Herne ducked his head. “I did. We need the best, and he’s the best there is.”
KIPA AND I were sitting alone in the break room. Herne had strategically left the door open, and I could see that Viktor was talking to Yutani, but was standing where he could keep watch on me. It seemed ridiculous. There wasn’t anything Kipa could do to me without them hearing, but I let them play protector.
He leaned forward, a cunning smile on his lips. “So, you are Herne’s new woman. And you are…Fae…Elven?”
I blinked. I wasn’t used to being called somebody’s “woman.”
“I’m Herne’s girlfriend, yes. I’m Fae—mixed blood. Both Light and Dark.”
His eyes narrowed briefly. “I see. That’s an unusual blend. You wear it well.” His voice was smooth, and it slid over me like slow honey.
I shivered, realizing just how much effect he could have. “Let’s talk about the astral demon.”
“As you wish. As you will.” He leaned forward across the table.
I pulled back, straightening in my chair. “I thought it was just a poltergeist at first.” I went on to describe what had happened, and how I had invoked the water elemental to fight it.
Kipa’s eyes lit up, flaring. “So, a water witch?”
“Yes, more or less. Speaking of which, I have an appointment, so I’ll leave you to the others.” As I stood, I bumped against the table and blushed, feeling clumsy.
Kipa let out a low growl, then laughed as I jumped.
“You could be a lot of fun,” he said with a lazy smile. “I see why Herne put his claim on you.”
Tired of being talked about like somebody’s toy, I rested my hands on my hips.
“Listen, dude, Herne didn’t raise his leg and pee on me. I choose to be with him. In fact, I choose who I want to be with. Period.” I headed toward the door.
He threw back his head, laughing as he slapped his thigh. “Oh, you are a lovely wench. Go on, then, to keep your appointment. I shall not make you tarry. But Ember Kearney, I hope to see you again.”
I paused, turning back to him. “Oh, we probably will. But mind your manners, do you hear me? If you don’t, I’ll make you wish to hell you didn’t have a dick. Got it?”
He reined in his laughter, though I still detected a smirk. “I will be the epitome of a gentleman, I promise. Unless you want something else.”
Infuriated and yet slightly breathless, I hurried out of the room. Yutani gave me a long look and I shook my head. “Watch him,” I mouthed, as I stopped in my office to drop off everything before I headed out to see Morgana.
VIKTOR DROVE ME down to the docks. The water in the sound was choppy as the wind drove the waves to ripple along the docks. While the sun was streaming down through ribbons of filmy clouds, the breeze had picked up, causing the temperature to drop. The disconnect between the bright morning and the cool air was disconcerting.
“So, which dock is Morgana’s?” I was nervous, and talking helped me avoid thinking about what was to come.
Viktor flashed me a sideways glance. “Calm down. You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“True, but I’m not certain what she’s going to say about what happened with the water elemental. I’ll be honest with you, Viktor. That scared the hell out of me. I’ve never had that happen before. I’ve never been possessed by anything. It was creepy as hell to have somebody in my head, looking through my eyes while I stood to the side, only able to observe.”
Viktor paused for a moment, then asked, “What did it feel like?”
I stared out the window, letting my mind drift back. “In a way, it was beautiful, almost as though the water elemental and I were one. But I was terrified. The elemental could have done anything, and I wouldn’t have been able to stop it. It could have killed any one of you, and all I would have been able to do was watch.” I licked my lips. “You know, I don’t understand how mediums like Kamaria can allow spirits to talk through them.”
“That, I agree with. Having someone pry around in your brain isn’t my idea of a good time.”
Viktor fell silent as we drove along First Avenue, swinging a right onto University Street. We were headed for the I-5 freeway. As we sped up onto the interstate, I was grateful to see that traffic was moving at a good pace. We had managed to miss the morning rush, and we weren’t into the noon crunch yet. It didn’t take us long before we came to the 168A exit. From there, we headed to Portage Bay, which housed a number of private docks.
“So Morgana isn’t downtown on the waterfront?”
Viktor shook his head. “No. Too much traffic there. But Portage Bay is an extensive boat marina, and there’s a boat that has a portal in it that leads to her realm.”
It made sense, when I thought about it. Madonna was a goddess of the sea as well as a goddess of Faerie, so a portal in a boat was logical.
“Do you know how I’m supposed to cross through?”
“No, but the gatekeeper will. Herne assured me there will be someone there to meet you.”
“Good.” I paused before asking the next question. “What do you think of Kipa?”
Viktor cleared his throat. When he spoke, he sounded wary, as though he wasn’t sure how much to say. “Kipa has his uses.”
I waited, but he said nothing more. After a moment, I asked, “That’s it?”
“What do you want me to say?” the half-ogre said. “Herne is my friend. Kipa’s a distant relative of his, and we need his help. But Ember, be cautious. There are dynamics playing out in that familial relationship that you couldn’t pay me to get involved in.”
“Have you ever met Kipa before?”
Viktor nodded. “Once, indirectly. I happened to be in the area when Herne was talking to a wolf, and then I saw the wolf turn into Kipa and dart through the woods. This was about fifty years ago. When I asked him about it, all Herne would tell me was that he had been talking to his cousin, and to leave it at that. He didn’t seem happy, so I didn’t press it.”
After another pause, Viktor added, “Ember, please don’t get too involved. Kipa isn’t malevolent, not in the way you or I would think of it. But he can do a lot of damage. He’s screwed Herne over more than once, and I’d hate to see it happen again. Why he’s even allowed in the office of the Wild Hunt, I’m not sure. He was soundly thrashed and kicked out of Mielikki’s Arrow. But I suppose Herne feels the benefits outweigh the liabilities.”
I realized what Viktor was worried about.
“Dude, I’m not asking because I find Kipa attractive, although I have to admit, he’s gorgeous. However, I’m not interested in complicating my life. I love Herne. I just want to get a feel for who we’re dealing with, and while Herne told me a little, I have a feeling there’s a whole lot of history between the two that I could stumble over.”
“That’s putting it mildly. And Ember, even if you aren’t attracted to him, watch yourself. Kipa has a way of getting under your skin. He’s charming and a lot of fun. But when the chips are down, he usually takes off, not willing to help pick up the pieces of what he’s destroyed.”
We were headed north on Boyer Street when Viktor swung a left onto Fuhrman. Shortly after that, we turned right onto a side street—Misty Lane—and parked in a small lot. There was room for six cars, and two slips were marked “Reserved.” Viktor parked in one of them, next to a pale silver sedan.
“See the blue houseboat at the end of the dock?” He pointed to the dock to our right. There, three houseboats lined the pier. The one at the end was painted a cobalt blue. Single story, it looked about the side of a large bus. The deck was lined with planters of herbs.
“That’s the boat?” I slipped on a pair of sunglasses, staring at the boat as it rocked gently on the waves.
“Yes. I’ll let you go alone. I’ll be waiting here when you return.”
“What are you going to do while I’m in there?” I hated to think of him sitting out in the car, getting bored.
“Pr
obably head to a coffee shop. You want me to bring you back something?”
I shook my head. “I’ll get a latte on the way back to the office. All right, here goes nothing.”
Summoning my courage, I opened the door. As I shouldered my purse, a surge of adrenaline racing through me. I steeled myself and headed for the pier.
The water to either side was a dark green-gray and the wind was whipping it into frothy waves that splashed over the pier. I passed the first two houseboats, glancing at them, wondering about the people who lived on the water’s edge. That life appealed to me, in many ways, but I needed more space in which to stretch out.
As I came to the third boat, I glanced at the name painted on the hull—Fantastica. Thinking that seemed the perfect name for a houseboat leading into the world of Fae, I swallowed my fear and knocked on the door.
The gatekeeper was a slight woman, looking to be Fae, and yet I had the feeling she wasn’t full blooded. She blinked, her wide eyes a glittering green. They matched my own, but her hair was the color of gold, hanging to her waist, and she was thin and petite. She welcomed me in.
“You are Ember?” she asked, and her voice chimed on the wind, almost as though she were singing.
“Yes.” I reached for my purse. “Do you need some identification?”
She laughed. “No, you wear Morgana’s mark in your aura. I can read the signature.”
That was news to me, but handy to know. “And you are…”
“Aoife.” She pronounced it ee-fa. “I’m a priestess of Morgana.”
A sofa stretched along the right wall. The room was long and narrow, and a set of bunk beds rested against the end of it. A door, half-open, stood to the right and behind it I caught a glimpse of a toilet and shower. There was a second door next to it that was closed.
A kitchenette covered half the wall to my left, and the rest of the length was taken up by floor-to-ceiling windows. A square table sat in front of the windows with two chairs. A ladder next to the door to the bathroom was flush against the wall, leading up to an exit to the roof.
The walls were painted a silvery-gray, and strategic uses of white mimicked the look of waves racing across the walls.
“Do you live here?” I asked, looking around. It was artful, and lovely, but minimalistic.
Aoife shook her head. “Only every other week. Another priestess and I share the duties of watching over the portal. If you’ll put your purse on the table, I’ll keep it safe until you return.” She pointed toward the table. There was a vase with a single white rosebud in it sitting on the walnut surface.
I sat my purse down next to the flower, and took a deep sniff of the petals that had just begun to unfold. The scent pierced my senses, reminding of jasmine or lotus instead of a rose.
“So, how does this work? What do I do?”
“First, you should change. It won’t do to have you appear before her dressed like that, not when you’re in her court.” She crossed to the second door and opened it, bringing out a flowing gown on a hanger. “You can wear this.”
I reached for the dress. It flowed to the floor, layers of material draping like petals on a flower. I wasn’t sure what material it was, but it felt like silk, light and wispy. The color was that of the twilight sky. All over the gown, hand-sewn beads sparkled, scintillating under the sunlight that flowed in through the windows, causing the gown to flash with rainbow fire.
“This is too beautiful. I can’t wear this—”
“You can and you will,” Aoife said. “And you will go barefoot. Now take the dress into the bathroom and change. If you need help, just ask.”
Properly chastised, I carried the dress into the bathroom and shut the door. The bathroom was almost as large as the rest of the boat, with a Jacuzzi, a walk-in marble shower, and two vanities, each with its own sink. The toilet seat looked marble as well. Morgana liked her priestesses to live in luxury.
As I stripped out of my clothes and folded them neatly on the counter, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. There was something different about me—I hadn’t seen it this morning when I put on my makeup. But this mirror, large and frosted around the edges, seemed to reflect not only my image, but the energy flowing around me. I stared at the swirling mist that surrounded my body—blue and purple flames floated off my skin, sparkling with a wash of glitter. They swirled and coiled as I watched, reaching out behind me almost like gossamer wings. I was caught by my reflection, mesmerized by the energy that drifted around me.
A moment later, a knock brought me back.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” I called, hastily taking the dress off the hanger.
It was long, with spaghetti straps to hold up the deep V-bodice. The skirt swirled out, layer upon layer of silken material. I realized the waist was elastic, making it easier to get into, and so I pulled it over my head, sliding it carefully down over my boobs. It really wasn’t made for a large-busted woman, but the strips of material that formed the bodice were enough to cover most of my boobs, and I had to hope that I wouldn’t pop out if I turned the wrong way.
The material brushed against my nipples, and I caught my breath, glancing back in the mirror. The flames surrounding me flared with a deep magenta, and I slowly ran my hands over my breasts, my nipples stiffening under my caress. Shaken, and yet terribly aroused, I forced myself to open the door.
Aoife was waiting for me, a knowing smile on her lips. “The dress looks perfect on you.”
“I think it might need a little more up top to cover my…assets.” I stumbled over the words, feeling awkward. But she merely shook her head, placing a light hand on my arm. My skin jumped as she touched me, and I did my best to remain collected.
“Come. I’ll take you to Morgana now.” She led me over to the ladder.
“You want me to climb that ladder in this dress?”
“You’ll manage,” she said.
As she began to climb, I followed her, rung by rung. She opened the large skylight, but the sun vanished as she did so. I blinked, but said nothing as she climbed through, then turned to lend me a hand. As she drew me out atop the boat, I realized that we weren’t in the bay any longer. We were standing on a strip of sand next to a dark, moody ocean. The waves were crashing against the rocks on either side, thundering so that they were all I could hear.
To the left, a short distance up the sand, stood a castle that was built out into the sea. The walls were glossy black, like obsidian, and around the base they were embossed with silver images. I squinted, trying to make out the pictures, and blinked as I saw they were depictions of sirens standing on the rocks, beckoning to boats that rode the waves. Still others were etchings of people I didn’t recognize, but all of them were regal, cloaked in mystery.
From the windows, invisible against the jet walls, lights flickered forth, creating the illusion that the castle was on fire. Atop the castle, battlements stretched the length of the walls, their merlons stark against the sky. I thought I could see figures watching though the crenelles, and I wondered if they were fitted with bows and arrows. And that thought made me wonder whom Morgana might be braced against. For some reason, I hadn’t expected Morgana to live in such a solemn-looking castle.
“That’s…” I sought for a word other than intimidating. “Impressive.”
Aoife seemed to understand my hesitation. “Morgana is of the Fae. She has seen her share of battles. Even the gods of the realm have their conflicts.”
I hadn’t thought about that. But if the gods of Faerie battled each other, then I wondered why Morgana was pledged to help Cernunnos stop the petty bickering among the Fae who followed her.
“Where do we go?” I finally asked.
“Follow me.” She guided me to the path that led to the great castle doors. I was surprised there weren’t any guards standing in front of them, but decided to hold my tongue.
The stark cliffs to our left led up to what looked like a forest. What kind of creatures roamed M
organa’s woodland? And who lived within her woodlands?
The top of the castle had a footbridge leading to the top of the cliff. The base of the castle was built on the sand, jutting out into the water.
The footpath was formed of cobblestones, but they shimmered like mother-of-pearl, and only underscored that we were fully within another realm. A gust of wind whipped by, catching the layers of my dress and sending them fluttering. I shivered beneath the filmy material.
As we approached the castle, gargoyles appeared, looming out from the castle walls, the same jet color but brushed with a silvery film. It had been hard to see them from a distance. They watched over the walkway, their eyes swirling with a miasma of color.
“Are they alive?” I asked.
Aoife nodded. “They are, but frozen in time until they sense danger. I would not be an enemy and approach these gates. Morgana is a deadly goddess, and wields the power of the Ocean Mother.”
We approached the end of the walkway where two massive gates covered the entrance to the castle. They looked to be silver although I knew they had to be stronger than that. They weren’t iron, that much I could tell, but exactly what metal they were made of, I had no clue. Near the top of the gates, a large sapphire nearly the size of my head glimmered, the gates meeting on either side of it.
We paused and Aoife held up her hands. Twin beams of light emanated from her palms, burning white, and they hit center on the gem. There was a creaking, and the gates swung open.
Aoife led me inside. The hall was stark, the walls bare except for a continuation of the murals that had glimmered along the outside. We were in a long hall, with doors to either side, and the walls were illuminated by torches that burned with a blue fire from which came no heat. It hurt my eyes to look at it, so I kept my gaze steady, straight in front of me.
Still we had seen no one, but I could feel the presence of beings around me. The Unseen, I thought. They had to be the Unseen. But I didn’t have time to ask, because Aoife led me to the end of the walkway, to a pair of ornate double doors. She stepped to the side, placing her hand on a panel next to the door.
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