by P. C. Cast
Anastasia was saying, “Shaunee, who is your mentor?”
“It was Lenobia,” she said softly.
“Oh. Well, then. I shall mentor you myself. Lenobia and I were fast friends. Next week you and I will discuss your classes and be sure that you get plenty of training in rituals and circle-casting. You’ll need to—”
She was interrupted by a massive commotion in the hallway outside her office, and the door burst inward to reveal Other Neferet standing in the middle of a nest of writhing, hissing tendrils of Darkness. Beside her was a middle-aged woman I instantly recognized as Lynette. Sons of Erebus Warriors were closing in around her. Their weapons were drawn, and they looked grim.
Neferet was utterly serene. “Hello, Anastasia.”
Both of the Starks moved as one, pushing Kacie and me behind them. Rephaim and Kevin joined them as Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, and Shaunee sprinted behind the wall of Warriors they’d created.
“Anastasia! ” Dragon’s roar came from behind Neferet.
Neferet didn’t so much as glance at him, but instead spoke in a perfectly reasonable, calm tone. “Oh, relax, Dragon. Your mate is completely unharmed—unlike my Lynette and I would be if my children weren’t here to protect us. Anastasia, I must tell you that under your leadership, my House of Night has certainly become unwelcoming.”
Anastasia stood. “My House of Night is welcoming—to friends. You are not a friend.”
Her full lips turned up. “Well, perhaps not, but you will be very glad to receive the information I bring.” Her emerald eyes found me. “I see that you already realize you are in danger—the little busybody from that Other World has arrived before me.”
Dragon filled the doorway behind Neferet. I could see Damien in the group of Warriors that had taken position beside him. He was holding a fencing saber, which he wielded with deadly accuracy.
I couldn’t keep my mouth shut another second.
“What the hell do you want, Neferet?”
She looked at me directly and said, “Why, oddly enough, the same thing you want. I want to kill the Neferet from your world before she kills all of us, and to do so, you need to call forth this world’s winged immortal named Kalona, which I happen to know you cannot do without me. So, why don’t you all stop this boringly predictable posturing, put down your toylike weapons, offer my handmaid and me a seat and refreshments—and let’s talk.”
32
Zoey
What followed was utterly bizarre. When no one moved or said anything, Neferet sighed dramatically.
“Lynette, dearest, please give the prophecy to Anastasia.” Lynette began to walk forward, but Neferet’s hand on her shoulder halted her. “First, I will need to know that none of the testosterone-filled Warriors standing between us and the High Priestess will harm my handmaid.”
“They will not,” said Anastasia.
I could feel tension radiating off the two Starks, Kevin, and Rephaim—Neferet must have as well because she continued to maintain a grip on Lynette’s shoulder, saying, “Warriors, will you allow my handmaid to pass to the High Priestess?”
The four of them nodded.
“Go ahead, dearest.”
Lynette moved from Neferet’s side, and the tendrils of Darkness parted just enough to let her pass. She didn’t look at any of the Warriors, but kept her gaze on Anastasia, going directly to her and handing her a piece of paper. I could see that it had what looked like a poem printed on it. Lynette turned and hurried back to Neferet’s side.
Anastasia quickly read the paper. “Where did you get this?”
“Although it isn’t important, there is no reason you should not know. Old Magick sprites gave it to me. They said it is an ancient prophetic poem that tells how to raise a winged immortal. One of the sprites, let us call her a friend of mine, was very helpful and translated one line in particular for me.” She quoted, “ ‘By the blood of she who is neither foe nor friend he is free.’ Describes me perfectly, does it not?”
“Actually, no. You’re definitely a foe,” said Aphrodite.
“I thought you were dead,” Neferet said.
“Same,” Aphrodite shot back.
Neferet stared at her, taking in her red-and-blue tattoo. Then her gaze went to the two Starks and then me. She laughed softly. “I see! Several of you are from that mirror world. If I had more time and no life, I might find this interesting.” Neferet paused and shrugged a shoulder. “No, that’s a lie. I would never find any of you interesting. But what is interesting is the fact that I come to you today offering you a truce. We have a common enemy, which does not make us friends, but it can make us temporary allies. I have one piece of the puzzle that will call forth the winged immortal. I assume the rest of you can find the other pieces. But I am not going to stand here like a castle under siege. Are you willing to be allies, or shall I show myself out, disappear into Europe somewhere, and leave you to deal with that monster by yourselves?”
I walked around Anastasia’s desk. One glance at the paper was all it took. “It’s the prophetic poem,” I said.
“The same one we have?” Aphrodite asked.
“Yep,” I said.
Anastasia and I shared a look. I nodded slightly.
“We will talk,” Anastasia said.
“Excellent,” Neferet said. “But let us move to the Council Room. I can hardly bear the change in my office’s décor.”
“Dragon,” Anastasia called. “The Warriors and you will lead the way to the Council Room. Keep the fledglings well back. Neferet will follow, and we will bring up the rear.”
“So ridiculously dramatic,” Neferet muttered.
Lynette touched her arm gently. “Be strong, my lady. It will all be worth it.”
“Thank you for the reminder, dearest.”
I watched their exchange with interest. I’d seen our Neferet fake affection. She used to be good at it. She’d even fooled me for a while. This Neferet appeared to actually care for Lynette, which could be an act. But what really struck me was the ease with which Lynette responded to her. She looked at her with genuine affection, and she seemed relaxed and confident in her presence.
Could this Neferet really have formed a true friendship? With a human! And if she had, would that change her?
As Anastasia had commanded, Dragon and his Warriors led the way, clearing the halls and keeping Neferet under close watch. Neferet and Lynette followed with the nest of fat tendrils that seethed around them, creating a living barrier between the two women and the Warriors. Then the Starks, Kevin, and Rephaim left the room, with Anastasia, Stevie Rae, Kacie, Shaunee, and me bringing up the rear.
I grabbed Shaunee’s wrist as we came to the doorway. “Don’t come with us. We don’t know what’s going to happen, and you might not be safe.”
She looked at me and I had a moment of déjà vu when she said, “That’s why you need fire to come with you, ’cause it can burn, baby, burn!”
I couldn’t argue with that. I nodded gratefully, and we all trooped down the hall to the Conference Room. When we arrived, Dragon and a dozen linebacker-sized Warriors were already in the room. Neferet stopped just outside.
“This is absurd. We simply cannot all fit in there.” She turned and looked between the two Starks to find Anastasia. “If I wanted to hurt anyone here, I would not wait until I was in that room to do so. I give you my word that I have no violent intentions.”
“What is your word worth?” I asked.
She narrowed her green eyes as she turned her gaze to me. “You are no less annoying than you were the last time we met. If you won’t accept my word, accept logic. No matter how many Warriors you pack into that room, my children could devour them, and I would get free. More logic—you know your Neferet better than I, and I believe she is completely mad and a danger to us all. Don’t you?”
I answered truthfully. “I do.”
“Then let us do away with this boring show of force and get to work on how to stop her.”
“Dragon, the Warriors can wait outside the Conference Room,” said Anastasia.
As they trooped out, Neferet said, “Would one of you be a dear and bring me a lovely bottle of the red from my private collection and a carafe of blood—with two glasses.”
The Warriors looked to Anastasia, who nodded slightly.
Neferet smiled silkily, and she and Lynette entered the room. She glided past Dragon and then Damien, where she paused briefly. “You must be from Zoey’s world too.”
“I am,” Damien said, still holding his saber.
“You seem less morose than your version in this world was. Huh. Odd how small things can change us, is it not?”
“You expect us to believe you’ve changed?” James said as he took a seat beside Kacie.
Neferet’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she and Lynette took their seats—with her tendrils filling the space around the two of them. “Ah, you I recognize. You’re my Stark. You look as deliciously uptight as usual. Still following every tiny little rule possible?”
“I was never your anything,” James snapped.
Aphrodite whispered to me, “Does their Neferet have a sense of humor?”
“Who knows?” I whispered back. “All I know for sure is, right now, she doesn’t seem as crazy as ours.”
As we were taking our seats, Grandma rushed into the room.
“Merry meet, High Priestess Anastasia,” she said, fisting her hand over her heart, though her eyes were on Neferet.
“Ah, good. Please join us, Sylvia.”
“Why is a human here?” Neferet asked.
“Why is that human here?” James countered with, pointing at Lynette.
Neferet waved James away dismissively with a flick of her well-
manicured nails and said, “Because she is my human. Who is she?”
Stevie Rae went to Grandma’s defense before I could. “She’s our human, so back off, or we’ll be on you faster than a dog on a bone.”
“And she knows more about the prophecy than any vampyre,” I said. “She and her people have kept record of it for all these years. Her name is Redbird. You can call her that.”
“Redbird …” Neferet turned to Lynette. “Dearest, why is that familiar?”
“It’s Zoey’s last name.”
“Oh, I see.” She looked at Grandma, who sat across the circle from her, beside me. “Which world are you from?”
“This one.”
“And this prophecy, it is Native American?”
“It is,” said G-ma.
“Well, then, what other pieces of the puzzle do you have? I fulfill the line about neither friend nor foe. My guess is Zoey and her little band of morons—”
Lynette touched her arm gently. “My lady, we talked about this before we arrived, remember?”
Neferet sighed and patted Lynette’s hand. “Thank you, dearest. You are correct as usual. There is no need for rudeness.” She turned back to Grandma. “As I was saying, Zoey and her little band of travelers must have some idea to whom the rest of the poem refers.”
The wine and blood came then, and Lynette poured Neferet equal parts wine and blood before filling her own goblet with wine. I watched them touch their glasses together and continued to be amazed at the ease and intimacy with which Lynette handled her. I think they’re actually friends!
“High Priestess, do I have your permission to proceed?” Grandma asked.
“You do,” Anastasia said.
Grandma stood. “We believe this prophecy refers to an immortal my people called Kalona of the Silver Wings—or just Silver Wings. It seems, from this poem and from other sources,” she glanced at Rephaim, who nodded, “that he was Nyx’s Warrior, perhaps even brother to Erebus, and he retreated from the world for a noble reason. In Zoey’s world—”
“Yes, yes, yes,” Neferet interrupted. “I read the articles. In Zoey’s world Kalona was killed by that Neferet because he’d given a portion of his immortality to Stark.” She looked from my Stark to James and her lips twitched up. “Which means Stark got the better deal. Our supposition is that if we call our Kalona forth and raise him from whatever is imprisoning him, that he will be grateful and help us destroy your world’s Neferet.”
“We call her Batshit. It saves confusion,” said Stevie Rae.
“Batshit—accurate, but too vulgar. I call her the Monstress, as she is truly twisted and unimaginably monstrous,” said Neferet. “And I know all of this. What I do not know is who fulfills the rest of the prophecy.”
Kacie lifted her hand. “I fulfill the fire and water red part.”
“Interesting,” Neferet said. “Not one, but two female red vampyres. And why do you fulfill that line?”
“I was dead—pretty recently, actually. And when I resurrected I was fully Changed and gifted with affinities for fire and water.”
“That is fascinating,” said Lynette.
Rephaim spoke up. “I fulfill the other part. In our world, I am Kalona’s son.”
“Does he have no son in this world?” Neferet asked.
“No,” said Rephaim.
“So, with me you now have all the requirements you need to call forth the winged immortal and secure his aid in defeating the Monstress.” She sipped her wine before continuing. “Though I think we should all be prepared if he refuses. I have some experience in freeing immortals. They tend to show their gratitude in odd ways—like trying to kill you and your friends.”
Grandma Redbird lifted her hand. “I can address that. Kalona of the Silver Wings was a Warrior of Nyx. He battled Darkness. This Other Neferet, the Monstress, is definitely in league with Darkness. So, it is his duty to battle her.”
I couldn’t help but add, “And those of us who follow Nyx and are on the side of Light believe in doing our duty.”
“Yes, we’ve already established what tedious little rule followers you are,” said Neferet. “Do any of you know where we must be to call forth Kalona?”
“We all know,” I said. “It’s the same place he came from in my world. Out there in the rear grounds at that big oak by the east wall. You know—right by where you killed this world’s version of me.”
“You carry a grudge. I can appreciate that, but perhaps you should set aside your personal grievances until after we’ve saved both of our worlds,” said Neferet.
Dragon was standing behind Anastasia’s chair and he stepped up. “Which brings up another point. If you believe a temporary alliance with you exonerates you from your many crimes, you are mistaken.”
Neferet let out a long-suffering sigh. “Of course, you would feel the need to threaten me, even when the danger we face is so much worse. Let me remind you, Swordmaster, until modern times vampyres had always been allowed to kill humans who threaten them. That is what I did. Loren Blake was a traitor who conspired against this House of Night—consider it an execution that I carried out before you could.”
James shook his head, and I thought he looked like he was going to be sick. “You’re responsible for the deaths of other vampyres—noble, blame-free vampyres.”
“Like my sister,” said Kevin.
“And our wonderful Lenobia,” added Anastasia.
Neferet ignored everyone except Anastasia. “That was war. I was on one side—a side, you should note, that General Stark was on as well—and those vampyres, or fledglings, were our enemies. It was that simple. But I care little for your uninspired exoneration or your pedantic laws. Do you really think I came here without being completely sure that my children, my handmaid, and I could leave when we wished to? If you do not accept my aid, that is exactly what I shall do—leave. I will disappear, and you will have to face that creature I mistakenly allowed to be free, and, I assure you, she is no longer va
mpyre and is certainly not goddess, but she is more dangerous than you can imagine. I have the ability to hide from her and live a long and pleasant life. Can all of you say the same thing? Or shall we agree to work together to destroy her?”
When Dragon and James began to shout a response, Anastasia lifted her hand, silencing them. She met Neferet’s gaze steadily and asked, “And after we destroy her, then what? Do you think you will return to this House of Night as its High Priestess?”
Neferet laughed gaily. “Oh, no, no, no. I have formally renounced my title as High Priestess. My future has changed, and for the better. When the Monstress is destroyed, I will leave Oklahoma and this country. I intend to establish a place of my own where things of beauty are revered, and I am benevolent mistress of all I survey.” She sipped from her goblet. “So, shall I stay or go?”
“You will stay and fight with us to defeat the monster you loosed,” said Anastasia firmly.
Just as firmly, I added, “And then you’ll go.”
33
Zoey
“Are you ready to do this?” Damien asked me as we began to take our places around the big oak at the east wall.
I wasn’t, of course, but I definitely couldn’t say that. So, instead, I tried to sound strong and sure of myself, hoping that the real feelings would follow. “Yeah, and remember, it’s not going to be like last time. This time we’re raising a different version of Kalona and we’re doing it on purpose.”
I couldn’t help but remember last time—it seemed like ages ago but had really only been about a year and a half. Back in our world, I’d planned to introduce the House of Night to a new kind of vampyre, the red vamps, and also to hopefully prove that Neferet was an enemy. That plan had gone horribly wrong when Neferet had appeared with a newly resurrected Stark, who definitely hadn’t had a good handle on his humanity yet. She’d ordered him to shoot Stevie Rae so that her blood flowed around the tree and completed our world’s prophecy, allowing a fallen and decidedly evil Kalona and his Raven Mocker children to rise and, as Stevie Rae would say, open up a whole can of whoop-ass on Tulsa.