A Shadow of Crows

by Yasmine Galenorn

  Angel nodded. We had spent a lot of hours over the years discussing discrimination and stereotypes, since both of us had been on the receiving end of hard-nosed bigotry. We passed the rest of the drive in silence as dusk began to creep up on the city. Even in September, dusk was coming earlier. It wouldn’t be long before it would be dark in the mornings when we got up for work.

  We parked in Raven’s driveway, next to her car. As usual, Raj was peeking out from his nook off the sidewalk. When he saw me, he came loping out. I patted his head, greeting him. He allowed Angel to pet him too, and as we were cooing to him, Raven opened the door.

  “I thought I heard you out here,” she said, motioning us in. “Come on, Raj. It’s chilly out tonight, so come inside.”

  “Does he usually stay outdoors?” Angel darted out of the way as Raj went bounding past, his tongue hanging out. He looked so delighted that Angel and I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “He prefers it, usually. But it’s chilly tonight, and I’d like him present for the ceremony. He adored Ulstair, and I don’t think he quite understands where he went. I tried to explain it to him, but gargoyles have a different sense of the passage of time, and of loss. While they grow to full size quickly, like the Fae and the Ante-Fae, their aging process slows down so drastically that it almost seems to stop. As time goes on, and eons pass, some gargoyles become almost immobile. A number of the statues on the cathedrals are actually alive, but caught in stasis. They watch and listen, and sometimes when they’re summoned, they wake up.”

  “I don’t know much about gargoyles,” Angel said. “My experience with the SubCult has been fairly limited. Except for Ember, of course, and my brother.”

  “You have a brother?” Raven asked.

  I glanced at Angel, starting to shake my head. We tried to keep any talk of DJ off limits to outsiders. There were certain people who would find him a handy tool to use as leverage if they ever wanted to get one up on Angel or the Wild Hunt.

  But Angel gave me a long look and then shrugged. “It’s all right. She’s safe. I know, and you know enough to trust me.”

  Raven gave Angel a curious look.

  “I’m an empath,” Angel said. “I’m extremely good at reading people, whether they be Crypto or not.” She paused, then continued. “I have a little brother who is half wolf shifter. He no longer lives with me, for his own safety. And for his own growth.”

  If Raven had any thoughts on the subject, she kept them to herself. Instead, she led us into the living room. She had pushed back the furniture and set up a circle of white roses on the floor that almost filled the room. In the center of the circle sat a skull—which looked to be humanoid of some sort, with a candle attached to the top of it. The skull rested on a tray, in a bed of sand, surrounded by crystals. The tray was on a low table, along with the wicked-looking dagger, two taper candles—one black, one white—and a silver chalice filled with wine. A picture of Ulstair was propped up along the side of the table, its frame black and covered with silver runes.

  “We have to wait for Ulstair’s brother. Most of his family doesn’t care for me, but his brother—Rafé—and I get along well. Rafé is the black sheep of the family. They considered Ulstair eccentric, but Rafé is almost an outcast.”

  “Herne notified Saílle about Ulstair’s death. I assume they told his family?” Angel said.

  Raven shook her head. “No, they wouldn’t, given the circumstances. I told Rafé and he broke it to them.”

  The doorbell rang, and she moved to answer it. Raj danced up to me, his butt wiggling. I stared at the gargoyle, shaking my head, wanting to laugh but feeling like it might be out of place in such a somber moment.

  He truly didn’t seem to remember his earlier life, that much was apparent.

  “You’re a happy gargoyle, aren’t you?” I knelt down to pat his back as he leaned against me. He was so heavy that I almost tipped over.

  Angel laughed as I fumbled for balance.

  At that moment Raven entered the room with a tall, lithe man behind her. He looked a lot like Ulstair, with pale skin and red hair, and a brief thought ran through my head that we should warn him to be careful, given the resemblance and the fact that there were three other dead men who had looked a lot like Ulstair.

  “Rafé, I’d like you to meet Ember and Angel. They work for the Wild Hunt Agency.” Raven swung around the circle and took a seat on the sofa that had been pushed to the side.

  Rafé gave us both a deep bow. “I’m pleased to meet you, ladies.” His voice was smooth, like velvet, and I wondered if he sang.

  I held out my hand and he clasped it firmly. “I’m Ember Kearney.”

  He shook my hand, and then gently let it go. If he thought anything about the fact that I was a tralaeth, he was gracious enough to say nothing.

  “And I’m Angel Jackson.” Angel held out her hand.

  As Rafé took it, I saw little spark of light. Angel inhaled sharply, and he held her hand longer than he had held mine as they stared at each other.

  “And you are an incredibly beautiful woman,” Rafé said, then suddenly blushed. “I’m sorry if that was an appropriate but…”

  “No,” Angel said. “Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.” She still hadn’t let go of his hand and, as if she suddenly realized it, she stepped back, releasing him. Angel seemed so flustered that I stepped in to cover up her embarrassment.

  I motioned to Raven. “Where do you want us? And where can we put these mums? We also brought a bottle of wine.”

  “Why don’t you take them in the kitchen? I’ll come with you so I can find a vase for the flowers. They’re perfect for the ceremony tonight and I thank you for bringing them.”

  And just like that, Raven hustled me into the kitchen, leaving Angel and Rafé to talk.

  “Angel’s human, you know,” I said, glancing back toward the living room.

  Raven found a vase and ran water into it.

  “Here’s a pair of scissors to trim the stems. And yes, I know, but Rafe’s a good-hearted man. He loved his brother very much. Rafé and I got along from the very start, and he’s never made one untoward movement toward me. He doesn’t share a lot of the Dark Court’s views toward humans or anybody else that they might see as a misfit.”

  She gave me a long look, telling me everything I needed to know. I peeked back at Angel and Rafé, who were already into deep discussion.

  “They seem to be hitting it off.”

  “Angel’s a good-enough empath that she’ll be able to tell he’s on the up and up. He won’t be able to slide anything past her. And my guess is that he wouldn’t even try.”

  Raven opened the wine as I cut the stems of the mums down to fit the vase. She pulled a silver tray out of a cupboard, directing me to retrieve four goblets from a built-in. We carried the flowers and wine back into the living room, and Rafé quickly took the tray from me, setting it on a side table. Raven lowered the lights so they were dim in the background.

  “Well, I guess we’re ready. As you know, I’m a bone witch and I work with the dead. But I don’t want you to worry that I’m trying to summon Ulstair’s spirit tonight. There’s a part of me that wants to, I’ll admit that. I’d like to ask him who killed him, to find out so I could have my vengeance. But I’ll let the Wild Hunt try to figure it out first. Tonight is simply about saying good-bye to someone I love, with friends here to support me.”

  Raven stepped into the circle, motioning for us to join her. Raj settled down under the table, while Raven asked me to sit on her left side, Angel in front of her on the other side of the makeshift altar, and Rafé to her right. We sat on the floor.

  Raven reached for my hand. I reached for Angel’s, and Angel reached for Rafé. He completed the circle by taking Raven’s other hand.

  I call upon the spirits of the dead to hear me.

  I call upon my ancestors to guide me.

  I call upon the gates of the Veil to open.

&nbs
p; I call upon the magic of the forgotten to fill my heart.

  I call upon the dust of the grave and the bones of the dead to attend me.

  All that was, all that has passed, all that lies in the shadows, hear me.

  I am Raven, the Daughter of Bones, a Daughter of the Grave.

  Let the mysteries reveal themselves to me.

  Let the Haunts remember my name.

  Let Arawn, Lord of the Dead, clear my vision.

  A mist began to rise around the edges of the Circle, not crossing the ring of roses, but so thick we could barely see anything else. There were figures in the mist, faces and bodies so veiled I could barely make them out, but they were there nonetheless. Angel caught her breath, but said nothing and continued to hold tight to my hand. I looked at Raven. Her eyes were glowing, alight with dancing flames. The energy running through her fingers snapped and crackled against mine, and the power that was pouring from her was palpable.

  “We have come here to bid farewell to Ulstair. My love was lost too soon, stolen from me, stolen from his brother Rafé. We come to mourn his death, we come to say good-bye, we come to bid his spirit an easy transition. We come to promise justice, however long it may take. We come to cut the cords that bind his mortal presence to this world so that his immortal spirit flies free. We set his spirit free to sail back across the great Sea, to the world of his ancestors.”

  She turned to Rafé and nodded. We were still holding hands, and she showed no sign that we should let go.

  Rafé cleared his throat. “Ulstair, my brother, I miss you so much. Our family fell apart, but you and I had a strong bond. You will always be in my heart, and I will tell the stories of you to the next generations. Once my brother, always my brother. One day, we will meet again across the great Sea. I give you my oath that I will watch over your beloved. I promise on all that is sacred that I will be Raven BoneTalker’s brother, here for her however she needs me and whenever she needs me. Farewell, until my own path fades and I join you.”

  By now, tears were running down my face, but I wasn’t alone. Angel was crying, and Raven, and Rafé as well. Raven looked at me.

  “I know you didn’t know Ulstair, but do you have any words you wish to say?”

  I cleared my throat. “I hope, that in finding your mortal body, I helped to set you free. I promise to do everything in my power to find your murderer. I pledge myself as a friend to Raven. Rest easy across the Great Sea, Ulstair.”

  Angel spoke next. “May you rest with the peace of the valiant in your heart, and the knowledge that we will do what we can to help Raven. I too pledge my friendship to her. And to her brother, Rafé.” The last, she said quickly, almost as though the words spilled out unbidden.

  Rafé gave her a quick look, and smiled at her softly. “I thank you for that, Angel Jackson.”

  No one else had anything to say, and so Raven spoke last.

  “Ulstair, you will always rest in my heart. I will miss you forever, and yet I must let you journey into my past, to remain a memory.” She was sobbing now, so hard the words were like barbed darts. “We have made our good-byes. We have sent our best wishes and our love across the great Sea with Ulstair. May the guardians watch over you. May the gods lead you on your path. May the bountiful waters of the great sea carry you home swiftly and safely. Ashamane.”

  “Ashamane,” I murmured, along with Rafé.

  As we softly repeated the Turneth—the Dark Faespeak—expression bidding a respectful farewell—a sudden gust of wind rushed through the room, blowing out the candle, and Raven let go of our hands.

  “He’s gone,” she said. “I felt him journey through the veil.”

  Rafé nodded. “Thank you for doing this. Our mother’s too sick to do anything for his memory, and I’m afraid the rest of my family is so messed up that they don’t care anymore.” He stared down at his hands. “I miss my brother.”

  “I know,” Raven said, brushing a strand of loose hair back away from his face. “He loved you, Rafé. He always told me, if anything goes wrong, go to Rafé and he’ll help.”

  “He was right.” Rafé let out a sigh, then stood. “I brought some pastries. They’re in the kitchen. Why don’t I get them?”

  “I’ll help,” Angel said, jumping up to join him.

  While they were in the kitchen, I helped Raven clear away the altar. We spent the next hour just hanging out. Angel and Rafé chatted. I played with Raj and helped Raven feed the ferrets. Finally, Angel and I made our farewells and headed to our car.

  As we buckled our seat belts, I glanced at her. “So, did you get his number?”

  “You did not just ask me that.” She glared at me, but as I kept my eyes trained on her face, she blushed and broke into a wide smile. “Yeah, I got his number. And he’s calling me tonight to set up a date. Anything else you want to know?”

  “No. I’m just glad that you actually took him up on it. You guys had a spark. I could tell.”

  “Well, just because we sparked doesn’t mean there’s anything there. I’m not getting my hopes up, or at least not more than I think I can handle.”

  As we pulled out of Raven’s driveway and headed down the street, I felt a gloom from the shadows. We were close to UnderLake Park, and part of me wanted to drive through it, just to see if I could feel whether Ulstair’s killer was there. But that would be stupid, especially just coming from his farewell ceremony.

  As we drove across the 520 floating bridge, Angel and I kept our chatter deliberately light, and all the way home, we didn’t mention the ceremony again.

  I SUDDENLY GROANED as we neared our house. “Marilee—I’ve got a session with her tonight and I forgot. I’m late.” I had gotten so wrapped up in Raven’s ritual that I had forgotten I was supposed to be at Marilee’s a half hour earlier. I pulled into my parking space, grabbed at my phone and called her.

  “Let me guess, you’re late.” She didn’t sound enthusiastic.

  “I’m sorry. I totally forgot. We went to a farewell ritual for our friend whose boyfriend was murdered and time just got away from me. I can come over but I’m not prepared.”

  “No, we’ll skip it tonight. Wednesday was important, but tonight we were just going to do some follow-up. But try to be here next Wednesday, or at least call me if you can’t make it.”

  “Damn,” I said, hanging up. “I hate disappointing people and I don’t like breaking my word.”

  “Everything will be fine. Come on, we have to get ready for the barbecue tomorrow. We need to make sure that we’ve got enough paper plates and supplies.”

  “Right. I almost forgot.” I paused as I unlocked the door. “Do you think we should ask Raven and Rafé?”

  “I was thinking about it, but I doubt if either one of them would feel up to it. But I’d like to throw a party soon, and we could invite both of them then.” Angel hung up her jacket in the hall closet, and I followed suit.

  We spent the rest of the evening watching movies while Angel texted her brother DJ. We were both tired, and by the time we turned in it was barely ten pm. I was grateful that sleep came easy, without dreams, and I slept like the dead until morning light.

  YUTANI ARRIVED EARLY, along with his aunt. They carried in a big bag filled with hamburger, hotdogs, and salmon. Celia bustled around the kitchen, insisting on helping Angel. They made the salad and shucked the corn while Yutani began preparing the marinade for the salmon.

  Viktor and Sheila arrived, and we left Sheila to help in the kitchen as Viktor and I headed out to the patio to clear a place for the grill. Ten minutes later, Herne arrived, and he and Viktor wrestled the massive grill out of the back of the truck and over onto the patio. I looked around, but Danielle was nowhere in sight.

  “Where’s your daughter?”

  “She decided to stay home,” he said, giving me a look that told me there was more to that story.

  “I know things have been rough lately, and I haven’t been as much help as I could b
e. I’m sorry.” I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to apologize, but it seemed to be the thing to do.

  “This isn’t anything you need to apologize for.” He paused, then said, “I had a long, straightforward talk with Myrna, and I made it clear that things aren’t working out. The simple truth is that Danielle doesn’t really like me that much. I’m her father, and at first I thought she wanted to get to know me, but we don’t get along much.”

  “It takes time, you know.”

  “Yes, and we’ll work on it, but I realize that right now, I’m just a place for Myrna to store her daughter so she can carry on with that pervert. I warned her that if she lets Thantos back into her house, I’ll report her to Artemis. And trust me, the Amazons won’t take kindly to knowing that one of their own not only chose a man over her daughter, but actually chose a man who put her daughter in danger. Myrna was pissed, but she had no choice but to agree. It occurred to me that Danielle might want to spend some time with the Amazons. She’s of an age where she can train with them and I think it might do her some good.”

  “That sounds almost like sending her to military school.” I shuddered, not wanting to think about the kind of discipline they probably meted out.

  “Not at all. They’ll treat her well, and she’ll be away from her mother. And let’s face it, I’m not the best at parenting, even though I’m trying. She’s too close to adulthood to want to listen to a man she never knew was her father.”

  I nodded. That made sense. Danielle had a lot of resentment built up, beyond the legitimate anger at her mother.

  “I talked to her and she’s actually excited about the idea. But I told her that if she ever gets into trouble, she can come to me. Well, as long as she didn’t cause it deliberately.” He gave me a bittersweet smile. “Cernunnos and Morgana aren’t terribly thrilled about all this—and they’re pissed at Myrna too—but they will keep tabs on Danielle. She’s their grandchild. But when I told them about Thantos, they agreed that this might be the best choice all the way around.”