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I shook thoughts of the future out of my head and opened the box. Inside, I found a silver-framed plaque. It was Vishana’s family crest, and imprinted beneath the crest, written in silver, was my name. She had truly accepted me. I was part of her clan.
Chapter 24
The next night, I drove out to Talamh Lonrach Oll and parked in the parking lot. A horse-drawn carriage waited for me, and I climbed inside, dressed in the robe of the Black Beast, beneath which I wore nothing but the perfumes and lotions with which I’d oiled my skin. The spent horn rested in the robe’s pocket, and I carried the silver-knobbed staff that Aeval had given me.
The cart wound its way, not to the palace, but out into the land itself, through the snow to a trellised archway that led to a modest cottage. I thanked the driver and stepped out, a shiver of anticipation running through me.
The moon was a shimmering quarter, waxing as she smiled down onto the snow. The sparkling mantle of white stretched through the woodland, mirroring the stars that shone over the blackened night. In my heart, I could hear the beat of the land, the pulse of the magic that filled the Court of the Queens. The whisper of the elements swirled around me, a cacophony on the wind, weaving a dance as I skirted the cottage and followed the path beyond it toward the steaming pool in the center of Faerie.
Everything shimmered here—from the woodland to the ground, to the very air. And my magic hummed, alive and vibrant. The Moon Mother surrounded me, my heart and soul. This night—the Winter Solstice—I would take my place as her priestess.
Tears flowed down my cheeks as I remembered my first initiation, when I’d entered the Grove of the Moon Mother over in Otherworld, bound by silver chains, not knowing whether my Lady would accept me into her service as a Moon Witch.
Now, I was growing, changing. I would become the first Earthside High Priestess of the Moon Mother in thousands of years. I would train under the Earthside Fae Queens—in Aeval’s Dark Court, under Morgaine’s watchful eye.
Tears flecked my eyes. I was about to assume a mantle both heavy and brilliant, one of which I hoped I was worthy. Thank gods and Earthside technology for waterproof mascara and lip lacquer. I dashed the tears away and stepped forward, crunching in the frozen snow, pins and needles shooting through my bare feet. I would come to my Lady with both body and feet bare as the day I was born.
How many years since I’d walked this path—back home in Otherworld—the path to my initiation as a witch for the Moon Mother? Too many to count, but now I was ready to take the next step on my journey, a thousand miles from where I’d begun, a world away from where I’d come.
The hush of the forest rested around me, the snow muffling all sound as I came to the edge of the hot springs, dropped my cape, and stepped into the steaming pool. Here, the water was brilliant, glowing a deep sea green. How they managed to heat it, I didn’t know, but magic permeated the glade.
As the warmth began to seep into my frozen limbs, a sense of purification and cleansing raced through me, and as the water hit my knees, it washed away the lingering pain of my bruises, of Hyto’s abuse, of the fear that had held me in its grips. His abuse fell away in the magic of the night.
Another step, and another.
The water hit my waist and my heart lurched. After this night, I’d forever be pariah in my home city-state, but some things were greater than blood, some oaths more binding than family. I mentally sent my father a kiss, wishing him well, tears pouring as I relinquished his birthright, his legacy, and his love for a greater passion and allegiance.
Another step, two more . . . and I spread my arms for balance, my shoulders shimmering beneath the glistening surface.
The water splashed against my breasts, and images of Smoky and Morio and Trillian filled my thoughts. Bowing my head with gratitude for the loves of my life, I reached out for them, but even a link as strong as ours could not penetrate the magic of the Fae Queens. I thought of Delilah and Menolly, and Iris . . . and began to cry in earnest. They could not be here tonight—this was a journey I had to make on my own—but I knew they were with me in spirit.
One more step and I was at the center of the pool. The water lapped at my chin, and I sucked in a deep breath and ducked under, letting it stream through my hair. As I came up, gasping for breath, I saw them, standing there on the other side of the pond, waiting for me.
Aeval—my new Mistress. I would belong to the Court of Darkness and Shadow from here on out. I would be under her will and walk with her under the Dark Moon. And beside her—her opposite. Titania, Queen of the Light. To her left, Morgaine—my half-Fae, half-human ancient cousin, Queen of the Dusk, who was now my teacher.
And, a little ways away, in full riding outfit and crop, stood Derisa, the High Priestess of the Moon Mother from Otherworld. She had taken my oath so many years ago. And she would take my new oath—the one binding me as a member of the Priestesshood.
They waited, these four, and as I made my way to them, a flash of snow lightning crashed behind them and there, in their midst, stood the Black Unicorn and Raven Mother for just a second, before they faded out of sight.
The Queens of Fae began to laugh, wild and free, and I swallowed my fear. There was no going back. There would be no chance to return from here.
And then I saw him—hiding in the shadows. My heart skipped a beat as he raised one hand in salute, his spiky platinum hair shining under the pale moon.
What was he doing here? But there was no time for questions. I had to trust in the ritual. I had to trust that Aeval knew what she was doing. I had to trust Derisa, and most of all, I had to trust the Moon Mother.
Sucking in another long breath, I steadily began my journey out of the pool, toward a ritual so secret I would never be able to tell anyone what went on. I began my journey into the arms of the dark . . . into the shadow of the unknown.llowed. That was going to be one hell of a dinner party. “You know my sister Delilah is in love with a half shadow dragon.” I blurted it out before I realized what I was saying.
Vishana laughed. “Yes, remember? We met. And he seems a refined gentleman. The coming years should prove interesting.”
And then the chimes rang. The Wing-Liege motioned for us to stand quiet. He turned to Hyto and held out his hands, palms up. A hush descended on the hall.
“To walk freely in the halls of the Dragon Reaches means to abide by its rules. You have broken your vows. You have dishonored the halls. You have dishonored your race. You have dishonored your name. You have cast yourself out by your actions. You are cursed to wander the abyss, barred from the Shining Stars forever. You will walk in limbo, your spirit forever bound to wander between the worlds. Your name will be stricken from the Halls of Records and you will be expunged from the History, placed among the exiles. Hyto, you are no more the son of your father. You are no more the father of your sons and daughters. You are denied on all sides. You are no longer of the hive. You are alone. You were pronounced pariah. Now you are pronounced cast to oblivion.”
And then, with a single gesture, a bolt of lightning struck out from his palm, forking over Hyto like a net, sparking and glowing as it seared into his body. Hyto began to scream as smoke rose from his robes and his hair caught fire. Still the lightning played across him, until his pale skin was black with crust. And then the wind gusted through, as the lightning stopped, and he crumpled to ashes, and the wild breeze caught him up and swept him away, out of the Dragon Reaches, into the softly falling snow.
At that moment, my collar loosened and fell to the floor. I was free.
After that, it was a blur of voices and meetings, of the Wing-Liege declaring that everything from Smoky’s grandfather would pass to him. And then of Smoky speaking up, convincing them we needed to go home, and of Vishana handing me a wrapped gift, whispering that it was a temporary wedding gift and a better one would follow.
