Night's End

by Yasmine Galenorn

  “Yeah, I know.” With a smile, I hugged Peyton again. “I need to check on the kids, but I’ll be back.” As I turned to go, I glanced over my shoulder. “Still no boyfriend?”

  Peyton shrugged. “Casually dating, but no one special. Don’t fuss over me, Cicely. I’m good on my own. If there ever is anybody, he’ll have to complement me, not complete me. I’m content. Now go tell the kids to come give their Aunt Peyton a hug.”

  “Will do.” I wandered through the backyard of the Veil House, and waved to Rhiannon. We would carve out our time to talk later on.

  As I wandered through the expanse of yard behind the Veil House, I saw our children gathered over by the border to the Golden Wood.

  First, there was Andy—the boy we’d rescued from the house. Rhiannon and Chatter had adopted him, and he had grown up a strong, trustworthy boy. He was skilled with herbs and had become a healer. Andy was also in love with my youngest daughter, Krystal, who was a telepath and a wolf-shifter, like her father. Krystal and Andy wanted to live in New Forest, so they would be marrying soon and taking over the Veil House for their own when Peyton moved into her own home across town.

  For two years, she’d carried on at the Veil House after Luna died, but I couldn’t help but wonder if Peyton hadn’t been a little bit in love with our bard. I’d never ask her, and she’d probably never volunteer the information if she was, but part of me whispered that Peyton had fallen for Luna long ago.

  To my left, at a picnic table, sat Rhiannon and Chatter’s son, Talker. He was eating alongside my second daughter, Amber. They were also headed for the altar. Or at least, Rhiannon and I suspected they might be.

  The pair spent every moment they could together, and since neither was heir to the throne, we saw no need to force them to stay home all the time. They had to deal with the brunt of security guards and all that being the children of royalty entailed, but Rhiannon and I were determined that they grow up to lead their own lives. We were changing the rules of our realms, as much as we could, and integrating the Fae into the mainstream of life.

  Lastly, our oldest daughters walked hand in hand. Rhia’s daughter—Hawthorn—had hair as red as the morning sky. My daughter, Yew, mirrored my own coloring. Once again, amber and jet would rule. Fire and ice. We had given birth to them on the winter solstice. Yew was born just before the stroke of midnight, when the night was at its darkest. Hawthorn was born twelve hours later, just after midday, when the Wheel had started to turn toward the light. Grieve and Chatter had been proud papas, that much was for sure.

  With Hawthorn and Yew, tradition would rule out. We were grooming our daughters to one day take our places. They would remain with us, in the realms of Summer and Winter, until the day we were ready to return to the Golden Isle. They had accepted their fate and were content. Destiny would have its say, even when the future intruded.

  Grieve slipped up beside me, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Enjoying the festival, my love?”

  I nodded. “Yes, though each season, I feel a bit more alienated from the town. I suppose it’s what this life does. This is the price we pay. I spoke to Peyton. She’s doing well, but she misses Luna.”

  “We all miss Luna. And Kaylin.” He pulled me close. “Tonight, you will stay with Lannan?” The old jealousy was long gone, buried under the strength of our love and of our children who cemented us together like glue.

  With a shy laugh, I nodded. Two nights out of each year I spent with the vampire. We had come to an understanding over the years. Lannan would never mellow, but he respected me now, and he and Grieve even had found interests in common, though they would never be close friends.

  “You do not mind?” I always asked, even though, after twenty-five years, the routine was down pat.

  Lannan, of the golden hair and dark soul, had survived the fall, and for his bravery, he’d been handed the permanent keys to the Regency. Together, he and Regina ruled over New Forest without question.

  “I do not mind. He saved your life once, and he saved my life. And then, he sacrificed himself so that you would have the chance to destroy Myst. You can’t fault a hero.” He grinned at me. “I know your heart belongs to me.”

  And it did, even though Lannan and I had our fun. The truth was, at times Lannan and I just spent the night talking now. While the passion had settled into a comfortable friendship, when I needed him, I had the outlet twice a year to play in the dark, to safely vent out the memories of Cherish and Myst.

  Now and then I met with his sister Regina, and we went shopping at night. The stores would open their doors to us. I’d learned more than I ever thought I would want to know about their lives—both before and after being turned—and I had developed a deep respect for them. Our friendship was forging new inroads for the relationship between the Fae and Vampire nations.

  “My heart is in your hands, my love.” I kissed Grieve on the nose.

  “Go. I can feel you’re antsy. Go flying for a while. You need it.” He slapped me on the butt, and I laughed, once again marveling that I had found my way back to him. The journey that had started forty-six years ago, in this lifetime, had ended up here. In this yard, on this night, under the summer moon.

  I headed toward the oak tree. Grieve was right. I needed some time by myself. With every passing year, I enjoyed my time in owl form more and more. My grandfather and I had spent a lot of time together, and I was beginning to understand the true nature of the Uwilahsidhe, though—as he put it—it would be a lifelong journey. One day, I would meet my father again, and I hoped he and Lainule would be proud of how far I had come.

  As I climbed the boughs, I remembered my first time. Pressured by an unknown force, I had climbed the tree, removed my clothes, and then plummeted headlong toward the earth. And for the first time, I had spread my wings and found true freedom, and had begun my journey toward finding out about my lineage.

  Now, as I stared up at the glowing moon, I could hear the sounds of the festivities from below. Our people were content. We had relative peace. We had rebuilt New Forest after vanquishing Myst.

  And the future? Only the Fates knew where it would lead.

  Ulean, are you ready?

  I’m here, Cicely. Where do you want to go?

  Let’s head out over the forest. I want to fly hard and long.

  I’m ready when you are.

  You’ve got my back, Ulean? I always asked—it was our tradition.

  And as she always did, Ulean laughed. Of course I do. I will always have your back. Forever. Call up the wind, Cicely, and let’s stretch those wings of yours.

  And so I called to the wind, and a stiff breeze sprang up as I plunged forward off the tree, arms shifting into wings, body transforming, tail feathers growing. I spread my wings and turned on the wind, and with Ulean dancing and leapfrogging by my side, I flew into the night as the moon rose high over the trees, and the Golden Wood glowed with an unearthly, beautiful light.

  Character List

  CICELY AND THE COURT OF SNOW AND ICE

  Check: Cicely’s personal guard.

  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. The new Queen of Snow and Ice.

  Druise: Cicely’s lady’s maid.

  Fearless: Cicely’s personal guard.

  Grieve: King of the Court of Rivers and Rushes. One of the Cambyra Fae (shapeshifting Fae) now turned Vampiric Fae. Obsessed and in love with Cicely.

  Hunter: Cicely’s grandfather. Wrath’s father.

  Silverweb: The treasurer of the Court of Snow and Ice.

  Snow Hag: One of the Wilding Fae. A friend of Cicely’s.

  Strict: Cicely’s chief advisor.

  Tabera: The late Queen of Snow and Ice.

  RHIANNON AND THE COURT OF RIVERS AND RUSHE
S

  Chatter: King of the Summer Court. Grieve’s best friend.

  Edge: Rhiannon’s Court Advisor.

  Lainule: The former Fae Queen of Rivers and Rushes. Grieve’s aunt and Rhiannon’s aunt. The former Queen of Summer. Destined to fade back to the Golden Isle.

  Rhiannon Roland: Cicely’s cousin, born on the same day as Cicely, only at daybreak, a daughter of the Sun/Waxing Year. Rhiannon is also half Cambyra Fae, and half magic-born, and she controls the power of fire. The new Queen of Rivers and Rushes.

  Wrath: Cicely’s father—one of the Uwilahsidhe (the Owl people of the Cambyra Fae) and originally a member of the Court of Snow and Ice.

  PEYTON AND THE COURT OF THE MAGIC-BORN

  Anadey: Traitor; was a friend of Heather’s and mentor to Rhiannon. One of the magic-born, Anadey can work with all elements. Peyton’s mother. Deceased.

  Kaylin Chen: Martial arts sensei, a dreamwalker, has a night-veil demon merged into his soul.

  Luna Saunders: Yummanii bard.

  Peyton MoonRunner: Half werepuma, half magic-born. Anadey’s daughter.

  Rex MoonRunner: Werepuma. Peyton’s father. Deceased.

  Ysandra Petros: Member of the Consortium. Yummanii and powerful witch who can control sound, energy, and force.

  THE INDIGO COURT

  Myst: Queen of the Indigo Court, mother of the Vampiric Fae, the Mistress of Mayhem. Queen of Winter.

  Heather Roland: Rhiannon’s mother and Cicely’s aunt. One of the magic-born, an herbalist, first turned into a vampire by the Indigo Court, now truly dead.

  THE VEIN LORDS/TRUE VAMPIRES

  Crawl: The Blood Oracle: One of the oldest Vein Lords, made by the Crimson Queen herself. Sire to Regina and Lannan.

  Geoffrey: Former NW Regent of the Vampire Nation and one of the Elder Vein Lords. 2,000 years old, from Xiongnu. Deceased.

  Lannan Altos: Professor at the New Forest Conservatory, Elder vampire, brother and lover to Regina Altos, hedonistic golden boy. New NW Regent of the Vampire Nation.

  Leo Bryne: Was Rhiannon’s fiancé, a healer and one of the magic-born. Leo was a day-runner for Geoffrey, turned to a vampire by Geoffrey. Deceased.

  Regina Altos: Emissary for the Crimson Court/Queen. Originally from Sumer with her brother and lover, Lannan. Was a priestess of Inanna. Turned by Crawl.

  Playlist for Night’s End

  I write to music a good share of the time and have been sharing my playlists on my website. I finally decided to add them to the backs of the books for my readers who aren’t online.

  —Yasmine Galenorn

  A Pale Horse Named Death:

  “Meet the Wolf”

  A.J. Roach:

  “Devil May Dance”

  Adam Lambert:

  “Mad World”

  Agnes Obel:

  “Close Watch”

  Air:

  “Moon Fever”

  “Astronomic Club”

  “Napalm Love”

  “Surfing on a Rocket”

  “Playground Love”

  Android Lust:

  “Here and Now”

  “When the Rains Came”

  “Saint Over”

  “Stained”

  Antaeus:

  “Palm of the Prophet”

  Atlas Sound:

  “Angel Is Broken”

  AWOLNATION:

  “Sail”

  Black Angels, The:

  “Vikings”

  “Don’t Play with Guns”

  “Young Men Dead”

  “Manipulation”

  “You’re Mine”

  “You on the Run”

  “Indigo Meadow”

  “Haunting at 1300 McKinley”

  Black Mountain:

  “Queens Will Play”

  “Wucan”

  Black Rebel Motorcycle Club:

  “Feel It Now”

  “Shuffle Your Feet”

  “Fault Line”

  Broken Bells:

  “The Ghost Inside”

  “The High Road”

  Buffalo Springfield:

  “For What It’s Worth”

  Chris Isaac:

  “Wicked Game”

  Clannad:

  “Newgrange”

  “Banba Óir”

  Cobra Verde:

  “Play With Fire”

  Crazy Town:

  “Butterfly”

  Cure, The:

  “Charlotte Sometimes”

  “Pornography”

  “Cold”

  Dragon Ritual Drummers:

  “The Fall”

  “Black Queen”

  Eastern Sun:

  “Beautiful Being”

  Eels:

  “Souljacker Part 1”

  Faithless:

  “Addictive”

  Faun:

  “Lupercalia”

  “Pearl”

  “Zeitgeist”

  “Hymn to Pan”

  “Sieben”

  Foster the People:

  “Pumped Up Kicks”

  Gabrielle Roth:

  “The Calling”

  “Raven”

  “Rest Your Tears Here”

  Garbage:

  “I Think I’m Paranoid”

  “Bleed Like Me”

  “Only Happy When It Rains”

  “Queer”

  “Beloved Freak”

  Gary Numan:

  “Melt”

  “Dead Heaven”

  “Hybrid”

  “Dead Son Rising”

  “In a Dark Place”

  “Walking With Shadows”

  “When the Sky Bleeds, He Will Come”

  “Pure”; “Dominion Day”

  “The Angel Wars”

  Gotye:

  “Somebody That I Used To Know”

  “Hearts a Mess”

  Hedningarna:

  “Grodan/Widergrenen”

  “Räven”

  “Tuuli”

  “Ukkonen”

  In Strict Confidence:

  “Silver Bullets”

  “Snow White”

  “Tiefer”

  Julian Cope:

  “Charlotte Anne”

  Kyuss:

  “Space Cadet”

  Lady Gaga:

  “Paparazzi”

  “I Like It Rough”

  “Teeth”

  Ladytron:

  “Black Cat”

  “I’m Not Scared”

  “Ghosts”

  Lindstrøm and Christabelle:

  “Lovesick”

  Lord of the Lost:

  “Sex on Legs”

  Low:

  “Half Light”

  Madonna:

  “Beautiful Stranger”

  “4 Minutes”

  Marcy Playground:

  “Comin’ Up From Behind”

  Marilyn Manson:

  “Tainted Love”

  Mark Lanegan:

  “Phantasmagoria Blues”

  “The Gravedigger’s Song”

  “Methamphetamine Blues”

  “Riot in My House”

  “Bleeding Muddy Water”

  Nine Inch Nails:

  “Get Down, Make Love”

  “Sin”

  “Closer”

  Nirvana:

  “Heart-Shaped Box”

  “You Know You’re Right”

  Notwist, The:

  “Hands on Us”

  Orgy:

  “Blue Monday”

&nb
sp; “Social Enemies”

  People in Planes:

  “Vampire”

  Puddle of Mudd:

  “Famous”

  “Psycho”

  Rammstein:

  “Ich Will”

  “Stripped”

  “Wollt Ihr das Bett in Flammen Sehen”

  Red Hot Chili Peppers:

  “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”

  Saliva:

  “Ladies and Gentlemen”

  Sarah McLachlan:

  “Possession”

  Scorpions:

  “The Zoo”

  Screaming Trees:

  “Dime Western”

  “Where the Twain Shall Meet”

  Seether:

  “Remedy”

  Stone Temple Pilots:

  “Atlanta”

  “Creep”

  Susan Enan:

  “Bring on the Wonder”

  Syntax:

  “Pride”

  Tamaryn:

  “While You’re Sleeping, I’m Dreaming”

  “The Waves”

  “Violet’s in a Pool”

  Toadies:

  “Possum Kingdom”

  Tom Petty:

  “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”

  Verve, The:

  “Bitter Sweet Symphony”

  Dear Reader:

  I hope you enjoyed the final book in the Indigo Court series, Night’s End. I have loved writing this world, but as with all faerie tales, it’s time now to close the book on Cicely’s story. While not everybody found their happy ever after (and like Cicely, I really don’t believe in HEA), I am content with how the story wrapped up, and I’m ready to turn the final page on their lives. This has been a journey, this mystical, icy world I’ve created, but now it’s time to move on.

  However, even as one door closes, others open. Next, I bring you an e-novella, Flight From Hell, in August 2014—the crossover story that links the Otherworld series with my new Fly By Night series. And then—book sixteen in the Otherworld series: Priestess Dreaming, coming October 2014. Camille goes in search of the Merlin, and her journey takes her far into new realms and new dangers. After that, I’ll have Delilah’s next book, Panther Prowling. For more information, see my website and follow me on Facebook.

  I’m enclosing the first chapter of Priestess Dreaming to whet your appetite for the next adventure coming up for Camille and her sisters. For those of you who are new to my books, I hope you’ve enjoyed your first foray into my worlds. For those of you who have followed me for a while, thank you once again.