Night Seeker

Chapter 19

The room was dark because all of the windows were covered during the day in the Regent’s mansion. Heavy velvet drapes made it feel like night, even though it wasn’t. The scent of sage and cedar burned through the room, followed by an undertone of musk and heather.

Zoey rang a bell and we gathered around the table in our respective positions-I was in the east, Rhiannon in the south, Wrath in the west, and Chatter in the north. Luna stood at Grieve’s feet and Kaylin at his head. Zoey began by circling everyone with a ring of sea salt, swiped from the kitchen. We had salt in our components stash, but why use ours when we could plunder Lannan’s pantry? He didn’t eat, so he wouldn’t notice it was gone.

“Spirits of protection, come to this place and ring it with a circle of salt that nothing unwelcome may enter within.” She closed the ring of salt and put down the bowl with which she’d been pouring out the white grains, then picked up a bowl of crushed sulfur. This was from our stash-or rather, it had originally been Marta’s stash and was now mine.

“With a ring of sulfur, I do encircle this ritual, that nothing unwelcome may enter within. Let all negative spirits be kept at bay, and let nothing disrupt our rites and rituals.” She trickled the sulfur out in a fine line, atop the ring of salt, and the energy began to increase. The pressure of the air weighed down on my shoulders. Whatever else she might be capable of, Zoey could summon energy, that much was apparent.

The third bowl held a fine dust with a silvery sheen. Zoey trickled this out carefully, a few grains at a time, and when she spoke, I understood why she was being so frugal. “With this ring of silver shavings, I do encircle this ritual, that nothing unwelcome may enter within, and nothing within may escape outward.”

Shit. Silver. We’d better clean up thoroughly after we were done or Lannan would have our blood for sure. I made a mental note: Sweep and mop. Several times. Vampires hated silver. But for me, the energy of the metal made me feel jazzed, almost like I’d had a shot or two of caffeine or sugar. Speaking of food, after the fish incident, I’d been very cautious about accepting food and drink from the staff. Kaylin had made sure that the cooks preparing our breakfast had been careful, to avoid another nasty surprise.

Zoey put the dish down and then drew out a dagger. It was not silver-Lannan’s guards would have never allowed a stranger to bring silver weapons into the mansion-but hand-carved bone and antler, and it had what looked to be a wickedly sharp blade on it.

She held it outstretched in her left hand, and moving clockwise around the ring, she began to cast the circle. “Circle of art, circle of might, I call on the spirits to gather round, I cast this circle with salt and sulfur and silver and sound.”

Here, Luna began to intone a low note. Her voice sounded almost harmonic, as if a second person were singing with her. As Zoey encircled the room, Luna’s voice followed her, raising and lowering at odd intervals. After a moment, I realized that where the energy felt weakest, Luna’s voice would lower, creating a bridge. And where it was strong along the ring, her voice would flow upward, smoothing over the top. It was as if she were filling in the gaps with her song.

As I looked at her again, I could see what she was doing. Her eyes were closed and her arms raised, and she was weaving back and forth, swaying in time to the flow of magic. She was weaving a spell with her song, as sure as if she were using words instead of notes.

I closed my eyes and let myself flow into the melody. A blink, and I found myself on a high cliff, with the air rushing through my hair and the moon overhead. Below, I could see a forest stretching out, so far that I could not see the end of it, and the forest was covered with frost and snow, but it didn’t frighten me like Myst’s snow. It felt crystal clear, natural-winter that would come and go as it should. I stared up at the moon as the clouds boiled across it, but the moon was full and haunting and called to my owl self.

The wind whistled past, and I could sense Ulean dancing along the slipstream. I wanted to call up a gust, to transform and go winging into the forest because that was where I belonged, but instead I knew-instinctively-that I was to catch hold of the air, to slide into its nature and listen to the song it was singing.

As I sank into the energy of the wind, I felt the essence of clarity, of keen insight. I realized that my mind felt clearer than it had in weeks-perhaps years. By riding the wind, I could see far beyond my own little world, and a strange peace descended on me.

Slowly, the song began to die away and, my eyes fluttering, I found myself back in the room, as Zoey finished weaving the circle around us. Luna’s song faded away, vanishing with a soft hush.

A wave of sadness rushed over me. I wanted to go back to that place, to stay there, to embrace the energy that had flowed surely but steadily. As I glanced at Rhiannon and Chatter, I could see the same feeling written across their faces. Wrath’s expression remained impenetrable. Kaylin was just as unreadable. I let out a long breath, releasing the sense of loss, realizing that we had to be focused and clear for the ritual to work.

Zoey lit a green taper candle that was sitting on a small table near her, then turned to Chatter. “You may call upon the Element of Earth.”

Chatter cleared his throat and ducked his head. With arms outstretched and palms toward the floor, he let out a low vibration-not a song woven in sound like Luna had charmed but a guttural roar from the depths of his core. It was the moving of earth, the rumbling of mountains. It embodied the depths of caverns.

“You who are bone and stone and crystal. You who are branch and leaf and twig. You who are the Elemental forces of Earth, I call to you. You who are the bones of the world, I summon you. You who are foundation, and manifestation incarnate, I bid you come forth. You who are our body and bones, O Elemental force of Earth, I beseech you to walk this circle, to embody your essence into our rites.”

The timbers creaked, the bones of the mansion echoed a long, dark cry, as bone and root and leaf took hold. The energy worked its way into the room, encircling us, hovering over Grieve, a thick vapor of brown and green that enveloped the room, weighing us down. I felt like I’d gained twenty pounds as the forces of gravity rooted me firmly to the floor, and in another moment, a flash of energy-gnarled and strong as oak-worked its way into my feet, spreading through my body. The vapor settled into the ring of salt and sulfur and silver. And then-everything seemed back to normal. Chatter lowered his arms, a faint smile on his face.

Lighting a white candle, Zoey pointed to me. “Summon the winds. And do not become them.”

I would have glared at her, but I realized that she was serious, not being snide. She was right. This was no place to let loose the powers of the fan-apparently now my powers. I gave her a short nod and sucked in a deep breath. I’d never done this formally before, though I’d been playing with the winds since my childhood.

I focused, recalling the mountaintop to which Luna’s song had taken me. That was the feeling of the wind I wanted to invoke. I wasn’t a singer, couldn’t keep on key if you tried me, but I sought for the pitch that represented that feeling. When I thought I found it, I let out one long, clear note and held it for a moment, then let it fade.

“Spirits of the Wind, spirits of Air, I summon you. You who are the fresh breezes of spring, come to me. You who are the warm winds of summer’s evening, hear me. You who are the chill gusts of autumn and the boreal winds of winter, come to this place. You who are the breath of our body, the air that keeps us alive, be with us.” I wasn’t sure of the wording, but I let the words flow on their own, as they would. “You who are communication and thought, you who are clear sight and intuition, come to this circle and join our rites. You who are the Elemental forces of Air, I summon you to be with us in this circle, to infuse our rites with your powers.”

I stopped as a rush of wind raced around the circle. Where the earth had brought vapors weighing us down, the wind threatened to carry us aloft, to sweep us into the fray. I found myself laughing and realized the others were, too, in the whirl and swirl of this crazy dance we were on. But then as quickly as they had come, the winds departed, leaving everything with a crystal clarity that made me want to weep. Nothing seemed muddy now, nothing seemed static or stagnant.

Zoey smiled then and gave me a long nod. I wondered what Ysandra would make of this woman from the Akazzani, but before my thoughts could run musing in that direction, she lit the red candle and pointed to Rhiannon.

Rhia invoked the Elemental forces of Fire, and the room warmed considerably, as sparkling light danced around the circle, and then my father summoned the Elemental forces of Water, and a wash of autumn melancholy swept through me, as the sorrows and joys of the past weeks tumbled in on my shoulders, then were washed clean.

When all the Elemental forces had been summoned, Kaylin stepped forward and held up his hands. He dropped his head back and for a moment, I saw the shadow of a batlike creature raise up to tower above him. He let out one pure note that felt like it was shooting directly through the top of my head.

“Spirit of Spirit, I summon you. Elemental forces of magic, Elemental forces of the will and of purest energy, come forth. We seek your realm, seek to harness your strength, to bend our will against your power. Come, O Spirit of Magic, be with us, crackle through us, wield us even as we wield you. We are your instruments, we are your bodies, we are your manifestations within this world.”

As he spoke, a crackle ran around the room and everything began to spin. The force of magic, the force of the fifth Element-Spirit-took over and my hands became charged, energy flowing from them-intensifying the Elemental force of Air. I glanced at the others-I could see sparks flying from Rhiannon, one look at Wrath and I could see a wave rising up behind him, and Chatter had ghostly vines emanating from his palms. I looked down at my own hands and could see a wavering breeze waft forth.

I stretched out my arms, palms facing sideways, and the others did the same. Earth met Air and blended, growing stronger. And Air merged with Fire and the force grew even more. Fire kissed the Water and the circle felt like it was becoming a sphere. And then, when Water connected with Earth, we were solid and impenetrable-the Elemental guardians holding us strong in their embrace.

We held the energy while Luna and Kaylin moved to the center, standing on either end of Grieve. From just outside the circle, Zoey drummed a rhythmic, hypnotic beat. Kaylin took hold of Grieve’s head in his hands, leaning over him so close it almost looked like they were kissing.

Luna placed her hands on Grieve’s feet and began to sing in a language I didn’t understand, that I’d never before heard. I didn’t even know if it was a language-the sounds were floating against the rhythm of the drum, long, sinuous, and haunting as they echoed through the room.

Luna looked taller in the candlelight, and it was obvious she was in a trance, her eyes were glazed as she held tight to Grieve’s feet. The music snaked and crawled, coiled around us, an ancient melody, dripping with power as it flowed effortlessly from her lips.

Kaylin cried out, stiffening. He leaned back as far as he could, his back arching, but still he held Grieve’s head in his hands. My beloved Grieve looked in pain, and yet-and yet-my wolf did not whimper, nor was he afraid. Instead, as I let myself connect with him, I felt a wonder, and a sudden field of stars flashed in front of my eyes. I could see them-the stars-they were filling my vision, filling my sight, and their beauty was far-reaching and cold, aloof.

The drum continued its slow, steady cadence, forcing our attention. Luna’s voice interwove with it, rising and dipping, swirling like an ancient instrument, so smoothly that never once did I hear her catch her breath. I focused on her singing, followed the note, trying to find my sweet wolf again, but the way was blocked, and I realized, in a sudden whisper from Ulean, that I was not allowed to take part in what Kaylin and Luna were doing.

If you are with him, it will disrupt the ritual. He must walk through this darkness alone. Kaylin and Luna are the only ones here who can guide him.

As much as I didn’t want to hear this, I accepted it and went back to holding the Element of Air-keeping it steady as the four of us kept the circle intact.

A sudden crack of thunder filled the room, startling us, but not once did we waver. As we looked up, a field of stars spread across the ceiling overhead. But some were caught in a maelstrom of mist-a swirling cerulean storm. I realized we were seeing the links that connected Myst and Grieve, her energy field imposed over his through her turning him.

As Kaylin sucked in a deep breath, the mist began to disperse, unweaving and retreating. Grieve began to thrash, but Kaylin and Luna held tightly to him, and the restraints kept him on the table.

Some of the fog surrounding the stars seemed impenetrable; it would not budge, though I could see the rocking energy trying to dislodge it. But most of the outer edges whispered away, vanishing. As Kaylin strained, trying to unweave the thickest part of Myst’s energy, Grieve let out a scream and Luna’s voice stumbled as he ripped the cords binding him to the table and broke free from the table.

Kaylin leaped toward him as Grieve, holding his head and moaning, staggered toward the edge of the circle near my father. Wrath dropped his hands and lunged forward, catching Grieve as he sank to the floor, thrashing in a horrible convulsion. I let go of the air, racing across the room, not giving a damn about the broken circle.

As I fell to my knees near my love, my wolf began to howl in pain, and I began to shake and quiver, unable to control myself. Grieve and I had somehow become bound, in such a way that his pain became my pain-we’d experienced it before, but I’d thought that we might have broken those cords.

Anadey-Peyton’s mother-had turned on us, casting a spell to break the cords between Grieve and me, knowing very well that it might kill us. The spell had worked to some degree-the venom of the Vampiric Fae no longer held me in thrall when I was bitten by them, but we had not known just how far she’d managed to disrupt things.

Wrath reached out to Grieve, did something-I couldn’t see what-and Grieve slumped to the floor. The convulsions wracking my body stopped immediately, and I slumped, aching and frightened but free from the seizure.

I scrambled to my hands and knees, crawling over to Grieve. “My love, my love…is he…he isn’t…” I couldn’t think of him being dead.

But Wrath eased my fear. “He sleeps. I put him into a deep slumber for now, until we figure out what’s going on.”

“I know what happened.” Kaylin paled, looking nervously at the prone form of my lover. “I went too far in trying to unravel Myst’s energy from his. I didn’t realize I was at the core-the part that cannot be undone. And I tried to push beyond that boundary line-”

“I saw you do that. I could see what you were doing.” I took hold of one of Grieve’s hands, rocking gently as I brought it to my chest. “I thought the rest of you could, too.”

“No.” Chatter shook his head. “I could see something-but it was a blur and I had no idea what it was.” Rhia and Wrath nodded in agreement.

“You could, because of your link to him. If I had pushed too far”-Kaylin grimaced-“you could have died with him.”

“When Grieve dies, I die. We thought that before, when Myst punished him and I took the punishment on my own body. Now I think we know it’s true.” Oddly enough, I wasn’t afraid-not terribly.

I wasn’t the type of person to live my life for another, although it seemed like I’d done that for my mother, but Grieve-he and I were two parts of a whole. We’d created a bond that would outlast death, and I knew that if something happened in this lifetime, we would return together again and again until we finally managed to get it right. But, having said that, I wasn’t ready to die yet. I wasn’t ready to let Myst win. I wanted to grow old with Grieve.

Wrath leaned down and lifted Grieve in his arms. “I think he should go into the realm of Summer. He’ll be protected there and maybe the healers can do more for him now. At least some of Myst’s curse is lifted-some of the threads undone.”

“Will Lainule allow that?” I had thought that she’d proscribed him from entering her realm, but then again, she had bid him come with us on the journey to find her heartstone. I had a feeling the Queen of Rivers and Rushes knew more about what was unfolding than she was letting on.

“Oh, she will. It is daylight-the vampires sleep and so does the Indigo Court. I will take him, along with my guards. Do nothing until I return. Today we hunt down Myst in her lair. Today we go to war and I will bring reinforcements.” He caught my gaze.

I nodded, swallowing a lump in my throat. “We will prepare. I am taking my obsidian blade into battle.”

Wrath frowned. “I do not like it, but then that usually doesn’t stop you, daughter. Do what you will. But neither you nor Rhiannon nor Chatter can fall. Grieve…we have to make sure he survives this. So if you find yourself in danger, pull back. Let another take your place.”

“Why is this so important? What are you not telling me?” I wanted answers. I was tired of being a pawn in this convoluted game. Something big was going down and if I was going to be a part of it, I wanted to know what.

“Don’t question me, girl-”

“Don’t you think you owe her the truth, Wrath?” A voice from the door cut him off. It was Ysandra Petros, standing there with the three remaining members of the Consortium. Peyton looked at me apologetically and shrugged.

They were dressed for battle, looking a bit worse for the wear considering what had happened. She strode in, all business-whether she was wearing a prim dress or a weatherproof jumpsuit, Ysandra Petros remained fully in charge.

“I think this matter is no concern of yours.” My father stared at her, his eyes narrowing.

“I think it’s every concern of ours…the Vampiric Fae are a plague on us all, a danger to everyone. And what has happened so far will change the future playing field. Cicely and Rhiannon deserve to know more than you’ve told them, if only to reinforce the necessity of them staying alive during this battle.”

Ysandra’s lips were pursed and she looked pissed. I’d never seen someone stand up to Wrath-except for Lannan, and even he cowered when push came to shove.

My father grumbled, shaking his head. “It’s too soon-”

“When will be the time? When she goes charging in, trying to help save the day, and finds herself in the jaws of one of the Shadow Hunters? She has no more clue as to what’s happening than the mass of yummanii and Weres out there who are counting their dead from the night’s feast. You cannot protect her forever.” Ysandra pointed at me, shouting now. “The die has been cast, the bargain made. The girls have sealed their fate. They deserve to know what’s going on. I warned you of this, years back, before you refused our help. I knew this was coming from the beginning.”

“From the beginning? What do you mean, from the beginning?” I turned to her, blinking. “How long have you known about this? Why isn’t anybody being straight with me? Did you know what was happening when you came to the house the first time? I’m getting fucking tired of being left out of the loop!”

Rhiannon joined me, slipping her arm around my waist. “I want to know, too. If I’m involved, I need to know. I helped kill my mother the other day because of what Myst did to her. I demand to know what’s going on. And I want to know why I was able to see that door that only those with Cambyra blood are supposed to be able to see.”

We stood, a frozen tableau. Wrath glanced at Ysandra, then to Rhia and me, uncertainty filling his face. I almost felt sorry for him-it was obvious he was struggling with a decision.

Kneeling beside Grieve, I turned to Chatter, who was sitting on the floor beside my Fae Prince, lifting him so that Grieve’s head was resting on his lap.

“How is he?”

“Sleeping deeply. It’s hard to tell what’s going to happen when he wakes up. He should be monitored. I thought we were taking him to the realm of Summer?” Chatter glanced at Wrath, and it seemed like the frightened Fae I’d met upon my return to New Forest had vanished. He was strong, almost regal.

Wrath let out a long breath. “I suppose it is time to tell you the truth. I’m not sure what Lainule will say, though.”

“I say we should tell them.” Lainule’s voice echoed through the room. “We must sort things out in order to rout Myst this afternoon, and to do that you must know the past as well as your future.” She pushed Ysandra out of the doorway as she entered the room, followed by eight strapping Fae warriors. “I have brought an army-they are outside, awaiting our orders. I also brought healers. We march to reclaim our land today.”

I twisted around, still holding Grieve’s hand. “Please, can you help Grieve?”

“Attend him.” Lainule moved to the side as a woman stepped from behind her and entered the room.

She was Cambyra Fae and a healer-the energy rolled off of her from across the room. She silently glided across the floor like some ethereal spirit to kneel beside Grieve. Motioning for Chatter and me to move, she felt Grieve’s pulse, then brushed his hair back and placed a hand on his forehead.

A moment later, she began to hum, and Luna moved forward, as if called by the song. The healer looked up at her, nodded, and Luna knelt beside her and began to match harmonies, blending her voice with the voice of the healer. As they worked in unison, the healer gestured to Zoey, who began to match their cadence with a slow beat. As the soft fall of her hand swept the head of the drum, Luna and the healer began to sing.

I am calling your soul back from the depths,

I am calling your soul back from the darkness.

I am calling your soul back from the crypts,

I am calling you back to yourself.

You are lost and alone, out in the starlight,

You are lost and alone, so far from home,

Come back to me, Princeling, cease to wander the byways,

Come back to me, Princeling, no more to roam.

As their voices fell to a whisper, Grieve’s eyes began to flutter, and he moaned, but this time there was no pain and my wolf began to stir. I pressed my hand to my stomach as he sat up, but again-I felt no pain, only the joy of consciousness, and a freedom that I’d never before experienced.

The healer and Luna lifted him to a sitting position, holding him steady as he struggled for a moment, then sucked in a deep breath.

“Grieve?” I moved forward, slowly, not wanting to startle him.

He looked up at me, and the stars were still in his eyes, but they were changed somehow-they weren’t frightening, only beautiful and vivid against the black backdrop. The feral edge I’d sensed when I first returned had fled. He might be Indigo Court, but he was my Grieve once more, and he smiled when he saw me and held up his arms.

“Cicely, my beautiful Cicely.” His voice cracked then, and he slowly sat up, shaking his head. “I’ve come back to you, as far as I ever can return. Myst…she holds no power over me anymore.”

“Grieve, my Grieve.” I gathered him in my arms, kissing his cheeks, his forehead, his lips. “My beloved. You are free.”

“I will always be Indigo Court, but now I am free of the compulsion to hunt. I will always have the dangerous edge in my nature to cope with, but I can control it.” He struggled to his feet. “I feel both stronger, and weaker.”

“The violent nature of their blood gave you extra strength, young Prince. But you will regain the strength without the fury behind it as you get used to this new state of being.” Lainule motioned to Wrath and he moved to her side. She turned to Rhiannon and me. “And now we will tell you what you wish to know. But understand: You may not be prepared for what you hear.”

I nodded. Whatever it was, as long as Grieve was by my side, I’d weather the news. Rhiannon moved to my side and we held hands, waiting.

“We’re ready,” she said. “I want to know who my father is. And do I bear Wrath’s blood in my veins, like Cicely? Am I part Fae?”

Lainule looked at Wrath, who let out a long sigh.

“No, you are not my daughter,” he said.

“Then who was my father?” Rhia looked like she might cry. She’d waited all her life to know who her father had been, and when Heather died, it looked like there was no chance of finding out.

Lainule looked at her. “You are my niece,” she said. “My brother sired you-you are his child. He was killed during the battle with Myst. You are part Cambyra like your cousin. And as my closest female heir, you, my dear, will be the next Queen of Summer, even as Cicely becomes the new mistress of Winter.”

And with that, our world shifted forever.