by P. C. Cast
“Lynette, dearest, pour us some wine and let us discuss this very promising idea of yours.”
As she poured, Lynette said, “I narrowed it down to five islands. I thought we would visit each of them—if you agree, of course. After you make the choice, I will manage everything. None of the islands are perfectly ready for what we need, so it may take a year or so for all to be in order, but I can use the construction time to recruit talent. Oh, my lady! You and I will have such a wonderful future.” She smiled at Neferet. “I should start calling you Your Majesty.”
“Your island dream sounds delightful,” said Neferet.
Lynette’s smile dimmed. “Why do I sense a but?”
“Because wee Denise’s information changes everything.”
Lynette wanted to shout, We’ll be on an island! We won’t be with a House of Night! Then the image of that monster—that obscene version of her Neferet—flashed across Lynette’s memory and she knew it would not matter. That creature would find them—find her—anywhere in any world. Lynette stared at Neferet and she realized what her decision had to be.
“You’re going to try to kill her.”
“If we are to ever find peace, I must,” said Neferet.
“But she’s immortal. She can’t be killed and, apparently, entombing her isn’t permanent either.”
“Then we need to enlist the aid of an immortal,” said Neferet.
“The High Priestess in that world had an immortal. That’s how she sealed their Neferet in that grotto.”
“Ah, but that is one reason I asked you to bring these.” Neferet tapped one long nail on the folder. “If I remember correctly, that immortal was a creature created by the Monstress. Perhaps that is why she was able to break the seal—because it was not powerful enough.”
“Where do we find a powerful immortal of our own?” Lynette asked.
“Where is the interview with Zoey Redbird and that human detective? The one that was a tribute to the fallen winged immortal named Kalona, brother to Erebus.”
“Oh, I know the one you’re talking about.” Lynette thumbed through the sheets of copied articles. “Zoey and the detective told his story.”
“And they explained why Neferet was able to kill an immortal. I remember that part well. Kalona gave away a piece of his immortality to that world’s Stark.” Neferet sipped her wine and then said sarcastically. “Knowing this Stark, I would say that Kalona made a bad trade. Anyway, I am quite certain that the Stark in our world has never been brought back from the dead by an immortal.”
“So, you think our world’s Kalona would be fully immortal.”
“I do, and if the version of him in that alternative world was willing to fight against their Neferet, then once awakened or called forth—or however it is done—he should be willing to fight again.”
“Ah, here’s the story.” Lynette pulled out several pages covered with a lengthy and what she considered a rather maudlin interview.
“Good, I didn’t finish reading it. Does it say how they called their Kalona?”
Lynette read through the questions and answers quickly until she found the section toward the end. “Here it is. Oh. Oh, no.”
“What?”
“Their Kalona was called forth from the earth by a prophecy fulfilled. Zoey is only specific about one aspect of it.” She looked up and met Neferet’s emerald gaze. “He was entombed in the earth at the House of Night in Tulsa, and the prophecy was one guarded by Cherokee Wise Women, one of whom is Zoey Redbird’s grandmother, Sylvia Redbird.”
“How interesting. It seems no matter the world, the destiny of the winged immortal is tied to the House of Night.” Neferet drummed her fingers on the arm of her plush chair. “What we need is our world’s version of the prophecy that will awaken Kalona.”
“But it’s guarded by Sylvia Redbird. I don’t think she’s going to give you that information.”
“No, she definitely won’t, but I know who will.” Neferet stood abruptly. “Dearest, wrap yourself in something against the cold and bring that tray of lovely fresh bread and jam. Let us go see if wee Denise will come to us again.”
Lynette stood, but touched Neferet’s arm gently. “My lady, I do not think you should call wee Denise specifically. She mentioned she was afraid of Oak. We don’t understand the sprite’s hierarchy. We have no idea how miserable Oak could make Denise’s new life. She could even harm her.”
Neferet patted her hand. “Your words are wise, as usual. I shall simply call to the sprites as if I have no preference in who answers.”
They hurried outside. It had stopped raining, but the stars were still obscured by low-hanging clouds and mist rolled off the dark loch. At the edge of the water, Neferet took the tray of bread and jam from Lynette and held it before her, projecting her voice powerfully out across the loch.
“Sprites of earth, air, water, and fire
there is a small task of you that I desire.
I ask you with payment fair
to answer a question with wisdom and care.”
Nothing happened for long enough that Lynette began to get worried, and then from the loch, a dozen or so water sprites lifted. One was larger than the others, about the size of a toddler. She was decidedly mermaid-like, with an opalescent tail and the torso of a buxom woman. Her hair was made of long ropes of seaweed and her abnormally large eyes were bluish gray—the color of the loch in daylight. She moved across the surface of the water in a strange mixture of hovering and swimming until she bobbed just a few feet from Neferet.
“I hear your call, she who is no longer High Priestess,
and have permission to answer you in place of my mistress.”
The sprite swam closer to shore, sniffing the air.
“’Tis a payment small, this is true
for such there is little I shall do.”
Neferet sounded utterly unconcerned.
“I merely have one request, and it is small.
I require the prophecy on how to call
An immortal named Kalona, whom I would find.
I need this help of the simplest kind
In exchange for treats sweet and fair,
I ask for only a little wisdom and care.”
As the sprite hesitated, Neferet added nonchalantly as she began to turn away,
“Perhaps I should wait for Oak to return.
I did not realize other sprites have so much yet to learn.”
The water sprite’s response was immediate.
“I accept your payment well and true,
And can easily accomplish this small task for you!”
“How lovely. Thank you.” Neferet turned and placed the tray on the loch. Instantly, it was pulled under the waves.
“Listen well,
for such a small price
I shall not tell and tell and tell.”
Lynette sat on the cold, wet rocks and quickly untucked the iPad she held wrapped within her cloak. As the sprite recited the prophetic poem, Lynette’s fingers danced across the keyboard.
“Ancient one sleeping, waiting to arise
When the dead joins with fire and water red
Son who is not—his word is key; the raven will devise
He shall hear the call from his sacrificial bed.
By the blood of she who is neither foe nor friend he is free.
Behold a terrible sacrifice to come—a beautiful sight,
Ruled by love they shall be.
The future will not kneel to her dark might.
Kalona’s return is not bittersweet
As he will be welcomed with love and heat.”
At the conclusion of the prophecy, the water sprite shot up into the a
ir and then did a beautiful swan dive into the loch with the smaller sprites trailing her.
“Did you get all of that, dearest?”
Lynette finished the last line and then breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. “I’ve never been so grateful for my typing skills.”
“Well done!”
“Psst! My lady!” Wee Denise hovered in front of Neferet.
“Sweet wee Denise! Are you well?” Neferet asked.
“No time to talk—no time to tell.
Just know, ‘by the blood of she who is neither foe nor friend he is free’
Refers only to thee, thee, thee!”
Then she dove into the loch and disappeared with the others.
Shock and dread shot through Lynette. “Oh, god! That means that you—”
“Not here, dearest. Inside.” Neferet took her hand and helped Lynette to her feet and they made their way quickly back to Balmacara Mains.
Once inside, Neferet said nothing until they were once more before the fireplace with two full goblets of red wine. Then she lifted hers to Lynette and said, “We have no choice. We must return to our Tulsa House of Night.”
“But, my lady! They’ll arrest you for the murder of Loren Blake and for what they’ve been calling war crimes against vampyres as well as humans.”
Neferet smiled. “No, they will not. Wee Denise has given us a great gift, and now we have something very powerful with which to bargain our freedom. Dearest, they need my help even more desperately than we need theirs. If they do not know it now, they will—very, very soon.” She paused, sipping the rich red wine. “Remember, Zoey’s brother is a red vampyre in our world, but he has been to her world—the world where the Monstress waged her own, very personal war against everyone. He will be well aware of how dangerous she is. And not only that, I will readily agree to leave the country after she is defeated. I will give my oath not to trouble any House of Night again. Perhaps, dearest, we will establish a new type of House of Night—one that is not shackled to a spineless, archaic High Council. Our island will be a haven for wondrous things. It would not be surprising if the best and brightest vampyres were drawn to it.”
“I believe that too, my lady, but I’m frightened that they will be so blinded by the past that they will not be able to see that you have returned only to help them destroy the Monstress, and they will try to harm you.”
“Do not be frightened, dearest. You know I am not without power. I will protect us. Always. Now, pour some more wine and contact a discrete private jet service. We need to get to Tulsa as soon as possible. And call a feeder. Suddenly, I am ravenous.”
26
Zoey
I had just finished the notes for the spell that I 90 percent believed would open the portal to the Other World, and Stevie Rae and I were still in the media room relaxing and sharing a big bag of heavily buttered popcorn.
“So, when are we gonna circle and go to the Other World? I know it’ll be crazy dangerous and all, but I am lookin’ forward to seeing Anastasia and Dragon again. Plus, it is nice that Rephaim gets to be a boy all the time over there.”
“Well, I know I said we need to get there fast, but I also know that for the spell to work we need a superstrong circle, and while I like Ice Cream Shoes, she’s a lot less experienced than Shaunee and Shaylin. So, I want to give it a day and wait for them. I messaged them. Let’s hope Shaylin’s incel problem is settled and the stupid weather breaks and the airport opens—or I won’t have a choice. We’ll have to go without them.”
“I do think Ice Cream Shoes would do fine if we can’t wait. She’s inexperienced, but powerful. Plus, she has that whole weird prophetess vibe going on.”
“And she fulfills part of that prophetic poem about other Kalona, so she’ll have to go with us either way,” I said.
“Hey, speaking of Ice Cream Shoes, do ya really think there may be a thing startin’ between them?” Stevie Rae asked around a giant mouthful of buttery goodness.
“Them meaning her and James?”
Stevie Rae nodded, and her short curls bounced around her face. “Yeah, James.”
“Well, he did ask her to have a drink with him. You know Kacie better than I do, but she doesn’t come off as a girl who’d accept a date with a guy she wasn’t at least potentially interested in.”
“Oh, Z, I can tell you this for sure—Ice Cream Shoes doesn’t believe in wastin’ her time. She woulda told him no quicker than a skunk will spray you if he’s pissed.”
“And that’s quick?”
“Yup.”
“Good. I’m glad. I mean, I don’t know if there’s any future for them since they’re from different worlds and all, but I want James to be happy, which he cannot be if he thinks he’s in love with a ghost.”
“Or you,” Stevie Rae added.
“Definitely.”
“And you’re not even a little jelly? I mean, Z, it’d be totally normal if you were. He is Stark.”
“Oh, I felt some twinges of jealousy, but I got them under control fast. I can be selfish, but being all pee-pantsy about another version of my lover and Oathbound Warrior finding happiness without me is next-level selfish jelly. Not to mention super immature. The truth is that I see enough of Stark within James to honestly want him to be happy.”
“It’s gotta be weird, though.”
“Epically weird,” I agreed.
“Um, excuse me, High Priestess.”
Stevie Rae and I looked up to see a fledgling, hand fisted over her heart, bowing respectfully to me. She was wearing the golden wings of Erebus embroidered on her school sweater, which signified that she’s a fourth former. When she looked up, I recognized her immediately because of the name she’d chosen when she’d been Marked.
“Oh, hi, Snow.” Snow—as in Jon Snow, not Snow White—was her hero. “What is it?”
“There’s a Skype call for you in your office. It’s from Queen Sgiach.”
“Thank you.” I was on my feet in an instant and Stevie Rae and I headed quickly for the door. Since Sgiach’s Guardian and longtime lover had been killed the year before, my friend had been in deep mourning, and I knew if she was calling, it was super important.
“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Stevie Rae said as we hurried to my office.
“Batshit’s free. Since that happened I’ve had a bad feeling about almost everything,” I said.
Stevie Rae curled up in one of the comfy chairs facing me as I sat at my cool desk made of something called zebrawood with glass legs that were really reclaimed windows from an old industrial building that had been gutted for condos in Tulsa’s growing Pearl District. The Skype call was still live, and I smiled at the image of my friend sitting on her carved marble throne in her magnificent castle with a laptop balanced on her lap.
“Your Majesty! It’s great to see your face.” I was relieved to notice that the dark circles under her eyes had lightened.
She smiled. “There is no need for such formality between us, my young friend.”
“But I like calling you that. It reminds me how lucky I am to have a queen who is my friend.”
“Very well, then I shall appreciate the title and enjoy that you call me by it. I wish this call were just to catch up. Sadly, it is not. I got your message that Neferet was broken from her tomb by her mirror version from the Other World.”
I nodded. “We’ve started calling them Batshit—our Neferet—and Other Neferet for the other one. It’s less confusing.”
“And accurate if I’m reading the sprites correctly.”
I sat up straighter. “What’s going on with them?”
“They have changed. Though perhaps it happened slowly over the past year, and I missed the signs because I have been in mourning,” she said.
“Hey, you loved Seoras for five hundred years. Taking a year off to be sad abo
ut his death isn’t unreasonable.”
She sighed and ran her hand through her long hair, which I noticed was now all silver-gray with no hint of her copper blaze. “Not unreasonable, perhaps, but irresponsible, though I am not sure what I could have done had I noticed before now.”
“Noticed what?”
“They’ve become uncommunicative. Oak, the sprite who tends to be in a leadership position, is frequently absent, and when I am able to speak with her, she is strangely defensive and not forthcoming with information.”
“I know Oak! She’s the sprite who comes to Kevin, my vampyre brother from the Other World, most. And she was at the stadium in his world when we had the showdown with Other Neferet. Oak is the sprite who bargained for the other elementals and accepted Aphrodite’s humanity, and life, in payment for returning the humanity to their red vampyres.”
“So, she has been busy.”
“Very,” I said.
“Well, I summoned her after I got your message about Nef—I mean Batshit. As you might remember, I do not command the sprites and I rarely invoke Old Magick. My affinity is for this isle—not the fey.”
I nodded. “I remember. It’s like the Isle of Skye is a dam and you have control over how much water is allowed out of it.”
“The analogy isn’t bad, but it’s more like I have my fingers perpetually plugging leaks—and several get past me—but the flood is prevented. So, I asked Oak if she had any knowledge about her escape, and the sprite instantly became defensive. Her answers, all in rhymes, were garbled—confusing. Around her, the other sprites were clearly agitated. I was only able to ascertain that a vampyre from another world—Other Neferet—instigated the release. It was clear that Oak played a part in it, but beyond giving me the general sense that she’d been the vehicle through which Other Neferet entered your world, I couldn’t get more out of her.”
