Witching Time

by Yasmine Galenorn

  “All right. I’ll keep it. Thank you again.” I kissed her on the cheek, then carefully placed the wand back into its case. A moment later my phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID. It was Rain.

  “Hello?”

  “Raven, I wanted you to know—I just got a call from Shadow Oaks Safe Haven. Marigold’s awake. She’s clear—they scanned her and whatever had a hold on her is gone. I’m not sure what you did, but thank you.” She sounded like she was going to cry.

  I relaxed, breathing deeply. “I’m so glad to hear that. We’re out on your land right now. We cleared a number of wights off of it. I think we got them all, but we’ll check it out to make certain. Or as certain as we can get.”

  As I shoved my phone in my tunic pocket again, I leaned back, staring up at the sky. The stars were beginning to glimmer overhead. We had put to rest a ghost and a man who would have been better off as a ghost. We had cleared away a wrong from the past. And yet…there was something on the wind that whispered we had barely touched the surface. That there were still secrets buried deep everywhere around us. But they’d have to stay buried for now.

  I turned to the others and told them what Rain had said. As a general cheer went up, Herne held up the mother crystal and invoked a second incantation and the thrumming stopped as the crystals fell silent. He turned to me.

  “We’ll leave all the crystals on their land. If we ever need to come out here again, we can fire them up again to see if there are any more wights. I called my father and he’s sending an Elven priestess of Cerridwen here tomorrow morning to bless and cleanse the farm. Your friends can come home after that.” He turned to Kipa. “Thanks be to your guards. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

  Kipa nodded, then motioned to the contingent of warriors and barked an order. They knelt as one, then rose and began running down the drive, disappearing into a thick bank of mist that rose from the ground. When they were gone, the farm fell silent.

  I listened to the energy flowing around us. The crystals were now flowing with pure, clear energy, charging the land and creating their own form of warding. The priestess’s blessing would be icing on the cake. Inhaling deeply, I relaxed. Aida was free. Jericho was free. The statue of Reyas had been destroyed. All was calm. Overhead, the clouds began to sock in again and the rain began to fall, soaking the ground in a cleansing shower of tears.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The next day—Thursday…

  Once again, Kipa and I were out at Rain and Marigold’s, but today we were relaxed, wandering around the clearing where the harvest fair had taken place. Kipa was carrying an urn containing Aida’s ashes and another containing Jericho’s ashes.

  “Here they come,” he said, pointing toward the driveway. Llew and Jordan had taken the day off and now they joined us as Marigold slowly eased out of Rain’s car. Evie and Dray had brought back the cats and dog. Evie ran the cats up to the house—they were indoor only—and then rejoined us as we all gathered around the scorched remains of the circle.

  Marigold had a sheepish grin on her face, though she looked a little shell-shocked.

  “How are you feeling?” Llew asked, hurrying to her side.

  “Like I’ve been through hell. I guess I have. But that thing’s gone. I don’t remember much from the past year, to be honest. I have flashes, but the wight soaked up most of my memories.” She turned to Rain, shaking her head. “I wish…”

  “No, we’ve already talked about this. It wasn’t your fault, and there was nothing you could have done to prevent it. Everything’s okay.” Rain gave her a kiss on the cheek. “You’re back with us now, and the land is clear.”

  And clear it was. In the morning light, it felt like the farm had been washed clean. The Elven priestess had cast a powerful spell and left a statue of Cerridwen to watch over the farm.

  “About that,” Llew said. “I’m going to help you set up wards all the way around, and we’ll cleanse that temple and clear out all the debris from the statue—”

  “My men already did. They returned this morning with Cerridwen’s priestess,” Kipa said. “They removed all the debris. There should be very little residue there.”

  “All the crystals—” Rain started to say.

  “Herne said to leave them be. They’ll amplify and strengthen the energy of your land, so if you keep your wards up, your crops should do very well over the next few years. And if we ever need to use them again, they’re still attuned to the mother crystal, which Herne has.” I flashed Marigold a broad smile. “We’re just grateful you’re okay.”

  Evie wandered over to me and rested her head on my shoulder. “Thanks, Raven. I hope we can find a way to repay you. Our mother’s…well, she’s our mother again. There’s no amount of money that can ever repay you.”

  I kissed her forehead. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. If you have extra milk or eggs, send a few dozen our way and we’ll be good. Kipa bought all the corn and pumpkins for his men, so you at least have something from the harvest. But I do think you should have a Samhain festival—or at least, a Halloween festival. That will make up for some of your lost revenue. You can have a pumpkin pie contest, and maybe candied apples, and sell apple cider—you have enough apple trees. I don’t know if you want to set up a haunted house, given what happened, but there are a lot of ideas you can try.”

  “I think, before we decide on what to do next, we’ll just take a couple weeks to regroup. We need some downtime.” Marigold looked around. “The farm feels so quiet and settled.”

  “And we’re going to keep it that way.” Llew smiled. “On other subjects, we have a surprise. Jordan packed a huge picnic. Let’s spread it out and dig in.”

  We fell to, helping Jordan unpack the baskets of food. There was fresh-baked French bread, and smoked gouda, roast beef with a peppercorn crust, creamy salmon dip, a vegetable tray with a dill and tomato dip, green and red grapes, bottles of wine, bottles of sparkling cider for the kids, three apple pies, and a box of homemade caramels.

  After we ate, laughing and talking as the sun rose overhead with that cool autumn breeze that foretold windy nights and rain-soaked days, we all gathered on the hill over the hidden temple and scattered Aida’s ashes and Jericho’s ashes. The wind swept down, picking up the ashes to toss them to all corners of the world.

  For a moment, I saw Aida and her father, watching us. Aida raised her hand, waving at me as the breeze caught up her hair. She smiled and Jericho gave us a deep nod. Then Aida took her father’s hand and they turned and walked into a cloud of mist, vanishing into the veil.

  Friday that week…

  My father and I stared at the massive silver jet. It was small as jets went, but it still dwarfed us. I turned to Curikan, not wanting to see him go.

  “I’m going to miss you. You know that, right?”

  “Of course I do, sweetie. But your grandfather insists I make an appearance and so make an appearance I must. There’s no use arguing. He’s a tough old dog and he knows it.”

  It was eight-thirty in the morning and we were standing on the outskirts of a secluded runway reserved for smaller planes. My grandfather’s pilot and co-pilot were waiting patiently.

  “Say hi to Grandpa for me.” I worried my lip, still feeling guilty.

  But Curikan put his hands on my shoulders and held me still. “Raven, thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For caring enough to get my father involved.” He stopped my protest with a raised hand. “No, don’t even try to pretend. I know full well that you and your mother put the old man up to this. I’ll hear what he has to say and I promise to think about it. I can’t say I’m thrilled about your meddling, but hey, I’m your father and you have a right to tell me what you think about my decisions. If I do stay, though, you have to promise me to talk to me first next time something like this comes up.”

  I shrugged, shifting from foot to foot. “I tried, but you wouldn’t listen. What else were Mother and I supposed to do? Da, we know you ca
n’t make it in Y’Bain. It’s not that you’re a complete marshmallow but…”

  “But I’m a lover, not a fighter. And a bookworm, not a farmer. Right?” He laughed. “You make a very good point. And by the way, I love marshmallows, especially in s’mores. Next time, just remind me of this incident, and I promise I’ll listen. And you know I don’t break my promises to you. Hey, if I do stay, next time I visit your grandfather, you’re coming with me. And Kipa. How would you like that?”

  Relief spread through my heart. Even through the “maybes” and “probablys” I could hear the shift. I wasn’t sure where my father would move to, but I knew he wouldn’t be moving to Annwn. The wheels were in motion and the decision had been made.

  He glanced back at the plane. “I’d better get aboard. I love you. Be a good girl.” He turned to Kipa. “And you, keep my daughter safe and happy, hear me?”

  “Yes sir,” Kipa said, reaching out to shake Curikan’s hand.

  As my father boarded the plane, Kipa and I backed off to a safe distance. Within minutes, the plane began to taxi down the runway and, as we watched, it lifted into the air, heading off for Scotland.

  Kipa draped his arm around my shoulders. “Well, do you think he’ll be moving here?”

  “I think he might. I’d be happy if he did.” I looked up at Kipa. “I love you. You know that, right?”

  He nodded, leaning down to kiss me. “I know. Let’s go home, woman. You have cards to read tomorrow, and I thought I’d take a stab at making pumpkin cupcakes. Herne doesn’t need me this weekend. What do you say we go to one of the orchards and go apple picking?”

  “I’d like that,” I said, wrapping my arm around his waist as we turned toward the parking lot. “It’s too soon to carve the pumpkins, but I’m in the mood to put up decorations. How about we spend the weekend doing that?”

  As we meandered back to the car where Raj was waiting for us, I realized that Kipa and I had reached a level of comfort that had—at one time—scared me. But we still had our passion. We still smoldered together.

  The autumn was a busy time for me. As I breathed in a swirl of woodsmoke from a nearby house, my blood began to race, and my senses quickened. This was my season. The season of the witch. The season of the dead. And all around me, the ghosts of the past intermingled with the spirits of the present, and the shades of the future.

  A gust blew up, shaking the trees, sending a flurry of leaves into the air. Yes, it was the time of the witch, when all the spooks and ghosts woke up, when the veils between the worlds parted and we caught a glimpse of what waited beyond this life. I laughed, feeling awake and alert, and ready for whatever was coming.

  “What’s so funny?” Kipa asked, nuzzling my hair.

  I stepped away from him and spun around, dizzy with joy. “Life—it’s wonderful, you know. It’s beautiful and frightening and vibrant, and during this time of year, everything seems so incredibly alive. I’m ready for anything,” I said.

  “Don’t tempt fate, woman.” Kipa shook his head.

  But it was too late. As far as I was concerned, fate tempted itself. The future would come, both dark and bright, in joy and in sorrow, and all we could hope for was that we measured up to whatever it brought our way.

  If you enjoyed this book and haven’t read the others in The Wild Hunt Series, check out The Silver Stag, Oak & Thorns, Iron Bones, A Shadow of Crows, The Hallowed Hunt, The Silver Mist, Witching Hour, Witching Bones, A Sacred Magic, The Eternal Return, Sun Broken, Witching Moon, and Hunter’s Moon! There will be plenty more to come after that.

  Join me for a new journey into the dark, glittering world of the Fat and vampires in the Blood Queen Series. The first three books are available for preorder now: Blood Roses, Blood Ashes, and Blood Dreams.

  Return with me to Whisper Hollow, where spirits walk among the living, and the lake never gives up her dead. I’ve re-released Autumn Thorns and Shadow Silence, as well as a new—the third—Whisper Hollow Book, The Phantom Queen! Come join the darkly seductive world of Kerris Fellwater, a spirit shaman in the small lakeside community of Whisper Hollow.

  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 1-5 are available now in the Fury Unbound Series: Fury Rising, Fury’s Magic, Fury Awakened, Fury Calling, and Fury’s Mantle.

  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 mystical island. Bewitching Bedlam, Maudlin’s Mayhem, Siren’s Song, Witches Wild, Casting Curses, Demon’s Delight, Bedlam Calling, Blood Music, Blood Vengeance, Tiger Tails, and Bubba’s origin story—The Wish Factor—are available.

  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. The series is complete with Night Myst, Night Veil, Night Seeker, Night Vision, Night’s End, and Night Shivers.

  If you like cozies with teeth, 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.

  For all of my work, both published and upcoming releases, see the Biography 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.

  QUALITY CONTROL: This work has been professionally edited and proofread. If you encounter any typos or formatting issues ONLY, please contact me through my Website so they may be corrected. Otherwise, know that this book is in my style and voice and editorial suggestions will not be entertained. Thank you.

  Cast of Characters

  Raven & the Ante Fae:

  The Ante-Fae are creatures predating the Fae. They are the wellspring from which all Fae descended, unique beings who rule their own realms. All Ante-Fae are dangerous, but some are more deadly than others.

  Apollo: The Golden Boy. Vixen’s boy toy. Weaver of Wings. Dancer.

  Arachana: The Spider Queen. She has almost transformed into one of the Luo’henkah.

  Blackthorn, the King of Thorns: Ruler of the blackthorn trees and all thorn-bearing plants. Cunning and wily, he feeds on pain and desire.

  Curikan, the Black Dog of Hanging Hills: Raven’s father, one of the infamous Black Dogs. The first time someone meets him, they find good fortune. If they should ever see him again, they meet tragedy.

  Dougal: One of the Black Dogs. Curikan’s father.

  Phasmoria: Queen of the Bean Sidhe. Raven’s mother.

  Raven, the Daughter of Bones (also: Raven BoneTalker): A bone witch, Raven is young, as far as the Ante-Fae go, and she works with the dead. She’s also a fortune teller, and a necromancer.

  Straff: Blackthorn’s son, who suffers from a wasting disease requiring him to feed off others’ life energies and blood.

  Trinity: The Keeper of Keys. The Lord of Persuasion. One of the Ante-Fae, and part incubus. Mysterious and unknown agent of chaos. His mother was Deeantha, the Rainbow Runner, and his soul father was Maximus, a minor lord of the incubi.

  Vixen: The Mistress/Master of Mayhem. Gender-fluid Ante-Fae who owns the Burlesque A Go-Go nightclub.

  The Vulture Sisters: Triplet sisters, predatory.

  Raven’s Friends:

  Elise, Gordon, and Templeton: Raven’s ferret-bound spirit friends she rescued years ago and now protects until she can find out the secret to breaking the curse on them.

  Gunnar: One of Kipa’s SuVahta Elitvartijat—elite guards.

  Jordan Roberts: Tiger shifter. Llewellyn’s husband. Owns A Taste of Latte coffee shop.

  Llewellyn Roberts: One of the magic-born, owns the Sun & Moon Apothecary.

  Marigold Childs: Human, pagan, co-owner of the Dream Circle F
arm in Woodinville. Wife: Rain. Daughter: Evie. Son: Dray.

  Moira Ness: Human. One of Raven’s regular clients for readings.

  Neil Johansson: One of the magic-born. A priest of Thor.

  Raj: Gargoyle companion of Raven. Wing-clipped, he’s been with Raven for a number of years.

  Tyra Smith: One of Raven’s tarot clients.

  Wager Chance: Half-Dark Fae, half-human PI. Owns a PI firm found in the Catacombs. Has connections with the vampires.

  Wendy Fierce-Womyn: An Amazon who works at Ginty’s Waystation Bar & Grill.

  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.

  Charlie Darren: A vampire who was turned at 19. Math major, baker, and all-around gofer.

  Ember Kearney: Caught between the world of Light and Dark Fae, and pledged to Morgana, goddess of the Fae and the Sea, Ember Kearney was born with the mark of the Silver Stag. Rejected by both her bloodlines, she now works for the Wild Hunt as an investigator.

  Herne the Hunter: Herne is the son of the Lord of the Hunt, Cernunnos, and Morgana, goddess of the Fae and the Sea. A demigod—given his mother’s mortal beginnings—he’s a lusty, protective god and one hell of a good boss. Owner of the Wild Hunt Agency, he helps keep the squabbles between the world of Light and Dark Fae from spilling over into the mortal realms.

  Rafé Forrester: Brother to Ulstair, Raven’s late fiancé; Angel’s boyfriend. Was an actor/fast-food worker, now works as a clerk for the Wild Hunt. Dark Fae.

  Talia: A harpy who long ago lost her powers, Talia is a top-notch researcher for the agency, and a longtime friend of Herne’s.