Harvest Song

  He was crying now, the tears streaking down his cheeks. “When we were out in the Land of Wandering Souls, when you found me and I was so confused… I was afraid that one day you’d get tired of me. That one day, you’d be angry that I was chosen for you. That you didn’t have a choice in the matter. That’s really what my fear was. I could live without any powers as long as I have you.”

  “Shut up, you beautiful man. Kiss me, kiss me, and make me feel whole again.”

  And so he did, laying me back in the bed, kissing me all over. We were too tired to make love, but we lay long into the night, holding each other, saying nothing, letting our love buoy us up, and heal us.

  IN THE MORNING, we gathered back in the Council chamber after sleeping late. Breakfast was spread across the sideboard, and smelled fantastic. I didn’t realize I was so hungry, and I piled my plate high. Menolly was missing, of course, she was deep into her sleep, but the rest of us were here. Except Trytian.

  As we settled around the table, Camille lifted her glass.

  “I want to toast to Trytian. He and I butted heads a lot, but in the end he came through for us. And he gave his life helping us. Here’s to the only daemon that I can probably ever call my friend.” She paused, glancing at Vanzir, and then smiled. “And that does not include demons.”

  We all cheered, toasting Trytian’s memory.

  I was still smarting from his death. I hated losing any member of our team, and the fact that he had died helping to protect me didn’t make it any easier. But we had lost a lot of people over the years in our war against Shadow Wing. Perhaps we could put an end to the collateral damage once and for all.

  “I have some news,” I said, pushing myself to my feet. “I didn’t tell you last night because we were too tired, and there was no need given Yerghan’s death. But I need to tell you something. I’ve found a turning point in the war. When I destroyed Yerghan’s soul last night, before I did, I tore through his memories. I observed Shadow Wing through his eyes. I know what Shadow Wing’s weakness is.”

  There was a sudden hush, and they all stared at me. I glanced around the room.

  “Is it safe to talk here?”

  Camille nodded. “Yes. Tell us what you found out. Anything that can help us is a great gift.”

  I told them what I had seen. I edited out some of the torture scenes, not wanting to even speak the words. But I told them about the gems below Shadow Wing’s horns, and how I knew he sourced his power through there. I described them as best as I could.

  “I’m not sure what they are, but they are the source of his power, and if we can destroy them or even remove them, we can kill him without much trouble.”

  “You say they were like the spirit seals?” Trillian asked.

  I shook my head. “In a way they reminded me of the spirit seals, in terms of the fact that they possess energy. But they aren’t spirit seals. I don’t know what they are. We need to do some research as soon as possible. Shadow Wing is going to figure out that Yerghan is gone sooner than later. I think we should follow through with our plan to gate him over here and destroy him as soon as he arrives. We have Yerghan’s possessions, including the soul-stealer sword. Shadow Wing touched it, that much I know. We can use that as an anchor to link to him. We just need a sorcerer powerful enough to cast a demon gate.”

  “To that end, we have one,” Camille said softly.

  I gazed into her eyes. “Shamas?”

  She nodded. “I’ve been talking to him. He’s still very fuzzy on a lot of things, but he’s become very powerful since his death, and I think… I believe the Moon Mother has sent him back for this very reason.”

  My stomach churned. “What do you think will happen to the Keraastar Knights once we’ve defeated Shadow Wing?”

  She stared at the table, not answering. I broke into a cold sweat, thinking about Chase and his daughter. About Luke, and Venus the Moon Child, and all of the Knights.

  “You can’t mean…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “The truth is, I don’t know what will happen to them. I don’t know how they play into this, but they do. And the outcome? At least for them? Remains a mystery, hidden from my sight. I don’t think I’m supposed to see the outcome because my seeing it might affect it.” She sounded defensive, and I backed off.

  I let out a deep breath, trying to sort out everything in my mind. “So Shamas can cast a demon gate powerful enough to bring Shadow Wing over?”

  “I believe he can, if he has the right anchor. And if you are correct, we have the anchors he needs. The question is, when do we do this?” She looked about as bleak as I felt at the moment.

  “We need to find out what those jewels are before we bring him over here. And how to destroy them, if that’s what it’s going to take.” Smoky leaned forward, his hands pressed against the table. His hair moved as though it was agitated. “So we have research to do. I don’t think we have to move immediately, but we can’t let this linger. Meanwhile, we’ll be able to finish fixing the house for Delilah and Shade. And since Shade has his full powers back, we have more ammunition.”

  “I’ll get right on the research,” Morio said. “I’ll start in as soon as breakfast is over and we’re done here. There has to be some mention of those gems, somewhere.”

  “If worse comes to worse, we can visit Grandmother Coyote. She might be able to tell us,” Camille said.

  That was a bucket of cold water in the face. I was already nervous, but the thought of visiting Grandmother Coyote to ask for her help in such an important matter was enough to nauseate me. Who knew what her price would be for that sort of aid?

  “I know it seems frivolous to go forward with our wedding, given what we’re facing, but the Autumn Lord was clear. Shade and I have to get married as soon as possible, and since the equinox is coming up in just a few days…” I felt odd talking about wedding plans and Shadow Wing in the same conversation, but at this point, it was just another part of our new normal.

  “Of course,” Camille said. “And it’s not like Shadow Wing can gate over here right now on his own. Your wedding will be beautiful, and we’ll enjoy the day, and we will make it as special as we can possibly make it. Do you still want to hold it down at Birchwater Pond?”

  I nodded, glancing at Shade, who gave me a smile. “It’s only fitting. Do you mind?”

  “Mind what?” Camille asked.

  “If we have it there instead of here. I mean, we wanted to have it at the pond, but we’ve been staying out here so…” I wasn’t sure what I was saying anymore. I just felt so tired and in a tizzy that the words were babbling out like I was some sort of out-of-control brook.

  “Of course not. That’s where we were always planning to hold it. We may have to wait on your honeymoon for a bit, but I hope you don’t mind.” She glanced around at everybody else, who was sitting there silently, listening to us. “And we’re all going to make it a wonderful wedding, aren’t we?”

  “Of course we will,” Trillian said, perking up. I wasn’t sure if he felt as cheerful as he sounded, but I was grateful to him nonetheless.

  “Thank you,” I said, reaching for Shade’s hand. “I never expected to be getting married in the middle of a demonic war, but I guess that seems to be the MO of the D’Artigo sisters.” And at that, everybody laughed and the tension finally broke.

  Chapter 14

  FOUR DAYS LATER…

  Even though the equinox was the next day, somehow I wasn’t feeling any jitters. When we had arrived home, we were greeted by an almost fully renovated house. Or rather, kitchen and back porch. The kitchen was rebuilt, bigger and better than ever, as was the porch, the new counters and cupboards were in, and all new appliances. All that was left was to move in the furniture. The workmen had painted the walls a soft yellow, one of my favorite colors, so the kitchen reminded me of morning sunshine. When we first arrived home, I stood in the center of the room and whirled aro
und, absolutely in love with the way it looked.

  Now, on the evening before the equinox, it was well past sunset.

  Menolly was sitting in the kitchen with me, in the rocking chair. She was playing with Maggie, who was holding her Yobie doll, as outside twilight gently faded into night. Over the past couple of days, I’d had time to shake out, to let go of some of the tension. For whatever reason—maybe it was that we had a plan, or maybe it was that, finally, the war felt like it was coming to a close—I was actually relaxed and happy. I was fixing dinner for myself, while Menolly drank a bottle of flavored blood. I was making a grilled cheese sandwich, and tomato soup.

  “I wish Camille could be here tonight,” I said.

  “Me too, but at least she’ll be here tomorrow.” Menolly paused, staring down at Maggie as she stroked the gargoyle’s silky fur. “Blood Wyne is returning to Europe. She’s leaving Roman and me in charge of the North American Vampire Nation. It’s going to mean a lot of pomp and circumstance, and time for me spent by Roman’s side. Nerissa will be there too. I hate to say it, but we’ve had to ask her to quit her job.”

  “What? She loves that job!”

  “Yes, but it’s too dangerous for her now, with as many vampire-phobes as there are. Even though she’s not a vamp, she’s married to two, and that puts her in danger. So I guess our lives are changing, too.”

  I carried my plate over to the table and sat down, sighing.

  “I wondered how long it would be before the two of you got caught up in the politics. Do you really want to do this? Is there a way you can get out of it?” Even as I asked the question, I knew the answer. I could see it in her face.

  “I can make a difference, Kitten. Roman and I have been talking a lot about the vampire rights bill that just passed. There’s a great deal of backlash, but we can help put a stop to it. With Wade’s help, and Vampires Anonymous going nationwide, maybe we can turn things around for the vampires in this world. This is a chance to create a new bond with others, a new way of life for my kind. If we can remove some of the stigma and fear that surrounds our existence, the world would be a safer place for all of us.”

  I listened, nodding, as I ate my dinner.

  She paused, and gave me a lopsided smile. “When Dredge turned me, I thought everything was over. The only thing I could think about was blood and stakes, and how much I had lost. I was so bitter and hateful. And it’s true, I had lost so much. But now, things are different.”

  “You have Nerissa, and you love her.” I knew my sister and Nerissa had had their share of problems, but they had worked them out. They seemed deliriously happy together, even with the weight of the tiaras on their heads.

  “I have Nerissa, and I can’t imagine life without her. But it’s more than that.”

  She stared at Maggie, kissing her again. “I actually do love Roman, in a way. We have chemistry, and I can be as rough as I want to with him. Nerissa’s safe from that side of me as long as I have an outlet. And he’s very fond of her, too.”

  “Go on,” I said. I had thought that Nerissa barely tolerated him, and vice versa.

  “No, really. They’ve discovered that they actually have more in common than he and I do. They play chess for hours, and they discuss books. Well, we all love to read, but they love the classics. In some ways, she’s actually a better match for him than I am. But beyond all the relationship stuff, I have the chance to make a difference in ways I never thought I could. Erin’s accepted Wade’s invitation to join him on the road. I’m going to miss her, but they’re going to make it possible for us to do our work better.”

  There was a glow in her eyes that told me just how happy she was. I realized that sometimes responsibility was more than a yoke. I had begun to realize that about Camille, as well. As tired as she seemed at times, she appeared at home out at Talamh Lonrach Oll. She seemed to fit in a way that I’d never expected to see. She was settling into her cloak of authority, and every time we talked, it became more apparent that my sister truly was growing into her title.

  “So, tomorrow’s the big day. Are you excited? Or do I even have to ask?” Menolly laughed as Maggie reached up and tickled her nose. She kissed Maggie’s finger. “The one thing I truly miss, more than anything else, is hearing Maggie laugh.”

  “I know, and when Aeval suggested that Maggie move out to Talamh Lonrach Oll, it just about tore me up. But I think we’re going to let her go. Camille can protect her better, and now that I realize the Triple Threat isn’t going to send her back to Otherworld, it just seems safer. Besides, pretty soon…” I glanced over at Maggie, biting my lip. “I feel so horrible for what I’m about to say, but I don’t think that I can take care of Maggie and the child of an Elemental Lord at the same time. I don’t know whether I’d be more afraid of Maggie hurting her, or her hurting Maggie.”

  “So you know it’s going to be a girl?”

  I nodded. “The Autumn Lord has made it clear. I’ll have a little girl. That makes me happy, but at the same time, I’m scared. What is she going to be like? Part Fae, part human, part Elemental Lord? I suppose Shade can help keep her in line if she gets a little too rowdy, especially now that his powers are back. I wonder what it’s going to be like, being pregnant? I mean, it’s not like I’ve ever had the experience before. And neither have you or Camille, so I can’t call on you for help.”

  Menolly snickered. “Maybe you and Aeval can compare notes?”

  I gave her a long look, glaring. “Don’t even go there. Besides, she’s going to give birth long before I will. I still have to go through the secondary ritual before I can get pregnant. But that’s not all that far away.”

  After I finished off my grilled cheese and tomato soup, Menolly and I carried Maggie upstairs to my bedroom, where we went through my wedding ensemble. Shade was sleeping down at the studio with Roz, in the old tradition of the groom not seeing the bride the night before the wedding day. Menolly was staying overnight, sleeping in her old lair to keep me company.

  After we had organized everything, we retreated to the living room and turned on the TV. We sat up half the night, laughing and talking and playing with Maggie, watching black-and-white science fiction movies, and for a brief moment, it felt like old times.

  THE NEXT NIGHT, we gathered at Birchwater Pond.

  Shade and I had chosen a simple ceremony. No marching up the aisle, no dramatic entrance. We gathered with family and friends in the clearing where we had held so many celebrations.

  Camille was there, dressed in full regalia including her crown. Menolly stood by my left side as my matron of honor, and Nerissa and Iris stood to my right, my bridesmaids. They were dressed in pale green chiffon, and I was wearing my hunter green wedding dress with a gold cape that trailed behind me. I wore a wreath of lily of the valley, the fragrance calming me.

  Shade stood to the other side of the altar, wearing a flowing brown satin robe over black trousers, bound by a golden sash the same color as my cape. To his side stood Smoky, his best man, dressed in all white as usual.

  Come to bear witness were our friends and family. Bruce and the twins, of course. Hanna, holding Maggie. Morio and Trillian, Vanzir and Roz, Roman and Erin. And our friends Tim and Jason were there, and Chase as well, holding Astrid. Lash sat beside them, and Seratha, Shade’s mother, had also joined us.

  A gentle breeze flowed through the forest, but the sky held no clouds, and the stars were beginning to twinkle. It was cool, but not cold, and the distant smell of smoke wafted through the air, from a dozen chimneys of a dozen houses along our road.

  The breeze rippled over the surface of Birchwater Pond, concentric rings of water echoing out, lapping gently at the edges of the pond. The leaves of the trees were just barely starting to turn, but I could feel autumn in the wind, even as I could feel it in my blood. We were entering the harvest, my season, my time of year. The longer I was pledged to the Autumn Lord, the stronger I could feel this burnished orange time echoing in my soul.
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  I looked over at Shade, who stood proudly, smiling as if this were the best day of his life, and my heart welled up. I had never thought I would see this day. When I thought back to the frightened young woman I had been when we first came over Earthside, to the naïve girl who couldn’t see past her rosy view of the world, it felt like a different lifetime. I had grown so much during the past years, some of the growth from heartache, some of it from joy, and some of it from just accepting that life changes as we go along.

  I finally understood the change was necessary, that evolving was a good thing. Stagnation was our true enemy, ignoring the signs that prompted us to grow.

  Camille motioned for us to approach the altar. I could see her wings gently waving in the dusk. She was letting us see them more now, letting her differences shine forth. I realized that I, too, was starting to embrace my own differences.

  We weren’t Windwalkers anymore. We might straddle worlds, but we no longer did so out of not belonging. When I thought about it, the three of us were too complex to live in simply one world.

  “We are here to witness a union of hearts and souls. We are here to witness a commitment between lovers. We stand here in the presence of two people ready to join their lives together. Delilah Maria te Maria D’Artigo, do you approach the altar voluntarily, to engage in the union of matrimony?”

  “I approach voluntarily, of my own volition and will.” As the words flowed out of my mouth, I realized that all my fears and worries over getting married, over whether I was responsible enough, had faded away.

  “Shade, shadow dragon of the Netherworld, do you approach this altar voluntarily, to engage in the union of matrimony?”