Chapter 18
Peyton and I were
silent as we tidied up the parlor and took our places. I was
sorting herbs and gemstone chips into little plastic bags to sell,
while she was playing mutely with the cards. The silence was
awkward, but what was there to say? I had to keep quiet about what
had actually happened at Anadey’s, and I knew she was feeling
guilty and angry over the whole incident.
But after a few
moments, she broke the ice. “I want to move in, if you’ll have
me.”
I jerked my head up.
“What?”
“If you have room,
I’d like to move in. I’m not going back to the diner, and I’m not
going back to my mother’s. The look on her face when I broke into
the circle last night was terrifying. I’ve never seen her look so
angry, or so . . . secretive. What the fuck did she do to
you?”
I shrugged. “I guess
. . . what we talked about.”
“She did more than
that. This morning, when Kaylin asked if you wanted to go
dreamwalking to find the antidote, you shrugged him off like he’d
asked if you wanted to go stroll through the forest and take Myst a
basket of muffins.”
I sucked in a deep
breath. How to handle this? Sometimes avoidance was the best route.
“We should talk about something we can control, like the Consortium
and how we’re going to go about working with them. I had no clue
they oversee magical businesses. It seems odd that they came out
here just as we opened our doors, doesn’t it?”
“Not if they’ve been
trying to get in touch with Marta. They’re probably running a bit
behind, like any bureaucracy. But that aside, how do you feel about
joining them?” Peyton brushed her hand across the soft cloth of the
table. “Mother’s going to have a fit when I do.”
“I’d rather have a
few teeth pulled, but I guess there’s no help for it. And it’s not
like we could hide anything—our sign was right out there by the
side of the road when she got out of the car.” I shook my head.
“I’ve never been good at joining anything or following rules.
Creating a society like Marta did is going to be hell on
me.”
I preferred to rely
on myself. But then again, perhaps we could create a group that was
strong against Myst and the Indigo Court. Ysandra had given me no
clear rules. What if I wanted to include Fae, or even vampires in
it? She hadn’t said that I couldn’t. I was about to say as much
when someone walked through the door for a reading. As Peyton
invited the woman to sit down, I turned away, focusing on my
work.
I sold five
protection charms that afternoon, and Peyton had one other
customer. She talked to her for a bit, then called me
over.
“This is Luna. She
has a problem that I thought you might hear.” Peyton introduced the
woman, who was probably about thirty-five. She was short and plump,
with long dark hair, and her eyes were ringed with silver sparkles.
Pretty, in a way that appeared soft on the surface, but beneath I
sensed a huge reservoir of strength.
“Hi.” I shook her
hand, surprised by the strength of her grip.
“Hello.” Her voice
was even and low, sultry almost. She slid back into her chair and
as she lowered her head, a sweep of movement caught my eye. I
closed my eyes and listened on the slipstream.
She is marked. Her energy is marked. Keep her here, do not
let her go out into the wilds tonight. The Hunters are following
her—I can hear them on the slipstream. Ulean whirled around
me, frantic.
I turned back to
Luna. “What’s going on?”
“I feel like I’m
being followed. The past day or so, especially during the evenings,
I’ve felt something outside my house. I haven’t gone out to
check—I’m not stupid—but my cards have warned me that something
dangerous is waiting for me. I don’t know what to do. I have
nowhere to go. I saw your ad in the paper and thought I’d ask if
you could investigate. And maybe fashion a protection charm for me.
I can make them myself, but my fear is overwhelming my sense of
accuracy.”
I glanced over at
Peyton. “They’re after her.”
“Who? Who’s after me?
You know already?” Her lip quivered. “I live alone and I’m not sure
what to do.”
We couldn’t take in
everyone whom the Shadow Hunters were after, but damn it, we had a
chance to save her life. And for some reason, Luna struck me as
useful. As someone I might want to know better.
“Luna, tell us a bit
about yourself. Then maybe we can help you better.”
She let out a long
sigh. “I’m single, I’m a singer—well, part time. I work in a little
thrift shop to make ends meet, and I occasionally attend a psychic
fair and do readings.”
Then it hit me; she
wasn’t magic-born like I’d suspected, but yummanii. And she had
some very strong magic of her own. The magic-born didn’t bother
with psychic fairs, but the yummanii, especially those who had
magical abilities . . .
“You’re yummanii.” I
held her gaze.
She nodded. “Well,
mostly. There is mixed magic in my family. My grandmother married
into the magic-born. After that, the abilities of the children and
grandchildren grew stronger. I’m the strongest in the family. But
it mostly comes out when I sing or play an instrument. My songs . .
. I can sometimes make things happen.”
A bard. Luna was an old-fashioned bard. And that
would be very useful to Myst. She’d be able to charm in people with
a bard-turned-vampire in ways that she couldn’t now. Influential
people, who might listen to Luna’s songs and fall under her spell.
And if Luna belonged to Myst, then she’d obey without
question.
“You can’t go home,
not alone. At least not for tonight.” I bit my lip, trying to think
of what to tell the woman.
She will believe the truth. Her energy . . . you must not
let her fall into Myst’s hands. Ulean was
adamant.
Are you certain? She’s mostly yummanii . .
.
The yummanii are no less at risk than the magic-born,
especially one with her abilities. She came to you for a reason.
Don’t turn her out or you will be signing her death
warrant.
Taking a deep breath,
I let it out slowly and gave her a slow smile. “Have you ever heard
of the Shadow Hunters?”
She slowly shook her
head. “No, should I have?”
“That depends . . .”
And so we told her about Myst, and the vampires.
The afternoon passed
into shadows and faded away. Luna listened to our story and—after a
few probing questions—accepted what we had to say.
“My grandmother
warned me that one day something might happen. She was one of the
historians who worked on writing The History
of the Vampire Nation. At least, the condensed
volume.”
I jerked my head up.
“Condensed volume? You mean there’s more than one
book?”
“Oh, yes. There’s a
fifteen-volume encyclopedia that was written about their history.
It’s under lock and key—only two copies of it still exist. My
family owns one of them; the other is deep in the vaults.” She let
out a little gasp and pressed her fingers to her lips.
“Vaults? Luna, you
need to tell us what you’re talking about.”
Looking chastised,
she grimaced. “I should never have mentioned them, but . . . given
what you told me about Myst and the Indigo Court, it might become
necessary for you to know this. I’ll tell you, but please, don’t
let the vampires know . . . or Myst.”
Peyton and I gave our
word.
“There’s a society,
they keep track of all the goings-on in the world. A group of
historians known as the Akazzani. They are magic-born and yummanii
alike. And they watch. They are born nine to a generation, and they
are taken when young and trained for their jobs. They live in a
hidden fortress and from there observe the goings-on of the world.
They are the preservers of knowledge, the guardians of the ages.
They do not interfere, nor do they direct matters, but they record
all that has gone on, and all that will be. My sister was chosen by
them. I only remember her from when she was very small, before the
Akazzani took her under their wing.”
“Does your family
live in the area?” Peyton gave her a soft smile.
Luna shook her head.
“No, they are originally from Ireland, though some of them migrated
over toward the Italian shores. My own mother and father chose to
come to the States when they were younger. I was born
here.”
I made a snap
decision, going on instinct. “You can stay here. I’ll have to ask
my cousin, but I’m sure she won’t mind when we explain the
situation. I’m glad you came to us today.”
If she had not, tonight she would die. Ulean swept
through the room. She can hear me, if I choose
for her to. Her voice sends magic through the slipstream when she
sings. You can teach her to talk to the wind. It might be a handy
skill for her to have.
You act as if she’s going to be around for a
while.
Keep her away from Myst’s hunters and she
will.
Luna glanced out the
window. The clock was chiming six and dusk had fallen. She closed
her eyes, then shuddered. “They are out there, aren’t they? Hunting
for magic, hunting for people.”
“For blood and life
force, yes. And they leave very little of their victims. They are
killing machines—make no mistake and do not let them charm you,
should you ever encounter them. Myst’s people are sharks of the
land, and they do enjoy their carnage. They dance with death and
deal it out by the handful.”
“I will stay, if
you’ll put me up.”
I stretched. “Then
welcome. Can you cook?”
“Can a bird
sing?”
“Good, because we can
manage, but it will be nice to have a change of pace.”
As Peyton led us out
of the parlor, the doorbell rang. Rhia answered, glancing briefly
at Luna, then came back from the door, an envelope in
hand.
“For you,
Cicely.”
I stared at it,
recognizing the handwriting. After a moment, I ripped it open and
pulled out the card.
“Your presence is requested at my home tomorrow night.
Formal dress. A limousine will arrive for you at 8:00 P.M. Come
alone. Geoffrey.”
I wondered if Leo
knew about this, then silently slid the card back in the envelope.
Best leave it for now. I shoved the summons in my pocket and,
asking Peyton to take Luna in the kitchen for a snack, pulled Rhia
into the living room and told her about the woman.
“We need her. Ulean
is certain of it, and certain she will die if we let her take off
again.”
Rhiannon peeked
around the corner, then let out a long sigh. “We are gathering
allies, you realize.”
“And losing some.” I
thought of Anadey. “But Luna, she’s yummanii and a bard—with a
touch of magic-born blood in her background.”
“She seems swathed in
an aura of mist. There is more to her than meets the eye,” Rhia
said. “You are sure of this?”
“Ulean is sure. And
yes . . . when I think about it, it feels right that Luna join our
group. That will be six. I must bring the group to a full
thirteen—of that Ysandra was positive. I wonder who they’ll
be.”
“Not
Anadey.”
“No.”
“You aren’t telling
me everything. I know that much, Cicely. But I won’t ask you what
or why. You have your reasons, and I can only imagine what you must
think of me, after Leo hit you like he did. I can’t ever apologize
enough for his actions—”
I waved her words
away. “It’s not up to you to apologize. He knew what he was
doing.”
“I don’t know what to
think. I’m second-guessing myself about him. Ever since he laid
hands on you, I haven’t been able to let him touch me. The thought
of him hurting a woman makes me sick to my stomach. It could have
been me, Cicely.”
I bit my lip, not
knowing what to say. The fact that Leo had found it acceptable to
hit me bothered me, too, a hell of a lot. And I wondered: If he
could hit me, could he beat my cousin, who couldn’t fight back
easily? Or who might lash out with her fire and burn him
terribly?
“I can’t give you an
answer. All I know is that Ulean said we’d need him. So for now . .
. we lead an uneasy truce because I know he’s still thinking I’m
going to betray you all by bringing Grieve here.” At the mention of
my love’s name, my wolf shifted and I forced myself to hold my
hands steady.
“What happened with
that? Why won’t you let Kaylin take you dreamwalking to look for
the antidote?” Rhia pleaded with me, begging to understand. “I know
I wasn’t going to ask questions, but I can’t help it. Talk to me,
Cicely.”
“I cannot. I cannot
speak, not now. Trust me, it’s for the best. As we descend further
into war with Myst and her people, there will be more secrets and
hidden agendas and we’ll have to get used to gathering our
information in bits and pieces. For now, let’s make Luna welcome,
and Leo better not frighten her off, is all I can
say.”
Rhia followed me into
the kitchen, where Peyton was starting dinner. Luna was helping
her, dicing herbs and vegetables for soup as Peyton browned cubed
beef.
“Did Peyton tell you
I’m deathly allergic to fish?” I asked. “No fish at all—even
shellfish—allowed. So never, ever bring any into the house,
please.”
“Does that extend to
never giving you a hug if I’ve just eaten a tuna
sandwich?”
“If you give me a
kiss I could go into anaphylactic shock. Hugs probably aren’t the
best idea after a tuna sandwich or crab cake.” I pulled out my
EpiPen. “I have to keep one of these around.”
“Then I’ll start
eating chicken or egg salad.” She smiled, and I wanted to hug her
for understanding. So many people acted like it was such a big
hassle for them to skip eating tuna for the day when they wanted to
see me. Over the years, I’d gotten used to snide comments about how
I should just “get over it,” and I’d learned to just brush them
off, but they still irritated me.
We cooked side by
side, at first Peyton directing the preparation, the three of us
punctuating the silence with get-to-know-you comments and
questions.
“Do you have a
boyfriend?” I asked, after a moment.
Luna paused, then
shrugged. “No, not right now. I had a boyfriend, but he left me two
years ago and I’ve been nervous about trying to meet someone new.
I’m not quite what the fashion mags order up for a date, you
know.”
“You’re gorgeous,”
Rhiannon burst out. “I can’t believe you don’t see that. You look a
lot like Jane Russell.”
Luna laughed then,
her voice clear and ringing through the kitchen. “I’m about forty
pounds heavier than she was, but yeah, I can see it.”
“You wear the weight
well,” I said. “Here, the tomatoes are diced. What should I do with
them?”
“Slide them into the
skillet with the mushrooms, onion, and bacon. Then when they’ve
sautéed we’ll put them into the soup base.” She stirred the broth
containing the beef—already browned—and potatoes. A heavenly aroma
rose from the pot and I found my stomach grumbling.
“How long till this
is done?”
“About half an hour.
Enough time for us to make biscuits.” Luna took over the kitchen
the way Rhiannon took over the herb garden. We were suddenly at her
bidding, fetching flour and butter and baking powder and greasing
pans as she rolled out dough and cut it into rounds with a cookie
cutter.
By the time Leo,
Chatter, and Kaylin came trudging in, we’d found out that Luna had
two sisters that she hadn’t seen in years, that her parents lived
in New York, that she’d come to New Forest because of her love
affair with West Coast culture and her ability to get a job
teaching music at the New Forest Conservatory, and that she had
once sung on stage at Carnegie Hall.
We also found out she
hated living alone and that her roommate had recently vanished
without a trace. She’d reported the incident, but the cops—as
usual—had merely nodded, then said they’d take a look for the woman
and never bothered to get back to her. When she called to check on
the case, no reports had been filed, no action taken.
Leo greeted her
politely enough, but I could tell he wasn’t all that delighted
about another person in the house, although his interest picked up
markedly when he smelled the soup and bread. But his possessiveness
over this place was starting to get to me. The Veil House was
Rhiannon’s—not his. And after Rhiannon, it would be mine. He was a
guest here and it was time he started acting a little more
gracious.
Kaylin, however, had
noticeable eyes for Luna. From the moment he took her hand, I could
see that he was attracted to her. She seemed to sense it, too, and
I could almost see the sparks of interest flare between
them.
As we sat down to
dinner, I wondered if there was any way I could get away without
Leo finding out about my impending visit to Geoffrey, but as
always, he seemed two steps ahead of me when it concerned the
vampires.
“I heard you’re due
out at Geoffrey’s tomorrow night. You need a ride?” He glanced over
at me, and for the first time in a couple of days, his voice
sounded friendly.
I shook my head.
“Thanks, but I’ve got one already.”
He shrugged.
“Whatever, but if you want somebody to go with you, I’m
there.”
I wanted to make some
nasty retort, considering how he’d behaved lately, but then he
pushed back his plate and gave me a soft smile.
“I really am sorry,
Cicely. Geoffrey got wind of our argument. I don’t know how, but he
swears it wasn’t you, and I have no choice but to believe him. He
dressed me down something royal. I apologize for the way I’ve been
acting, about you—and about Grieve.”
For a moment I
panicked. “You didn’t tell him that I planned to break in and steal
the antidote, did you? Because that plan has . . . gone by the
wayside.”
He shook his head.
“No, I didn’t say a word.” He let out a long breath. “I’m not
supposed to tell you this, but damn it, I feel like I owe you one.
I overheard Geoffrey and Lainule talking. They’re working on a plan
to rescue Grieve.”
The light in his eyes
didn’t look as friendly as the words falling out of his mouth, but
I chose to let that go. His ego was probably still smarting from
the dressing-down Geoffrey had given him.
“Thank you,” I said,
feigning surprise. It occurred to me to warn Geoffrey to watch his
back as far as eavesdroppers went . . . but then, if I did that, it
would expose Leo to trouble. “That’s wonderful! But don’t let
anybody else know—please. Not just yet.”
Leo gave me a sharp
look. “You’re excited, right? Grieve will be back with
you.”
If he’d been in on
Anadey’s attack, he’d have to know that her spell hadn’t taken—I
was still alive. Unless they really believed the connection could
be broken without hurting either one of us. But the others would
wonder if I didn’t show excitement. Feeling in a pickle, I opened
my mouth, searching for something to say.
Peyton snapped around
and interrupted. “So, Cicely, have you decided on a name for the
new society yet?”
I flashed her a
thank-you. “Yeah, I think I have. We’re fighting shadows. We’re
fighting Myst. My thought is the Moon Spinners. Because the moon
will expose them. The moonlight can ferret them out.”
“The Moon Spinners .
. . I like it.” Rhiannon began serving the soup as Luna passed
around the biscuits. Everything smelled warm and cozy and for a
brief moment, I could almost pretend that we were just a group of
friends, hanging out on a cold winter’s evening.
As I lay in bed that
night, aware of the sounds of the house around me, I heard a
whisper on the wind. I sat up, suddenly afraid, but Ulean seemed
unperturbed.
Do you hear that? I hear something on the
slipstream.
Ulean paused.
You’re right, but I sense no danger. Only that
someone is seeking your attention. It is not Myst, nor her kin.
That much I can tell you.
Grieve?
No, or it would have Myst’s signature behind
it.
I slipped out of bed
and wandered over to the window, gazing out at the Golden Wood. The
unhealthy glow that had settled over the forest remained, a thin
green light that wavered and shimmered like an aurora. Only this
aurora was sickly and felt infested with buzzing insects and
rotting things that crawled out of the dark. I focused, turning my
attention toward the energy emanating from the woodland, but the
summons was not coming from there.
As I turned back to
my bed, I caught sight of a shadow creeping along my wall. There
was nothing for the shadow to be attached to.
Who are you? What do you want? I sent my thoughts
forcefully on the slipstream, tired of games and
pretenses.
It’s me, Kaylin. I’m dreamwalking. I need to show you
something. May I come into your room?
The whisper echoed
and I realized it hadn’t been off the slipstream, but somehow
through the tiniest link of connection we’d forged while
dreamwalking a week or so ago. The lines of communication were
still there.
Relieved, and yet a
little irked, I nodded. “Come in, but use the door.”
A few moments later
there was a tap and then Kaylin entered the room, in the flesh. He
was dressed in black, head to toe, and his eyes were luminous—more
so than usual. He slipped over to my side and drew me to the bed,
sitting me down.
At first I was a
little nervous, remembering his behavior and threats when his demon
had been in control, but he didn’t try anything. Instead, he simply
put his hand on my arm.
“I was out
dreamwalking and found something. You need to see it. Truly—I can’t
exactly explain what it is, but I feel you would know. Come with
me? I can take you along.”
“I know you can.” I
frowned, wondering if it was safe to give in to him, to take off
dreamwalking again, especially now. But the urgency in his voice
convinced me he’d found something, and I gazed into his eyes. “I
have been betrayed twice this week by people I thought were
friends. Why should I trust you?”
“Because if I wanted
to kill you, I would. If I wanted to fuck you, I’d have raped you
by now. You know I have the power to do both and yet, I did not. I
truly mean it when I say I have no ulterior motive with you,
Cicely.”
“But why help me? I
am walking in danger.”
“Yes, you are, but
I’ve always walked beside death. I am a dreamwalker; I have a demon
bound in my soul. I understand the night, and the dangers within. I
understand what calls you under the wilding moon, Cicely Waters. I
understand your drive to fly away, to be free.”
I gazed into his
eyes, and I knew he was telling the truth. “Where are we
going?”
“To the outskirts of
the Golden Wood, but outside the boundaries of Myst’s hold. In a
far corner. I’ve been exploring—trying to find something of use to
us. Let me take you there. Dreamwalking . . . we can get there in
no time. We won’t be discovered.”
I slipped into a warm
turtleneck and a pair of boots. “Do you think I’ll need a
coat?”
“I’d wear one. We may
be dropping out of the shadows when we get where we’re going.” He
was wearing a Windbreaker, I noticed, along with gloves and
earmuffs.
I grabbed my jacket
out of the closet and pulled on gloves and jammed a knit hat down
on my head, then made sure I had my fan and my blade.
“You really have to
get a better blade than that. We’ll go shopping over the next day
or so.” He motioned to me and we lay down on the bed.
“Does anybody else
know we’re heading out?”
“No, and I don’t
think they need to. Not till you’ve seen this.” He held out his arm
and I rolled into it, silent and waiting. And then, slowly, we
began to blur, merging together, into the universe.
Dreamwalking. What
can I say? It’s like melting from the outside in. From the toes up
to the top of the head. Everything begins to dissolve and it’s easy
to lose the sense of separation between self and everything that
surrounds. Fingers and toes blur into legs, and arms blur into a
nebulous energy as the lines of distinction vanish. Within a blink,
I become part of the bedspread, part of the bed, part of the air
and the floor. Breathing stops, and the fight-orflight reflex kicks
in, but then—after a moment when the body realizes it no longer
needs to breathe—there is calm . . . and then, the dreamwalking
begins.
I opened my eyes and
sat up, drifting lightly on the slipstream. Kaylin was beside me,
and now I could tell just how much the demon’s awakening had
affected him. His aura, which had been brilliant and strong before,
was now glowing like a neon-infused Slurpee. He was supercharged.
Not sure how that would translate over to practical application, I
decided to pass on mentioning it until later. The first time he’d
taken me dreamwalking, I’d been petrified and almost panicked
myself into a frenzy. This time, I’d been prepared.
After a few minutes,
my own shadowy form came into view and I was able to move around
without feeling like I was going to float off. My room looked
nebulous, but over on my dresser, where my magical tools lay, a
haze of energy surrounded them—sparkling and crisp and
clean.
Let’s move. Kaylin motioned to me and I followed
him. I wasn’t sure how we’d get out of the building, but for us,
the house didn’t fully exist and we were able to drift through the
sparkling atoms that made up the physical form of the Veil House.
As we reached the snow and hovered lightly over it, I
turned.
The Veil House. Oh,
the Veil House. Superimposed over the material structure was a web
of energy that was threaded so intricately I almost couldn’t see
the house for the lines. And a channel ran right below it, and a
crosschannel. The Veil House stood on two ley lines that crossed
paths. Powerful, old, ancient as the hills, the land beneath our
house was like a reactor.
I gasped, but no air
hit my lungs and once again, I startled. Kaylin’s hand rested on my
shoulder, blending into my energy and calming me down.
The land here . . . the land is a powerhouse . .
.
The land, but not the house. However, that’s not what I
want you to see. However, it doesn’t hurt to know that you’re
sitting on top of one of the strongest nexus points in this region.
But come—we have much distance to travel. We can sweep there in no
time, but take my hand or you might get lost in the astral
turbulence.
I took his hand. Last
time I was on the astral I’d almost gotten lost to the dreambeast’s
appetite. But this wasn’t the same plane—this wasn’t the Court of
Dreams, and I had Kaylin with me. As my hand touched his, our
fingers blended together and we were off, sudden and swift, flying
through the night, running through tree and wood and snow without
leaving a mark.
I caught a glimpse of
several Shadow Hunters, seeking prey, but they didn’t notice us and
I wondered if any of them were Grieve. But then all thoughts of
Myst and her people fell away because we were in a clearing, a
clearing I’d never seen before. It seemed outside the barrier of
the Golden Wood, but for the life of me, I had no clue as to where
we were.
In the clearing, in
the midst of the snow, a statue rose well over twenty feet. The
statue of an owl, carved from marble. And around the statue, a
group of men and women danced around a slab of stone to which was
tied one of the Shadow Hunters . . . but he was not fully of the
Indigo Court. He was also one of the Cambyra Fae—I knew it with the
core of my body and heart.
The dancers were
Uwilahsidhe. My people. And leading
them was my father—Wrath, the King of Rivers and Rushes. As he
danced wildly around the marble slab to a hail of pounding
drumbeats, his followers matched every move. Standing to the side,
I caught sight of Geoffrey and Lainule, standing silent,
watching.
And Grieve, tied to
the slab, looked terrified, in fear of his life.