The first one I pulled out was an elf bone. I recognized it by its energy. I set it down on the table. The second one was a bone that I couldn’t place, but that felt incredibly strong and vibrant. The third was one I knew all too well. I had cut the finger off the hand that it belonged to. Bad Ass Luke’s finger—the first Lesser Demon that we had faced over Earthside.
Lucianopoloneelisunekonekari. I dropped it on the table like it was a hot potato and leaned forward, staring at it. Grandmother Coyote had cleaned it of any flesh, and it was polished ivory, but it was still tingling with the demon’s energy.
Grandmother Coyote smiled—her smiles were more terrifying than any glare she could give. Her teeth were sharp, needle-like, and reminded me of stainless steel.
She picked up the elf’s finger. “You have a journey waiting for you in Otherworld. This reading is far less about K’thbar than it is about another matter that preys on your mind. Your travels will take you far north, well beyond the borders of Kelvashan, the Elfin Lands. There, you will find help from the men upon the mountain. You can trust them.”
Grandmother Coyote picked up the second bone—the one I didn’t recognize. She glanced at me quizzically. “Do you know what this is?”
“A very misshapen finger bone, but no, I don’t know who it belonged to.” In truth, I was guessing that it was a finger bone—it didn’t really look like one, but since all the rest were finger bones I assumed that the creature it had been part of had been of an odd shape and stature.
“Bone it is, though not exactly a finger bone. This is a shard of hoof from the Black Beast to whom you delivered death.”
I caught my breath, holding out my hand. She placed the bone in my palm and I closed my eyes, feeling the sweep of energy wash over me. Yes, there he was, in the current of sparks that tickled my fingers. I slowly replaced it on the table.
“He’s full grown again, and runs in Thistlewyd Deep and Darkynwyrd with Raven Mother. Yet this hoof shard…tells me that you will have many dealings to come with the pair. Once you take your throne, Camille, you enter a different world. Have you thought yet about the life span a Fae Queen must have?”
I blinked. I had a much longer life span than any human, but not as long as full-blooded Fae. But the Fae Queens, they outlived even their own kind. “No, I haven’t.”
“You’ve really not considered what taking the throne fully means for your evolution and development, have you? What you will become in less than two weeks.” She pulled the crystal ball to her. “How long has Derisa been alive?”
I started to answer, then stopped. “I have no idea.”
“She is High Priestess to the Moon Mother in Otherworld, as you are becoming here, over Earthside. She exists outside the other witches and priestesses because she is an avatar of the goddess incarnate. You will be both an avatar of the Moon Mother as well as Queen of Dusk and Twilight, and for this…your life will no longer be the same. You aren’t just moving out to Talamh Lonrach Oll, Camille. You are moving into another world.”
And that stopped me cold. I sat there, barely breathing, as the weight of Grandmother Coyote’s words settled on my shoulders. Of course she was right. I wasn’t going to just be dillydallying around out there. Even though I had known things were going to change, the momentous shift that was taking place in my life splashed out before me like a vast panorama. There was so much I would be able to do that the thought of it overwhelmed me. And on the shadow side, there was so much I’d be expected to do that the thought of it panicked me.
I gulped back my fear. “I knew. But…I didn’t.”
“You needed to keep the reality at bay until it was almost time. But Camille, the time is coming and you have to walk into it with the knowledge of what you are taking on. This is your destiny. Oh, you could still cut and run, but your life would never be complete. And you would always regret doing so. Not a day would go by when you wouldn’t look back and realize that—”
“I’m a soldier’s daughter, and I didn’t rise to my duty. I know.” I stared at her, trying to sort out the explosion of feelings racing through me. “I guess this means I’ll be drinking the Nectar of Life far sooner than I had planned.” At some point, anyone who was half-Fae was offered the chance to drink the Nectar of Life, which would expand our life spans near to full-blood Fae’s length. But I hadn’t planned on facing that choice for a long while yet.
“Oh, it goes deeper than that, Camille, but that’s all I am allowed to say on the subject. But you would do well, tonight, to prepare yourself. Your life as you know it has very little time left.”
She picked up Bad Ass Luke’s finger bone. “This bone, you brought to me.”
“I remember, all too well.”
“That he reappears now tells me the final showdown with the Demonkin is coming. Shadow Wing is weakened, and that makes him angry. You have the spirit seals as of today.”
“Yes, we do. All of them.”
“Every Great Fae Lord left in existence feels this shift. Every portal quakes from it. The fates of all three worlds hinge on what you do next. You could bring them together and watch the portals unravel. You could destroy them and see what would happen. You can raise the Keraastar Knights and do battle to keep the Sub-Realms in their place. There are so many varying futures that fracture out from this moment that I have no way to predict what will be—or what should be. Camille D’Artigo, you are the crux and the crossroad, and by your actions, the world will shift.”
I swallowed. Hard. “Gee, put the pressure on, why don’t you?” I tried to joke but the words came out thick as the panic grew. I didn’t want to determine the fate of three worlds. I wanted to go play with Maggie and sit under a tree by Birchwater Pond and eat a sandwich.
“Some of us are born great…” She paused.
I nodded, murmuring, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Shakespeare had it right.
“You will never know which of the three brought you to this point, and right now it does not matter. But whatever the case, Camille, you must think carefully. You must weigh the issues, and seek guidance from those you can trust. And from those you aren’t sure of—sometimes the advice of a stranger can be more keen-sighted than the advice of a friend who is too bound up within your world. Now go. Do not fear K’thbar. He will rumble and roil the water, but he cannot come to land. But I advise you to not visit the waters there again for some time. He will eventually seek another spot in which to slumber, and will go to sleep once more. He was not so much injured by the loss of the spirit seal, but by the intrusion into his dreams.”
And with that, Grandmother Coyote stood and motioned me to the door.
I turned back. “Will I ever get to come back to visit you again?”
“Oh, Camille. If you do not, I will be visiting you. You’re bound up in my world, as I am in yours. Go and be grateful that you have the opportunity to change the world. So few have that chance.” With that, she swept the bones back into the bag and I turned, finding my way out.
By the time I crossed the meadow again, my ribs and stomach were hurting and I was so glad to see my car that I almost kissed it. I slid in behind the wheel and, thoughts in a jumble, turned and headed for home.
IRIS CHECKED ME out. “No broken ribs that I can tell, but you’ve bruised yourself a good bit. I’ll spread some salve on it, and you rest tomorrow, and the injury should be on its way to healing come Sunday.”
“I can’t rest tonight. I have to ride with the Hunt. But that will most likely spur on the healing rather than harm me. The energy of the rides is thick and bracing.”
Iris didn’t bother to argue. She knew, as well as everybody else, that each Full Moon saw me up and on the astral with the Moon Mother. Nothing could break that bond—not even death. For when I died, she’d sweep me up onto the Hunt until the day she allowed me to go to the Land of Silver Falls.
“Here, you rest for now. Lay down on t
he sofa and I’ll bring you some food on a tray.” She shooed me out of the kitchen and I knew better than argue.
Delilah was sitting in the recliner by the sofa, reading. She put down her book as I entered the room. “I wish Menolly could rise earlier during the summer.”
“So do I, but you and I both know she can’t. She should move to Alaska each winter. She’d almost never have to go to bed.”
“Yeah, but summers would be a bear.” Delilah waited until I made myself comfortable. “Shimmer’s down by the pond. Vanzir’s going to drive her home in a bit.”
“I hope she’s ready to buckle up and hang on. He’s gotten three tickets in the past four months and I told him if he doesn’t watch out, they’ll suspend his license. He likes to play hotshot on the road.” I paused. Then, very softly, I reached out for her hand. “Things are going to change so much in the next two weeks.”
Delilah squeezed my fingers. “I know. Are you afraid?”
“Yeah, I am. But…”
“But you are looking forward to this. I can hear it in your voice, behind the fear. And Menolly and Nerissa are moving. And I—I’m changing, too. We’re growing up, aren’t we?” She sounded almost teary.
I stared at the ceiling, trying not to cry. “I guess this time was always going to come. If we had stayed in Otherworld, Trillian would have still come back to me. And you… From what our father’s spirit told you, you’d still end up with the Autumn Lord. And Menolly? Who knows what her path would have been, but she would have moved on, eventually. Life changes. It has to, or it stagnates. And that’s worse than dying.”
“When are you going to Otherworld? We have all the spirit seals now. It’s time for you to go hunt down the Keraastar Diamond.”
I bit my lip, sorting out my feelings. “Iris said my bruises would be a lot better by Sunday. I suppose I’ll leave then. Menolly won’t be able to come, but would you go with me?”
Delilah laughed, squeezing even harder before she let go of my hand. “Just try and stop me. Now, before Shimmer leaves I’m going to go thank her and say good-bye. I’ll give her your regards.”
I nodded. “I’d go with you, but right now, lying down feels like the best thing in the world.”
As Delilah left, Trillian entered the room. He gave me a thoughtful look. I smiled at him and closed my eyes. I didn’t feel like talking—I had too much to think about. He took the hint and tiptoed past. I didn’t think I’d be able to nap, but within a couple moments, the ache of the injuries and the adrenaline of the day settled, and I drifted off to sleep.
THE WHISPERING WOKE me up. It was faint, but constant. I yawned, easing myself up with a grimace. My ribs ached like fire, and I spotted the ointment Iris had left for me. I had changed into a skirt and loose tank top when she examined me earlier, so it would be easier to reach my ribs, and now I was grateful for my foresight. I eased the tank up enough to slather a layer of salve across my ribs. The ache began to ease and I was able to catch a deep breath.
The whispering continued. I glanced at the clock. It was nearing 8:30. I had slept for ninety minutes, but it felt like more. As I pushed myself off the sofa, Delilah bounced in, her furry tail twitching with curiosity.
She was gorgeous when she was a cat—a big golden tabby, with long flowing hair. At one point when she had gotten skunked, Iris tried to get the smell out with tomato juice and she had ended up with patchwork-colored hair—from pink to icy blond. Now, her warm golden ginger colors were back, and she spied me looking at her and bounded over, leaping into my arms.
I laughed, nuzzling her head. “You love the full moons, don’t you? It gives you a chance to play without guilt or care.”
She licked my face, purring loudly, and I caught the same love in her eyes that was always there when she was in her two-legged form. Delilah had started off far too naive for her own good, but now, even though she had retained some of that innocent, optimistic worldview, I missed our little kitten who thought everything had a good side.
I tossed her lightly on the sofa and picked up a feather toy that I found in the corner. We played for a few minutes, me dangling the toy for her, her darting this way and that to catch it. The next moment, she danced on her hind legs as I held it up, then leaped into the air and caught hold of the feathers. I let her drag it away as I headed into the kitchen.
Hanna was there, humming brightly as she handed me a cup of coffee. “I know you’ll want this before you go. And here, eat this, too.” She placed a plate in front of me with honey cake on it. One of her specialties, the cake was rich with the flavor of honey and raisins and chopped walnuts. The frosting was more of a crumble, with brown sugar and oats and coconut. I bit into it, letting the crumbs melt in my mouth. It was still warm—fresh out of the oven.
“This is so good. I want a second piece.”
“How about a sandwich instead? You need to be fortifying your strength for the night’s run.” She set a roast beef sandwich down in front of me, along with a bowl of beef barley soup. Pieces of carrots and celery and fresh peas floated in the broth, and the fragrant aroma made me salivate.
“Oh, yes. That smells wonderful. How are the kittens?”
“The vet said they’re all in good shape, considering they were feral. He gave them their shots and it seems that the black and the white ones are male, and of course, the two calicoes are female. He places them at about six weeks. They’re snuggled up in your suite. I put them in Maggie’s old playpen—they shouldn’t be able to get out of that, and they have their litter box and food and water.”
“Thank you. I’ll be taking them with me to the Barrow, of course.” I stretched and shook my head, a rush of energy slicing through me. “I can feel the Hunt on the rise.” On the nights of the Hunt, all my senses were heightened. It was as though I had smoked marijuana, or taken some shi-leaf berry tea, an Otherworld herb that provided similar effects. I dug into the sandwich and soup, my stomach rumbling as I realized just how hungry I was.
“When do you go?”
“Soon. I can feel them coming. I have to change, then I’ll go out in the back yard and meet the Hunt there.” I glanced over at Hanna. She and I had grown close during my imprisonment, and she understood what I went through better than anybody except Menolly. Hanna had seen me at my lowest, she had bathed my wounds and taken care of me after Hyto was spent.
Another glance at the time told me that Menolly would be up in about ten minutes. I’d have time to say hello before heading off with the Hunt.
“Hanna…” I wasn’t sure how to put the question I was about to ask her.
“You wish to ask me something?” Hanna cleared away a basket of sewing from the spot next to me and sat down at the table.
I caught up my breath. “Yes, but I’m not sure what you’ll think. When I move out to the Barrow, I’ll need a personal maid. A lady’s maid. And I thought that if you’re interested…” I drifted off, almost afraid of what the answer would be.
Hanna rested her hand on my wrist. “Camille, when we first met, I was willing to let you die because it would save me and my son. Then I saw your strength. And I realized what I had become, thanks to Hyto. I had to make a choice, and I did. As much as it hurt, I made the right choice. And then you asked me to return here with you, and that, too, was the correct choice. I have a home and I’m needed. And now you offer me yet another choice.”
“You’re going to say no, aren’t you?” It was hard to hide my disappointment, even though I had anticipated her answer.
Her eyes welled up. “Oh, if there were only two of me. But you know that Maggie will need me. Delilah will need me. You are going off to become a queen where there will be more than enough people to serve you. You will find the right woman to step up and guard over you from behind the scenes. But Delilah and Maggie, and Shade—and even Rozurial. They will need me here. And I want to be needed. I could easily be replaced out at the Barrow. But here? I make a difference. I hope you understand.”
>
I rested my other hand on top of hers. “I understand. I truly do. I won’t ask you again, because I won’t put you through having to make the choice once again. But please, know that I am grateful you’ll be here to care for my sister and Maggie. I think I’m going to miss her most of all.”
“Then let me bring her out. Play with her till you have to run with the Hunt tonight.”
I nodded, going back to my soup. Hanna brought out Maggie just as Menolly appeared. Nerissa was working late, so we sat in the kitchen and talked and played with Delilah and Maggie, who was toddling around like a pro by now, as the hours till midnight—the Witching Hour—ticked away silently.
AROUND ELEVEN P.M., Delilah raced through the kitchen, then leaped up onto the table, pilfered a piece of lamb off Maggie’s plate, and then raced off.
“De-ya-ya! De-ya-ya kitty!” Maggie clapped her hands and laughed, her own fur glistening from the brushing that I had just given her.
I kissed her head, the calico fur tickling my nose. “Yes, Delilah kitty.” I looked over at Hanna. My eyes widened, as another shiver of energy vibrated through my body. “I can feel them riding now. I better go change.” I handed her Maggie after another kiss. “Take care of our girl.”
“You know I will. Ride safely.” Hanna stared at me for a moment. “I cannot fathom what it must be like.”
“Riding with the Hunt…it’s like a wild dream. But I’ve lost whatever fear I ever had toward it. Actually, Hanna, nothing has frightened me as much as my time with Hyto. I think that will forever be my gold standard for terror-inducing events. I remember that night we climbed down the mountain…” I drifted off, remembering the panic to get away, the knowledge that if he found us, the torture would be more than either of us could endure. The darkness and icy depths of the Northlands as we made our way down the glacier, with me already beaten and bruised.