by P. C. Cast
I nodded.
“Ohmygoddess, yes!”
Jack hurried around the circle, collecting the sage sticks and placing them, with mine, in a smoking pile.
“Shaunee, anytime you’re ready,” I said.
“Easy-peasy. Burn, baby, burn!” Shaunee flicked her wrist at the pile and it instantly blazed with light and the scent of sage.
“Perfect,” I said. “Thank you.” Then I sobered, and my gaze went to Stevie Rae, still standing in the north, with Rephaim beside her. “Are you two ready?”
Rephaim nodded nervously.
“As I’ll ever be,” Stevie Rae said.
“We’re going to have to offer a payment to the sprite,” I explained. “I have an idea for it, but you two need to be okay with it. I’m going to need some blood from each of you.”
Stevie Rae and Rephaim exchanged a look.
“Okie dokie, Z. We’re cool with that,” said Stevie Rae.
“Thank you,” I said sincerely before getting into my backpack again and carefully pulling out the sharp athame. Surrounded by the magickally cleansing smoke of sage and the support of my circle, I called. “Oak, ancient, Old Magick sprite, with the power in my blood, and the gifts given to me by the Goddess Nyx, I summon you to this circle. Oak, please appear!”
And then I held my breath.
She didn’t make me wait long. In seconds the center of the newly cleansed tree began to shimmer and with the sound of a sigh, Oak emerged from the broken trunk.
The sprite didn’t come to me. She didn’t acknowledge any of my friends or me. First, she turned to the tree. She placed her delicate hands on it and slowly, intimately, leaned forward until her forehead rested against it. I could hear that she was speaking, but I couldn’t understand the language. When she finished, she kissed the gnarled bark softly, sweetly, before finally turning and gliding to me.
“Redbird Girl, I am glad that you completed your payment.” Her darkly beautiful, almond-shaped eyes looked around our intact circle, taking in each of the vampyres standing there. “The strength of your circle is pleasing to me. It feels of love and laughter, friendship and sacrifice. I approve.”
“Thank you. And thank you for answering my call.”
She bowed her head slightly in acknowledgment. “I find that I am enjoying this rare awakening. Between you and the Redbird Boy, the days and nights have become more interesting. What is it you wish of me now?”
I didn’t hesitate. “I want you to take me and two of my friends with you to the Other World where my brother, who you call Redbird Boy, lives. And I want you to bring us back too. When we’re ready.”
In a birdlike movement, the exquisite sprite cocked her head and studied me. For too many long, uncomfortable moments she said nothing at all, and when she finally spoke, I felt like I’d been waiting for time to unfreeze.
“I can do what you ask, but the payment will be great.”
“How about blood from three kinds of beings?”
Her mossy brows shot up to the ivy that was her hairline. “Which type of beings?”
“One is me, a blue vampyre and High Priestess who has an affinity for all five elements. The second is Stevie Rae, a red vampyre and High Priestess whose affinity is also yours—earth. And the third is Rephaim, Stevie Rae’s mate, a being who—”
“Was created by Old Magick,” she finished for me, swiveling her head like an owl to peer at Rephaim and Stevie Rae. “Do the two of you give this offering freely?”
“Yes, ma’am, I do,” said Stevie Rae.
“Yes. I give my word that I do,” answered Rephaim.
Oak’s gaze returned to me. “That payment is interesting. It will get you to the Other World. It will not return you, though.
“For that a new payment must be
And what that is we shall see
We shall see …”
My stomach clenched even though the sing-song rhythm in her voice said she was going to make a deal with me. But this was exactly what the old books had warned about. I needed to set both payments or Stevie Rae, Rephaim, and I could be in deep bullpoopie when we tried to come home.
“Let’s set the return payment now. Things will be easier that way. I mean, what if we have to come back in a big hurry?” I said.
“That is your problem not mine
Agree to my rules or stop wasting my time.”
“This isn’t good,” Aphrodite said. She’d been standing near Damien during the ritual, and Oak turned to the east and focused her gaze on my friend. “The payment shouldn’t be left undecided. That’s just asking for trouble.”
“The Prophetess speaks truth
In spite of her youth.”
Oak paused, sniffing the air like a hound.
“The scent of your blood is unique.
Pledge it, and your friends’ return shall not be so bleak.”
“Fine!”
“No!”
Aphrodite and I spoke at the same time. Oak’s gaze found mine again.
“Blood payment by a powerful Prophetess is one way
Unless in the Other World you shall wish to stay.”
“They’re not staying. I’ll pledge my blood as payment to you to bring them back.” Aphrodite spoke quickly so that I couldn’t interrupt her. “But I’m not going with them. So, how will I know when to pay you?”
“Mighty Prophetess there is nothing you need do
When payment is required I shall find you.”
“Aphrodite, I don’t like this,” I said. “Don’t make this pledge. Between Stevie Rae, Rephaim, Kevin, and me, we’ll figure out a payment Oak will accept.”
“Risk your life on that, would you?
It seems a silly thing to do.”
“Silly or not, it’s my choice.”
“Actually, no. My blood. My body. My choice,” Aphrodite insisted. “Oak, I give you my word. When it’s time for Zoey and Rephaim and Stevie Rae to return I will pay the blood price for them.”
“I accept your price tonight
A blood payment and promise, strong and bright
I seal this deal with thee and thee, thee and thee.”
Oak’s gaze trapped each of the four of us in turn as she completed the binding.
“So I have spoken—so mote it be.”
My stomach was so messed up I wanted to barf. This felt wrong—dangerously wrong. But it was done.
I looked at Aphrodite. She was standing so straight and strong and proud, but I could see the fear in her eyes, and I promised myself that I would do everything I could to be sure she wouldn’t regret giving her blood to get us home.
“Thank you, my friend,” I told her. “I love you.”
Aphrodite’s lips twitched, but she didn’t sneer or smile. Instead she fisted her hand over her heart and bowed respectfully to me. “You are welcome, High Priestess. And I love you right back.”
Blinking my vision clear of tears I turned to Oak. “Can you take us anywhere in that world?”
“Within reason,” Oak said. “Queen Sgiach does not appreciate interlopers on her isle, so you would not receive a pleasant welcome there.”
“Oh, no. I don’t need to go to Skye. I want to go someplace closer to here. It’s a lavender farm, and the woman who owns it is—”
“Oh, I know this place of which you speak. The woman who tends the land there is delicious.” Oak smiled, showing way too many sharp white teeth.
But I grinned anyway. “ ‘Delicious,’ ” I repeated. I looked at Aphrodite. “Tell her bye for me, okay? Tell her not to worry.” I paused and added, “And tell her the sprite called her delicious. She’ll love that.”
“She’ll worry less when she knows you went to her first. Maybe,” Aphrodite said.
“Maybe-not worrying is better than for-sure worrying. Take care of your
self. You are High Priestess until I return.”
I saw the surprise in Aphrodite’s eyes before she bowed her head and fisted her hand over her heart again. “It will be as you say, High Priestess,” she said solemnly.
My eyes caught movement in the circle, and I saw that each of my friends had followed Aphrodite. They were all bowing to me, hands fisted over their hearts.
“Thank you,” I told them. “I’ll be back soon.” My gaze found Damien. “Tell Stark I love him.”
“You can count on me, High Priestess.”
“Stevie Rae, don’t blow out your candle. Aphrodite, close the circle after we’re gone.”
“I will.”
“We’re ready,” I told Oak.
“Then link hands, you three, and follow me!”
Stevie Rae put her green candle on the ground. She held one hand out to me—the other was already linked with Rephaim’s. I took it and as we turned with the sprite toward the tree, which had begun to glow, a shout came from behind me.
“Zoey Redbird! Stay safe. Stay strong. And come back to me!”
My head whipped around, and I looked over my shoulder at Stark. He was standing just outside the glowing circle. Our eyes met.
“I love you, my Warrior, my Guardian. I always will.”
“And I you, my Queen, my High Priestess, my heart. Remember, we’re bound by blood and love … always love.”
Then the glow expanded and I followed the tug on my hand. I stepped into the center of the blazing opening and the world around me exploded into light.
23
Other Kevin
“How’s this?” Kevin opened the driver’s door to the Hummer and held up four big bags full of tissue and clothes.
Aphrodite glanced at the bags. “Not bad for a novice. Get in.”
Kevin tossed the bags in the back seat and got behind the wheel. “Where to now?”
“Home.” Aphrodite made a show of holding her nose as he got in the vehicle.
“Home?”
“House of Night home. Sheesh. Promise me that smell washes off.”
“Yep, I promise. Want to see the dead blood goop I have to smear on myself to smell like this?”
“That would be a hard pass.”
“So, I’m going to drop you off?”
“Nope. You’re coming with me.”
“Where?”
“Oh, for shit’s sake—home.”
“What about the tunnels?”
“Do you want to go to the tunnels?”
“No. Absolutely not. They’re the worst.” He started the Hummer. “But what else am I supposed to do?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about that. Your general is gone, right?”
“Yeah, like I said—he died in Zoey’s world.”
“Along with all of your flight, group, squad—or whatever they call it, right?”
“Almost right. Three of them are still alive, but they stayed in Zo’s world.”
“So, you’re really not attached to any general except Stark.”
“I suppose you could say that.”
“And he’s assigned you to me.”
“I suppose you could say that too.”
“Good. Then consider yourself my personal soldier.”
“Which means what exactly?” he asked.
“Well, for starters it means you’re not going back to the tunnels, and you need to dress better. Do you think lavender would help cover that nasty stink smell?” she said.
“I don’t know. It’d probably help, and I could smear less of the blood goop on me so that it’d help for sure. But you mean I’m going to stay at the House of Night?”
“Yep.”
“Wait, I don’t have to live in the tunnels?”
“Not as long as you’re my personal soldier, you don’t.”
Kevin felt like his heart was going to explode with gratitude. “Aphrodite, thank you. Thank you so much!”
She waved away his thanks. “What can I say, I’m a giver. Plus, I want to know more about this other world and your sister, and I can’t do that if you’re stuck in the middle of a horde of smelly monsters.” They’d made the short trip from Utica Square to the House of Night, and Aphrodite pointed at a parking spot that was up front and well lit. “Park there.”
“Okay, but no way we can sneak onto campus from there.”
“We’re not sneaking,” she said.
“But everyone will know I’m here.”
“Everyone will definitely know, and they’ll get used to seeing you around. That’ll help you and the Resistance, won’t it?”
“Yes! Definitely.”
“Good. Maybe it’ll also help balance out some of the bad that I’ve done by telling my visions to Neferet.”
“It’s a start, that’s for sure,” Kevin said. He parked and looked at her. “What now?”
“Now is the easy part. I’ll handle everything. You just follow my lead. Literally. Walk behind me and be sure you stay several feet behind. Look subservient and not too bright. And when we get stopped, because I promise you we will, I’ll do the talking. You don’t even look up. Pretend you’re a clueless, but not too feral, red vampyre. Can you do that?”
“I’ve been doing that for about a year now,” he said.
“Then you’ve had plenty of practice.” She sat and stared at him, and when he just stared back she rolled her eyes. “Kev, you’re supposed to be grabbing all of ‘my’ bags,” she air-quoted. “And then opening my door for me. Remember, you’re my personal soldier. I should never touch a door, lift a thing, open a bottle of champagne, blah, blah, when you’re around.”
“Oh, sorry. Okay, got it!” He jumped out of the Hummer, grabbed the four bags, and juggled them awkwardly as he rushed around to open her door.
She stretched her long legs out and then frowned at her knee-high Jimmy Choo boots. “Fuck! I forgot I broke that heel. Well, I’ll just use it to help my acting. Here.” She surprised him by holding out her hand, which he took and helped her climb out of the Hummer. Then she wiped her hand on her skinny jeans. “You’re going to have to get a lot better at personal hygiene.”
“I’m actually a clean, neat person. I had to pretend not to care about dirt and grime and dried blood and other gross stuff when I lived in the tunnels.”
“You don’t live in the tunnels anymore. Clean up,” she grumped as she started hobbling toward the sidewalk that curved through the little side courtyard where a fountain musically cascaded and eventually opened to the main schoolyard.
“Will do,” he said, hurrying to catch up with her.
She shot an annoyed look at him. “You’re supposed to be behind me looking subservient.”
“Oh, right. Forgot. Won’t happen again, Prophetess,” he bowed several times and backed up.
“That was good. Keep that bowing stuff up.”
“Do you want me to call you mistress, or is Prophetess okay?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Prophetess is fine. Mistress sounds entirely too old. Now shush and look pathetic.”
With Kevin following, Aphrodite clomp-limped through the courtyard, exiting into the schoolyard. It was just after dinnertime. Fledglings were scattered about the school grounds. Gaslights domed in art deco copper cast dancing shadows across wide sidewalks and winter grass. Cats trotted around, some stalking mice, some following their chosen fledgling or vampyre. Students lit candles at the feet of Nyx’s statue and prayed to the Goddess. A group of female fledglings were getting a fencing lesson from a vampyre Kevin didn’t recognize.
Everything seemed normal, but the difference between this heavily controlled, segregated House of Night and Zoey’s school was enormous. Everyone here looked subdued or worried, frightened or desperate, and Kevin’s heart ached with homesickness for a place he’d barely known, but w
hich had felt so right.
Aphrodite turned to the right, heading to the part of the cluster of castle-like buildings that made up the professors’ quarters. She followed the gentle curve of the sidewalk, approaching two fledglings who had spread yoga mats on the grass and were in the middle of a graceful flow.
As Aphrodite got closer to the two fledglings, their heads turned in her direction. They recognized Aphrodite—that much was clear—and they put their heads together as they stared at her.
Then they saw Kevin and their eyes widened. One was a spectacularly beautiful black girl he recognized instantly as Shaunee, and the other a sexy blond wearing nude-colored yoga tights and a tiny, bright red sports bra. Both left zero to the imagination. Holy crap! This has to be that Erin fledgling Zo told me about—the water to Shaunee’s fire! They gawked at him as Aphrodite walked past them, whispering back and forth to each other, giggling under their breath. When he drew near them Kevin clearly heard what they were saying—which meant so did Aphrodite.
“Hey, Twin, check it out,” said Erin.
“What is it, Twin?”
“Aphrodite’s new lover!” finished the blond, pointing at Kevin. Then they both dissolved into mean laughter.
Aphrodite stopped. She turned, barely glancing at Kevin as she limped past him. “Just one moment.”
Kevin wanted to shout at her, No! Don’t kill them with your laser vision! I might need them later for a circle! But he had to shut up. He had to play his part, so he ducked his head and surreptitiously watched as Aphrodite walked straight up to the two fledglings, who automatically stumbled a couple of steps back. “Repeat that to my face and not to my gorgeous backside.” The Prophetess’ voice had gone to ice.
“Hey, we didn’t mean anything,” said Shaunee.
“Yeah, we were just kidding around,” said Erin.
“You’re the two who call yourselves Twins, aren’t you?” Aphrodite asked.
“Yes,” they answered together.
“I’ll call you Brain Sharers. And because you share one small brain between the two of you, I’ll give you one small break. But next time you insult either me or my personal soldier slash servant, I’m going to volunteer both of you for dinner duty at the tunnels.”