take a drive by the Veil House and see what’s going on over there. Maybe look around for anything else we can salvage. Especially since Ysandra said we can probably get a loan to fix the damage.”
Luna’s phone rang and she answered. After a moment, she hung up and clapped her hands. “My sister will be here this afternoon at two P.M. Zoey thinks she’s found something that may help us.”
“Where do you have to pick her up?”
She shook her head. “She will find me. She always does. I have no clue how the Akazzani travel, but it’s not like we do.”
Kaylin looked concerned and motioned me to the side. “I don’t like leaving them alone.”
“You think they’re in danger? The vampires are sleeping and Myst’s people are down with the light-rage.”
“True, but remember-Leo and Geoffrey sent day-runners to kidnap you and Rhiannon yesterday. Don’t you think they might have been more than a little upset when the men didn’t return last night? My guess is that they’ve already assigned somebody else to find out what happened to their little assassination brigade.” He leaned against the table, his jeans tight and form-fitting.
I glanced over at Luna. She was watching him out of the corner of her eye. She looked nervous, and vulnerable. And chances are, her sister wasn’t geared to fight-Akazzani or not.
Turning to my father, I said, “Kaylin makes a good point. If the day-runners found us yesterday, we should assume that more may be coming to look for us today. And most of us will be off after the heartstone. Can you take them with you? Will it be an affront if you take them into the realm of Summer?”
I wasn’t sure how the Fae would take to Rex, especially, because Weres weren’t always buddy-buddy with the Fae, but that was the only thing I could think of. They could go to Lannan’s mansion but I wasn’t comfortable with that until Lannan and Regina woke.
Wrath stared at the three of them. “We don’t often welcome strangers into our realm, but in this case I think we might make an exception.” He motioned to Luna. “The three of you will accompany me and obey my directives while we are there. Certain rules of etiquette for non-Cambyra apply and you must obey them.”
“What about my sister? She won’t be able to find me if I’m in the realm of Summer.” Luna began gathering up spell components and stashing them in a bag.
“If she can find you without directions, as you say she can, then we’ll wait outside the entrance to the portal this afternoon. Text her to tell her our plans. That way she’ll be able to home in on you when it’s time, and then we can take her back into Summer with us.” He turned to me. “You are sure you wish to risk this? Remember what my Lady said: You do this, and it forever will change your life, and the lives of those around you.”
I closed my eyes, searching the slipstream for any hint of what was to come. But it was silent and offered no answers. The only sounds I could hear were the the gentle movements of Ulean swishing around me. Slowly, I nodded.
“It’s Lainule’s only hope. I made a promise. I intend to keep it.” I turned to look over our supplies. We were taking backpacks with food, water, weapons, and a velvet box in which to put the heartstone, should we find it. “Let’s get dressed and head out.”
We dressed in layers and then slipped the packs on our backs. I strapped my fan around my wrist, and my moonstone pendant that helped me turn into an owl was hanging around my neck. I was almost to the point where I didn’t need it, but it still gave me comfort and a little boost. Lastly, I slipped the dagger my father had given me into my belt sheath, and a shorter blade into a sheath on my boot.
“We really need obsidian weapons-they affect the Shadow Hunters far more than silver or steel.” It had occurred to me that if we were all equipped with obsidian blades, it would make fighting Myst’s army much easier.
“Obsidian?” Rex looked up from where he was packing a bag. “If we can find a chunk of raw obsidian, I can make us all blades. I’m good at flint knapping. It takes some time, though.”
Wrath cleared his throat. “Cicely, we agreed that you would leave the blade alone.”
I let out a long sigh. “I know, but I’m rethinking that plan. The Vampiric Fae are especially susceptible to wounds made with obsidian, even though they use the blades. It seems that obsidian is entwined with their nature. I know what it does to me, Wrath, and I’m willing to chance it. I have to learn how to master the power so that it can’t possess me, so I can use it.”
Holding his gaze, I didn’t want to defy him. “I won’t take it with me this time, but when I come back…”
“You choose a dangerous path. You are no longer one of Myst’s people. You are part Cambyra and part magic- born this lifetime. But the blade responds to the memories in your soul. Who knows what long-term use will do to you?” My father crossed his arms. “You will act as you choose, of course, but I have a feeling this can only lead to tragedy.”
“I have to take that chance. But we can discuss this after we return. We’d better get moving. It’s almost eight, and we have a long journey. Considering what happened last time we went down the rabbit hole, we may be home in a few hours or a few days. If I don’t return tonight, go to Lannan’s and tell him that we’re on a mission for Lainule.”
I slowly approached my father. “We’ll do our best,” I whispered as I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him. He squeezed me tight and kissed the top of my head, and as I looked up into his face, I saw the worry carved in the faint lines under his eyes.
“Be safe, my daughter. Come back to me. I rather enjoy being a father.” And his eyes crinkled with a smile, even as he frowned.
Stepping back, I turned to Peyton. “Are you ready?”
She nodded. She was driving us to the woods, and we’d call her when we returned. Without another word, we headed out the door. Lainule’s life…or her death…rested in our hands. I intended to return with her salvation, even if everything in my world had to change because of it.
Once again, we stood at the edge of the woods, though it was an area we had not yet been to. It was a good three miles up the road from where we’d begun our journey to the Bat People. Now, on another mission of life and death, we were facing even higher snowbanks than before. Myst’s infernal winter was raising havoc with its blinding storms and ever-chilling temperatures.
Last time, it had been Peyton, Chatter, and me. This time we were five going in, and Peyton reluctantly drove away, leaving us on the side of the road. I waved, wishing she could come with us. She had a good head on her shoulders and a strong back, and the puma inside her was a formidable foe.
“Are we ready?” Grieve looked ill at ease.
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” I gauged his energy, trying to read what he was feeling.
I sucked in a deep breath and scanned the woodland in front of us. Thick with conifers heavy with snow and large rounded mounds that had to be the undergrowth, the forest was unnaturally silent and eerie. I listened for any sign or sound from bird or animal, but all was quiet save for the hushed fall of the snow as it whirled down around us.
The eternal winter…
Turning to the others, I motioned for them to follow me, and began to break a trail through the snow. It was rough going at first, but then we came to a place where the snow had reached three to four feet high, and the crust had iced over. It was hard enough to walk on if we were careful. I dragged myself up onto the sparkling surface and set off, following the map that Wrath had sketched out for us after we’d returned from Lainule’s side.
We made good time, walking on the surface of the snow for over an hour without a single sign of a Shadow Hunter, until we came to the edge of a ravine, leading down into a gully where a creek had iced over. According to the directions, we were to head down the side of the hill, then follow the stream for a little over two miles until we came to a wide open glade. There we’d turn right.
The ravine was steep and though it was covered in snow, I knew all too well how many brambles hid beneath the blanket of white, and they had very sharp, very long and hardened thorns. There were also plenty of potholes in
