Back at the house, I saw Kaylin and Chatter fighting one of the Shadow Hunters. Another was trying to get near Rhiannon, but she was holding him off with a firestorm. Luna was treating a wound on Peyton’s arm that was bleeding profusely. Grieve was finishing off another one of the Vampiric Fae.
“We can’t hold the house,” I said roughly. “We can’t hold it. We’re vulnerable as long as we live here. Even if we take out this group, another will take its place. Until we can strike at the heart of their Court, we’ll just keep getting eroded away by insurgent attacks. There is great power here, but we have no ability to tap into it. Yet.”
“You’re right.” Lannan came up beside me. “You can’t hold it. Best to fall back, regroup, and strategize.”
“Where can we go? We can’t go to Peyton’s house—Anadey has linked herself to Geoffrey and Lainule.”
Lannan let out a long breath. “For now, you may come to my place. All of you. You cannot stay there—that would not be wise, but you may come.”
And then Rhiannon raced over to Luna and was shouting frantically to her. Luna nodded and ran into the house, as Rhia motioned to me.
“The house, the house is on fire. Do you have anything in there? Do you have your necklace and fan?”
I nodded. “Yes, I have them with me. But all your things—all of our memories—where’s the fire?”
Just then, Luna came out leading a string of cats, following behind her, as she played a tune, leading them like the piper. Rhia jogged over and, together with Chatter and Grieve, grabbed up all seven of them.
I pulled out my keys. We sprinted around front and I opened the back door to Favonis, and we piled the cats in there. Luna crawled in with them, playing to charm them into a lulling sleep.
Turning to Rhia I said, “Where’s the fire? I don’t see the fire.”
“I saw it—I know I saw it—”
As she gestured frantically, a sudden fireball appeared from the back and the roof lit up. The others raced around, Peyton and Kaylin and Wrath, and we watched as the flames engulfed the roof of the Veil House.
“Who set it on fire?”
“I did . . . ” Rhiannon whispered, looking pale and terrified. “It was an accident. I caught a low-hanging branch and it smoldered. I was focusing on the Shadow Hunter, trying to stop him before he could get to me and then . . . by the time the flames chased him back, the branch burst and sent a flame to the shingles. It caught, but I thought it might go out there . . . the snow was coming down so thick.”
“Magical fire burns hotter than regular fire.” I glanced around. Myst’s people hadn’t come into the front yard. They were probably too busy watching the fire from the borders of the wood.
“Call nine-one-one?” Peyton asked.
I took out my phone and tried, but when the operator picked up and I told her what house it was, she cut me off and the line went dead.
“Either Geoffrey or Myst cut off our access to help. We are truly alone.”
“Not so much. We have the Consortium—we can go to them. Bring in some of the powerful magic-born.” Rhiannon shook her head. “Formalize our Society and then call on them for backing. If we’re part of the Consortium, they’ll have to help us.”
I glanced at Rhiannon. “You might have something there. As of tonight, I form the Moon Spinners Society—and we who are here are the founders. Our initiation is by fire and ice—our powers of strength.”
We joined hands, all but Luna, whom we mentally included in our circle, and with Ulean at my back, we made our pledges.
By life and death . . .
By sacred trust . . .
I pledge my honor . . .
I pledge my love . . .
I pledge my power . . .
I pledge my heart . . .
I pledge my magic . . .
I pledge my Art.
As we each repeated the charm, the power grew, and I stepped forward. I was High Priestess of the Moon Spinners, and it was up to me to take the lead. I pulled out my fan and, cheeks stained with the blood of our enemy, I whispered, Hurricane Force, and sent the wind speeding toward the house.
The wind whipped the flames into a fury, acting like a bomb, and exploded them high into the night sky. If we couldn’t have the house, neither could Myst. She might try to harness the power of the land, but I had a feeling the ley lines ran far older than she, and my bets were they would refuse to be used by the Indigo Court. I hoped to hell I was right.
“Let all within earshot of slipstream and wind currents hear me: The Moon Spinners are coming for you, Myst. We will not rest until we grind you beneath our feet. And we are from all walks of life, and all paths, and all races. We will not bow before the Indigo Court. We will not rest until we’ve reclaimed and rebuilt our home. I, Cicely who was once Cherish, your daughter, lead the army.”
As my words echoed through the yard, carrying on the wind to all quarters, carrying on the slipstream, I turned back to the others. “Lannan, your offer is a welcome one, but you’re right—we can’t stay there. Kaylin, can you find us a place to hide for now?”
He nodded. “All are pledged by death and honor to keep our new digs secret. You know that, don’t you?” Looking specifically at Lannan, he waited for us. We each answered with a nod, even Lannan.
And so, as the Veil House roared in flames against the sky, we headed for our cars and passed off Vyne Street, a silent procession in the night. Wrath rode with me and Luna and the cats, who slept silently, engulfed in the depths of Luna’s charm.
“My dear, you do realize what you have done?” My father glanced at me as we crept down the snowy streets, our engines muffled by the thick layer of snow Myst was wreaking upon the area.
“Yes, I do. I’ve created a force. I’ve created a power. And we will go to the Consortium and demand backing. They may not like the fact that we are Fae and magic-born, Were and magic-born, Fae and Indigo Court, yummanii, and vampire, but they will have to accept us. They gave me the challenge and I have risen to it. But I still want to learn to control my blade.”
He shook his head. “The obsidian knife is a dangerous tool for one with Myst’s soul blood—it’s bad enough in the hands of one of her soldiers. Obsidian links with the energy of the Vampiric Fae; it’s symbiotic.”
“Then so much the better. I had no trouble killing off her warriors with it. Look at what the blade did for me—it turned me into a warrior—”
“No!” Wrath glowered. “It turned you into a killing machine. Look at your face—look at your hands. Think back to the joy in your heart over the devastation of your enemy. Though we must fight them, though we must destroy them, it is not our way to take great pleasure in the pain of others. Cambyra Fae are dark, yes; we walk on the edge of the Unseelie Court depending on our nature . . . but in my family, we do not align ourselves with monsters!”
I let out a slow cough, the memory of my sheer delight in the carnage tweaking me. “I know . . . but there may come a time, my father, when you will have to turn me loose against them. I may be the only weapon you have. And I will need every advantage I can garner. Put the blade away for now, if you will, but promise me you won’t destroy it.”
He sighed, then nodded. “I will do so. And in return, I will outfit you with a blade from my realm that will leave you joyful, but not a monster at heart. I have a silver dagger that I saved for you, when I knew Krystal was pregnant.”
That was the first time he’d ever said her name, and I glanced at him. “Did you like her?” Please, oh please, say you liked her. Please say you didn’t just fuck her because Lainule ordered you to.
As the streets glided by in a silent blur of snowflakes and flickering streetlights, Wrath let out a long sigh.
“She was a troubled young woman. I wanted to help, but it would have interfered with your future. I could have taken her to my realm, kept her among my consorts where she would have been happy—or at least, less troubled. But Lainule foresaw the future . . . she knew you would need the c
hildhood you had in order to toughen you up. Your mother was . . . a sacrifice so that you might become the woman you are.”
Tears streaming down my face, I pressed my lips shut and followed Kaylin and Rhiannon. He was driving her car, with Peyton and Grieve and Chatter inside. As we wove through the night, a strange inky cloak seemed to surround both vehicles and I knew it was coming from Kaylin.
His night-veil is awake, and it can create shadows to cloak movement. No one can see the cars or feel our presence.
Thank you. And Ulean, I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you earlier. I was caught up in the rush of the blade, in the power of the hunt.
I understand. But Cicely, there are long, dark days ahead. Don’t be so rash. Don’t be so quick to lead the brigade. A good leader learns when to hang back and let someone more experienced take over.
It was Kaylin’s idea for me to use the obsidian knife. Do you think he knew what would happen?
I don’t know . . . but Kaylin runs clean energy, even now with his night-veil demon awake.
A peal of bells rang twelve times as we turned into the industrial district right outside town and crept into a maze of a parking lot. Old junkers filled the lot and we parked near the edge of a huge warehouse and climbed out.
“Welcome to your new home,” Kaylin said. “Follow me.”
And, under the veil of night, we followed the night-veil, carrying seven cats, into the heart of the darkness.
Chapter 23
Grieve and I stood in the middle of a makeshift bedroom, staring at one another. This was the first time we’d had a chance to be alone since our brief talk in the bedroom. I turned to him, still bloody from the fight.
“My love, what have we come to?”
He pulled me into his embrace. “We’ve come to a crossroads. We go into hiding and we fight from the dark. We become the monsters to fear, now. But not for the townsfolk . . . only for Myst and her people.”
“Can you control yourself?” I whispered, hoping he wouldn’t hear me but having to ask, having to take a chance.
“I’ll try. We’ve come so far from when you were little and I first found you. Lainule knew you’d return—she promised me she’d help me find you again. And she did. I had no clue what she was grooming you for—what she and Geoffrey tried to pull. I wouldn’t have asked for her help if I’d thought this would happen.”
He slid onto a dilapidated sofa that was to be our bed and pulled me down on his lap. Kaylin was setting up operations in the other room, and everybody had graciously left us alone to get ourselves sorted out. Even my father, who didn’t look all that thrilled when we slipped away out of the room.
I snuggled against him and rested my head on his shoulder and pushed the world away. The only thing I wanted to focus on right now was the fact that I had Grieve back, that we were together. Lannan would be a problem, I already knew that, and we had lost our home and all our memories, but we had each other and we had seven cats and soon enough, we’d have the Consortium behind us.
And Lainule and Geoffrey . . . we’d have to see how the shit hit the fan with them.
I wrapped my arms around Grieve and kissed him slowly, leisurely, my blood boiling. But as he began to nip at my shoulder, I realized—the bite wasn’t enthralling me. He suckled the blood, one drop at a time, but as sensuous as it felt, his venom wasn’t pulling me in. Anadey’s spell had actually had an effect.
Deciding not to mention it to him—not just yet—I pulled away, slowly, and stared up at the towering ceilings of the warehouse. Rusty metal cans and stacks of boxes surrounded us, and the place felt dark and full of shadows. It was huge; when Kaylin had led us in, a shiver of fear had run through me because it reminded me of old graveyards and haunted warships. The place had once been a shipping warehouse, but now it was closed, standing empty on the outskirts of New Forest. We were nearer the mountains, away from the Golden Woods, at the base of the Cascade foothills. Here we could hide in the forest and not be immediately subject to Myst, although I wasn’t sure how far she’d spread her poison.
And we had room here to spread out, to make plans and formalize our Society. Then I’d call Ysandra and talk to her. Or maybe take a day trip out to the local Consortium headquarters over in Seattle. Geoffrey was afraid the Consortium would take over, but he’d outed his own agenda. No more time to play favorites. We needed all the help we could get.
The warehouse was old and falling apart, but it was protected, and the suite of rooms Kaylin led us to had obviously been used as a home for a long time. His home. This was where he’d holed up. It was warm enough, with steam heat racing through the pipes, and he’d jury-rigged electricity. We had water and plumbing, and though Kaylin had warned us against using too much of anything lest we set off suspicion, we should be okay.
Yeah, it was creepy, but there were no Shadow Hunters here. I would have felt them on the slipstream.
Sometimes, the brightest light can he found amid the darkness. And sometimes, the best allies, as well. Ulean murmured an assent and passed by—I knew she was exploring the place.
I let out a long sigh and leaned back, staring at Grieve. “So, here we are. Together, on the run, with friends. I have an idea, you know—of how to win Lainule back to our side.”
“How so, my love?” He nuzzled my neck. “You are so sweet, you taste so sweet.”
“That may be, but control yourself while we talk business.”
“As you will, my love.” Grieve pulled back, listening.
“You thought of this before—and I think it’s a good idea. Lainule’s heartstone still lies within Myst’s realm. If we can find it, we can use it as a bargaining chip. Lainule will be furious, but she’ll have to deal with us—and it’s better than waiting for Myst to find it and obliterate the Queen of Rivers and Rushes.”
Grieve stared at me, long and hard, then inclined his head. “Cicely, my sweetness . . . you remind me so much of yourself when you were Cherish, sometimes. And that is not altogether a bad thing, so don’t get upset for me saying so.” He stopped me when I started to protest. “To fight a ruthless war machine, you need to become a little ruthless yourself. And you’re doing so.”
“Be good or my father will smack you down one.”
“He could do so. Wrath is strong and powerful. And I’m not sure what he’ll think of your plan, but there’s no mistaking it’s a viable one. But what of Geoffrey? What do we do about him?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know yet . . . but there has to be some weakness. I am afraid that Lannan may give in because of his fear for his sister, and he knows too much now. But we can’t afford to stake him—he could also prove a valuable ally.”
A knock on the door interrupted us. It was Peyton.
She peeked in. “Not meaning to interrupt. I wondered—what about inviting my father here? He’s definitely not on Anadey’s must-welcome list. He might be able to help us with the Were community.”
I considered the idea. “I think we should talk about it over dinner. Come on, let’s ask Kaylin if there’s any food in this joint.”
Weary beyond belief, we stood and headed into the main room. I paused, turning Grieve to face me.
“Whatever comes, at least we have each other. Know that I love you, and I’ll never leave you again.”
“I know . . . and you know . . .” He didn’t finish, just wrapped me in his arms and kissed me long and slow and deep. “When this is done . . . Cicely Waters—when we are triumphant, will you marry me and be princess to a prince with no kingdom?”
Kissing him back, I knew. I knew in my heart he would stay with us, would keep control. I knew that he couldn’t entrance me with his venom. I knew that he loved me beyond life itself and would do everything he could to protect me—and the others.
“I will. If we can defeat Myst, I will be your wife, and we’ll do our best to repair the damage.” I took his hand and we joined the others. Luna was scrubbing down a makeshift stove—a pair of hot plates Kaylin had found for h
er. Rhiannon and Chatter were making up beds for everyone out of ragged blankets and seat cushions from old love seats. Peyton was helping Lannan test the locks on the windows and doors. My father was consulting a bag of bones he carried on his belt, divining our next move.
This was our new home, and would be until we could regroup and figure out our next step. Come good or ill, we were the Moon Spinners—standing against Myst alone, unaided. The vampires and Lainule were going to be a problem, but mostly, I thought about Myst. About the past and the future. We were facing a conflict that might take months to resolve.
But in the back of my mind, I wondered—how much time did we really have to carry out our private little war? I scooted closer to Grieve and took his hand, leaning my head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around my waist.
“For better or worse,” I whispered. “This is as good as it’s going to get. We can’t count on anybody else.”
“No,” Grieve said, brushing the hair out of my face. “But we have each other.”
I laughed then—just a little laugh, but it felt like a shock wave. “Yeah, and that is a priceless resource.”
Character List
CICELY AND THE COURT OF THE MAGIC-BORN
Anadey: Friend of Heather’s and mentor to Rhiannon. One of the magic-born, Anadey can work with all elements. She owns Anadey’s Diner and is Peyton’s mother.
Cicely Waters: A witch who can control the wind. One of the magic-born and half-Uwilahsidhe (the Owl people of the Cambyra Fae). Born on the Summer Solstice at midnight, a daughter of the Moon/Waning Year.
Heather Roland (see Indigo Court): Rhiannon’s mother and Cicely’s aunt. One of the magic-born, an herbalist, now turned into a vampire by the Indigo Court.
Kaylin Chen: Martial-arts sensei, a dreamwalker, has a night-veil demon merged into his soul.
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