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He was tall. Far taller than any unicorn or horse I’d ever seen. A giant could barely have ridden him, or an ogre. His haunches were sleek and muscled, his fur as dark as Trillian’s skin, but patches of gray shone through the ebony hide. His eyes shone like twin golden suns. My gaze rose to the spiral crystalline horn jutting out from his head—and the horn in my pocket set up a keening as if recognizing its true master.
“He’s real—”
“The Black Unicorn—”
“Girl, are you all right—”
The voices of the others whispered behind me, but I scarcely heard them. I remained where I was, bewitched by the sight of the great beast. A noise to my side startled me. Feddrah-Dahns was beside me now, kneeling on his two front legs, his head bowed.
“Master of Masters, Lord of the Dahns, I bring you the girl and her mate.” His voice was hushed and as awestricken as I felt.
I decided to keep my mouth shut. For one thing, I wasn’t sure of protocol and there was no way in hell I was going to fuck this up. For another thing, my voice seemed to have deserted me as I gazed upon this living legend. Between the call of the Hunt and the power of this beast, I couldn’t muster even a squeak.
The Black Beast moved forward and stopped about three yards in front of us. I cautiously raised my head, afraid to look into those gleaming eyes. If I looked, would I lose myself?
“On your feet, woman,” a voice echoed in my head. “All of you, stand.”
I blinked. He hadn’t spoken aloud, but I heard him loud and clear. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one because Morio, Trillian, and Iris rose from where they’d dropped to the ground. With a small whinny, Feddrah-Dahns pushed me forward with his nose.
I steadied myself, noticing that the ground had quit shifting. One thing to be thankful for. As I sucked in a deep breath and stared up at the creature, I saw that yes—indeed—steam was rising from his nostrils.
Slowly, not knowing why, but feeling it was the only thing to do, I reached in my pocket and pulled out the horn of the Black Unicorn and shaking, lifted my arm and thrust it upward under the quaking moon.
The Black Beast let out a low laugh that echoed through the glade. “I have not seen that part of myself in many years. Nor the hide you wear around your shoulders.” He lowered his muzzle to sniff my cloak. “Yes, this was a far earlier life, an earlier day and age when the spirit seal was first created and then divided. I told them it was a grave mistake, but they would not listen, so I retreated to Darkynwyrd, and from there, to the Deep. Tell me: You wear the mark of the Moon Mother. Have you seen her face?”
I suddenly found my tongue and blurted out, “Yes, I run with the Hunt. I am one of her witches.”
“But not her priestess?” His eyes were like golden fire and I couldn’t look away.
“No,” I said softly. “Nor do I know if I’ll ever be worthy. But it’s enough for me to be her servant, to be her daughter and work her magic.”
Then, the Black Beast stepped forward so his muzzle was staring right into my face, and he bathed me in the steam flowing from his nostrils. “Priestess, though, you would joyfully carry the title if given. Do you know who rides me? There is one, and one alone whom I allow to embrace my back with her thighs.”
Shivering, wondering just where this conversation was going, I shook my head. “No, can’t say I’ve ever thought about it.” I just prayed it wasn’t going to be me.
There was a movement from the shadows behind him, and a raven flew forth from the darkness. A vortex of swirling blood obscured the bird and I shaded my eyes against the waves of incandescent heat that flared out like a sunburst. The air twisted back on itself, rippling reality like the ocean tides. Then, ever so slowly, the magic dissipated.
As the flare faded away, a tall, pale woman stood there, her velvet gaze trailing over us. Her eyes were cunning, sparkled with flecks of gold amidst the obsidian and with a dread so deep I didn’t even realize it had been there, I knew who this was.
Raven Mother.
Raven Mother, one of the Elemental Queens who ruled in the dark woods. Raven Mother, of whom I’d only heard rumors over the years. Raven Mother, who was known for cunning and deception and her violent lust after the Moon Mother’s possessions.
Her breasts crested in a full curve above the neckline of her sheer black dress. Her lips, stained ebony, glistened when she spoke, and her eyes were masked with black like a raccoon. When she smiled, her teeth gleamed, not fangs but more like jutting arrowheads of bone, serrated and sharp.
“And who are these lovelies? Yes, who are they?” she asked, circling around the Black Beast, laying a lazy hand on his side. He let out a soft nicker and for some reason, it scared me so bad I thought I was going to wet my pants. Well, skirt.
Raven Mother and the Black Unicorn were paired, two of a kind, both as primal and feral as the wild wood in which they lived.
The Lord of the Dahns let out a sharp cough, and once again, his voice filled my head. “They are here for the Hunt. At least the girl is, and her fox demon. She possesses one of my horns, and so she must experience its most powerful use before she can trust herself to use it fully.”
“And her lover?” Raven Mother whispered, but her words echoed through the glen, almost like the shrill cawing of her namesake.
“They are soul bound, and death magic they weave. Therefore, he must participate, for the horn will respond to their combined forces in this, and may backfire if he is not aware of its magnitude.”
I gasped. So that’s why we were here. I turned to Morio, shaking. His face had gone pale, and he quickly took his place beside me.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
