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"The war is truly so dangerous?" Delilah asked.
Queen Asteria shook her head. "War is always hazardous, but no… that's not the only reason. I've had my scholars busy studying the ancient texts. And I assigned several seers to the task."
She paused, then let out a long sigh. "Listen to me carefully. It appears most—perhaps all—of the spirit seals somehow found their way into the general area around Seattle and the vicinity. The area you refer to as the Pacific Northwest. But why the convergence? Are there forces here of great power that can amplify the seals' natures? And there are more portals—portals we didn't know existed—that have suddenly been opening up in Otherworld with no one to guard them. Do the demons know about these? Can they find a way to use them to infiltrate Earth and Otherworld? So many new questions, and no answers as of yet."
As I struggled to grasp the implications of what she was saying, Roz broke in. "There's something else. The third spirit seal—the third part of the ancient talisman—is hidden somewhere here in Seattle. Right now. The only thing I could discover is that there's some connection between it and a Raksasa."
Camille let out a low whistle and sat up straight. "They're dangerous."
"What are they?" asked Chase.
"Earthside demons. Persian," Morio said. "Very powerful."
"Is the Raksasa working for Shadow Wing, then?" Iris frowned at Camille, and once again, my sister dropped back on the pillow.
"I don't know." Roz rubbed his nose. "But it's up to you girls to find out and to retrieve the third seal. And there are several other things…"
"Which we don't want to hear, right?" I gazed out the window at the snow-filled night. The clouds were parting and it looked like the snowstorm was letting up. Maybe Loki did take the snow with him.
"Most likely, young woman," the Queen said, a faint smile on her face. "We managed to capture one of Shadow Wing's spies. The beast no longer lives, but before he died, he told us that there's a network of spies living in your area. We believe Shadow Wing knows that all the seals are to be found here. That's why he's sending his scouts through the local portals and not elsewhere."
Shit. "Then he knows what we know."
"For the most part, yes. So the race is on, and time and knowledge are no longer on your side. Dredge was a hideous monster. Shadow Wing makes him look like a schoolboy."
"What else?" Camille asked.
Roz snorted. "The Cryptos are up in arms back in OW… They have withdrawn from supporting anybody in Y'Elestrial's civil war and there are rumors that something's going on in the Windwillow Valley. Something to do with the Dahns unicorns. We have no idea what it could be at this point—"
"Not all of us are in the dark," Queen Asteria said, standing. "Be prepared for a messenger from the unicorns to arrive in a few months. It will take time for certain events to play out back in OW, though, so don't fret and don't ask questions." She arranged her cloak and turned to Roz. "And now I must return to Elqaneve. My guards await me. Rozurial, accompany me to the portal."
Rather unceremoniously, she turned and exited the room before we could say good-bye. Camille immediately began to demand Trillian's presence, as Chase, Morio, and Delilah spun into a frenzy of talk over the spirit seals. I headed toward the kitchen and to silence.
Maggie was playing in her pen, and I picked her up and snuggled her on my shoulder. So much had happened that I scarcely knew how to take it all in. In the blink of an eye, I was no longer aligned with my sire, I'd defeated the person I hated most in the world, and I'd been thrust into motherhood—of a sort—all within less than a week.
Iris joined me. "Are you all right?"
I shook my head. "More or less… no… yes… I don't know. I don't know what to think or do. I'm very confused right now."
She hopped up on her stool and leaned her elbows on the table. "About Nerissa?"
"About Nerissa and Jareth—I made love to him when I thought I could never stand a man's touch again. And then there's Erin. I'm a mother now, Iris. I swore I'd never sire another vampire and I did. And one of our friends, at that."
"You didn't kill her, Menolly. You saved her from death—at least the kind of death humans don't usually get up and walk away from."
"I just don't know what's happening to me." I stared at the little calico girl curled in my arms and chucked her under the chin, kissing her softly on the nose before I set her back in her playpen.
Iris frowned. "Sometimes people come into our lives for a reason, and when that reason is done—they leave. Rest your worries for now. Don't force yourself to make decisions you aren't ready to make."
I thought about Nerissa. Her skin had been tender, her touch healing. And Jareth—long ago, he'd loved a vampire. I'd given him a taste of that memory to cling to even as he gifted me his blood.
"Once Camille asked me if vampires dream. I gave her a simple answer to a complex question. Now I have a question. Can vampires love? Can I love? Have relationships like my sisters?" I waited, but no answer appeared, not even a whisper, to guide me.
"Menolly, you're not the same girl who stood in this kitchen last week." Iris pushed herself off the stool and started arranging cookies on a plate. "You've been through so much. How can you expect to know who you are or what you're capable of until the dust settles?"
"I guess I can't." I shook my head. "Dredge made me fear ever loving anybody again—from the beginning he tried to use me to destroy my family."
"And now he's gone. And you're still here," she said, her eyes glittering.
