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The ride home was silent. Peyton was staring straight ahead, and then I remembered: Anadey was dead. Anadey had attacked Geoffrey to save Peyton, and she’d died for it. She’d turned on us, but in the end, her love for her daughter had brought her through. But that meant Geoffrey had killed both of Peyton’s parents, and I could see the hatred simmering below the surface.
I reached out, touched her arm. “We’ll get them. I promise you with all of my heart, we will destroy them.”
“I want blood vengeance.” She looked up at me, her face set. “My father was going to take me to his people. I will still go, when all of this—Geoffrey, Myst—is over. I will tell them Rex is dead, and see if they will still let me journey on a vision quest to become part of my tribe.”
“What about the diner?” Rhia asked.
“I have no interest in it—I’ll sell it, and then be able to fund the Mystical Eye fully. I’ve washed my last dish.” And with that, she lapsed into silence. Rhiannon and I left her alone. We both had been through our own private hell. None of us was up to talking much.
The snow was swirling, and I realized that this would be my world from now on. Snow and ice, the unending winter. When spring came to New Forest, I would remain in my frozen realm, venturing out only here and there. I gazed up at the silvery sky, letting the steady fall of flakes mesmerize me.
By the time we reached the Veil House, it was nearing lunchtime. We silently slipped out of the limo and I waved to the driver, who nodded and pulled away. As we jogged up the steps, I stopped and held out my hand to gather a handful of flakes. They were beautiful, truly, lacework sculptures every one, and they were, in a sense, my children. I turned back to the house and followed Peyton and Rhia inside.
We gathered around the table, and I was surprised to see Kaylin there. He still looked rough, but he smiled at me, leaning back in his chair. I kissed him on the forehead as I passed.
“Good to see you, dude. How are you?”
“Not up to a fight, that’s for sure, but I wanted to be here.”
I nodded, looking around. Luna and Ysandra were there, looking grave. Check and his men were lining the walls. Grieve and Chatter took their places, as did Rhiannon, Peyton, and I. When we were all seated, Druise appeared from the kitchen. I was startled to see her, but she was carrying a plate of sandwiches and a bag of chips. She set them on the table, then curtseyed to me.
“Thank you, Druise.” I paused, sensing her worry. “I’m all right. I was injured…but I’m healing.” To prove the point, I stood up and backed away from the table, lifting my skirt just enough to show everyone the long gashes on my shin and calf. A collective gasp told me that I hadn’t been imagining how bad they’d been.
“Now that we have that over…what about Crawl? What do we know about Geoffrey and Leo? Obviously, I was out of it after Crawl got hold of me.” I left that thought hanging, not wanting to go any further with it.
Luna and Ysandra looked at each other, and then Ysandra spoke. “Last night, after Lannan took you away, we noticed that Geoffrey and Leo had disappeared. Regina sent her men to track them. Chatter sent a couple of the guards who have excellent tracking skills, as well. Grieve and Rhiannon took off for the mansion, to make sure you were going to live, while the rest of us stayed to help the vamps clear out the complex.”
I hadn’t realized that. I chanced a sideways look at Grieve. He’d been there, all night, while Lannan and I…He caught my gaze and smiled, slowly. The feral side of him looked hungry, but whatever his feelings, he kept them to himself. Oh yes, we’d be talking later. But for now, things were at rest.>“What about you? We saw the DVD.” I didn’t want to embarrass her, but she had to know.
“The others told me.” She bit her lip. “Leo…I can’t just go along the same as I’ve always been and still expect to rule as the Summer Queen. My initiation led me through a dark journey. I almost didn’t make it, Cicely, but I pulled through. After Leo caught me, the strength I drew on from that, the power that kept me going through the initiation, that’s what helped me survive him. What you saw on that video wasn’t the worst of what happened. I’ll tell you about it all when I’m ready but not now. Not with him still out there. But I will tell you this: I’m ready to claim my power. Chatter is going to teach me, along with a few of the adepts from the Marburry Barrow, not just how to control my flame but how to increase it.”
I paused, then let out a long sigh. While Lannan had humiliated me before, I could never truly say he’d raped me. Abused me? Yes, but not like Leo had assaulted my cousin. “How’s Chatter?”
She hesitated for a moment, then dipped her finger in the bubbles and swirled them around. “He’s different. Not in a bad way—not to me. But this changed him, too. He’s no longer…”
“No longer Grieve’s sidekick?” I smiled at her.
“Right. He’s going to make one hell of a formidable Summer King. I guess this had to happen, but…”
“If it had only happened another way,” I said softly, and she nodded.
I was as clean as I was going to get, and it was time to face the music. “Is Grieve out there, waiting?”
She bit her lip. “Yes. Cicely, last night was the hardest thing he’s ever done. You should have seen his face when Lannan carried you off. He loves you more than life itself, and for him to let Lannan do what he did…”
I stepped out of the tub, and Rhia sighed. “Your leg looks so painful.”
“That’s why Grieve allowed it. I would have bled out. These aren’t chicken scratches. I almost died.”
I stared down at my legs. The bruises on my thighs were evident, but Rhia delicately avoided mentioning them. “He’s a pain in the ass, but the fact is that Lannan saved my life. What happened last night, happened. I’m not caught up in thrall by him, nor am I in love with him. Grieve and I will move beyond this.”
In that moment, I knew it was true. Rhia seemed to understand. She stood as the maid brought over an upholstered bag. Rhia took it and waved her away.
“I brought you some clothes. Druise picked them out.”
As I toweled off, she withdrew a long indigo skirt, which wouldn’t rub against my wounds; a pair of panties; and a gorgeous black and silver corset. I suddenly realized that my circlet was missing.
“My crown—”
