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As she gestured frantically, a sudden fireball appeared from the back and the roof lit up. The others raced around, Peyton and Kaylin and Wrath, and we watched as the flames engulfed the roof of the Veil House.
“Who set it on fire?”
“I did . . . ” Rhiannon whispered, looking pale and terrified. “It was an accident. I caught a low-hanging branch and it smoldered. I was focusing on the Shadow Hunter, trying to stop him before he could get to me and then . . . by the time the flames chased him back, the branch burst and sent a flame to the shingles. It caught, but I thought it might go out there . . . the snow was coming down so thick.”
“Magical fire burns hotter than regular fire.” I glanced around. Myst’s people hadn’t come into the front yard. They were probably too busy watching the fire from the borders of the wood.
“Call nine-one-one?” Peyton asked.
I took out my phone and tried, but when the operator picked up and I told her what house it was, she cut me off and the line went dead.
“Either Geoffrey or Myst cut off our access to help. We are truly alone.”
“Not so much. We have the Consortium—we can go to them. Bring in some of the powerful magic-born.” Rhiannon shook her head. “Formalize our Society and then call on them for backing. If we’re part of the Consortium, they’ll have to help us.”
I glanced at Rhiannon. “You might have something there. As of tonight, I form the Moon Spinners Society—and we who are here are the founders. Our initiation is by fire and ice—our powers of strength.”
We joined hands, all but Luna, whom we mentally included in our circle, and with Ulean at my back, we made our pledges.
By life and death . . .
By sacred trust . . .
I pledge my honor . . .
I pledge my love . . .
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.”
