“We can’t stay long—a few hours at most—but we must talk to you and the Queen. It’s imperative. We have some unwelcome news.” I followed Trenyth, trailed by Camille, Smoky, and Chase. Chase, his eyes wide, darted glances every way as we headed to the carriage.
“This is incredible.” Chase caught up to me. “The air is so clear here. I can’t believe how easy it is on my lungs. I feel like I did when I quit smoking. Almost dizzy.” Chase had stopped smoking when we were going out, and he had managed to stay off the cigarettes after we broke up. He cocked his head. “There’s something else…I feel…tingly…”
“Magic.” Camille accepted the driver’s hand as he helped boost her into the carriage. “You’re feeling the magic that permeates the air and the land. Otherworld is magical down to the core of each atom. With the changing nature of your abilities, you’re becoming more sensitive to these things.”
With a nod, he climbed into the carriage after her. The rest of us joined him, along with Trenyth. Smoky’s head brushed the roof. As we headed through the cobbled streets, the horses’ hooves clipped smartly against the cobblestones. Chase was looking out the window, an expression on his face that I’d never before seen.
“You know, even though I’ve seen things that, five years ago, I didn’t even believe existed…I feel like I’ve stepped into Wonderland. I feel like Alice, down the rabbit hole.” He looked so excited and his face was so lit up, that I couldn’t help myself. I reached out and kissed him on the cheek. He pressed his hand to his face, grinning at me, then stared back out the window.
“The houses! They’re so different.”
Trenyth smiled softly, then turned to Camille. “Not to bring up a sore subject, but has your father been in contact with you at all?”
She hung her head, shaking it mutely.
“Why? Did Tanaquar decide she needed a new paramour?” I snorted. “Trenyth, unless you know something that we should, our father is a sore subject. Especially for Camille.”
“I know, but…” He rubbed his chin and let out an exasperated sigh. “There are rumors…I don’t know how true they are, but there are rumors going around that the Ambassador has had a falling out with Queen Tanaquar and she has tired of his attentions. She hasn’t officially labeled him pariah, but reliable sources have told me that your father no longer holds the ear of the Queen.”
So Daddy was on the outs with his lover, and his job might be on the line. I wanted to be empathetic, but after what he’d put Camille—and Menolly and me—through, it was hard. I couldn’t help but have a little niggle of schadenfreude.
Camille, however, said nothing. But a sad smile escaped and she folded her hands in her lap as Smoky rested his arm around her.
As we traveled through the streets, the quietude of the city began to settle through me and I leaned back and closed my eyes, a feeling of longing resonating through me like ripples on a pond. I missed Otherworld. I missed my home…but where was home, really?
“We really are windwalkers, aren’t we? No true home.”
Camille cocked her head. “Oh honey, no. Windwalkers have no place to call home. But we—we don’t have just one home. We have two. We’re so much luckier than some people.” She leaned across the space between the seats and took my hand. “It’s all in the perspective.”
Silent, meditating on what she’d said, I stared out the window as we clattered up the main road leading to the palace. Gleaming with alabaster, the palace was elegant in its simplicity. Surrounded by gardens, the royal courts were as clean and clear as the air. The road leading to the palace was spacious, paved with brown bricks. It ended in a cul-de-sac, with an island of grass at the end, where an oak tree grew so tall it was hard to see the top. A circle of early blooming jaspa flowers—they were a lot like Earthside crocus—surrounded the island, their fragrant white blossoms stark against the verdant green of the grass.
The carriage rolled into the cul-de-sac, stopping in front of the entrance. The driver opened the door and helped Camille and me out into the chill air. It was still early spring in Otherworld, too. The men followed. The driver bowed to Trenyth as a guard came up to lead us into the palace.
We followed Trenyth through the expansive halls, into the throne room. Chase turned this way and that, craning his neck to take in all the sights. He paused by a wood carving that ran the length of one wall. The bas-relief was etched out of oak and showed a procession of elves in the middle of the woodland, north of Lake Arvanal, where the elves held their sacred rituals. The raised edges were kissed with liquid silver, and the metal sparkled in the low light coming through the stained-glass windows of the hall.
Chase reached out, stopping a finger’s length before touching the carving. “This…there is so much magic in here. So much history.”
Camille joined him. “Yes, there is…but don’t touch it. That would be considered bad manners.” Then, she paused. “That’s right—I almost forgot with all the frenzy over the Tregarts. You have a distant ancestor who was an elf. Enough, perhaps, for your blood to recognize this place.”
He nodded, pressing his lips together, then returned to us. Trenyth motioned for us to hurry. We followed him into the throne room. There, on a throne of oak and holly, sat the Elfin Queen, as old as the world, as young as the spring. She wore a gown made of silver and blue, and her hair was bound up in braids like Iris often wore.
Even though Queen Asteria was as old as the hills, her hair was still pale and flaxen, though her face was lined with wrinkles. Elves aged so slowly that I couldn’t imagine when the Queen had been young—it had to be thousands upon thousands of years ago. She was wisdom incarnate, although we questioned a few of her decisions, and when she stood, all elves in the room knelt at her feet. Camille knelt in a deep curtsey while the men and I bowed low.
She motioned for us to stand. “Rise, my friends, and rest yourselves in my chamber. Eat, drink, please.”
As we sat down on the velvet benches at the sides of her throne, serving women offered us goblets of the clearest nectar ever gathered, and delicate cakes that melted in our mouths.
Queen Asteria slowly made the rounds, stopping before each of us. She motioned for us to stay seated. She smiled softly at Smoky. “Young beast, we meet again. You have been through difficult times recently. Word travels even here. But you have proven brave and loyal, and the Dragon Reaches are lucky to have you as one of their lords. Say hello to your mother next time you see her.”
Smoky took the offered hand and pressed his lips, then his forehead, to the top of her palm. “Your Highness, I will convey your message. Thank you.”
The Queen moved on to Camille. She leaned down and cupped Camille’s face. “My dear…there is nothing I can say except…I am proud of you.”
Camille’s eyes flickered, and she looked like she might cry, but then she merely nodded and smiled softly.
My turn was next. These rituals went back thousands of years. Though we had pressing business to discuss, protocol was to be followed. Tradition was the foundation of the elves, even more so than the Fae. Countless years went into forming the rites, and each generation learned from the last. The elves were the backbone of Otherworld—they provided continuity.
“And we have Delilah. She who was born craving the sunlight and now must walk among the stars. The Immortals are not always kind, but I think…if you have to serve one of them, you are lucky with he who chose you. And you are lucky with the man you’ve chosen.” She lifted my hand and looked at the smoky quartz ring. “He is constant. He is loving. And he will never betray you.”
I pressed my lips to her fingers. “Thank you. I knew that, but I’m glad you said so.” Suddenly realizing that Chase was sitting next to me, I glanced at him, but he was smiling at me and he mouthed I’m happy for you as the Queen moved on to him.
Queen Asteria stopped in front of Chase. She gazed at him, then reached out and touched him on the head. She closed her eyes and stood there, and Chase let out a little moan. After a
moment, she let him go and he gazed up at her, his eyes sparkling.
“Even though the beginning of your line was so long ago that it is shrouded in the centuries gone by, like recognizes like, and blood recognizes blood. Chase Garden Johnson, you have been our ally over Earthside. Now, I offer you something you never knew you wanted.” She motioned to Trenyth and he slipped to her side. She whispered in his ear and he nodded, then exited the room through a curtain off to the left.
“Chase, you know nothing about your elfin heritage. But I can give you history. I can give you names.”
“I—I—you can?” He sucked in a deep breath and looked at me, a hopeful gleam in his eye that I’d never seen.
“Yes, I offer you a glimpse of your past. Distant as it may be.”
Trenyth returned with a small chest, carved from a chunk of cedar with only a few runes engraved on the lid. He set it down next to the Queen, and she gestured for him to open it. He lifted off the lid and pulled out a journal that looked like it was ready to fall apart, then handed it to Queen Asteria, who opened it to a page somewhere in the center of the volume.
Without thinking, I blurted out, “You knew! You knew about Chase all this time and you never said anything.”
Queen Asteria smiled, laughing lightly. Her voice rang with the sound of wind chimes. “I have known since this young man first came into the employ of the Otherworld Intelligence Agency, but it was not time to tell him. We had to wait and see how his destiny played out. And now, we have some glimpse of his future.”
Chase coughed. “You know my destiny?” He sounded terrified.
“No, Chase. No one can ever predict destiny except for the Hags of Fate. But we have seen possibilities…and we want you to be prepared, so when you come to a crossroads, you can make an informed decision.”
She held up her hand. “Back along the lines of your maternal blood line, a thousand years ago, one of our people met a woman named Rosalia. She was an herbal woman, living on her own in what is now Italy, near the coast along the Ionian Sea. She never married, but an elf named Tristan fell in love with her. She became pregnant but was too afraid to come over to Otherworld.”
Chase was listening raptly. It was as if the rest of the room had disappeared and her voice was the only sound in the world.
“Rosalia bore twins—Io and Cris, and both thrived. They were half elf, and Tristan interacted with them. Io chose to return to Otherworld with his father when he was a young man, while Cris stayed Earthside. Cris hid his heritage, but he married and had children, and they grew strong. He told his children about their lineage, but he fell off a ledge when he was still young—by both human and elfin standards—and died. But his children remembered his story, and passed it along as they grew and had children. Elves and those with elfin blood are long-lived, but accidents were common in those days, and many of them died young.”
“I never heard any of those stories. None of long-lived relatives or romantic trysts with Otherworld beings.” Chase exhaled slowly, shifting in his seat. He absently reached for another cake.
“I am not surprised. As the generations evolved, the bloodline thinned, especially with no new infusion of elfin blood, and the stories of Rosalia and Tristan disappeared into legend, and finally, into history. But Tristan always kept watch over his children and grandchildren and their grandchildren from a distance.” She paused. “Would you like to meet him? Tristan, the father of your line?”
Camille jerked her head up. Smoky stared at Queen Asteria as if she’d just grown a second head. And I…I did a spit-take, cake crumbs spewing out of my mouth.
Chase grabbed my hand and squeezed it so hard I almost flinched. “Can…is it possible?”
Queen Asteria glanced at Trenyth. “While I talk to Delilah and her sister, please escort Chase to meet the elf who fathered his bloodline?” And before we could say a word, Trenyth had swept Chase away, through one of the doors, to meet his past.
While Chase was off learning about his distant past, we filled Queen Asteria in on what had been happening in the recent present, with Van, Jaycee, and the Tregarts. I reluctantly revealed the fact that Wilbur had been spying on us, keeping a journal, and that—although he wasn’t a traitor—our info, including the fact that Queen Asteria had the spirit seals, may have found its way to Shadow Wing.
The Queen sighed. “This is sorry news. If Shadow Wing breaks through to Otherworld, we’ll be the first stop on his journey. And even if he does not, surely he’ll enlist the goblins or the ogres or perhaps the sorcerers down in the Southern Wastes to do his dirty work for him.”
“That was our fear. Jaycee is dead. We’re going after Van and Newkirk tonight. If we win, we’ll have another spirit seal to bring to you. If not…then who knows what the hell will happen to it?” I kicked the floor. “What about the Keraastar Knights? You said they were going to be able to help us repair the portals?”
“Not until we have all seven knights. Nine—with nine seals—would be best. But for now, we have only five. I found a match for one of the spirit seals not possessed by Ben, Venus, and Amber. In fact, Amber’s brother Luke possesses the spark…so he has become one of our knights along with his sister. But the fifth seal, it is waiting for the right person—for the right knight to come along. By the way—Amber had her baby and she has a healthy, happy little girl. As to whether the spirit seal’s powers may have altered her in the womb, we aren’t sure. We won’t know what to expect until she grows up and has her first moon-time transformation to werewolf.”
The Keraastar Knights were a society that Queen Asteria had formed, composed of some of those who had possessed the spirit seals. She’d summoned them to Elqaneve and taken them in to train with her mages. For what purpose, we weren’t clear, and she wasn’t taking questions. My sisters and I didn’t think it was such a good idea, but till now, we hadn’t questioned her plan.
“Do you really think this is wise?” Even though it was a serious breach of protocol to express doubt, I couldn’t help it. “Queen Asteria, we’re worried. The spirit seals corrupt—they aren’t evil, but they corrupt and twist the mortals who try to wield them.”
Camille gave me a frantic look but then came to my defense before the Queen could speak. “Please, don’t be angry. But Delilah’s right. We are worried. You, yourself, told us that the spirit seals aren’t trifles or baubles, and they should be hidden away. We’ve seen what they can do—”
“Stop.” Asteria held up her hand. “No more doubt. Trust me, my girls. Trust me and have faith. And…for what it’s worth, rest easy. The true nature of my plan…that is hidden from everyone, regardless of what you think you know. There is no one to betray me because no one except the Hags of Fate knows the truth of the matter.”
That meant that King Uppala-Dahns and Queen Tanaquar didn’t know as much as they thought they knew.
Camille gently shook her head at me. We’d expressed our concerns. And that was all we could do.
“We have to leave soon. We just needed to warn you. Keep watch to the Goblin lands, and to the other Cryptos. Who knows what the Tregarts have been up to?” I stood, looking for Chase.
“Your detective will be out shortly. Fear not. We will keep the watchtowers lit and active. And the grapevine runs in my favor. Now go home and do your best to corral this new threat. I will send more guards to watch over your house.”
As Chase reappeared, a bemused and easy look on his face, we stood. After we made polite leave, Trenyth escorted us out and back to the portals. But I couldn’t help but feel that giving the spirit seals to the knights instead of locking them away was a huge mistake, and I knew Camille thought it so.
As we hugged Trenyth good-bye and stepped through the portal, I hoped to hell that the Queen wasn’t making a mistake that could bring down both of our worlds.
Chapter 21
Chase wasn’t talking about his experience yet. I was curious, but Camille and I’d agreed we wouldn’t push him. There was so much for him to accept. First wit
h the Nectar of Life, and now this. He’d never met his birth father, but now he’d met the father of his family line, the line through which his mother was born. And that had to be huge.
By the time we got home—Chase accompanying us—it was nearing sundown. We had time to eat and rest for an hour or so before heading out.
Hanna was cooking dinner and Marion was helping her. Marion confirmed that all her kids were fine, which was a relief, and that she and Douglas had talked it over and decided to rebuild after all the mess was cleaned up. She glanced at me, and I saw in her eyes that all thought of divorce was gone. Somehow, the threat to their lives had rekindled whatever it was they thought was lost.
“We’re not letting the Koyanni push us out.” She gave me a cold smile, and her teeth suddenly looked sharp and vicious. “I’m not a pushover. They killed Trixie, they took my house, they burned my café. It ends here.”
I patted her arm. “I understand. Hopefully, it will end tonight. Meanwhile you are welcome to stay here as long as you need to.”
“I’ve got all your gear ready. Go take showers and get dressed.” Roz had laid out all our weapons in the living room.
After we showered, Hanna put dinner on the table. Her cooking wasn’t as good as Iris’s, but she made a mean pea soup—thick and hearty—with smoked sausage that had been fried up with onions and garlic.
We gathered around the table. Morio started to set up the computer, but Hanna shook her head. “Food first. You have time after you sup to go over your plans. Now—sit. Eat.”
I snickered. Hanna was getting more comfortable in her place with the family, and now that Iris was on her honeymoon, she seemed to be blossoming out. When Iris was around, Hanna was careful never to step on toes—she respected Iris’s place in the hierarchy. But now, she seemed to be growing into her place in our home.
Trillian laughed. “The cook makes the rules.” He winked at Hanna and she blushed. Her hair was the color of spun wheat, pulled back in a braid that reached her shoulders. Though she showed her age—and maybe a little more—from the years serving Hyto, she was still an attractive woman. She would have been close to forty if she’d been human, and her eyes were a warm hazel.
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