Night Seeker

blood. But I appreciate the offer.” I tried to smile at her, to show her I wasn’t being sarcastic. Hell, after a jolt of epinephrine, sarcasm was the last thing on my mind. But the adrenaline flowing through my body would sustain me until I crashed.

“Let me help you upstairs.” Rhia turned to Lannan. “The rest of us can discuss matters afterward. Cicely’s going to need to rest. These attacks are pretty harsh on the system and she’s already drained her energy today.”

He frowned but nodded and stood back as Grieve and Wrath edged him out of the way. My father picked me up, and as if I were no heavier than a stuffed animal, he carried me upstairs to my room. Rhia and Grieve followed. Rhia helped me get into a nightgown and she crawled into bed next to me.

“I don’t want to leave her alone in case she has another reaction. You guys go down and talk to the others. You can tell us what went on later.”

As Grieve and Wrath left the room, I leaned against Rhia’s side-she was sitting up against the headboard-and closed my eyes. I was tired, very tired, but I was also jittery from the medication. But after a few minutes, the sound of her breathing began to calm me, and she stroked my head gently, smoothing my hair, until I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

I found myself in a frozen wasteland, wearing a pale blue gown that shimmered with silver embroidery. At first I wondered that I was not cold, but then I realized the snowflakes felt good against my skin, cooling me and soothing my thoughts. As I turned, a pale bird appeared-an owl. I raised one hand in greeting to it, and it dipped low, winging by, to land on my outstretched arm. I slowly brought it toward me, bending my elbow, keeping my arm straight, and the owl gazed into my eyes, and its eyes burned with frozen fire.

“Where have you been, my friend?” I whispered to it, and my voice was caught on the slipstream and went echoing out through the woodland, and as I spoke the ice on the stream shattered into a thousand pieces and the water began to flow again. The ice skittered together to form a figure, tall and glistening, and it knelt by my feet.

“What have you seen, my friend?” Again, I whispered to the owl, and the trees began to shake, the snow showering off their boughs to dust the forest with yet another layer of crystal rain.

The owl let out a soft hoot, as we locked gazes. And in its gaze, I saw the dance of Summer, bidding me to come and play, with golden roses growing wild on a warm dusky night, and the scent of fragrant jasmine and honeysuckle washed over me. The invitation was strong and I longed to join the warmth, but it was not yet time and in my heart, I knew that I could not enter that realm. Not yet.

“Send back this message,” I said. “I will come and play when the Oak King and Holly King battle under the longest day of the year. Then we will play, and spend time, and dance and revel. And when the holly meets the oak, I will invite Summer to my home, and we will once again make merry as the battle renews. The longest night will be ours to enjoy. Go now, and take this message, send it along the slipstream, and take my love along with it.”

And the owl took flight, rising from my arm, winging through eternal night. The trees were silver against the dark moon, and the snow reflected the chill in my soul. Nearby, a wolf howled, and with a smile, I turned to join my love.

I woke with a start, and my owl self was pushing me to go to the window and fly. Rhiannon was taking a shower-I could hear the water running. A glance at the clock told me I’d been out for several hours.

As I slipped out from under the covers, I was drawn to the window. Outside, the snow fell, relentless in its invasion. With a quick sweep, I opened the window and dropped my nightgown to the floor. Crouching on the sill, I stared out, wondering what it was that was pushing me so hard. But something was calling me, and I had to find out what it was.

My pendant around my neck, even though I suspected I no longer needed it, I dove off the sill, spreading my wings as I transformed into my owl shape. As the updraft caught me, I felt Ulean join me and let out a low hoot as she danced around me, giving me a good tailwind. I soared over the grounds of the Regent’s estate, reveling in the feel of the wind under my wings, in the feel of the night shining down on me. I was too tired to think of hunting, but I knew there was something I needed to know-something I needed to see.

And then there it was-a group of figures moving in the snow below, just outside the fences and barriers. I swept down, wondering if it was a group of Myst’s people, but as I neared the silent forms, I could feel the energy roiling off of them. Wilding Fae, not Shadow Hunters. And they were searching for someone.

They seek to talk to you.

Me? Why me?

Because, they have something to say.

It was a simple answer, and I felt like laughing, but since I couldn’t, I let out a long shriek.

As I landed in a low tree near the figures, I saw there were five of them, all odd and misshapen and yet, they struck me as very powerful by their stance. The snow hag was among them. I realized that I wouldn’t be clothed when I changed back, but if we were quick, I might not catch my death of cold.

As quickly as I had shifted into owl form, I let myself shift back. As I fell forward, almost lurching out of the tree, I managed to catch myself on one of the branches. I held on, while the snow hag looked up at me, her eyes aglow and her mouth crooked and smiling.

“She came, she came. Riddle me this, who was it that called the owl from her sleep?” Her cadence was familiar, and I found myself slipping into the riddle-talk almost naturally.

“One who has something to say-a guess that it was she who called the owl from her slumber.” I narrowed my focus, trying to remember everything Chatter had taught me about the Wilding Fae. It was difficult-I was already starting to shiver, but I forced myself to concentrate. “But tell the world this, should there be something to say, it should be said fast, or the owl-daughter may have to return to her form-the cold, it bites the skin.”

“The owl-daughter will be winging home soon, never to fear. But riddle me this, what does a body need in order to fight another body? Weapons are plentiful, but what might be a rare exchange?”

I thought for a moment. We had weapons, but what we didn’t have was manpower. “It occurs that a rare exchange might involve an allegiance. Allies against a common enemy.”

“One might be correct if one were to guess such an answer. And common enemies make for common targets. One might think that it would be better to join forces than to walk into battle alone.” She smiled then, her snaggletooth grin fierce.

“A correct assumption, but at what price? One has to know the cost before one purchases the trinket.” My teeth were chattering now, and I tried to shield myself from the wind. I gazed down at the other creatures standing beside the snow hag, but they were difficult to focus on. They seemed to be blurring in and out of reality, as if I were drunk.

The snow hag laughed. “One might be called a good businesswoman if she haggles the price. Perhaps this price will be to a good businesswoman’s liking: a small section of woodland, once the Queen of Shadows is routed.”

I stared at her. How was I supposed to promise them that? Those were Lainule’s woodlands. I struggled to find the right words. “There are prices that even a good businesswoman might not be authorized to pay.”

“Oh, surprise surprise, there are always surprises in store. A baker may become a tailor, and an owl-child may become a queen. Stranger things have happened. In theory, then. If a good businesswoman were authorized to make such a deal, would she?”

What should I do, Ulean? I don’t know how to answer that.

Answer the truth: If you had the authority to promise them a corner of the woods, would you?

Well, yes. Anything for the extra help, especially from powerful beings like the Wilding Fae. But-

But nothing. Answer. And do not fret.

“I think a good businesswoman, if she did have such authority, would happily promise up a corner of the woodland to her allies.”

“Then the deal is struck. And allies will be sending a message to such a businesswoman tomorrow, so she