Lion Head Mesa The view's so pretty from the deck of a sinkin' ship

She nodded, sensing the dismissal in his words. For a moment she lingered, something unreadable in her eyes as they briefly traced his features. Her lips parted as if she might speak again — but then she decided against it. Melody only nodded a second time, half to herself, and took her leave.

She all but fled from him, actually. When she was alone, she started to really cry, thinking now of Pharaoh and what he had said. No word from her, or of her. What did that mean for Melody? Would Akashingo even want her to stay now? She didn't know, and she was afraid of the answer.