Our initiation was set for three nights hence, on midwinter’s eve. The day after that, on the solstice, we would be married in a double ceremony to Chatter and Grieve.
Although my heart was singing, fear still kept the woodland and town in its grasp. Myst was still out there, and we could feel her, brooding and watching. Geoffrey, too-and Leo-were in hiding and we fully expected them to make trouble.
As for Lannan…he hadn’t spoken to me since I’d left his office. I wasn’t particularly unhappy over the fact, but it didn’t bode well for future entanglements. Regina warned me to keep out of his way for a while, and this time I followed her advice. He’d been too close to the edge, and I didn’t want him toppling over, taking me with him. Stalkers of any sort were scary. Vampire stalkers-much worse.
Grieve and I were sorting through the kitchenware, deciding what was salvageable and what wasn’t. I found another one of Aunt Heather’s dishes that had escaped the fire and looting. As I ran my hands around the soot-stained china, a slow tear eased out of my eye.
“What’s the matter, love?” Over the past few days, I’d watched Grieve go from haunted to whole. He’d never again be the Prince of Summer, but now he was poised to be the King of Winter and he’d grown, no longer bound by Myst’s shadow. He even seemed taller, and his beautiful platinum hair was gleaming in the ray of light that shone through the window. The sun was a welcome sight, and the snow-while it wasn’t melting-was taking more breaks between storms.
“I was just thinking about my aunt. About how much she loved this house, and Rhiannon, and how much she loved me. I miss her.” And I did-Aunt Heather had been my touchstone to childhood.
Grieve took the plate and stacked it with the others for washing later. He let out a long sigh, leaning back against the sink. The kitchen had taken a lot of damage and would have to be totally renovated. The rest of the house, while gutted in areas, had held up better and would take less work to restore. He held out his arm and I slipped into his embrace, leaning my head on his shoulder.
“She was a good woman. She resisted Myst as much as she could.” He paused as if wanting to say something. After a moment, he continued. “The morning we met her on the trail? She could have easily killed us. She held back. She let us win and then she asked us for release. But she could have killed us.”
I hung my head. Somehow I’d known that. Heather had been strong enough. She’d chosen to let us win. “Grieve…how long have you known that we were to take over the Winter Court?”
He shrugged, not letting go of me. “I knew that you would someday be my Queen. I knew it from the beginning. But I couldn’t say anything. I always thought we’d rule the Summer, though.” He smiled, resigned-but it was still a smile-and turned me to face him. “We’ve a long history together. Longer than even we know.”
“Ulean told me the same thing.”
“I promise you, I don’t know anything more than what I’ve told you so far, but I imagine someday we’ll find out together.” He picked up a creamer and handed it to me and I tucked it to my chest. “We’ll have a family, Cicely. We’ll have children, and we’ll rule a kingdom together.”
“First we have to find Myst and kill her for good. But I’m beginning to believe. I’m beginning to truly think…that the future exists for us.” And slowly I raised the creamer-another of Aunt Heather’s treasures-and kissed it softly before setting it on the counter.
“Oh, we have a future. Our battles aren’t over, but we have the upper hand. And soon we’ll be married and even Lannan Altos can’t touch you then.”
And with that, we went back to sorting out the kitchen. The Veil House would rise again. Grieve was free from Myst’s rule. And I…I was about to become a queen.
On our last morning at the Veil House, Rhia and I sat on the back steps, eating our lunch. Only now, three guards stood at attention near us. We could barely go to the bathroom without an escort.
“So much has happened.” Rhia finished her sandwich, then dusted her hands on her skirt and put her gloves back on.
The Shadow Hunters were still around, a few had been caught, but Grieve estimated that at least sixty to a hundred had escaped, and we had no doubt they’d found their way to Myst. The barrow was ready, though, in case she made another attempt. It wasn’t there that we would have to take the greatest care.
“New Forest feels so empty.” I stared at the silent road. A few people had moved back, but a number of HOUSE FOR SALE signs had cropped up lately, and things for our little town were changing.
“People will return. Whether they are old or new inhabitants, well, that remains to be seen. Anadey is still running the diner. Peyton said she left a voice message last night, wanting to see her.”
I cringed. Anadey had betrayed us. “What is Peyton going to do?”
“I don’t know, but she seems in no hurry to visit her. Rex is healing up. The infection from the Shadow Hunter’s bite has died down, but it will take him some time to fully recover, and he’ll always have a chunk of muscle gouged out of that leg.” Rhia crossed her arms. She stared around the backyard. “I’ll miss living here.”
“Me too, but I guess we can’t stay here now. At least Peyton and Luna and Kaylin will be near us.” In the short month or so that I’d been home, these people had become my family as well as my friends. “Did Zoey make it off all right?”
“Yeah, she went back to the Akazzani.” Rhia stood, staring at the sky. The snow had finally begun to slack off, but it hadn’t fully stopped. Myst still held the town in her wintery grasp, though it wasn’t nearly as tight as it had been. “We’d better get down to the barrows. They’re waiting for us.”
She held out her hand and I took it. As we began to walk across the yard, toward the Golden Wood, followed by our guards, I felt a shadow cross my path. I whirled quickly, but there was nothing there.
As we came to the trail mouth, I glanced up at the sky. A woman’s face peered down at me from the silvery clouds. Myst…it was Myst. I could feel her in the snows and on the slipstream, waiting, biding her time, longing for revenge. She was out there, waiting for us to slip up, and it was only a matter of time until she returned. But this time we’d be stronger, and perhaps we could end her terror for good.
Character List
Anadey: Traitor; was a friend of Heather’s and mentor to Rhiannon. One of the magic-born, Anadey can work with all elements. She owns Anadey’s Diner and is Peyton’s mother.
Cicely Waters: A witch who can control the wind. One of the magic-born and half-Uwilahsidhe (the Owl people of the Cambyra Fae). Born on the summer solstice at midnight, a daughter of the moon/waning year. Destined to become the Queen of Snow and Ice.
Heather Roland: Rhiannon’s mother and Cicely’s aunt. One of the magic-born, an herbalist, now turned into a vampire by the Indigo Court.
Kaylin Chen: Martial-arts sensei, a dreamwalker, has a night-veil demon merged into his soul.
Peyton Moon Runner: Half-werepuma, half-magic-born, she’s Anadey’s daughter.
Rex Moon Runner: Werepuma. Peyton’s father.
Rhiannon Roland: Cicely’s cousin, born on the same day as Cicely, only at daybreak, a daughter of the sun/waxing year. Rhiannon is also half-Cambyra Fae and half-magic-born, and she controls the power of fire. Destined to become the Queen of Rivers and Rushes.
Ysandra Petros: Member of the Consortium. A powerful witch who can control sound, energy, and force.