The Hallowed Hunt

by Yasmine Galenorn

  There are three. They are Autumn’s Bane. They seek you, and will not rest until you are dead. Now, my reward?

  As soon as I take care of them, I’ll give you your sandwiches. My promise to you stands from this moment. I paused, then asked, Will I have to kill them?

  If you do not, they will continue to hunt you, no matter where you go.

  That made my mind up. They’d prevent me from reaching the end of the Cruharach. I wasn’t sure if they were actual hunters, or simply a test spinning out in my mind, but either way, I couldn’t let them win. Where is the third?

  Behind the oak, two trees over.

  I knew that I could pick off the first two from up in the cedar, but that would leave the third to fight hand-to-hand. There was no help for it—I had a battle on my hands.

  I lowered myself to a branch from where I could easily see the first hunter.

  The second was farther away, but I thought I could pick him off from here, too. I slowly brought up my crossbow, feeling oddly reluctant. I didn’t like taking life, even though I had done my share of killing. I never wanted to get used to it, either. But tonight was all or nothing.

  I aimed at the first hunter, slowly letting out my breath as I pulled the trigger. The bolt shot true, whistling through the air. The hunter jerked his head up as he heard the quarrel streaming toward him, but before he could do anything, it landed square in his heart and he let out a shout as he fell to his knees, and then to the ground.

  The other hunter spun around, glancing at his companion. The next thing I knew, an arrow came zinging through the tree, barely missing me. I forced myself to stay still, fitting another bolt in my bow. But this one was harder, since he was now on his guard. He had darted behind a bush, but he’d have to come out in order to fight me. If he shouted to alert his remaining comrade, he’d give his presence away.

  I waited for a moment, once again seeking the wisdom of the forest. I sought for the feeling of fear. A sudden whisper on the wind turned me in the direction of a large patch of juniper. I brought the bow up and, going on instinct, let the bolt fly. It sung through the air, and I heard a sudden shout as the hunter staggered out. I’d hit him in the side.

  I fit another bolt and again let it fly. Before he could attempt to notch his arrow, the bolt hit his chest. As he fell, he shouted a warning, and I dropped my way through the tree, coming to rest on the ground by its trunk. I dropped the crossbow as the third hunter came darting out, long dagger ready. There was no room to draw a sword in the undergrowth.

  I flipped the snaps on both daggers and pulled them, circling toward him. His eyes were glinting—he was enjoying the challenge, that rang clear as a bell.

  “You want me? Come get me,” I said, feeling my own blood rise in response.

  He lunged toward me, springing off the ground as he flipped over my head. Startled, I whipped around, daggers up and ready. He rolled, aiming for my calves, and I jumped over his blade. As I landed, I spun, bringing both daggers overhead, spreading my arms to balance myself. He was coming out of his crouch and I managed to land one dagger in the back of his shoulder. Instead of pulling away, I shoved it hard into the muscle and brought my other arm around to his side, driving the other dagger deep into his ribs.

  He let out a gurgling sound as I withdrew my blades. I stood back, staring at him. He was still kneeling in front of me, and I slowly placed my foot on his back, pushing him over, feeling an odd thrill as I did so.

  The bush in front of me rustled and I looked up. Oh crap. My Autumn Stalker twin stepped out. She was holding the same daggers as I was, and she twirled them in her hands.

  “Are you ready?” she said. “You know the rules. You know the score.”

  A shiver ran down my back. As good as I was, she was better. She was of my father’s blood, pure and strong. And I could feel her craving for the fight rise up. She’d fight me till one of us was done. And if she won…she’d take over.

  How could I win against someone who was stronger than I was? But then, I knew what I had to do, and I blessed my luck that I’d chosen the other path first. I straightened and turned my gaze toward her. Summoning the hunger, I let it swell within my heart and rebound out to swirl in my aura.

  This is how my mother won my father over. I knew it sure as I knew my own name.

  “Want me,” I whispered.

  My opponent jerked as I forced all my will into my words. She tried to pull her gaze away.

  “You want me. You need me. You crave me.” I stepped forward, summoning up the ocean waves with their beckoning call. “You hunger for me.”

  She lifted her blades. “Stop.” But her voice was shaking and she gave away her fear as she pulled back a step.

  I set my gaze on hers, holding her captive as I summoned the strength of the water into my movements, surrounding myself with a cloak of foaming waves.

  “Hear my voice. Listen to me. You hunger for something that you never knew you needed. You know that together, our strength will multiply. My inspiration will light your path. You need me, Ember.” The words rolled off my tongue, sweeping forward on a cresting wave. All around us, the darkened forest responded to my song.

  And then, as though her hands were tired, she dropped her blades. “Who are you?”

  “I am you. Join me and together we can be stronger than you imagine.” I sheathed my blades and slowly held out my arms. “What is your creed?”

  “Yield to no one, save those stronger. Die in battle if I cannot succeed.” Her voice was so low I could barely hear it.

  “I am stronger and you know this. Give yourself to me. You will die a glorious death and be reborn in my heart.” The energy swirled around me, so strong that I could barely breathe. I needed her. I wanted her. She would be mine. And together, we would prevail.

  Fear crept into her eyes and she started to turn.

  “Stop. You are no coward and you know it.” I moved toward her, one step at a time. Overhead the stars began to spin, whirling around the castle in the sky, and a loud percussive beat began rippling through the forest.

  She froze, her eyes wide. “I do not yield. I do not yield…”

  “Yet you will.” I held out my arms. “Come to me, child. Come to me.”

  She stiffened, but began to stagger toward me, as though she were being drawn by chains. The drums grew louder and I grabbed hold of the energy, weaving it around her like a web. She lurched forward, fear clouding her face.

  “This will not hurt. I promise you.”

  And I kept my promise. I summoned every ounce of passion into my touch as I caught her shoulders and pulled her toward me. She began to relax as the drums quickened. I pressed my lips to hers as I began draining her the same way I had drained the other. Her strength and will flowed into my veins, and the magic of the hunt streamed out on her breath.

  I drank deep, her life becoming mine, her courage shoring me up.

  As the energy transferred from her to me, I felt it begin to merge with that of my Leannan Sidhe heritage, forming a new force, a hybrid that the Cruharach strengthened. As the last wisps of breath left her body, I caught them up, swallowed them down, and then let her fall, standing back as tendrils from deep in the ground reached through the leaves to wrap around her. They trussed her up and pulled her beneath the leaves, deep into the soil, to return to the Mother.

  Silently, I turned. I picked up my bow and opened my pack, tossing two sandwiches for the kitsune, who dashed out from beneath a bush to swallow them whole. I added a third.

  Thank you.

  Who are you? he asked.

  I don’t even know if I have an answer to that.

  And with that, I returned to the path as a mist rose around me. Up ahead, I could see the path merging back with the original trail and beyond that, I saw the end of the road. And there, waiting, stood the silver stag. As the fog rolled around my legs, rising to my knees, I began to run toward Herne, and my future.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Five days later… />
  * * *

  “Here she comes!” Herne’s voice echoed as I came down the stairs. I was wearing a long plum-colored gown that cinched at the waist and flowed out. It had an asymmetrical hem, with the front four inches above my knees, and the skirt tea length in back. The sweetheart bodice ended in halter ties behind my neck. I was also wearing a pair of kitten-heel knee boots, and I had gathered my hair up into a chignon. Talia had tucked roses in the bun, and had lent me a pair of crystal earrings. At my throat was Morgana’s necklace.

  “Woohoo!” Angel shouted as I appeared.

  A sudden swirl of confetti sparkled down over me from all directions.

  Yutani was playing DJ, and techno was pouring out of the speakers.

  Everybody from the office was there, including Charlie, as well as Sheila, Raven, Rafé, and Marilee. And so were Morgana and Cernunnos. We were ostensibly taking a break from the stress over the Tuathan Brotherhood, but I knew the party had been Talia’s idea to celebrate me making it through the Cruharach.

  The caterer was serving up suckling pig and roast lamb, and the tables were filled with trays of shrimp and crab, lobster and dinner rolls, salads and fruit tarts and a cake that was three tiers high. A bartender was mixing drinks behind the wet bar. All in all, the place was a mansion. I wasn’t sure who owned it, but the log cabin reminded me of a rustic yet fancy ski lodge. A fire crackled in the oversize fireplace.

  I took Herne’s hand and he spun me into his arms. “The lady of the evening! May I present Ember Kearney, who has passed through the Cruharach intact, and now is…a mystery to unfold.” He pulled me to him. “May I have this dance?” He was dressed in a tux and tails, with a top hat, and I couldn’t resist.

  “She Bangs” came on and we broke into a modified salsa, given I only knew some of the moves. As we spun and pranced our way around the floor, Viktor held out his hand to Sheila and she gave him a rueful smile and let him pull her onto the dance floor. I was glad to see their argument seemed to have ended. Rafé grabbed Angel’s hand and they too joined in.

  At that point, Cernunnos moved forward, holding Morgana’s waist, and they went for it. Everybody else stopped, backing off the floor to watch them. Seeing the gods not only salsa but put their own spin of magic into it wasn’t something you saw every day.

  As I watched Cernunnos, I saw where Herne got his moves. His father was sultry, the heat of the dark woods in summer. Morgana was wearing a sparkling mini-dress that acted like a sequined kaleidoscope every time she moved. As they danced, the passion between them seemed to flame higher and I couldn’t look away. Cernunnos’s long dreads spun as he sailed across the dance floor, Morgana keeping up with them.

  “Your parents are incredible,” I whispered.

  Herne nodded. “Yes, I know. When they’re good, they’re great. When they argue, it’s best that they have their own houses. Come on, let’s get a drink.”

  He steered me over to the bar and I accepted a glass of mead. As we walked away from the dancing, I felt oddly distanced. I had come through the Cruharach intact, but it had definitely changed me, and I was only beginning to sort out how.

  I felt older, more confident. I also could feel the aging process drastically slowing. It was as though an internal clock had suddenly stopped ticking, slowing down to milliseconds instead of seconds. Deep inside me, both sides of my heritage coiled together, no longer separate but integrated into my psyche.

  “Who owns this place?”

  Herne shrugged. “A friend of a friend. Leave it at that.” He paused, then asked, “How are you? Seriously. We haven’t had much chance to talk in private since before the ritual.” He gazed down at me, his eyes piercing my heart.

  “I’m good.” I looked up at him. “You saved me, during the Cruharach. You came to me on the shore and kept me from making a terrible mistake.”

  “I couldn’t help you. I wasn’t allowed.” His gaze gave away nothing. “I was on the other side, but I couldn’t be present during the actual ritual. Father forbade it.”

  I shook my head. “I know you were there. I saw the silver stag up on the embankment.”

  Herne took my glass and set it aside, along with his. “I mean it, Ember. They wouldn’t let me help you.”

  “Then who did I see?” I knew what I had seen.

  “You were born with the mark of the silver stag. Maybe there’s a greater force involved. Whatever the case, I’m so glad you’re here with me.” He pulled me toward him, his hands on my waist. “We can’t predict the future, but right now, right at this moment, I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

  Leaning down, he gathered me in his arms and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was hot, so hot it made me melt. I wanted to drag him aside, find a private place and screw his brains out, but tonight wasn’t just for me. It was for all of my friends who had been worried about me.

  “Excuse me.” The voice was so deep it could only be Cernunnos.

  We spun around.

  “Father, is something wrong?” Herne asked.

  Cernunnos shook his head. “Your mother requests you attend her for a moment, son. I’ll keep Ember company.”

  I swallowed hard as Herne nodded, then turned to go find Morgana. Once he was gone, I cleared my throat and turned to Cernunnos. As approachable as Herne was, Cernunnos was the opposite. He was every inch a god, and he made me feel about the size of an ant whenever I was near him.

  “So, you have passed through the awakening. Welcome to your true nature,” Cernunnos said.

  I struggled to answer. “Thank you, milord.”

  “Your father was worried that you wouldn’t manage it—he asked me to help at one point. He and your mother knew they weren’t likely to live long enough to see you grow up. But I knew you could do it. Morgana and I would have stepped in if fate hadn’t brought you to us first.” He paused, then in a husky voice, he said, “Don’t ever fear your powers. Fear will kill you faster than anything else.”

  “I got that impression during the Cruharach.” Then, gazing into his eyes, I saw a glint of silver and I gasped. “It was you. You were the silver stag on the embankment.”

  Cernunnos let a slip of a smile show.

  “Like son, like father,” he said, then turned away. But before he returned to Morgana, he glanced over his shoulder. “Ember, make certain you listen to your heart. My son might be a god, but he has feelings. And I may chastise him for many things, but I do not take betrayal easily. For myself, my wife, or my son. Do you understand?”

  He held my gaze.

  Inside, I was terrified, but I didn’t want him to see that. “I love your son. If that changes, I’ll be honest and upfront. I only ask the same in return.”

  “Well, then. So we understand each other.” He turned back to the party.

  I picked up my glass and drained it. If Cernunnos was warning me not to betray his son, then perhaps Herne was more serious than I thought. And just what did Cernunnos consider betrayal? Was it dancing with Apollo? Talking to Viktor? Or something more questionable?

  As Herne walked back toward me, I realized that I wasn’t sure if I was happy, or scared shitless. But for now, I decided on happy. Herne held out his arms and I went running into his embrace, as—for the first time in my life—I felt a sense of belonging like I had never before experienced.

  Deep in the forest, the soft sound of chanting fell silent. At this altitude, a light snow was falling. From between the snowflakes, a vapor began to appear—a silver mist that spread across the clearing. The figure who had been chanting suddenly stopped as the mist enveloped her, and a moment later, she lay silent in the snow. The mist coiled into tendrils and began to surround the body, wrapping around the woman’s limbs. As the snow continued to fall, the mist seeped into her open mouth. Another moment, and the chanter sat up, looking around. She knew where she had to go, and what she had to do. And so, she began the long trek out of the deep, dark woodland.

  If you enjoyed this book and haven’t read the first fo
ur books of the Wild Hunt Series, check out THE SILVER STAG, OAK & THORNS, IRON BONES, and A SHADOW OF CROWS. You can preorder book 6—THE SILVER MIST—now.

  Meanwhile, I invite you to visit Fury’s world. Bound to Hecate, Fury is a minor goddess, taking care of the Abominations who come off the World Tree. Books 1 to 5 are available now in the Fury Unbound Series : FURY RISING, FURY’S MAGIC, FURY AWAKENED, FURY CALLING, and FURY’S MANTLE.

  For a dark, gritty, steamy series, try my world of the Indigo Court, where the long winter has come, and the Vampiric Fae are on the rise. NIGHT MYST, NIGHT VEIL, NIGHT SEEKER, NIGHT VISION, NIGHT’S END, and NIGHT SHIVERS are all available now.

  If you prefer a lighter-hearted paranormal romance, meet the wild and magical residents of Bedlam in my Bewitching Bedlam Series. Fun-loving witch Maddy Gallowglass, her smoking-hot vampire lover Aegis, and their crazed cjinn Bubba (part djinn, all cat) rock it out in Bedlam, a magical town on a magical island. BLOOD MUSIC, BEWITCHING BEDLAM, MAUDLIN’S MAYHEM, SIREN’S SONG, WITCHES WILD, CASTING CURSES, BLOOD VENGEANCE, TIGER TAILS, and Bubba’s origin story—THE WISH FACTOR—are available.

  If you like cozies with an edge, try my Chintz ‘n China paranormal mysteries. The series is complete with: GHOST OF A CHANCE, LEGEND OF THE JADE DRAGON, MURDER UNDER A MYSTIC MOON, A HARVEST OF BONES, ONE HEX OF A WEDDING, and a wrap-up novella: HOLIDAY SPIRITS.

  The last Otherworld book—BLOOD BONDS—will be available in April 2019.

  For all of my work, both published and upcoming releases, see the Bibliography at the end of this book, or check out my website at Galenorn.com and be sure and sign up for my newsletter to receive news about all my new releases.

  Cast of Characters

  The Wild Hunt & Family:

  Angel Jackson: Ember’s best friend, a human empath. Angel is the newest member of the Wild Hunt. A whiz in both the office and the kitchen, and loyal to the core, Angel is an integral part of Ember’s life, and a vital member of the team.