I stared at the ground. My mother’s magic was easy to slip into, but it frightened me. The Leannan Sidhe were master manipulators and they were, in a sense, more primal and feral than my father’s people. When it came to dangerous situations, I had noticed that my Leannan Sidhe side came to the surface to protect me. And yet, I didn’t trust that side of myself, so I kept her under lock and key as much as I could.
“How should I do that? I can’t just go all siren on people and drain them for fun.” I realized I sounded churlish as the words came out. “I’m sorry. I just… That part of myself scares me and I really don’t know how to harness it.”
Morgana regarded me quietly for a moment. Then, she said, “You can never fully control it, but Ember, my son can help you, if you explain to him. He can handle that side of you.”
I blinked, trying to understand what she was saying. “Are you… I don’t quite… Are you saying what I think you’re saying? Because it sounds to me like you’re telling me to drain energy off Herne.”
“I am. You can’t harm him like you can mortals. You can let the Leannan Sidhe out to play with him. You can be the succubus with him, and not be afraid of hurting him.” She paused, then leaned close, tipping my chin up so that I was staring in her eyes. “If you don’t start using your powers, one day soon they’ll erupt and take over, and you may find yourself doing something you regret very much.”
As her words reverberated in my mind, I caught my breath and straightened. “You mean, I might go off on someone innocent and hurt them? That could happen?”
“Yes. You can’t keep a tiger in a cage for long. This side of you, Ember, she’s a predator. While you can channel that energy, you must give her the freedom she needs. Otherwise, she’ll grow angry and pensive and the first opportunity for freedom, she’ll take it, regardless of the damage it might cause.”
I blushed, not certain of how to ask the next question. “So…how do I…”
“How do you free her? Let her out to play during your love play. That will be safest.”
A hollow thud hit my stomach. I knew the Leannan Sidhe were intensely sexual, and their entire nature was caught up in luring men. They were muses, but dark and twisted ones. Some of the tortured geniuses from history had been caught in their guiles, sacrificing freedom—and eventually their lives—for the visions the Leannan Sidhe brought to them.
“What will he think of me, though?” I hung my head. “He loves me the way I am. What if he doesn’t like that side of me when…when we’re together?” I felt incredibly uncomfortable discussing my sex life with Herne’s mother. Even if she was a goddess, it didn’t make it any less awkward.
“You think he hasn’t noticed that side of you when you turn it loose on others?” Morgana laughed, then—a gentle laugh, not derisive—and she took my hand. “Ember, my son is a god. A god of the Hunt, no less. He’s not daunted by the wildness of your nature. He’s the Lord of the Hunt, the King Stag of the Forest. Do you think that he’s going to shy away from a side of you that brings even more passion into your relationship?”
Again, I blushed, but what she said made a lot of sense, and I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to relax.
“When you say it, it sounds reasonable. It’s just going to take me some time to get used to thinking of myself like…that.”
“I know you keep your sides segregated. You think of yourself as Ember, with two other sides that play into you. But you have to merge both into yourself. You began this in the Cruharach, and you did a good job—good enough to keep you in safety for a while. But walling off the strength of your powers and relegating them to the sidelines except for the rare times you decide you need their abilities—that’s not going to work in the long run.”
“So, what do I do? Besides getting kinky in the bedroom?” I tried to smile, but inside, my thoughts were churning as violently as the ocean around us.
“You begin working more with water magic. You stop labeling your powers. You need to just integrate them and quit thinking of it as though you’re changing clothes. You need to wear one outfit, not keep changing between three. I’m going to ask Marilee to start teaching you how to control and strengthen your magical abilities with water. You perform haphazard spells as it stands right now, but you need to be able to call up a storm when needed, to learn how to breathe underwater. All that will require concentrated work.”
I stared at her. “You mean I can actually learn to cast spells like that? I thought my magical abilities were limited.”
“They are, right now, because you keep them separate from yourself. But let your father’s blood be second nature in your body when you’re fighting, and let your mother’s blood be second nature when magic and sex are concerned. Neither are set apart from you. Do you understand?” She shook her head, her hair flowing around her shoulders. “You are to be a priestess of mine some day, you know. You may be pledged to me now, but I’m training you to be one of my priestesses.”
That was news as well.
“I didn’t really know. I wasn’t sure what to call myself,” I said, stammering.
“Well, now you do know. So I’ll be increasing your time with Marilee to twice a week, as long as you don’t have any cases with the Wild Hunt taking precedence. You’ll meet with her and start an intensive immersion in water magic.” She stopped, then laughed. “I made a joke, didn’t I?”
I laughed with her even though I felt shell-shocked. This meeting certainly hadn’t gone the way I had thought it would. I wasn’t sure what I had expected, but this entire line of conversation had definitely not been it.
“And once you’re proficient, you’ll begin training as my priestess.” She frowned for a moment, then said, “I suppose that’s it. Yes, I think we’ve covered just about everything. Oh, except this business with Callan. Herne mentioned your reaction. Please understand, when I command you to attend parley, that’s final. I know you don’t like interacting with Saílle and Névé, but you’re going to have to get used to it. Do you understand? No more whining about it—at least not to my son and definitely not to Cernunnos and me.”
Even though she was smiling, I could feel the bite behind it. Dutifully chastised, I nodded. “I understand. I’m sorry.”
“We all have to deal with people we find unpleasant. Even the gods. And with Typhon bearing down, I’m certain that’s going to increase, at least for Cernunnos, Herne, and me.”
“He’s almost awake, isn’t he?” I shuddered, staring at the boiling sky. The wind had picked up and it was blowing spray from the roiling ocean across the boulder, chilling me to the core.
“Yes, he is. I predict he’ll be in his full power by Litha…perhaps not till Lughnasadh if we’re lucky. But even now, the dead are feeling his presence and responding. And I fear he’ll be sending out emissaries soon, as his consciousness surfaces. Think of it like a great behemoth rising from the ocean depths. Even if he’s still underwater, the ripples from his movements are already having an effect.”
I glanced at the water, watching it foam and break against the trunks of the trees. “Are you scared?” I asked after a moment.
She paused, then lightly placed her hand on my arm. “Yes, child. I’m frightened. And so are all the others. Typhon is one of the great Titans. He’s the Father of Dragons, and he is both magnificent and terrifying. He cares for nothing but his children.”
“Children?” I cocked my head. “Who are his children?”
“Think for a moment. He is truly the father of dragons. His wife vanished into the mists—we have no idea where she is, but the pair engendered the dragons of the world. And so they lurk, living between realms, waiting for their father. When he begins to break through, the dragons will once again return to your realm.”
I froze. I knew that dragons existed, but I had always thought they were few and far between, and that they abjured the mortal world. “You mean, they simply can’t get into our realm unless their father is with them?”
; “Exactly. Typhon’s rise will open the door for the dragons to return to your world. Some are benign, even benevolent. Others are dark and vile, seeking to enslave others to do their bidding. Remember they are all shifters. And they all love the smell of gold.” She paused. “There are many creatures who live outside the mortal realm, who continually seek a way in. The gods stand between them and your world, and generally, we are strong enough to prevent a clash. But Typhon…he has the key for his kind, and none of us can prevent him from using it. We’re meeting daily, monitoring his progress even as we discuss ways to send him back into stasis. But…some of the gods have chosen to work with him, and so we not only have the Father of Dragons to contend with, but his servants.”
God against god. The thought of that battle sent me into a cold sweat. “Are any of the gods from Annwn aligned with him?”
“A few, but more so those from the isles of Greece, and a few from the Norse and Finnish. Anywhere chaos rules, you will find servants of Typhon.” She stood. “Enough now. I’m scaring you, and I don’t mean to do that. While changes will happen in your world—and soon—this battle may last for centuries. Or longer. So do not trouble yourself. The world will not end tomorrow, and humanity will still continue along its path.” She glanced over at the ocean. “It’s time for you to return to your world, Ember. Go and be safe. The days ahead promise to be dark, but there are lights within the darkness, and there are joys within tribulations.”
With that, she bade me leave. I curtseyed and said good-bye, and turned to go. Ahead, on the distant horizon, I saw lighting flare across the sky, and thunder rumbled, shaking the air and the ground. I shaded my eyes from the brilliant flash, and headed back across the narrow pathway, my thoughts so full that I barely noticed my passage back to Aoife and the portal.
Chapter Seven
By the time I reached the house, Angel was already home. She had a bruise on her left cheek and was holding a wet cloth against her neck as she sat at the kitchen table, wincing. I stared at her, slowly setting down my purse.
“What happened to you? Are you all right?” I looked around, immediately scanning the room for Rafé, and immediately felt ashamed of myself.
“Yeah, it’s nothing. I need to see a chiropractor, but I’ll be okay. I accidentally borked a spell tonight and it backfired on me and sent me careening against a wall. I hurt my neck.” She grinned, holding up a mug. “The tea will help.”
“What the hell kind of spell were you casting?” I asked.
“Well, if you must know, I was trying to cast a Barricade spell—to prevent someone from attacking me. It’s harder than I thought it would be and Marilee warned me not to try it, but I guess I got ahead of myself. I ended up slamming myself against the wall, face first.” She gave me a rueful grin. “She laughed at me, hands on her hips, and said, ‘See, I tell you these things for a reason. Now, will you listen to me?’ ”
I snorted. “I never would have imagined you trying to skip ahead in magic. You’re always so careful.”
She shrugged. “I guess. I’m getting more and more enthusiastic and I thought I’d give it a try because she showed me how to do it. I’m not sure how I bungled it, but I really did screw it up.” She shifted, grimacing again. “I’ll call my chiropractor tomorrow and get in, if I can. How did your evening go?”
I opened the fridge, poking around. I wanted something to take the shock off, and when I saw we had a bottle of elderberry wine, I pulled it out and poured myself a glass.
“It must have been heavy, given you’re getting into the wine,” she guessed.
“You might say that.” I put the wine back and cut myself a slice of the chocolate cheesecake that Angel had made the day before. On second thought, I cut myself a second slice. I knew I would be going back for seconds so I might as well save time. I carried my plate and goblet over to the table and sat down opposite Angel. “Where to begin?”
“That rough?”
“She wasn’t mad at me—nothing like that. But I feel as though I’ve just ended up with a vast data bank of information that I have to process.” I licked my lips, then after a long sip of the wine, told her everything Morgana and I had discussed. After I finished, Angel sat there, looking like she had forgotten all about her pain.
“Crap. Dragons are real?” She paused, then added, “I don’t know why they wouldn’t be, but…what are dragons like? I mean, I know there are Asian dragons and Western dragons, and they’re different, but…what are they really like?”
“I suppose they’re as individual as people. I do know a few things about them, other than some are bad-assed scary and others are incredibly beneficent. They’re all shifters, for one thing. They can walk in human form, which makes them even more formidable. Some hate mortals, while others seem to care about us. And by mortals, I mean, most bipedals—Fae, human, ogres, all of us.” I shrugged. “Anyway, I guess we’d better prepare for a host of changes over the next year or two.”
“They can’t stop Typhon from waking up, can they?” Angel asked, staring at the table.
I frowned. “I don’t think so. To be honest, I don’t think the gods have a clue of how to drive him back into stasis. So yeah, we have the Father of Dragons, his children, and the dead, all looming in our near future.”
Angel let out a sigh, then said, “What about the other thing—your Leannan Sidhe side? Or should we even call it that any more, given what Morgana told you? The water witch side of yourself, maybe?”
“It’s hard for me to know how to integrate the way I think about myself. I can feel each side of my heritage distinctly, yet they’re both a part of me. I wonder if there’s another ritual I can undergo to further merge them together.” I stared at my wine, fingering the stem of the goblet. The Cruharach had been nerve-wracking enough. I couldn’t imagine what it would take to further integrate the sides of myself.
“What are you going to tell Herne? I mean, I imagine he’s had some pretty wild partners over the millennia so—” She stopped, grinning. “You’re about to get kinky, Ember.”
“Kinky is as kinky does. I guess, part of me is worried that he’ll like me better that way and that will make me wonder if he’s been unsatisfied with how…tame…I’ve been till now. I’ve never been little Miss Prim, but it’s not like I’ve been bent, you know?” I realized that was at the core of my worries. I knew logically that I couldn’t hurt him. But what if he preferred the rougher side? But it wasn’t like he’d be cheating on me. It would still be me, just me unfiltered. “I think I’m overthinking this.”
“We both need to chill and rest, though sleep’s going to be a bitch with my neck like this. Come on, finish your cheesecake and wine and let’s get to bed. I fed Mr. Rumblebutt when I got home, so he’s good to go for the evening.” Angel’s phone jangled and she glanced at the screen. “Cooper?” Worry clouding her face, she quickly answered it, letting out a groan as she shifted position. “Cooper, is something wrong?” As she tensed, waiting, I cleared our dishes off the table, but the next moment, she said, “Oh thank heavens. I was worried. So, what’s up?”
Relieved that nothing appeared to have happened to her little brother, DJ—Cooper was his foster father—I rinsed the dishes and stacked them in the dishwasher, then added soap and set the cycle to going.
At that moment, Mr. Rumblebutt jumped up on the counter and rubbed against me. I swept him up into my arms and buried my face in his fur.
“Hello, rugrat. How are you doing?” I held him up over my head, my hands beneath his front legs, and then pulled him in for a long cuddle. He began to purr as he kneaded my shoulder. “Hey little dude, we have to trim your claws soon,” I whispered, ignoring the sharp jabs as his paws worked their magic against my skin.
I loved Mr. Rumblebutt more than I loved myself, and I did everything I could to make him happy. There were two kitty condos in the house—one upstairs and one downstairs—and he had more toys than he knew what to do with. I also made sure that there were at least five cat beds tucked
throughout the house, and I had installed a kitty hammock on one of the windows in my room. He had a view of a giant maple, where we had hung a bird feeder. Cat TV never failed to entertain.
I danced him around the kitchen—no small feat, given he weighed fifteen pounds—while waiting for Angel to get off the phone so I could find out what was going on. I was nosy, yes, but that’s the way we were. Best friends since we were eight, we knew almost every secret the other possessed, and considered ourselves closer than blood kin.
She finally set her phone down. “Well, that was interesting.”
“What’s up?” I set Mr. Rumblebutt down. He was starting to squirm, and when I let him go, he raced over to his food dish and gave me the stink-eye. Apparently, he wasn’t the waltzing type.
“Cooper had a meeting with the school today.”
“DJ isn’t in trouble again, is he?”
She shook her head. “He’s kept his nose clean since the incident last fall. But they just finished a round of tests and DJ scored so high that they first wanted to skip him a year ahead. But he’s small enough that they’re leery about allowing him to enter middle school. He’s already skipped one grade, and they’re worried that he might get picked on if they just advance him again. So Cooper talked to the Rainier Forest Academy for the Gifted, and long story short, DJ’s been accepted. He’s moving over to the new school this fall. He’ll be among intellectual peers, and he’ll be challenged by the material in a way that just doesn’t happen now. There are several shifters who go there, so he’s not going to be alone in terms of coping with being a wolf shifter nearing puberty.” She looked delighted. “I’m so proud of him!”
“You should be. The boy is brilliant. I’ve always told you that. You watch. DJ’s going to grow up and cure cancer or something of the sort. I hope he enjoys the new school. Do you think he’ll mind leaving his friends?”
She shook her head. “He can see them after school and on weekends. You know, I always wanted to send him to a private school, but no way could I ever afford it. I asked Cooper if it was expensive—you and I both know it is—but he just said not to worry. My little brother’s going to have every opportunity Mama J. and I wanted for him, but couldn’t give him.” Her face was lit up like it was Yuletide morning.
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