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A scream cut through the air. A woman’s scream. I plunged into the opening, followed by the others, and out into a lush inner sanctum. Under a golden green glow that emanated from the walls rippled a small pool, and on the pool, silver water lilies floated. Sparkling lights filled the air, clouding me with a strange perfume. I reeled and went down on my knees as the heady scent overwhelmed me. Rhia and Kaylin were down for the count, too. But Chatter stood tall, his gaze darting around the chamber.
I followed his lead. There, over by the edge of the pond, lay a lithe, nude woman. She looked ethereal, lovely, and yet feral, but she also looked very dead. Her throat had been ripped open, and blood poured down her neck. To her left, stood Grieve, looking distant and aloof. Blood coated his lips.
My stomach twisted. What the fuck had happened? Chatter dragged me to my feet, and slogging through the magical force field, I leaned on his shoulder as he half-carried, half-led me over to Grieve’s side.
Grieve looked up as we approached, grimacing as he wiped his mouth and stared at the blood smearing his fingers. Letting out a little snarl, he threw himself down at the water’s edge and began splashing water on his face.
“Grieve…” Chatter’s voice was hesitant. Grieve looked like he was in some form of shock.
My love stared at the water. “Her song was so compelling. I couldn’t resist her. And when I drew close, she began to change.”
Chatter crouched down beside the dead woman and examined her, brushing her long dark hair to the side. His fingers brushed her skin lightly and examined her fingernails, then stood. “Iron nails. She’s one of the Black Annis. One of the Wilding Fae, like the snow hag. Dangerous and deadly, with a taste for flesh. If you hadn’t killed her, she would have killed you. Most likely one of the guardians Lainule stationed here. But what was she guarding?”
Grieve winced. “I tore her throat open. She was so beautiful, and her voice so tender, and then she began to shift and I acted on instinct. I ripped her throat out and would have gorged on her blood if I hadn’t managed to force myself away from her. But when she died, the spell broke and I was able to stumble away.”
The anguish in his voice echoed in the chamber, but there was nothing any of us could do to make him feel better about savaging the Fae. So I decided the best bet was to let it be.
I glanced around, but we were alone. “She had to be guarding something, so what was it? Surely not the heartstone—she couldn’t be the only guardian they’d set over it. So what was she protecting?” The magic was still heavy, but the longer she was dead, the lighter the energy was getting. I was almost able to stand on my own.
Chatter nodded thoughtfully. “Makes sense to me.” He patted Grieve on the arm. “Come on, let’s have a look around and see what we can find.”
Grieve slowly stood, his face and fingers wet but clean. He rested his gaze on me, almost as if afraid of what he would see. I gave him a soft smile and blew him a kiss but didn’t go near. The Indigo Court side of him was near the surface and I didn’t want to set it off again. He seemed to understand.
Rhia and Kaylin struggled to their feet. The weight of the energy was still heavy, but we were all able to stand now. I sucked in a deep breath. The perfume in the air was clearing out. As I began to poke around, Grieve stared into the pool, his gaze fixated on something below the surface.
“Whatever she was protecting is in the pool.” He motioned and, following his direction, I could see something glimmering in the center of the shallow water. It appeared to be made of brass, or copper. As I wondered just how we were going to get it out and remain dry, Grieve began to stride into the water.
“No!”
He stopped and turned back to me. “What?”
“There might be something in the water that we can’t see.” I was getting paranoid of every move we made.
Grieve shrugged. “There might, but there’s no other way to find out what she was guarding and I think we will need whatever it is.” He turned back to the water and, focusing, steadied himself as he walked farther into the pond. When the level of the pool reached up to his chest, he sucked in a deep breath and dove beneath the water. I stiffened, waiting for something to erupt from below the surface, but nothing happened.
As Grieve broke through the glassy surface again, he held up a small brass box. It was intricately embossed with an oak leaf design, and was about the size of a box of checks, with a hinged lid. While there was no lock, it seemed tightly closed.
Grieve stared at it for a moment, then handed it to me. “Open it. I cannot.”
I cocked my head, looking at him, but he didn’t explain. As I slowly touched the lid, a tremor ran through my fingers and I caught my breath. A cool wind gusted by and Ulean was at my side, whisking this way and that.
I’m not opening Pandora’s box, am I?
No, but you open the door to a dangerous path and an even darker journey. But go on it you must. Lainule has given her consent, and therefore, wherever it leads, I will surely go with you. Open this box and there is no turning back. Open this box and you have sealed your fate.
Do you know what lies within?
Yes, I do. I was here when it was first placed in the waters, a thousand past a thousand years ago and beyond. I was here when the Black Annis was charged to watch the pool. Very few could have killed her, but she was not a match for one from the Indigo Court.
Was she the reason Grieve had to come with us? It suddenly occurred to me that Grieve was here for more reasons than the fact that he’d been part of Lainule’s realm. If we were to battle Summer’s guardians, we needed someone from the outside. Because even Chatter was no match for the Wilding Fae.
There are many reasons Grieve is here. This is the ascent to a culmination of events set in motion far in the past, the day you first met Grieve.
When I was Cherish, right?
No, long before that. In times neither of you yet remember, destiny had a hand in the machinations of the realm of Summer, and the Indigo Court through you. You can walk through the fire, Cicely. Or you can put the box back in the water, turn, and go. But your choice—regardless of what it is—will alter the destiny of both realms. Ulean swept around me, a driving force.
I stared at the box, my hand on the lid. I could feel it. This had been waiting for me. For a thousand years and more, it had waited for me to come.
