Relieved, and yet a little bit surprised, I squeezed her hand. “Yeah, I guess, me, too. I think it’s time we grew up. We need each other—we always will. Yet it’s like we woke up one day, looked around, and life stood there saying, Are you ready? Are you ready to face the next phase? We have to say yes, or we get stuck—like your ghosts.”
“Exactly. And Camille needs to know we’re okay with this. She’s been mother to us for so many years now, but it’s time we helped her realize she can let that job go now. She’s becoming a queen. She’ll have bigger things to worry about than us. So I’ll tell Shade that he doesn’t have to worry about me. Yes, I’m sad the three of us won’t be living together, but I’m ready to get married. I’m ready for whatever my destiny has in store for me. And you—you’re a princess now.” She grinned. “Are you going to wear pink, and a diamond tiara all the time?”
I smacked her playfully. “Dork.” Then, planting a kiss on her cheek, I shook my head. “Queens. Princesses. And a Death Maiden? Who would have thought it would come to this?”
At that moment, Camille entered the room, dressed for the journey to the Dragon Reaches. “I’m ready. Let’s head out and get those babies to safety.”
She kissed us, and then, tucking the spirit seals safely into her pocket, she stepped into Smoky’s embrace, and they shimmered out of sight, into the Ionyc Seas.
Chapter 19
Nothing ever seems to get back to normal after a major shift. You find the new normal and go from there. After Camille and Smoky headed to the Dragon Reaches, I took a long, well-deserved shower, and then we gathered in the living room and told everybody else what had happened. I called Roman to tell him the news, and by the time the evening was in full swing, Nerissa had crashed, asleep in the rocking chair, and Trillian and Vanzir were dozing in the parlor. Nobody wanted to leave, though. We all seemed to want to stick together for the moment, enjoying the sensation of safety.
Over the next few days, we were still sorting out the aftermath. Tanne and Iris shut down every rogue portal they could find. The dragons sent their Builders to Elqaneve and the rebuilding began in earnest. Y’Elestrial contacted us, stating that—in no uncertain terms—we were expected to come home for a celebration where we, along with the dragons, would be honored for defeating Telazhar. Camille was out at Talamh Lonrach Oll a lot, deciding on how to decorate the Barrow she would be living in. And Nerissa and I toured the suite we would be living in over at Roman’s and began making decisions on décor.
About a week after we had rescued Nerissa, Trytian reappeared and the three of us met him at Carter’s in the evening. The weather was starting to turn toward true spring, and the temperature was balmy. After the barrenness of the Sub-Realms, I would never again fail to appreciate how much I loved both Otherworld and Earthside.
Carter welcomed us in, with the usual array of refreshments. Trytian was wearing some bright shiny new medal, and this time he didn’t glom onto Camille. At least, not quite so much.
“My father sends you all his best. To be honest, he was put out with me for not latching onto the spirit seals myself, but I think even he realizes they’re far too dangerous in the hands of the likes of us. He’s grateful that Shadow Wing no longer has them, however, and not only did I get a promotion, but he sends you this.” He handed us a thin sheet of paper.
I stared at it. Spells could have a way of triggering if they were written on paper and then opened by the target. But Camille reached out and took it, opening it without hesitation. She scanned the paper, then let out a gentle sigh.
“Thank your father for us. We will keep this with gratitude.” She handed the paper to me.
I scanned it. Trytian’s father had put into writing that he owed us a debt and we could call on him at any time, and he would be bound to help us. It was kind of like someone handing you a blank check. You don’t cash it until you really need it.
“How is Shadow Wing doing? Any news on that front?” We hadn’t heard a word in the past week, and I almost didn’t want to know. But better to face your enemy head on and know what they’re up to than to find them creeping around your back in the middle of the night.
“He’s gone over the edge. We drove our forces in and cut down a huge swath of demons, but we couldn’t find him. When he found out you reclaimed the spirit seals and destroyed his faux knights, he lost it. There are deserters right and left signing up with us. Hell, if he keeps this up, maybe his own men will do the trick and destroy him for us, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Shadow Wing is smart and he’s also in a full-on rage, never a good combination. But we’re still pushing on, taking out as many of his demons as we can find.”
“Shadow Wing won’t let it rest—not as long as we’re alive. At some point, we have to face him and take him down, or we’ll live the rest of our lives in fear.” Camille leaned back, crossing her legs. “We can’t be looking over our shoulders the rest of our lives, wondering if he’s going to pop up like the bogeyman.” She paused, then said, “Do you think we should take the fight to him? To the Sub-Realms?”
Trytian and I shook our heads at the same time.
“No, you don’t want to go down there. We have to find another way to dispatch him. I’ve been thinking about that, by the way. If we could find some sorcerer powerful enough, maybe he could directly gate Shadow Wing here, and we could destroy him when he showed up?” It sounded insane, but then again, we’d seen enough things that would be considered nuts that I decided to throw the idea out there.
Everybody stared at me like I had lost my mind, but then Delilah cocked her head. “Well, it might work. We could bring everybody and everything we have to bear on him.”
“What do you think?” I turned to Camille.
“You’re fucking nuts. But even if it might work, there’s no way we are ready for that. For one thing, the Keraastar Knights play a big role in his demise according to the prophecy, so I need to find that last spirit seal and then train them. Put the idea on the back burner. If Trytian and his father’s army can keep Shadow Wing occupied till then, your idea just might have a chance.” She looked over at Carter. “What do you think?”
“I think that if you plan it out, you may succeed.” The demigod shrugged, his horns gleaming in the dim light. “It’s something to work toward. And it’s a better idea than going to his home turf to attack him. Meanwhile, I’ll put out feelers for any sorcerer I can find who could handle gating over a Demon Lord.”
“You do know that if things go wrong, you’ll have unleashed a horrendous force Earthside.” Trytian’s voice was soft but firm.
I held his gaze. “Yes, but he won’t have his armies with him, and if we destroy the Demon Gate the moment he comes through, then they won’t have a chance to follow him. I have to ask, though, that you don’t tell your father or anybody about this plan. If somehow the demons find out about it, they might be able to plan ahead and find a way to wrest the advantage away from us.”
Trytian shrugged. “I’ll give you that one free and not even force you to call in your favor.”
“So, we have a plan of sorts . . . I guess, the next thing, we find that last spirit seal. Carter, keep your ears peeled for its whereabouts.” I gazed at my goblet of blood. We had a plan all right, and maybe—just maybe—for once we had a leg up on the Demon Lord.
* * *
The trip to Otherworld was coming up, and Chase was a bundle of nerves.
“I can’t believe I’m finally going to see Sharah.” He had Astrid with him, and for the first time in a long time, the detective seemed truly happy. We were all going, for a change, leaving a strong contingent of guards from Talamh Lonrach Oll to guard the house. Hanna would stay home with Maggie, and the Duchess was here to watch the twins, but everybody else was going with us.
The woodland near our house—about five minutes away by car—crackled with magic. The trail through the undergrowth and trees had at fir
st been difficult to navigate, but over the years, Grandmother Coyote had given us permission to create a path, narrow but accessible. We wound through cedar and fir, through bracken and huckleberry and the stinging nettles that grew like tenacious warriors, barbed and ready to welt their adversaries.
The forest was alive here—awake. Even I could feel that, and as we exited the trees and entered the circular grove where Grandmother Coyote made her home, the grass seemed to let out a long sigh. The lea that nestled in the circle of cedar and fir and oak shimmered, even though we were near the dark moon, and Grandmother Coyote stepped out from the other side of the glade. Her robes were gray-green, shrouding her body and head, but her hair peeked out from the sides of her hood, brilliant white in the evening dusk.
As Grandmother Coyote stared at our group, she let out a cackle.
“How far you have come since that first meeting, girl.” She turned to Camille. “How far you have all come.” Cloaked in gray, the Hag of Fate was old as the hills, old as the planet and beyond. Her face was a map of the roads she had followed, her eyes mirrored the eons she had seen, and her teeth were steel sharp in her mouth. The Hags of Fate lived outside of time, and they were bound to all realms. Immortal—only the Hags of Fate, the Harvestmen, and the Elemental Lords could claim true immortality—they were beyond the reach of all charm, all magic, every transition the planet watched go by. They were unchanging in a world of change, weaving the threads of fate and destiny without care, without opinion, without judgment.
Camille nodded. “It seems like so long ago and yet . . . and yet . . . we still have so far to go. I hope you don’t mind us traipsing through your portal.”
“That’s what it’s here for.” As the old woman stepped back, we filed through toward the portal in between the tree trunks. I glanced back at the group.
Chase was here with Astrid, and Iris and Bruce. Trillian, Morio, Smoky, and Shade stood behind them. Nerissa was by their side. And Rozurial and Vanzir were also with us. We neared the portal, and then, with me leading the way, Delilah and Camille and I walked through together, back home, back to where we had started our journey.
* * *
The Barrow Mounds of Elqaneve were busy with activity. Gone were the massive number of armed guards, and the reason was obvious when we saw a couple of dragons circling the skies. Carriages were there to take us into the city, and as we climbed in, everywhere were signs of activity. Men, though we had no idea if they really were men or dragons, were thick along the roads, rebuilding the cottages and houses that had been destroyed. Signs of life were springing up, and gone were the straggling nomads who had been displaced. I squinted; in the late-evening dusk, I could see what looked like a refugee camp, but it looked neat and tidy and people were sitting around eating dinner rather than staring forlornly at the road.
One of our escorts turned to me, his eyes bright. The elf had a look in his eyes that I had not seen for some time from a member of the Elfin race. Hope.
“The dragons sent the Builders, as they call them. I’m not sure what race they are—and we do not ask. But they have taken over and are quickly rebuilding across the land. I don’t know how many of them there are, but they seem to be everywhere, and the dragons themselves are guarding our lands from the skies while our capital city is being restored. I think a new age of alliance has been formed between the Elfin race and the Dragonkin.”
There was a lot to rebuild, and a lot of lives had been lost, but now they had some semblance of a future. We rode in silence the rest of the way until we reached Elqaneve. The grounds around the palace were in the same state of busy-ness, and all the rubble had been cleared and marble walls were once again beginning to rise from the foundation of the palace. Off to one side, a temporary courtyard had been erected, and as we clambered out of the carriages, Chase let out a cry and raced forward, Iris following behind him carrying Astrid. Sharah was standing there and she forgot her crown, forgot her royal dignity, and launched herself into his arms. As they held one another, Trenyth approached, but then he stopped and walked away, giving them the moment they so needed.
* * *
Trenyth listened to our story, then settled back. “So, we have hope once again. Just make certain when you find the last spirit seal, do not fit all of them together or you will rip open the realms, and that would be just what Shadow Wing wants. Keep them separate in their pendants, and find the Knights who can wield them. Camille is right. She must seek out the Keraastar Diamond. Without that, you cannot hope to command the Knights to the full extent you need to.”
She nodded. “I understand. Do you have any clue where to find the Diamond?”
“Pentangle would know; you are correct in that assumption. Go in search of her.” He paused. “You do realize that when you are one of the Fae Queens, you will have to give over to duty more than you might wish.”
“What do you mean?” Camille looked confused.
Trenyth started to say something, then just shook his head. “You will find out in due time.” He looked at the three of us. “Go now, your carriages are waiting to take you to the Barrows so you can travel to Y’Elestrial. Elqaneve will send a delegation to the parade and celebration tomorrow. And I have no doubt you will find old friends waiting there for you.” With that, he stood and then, in an uncharacteristic move, he quickly leaned in and kissed our foreheads, one after another. “Go in peace, girls. I wish your father could be here to see this day. You would have made him proud.”
And with tears threatening all of us, we headed out the door, leaving Chase and Astrid in Elqaneve, where they would stay with Sharah for a few days.
* * *
Tanaquar—the Court and Crown of Y’Elestrial—personally oversaw the ceremonies. We had come through hell for her, for our city-state, for both our worlds. And that hell was not over, but for now, we could breathe and take a few moments to relax.
The citywide celebration was to be held at night, so I could attend.
But for now, we dodged the unofficial ceremonies and rode out to the outskirts of the city, to a house that we knew so well. As we stepped out of the carriage, our lovers by our sides, a sense of melancholy and memory swept over me.
Here, we took our first breath. Here, we grew up, fighting the prejudices against us. Here, we loved our mother and lost her. And here, we now returned.
Aunt Rythwar was waiting, looking so much like Father that Camille let out a soft cry, and Delilah burst into tears. She bundled us in and fed us—Morio had brought enchanted blood for me—and seemed to know that we needed silence more than anything. After making sure we were all settled, she vanished into her room with a flurry of kisses and promises that if we needed anything, we need only tap on her door. Our dear old cook, Leethe, was gone, of course, but Auntie’s cook and housekeeper were kindly enough.
The house had been repaired from the damage it took during the civil war, and other than losing our father and Leethe, time had stood still here.
Smoky nudged Shade. “I think the girls need some time.” Nerissa nodded and guided the men toward our rooms, leaving the three of us alone in the living room.
Camille swept her hand over the clock. Father had brought it from Earthside for Mother, to give her some sense of home. So many trinkets, so many memories. A crystal vase, blown by a glass smith in town, that I had bought for my mother one Yule long ago. A hand-carved whistle a relative had given to Delilah. An embroidered scarf that Camille had struggled to make, before everybody realized she had no skill with the needle and thread. Everywhere we looked, our history followed us. Everywhere we looked, we were reminded of our past.
After a moment, Camille headed for the doors to the garden and we followed her, dressed in gowns that we had long ago put away when we traveled Earthside. Camille was in a sparkling purple gown, low cut, shimmering with beads that mirrored the stars overhead. Delilah had changed into a green gown, simple and straight, wi
th a soft gold belt tied around the waist. And I was wearing an indigo gown, velvet soft and draping like a Grecian toga.
We linked arms, strolling through the garden. The last time we had done this was the night before we went Earthside for the first time. We had come out here and talked about what our new life would hold for us. We had pictured a vacation of sorts, or perhaps exile, but we hadn’t known what was in store for us. All our illusions and expectations from then had been shattered, some for the better.
“So.” Camille finally spoke. “When we go back, you and Nerissa will be moving into Roman’s house?”
I nodded. “He’s decorating now. I let Nerissa have full rein. We both know she’s better at that than I am, and as long as one of the rooms is done in green, I’ll be happy.”
Delilah smiled softly. “I have a wedding to plan. Shade and I want a big affair, I think. Nothing simple. Now, if I could just get Jerry Springer to preside, I’d be thrilled.” She laughed. “And I promise, no Cheetos for the wedding cake.”
Camille broke away and sat down on the garden bench. We joined her, the scent of roses wafting over us. Birdsong filled the evening, and the ivy along the gate row rustled with a sudden influx of moonglow moths that swept down to rest themselves under the dark moon.
“I’m scared of becoming queen. Of taking the crown. I have no idea what to expect.”
“We didn’t know what to expect when we moved Earthside either. You’ll do fine. Aeval dotes on you, you know.” I turned to her. “Did you ever dream . . .” I drifted off. The question was ridiculous, of course. None of us had ever dreamed that we’d be where we were right now.
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