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I pledge my power . . .
I pledge my heart . . .
I pledge my magic . . .
I pledge my Art.
As we each repeated the charm, the power grew, and I stepped forward. I was High Priestess of the Moon Spinners, and it was up to me to take the lead. I pulled out my fan and, cheeks stained with the blood of our enemy, I whispered, Hurricane Force, and sent the wind speeding toward the house.
The wind whipped the flames into a fury, acting like a bomb, and exploded them high into the night sky. If we couldn’t have the house, neither could Myst. She might try to harness the power of the land, but I had a feeling the ley lines ran far older than she, and my bets were they would refuse to be used by the Indigo Court. I hoped to hell I was right.
“Let all within earshot of slipstream and wind currents hear me: The Moon Spinners are coming for you, Myst. We will not rest until we grind you beneath our feet. And we are from all walks of life, and all paths, and all races. We will not bow before the Indigo Court. We will not rest until we’ve reclaimed and rebuilt our home. I, Cicely who was once Cherish, your daughter, lead the army.”
As my words echoed through the yard, carrying on the wind to all quarters, carrying on the slipstream, I turned back to the others. “Lannan, your offer is a welcome one, but you’re right—we can’t stay there. Kaylin, can you find us a place to hide for now?”
He nodded. “All are pledged by death and honor to keep our new digs secret. You know that, don’t you?” Looking specifically at Lannan, he waited for us. We each answered with a nod, even Lannan.
And so, as the Veil House roared in flames against the sky, we headed for our cars and passed off Vyne Street, a silent procession in the night. Wrath rode with me and Luna and the cats, who slept silently, engulfed in the depths of Luna’s charm.
“My dear, you do realize what you have done?” My father glanced at me as we crept down the snowy streets, our engines muffled by the thick layer of snow Myst was wreaking upon the area.
“Yes, I do. I’ve created a force. I’ve created a power. And we will go to the Consortium and demand backing. They may not like the fact that we are Fae and magic-born, Were and magic-born, Fae and Indigo Court, yummanii, and vampire, but they will have to accept us. They gave me the challenge and I have risen to it. But I still want to learn to control my blade.”
He shook his head. “The obsidian knife is a dangerous tool for one with Myst’s soul blood—it’s bad enough in the hands of one of her soldiers. Obsidian links with the energy of the Vampiric Fae; it’s symbiotic.”
“Then so much the better. I had no trouble killing off her warriors with it. Look at what the blade did for me—it turned me into a warrior—”
“No!” Wrath glowered. “It turned you into a killing machine. Look at your face—look at your hands. Think back to the joy in your heart over the devastation of your enemy. Though we must fight them, though we must destroy them, it is not our way to take great pleasure in the pain of others. Cambyra Fae are dark, yes; we walk on the edge of the Unseelie Court depending on our nature . . . but in my family, we do not align ourselves with monsters!”
I let out a slow cough, the memory of my sheer delight in the carnage tweaking me. “I know . . . but there may come a time, my father, when you will have to turn me loose against them. I may be the only weapon you have. And I will need every advantage I can garner. Put the blade away for now, if you will, but promise me you won’t destroy it.”
He sighed, then nodded. “I will do so. And in return, I will outfit you with a blade from my realm that will leave you joyful, but not a monster at heart. I have a silver dagger that I saved for you, when I knew Krystal was pregnant.”
That was the first time he’d ever said her name, and I glanced at him. “Did you like her?” Please, oh please, say you liked her. Please say you didn’t just fuck her because Lainule ordered you to.
As the streets glided by in a silent blur of snowflakes and flickering streetlights, Wrath let out a long sigh.
“She was a troubled young woman. I wanted to help, but it would have interfered with your future. I could have taken her to my realm, kept her among my consorts where she would have been happy—or at least, less troubled. But Lainule foresaw the future . . . she knew you would need the childhood you had in order to toughen you up. Your mother was . . . a sacrifice so that you might become the woman you are.”
Tears streaming down my face, I pressed my lips shut and followed Kaylin and Rhiannon. He was driving her car, with Peyton and Grieve and Chatter inside. As we wove through the night, a strange inky cloak seemed to surround both vehicles and I knew it was coming from Kaylin.
His night-veil is awake, and it can create shadows to cloak movement. No one can see the cars or feel our presence.
Thank you. And Ulean, I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you earlier. I was caught up in the rush of the blade, in the power of the hunt.
I understand. But Cicely, there are long, dark days ahead. Don’t be so rash. Don’t be so quick to lead the brigade. A good leader learns when to hang back and let someone more experienced take over.
It was Kaylin’s idea for me to use the obsidian knife. Do you think he knew what would happen?
I don’t know . . . but Kaylin runs clean energy, even now with his night-veil demon awake.
A peal of bells rang twelve times as we turned into the industrial district right outside town and crept into a maze of a parking lot. Old junkers filled the lot and we parked near the edge of a huge warehouse and climbed out.>“Where would we go?” Rhiannon whispered.
But then, even as she spoke, the kitchen door slammed open and two of the Shadow Hunters broke through. At the same time, Lannan came racing through the front door, iron stakes in hand.
I was nearest the living room, and I reached out and grabbed one of the stakes from him as he passed by. He tossed the others to Kaylin, Peyton, and Rhiannon, keeping one for himself. Luna, looking horrified, grabbed up a flute, and my first thought was, You aren’t going to charm these savage beasts with music, but the sound that came out of her instrument was low and sultry and quickened my blood. I stared at her, realizing she was casting a charm over all of us—a fighting charm.
And then there was no more time to stare because one of the Shadow Hunters was staring me in the face. I swung, striking with the obsidian blade. The blade seemed to adjust my aim and I managed a clean swipe along the Shadow Hunter’s arm. He let out a shriek, unlike any I’d heard when attacking with my switchblade, and a sudden fountain of blood sprung up and began to bubble over onto the floor.
