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But she surprised me. “Yes, you do. But think long and hard before you decide whose side you wish to stand on.”
Geoffrey let out a hiss, but Lainule shushed him. “I told you—I will agree to this only as long as it is voluntary. But if the child refuses, I turn my back on her. Cicely, you have the chance to sacrifice yourself to rid the world of Myst. If you choose your life over this . . . we have little to say.”
“This is why you insisted Wrath impregnate my mother. You foresaw this coming. All along, you planned this with Geoffrey.” I stared at her, certain I was right. And she gazed back at me, unmoved, unmoving.
“Some wars are fought in minutes, others are in the planning for generations. We knew Myst would resurface. We knew that you would return to be with Grieve. What better way to defeat Myst than to create a force who could equal her power and yet retain control over her desires? You are the perfect choice. You were her daughter—and you have her soul-mark in your own soul. Yet you do not seek the power she craves. Your potential is vast and untapped.”
At that moment, Wrath strode into the room, slamming the door open against the wall. “Stop! You will not do this—you will not force her to make this move.” Grieve and Lannan were behind him. Grieve looked ragged and worn, but alive. Lannan looked dark, hostile, and angry.
I let out a little cry and ran over toward my father, wanting to go to Grieve but sensing now was not the best time. “They want me to let Geoffrey turn me—to set me up against Myst by his side.”
“You are one of the Uwilahsidhe. The Owl People abjure the Queen of Spiders. You will not let them do this to you. I will not allow it.” Wrath turned an angry face on Lainule. “My beloved, what can you be thinking? This is madness. You listen to the bloodsuckers too readily.”
“This is why I did not tell you the plan—you are too softhearted, my husband. We will not force her, but if she turns aside, then she is no use to us. We must defeat the Winter. Cicely and Geoffrey can do so, together. Cicely is only now coming into her powers. Think of what she could do if she combined her magic, her strength as one of the Uwilahsidhe, and the power of the vampires.” Lainule reached toward Wrath, but he shook off her touch.
“That was attempted once and look at what it engendered—Myst, herself. No, this will not happen. And perhaps, if we have to go to this length, then Summer is not meant to stand against Winter. There are other ways, other avenues to defeating an enemy.” He stared at Lainule for a long time. “My love, you are courting danger. You risk becoming as dark as the Mistress of Mayhem. I fear for you.”
“She stole my kingdom. She killed my people. Your people. You are Uwilahsidhe. You court the path of the Unseelie all too often, and you would dare to lecture me? Be gone—King of mine. Out of my sight. I cannot bear to look upon you.” Lainule turned her back on Wrath, who looked as though she had struck him.
He turned away, then to Lannan. “You were correct. I had no clue this is what they planned.”
Geoffrey slowly swung toward Lannan, who glanced in my direction, then stood definitely, facing them. “Lannan . . . you told Wrath our plans? I thought we agreed there was no need.” He raised one hand. “You haven’t, by chance, been speaking to your sister, have you?”
Lannan snorted. “I care nothing for the Crimson Queen nor her court . . . but my sister cares about her position. I’m sure she would love to hear your plans to usurp the Crimson Queen’s position.”
“You’d damned well better keep your mouth shut. If you don’t, I will remove your head. I’ve warned you before. Your stable, everything you own is in danger. You know I won’t hesitate to destroy you and your sister in the process. Keep quiet, both of you live. Speak, and both of you die. Again and this time, for good.” He turned to me. “I know how you feel about Lannan. Would you now align yourself with him, hating him as much as you do?”
I stepped back, looking at all of them. “I choose for myself—and as much as I hate what Lannan has done to me, at least he is honest about what he wants. He sees reason. I will not allow you to turn me. Not for all the summer nights in the world.”
“Then leave and be damned. Take your lover with you, and Lannan, as well. Altos, you are outcast—pariah in my lands. I strip you of your job and your place in our society. I’m going to tell Regina you’ve gone on a trip for me. Keep quiet, and she will live.”
Lannan wandered over to stand beside Wrath, Grieve, and me. He gave Grieve a contemptuous look. “I have made my choice. Myst can only be stopped by an alliance of forces, not by the rise of a long-forgotten warlord. Geoffrey, you only seek to use Cicely for your own ends. You would never share your power with her once the dust settled. You would destroy her, as you plan to destroy Myst. The world is large; I happen to believe that the Fae and the vampires can coexist, but I don’t believe for an instant that you agree. But know this: If you touch one golden hair of my sister’s head, I will raise an army and obliterate you and your world.”
“We seem to be at a standstill. I will not harm your sister if you keep quiet, and you stay away in return for her continued well-being.”
I turned toward Lannan, wondering. Could he really believe what Geoffrey said? As much as I wanted to stake him, Lannan was taking my side. I sidled over to Grieve and quietly took his hand. I wanted to kiss him, to hold him and ask how he was, but we both knew better. This was not the time for a reunion.
“Lannan, leave my house. Cicely, you, too. I wish you luck in keeping alive without our protection. Tell Leo he must choose—either work with me, or align himself to you and your cousin, but he cannot do both. If he does not report for work tomorrow, tomorrow night he will be taken off the rolls. Just pray you do not meet me on the opposite side of the battleground. Lainule, attend me.”
Geoffrey turned away and stormed out the door.
Lannan let out a sigh. “Geoffrey has always been—and will always be—a warlord. He misses the battle, he misses the conquest. He may be Regent, but once the Crimson Queen understands how deep his ambitions lie, I can only hope she’s not too late in putting a stop to them. Because the day he can, he will topple her from the throne and take control. And my sister will be next in line to die.”
At the door, Lainule turned back to us, her gaze fastened on Wrath. “Be cautious—you have no allies. Return to the fold; accept that only through solidarity can we defeat the Winter.”
“Not at the sacrifice of my daughter,” Wrath said.
“Then prepare to meet your doom—but never at my hands.” She motioned to Anadey and they slowly followed Geoffrey out of the room.
I turned to Wrath, Lannan, and Grieve. “What the fuck are we supposed to do now? I couldn’t do it . . . I couldn’t let Geoffrey turn me.”
Wrath shook his head. “I have been the King of Summer for eons, but my Lady doesn’t always tell me her plans. And she is terrified—her heartstone still lies within the boundaries of the Golden Wood. If Myst finds it . . .”
“She’ll destroy Lainule.” And there it was—the fear within Lainule was born of self-preservation.
“What if we get it back?” Grieve turned to me. “Cicely, my love . . . I am cured of the light-rage, but I am still part of Myst’s people. I will do my best to control my impulses. And if I can’t . . .”
“Then we will have to destroy you,” Lannan said. “I must figure out a way to warn my sister so she can get out before Geoffrey does something to her, but we can’t tarry here. Geoffrey will return and he will kill us if we’re still around. Of that much, I guarantee.”
