I let out a slow breath. I had yet to tell them about my wings, though Smoky, Morio, and Trillian knew. Finally, I handed Maggie to Menolly and clambered down the stairs, turning my back to them.
“Watch.” I closed my eyes. I had been spending twelve hours a day learning the ways of the Court, and one of those lessons had been about my wings. I willed them to appear, shedding the glamour that kept them cloaked.
“Oh. My. Gods.” Menolly and Delilah were by my side immediately, examining the huge curling wings that draped off my back.
“When did this happen?” Delilah held out a finger. “Can I touch them?”
“During the ritual before my coronation and please don’t. They still feel incredibly awkward and I’m not sure how I’d react.”
But Maggie wasn’t listening. She reached out and poked one of my wings and I jumped, feeling her tickling finger right down to my core.
“I guess that answers that,” Delilah said. She slid her arm through mine and began to walk around the house. Menolly followed, carrying Maggie. “So, you have wings. I guess that trumps any news I’ve got. Except that Shade and I have decided on where we want to get married.”
“Where?” I was dying to talk about something other than the changes in my life. I wanted to talk about something normal for a change.
Menolly smiled. “I bet I can guess, but I’ll let you tell us.”
Delilah smiled. “Yeah, I imagine you do know. I thought—down at the pond. A simple wedding, just immediate family and friends. I found a green sheath dress that will be perfect for a wedding dress. I want both of you to be my bridesmaids, please? And Nerissa, too. I’ve asked Iris to be my matron of honor.”
“Oh, that sounds perfect.” I slid my arm around her waist and hugged her. “Tell us more. What flowers? Who will perform the ceremony?”
As we headed toward the pond, discussing wedding plans, the glowing moon rose. She was nearing the full stage and soon I’d be running with the Hunt again. Delilah would be bounding through dandelions in her Tabby form. Menolly had promised to come out and help Shade kitty-sit her during the shift, not out of need but out of the desire to reclaim some familiarity with what had been our lives up until recently.
The birds were singing as we passed into the woods, on the trail toward Birchwater Pond, and the night seemed to stand still for us, pausing to give us the chance to catch our breath. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen in the coming weeks, but they were bound to be interesting.
We hadn’t heard from Trytian in a while and were trying to contact him, but the battle in the Sub-Realms was raging on, that much we knew. I was toying with whom to deed the Indigo Crescent. I couldn’t very well run a business and be a Fae Queen as well.
Menolly retained ownership of the Wayfarer, but she had withdrawn from working there now, given her new position in the vampire community. And Delilah had let her PI license lapse. She had never been passionate over the job to begin with, and now her life was moving in a new direction as well.
Yes, I thought as a breeze wafted by, filling my lungs with the scent of cedar and moss, of warm summer flowers and the leftover haze from the day. Things had changed. And they would be changing even more. I was about ready to contact Tanne Baum, our friend from the Hunter’s Glen Clan, and see if my hunch was right about him. Smoky, Morio, and Trillian were making themselves useful around the Barrow, and as Titania joked, at least Smoky and she could share the barrow space without threatening each other now. I had first met Titania when I was whisked away to my dragon’s barrow.
As we approached the water, echoes of past celebrations reached out to touch my heart. So much of our joy surrounded this land, this pond. Whatever was coming, we’d always have this time and place to return to in our memories.
Menolly seemed to pick up my thoughts and she carried Maggie over to the bench near the water and sat, singing softly.
I’ve wandered so many trails,
Some dark, some light, some bleak,
My heart today feels old and frail,
As solace I do seek.
But one bright light shines ever on,
Within my soul and heart,
And gives me hope to carry on,
Though our paths may part.
You will always be there,
My anchors and my loves,
My family, my sisters dear,
Wherever I may rove.
As her voice rang out into the night, Delilah and I built a fire, and we sat there, watching the moon rise, holding onto our past even as we knew that, come the dawn, we would return to our homes and move onward into the future. We accepted the paths the Hags of Fate set before us. And that was right and true. Because all life evolves, and even though we were no longer living together, we still had battles to fight, and dreams to live, and love to embrace.
~End~
If you enjoyed this book, know that the next Otherworld book—HARVEST SONG—will be out May 2018.
Meanwhile, how about getting acquainted with my new characters—the wild and magical residents of Bedlam in my Bewitching Bedlam Series, about fun-loving witch Maddy Gallowglass, her smoking-hot vampire lover, and their crazed cjinn Bubba (part djinn, all cat). Read BLOOD MUSIC, the prequel, and BEWITCHING BEDLAM—the first in the series, while waiting for MAUDLIN’S MAYHEM to come out.
Or, if you prefer a grittier series, try my post-apocalyptic paranormal romance—the Fury Unbound Series. The first two books—FURY RISING and FURY’S MAGIC—are out, and the third will be out in June 2017.
You can also read my entire Chintz ‘n China paranormal mystery series,including HOLIDAY SPIRITS, the holiday novella I wrote to wrap it up.
For all of my work, see the Bibliography at the end of this book, or check out my website at Galenorn.com and be sure and sign up for my newsletter to receive news about all my new releases.
Upcoming releases
June 2017: Fury Awakened (Fury Unbound—Book 3)
July 2017: Maudlin’s Mayhem (Bewitching Bedlam—Book 2)
August 2017: Re-release of the Bath and Body Series
August 2017: Fury Calling (Fury Unbound—Book 4)
October 2017: Siren Song (Bewitching Bedlam—Book 4)
October 2017: Taming the Shifter (Anthology)
November 2017: Fury’s Mantle (Fury Unbound—Book 5)
December 2017: Silent Night (Otherworld Holiday Novella)
Playlist
I often write to music and I always try to put my playlists in the book so you can see what music influenced me.
Air: Playground Love, Napalm Love, Moon Fever
A.J. Roach: Devil May Dance
Al Stewart: Life in Dark Water
Android Lust: Here and Now, Saint Over
Arch Leaves: Nowhere to Go
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour: Sunshine Coolin’, Heart Attack
AWOLNATION: Sail
Beck: Nausea, Qué Onda Guero, Emergency Exit, Farewell Ride
The Black Angels: Always Maybe, Don’t Play With Guns, Young Men Dead
Black Mountain: Queens Will Play
Blue Oyster Cult: Godzilla
Boom! Bap! Pow!: Suit
The Bravery: Believe
Broken Bells: The Ghost Inside
Buffalo Springfield: For What It’s Worth
Crazy Town: Butterfly
Chris Isaac: Wicked Game
Cobra Verde: Play with Fire
David Bowie: China Girl, Fame ’90, Golden Years
Death Cab For Cutie: I Will Possess Your Heart
Dizzi: Dizzi Jig
Don Henley: Dirty Laundry
Eastern Sun: Beautiful Beaing
Eivør: Trøllbundin
Elektrisk Gønner: Uknowhatiwant
Fatboy Slim: Praise You
Faun: The Market Song, Hymn to Pan, Iduna, Oyneng yar
FC Kahuna: Hayling
Fluke: Absurd
Foster The People: Pump
ed Up Kids
Gabrielle Roth: Raven
Garbage: Queer, #1 Crush,
Gary Numan: My Breathing, Walking with Shadows, I Am Dust, Cars (Remix), Petals
Gorillaz: Dare, Last Living Souls, Demon Days, Clint Eastwood, Fire Coming Out of the Monkey’s Head, Kids With Guns, Stylo
The Gospel Whiskey Runners: Muddy Waters
Hedningarna: Ukkonen, Juopolle Joutunut, Räven (Fox Woman), Grodan/Widergrenen (Toadeater), Drafur & Gildur
Huldrelokkk: Trolldans
Ian Melrose & Kerstin Blodig: Kråka
In Strict Confidence: Silver Bullets, Tiefer, Snow White
Jessica Bates: The Hanging Tree
The Kills: Sour Cherry, You Don’t Own The Road, Nail In My Coffin
Kirsty MacColl: In These Shoes?
Lady Gaga: I Like It Rough, Paparazzi,
Ladytron: I’m Not Scared, Paco, Ghosts
Leonard Cohen: It Seemed the Better Way, You Want It Darker
Lord of the Lost: Sex on Legs
Lorde: Royals, Yellow Flicker Beat
Low with Tom and Andy: Half Light
Marilyn Manson: Tainted Love, Personal Jesus
Matt Corby: Breathe
Nine Inch Nails: Deep
Orgy: Social Enemies, Blue Monday
Puddle of Mudd: Famous
The Pussycat Dolls: Don’t Cha
Queen: We Will Rock You, Another One Bites the Dust
Roisin Murphy: Ramalama (Bang Bang)
Saliva: Ladies and Gentlemen
Screaming Trees: Where the Twain Shall Meet
Shriekback: Dust and a Shadow, Underwater Boys, The King in the Tree, The Shining Path, The Big Hush, Intoxication, Go Bang, Now These Days Are Gone
Simple Minds: Don’t You (Forget About Me)
Stone Temple Pilots: Atlanta
Strawberry Alarm Clock: Incense and Peppermint
Styx: Renegade
Sweet Talk Radio: We All Fall Down
Talking Heads: I Zimbra, Burning Down the House, Girlfriend Is Better, Moon Rocks
Tamaryn: While You’re Sleeping, I’m Dreaming, Violet’s in a Pool
Toadies: Possum Kingdom
Tuatha Dea: Tuatha De Danaan, Long Black Curl
The Verve: Bitter Sweet Symphony
Warchild: Ash
Zero 7: In the Waiting Line
Cast of Major Characters
The D’Artigo Family:
Arial Lianan te Maria: Delilah’s twin who died at birth. Half-Fae, half-human.
Camille Sepharial te Maria, aka Camille D’Artigo: The oldest sister; a Moon Witch and Priestess. Half-Fae, half-human.
Daniel George Fredericks: The D’Artigo sisters’ half cousin; FBH.
Delilah Maria te Maria, aka Delilah D’Artigo: The middle sister; a werecat.
Hester Lou Fredericks: The D’Artigo sisters’ half cousin; FBH.
Maria D’Artigo: The D’Artigo Sisters’ mother. Human. Deceased.
Menolly Rosabelle te Maria, aka Menolly D’Artigo: The youngest sister; a vampire and jian-tu: extraordinary acrobat. Half-Fae, half-human.
Sephreh ob Tanu: The D’Artigo Sisters’ father. Full Fae. Deceased.
Shamas ob Olanda: The D’Artigo girls’ cousin. Full Fae. Deceased.
The D’Artigo Sisters’ Lovers & Close Friends:
Astrid (Johnson): Chase and Sharah’s baby daughter.
Bruce O’Shea: Iris’s husband. Leprechaun.
Carter: Leader of the Demonica Vacana Society, a group that watches and records the interactions of Demonkin and human through the ages. Carter is half demon and half Titan—his father was Hyperion, one of the Greek Titans.
Chase Garden Johnson: Detective, director of the Faerie-Human Crime Scene Investigation (FH-CSI) team. Human who has taken the Nectar of Life, which extends his life span beyond any ordinary mortal and has opened up his psychic abilities.
Chrysandra: Waitress at the Wayfarer Bar & Grill. Human. Deceased.
Derrick Means: Bartender at the Wayfarer Bar & Grill. Werebadger.
Erin Mathews: Former president of the Faerie Watchers Club and former owner of the Scarlet Harlot Boutique. Turned into a vampire by Menolly, her sire, moments before her death. Human.
Greta: Leader of the Death Maidens; Delilah’s tutor.
Iris (Kuusi) O’Shea: Friend and companion of the girls. Priestess of Undutar. Talon-haltija (Finnish house sprite).
Lindsey Katharine Cartridge: Director of the Green Goddess Women’s Shelter. Pagan and witch. Human.
Maria O’Shea: Iris and Bruce’s baby daughter.
Marion Vespa: Coyote shifter; owner of the Supe-Urban Café.
Morio Kuroyama: One of Camille’s lovers and husbands. Essentially the grandson of Grandmother Coyote. Youkai-kitsune (roughly translated: Japanese fox demon).
Nerissa Shale: Menolly’s wife. Worked for DSHS. Now working for Chase Johnson as a victims-rights counselor for the FH-CSI. Werepuma and member of the Rainier Puma Pride.
Roman: Ancient vampire; son of Blood Wyne, Queen of the Crimson Veil. Menolly’s official consort in the Vampire Nation and her new sire.
Queen Asteria: The former Elfin Queen. Deceased.
Queen Sharah: Was an elfin medic, now the new Elfin Queen; Chase’s girlfriend.
Rozurial, aka Roz: Mercenary. Menolly’s secondary lover. Incubus who used to be Fae before Zeus and Hera destroyed his marriage.
Shade: Delilah’s fiancé. Part Stradolan, part black (shadow) dragon.
Siobhan Morgan: One of the girls’ friends. Selkie (wereseal); member of the Puget Sound Harbor Seal Pod.
Smoky: One of Camille’s lovers and husbands. Half-white, half-silver dragon.
Tanne Baum: One of the Black Forest Woodland Fae. A member of the Hunter’s Glen Clan.
Tavah: Guardian of the portal at the Wayfarer Bar & Grill. Vampire (full Fae).
Tim Winthrop, aka Cleo Blanco: Computer student/genius, female impersonator. FBH. Now owns the Scarlet Harlot.
Trillian: Mercenary. Camille’s alpha lover and one of her three husbands. Svartan (one of the Charming Fae).
Ukkonen O’Shea: Iris and Bruce’s baby son.
Vanzir: Was indentured slave to the Sisters, by his own choice. Dream-chaser demon who lost his powers and now is regaining new ones.
Venus the Moon Child: Former shaman of the Rainier Puma Pride. Werepuma. One of the Keraastar Knights.
Wade Stevens: President of Vampires Anonymous. Vampire (human).
Zachary Lyonnesse: Former member of the Rainier Puma Pride Council of Elders. Werepuma living in Otherworld.
Glossary
Black Unicorn/Black Beast: Father of the Dahns unicorns, a magical unicorn that is reborn like the phoenix and lives in Darkynwyrd and Thistlewyd Deep. Raven Mother is his consort, and he is more a force of nature than a unicorn.
Calouk: The rough, common dialect used by a number of Otherworld inhabitants.
Court and Crown: “Crown” refers to the Queen of Y’Elestrial. “Court” refers to the nobility and military personnel that surround the Queen. “Court and Crown” together refer to the entire government of Y’Elestrial.
Court of the Three Queens: The newly risen Court of the three Earthside Fae Queens: Titania, the Fae Queen of Light and Morning; Morgaine, the half-Fae Queen of Dusk and Twilight; and Aeval, the Fae Queen of Shadow and Night.
Crypto: One of the Cryptozoid races. Cryptos include creatures out of legend that are not technically of the Fae races: gargoyles, unicorns, gryphons, chimeras, and so on. Most primarily inhabit Otherworld, but some have Earthside cousins.
Demon Gate: A gate through which demons may be summoned by a powerful sorcerer or necromancer.
Demonica Vacana Society: A society run by a number of ancient entities, including Carter, who study and record the history of demonic activity over Earthside. The archives of the society are found in the Demonica Catacombs, deep within an uninhab
ited island of the Cyclades, a group of Grecian islands in the Aegean Sea.
Dreyerie: A dragon lair.
Earthside: Everything that exists on the Earth side of the portals.
Elqaneve: The Elfin city in Otherworld, located in Kelvashan—the Elfin lands.
Elemental Lords: The elemental beings—both male and female—who, along with the Hags of Fate and the Harvestmen, are the only true Immortals. They are avatars of various elements and energies, and they inhabit all realms. They do as they will and seldom concern themselves with humankind or Fae unless summoned. If asked for help, they often exact steep prices in return. The Elemental Lords are not concerned with balance like the Hags of Fate.
FBH: Full-Blooded Human (usually refers to Earthside humans).
FH-CSI: The Faerie–Human Crime Scene Investigation team. The brainchild of Detective Chase Johnson, it was first formed as a collaboration between the OIA and the Seattle police department. Other FH-CSI units have been created around the country, based on the Seattle prototype. The FH-CSI takes care of both medical and criminal emergencies involving visitors from Otherworld.
Great Divide: A time of immense turmoil when the Elemental Lords and some of the High Court of Fae decided to rip apart the worlds. Until then, the Fae existed primarily on Earth, their lives and worlds mingling with those of humans. The Great Divide tore everything asunder, splitting off another dimension, which became Otherworld. At that time, the Twin Courts of Fae were disbanded and their queens and the Merlin were stripped of power. This was the time during which the Spirit Seal was formed and broken in order to seal off the realms from each other. Some Fae chose to stay Earthside, others moved to the realm of Otherworld, and the demons were—for the most part—sealed in the Subterranean Realms.
Guard Des’Estar: The military of Y’Elestrial.
Hags of Fates: The women of destiny who keep the balance righted. Neither good nor evil, they observe the flow of destiny. When events get too far out of balance, they step in and take action, usually using humans, Fae, Supes, and other creatures as pawns to bring the path of destiny back into line.