. As he walked, he noticed a clustering of shadows in the distance; shadows unlike any he had seen so far. He headed towards the shadows, curious of what they represented. As he neared, the shadows grew, but never moved. It wasn’t until he stood just before the shadows that he realized what it must have been: a forest.

Mido’s heart raced; it was possible he was at Librona’s borders now. It seemed a great possibility that Calliope would be in the area or even had wandered back into In’audis in her confusion. Mido stepped into the shadowy forest realm, the white, foggy world around him growing darker as the shadowy trees grew thicker and closer together.

He quickly determined that this shadowed realm was no better than the white world he left. He wished he hadn’t left it’s familiar territory, despite how alone he felt in it. He walked aimlessly through the shadow forest, walking through the shadow trees, his body no longer chilled to it’s ghostly sensation.

Mido knew he could be stuck in this forest for weeks, were he where he thought he was. The thought haunted his mind as he walked. He felt his spirits grow weaker and weaker despite the fact that he was sure he was getting closer to finding Calliope. He felt exhausted and lifeless. He walked forward without even willing his legs to move; they carried him further and further through The Land of the Shadows. He walked with no destination in mind. He walked just to walk, the only purpose he had left.

And when he grew too tired to walk – which seemed to happen more and more frequently – he stopped to lie down and sleep.

No sun bid him good morning, and no moon wished him a good night. The stars did not guide his way and permit him a look into it’s heavens. The clouds did not offer him shade and the sun did not warm his face. There was no rain to soothe him or quench his thirst, or berries to pick at when his stomach gnawed at his insides. What little food he did have began to thin and disappear, despite his attempts to prologue it’s rations.

His thoughts continue to swallow him whole and overwhelm him with fear, anxiety, and depression. He cursed himself, for he was growing weaker with each passing moment. He knew he wouldn’t be able to survive long in this world, certainly not long enough to find Calliope. But he pushed forward, ignoring the stinging in his eyes. His vision blurred, but it didn’t matter; there was no need for him to see anything.

His knees shook and he fell to the ground. He let himself fall to his side and he lay on the ground motionless. Only his chest rose and fell with his shallow breathing. His stomach twisted and his head felt heavy, spinning and spinning.

Mido could no longer distinguish his sleeping world from his waking world. Everything felt like a dream; a nightmare. He didn’t recall falling asleep, and he didn’t remember waking up. He wasn’t sure if he was lying in the same place or if he had gotten up at some point to continue his aimless journey. He grew more and more tired, or maybe he was just sleeping on and off over a particularly long night. He didn’t know anymore, and he had stopped caring. He lost all will and motivation, stuck in his mind as the darkness crept in around him.

He opened his eyes and looked around him, still lying on the ground. He heard the familiar muffled buzz of voices. The world had returned to it’s white foggy blur. He couldn’t remember making it through the forest – had he turned back at some point? His memories all seemed to blur together; he couldn’t distinguish any part of his journey and whether they were in any kind of logical order.

He rolled onto his back, the beacon still glowing above him. It seemed brighter this time. It pulsed in the air, signaling his whereabouts. His stomach churned in a sickening pain. The buzzing sound remained, but there were no shadowy figures around for as far as he could see. Perhaps it was his mind playing tricks on him. He was long gone, now; hopeless. Lifeless. He would die in this world, never seeing Calliope’s golden eyes again.

He closed his eyes and waited. It wouldn’t be long now. All he had to do was wait.

#

It was raining; Mido could feel the wet droplets fall onto his face. It felt cool and refreshing. He opened his eyes and looked around. He recognized the greenery of the trees as their crisp leaves reached toward the sky, waiting for the sun to break through the dark clouds and drinking in the nourishment of the rain. The grass was long and wet as it tickled at his arms. He watched as the rain fell gently down onto the earth. Above him, the beacon continued to glow. He peered at the beacon, confused. Was he dead? He must have been dead. He was a ghost in this world.

But his heart beat in his chest. He could feel it. It raced faster and faster. His chest ached. And suddenly, he was breathing. His lungs ached for air as he coughed. He gasped for air, filling his lungs.

He felt fingers on his face, pushing a stray lock of hair out of his eyes.

His eyes met the golden eyes he had missed for so long.

The witch smiled. Her lips move, but her voice was gone.

“Calliope,” Mido called to her, but she did not respond.

This was it. This was his death. He had failed her. He was gone.

#

Calliope slapped him hard across his face. Her tears fell, wetting his face as she begged him to come back to her. She shook his shoulders and fell onto his chest, sobbing.

She felt his chest rise and fall and she called to him again. He was there; she knew it.

“Damn it, Mido,” she cried. “Wake up.”

She bent down and kissed him. Mido’s eyelids fluttered open and met her gaze.

“Calliope,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” she cried as she pulled him close to her. “What on earth are you sorry about?”

“I’ve failed you,” he muttered, closing his eyes.

“Failed me?” she repeated. “You fool.”

“Is this what death feels like?” he mumbled.

Calliope laughed through her tears. “No, you idiot. You’re not dead.”

He groaned. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered once more.

“Mido, look at me,” she demanded him, letting him lay back on the ground. His eyes opened and met hers once more. He recognized the familiar white world of The Land of the Shadows. He let his eyes trace her body; very real, and not a shadow.

“Calli?” He pushed himself up and looked around. Yes, he was very much alive, and so was she. He pulled her towards him and sobbed into her black locks. Calliope wrapped her arms around him as the tears streamed down her face.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, pulling away and letting her hands rest on his face, as if confirming that he was really there. “How did you get here?”

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said. He let his hands rest against hers, warm on his face.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said.

“We need to get out of here.”

“I don’t even know where here is.”

“You’re in The Land of the Shadows.”

“The what?”

“Calli, there’s so much I need to tell you.”

Calliope looked him over carefully. “Here,” she said as she put something in his hand. “Eat this.”

Mido looked at the little green leaf and back to her. “What is this?”

“It’s something I’ve found while I was here,” Calliope said. “It took a lot to get it. Just eat it, please.”

Mido obeyed and placed the leaf on his tongue. It tasted bitter, but he swallowed it.

“What is it?”

“It’s a little magical something that will help you. You’re too weak right now.” Calliope looked him over once more, still not believing her eyes.

“Thanks,” he muttered.

“How did you get here? What happened? Tell me everything.”

Mido sucked in a breath, preparing himself. “Calli, you wouldn’t believe a word of it if I told you.”

Calliope left. “After what I’ve been through, Mido, I’d believe anything. Nothing surprises me anymore.”

“After you disappeared,” Mido began, wincing as he relived the memory. “I looked for you. For days. I had no idea what happened. In’audis was still looking for us and I knew I couldn’t stick around. I figured maybe you had gone to Librona, so I went there. I had hoped at the very least King Sloan could help.”

“Did he?”

“Not exactly. He was furious when I showed up. But Queen Melinda seemed to talk some sense into him. Apparently they needed me.”

“Why?”

“To help end the war.”

“What could you have done?”

“After he banished me, word spread, bringing the news to an old woman who came to King Sloan. She told him that I was vital in ending the war. She told him that she was the one who delivered me when I was born, and that my mother died after giving birth. She brought me to a family that raised me. This woman, my mother, had been with King Sloan, making me his bastard.”

Calliope said nothing. She searched his eyes as he continued.

“My mother was also a cousin to Kaya, Rowan’s mother, making me of Asmar blood and the only heir to the throne.” Mido revealed the mark on his leg. “This, apparently, proved my heritage, as it is a mark that all children of Asmar’s royal blood bear. King Sloan wanted me to take up the throne and end the war. He said he could not help me find you as his resources had grown thin, but that I could use what resources were provided to the king of Asmar.”

“What did you do?” she whispered.

“I went to Asmar, proved myself, and took the throne.”

Calliope was quiet. She didn’t know what to make of this information. “Go on,” she finally said.

“As king, I withdrew the troops and ended the war once and for all. I released their prisoners and found Maria amongst them.”

Calliope breathed a sigh of relief and her eyes began to well.

“I spoke with a man who was my advisor. I told him I needed the use of Asmar’s ships and army, but he thought it would be best if I let the kingdom recover from the war. He asked me why I was so anxious, so obviously I lied. I said I wanted to introduce myself to the kingdom of Re’iam, since it is their main business partner. The advisor agreed and said it was a good idea considering that their queen was a witch.”

“What?” Calliope was shocked.

“I thought maybe she would be able to help me find you, so I made it my mission to go there as soon as I could. I sent Maria back to Librona and she returned with Ian and some of Librona’s soldiers to accompany me on the trip. We waited weeks before the ships were ready and my advisor found someone to take over the throne while I was gone.” Mido paused. “It was Barric.”

“Barric?” Calliope repeated. “That’s not possible.”

Mido shook his head. “I haven’t figured that one out, yet, but it was the least of my concerns.”

“You left the kingdom in his hands?”

“Are you going to let me finish the story?”

Calliope sighed. “Go ’head.”

“We went to the port as soon as we could and got on a ship to make the journey across the sea to Re’iam. It took two weeks to get there. We got caught in a storm, which broke the mast and it fell on Ian. He’s okay,” he added. “But was pretty hurt. Thankfully, we weren’t much more than a couple days from Re’iam, and once the storm passed, it was relatively smooth sailing. We were greeted at the port by a soldier who welcome us into the city and brought us somewhere to rest. He sent some nurses to tend to Ian and the soldiers. Seems they, too, knew some sort of magic, and Ian was good as new. I spoke with the soldier and told him I needed to speak to their queen, Queen Ryenna. He said it was very unlikely that she would see me, but he promised to deliver the message. And he did. And she agreed. So he brought me to her castle and I explained to her that I was looking for you.”

“I heard of her briefly in passing when I was with Scarletta,” Calliope said. “I know she is a very powerful witch, of some sort of royal blood, but never realized she ruled a kingdom.”

Mido nodded. “She comes from a very long line of royal witches and wizards. She explained the world to me, way before humans roamed. She said that the world once belonged to witches and wizards. The world was full of magic, yet the witches and wizards abused their power and their resources, essentially destroying the world. Queen Ryenna’s ancestors were very strong and powerful, so they decided to take over the land. The witches and wizards had grown angry and resented each other very quickly, and that tainted their blood with black magic. Queen Ryenna’s ancestors banished these witches and wizards from the world. They were banished here, to The Land of the Shadows, as punishment for their behavior. They were meant to live here for all of eternity, damned to spend forever just out of reach of the world.”

“How awful,” Calliope muttered as she looked around them.

“Queen Ryenna’s ancestors decided to populate the world with humans, thinking that we would be able to live in peace with each other. And for a long time, I suppose we did. They allowed humans to explore and expand the world, each growing their own kingdom, thriving in this new world that the witches created for them. They lived peacefully with each other under the agreement that no other witches or wizards lived in the world. The only magical beings that remained were of royal blood and would remain in the kingdom of Re’iam.”

“What about Scarletta and Kaya?”

“Their mother, a full blooded witch, was one of the witches who was able to escape when they were being banished. She must have hid well, and when humans began to populate the world, she was able to blend in with them. She kept her true self hidden, laying with a mortal and baring half-blooded children. And that’s when she was exposed and murdered. Naturally, they weren’t of royal blood, and the people feared them. No one knew how the witch came to be in their world or how many others were around. They acted as they saw necessary.”

“So,” Calliope began, taking the information in. “How did I get here?”

“Scarletta’s blood was tainted with black magic from the years she spent angry at the kingdom. Her remorse and need for revenge overpowered her. When she created her witches and wizards, some of that black magic transferred to them.”

“Including me,” Calliope mumbled.

Mido nodded. “The magic you used was black magic,” he said. “It must have built over time. When you grew angry and frustrated and used your magic, it was enough to awaken the black magic, and it brought you here.”

“But Scarletta had black magic, too,” Calliope said. “Why isn’t she here?”

“She was only a half-blood. While she had her magic, she was mortal. I guess it only works on pure blooded witches and wizards.”

“So, how do I get out?”

Mido sighed. “That’s the tricky part. The black magic in your blood binds you here. Queen Ryenna thought that you might have a chance to get out if you were able to rid your body of that magic.”

“How do I do that?”

Mido shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s no something that has been done before.”

“What about you? How did you get here?”

“I asked her to bring me here,” Mido said. “I wanted to find you and bring you out.”

“But, there’s no way for sure we can get out,” Calliope said. “This was suicide.”

Mido was quiet. “Yeah, it could have been, but I wasn’t going to not try.”

“And she just let you?”

Mido shook his head and hesitated. “No,” he finally said. “We came to an agreement.”

“What do you mean an agreement?” Calliope said slowly. He knew how irrational he became in situations that involved her. “What did you do, Mido?”

Mido sighed. “She is a very powerful witch,” he began. “And she knew I had no intentions of returning to Asmar as king, should I get out of here alive with you. She then proceeded to tell me that I was not Asmar’s true heir, but that because I had taken on the responsibility, it was my duty to rule the kingdom, regardless.”

“What do you mean you’re not the true heir?”

“The woman that went to King Sloan used to live in Queen Ryenna’s kingdom. She had a unique gift; she had visions of the future. She foresaw the war between Librona and Asmar. It was brutal and destructive and she wanted to prevent that from happening. So she went to Queen Ryenna and told her, and together, they developed a plan; a plan to mark me with Asmar’s symbol, making everyone believe I was the rightful heir. They knew that doing this, I would be able to end the war, as I had done.”

“They used you.”

Mido nodded. “Can’t say I blame them, though. The plan worked perfectly, for the most part.”

“Does that make everything else true?” Calliope asked. “Are you King Sloan’s son?”

Mido shook his head. “I don’t know how much of that is true or part of the lie. I didn’t think to ask. I just wanted to find you.”

“So,” Calliope began, organizing all the information in her mind. “You agreed to return to Asmar as their king, regardless of the fact that you’re not their true heir, and in return, Queen Ryenna promised to bring you into this hell?”

Mido nodded.

“There must be some catch to this,” Calliope said.

Mido hesitated. “Well.”

“What the hell, Mido? What more could there be?”

Mido shook his head. “She just wanted me to ensure that Asmar would never be without a king again.”

“How are you supposed to do that?”

“As king, and as part of our agreement, I am to have a child to take the throne when I’m gone.”

Calliope was quiet. She narrowed her eyes at him. “A child?”

Mido nodded.

Calliope said nothing. They sat in silence for what felt like forever.

“What are you thinking?” he asked her.

Calliope shook her head. “Just what a damned fool you are. You don’t think, Mido.”

“I hardly think that’s the worst agreement I could have made.”

“So, where are you getting this child?” she asked.

Mido shrugged. “I figured I’d worry about that when that time came. Hell, we might not even make it out of here, so it probably won’t matter.”

“I have a feeling Queen Ryenna expects you will get out. She wouldn’t have made that kind of agreement with you if she didn’t think you’d return to Asmar.”

Mido nodded. She was probably right. “Guess I’ll have to start thinking about a suitable mate. Someone young and pretty to give me some nice children.”

Calliope shifted uncomfortably. “Oh.”

Mido smiled. “Well, that’s my story,” he said, switching topics. “We agreed, she waved her fingers, and poof, I ended up here.”

“How long have you been here?”

Mido shook his head. “I have no idea. Days? Weeks? Months? It all blurred together.”

Calliope nodded. She understood what that had felt like.

“It was at least three months after you disappeared,” he said. “Before I finally got here.”

“I’ve been here for that long?” Calliope said quietly. She stared at her feet.

“So, what’s your story?”

Calliope shook her head. “There is no story.”

“You’re telling me you were here for over three months and nothing happened to you?”

“Well, what happened to you?”

“I walked through hell and found you.”

Calliope smiled. “I found you.”

“And how did you manage to find me?”

“I saw the beacon,” she said, looking up. “I figured that if I followed it, it would lead me somewhere. To a witch, to a way out; I didn’t know, but it felt good to have something to work towards. I never imagined in a million years that I’d find you under it. How did you get it? It reeks with magic.”

“I bumped into a couple of dueling witches,” he said. “Before I got here, Queen Ryenna gave me a stone that she said would help protect me from black magic. When the witches saw me, they tried to attack, but the stone repelled their magic. They were curious, and we were eventually able to strike a small agreement; they would tell me if they had seen you and in exchange, I would tell them how I was able to repel their attacks. I got the better end of that one, as the stone was essentially useless to them. They were amazed that a mortal was able to enter their world, though, and I must have won them over somehow with my story. They gave me this beacon, knowing it may attract witches, and possibly you, though in return, I may also run into witches who weren’t as kind.”

“And did you run into anyone else?”

“Not yet. Just you.”

Calliope smiled. “You take too many risks,” she scolded him.

“It was worth it in the end.”

“I thought you were dead when I found you,” she whispered.

“Yeah, me too,” Mido said. “I don’t even remember how I got here.” He looked around them. “Last I remember, I was still in the forest.”

Calliope was quiet.

“Aren’t you going to tell me your story?” Mido asked, pushing further.

Calliope shook her head and got to her feet. “There’s nothing to tell you. I was stuck here for a very long time without even the courtesy of death. And then I found you.”

Mido was skeptical, but he decided not to press further. Something had bothered her. He needed to get her out of here as soon as he could. She seemed the same Calliope he knew, but he worried about her and what she hid from him.