She relayed the information and within moments, we had struck a bargain. The Flammen would come to the Court and meet with my men, waiting for the moment when we found the gate. I would send a message to the Snow Hag when we set out to destroy it.
On our way home, Grieve talked to Captain Shell while I walked beside Check. The snow was falling fast and heavy now and we were in for a good blow.
“The snow never stops, does it? It just keeps on falling and piling up as the world grows up toward the sky.” I wondered aloud what would happen in one hundred years. Would the Eldburry Barrow vanish beneath the weight of the snow and ice?
Check shook his head. “Remember, there is some melt in the spring and summer here. Enough to keep the world from becoming one vast blanket of snow.”
“You know, when I was fighting Myst, I couldn’t wait for the winter to be over. And now here I am, Queen of the winter. The irony is not lost on me. And while I miss the greenery of the Golden Wood, I’m starting to feel at home here. The snow and ice are my elements now, and I think I would feel uncomfortable without them around me if it was for more than a few days. I imagine my cousin feels the same about the warmth and heat and the summer sun.” And there it was—we were in transformation. Amber and jet for real. She was the sun, I was the moon. She was summer, I was winter.
“Your Majesty seems to be wandering deep in thought today. Is there something you wish for me to do?” Check was my personal bodyguard, but he was also my friend and I knew he was trying to find out if I was okay.
I smiled at him and placed a hand on his forearm as we walked along. “Everything’s fine, Check. I’m just thinking about the past year. I’m sure you realize how extreme this transformation has been for me.”
The guard nodded, a somber look on his face. “It cannot have been easy, Your Majesty. If you’ll permit me to say, I think both you and your cousin have made remarkable gains. I do not know many people—magic-born, Fae, or yummanii—who could have made a similar transformation. You will always have my support and my loyalty, and you know I would fall on my sword for you.”
“I know, and that is the greatest gift and compliment that you can give me.” And then, I fell silent, wandering within the confines of my thoughts until we reached the Barrow.
At the Barrow, Grieve and I took a break for dinner. Our men weren’t back yet, so there wasn’t much we could do until then. As we ate, Check tapped on our door, then peeked in.
“Your Majesty, your friend Luna, from New Forest, is here.”
I stiffened. Luna and I had not parted on the best of terms. She had rashly promised her life in exchange to her ancestors for their help in destroying Myst. I blamed myself for that—but there had been no help for it. Now, she was living on borrowed time.
Since Rhiannon and I had withdrawn to the Faerie Realms, I had seen Luna twice—once during Summer Solstice, when we held a remembrance ceremony in New Forest’s town square, and once again at Winter Solstice, when we held a midwinter festival there.
Rhia and I had decided to make the holidays a recurring event. It would be a good way to keep the Fae Courts connected to the town, and involved in what was going on. We couldn’t slide back into the old traditions of isolationism. That had led to disaster and vulnerability. But Luna… Luna and I had parted with strained emotions. Besides those two celebrations, I hadn’t seen or heard from her.
“Please, show her in and bring another place setting.” I glanced at Grieve, almost afraid. What if she was still furious at me? What if we would never be okay again?
And then, there she was, standing in the doorway. Luna, who was one of the yummanii—human. Luna, who was a bard, whose voice was her power. Her singing was brilliant and clear, scaling from soprano to alto depending on her whim. She could charm the birds with her song better than any Cinderella.
Luna, whom I had betrayed because I had no choice. Sometimes war leaves us no options.
Luna was short and curvy, slightly plump with hair down to her lower back. It was brunet, only she had streaked it with blond since I last saw her, reminding me of tiger stripes. Her eyes were the color of hot chocolate, ringed with silver from the magic she wove.
She had taken over the magic shop I had intended to run when I first returned to New Forest—Wind Charms. And she was now leader of the Moon Spinners, a coven that I had temporarily led. Even though I was a Wind witch—a powerful one—my ascension to the throne had precluded me from ever being a part of the outer world again in any discernible manner.
As she entered the room, dressed in a thick parka over a long skirt and warm sweater, she pulled off her gloves and let out a long sigh, her breath forming a mist as it escaped her lips. “You really can sit there with no coat, in just shirtsleeves?”
It was the first thing I had heard from her in months, but it might as well have been a hug. I laughed. “We have a fire going—we’ll move the table next to it. Check, please?” I glanced at the guard and he nodded, instantly calling Fearless in to help him. I started, not expecting to see the guard back so soon.
“You’re back from your family. How is…” I paused, not wanting to stir up worries, but I needed to know. If his mother had died, he would need time to mourn. As loyal as the guards were, personal tragedy always affected performance.
Fearless seemed to understand where I was going with my question. “Your Majesty, my mother passed. But I heard about the ship, and Check has filled me in on what happened at the shamans. I want to be here. I want to be useful. There’s nothing I can do for my mother now, but at least here, I can make a difference.”
The look on his face told me he needed to feel necessary. Death did that—death made a person want to wade in, to make a difference, because losing a loved one brought with it feelings of being out of control. I understood that all too well.
“You have my sympathy, Fearless. I’m truly sorry. You may return to your duties, but if you need time, please let us know. I have no problem with giving you mourning time.” We stood back while they moved the table near the fire, and stoked up the flames. I motioned for them to seat Luna closest to the hearth. “Druise, please bring her a warm robe.”
Druise dropped into a quick curtsey and dashed out of the room.
Luna tilted her head slightly, then laughed. “You’ve adapted to court life, Cicely. You may think you haven’t, but you have.” But there was no sarcasm in her voice, and I couldn’t detect any hostility.
“I’ve had to.” I paused while Druise returned with a warm dressing gown. “That will be less bulky, and actually warmer than your parka.”
Luna handed her jacket to Druise and slipped the gown on. As she sat down again, she looked surprised. “You’re right, it is.”
She leaned back to allow the servant to fill her plate. We were having a thick stew, and hearty bread and sliced cheese and apple pie.
Then—“I imagine you are wondering why I’m here.”
I stared at my plate, almost unable to breathe. “Yeah, actually. But…I’ve missed you. I’m glad you’re here, for whatever reason.”
Her lip twitched, but then she let out a long breath. “I came because I want you to know that I do understand why you did what you did. You hurt me. I felt so betrayed but, Cicely, I know things were desperate. I know how bad things were and how you had to absolutely have proof that we were loyal and not on Myst’s side.”
“Thank you.” The words came out barely a whisper. I couldn’t believe we were finally mending bridges.
“And I hope you understand that what I did, why I made the bargain with my ancestors—I wanted to make certain you know it wasn’t a reaction to what happened. You weren’t the only one terrified of what Myst was bringing to the table. My people—the yummanii—her Shadow Hunters were feeding on them, killing them. We were all in danger. We all had to do our part.”
I nodded, slowly and sadly, the terror of those last days washing over me once again. Everything had happened so fast and in such a blur. It was one long,
protracted nightmare. The blood had run so thick and free, the snow had been painted crimson.
“I ask you now, please, forgive me as much as you can. I never meant to unearth your secrets, especially for Kaylin to see them.”
She closed her eyes and ducked her head. “Kaylin…” Then, looking up, she swallowed and I thought I saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes. “I miss him so much. I wish…I wish I hadn’t been so afraid of who he was becoming.”
“We all had our destinies to play out. I wonder where he is, and if he’s all right.”
“Sometimes, I feel him near me, Cicely. Sometimes, I think I can sense him outside my window…but when I look, there’s no one there. I suppose we won’t ever know.” She let out a long sigh. “But to answer. Yes, I forgive you. I suppose, looking back, it’s actually a good thing that I finally faced my memories. I’ve grown up a lot since then.”
And then—the air cleared. The past seemed to recede. We could never go back, but we were here, on a new playing field, moving into the future.
“So, how are things in New Forest? I miss the Veil House. I miss the town.” And it was then that I realized I was still homesick. I missed the only real home I had ever known.
“Rebuilding. The Shadow Hunters drove off so many people, but some are trickling back. Lannan and Regina are doing a great PR job on getting people to return.” She paused over Lannan’s name, eyeing me carefully. “Speaking of Lannan…”
I blushed. The vampire and I were still connected, and Grieve had come to accept it, but I had found a way to keep the peace.
“To answer your question, yes, Lannan and I still meet. We’ve agreed—two nights a year, on Midsummer and Midwinter. Who knows, it may peter itself out in the future. But in the end, he saved Grieve and he helped us destroy Myst. How can I turn my back on him now?”
She shrugged. “You can’t, I suppose. But seriously, I’m surprised by how well the vampires are persuading the yummanii to return. Though in an interesting twist, I’m noticing that mostly magic-born are moving to town, now.”
“Really? That shifts the dynamics.”
“Yes, and the New Forest Conservatory is starting to thrive. The school is branching out—the students are coming in droves. With the Consortium behind them, it’s making a nationwide name for itself. For all the damage Myst did, everyone’s coming together, in the end.”
“Well, there’s that. I wonder if New Forest won’t grow bigger than it originally was, if the school is starting to thrive like you say.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me. There are some talented kids there. So, what’s going on here?”
I glanced at Grieve, then decided that Luna should know about Fenrick. If he managed to cross through the portal into the Golden Wood, New Forest would be in danger.
“We have a new problem. I want you to talk to Ysandra about it, so the Consortium can prepare should things get out of hand. Also, I’ll send word to Lannan and Regina.” So I told her about Fenrick and the vargr and the Jötnar.
Luna paled. “One danger barely quashed and another rears its head. Please keep us informed. I’ll talk to Ysandra when I get home tonight.” She dug into her meal. “Delicious. You have great cooks.”
“Coming from you, that’s a compliment.” Luna was an excellent cook. We chatted for a while, catching up, when Check once again peered inside the room after tapping on the door. His face looked strained.
“What is it, Check?” I sat down my fork.
“Your Majesty, we have a situation. It’s the…it’s Fenrick, Your Majesty. We’ve discovered where he is, and my men have also found the gateway.”
I froze. “We need to move, then. Luna, I should send you home, but I worry about you traveling right now. I’m going to have to ask you to stay here until we deal with this.”
She laughed. “I have my magic, I can make myself useful.”
I shook my head. “I can’t allow it. You’d be in danger if you come with us. I don’t even know how we’re going to do what we need to do.” I couldn’t imagine putting her through another battle—though when I thought about it, we were really on a decoy mission. To lure Fenrick back through the gateway, not to fight him. “Fenrick, as I told you, is a disgraced priest of Hel, and now he’s fallen in with the frost giants.”
“What are your goals?” She was suddenly all business, and a hardness flashed into her eyes that I didn’t expect to see. “I’ve been working with my ancestors a lot over the past year. I might as well make the most of whatever time they allow me. My skills as a bard are very strong now.”
I paused. “I wonder…could you charm a sorcerer? I can’t imagine going up against his magic, but…” Quickly, I explained to her what we were trying to do. “We know we can’t defeat him right now, but we have to lure him out. To drive him through the gate back into Jötunheim.”
She frowned, concentrating. After a moment, she nodded. “I think…what are his triggers? What is he after?”
“As far as the shamans think, Fenrick is scouting ahead, foreshadowing the frost giants making a play to come through. From here, they can enter Midgard—the outer world—easier. I imagine they are thinking about setting off Ragnarök. If Fenrick can’t grab power from the goddess of Death, this probably seems like the next best thing. So his triggers are power, and an assumption he can overtake the realm because I am new at this and not yet at my full power. This is an opportune time for them to attempt a push-through.”
Luna contemplated. “His magic is that of snow and ice, and most likely death. He’s going to be difficult to take on. I can charm, but I don’t know whether he will have any resistance. Fire would be the best attack.”
“We’re not trying to attack him—we’ll lose if we do. We’re trying to bait him to return to the gate and then shove him through and seal it.” Grieve frowned. “I wish the shamans would have been more specific.”
“They aren’t like the Internet, love. You can’t just type in a question and get a clear answer.” I shook my head. “They told us all they know.”
“I know one way to draw him out, but it would be dangerous.” Luna stared at me. “If he’s after control of your realm, then you would be the best bait.”
I glanced at her. That had been running through my mind. “Yeah, I was thinking along those same lines.”
But the moment I spoke, Check was quick to pounce. “Your Majesty, absolutely not! You cannot entertain the thought. There is no way I can allow you to put yourself in danger like that.”
Grieve surprised me, though. “I hate to agree, but in this case, Cicely and Luna are right. If he thinks he has a chance to take down the Crown, he’ll go for it. He’s drawing on the spirits from The Wave Catcher. He’s not going to let the chance to absorb the Queen’s powers slip away. He’s power hungry. I doubt the frost giants realize how thirsty he is. They probably think they’re using him, while he thinks he’s using them.”
“Well, they’re both getting something out of it, at least.” Luna snorted. She turned to Check. “I know you’re worried about Cicely, but seriously, she’s your best hope to luring him out. What else are you going to do? What else could he possibly want unless you offer to open up the door and let him just waltz in with his buddies?”
“She’s right,” I said. “The only other option is to seal the gate with him over here. But if we can’t take him down, there is nothing that can stop him from creating another gate back into Jötunheim, is there?” Which begged the question—once we shoved him back through, how long before he tried again? I shook off the thought. Deal with one problem at a time.
“I wish Kaylin was around. He seemed to have a strong connection for coping with spirits and the like. He might be able to figure out how to stop Fenrick from feeding on life force.” For the second time that day, remorse filled Luna’s voice.
I rested my hand on her shoulder. “You really did love him, didn’t you?”
She shrugged. “There’s no use in dwelling on it. What’s done is done. And if
I had let…well, when his night-veil demon woke up and took over, I would have lost him anyway.”
Check had been listening. He was obviously unhappy with the turn in conversation, but finally he said, “I suppose you are right. But we do this cautiously. We set you up near the gate. We make certain you are as protected as we can without giving ourselves away.”
“Strict is going to blow a gasket.” I almost laughed. As much as I had grown to like my chief advisor, I still got a kick out of crossing him on occasion. He had pushed me so hard on my studies to assimilate, and he had been so unrelenting, it gave me a snarky thrill when I was able to catch him off guard.
“Leave him to me.” Grieve stood. “I’ll be back. We have to move fast. We have the Flammen in Court, so we can make the necessary preparations.” Without another word, Grieve headed toward the door. Check and Fearless withdrew outside the room, and Druise took a quiet spot across the room, minding her own business as she mended the train of one of my dresses that I had caught in a door.
Luna and I were alone. I walked over to her and held out my arms. She slid into them, hugging me tightly. We both were teary-eyed.
“I’ve missed you, my friend.” I finally found my voice. “I’ve missed talking to you. I love my life, I love Grieve and my place here, but it gets lonely. And I miss my cousin. I miss my friends. You and Peyton…and I miss Kaylin too.”
We walked, hand in hand, to the chaise next to the fireplace where we sat, holding our hands out to the flames. I wasn’t cold at all, but Luna was still shivering. She stared at the fire, transfixed, while I stared at her.
“You know,” she said, still absorbed by the flames, “when I made the deal with Dorthea, I knew we would win. I just knew it.”
“Are you afraid, knowing they could come for you at any time?” I wasn’t sure how to phrase it—how far to pry. But she had opened the door and I was willing to walk in, if she needed to talk about it.