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And with that, Rhiannon and Peyton and I climbed into the waiting limousine, while Grieve and the guards took off at blur-speed. As we pulled out of the driveway, I turned my thoughts toward the future. There was no going back.
Chapter 19
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.
“Were they able to track them?”
“To a point. They tracked them into the town but lost them. However, earlier this morning Luna did a location spell—she called on the spirits, and we think we have the answer.” She pushed a pad of paper over to me, and I looked at the tidy and precise writing. Even in a crisis, Ysandra was composed.
I picked it up and read aloud.
Look to the east, in the gloom and the shade.
Deep in the cavern where water runs through.
Near the sweet station, in honeyed glade.
Where your quarry sleeps, waiting for you.
“I am pretty sure I know where it is,” Luna said. She looked tired but focused. “I used to go out there with my folks because they put in time volunteering at the community gardens next to Sugarbee’s Honey. The company owns over a thousand acres on which they grow wildflowers, for their honey. Obviously, they keep bees.”
I stared at her. “Do you know of a cave near there?”
“There were several. I used to play around them, but I never went in. My mother would have trashed me if I had. Zoey did, though. She was always getting in trouble.” She shrugged. “But there is a creek out there, and I think it runs through at least one of the caves.”
“Then we head out. Not going to be so easy since it’s winter. We have a little over four hours till sunset. How long will it take to get there?” I stood up. “We don’t want them to have any advantage that we can spare.”
Kaylin struggled to lean forward. “I can’t go, but I will tell you this. Remember: They’re cornered. They’re desperate. They won’t hesitate to destroy anybody who gets in their way now. The game is over and they know it. They have nothing to lose.”
And on those solemn words, we armed up. Two of the guards took Kaylin home while we checked our weapons and made sure we had everything. Check brought reinforcements from the Barrows. We were going in thirty guards strong. I put in a call to Regina’s secretary and gave her the information of where we were headed. If we didn’t find them by dark, it would be nice to know the cavalry was on the way.
