Moon Shimmers

  We sat there in silence, soaking up the sun, until Delilah suddenly leaped up and turned into her Tabby self. She bounded into my arms and I snuggled her, realizing this was her way of saying good-bye. Of acknowledging the changing seasons of our lives. I tickled her tummy and played with her paws, then let her down and she raced through the clearing with me after her, playing a game of tag. For a moment, we were children again, tossing our cares to the wind as we raced and romped. Finally, I gave up, flopping down on a patch of grass. Delilah shifted back, joining me.

  “That was fun,” she said, laughing. “We should do this more often.”

  “We still can, you know. I’m just moving a half hour away.” I rolled on my back, staring up at the sky. “Can I tell you something?”

  She flipped over too, resting her arms beneath her head as she gazed at the clouds that lazily drifted overhead. “What is it?”

  “I’m happy. I’m excited. Sad, yes, but Delilah, we’re growing up.” I rolled up to a sitting position, wrapping my arms around my knees. “We’re growing up and we’re really, truly, taking control of our lives. You’ll be getting married in a few months. We’ll all have our homes and families. Whatever children you have will know their crazy Auntie Camille and Auntie Menolly. And Auntie Iris. We’re lucky. Despite Shadow Wing and all the pain of the past few years, we’ll always have each other. Nobody can ask for more.”

  And sitting there, basking in the sunlight, my Kitten could only agree.

  THAT NIGHT WE gathered around the kitchen table. Everybody was there—all of our wonderful, goofy, extended family. Iris and Hanna had covered the table with a feast, and we reminisced over the past few years, nobody wanting to mention that tomorrow, everything would be different. We avoided talking about Shadow Wing, and in the space of a few hours, we held a wonderful wake for the life we had been leading.

  Menolly and Delilah and I stayed up late, gathering in the living room to watch movies and play with Maggie. Everybody else gracefully found an excuse to leave us on our own. Without a word, Menolly turned on the Jerry Springer show and I brought out the Cheetos.

  As the night wore on, Maggie fell asleep in my arms and I handed her gently to Menolly, who was sitting in the rocking chair. As she gently rocked our calico wonder, we all fell into a comfortable silence, watching an old science fiction movie, cheering as Patricia Neal faced down Gort. We chimed in when she stopped the robot from wreaking havoc with Klaatu barada nikto, and then cheered as Klaatu gave his final speech. “Your choice is simple: join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you.”

  Menolly quietly tiptoed into Hanna’s room and put Maggie in her crib, then returned. “I wish we could face Shadow Wing and tell him the same thing.”

  “We could, but I don’t know if he’ll listen.” I yawned and stretched. It was two a.m. “I suppose it’s time for bed. Menolly, what are you doing?”

  “I carried all our boxes out to the porch earlier tonight. Nerissa and I will be leaving in a few minutes. We’re moving into Roman’s house now.”

  At our looks, she shrugged. “There’s no use putting it off. You’ll be gone tomorrow. We’ll be out at Talamh Lonrach Oll for your coronation tomorrow night. Aeval even invited Roman.”

  Delilah was starting to tear up. I felt the tears welling, but pushed them down as hard as I could. There was no use making this even more difficult than it was.

  “Then, I suppose…this is it. I’m going upstairs now to bed. Delilah, you should, too. Menolly…” I paused. “Be happy.”

  She nodded, her face rigid. She hated crying because her tears always came out as blood and stained her clothes. “You too, Camille. And Kitten…we’ll see you tomorrow night.”

  At that moment, Nerissa appeared in the doorway. “They’re here to take our boxes.”

  I kissed Menolly on the forehead, then embraced Nerissa. Delilah followed suit, though tears raced down her cheeks. Without another word, I turned away and raced up the stairs, unable to stand another moment.

  Smoky, Trillian, and Morio were there, waiting. Trillian opened his arms and I slid into them, weeping. Morio slid in behind me, and Smoky snuggled up on the other side. He was carrying the kittens, and he tumbled them into my lap. Misty pounced on the bed as well, and we rested in silence, the kittens falling asleep as I stroked their fur. An hour wore away, with my beloved husbands simply holding me, brushing my hair, massaging my hands and feet.

  Finally, Morio gently disengaged the kittens from my lap and tumbled them back in their playpen, as Trillian helped me undress. Then, with Smoky on one side, Morio on the other, and Trillian resting behind him, I fell asleep in our communal bed, safe in the protection of the men who loved me most in the world.

  THE NEXT NIGHT, I stood naked and alone by the edge of the lake out at Talamh Lonrach Oll. My tears of the past few days were dried, and all I wore was the Keraastar Diamond and the two tattoos that marked me as the High Priestess of the Moon Mother. We were headed toward the dark moon, the time of her power that was my power, and I could feel her riding on my shoulders. This was her will, and I would always bend my knee at her hem.

  The land was rife with members of the Sovereign Fae Nation, but here—on this night—the only ones with me at the lake were Aeval, Titania, and Myrddin. The coronation would come at just past midnight, but first, I had to pass through the fire that would turn me into the Queen of Dusk And Twilight.

  The echoing calls of owls filled the air, and a murder of crows circled overhead, watching. The trees sang an incessant litany cloaked in the wind, their boughs creaking and shaking. Overhead, the sky was clear and the night was slowly gaining on us.

  I had disrobed by the side of the lake and now, I waited as Aeval and Titania approached me. Aeval carried a silver chalice, and Titania, a flask of glowing oil. They motioned for me to take my place on a square stone in front of them. As I did, my feet began to tingle and I realized it wasn’t any ordinary boulder, but rife with the magic of the land. Pinprick needles raced up my legs, tickling me and burning at the same time.

  Aeval set down the chalice on another stone and held out a long dagger. She cast a Circle as Titania kept watch.

  Beneath Litha’s summer moon, beneath the stars and jet-black sky,

  I weave this Circle with magic’s rune, all unwelcome flee or die.

  To this sacred space we come, To this night of summer’s height,

  To the ancient charms we turn, to the ancient charms and rites.

  Hags of Fate, hear me now, to your will we bend our knee,

  Come to us, your faces show, come to bestow destiny.

  As she spoke, a great mist rose up by the water and out of the mist stepped a figure that I had met once before. She was regal, buxom, and barely skimmed my height by an inch. Wearing an ivory corset beaded with silver and a long flowing skirt the color of the mist, she looked more ethereal than real. Her hair cascaded around her, to her knees, the color of ice floes and winter snow. Atop her head, she wore a headdress of silver. Crystal antlers rose up from the headdress to tower over her. Her eyes were jet, with faint silver flecks, and she was a most fearsome and beautiful sight. She was wielding her wand—a thin birch branch with silver winding around it that sparkled in the night.

  Pentangle…the Mistress of Magic. Pentangle, one of the Hags of Fate.

  Aeval and Titania bowed to Pentangle. I felt awkward—standing on the stone, I was taller than she was and kneeling would be precarious. I tried, but she stopped me.

  “So we meet again, Camille, as your destiny plays out.” She turned to Aeval. “Are you ready? Is she?” And I knew she was talking about me.

  Aeval nodded. “I have the Nectar. And Titania carries the elixir.”

  “Then we proceed.” Pentangle turned to me. “Before you can ascend to your throne, you must go through death and rebirth. Morgaine went through this same ritual, as did A
eval and Titania in their beginnings.”

  I glanced at them. It had never occurred to me that they would have had to go through a ritual to take the throne. Somehow, in my mind, they had been born Fae Queens, rolled out of bed, stepped up to the throne, and taken their crowns like I might roll out of bed and make coffee in the morning.

  Pentangle let out a soft smile. “No, child. Everyone who ascends to great power had to begin somewhere. You do not become great by the name you are born to, but by the destiny you are offered. And even then, you have to accept your path and fulfill it.”

  That she could read my mind made me just as nervous as the first time I had met her, walking on the shore of the Ocean of Anger in the Netherworld.

  “Are you ready?” She held my gaze. I couldn’t have lied to her if I wanted to.

  I summoned a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m ready.” And in my heart, I was.

  Pentangle turned to Aeval. “The Nectar?”

  Aeval handed her the chalice and Pentangle stirred the contents with her wand. “The hands of time slow and still, as I charm, so be my will.” She pointed to my feet with her wand. “Make certain your feet are firmly planted on the stone of ages.”

  I glanced down, wiggling my toes to make sure they were flat against the rock. I had never heard of the term “stone of ages” but now wasn’t the time to ask questions.

  Pentangle handed me the chalice. “This is the Nectar of Life. Drink deep, and your years will stretch on for eons. Drink deep, and you will live as long or longer than any of the full-blooded Fae folk. Drink deep, for without the Nectar of Life, you cannot take the throne.”

  I held the silver chalice in my hands, my stomach rolling like I’d eaten too much sugar or had too much caffeine. I can’t be scared of this, I thought. I always knew I’d drink this one day. Chase took the Nectar and he’s fine. But Chase hadn’t drunk Nectar empowered by Pentangle, and he wasn’t taking a throne.

  But he is becoming one of your Knights. And his life is changing in ways he can’t even fathom. Be brave. Step into your future.

  At first I wasn’t sure where the thought had come from, but then I glanced up. Pentangle was smiling at me—faintly, yes, but there it was, at the corner of her lips—a slight upturn.

  You know I can read your thoughts, Camille. I see your heart, and I see your fear. But let fear pass away. You no longer need it.

  I raised the chalice to my lips. No words were necessary. No formal proclamations. All that was required was for me to drink the Nectar of Life. I sipped the golden liqueur, and it was like fiery honey on my tongue, racing down my throat like the oldest brandy ever known, smooth and yet with a fire so deep that it worked its way into every cell of my body.

  I drank the Nectar in one long swallow and handed Aeval the goblet, reeling as the magic began to seep into my cells and my blood, changing my DNA as it went, twisting me inside out and then inside out yet again. My thoughts were scattered like a flock of startled birds, winging away as the Nectar waged war on the cells that wanted to age. It hurt, as though I were being sliced, diced, and twisted like a licorice whip. I cried out and would have fallen except for Aeval, who grabbed my hand to keep me steady. Forcing myself to see through the haze that was running rampant in my body, I once again planted my feet firmly on the rock.

  Pentangle motioned to Titania. “Next, the elixir.”

  Titania handed her the vial of oil and Pentangle took it, motioned for me to kneel. I was holding onto the corners of the stone with my hands, my knees firmly against the smooth surface. Pentangle opened the elixir and held up the dropper.

  “Open your mouth, Camille, and stick out your tongue.”

  Even though I knew this was a solemn rite, I let out a half-crazed giggle. If she was holding a tongue depressor, this couldn’t be any weirder. I felt like I was undergoing one of the most bizarre physical exams ever. But I stifled my laughter and held out my tongue.

  Humor is an important attribute for any member of royalty to have. Again, Pentangle’s voice echoed in my head. I think you’ll find it brings you closer to your subjects than Aeval and Titania are with their own Barrow halls.

  Now I did stifle my laugh, hoping neither of the Fae Queens had caught that remark. The last thing I needed was to be held up to comparison to them before I had even gotten to wear the crown.

  Pentangle held out the dropper and let one single drop of the glowing oil fall on my tongue. It absorbed into my skin quickly, tasting like blackberries and cream. The next moment, my back began to itch and then—sharp pains burrowed deep below my shoulder blades, twisting like a drill bit boring into my body.

  “Don’t scream,” Pentangle cautioned.

  I bit my lip, drawing blood as the pain increased. What the hell was happening to me? But as I knelt there, squeezing the rock so hard that I cut the skin on my fingers and blood raced down the sides of the stone, I happened to glance over at Titania and Aeval.

  They stood there, the same as always, but now I could see a deep sparkle of color around them—their auras stood out as clearly as if they were illuminated by Morio’s Faerie Fire spell. And from their backs, I could see massive wings unfolding, sparkling with color, transparent and yet luminescent. I realized I had never seen anything like this before. And then, I realized what was going on with my back.

  “Wings? I’m growing wings?”

  Pentangle nodded, a soft smile on her face. “All Fae Queens wear wings. The Guardian of the Keraastar Diamond? She was the spirit of the stone, a Fae Queen who gave her life to protect the gem until the rightful owner came along so many thousands of years later. And now you, too, bear the mark of a Fae Queen.”

  “I saw her wings.”

  “She allowed you to. You’ll have that choice as well, but guard wisely who you allow to see them. There are reasons we hide them and you will learn as you go along.”

  At that moment, the skin felt like it split wide on my back. I groaned, stifling the shriek that came to my lips. The next moment, the pain was gone and I felt the gentle waving of wings behind me. I shifted, and they moved in the wind. As I weakly sat back, they moved along with me, but weren’t impeded by the ground or plants or the stone itself.

  “Your wings are visible only to other Fae Queens and various beings of such sort. You will see them in the mirror, but your loved ones won’t. Your wings mark you as royalty in the Fae world such as no other heads of state.”

  “Does Tanaquar have them?” I asked. “And Lethesanar?”

  “No,” Myrddin said. “They may rule Court and Crown, but they are not Fae Queens such as Aeval or Titania. Or you, now.” He had been standing back, watching all of this unfold, and now he crossed to Aeval’s side. It was then that I saw that he—too—bore wings.

  “You, too?”

  He nodded. “I may be the Arch Druid, but I am also of the Fae realm and Fae nobility.”

  Aeval held out her hand. “Come, stand. Then walk into the lake and rinse off, and then, we have a coronation to attend.” She was smiling kindly. So was Titania.

  “I remember getting my wings,” Titania said softly. “So very long ago. I was so afraid.”

  “I was too.” Aeval glanced over at me. “I think what marked Morgaine as different…was that she wasn’t afraid. She was cocky and too certain of her entitlement. It was her undoing in the end.”

  I didn’t want to talk or think about Morgaine at this point. I was having a hard time even processing what had occurred already, so much had happened. Aeval and Titania led me to the edge of the lake—only a few yards away—and I cautiously walked into the water until I was waist deep. I ducked my head under, immersing myself. My wings felt light and shimmering as I waved them in the current, shaking off what was basically their amniotic fluid. And then, a similar rush of joy to what I had felt when the Keraastar Diamond was placed around my neck hit me and I rose from the water, feeling reborn into a new strength. As I stepped out from the water a glow cente
red in my heart, and it reverberated through the diamond.

  I glanced around. “Where’s Pentangle?”

  “She’ll meet us at the Barrow. Now come, dress.”

  Standing next to Aeval, Titania, and Myrddin were two attendants. They dried me off and then there, under the waning moon, they dressed me. Afterward, they bade me step into a pair of lace panties, then brought out a shimmering skirt the color of twilight. It floated down around my waist, flowing out, so sheer it was almost weightless. Next, they fit a dusky blue corset with accents of silver and black around me, lacing me into it. The corset pushed my breasts up, spilling out the way a good corset worked. As I lifted my feet, they slid leather boots on my feet and laced them up to my knees. They fastened silver arm bracelets around my upper arms and, of course, I wore the Keraastar Diamond.

  I turned to Aeval and saw myself reflected in her eyes. She gave me a sad smile.

  “I knew from the first time we met that one day you’d be standing here. You freed me from my prison, and I’m about to consign you to your own—albeit more pleasant. But Camille, it is a prison, and as the centuries roll on, you’ll understand more what I mean. Thank you for stepping up to take the crown. For voluntarily giving yourself over to our world.” She sounded so resigned that I wanted to cheer her up.

  But what she said rang true. It resonated with a deep knell that sounded the end of my freedom. To wear any crown brought with it responsibilities and formalities, and while I expected to still love my life, it would never again feel freewheeling except when I was running with the Hunt.

  “It’s who I am, Aeval.” As I said it, I knew that it was true. I wouldn’t be happy if I turned away.