Jacqui's POV
I was overseeing the would-be Demon Keepers assimilation to the afterlife when his presence overtook my senses. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply trying to ready myself for, well, I didn't know what. Josephine's presence followed shortly after. What is she doing here? I shook my head as the spirits began to sense his power. They looked toward the mountain and then at each other confusedly. Questions began to pass around me.
"M'lady, what's that?"
"So strong!"
"Demon?"
"God?"
I felt a tug on my tunic to see the little girl staring up at me. "Lady Jacqueline, what is that?" She asked so innocently with big bright eyes. I squatted to her level. "That," I paused as my domain began to darken with his annoyance. "is our hero." The young girl's eyes widened to saucers. "I'll have to see him. Will you stay with them?" I motioned to the Demon Keepers and she smiled wide while nodding her head excitedly. "Alright, good, I know they are in safe hands." I patted her head before standing up.
Before I knew what was happening, Josephine grabbed my arm and whisked me to my bedchambers.
"Josephine!" I laughed as she began rummaging through my closet. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to find something suitable for a Goddess." Came her muffled reply. She came out with two tunics paired with cotton pants. "These do not scream, "I'm a powerful Goddess that can kick your butt whenever I want to" to me. They say, "I'm a weak and feeble mortal girl, please spare me!" Josephine put the back of her hand on her forehead for some odd reason and threw herself to the floor. My confusion spoke for me as she opened an eye to stare at me. She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Jacqui! I'm not going to let that mortal think he can harm you easily."
Returning to my closet, Josephine came back out with one of my fancier get-ups.
"That's not necessary. What I'm wearing has nothing to do with my power." I got off the bed. "And Skye is fully aware of the difference in power." Which is little to none, but Josephine didn't have to know that. To be honest I was worried about the lingering darkness overtaking my realm. But if I were to be really honest, I just didn't want to wear what Josephine had picked out. I trusted that Skye wouldn't harm anyone in my domain unless he had a reason to. He could be left waiting for a change.
Josephine stomped her foot in a baby fit. "Jacqui, you never let me dress you!"
"I'm a big, tough Goddess. I don't need anyone to dress me." I giggled as I put my hand on the doorknob to leave.
"Jacqueline." Her serious tone caught me off guard. I stopped and glanced at her. She had dropped the dress and was holding her sword. It had a familiar aura and when I realized what it was, I faced her.
"Yes?" I asked innocently. Josephine glared at me.
"Is there anything you want to tell me?" She placed her sword on my vanity and I gulped.
"Not really." I gripped my hands behind my back so tight I was sure there were going to be bruises.
"I won't let this slide, Jacqui, but you can earn some time to think about it if you let me dress you." She blackmailed. I obediently and swiftly took the dress from the floor and let Josephine braid my hair. Josephine completed my look with adorning my brow with a silver circlet. "Now, you look like a Goddess." She commented and let me look in the mirror. I felt exposed wearing something to precious to be worn.
"This isn't comfortable." I muttered. Josephine tapped the hilt of her sword and I shut my mouth instantly.
"You are now ready to appropriately accept the disrespectful brute into your holy domain, sister." The thought of Skye seeing me like this made me want to puke. However, my heart also flipped and a smile appeared on my face. Josephine chose not to comment on it but she did hold her arm out to me and we whisked ourselves to the Mountain Pass.
Skye's dark aura filled the area leading up to the gate. Several of my overseers seemed to be panicking while a brave one was trying to reject Skye from entering. Many souls around the area were gossiping about the whole exchange as it was happening.
"Enough!" My voice didn't have to echo to be heard over the commotion. Silence reigned as the overseers cleared the pathway. Skye slowly turned to face me as Josephine suddenly took off to who knows where. Probably her own domain. I suddenly felt self-conscious as Skye's eyes softened a bit as he stared at me. I gathered my courage and made myself stand before him.
For a moment, I just stared at him. I'd been watching him through the Fountain, but seeing him up close was very different. He had grown a dark beard and gained some new scars since the last time I saw him in person. A deep sadness reached toward me through his eyes and I wanted nothing more than to take it away. I reached for him and he broke eye contact. I froze. I didn't know what I was just doing, but I did know that this wasn't the time or place. Skye took a step back from me and the small moment we shared ended. I felt like I was being ripped open from the inside out. What is this feeling? I swallowed down the ache in my throat and forced my tears to stay inside.
Deidra, one of my Overseers approached us and began to speak, "My Lady Jacqueline." She bowed and continued, "This mortal lives and yet refuses to be taken to the designated area."
"You will let him through." I turned from both of them and walked through the gates. The Overseer tripped over herself as she ran up to me. "But, My Lady!"
I interrupted her, "Make sure all areas of the Underworld are accessible to him, Deidra." I whispered. I didn't know who to trust in my domain and I didn't know what Skye would find, but I did trust that he would go anywhere he wanted anyway. Deidra gulped.
"Even--"
"Yes, even the Land of Demons."
"But I owe Czar money!" Deidra hid behind her hands. I giggled.
"I'll take care of it then."
Skye's voice carried over. "Is my task dealing with this Czar character?"
I spun around to face him. "Josephine didn't tell you what your next trial was?"
Skye shook his head. "She told me that you would give me the details."
"Oh." I guess that makes sense. I sensed the souls surrounding us and motioned for Deidra to return to her post. Skye watched as I whistled for Chachi and another sandworm. "It's not safe to talk out in the open here." I climbed onto Chachi and waited for Skye to do the same. It didn't take him long at all to figure out how to ride the worm and soon we were dismounting at my private Oasis. Why did I bring him here? I sat underneath a shady prawn tree and Skye continued to stand. I thought it best to get straight to the point.
"I have a Fountain in this world where the dead may see their living relatives. It is meant to calm them and allow them to watch their loved ones grow." Skye stared at the flower covered lily pads, but said nothing. I continued, "I wasn't aware until recently that my souls also enjoy watching me when I go to Comwen." Skye's shoulders tensed. He could probably guess the rest. "I'm worried that if one of them has been watching me long enough, that that soul could, in theory, replicate my powers."
"And use those powers to destroy Comwen." Skye finished for me. I nodded my head. Skye turned to me, "And you want me to find out who is doing it?" I nodded my head again. "And you can't figure that out for yourself, why?"
"I'm certain Nikolai has explained to you that we gods can't disguise our aura's or powers within our own domains. If I were to go, the enemy would be alerted to my theory and back off." I explained while I plucked a flower from a passing lily pad. Skye watched me in silence. My frustration of powerlessness rose and I began plucking more and more lily pads. Skye grazed my plucking hand with his and I froze. His touch sent an electrifying feeling to run through my body. It was strange. I stared at him curiously. Would that feeling happen again if our hands touched?
"What?" He asked. I didn't answer as I poked his hand quickly. Nothing happened. He looked at me with a furrowed brow. "What are you doing?" He asked while pulling his hand away.
"No, wait!" I grabbed his hand before he could pull it away. We stared at our hands and I felt that strange feeling again. My heart began to race and blood rushed to my face as I looked up to see Skye staring at me. Should I tell him about this nice feeling or keep it to myself? He took his hand from mine and stood up.
"Well, I better find that Fountain."
"Yes, you should." I felt like I had been hit with a rock slide as Skye mounted his sandworm and took off.