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Breakfast was a silent affair, with Delilah serving fried-egg sandwiches, and Trillian silently fuming. He wanted to come with us, but he knew that we needed him there to protect the others.
Iris had changed clothes, too—she was in her priestess robes, and her hair was done up in a wrap of braids around her head. She carried her wand of Aqualine crystal with her, and as I sat playing with my food, she slipped over to my side.
“Don’t fret. We’ll take care of him.” She lightly touched the collar around my neck. “Something feels different about this.”
I nodded. “I can’t lose it just yet, but the Moon Mother came to me last night, and some of its power has been stripped away. I can’t tell you quite why, but I feel stronger. Ready to face him.” Inside, I was a quivering ball of fear-jelly, but I tried to own the fear and let it go.
Iris smoothed my hair back and braided it. “No sense giving him any advantage,” she said. “I think you’re learning a hard lesson, one that you’ve never been able to accept. You’re learning that you can’t always be the rock, you can’t always be the one who makes things better.”
“I’m not in control of this situation. Only of my reaction to it?” I smiled at her, drinking in her winning smile and brilliant blue gaze. Iris had far more common sense than most people I knew, but she wasn’t soft. She was the epitome of tough love—and she had that rare gift of making you love her for scolding you.
“Ah yes . . . then you are learning.” She stood back, eyeing my hair. “There, done for now. Finish your sandwich and we’ll go.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled, taking another bite. I shoved the last bit of sandwich into my mouth and drank down a huge glass of milk.
Delilah dusted her hands on her jeans. “I can’t believe we’re going to fight a dragon. Smoky, Shade, I just hope that you guys can take care of him, because I’m damned if I know what to do.”
Shade jerked his chin at her, smiling. “You and your sisters need to have higher opinions of yourselves. Come now. Let’s be off and get this done so we can attend to other business.”
His almost laissez-faire attitude went a long way into helping me calm down. Smoky said little, merely pulled me onto his lap and wrapped a gentle arm around my waist. I leaned into him, forehead against forehead, and kissed him lightly.
“We can do this, my husband.”
“We can, my wife.” His voice was calm, but his eyes were flashing with lightning and I knew he would not rest until Hyto was lying in a million little pieces strung out over the forest. Sometimes he loved me so much—they all did—that it scared me. I never wanted to endanger that love, but I was so far from perfect that I wondered if I was worthy of their devotion. Just then Trillian leaned in over my other shoulder and kissed me. I walked over to Morio for another kiss. Finally we were ready, and—with one last glance at the barrow—we headed out to meet Hyto.
The path leading to our designated meeting place was winding and steep. Smoky insisted on lifting me over every tree and boulder—to save my strength, he said—and Shade helped Iris. Delilah was able to clamber over the trees without a problem; she was tall enough and strong enough.>The moon was still waning, a shadow in the night. She turned her face to me and smiled down onto the snow, through the icy chill. The sparkling mantle of white stretched through the silhouette of a woodland, mirroring the glittering stars that shone overhead. I could hear the beat of the land, the pulse of the magic that filled the area, and a whisper of elements swirled around me, a cacophony on the wind, weaving a dance as I approached the center of this mysterious glade.
I caught up my breath, squinting, curious as to where I’d been led. But then my questions were answered, for out of the towering trees stepped a figure tall as the sky, tall as a building. He stood astride two cloven hooves, his cock and balls enormous pendulums between his furry legs. His torso, gleaming under what light there was, led to a high and noble bearded chin, and atop a head of cascading locks, two spiraling horns rose high into the night.
“Herne,” I whispered, going down on one knee. When in the presence of a god—kneel.
His son, Tra, danced around him, piping a melody that ricocheted through my core, hitting my blood like silver wine, and I longed to follow it into the forest. I laughed, feeling awash in sight and sound and the touch of velvet magic on my skin.
“My daughter.” Out from behind one of the trees stepped my Lady, clad in a white gown that barely covered her thighs. Her breasts were full and ripe, heavy under her gown, her nipples raised with arousal. Herne held out his arm and she slid into his embrace. I caught my breath, the scent of their desire making me ache to join them.
“My Lady . . .” What could I say? What was I supposed to say? I greedily soaked in the energy, basking in their presence. I could become a living statue, stay here forever, root deep into the forest and let the ivy grow wild over me.
“You need our strength, my child.” The Moon Mother stepped over to me and gazed down, her eyes filled with sorrow. “I did what I could to help while you were in the dragon’s grasp. He is crafty, that one, and old, and treacherous.”
I nodded, tugging at my collar. “Can you release this for me?”
She pressed her lips together, shaking her head. “I would, but I cannot. Freeing yourself from his slavery is woven in the hands of your personal destiny, and not even the gods can challenge the Hags of Fate. There is a reason this has all happened to you, my dear, even if you do not see it now. Walk through the fire, and you will be far stronger than those who have tried to subjugate you.”
Nodding, I let her words ripple through me. No one—not the gods, not mighty heroes, and certainly not mortals—could win against the Hags of Fate. And the Hags of Fate worked within the balance of the realms, of the worlds.
They were the law of the universe, bringing chaos when order reigned too strong, enforcing law when chaos reigned supreme. I accepted the natural balance of life. Shadow and light, both had their place. Even when it hurt.
“What can you do for me, if anything?” I did my best not to sound expectant. Unlike many, I didn’t expect the gods to help me out of rough situations. That wasn’t their job. But I would happily accept all the help they could give if it meant getting even with the Big Bads. Especially Hyto.
The Moon Mother reached down and stroked my face, and the welts on my cheek vanished. She motioned for me to disrobe, and I did. A stroke from her hands and—though the bruises remained—they weren’t nearly so painful. A gentle palm between my legs, fingers rippling over the raw skin and abrasions Hyto had left me with, and their pain, too, faded, and I began to breathe easier. She then kissed my forehead and a river of silver began to run through me, filling me like summer rain. I reveled in the healing waters of her magic, soaking it in, bathing in the glimmering mist that foamed up around me.
“My daughter, listen to me. Sometimes when you give up control, you actually take control. Sometimes letting go means taking the lead. And sometimes fear is the only control someone has over us. Whatever happens, you are my child, and I am deep in your heart. You are my priestess. Kneeling in body can be a shallow gesture—kneel in your heart before those who deserve it. The Hytos of this world don’t need to know the difference—let them be damned.”
As she turned me toward the path, she leaned down and whispered, “Sex is my passion. Herne is one of my mates. Never let anybody take that passion away from you. They may abuse your body, but they cannot own your soul. Because I have first claim on it. And I yield my priestesses to no one.”
I found myself, cleansed and recharged, back on the path, following the trail of sparkles, down the tunnel.
A few moments later, I began to lose consciousness, and when I opened my eyes, I was on the bed, surrounded by my loved ones. The collar still chafed, but I knew—even though I still wore Hyto’s mark—he would never own me again.
