by P. C. Cast
“What we found supports what you’re saying. We felt the residue of Old Magick at Woodward Park, but it wasn’t around the tomb. It seemed to be the leftover power that it took for Other Neferet and a human traveling with her to return to the Other World.”
“Your Neferet is going to follow her. That was the only other information I could piece together from Oak.”
“Is Oak going to open the portal for her?” I asked.
“I did not get that impression, but I did get a notion of something that was more disturbing. Oak feels sympathetic to the Neferets. I think that’s why she resisted giving me information. This is highly unusual, Zoey. Sprites do not take sides in the affairs of mortals. Sometimes they will do tasks for them, as you have seen, but always for a price.”
I added, “And the price gets higher with each task.”
“Not always higher, but their payment usually must amuse or intrigue the sprites—and they have been alive since the worlds were formed and then populated with gods. They aren’t easy to amuse, especially after they’ve been called a few times. The biggest danger with using Old Magick is the side effect that I’ve already warned you about. Unless the Goddess has gifted you with the ability to wield it—Old Magick always changes its user.”
A sudden thought came to me. “Is that change always negative? And, don’t worry, I’m not asking for myself. I’ve already felt what you’re talking about and I know for sure in my case, the change would be bad, which also means if my brother kept using it, the change would be bad for him too, since we’re super alike. I’m just wondering …” I didn’t want to say it aloud because it sounded crazy inside my head, but Other Neferet had been using Old Magick, and she’d also fled Batshit and was hanging out with a human who she actually seemed to care about. Could she possibly be—
Sgiach interrupted my musing. “As the nature of Old Magick is neither positive nor negative, my guess is that it could, indeed, affect its user in a positive manner. But there is no predicting it.”
“Interesting,” I said. “So, did Oak give you any idea of when Batshit is going over there? Right now, we’re pretty sure she’s hiding in Midtown somewhere, eating people. Well, she’s for sure eating people. It’s where she’s hiding that we’re not a hundred percent about.”
“No. Oak only came to me because I am Queen of Skye, but I could not command her further. I believe that Batshit is gaining strength and as soon as she feels powerful enough, she will follow that other Neferet to her world.”
“Did Oak give you any idea about why Batshit is so eager to go to that world? I mean, I’d expect her to attack us here first.”
“I could read some of Oak’s emotions as I asked her questions about your Neferet, and I got residual feelings of jealousy, greed, and madness. Your nickname for her is accurate. Personally, I believe a creature with her power and her incessant need to be worshipped can never be happy, let alone content, but as with almost all living creatures, she will continually quest for those things. I’ve watched it happen to human rulers for centuries. They have no true reason for conquering country after country except to stroke their egos and try to assuage the emptiness inside themselves.”
“So basically, Batshit is a spoiled child with the power of a goddess.”
“Who desires to conquer worlds to fill the void within herself. Yes.”
“Ah, hell,” I said. “Any clue how to stop her?”
Sgiach steepled her fingers. “I can tell you what won’t kill her—Old Magick. Do not count on it. Do not invoke it. Something has altered Oak’s allegiance, and you can no longer depend upon her neutrality.”
“And the sprites all follow her?”
“If not all, I would say most.”
“Okay, so, we need an immortal to fight an immortal.”
Sgiach nodded. “And one not tainted by Old Magick.”
“My grandma thinks that’s Other Kalona,” I said.
“Your grandmother is a Wise Woman—in all aspects of the title. I would take her sage advice.”
“If I mix her advice and yours together, I’ll be on the right track. Oh, and I think I figured out how to open the portal between worlds without using Old Magick.”
She leaned forward. “How will you do it, High Priestess?”
I grinned at her use of my title. “With the elements. Any advice about that?”
“Yes. Remember that the only earthly power stronger than elemental power is love. Use those two mighty things together, and I do not believe you can fail.”
I snorted. “Well, I’m sure I could figure out a way to mess it up, but that’s why I have the Nerd Herd. They’ll help keep me straight.” Across the desk from me, Stevie Rae nodded so hard her blond curls looked like they were springs.
“I wish you well, my friend. And when you return to this world victorious, I would like you to visit me. I find that I grow weary of being alone. Perhaps it is time I reopened my isle to Warriors once more.”
I felt a thrill of excitement. “That would be amazing! Yes, for sure I’ll come see you.”
“Bring your Guardian. I miss young Stark.”
“I will. How about Aphrodite and Darius?” I asked.
Sgiach pursed her lips and then allowed them to lift in a smile. “The prophetess’s candor is welcome on my isle—as is her courageous Warrior. Any of your friends will be allowed entrance.”
Stevie Rae gasped in pleasure. “I can speak for the Nerd Herd. They’ll all want to come.”
“And that is?” Queen Sgiach asked as her smile widened.
“I’m Stevie Rae,” she stood and poked her head around the side of the computer. “Real nice to meet you, Your Majesty.”
“You are the one bonded to earth, are you not?”
“I am!”
“Zoey has spoken highly of you. I shall look forward to our future visit. Blessed be, my friend.”
“Blessed be, Your Majesty,” Stevie Rae and I said together.
The connection ended, and the screen went dark.
“Ohmygoodness, Rephaim is gonna be happier than a buzzard on a meat wagon when I tell him about this!”
“Girlfriend, that is a very gross analogy—and especially disturbing when I think about Rephaim in raven form.”
“Point taken,” she said. “But still—ohmygoodness, the Isle of Skye! The Great Taker of Heads! I cannot wait.”
“Me either. So, let’s hurry up and get the Neferets taken care of so that we can go to Skye. We’ll be due a vacay.”
“Serious understatement,” she said.
And I agreed.
The Warriors returned from patrolling with the TPD not long before dawn. It was still raining heavily with thunder calling and lightning answering across the gray sky. Stark and I were just heading to bed when Darius knocked on our door.
He looked completely waterlogged. I was brewing some bedtime tea and offered him a warm mug, which he accepted gratefully and stood sipping in front of our fireplace.
“The news is not good. The rain has washed away everything. There isn’t even enough blood trail left for us to scent. Then, around the intersection of Cherry Street and Peoria, Odin, one of our Warriors, was snatched from a whole group that were searching Grumpy’s Garden.”
“Wait, what?” I said. “Snatched? You mean like kidnapped? By Batshit?”
Darius ran a hand across his face. He looked unusually haggard, like he hadn’t slept in weeks. “Yes, and he’s dead now. He Imprinted with another Warrior. You know his mate, Stephan, don’t you?”
Stark had stood and joined Darius at the fireplace. “I do! Very well. He’s a promising bowman. And Odin was a fine Warrior.”
I shuffled numbly to the nearest chair. I had to sit down. “He’s dead? For sure?”
Darius nodded. “No doubt about it. Stephan felt it.” Darius shook his head sadly. “Odin wa
s brave to the end, which Stephan said was quick.”
I felt super sick. When I first came to the House of Night, I’d Imprinted with Loren Blake, a predatory professor who had taken advantage of my idiotic naivete and also taken my virginity. In return, we’d Imprinted, so when Neferet cut his head off, I’d felt every bit of it.
“What does Stephan need? How can we help him?” I asked.
“You can figure out a way to do away with Neferet—both of them—for good. She did this. Stephan was bonded so intimately with Odin that he is certain our Neferet did it. His throat was slit, and his blood was drained.”
“Did Stephan get any images of where Odin was killed?” Stark asked.
“He said Odin was outside. That’s all he got. I—I think it was too painful for him to recall more.”
“I know it was. Goddess, I’m so, so sorry! I’ll speak with Stephan before we leave for the Other World tomorrow and I’ll have the priestesses in the temple light candles and burn sweetgrass in honor of Odin.”
“Tomorrow?” Stark and Darius said together.
I nodded grimly. “With what Sgiach told me today, we don’t have time to wait. She’s certain that Batshit is going to go to the Other World soon. We need to beat her there and raise Other Kalona—and get ready for a fight that will shape the future of both of our worlds.”
Darius put the mug of tea down and saluted me formally. “High Priestess, I must remain here to lead the Sons of Erebus. It pains me more than I can put to words that I cannot go with my prophetess to protect her in the Other World; therefore, I formally request that you allow me to ask your brother to swear to be our Aphrodite’s Warrior—if only for the time that she is in his world.”
What Darius asked didn’t shock me. A lesser vampyre would’ve let jealousy and his own feelings get in the way of his duty, but Darius was not a lesser vampyre.
“You have my permission as well as my gratitude. Kevin will watch over her. I know he will.”
“As do I. Now, unless you have more duties for me, I ask to leave and go to Aphrodite.”
“Go. Rest,” I said.
Stark grasped his forearm. “My friend, I will also watch over Aphrodite—no matter how annoying she becomes.”
Darius’s lips twitched. “Thank you. I know how difficult that will be for you.”
I walked Darius to the door where I hugged him tightly. “Nyx and I thank you for your loyalty and your integrity.”
There were tears in his eyes when Darius hugged me back, nodded, and then silently left our chamber.
“We leave tomorrow? Really?” Stark said.
“Really. We don’t have time to wait for Shaunee and Shaylin. I’m going to believe Kacie is ready. I promise you, James Stark, we are going to figure out a way to end Neferet. I do not give a damn if she’s immortal. Our Kalona was immortal too, and he died.”
“I know we can do it,” Stark said. “I believe in us—I believe in you.” Then he took me into his arms and held me for a very long time.
27
Zoey
At sunset the next night, Lenobia, Darius, and everyone who was traveling to the Other World with us—Stark, Damien, Rephaim, Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, and Kacie—as well as James and Kevin, gathered around me in the foyer of the school. There was an air of nervousness, but also of quiet excitement. Aphrodite and Darius were holding hands and the Warrior looked pale and intense. I addressed Lenobia first.
“Lenobia, I formally name you High Priestess of the Tulsa House of Night in my absence.”
Lenobia saluted me. “Thank you, Zoey. I will take good care of the school and our people.”
“I have no doubt about that.”
“All the professors and the sixth former fledglings are assembling in the drama room. As soon as you have crossed through the portal, and Kevin and James have entered Nyx’s Realm, we will begin casting protective spells all around the walls of the school. As you requested yesterday, we have opened our doors to the neighborhood, and humans are beginning to fill the dorms. We will probably need to expand the temporary accommodations to cots in the Field House, as we did the last time the House of Night was a sanctuary.”
“I don’t think it’ll be long before Neferet goes to the Other World, but do whatever you need to do to keep people safe until then.” I met Darius’s gaze. “Darius, how has Marx decided to handle evacuating humans?”
“He wisely decided not to make a public announcement as Neferet could also hear it and turn her attention to the House of Night. Instead, under his direction, the TPD has been going house to house in Midtown, beginning with those closest to Woodward Park, warning people and giving them the option of seeking the safety of our campus. I will take a group of Warriors and join him shortly.”
“Sounds good. Just remember, don’t engage with Batshit if you find her. Just have everyone withdraw—quietly and quickly. Isolate her and make it difficult for her to feed. She won’t want to use her energy fighting you or hunting, so it’ll encourage her to leave this world for the other.”
“We will remember, and I will make certain Marx and the TPD fully understand as well.”
“Zoey?” Rephaim lifted his hand.
I nodded for him to speak.
“Father answered me. He came to my dreams today while I was in raven form.” Rephaim smiled. “The news is good. He reminded me that at his core he is a Warrior, sworn to fight Darkness—in any realm—in any world. So, if the Wise Women are correct, in Kevin’s world that version of my father never Fell from Nyx’s Realm and was entombed for a selfless reason, he should be willing to join our battle against Batshit, as she is definitely on the side of Darkness.”
A little of the tension between my shoulder blades released. “That’s really good to know, Rephaim. Thank you.”
Grandma hurried into the foyer and my friends parted so that she could make her way to my side. “U-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, before you leave may I gift your tribe with the things I made for them?”
“Of course!” I said.
She began walking among us. “Warriors and priestesses, I have made each of you a bracelet of power. My Wise Woman friends and I smudged them and prayed over them, asking that the Great Earth Mother invest them with protection medicine.” As she came to my side and handed me my bracelet, I felt power radiating from the turquoise and amethyst stones. I put it on and it warmed against my wrist. “May these stones protect you—no matter which world you find yourselves in. May they bring you strength and clarity when you need it most,” Grandma said.
Grandma stopped in front of Kevin and gave him a bracelet that looked similar to mine, only his turquoise was greener and mine was more robin’s-egg blue. “Take care of yourself, u-we-tsi. And remember, love is always present, but you must open yourself to accept it, or it might pass you by.”
My brother hugged her tightly. “I’ll remember, G-ma.”
She went from him to Darius and Aphrodite, handing Darius a bracelet first. “Wise, loyal Warrior, my Zoeybird tells me you will remain here to fulfill your duty by protecting this school. I have made your power bracelet an exact replica of your prophetess’s and had a Tsalagi brave imbue it with courage as he strung the aquamarine beads beside the turquoise. Do not worry. I have dreamed that you and your prophetess will be reunited in this world.”
Darius wiped tears from his cheeks as he bowed to Grandma and slid the bracelet on his wrist. Then Grandma gave him Aphrodite’s matching strand, and he placed it on her wrist, kissing her hand.
Impulsively, Aphrodite hugged Grandma. “Thank you, Grandma Redbird. We needed that.”
Grandma patted her cheek. “My Kevin will look after you, though the truth is, you can easily take care of yourself.”
Kevin stepped up beside them and went to one knee, looking up at Aphrodite.
“Prophetess of Nyx and beloved friend of my sister. I swear to you and to your
Oathbound Warrior, Darius, that I will stand in for him while we are in my world. I will honor your bond while I serve and protect the Goddess Nyx by serving and protecting you. Do you accept my oath?”
Aphrodite didn’t hesitate. “I do.”
Kevin stood and turned to Darius. “I give you my word I will protect Aphrodite with my life.”
“I will hold you to that oath, Kevin Redbird.”
They clasped forearms, and then Kevin returned to my side.
“Okay,” I said, pulling everyone’s attention to me. “Let’s go outside to the east wall and the tree that we already know is filled with earth power. Remember, our intention is to maintain the balance of two worlds by defeating Darkness in one world that is threatening to overwhelm Light in two. We walk in Light. We honor the elements. And we also honor the strongest force in the universe, love—always love. Are you ready?”
My group solemnly murmured their agreement.
“Let’s go take our places. Aphrodite, did you and Kacie decide whether you would stand for fire or water?”
My prophetess friend nodded. “We did. I’ll be fire and she’ll be water.”
“Good. Stark and Rephaim—you’ll need to be inside the circle.” I met my brother’s gaze. “Will you go before or after us?”
“I’ll wait until you’re safely gone and then call Aphrodite’s spirit to guide James and me over. We’ll meet you at the east wall in my world.”
“That’s the plan,” I said a little nervously.
“It’s a good plan,” he assured me.
Jack rushed up and threw his arms around Damien and kissed him intimately. Then he stepped out of his lover’s embrace and smiled bravely. “I didn’t want you to go over there—to my old world—worrying about me. I’ll be here, waiting with love, always love, for you to return. So, you go kick Darkness’s ass for me too!”
“Sweetheart,” Damien touched Jack’s cheeks gently. “Thank you. I needed that. And don’t forget that this isn’t goodbye. It’s only à bientôt.”
“I won’t forget. Ever.”
“Come on, child,” said Grandma, taking Jack’s hand. “Perhaps you would like to help me string turquoise light catchers to hang in the trees surrounding the school as a boost to the protection spells the professors are casting.”
