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“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head.
“No, tell me.”
“It’s just . . . you’ve changed. You’re tossing around dead bodies as payment now? I know you have to practice raising the dead for your magic, but remember—these were people at one time. Living, breathing humans who had lives, loves, families.”
Feeling unjustly attacked, I blinked back a sudden spate of tears. “No, you listen. I don’t like it. I don’t like desecrating graves. I don’t like dabbling in decay. But if I don’t learn how to work this magic, then we’re at even more of a disadvantage. Maybe I am becoming a fiend. Maybe I’m turning into a monster, but if that’s what it takes, I’ll do it. And who said the bodies had to be human? I’m sure we can find a couple of goblin corpses somewhere. He might have fun raising something else besides people.”
Delilah whispered something in Chase’s ear and he winced.
“I’m sorry. I know you don’t like this,” he said, lifting his hand to stare at the missing fingertip. “I guess this is my reminder of why you do what you do. Why we do what we do. I never served in the military, Camille. I wasn’t brought up in a military household like you were. I had a rotten childhood, so I tried to make up for it by going into police work, but all that happened is that I encountered a seamier side of society than I ever did when I was a kid. I suppose I’ve had my fill of being on the front lines against creeps and losers and psychos. But there’s no discharge in sight.”
Menolly surprised everybody by walking behind the detective and ruffling his hair. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned down to stare in his eyes. “Quit sweating, you know I won’t bite you. And I’m sorry you’re feeling torn. But, Chase, I guarantee you, you haven’t seen anything yet. Whatever Karvanak did to you, it will be a thousand times worse if we can’t stop Shadow Wing. If we have to break a few eggs in the process . . . or raise a few bodies . . .”
“Speaking of worse,” I broke in. “I’ve got worse for you. Or it seems like it to me. I wish Grandmother Coyote was around, because we need her advice.”
“What happened? Does this have anything to do with the Black Unicorn?” Delilah asked.
“Yeah, I think so,” I said slowly. “I can’t be sure the two events are connected, but yeah . . .” Sucking in a deep breath, I slowly exhaled and told them everything. Told them about sacrificing the Black Unicorn during the Hunt, about the fact that I was now a priestess for the Moon Mother, about the Keraastar Knights and how Tanaquar and Asteria were planning on using them to stabilize the portals, about the sorcerer’s attack in King Upala-Dahns’s court. And lastly, I added, “I no longer feel comfortable asking Father’s opinion of things, either.”
“Why?” Menolly asked, her gaze catching mine. I could see the wariness lurking within. She believed every word I was saying.
“Because I’m positive that he’s sleeping with Queen Tanaquar,” I said.
“What?” Delilah jumped. “But Father wouldn’t . . . the Queen? Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. As sure as I am of anything at this moment. He finally took our advice and found himself a girlfriend. But even though Tanaquar is a damned sight better than Lethesanar, I don’t fully trust her.”
“We were trying to avoid using the seals. Are they certain this is a good idea?” Menolly said.
“I have no idea. I don’t seem to know anything anymore.”
“Are you sure the idea will fail?” Chase asked. “I’m not trying to make waves, but maybe they’re right?”
“How should I know? They aren’t going to tell us every detail, I could see that right off.” I paused, catching my breath. “Sorry, I’m just a little on edge. The problem is we don’t know if this will work. That’s why I want to talk to Grandmother Coyote. My instinct is screaming that it’s going to upset the balance even further, but I want her take on it. Maybe I’m just paranoid.”
“But suppose the plan backfires and makes them stronger? There are too many potential disasters here,” Menolly said.
Morio played with his cup of tea, tapping the china lightly with one fingernail. “I think they’ve miscalculated the power of the demons. Think about it,” he said when we looked at him quizzically. “They’re just coming off a successful war. Both of them are feeling strong and victorious. Suppose it’s gone to their heads?”
Delilah coughed. “Somehow the thought of a win going to Queen Asteria’s head like that seems ludicrous, but I suppose even she is fallible.”
Trillian cleared his throat. “There’s another possibility. Suppose they’re afraid of the newly risen Fae Courts and are worried that the Triple Threat might join forces with the demons? Or even that you three might join forces with the Triple Threat? You’ll notice that neither Titania nor Aeval was invited to their little tête-à-tête. Or Morgaine, for that matter.”
I stared at him. “You really think they’re afraid we might start handing the seals over to the Earthside Fae Courts?”
“What better way to ensure that you continue taking them back to Otherworld than to invent an even greater need for Asteria to possess them?”
“Then you think this is a ruse?”
He hesitated for a moment, thinking, then shook his head. “No, I don’t. I think they believe what they say. But, like you—I feel it’s a double-edged sword. However, I don’t dare say anything. Svartalfheim is still suspect in Otherworld since we uprooted the city and ran out of the Sub Realms. There’s too much to lose by openly questioning their motives. And if I go to King Vodox with my concerns, he’d know about the spirit seals and that’s something you really don’t want happening.”
“He makes a point,” Rozurial said. “With the revelation that you girls are related to Morgaine, perhaps their fear has grown stronger.”
“But our father is related to her, too—” I stopped. “Oh. Do you think that’s why Tanaquar is sleeping with him? To keep tabs on him and, by doing so, find out what we’re up to?”
“Tanaquar did whatever she had to in order to win the war against her sister. Blood ties aren’t sacred to her. You can be sure if she had Lethesanar in custody, the Opium Eater would lose her head before she could blink. With the Fae Queens of Earthside reigning over their courts again, it potentially jeopardizes Tanaquar’s sole reign as the Queen of Fae.”
“But what about Queen Asteria? Is Tanaquar afraid of her?” Delilah asked.
