Sergeant Jaxxon suddenly cleared his throat, bringing all attention back to him.
"All right," he said, his authoritative voice echoing through the room. "Let's go over the plan. We'll be sneaking out of the city under cover of darkness. We'll take the western trade route—less guarded, more civilian traffic. There's a convoy heading out at dawn, we'll merge in, blend, and by the time we're beyond the Capitol walls, we'll break away and head straight for the caves."
Murmurs of agreement passed through the room.
Melodie translated for Surin and Syrian.
"How far are these caves?" One of the Canariae runaways asked.
"Three days' journey on foot," Sgt. Jaxxon answered. "Two if we move fast."
Melodie hesitated.
She needed to tell them.
She needed them to understand.
Taking a steady breath, she stepped forward.
"That virus ravaging our world—the Cotard Virus?" she said, her voice firm and clear. "I have the antibodies in my bloodstream."
Silence.
All eyes snapped toward her.
Sgt. Jaxxon froze.
Surin's brow lifted, interested.
Melodie slightly taken back because she thought Oliver would have told here father.
"Wait—what?"
Melodie continued.
"I found out the truth," she said repeating herself in Awyan. "The virus originated here. And I'm almost certain the humans in this world came from ours."
Now, even Surian looked stunned.
"What are you saying?" her father asked slowly.
Melodie's heart pounded.
"I'm saying," she said, breathless, "that this world and ours have been connected for a very, very long time."
Sergeant Jaxxon felt his world tilt.
He had spent years leading the charge against the Cotard Virus—watching humanity fall apart piece by piece, losing good soldiers, watching entire families fade into extinction.
And now, his daughter—his little girl—stood before him claiming to be the cure.
His stomach twisted. "How?" His voice was rough, his throat suddenly dry. "How did you get the antibodies?"
Melodie took a steady breath.
"They came from Surin's son."
A ripple of tension spread through the room.
Jaxxon's dark eyes snapped toward Surin. A muscle ticked in his jaw. "Malec." He spat the name like it burned his tongue.
Melodie nodded. "More specifically, his bloodline."
The weight of her words sank in.
Slowly, every pair of eyes turned toward Surin and Surian.
Jaxxon stared them down. "Is this true?"
Melodie asking in Awyan so Surin and Surion can keep up with the conversation.
Surian shifted, crossing her arms. "It is."
Surin let out a dramatic sigh, running his fingers through his long white braid. "Though I hate to admit my son is useful for anything other than destruction… yes, it's true."
Melodie looked at her father, ready to explain everything.
"I contracted the virus on purpose," she admitted, holding her ground when her father's face darkened. "I knew if I got sick, Malec wouldn't let me die. He'd give me his blood."
A sharp curse left Jaxxon's lips.
The Canariae in the room stirred uneasily.
"You gambled your life?" Jaxxon's voice was sharp, pained. "Mel, do you even understand—"
"I won."
Her father snapped his mouth shut.
"I won," she repeated, voice firm. "I survived. And now I have the only antibodies that will work for our people."
Silence.
The truth weighed heavy in the air.
Surian was the first to break it.
"You said," Surian began, her keen gray eyes narrowing, "that you're the only one?"
Melodie nodded. "I think because I wasn't born here, my genetics are different. The humans who have been in this world for centuries? I don't think they can carry the antibodies the same way."
Oliver cursed under his breath. "That means…"
Jaxxon ran a hand down his face. "That means if anything happens to her, humanity is finished."
No one spoke.
Melodie swallowed hard.
She hadn't let herself think about it like that.
If she died before they got back… there would be no second chance.
Surin hummed thoughtfully. "Well, well." His deep blue eyes sparkled with amusement. "That certainly raises your value, doesn't it?"
Jaxxon's glare could have melted steel.
Surin held up his hands. "Just an observation."
Jaxxon exhaled sharply, focusing back on his daughter. "We need to get you home. Now."
The room stirred in agreement.
But Melodie felt her stomach turn.
Because they all knew one terrifying truth.
Malec wasn't going to just let her walk.
And she had no doubt he was already hunting her.
The underground cellar was a flurry of movement.
People were gathering supplies, feeding the children, and preparing for the journey ahead. Soft murmurs of reassurance filled the space as parents calmed their little ones. Some of the Canariae still looked shaken—afraid that their escape was too good to be true.
Melodie stood in the middle of it all, watching as the final plans were set into motion.
She was almost home.
A familiar voice broke through the chaos.
"Hey, Jaxxon," Oliver called as he approached her, hands shoved into his pockets.
Melodie turned, greeting him with a small smile. "Oliver."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Listen, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I should've gotten the message to your dad sooner, but it was a damn miracle I even got away from that old Awyan hag."
Melodie chuckled dryly. "Yeah, I get it. They don't let go easy."
Oliver nodded, his expression turning serious. "Still, it must have been hell, being stuck with that lunatic." He glanced at her collar, the silver gleaming even in the dim lighting. "Can't imagine how humiliating it was."
Melodie's jaw clenched. She hated that damn collar.
Oliver continued, his voice lowering. "But you handled yourself like a soldier. I see the Sergeant in you—his strength, his fire." He gave her a proud nod. "You're a hell of a lot tougher than me."
For a moment, Melodie's chest ached.
She had fought so hard to make her father proud. To not be seen as some little girl that needed saving.
And yet… part of her had forgotten what it felt like to just be his daughter.
She forced a small smile, patting Oliver's shoulder. "Thanks."
He smiled back, then turned to leave—but paused.
"Oh, and uh…" He hesitated. "Don't worry too much. Once we get through the portal, we'll be closing it up."
Melodie froze.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"…What?"
Oliver, oblivious to her shock, continued. "Yeah, we've got explosives rigged up in the cave—enough to turn that whole place into rubble. Once we're on the other side, we'll blow that shit up so it's unrecognizable. No way that bastard can follow you."
Then, just like that, he walked away.
Melodie couldn't move.
Her mind raced.
They were going to destroy the portal.
The underground cellar was a flurry of movement.
People were gathering supplies, feeding the children, and preparing for the journey ahead. Soft murmurs of reassurance filled the space as parents calmed their little ones. Some of the Canariae still looked shaken—afraid that their escape was too good to be true.
Melodie stood in the middle of it all, watching as the final plans were set into motion.
She was almost home.
A familiar voice broke through the chaos.
"Hey, Jaxxon," Oliver called as he approached her, hands shoved into his pockets.
Melodie turned, greeting him with a small smile. "Oliver."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Listen, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I should've gotten the message to your dad sooner, but it was a damn miracle I even got away from that old Awyan hag."
Melodie chuckled dryly. "Yeah, I get it. They don't let go easy."
Oliver nodded, his expression turning serious. "Still, it must have been hell, being stuck with that lunatic." He glanced at her collar, the silver gleaming even in the dim lighting. "Can't imagine how humiliating it was."
Melodie's jaw clenched. She hated that damn collar.
Oliver continued, his voice lowering. "But you handled yourself like a soldier. I see the Sergeant in you—his strength, his fire." He gave her a proud nod. "You're a hell of a lot tougher than me."
For a moment, Melodie's chest ached.
She had fought so hard to make her father proud. To not be seen as some little girl that needed saving.
And yet… part of her had forgotten what it felt like to just be his daughter.
She forced a small smile, patting Oliver's shoulder. "Thanks."
He smiled back, then turned to leave—but paused.
"Oh, and uh…" He hesitated. "Don't worry too much. Once we get through the portal, we'll be closing it up."
Melodie froze.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"…What?"
Oliver, oblivious to her shock, continued. "Yeah, we've got explosives rigged up in the cave—enough to turn that whole place into rubble. Once we're on the other side, we'll blow that shit up so it's unrecognizable. No way that bastard can follow you."
Then, just like that, he walked away.
Melodie stood there, her heart pounding—not with fear, but with victory.
She had won.
After weeks of captivity, after being treated like a pet, after enduring his possessiveness, his obsession, his control—she was finally free.
No more Malec.
No more collars.
No more games.
And soon, no more portal.
Melodie's chest swelled with relief.
For a moment, she closed her eyes, savoring it.
She could already picture it—returning to her world, to science, to her real life.
Her father at her side.
Eron healthy.
The cure in her blood.
Humanity's survival because of her.
Yes. Yes.
This was it.
Malec would never see her again.
Her past in this world—erased.
She felt like laughing. Like crying from relief.
But she kept her expression calm, only giving Oliver a small nod.
"Good," she said simply.
Then she turned away.
There was nothing left to say.
There was only one thing left to do.
Go home.