"Most certainly. And I know who you are, and I know where we"re going. If you"ll excuse the abruptness, Lady Camille, quit gawking and get your derriere on my back." He blinked and I started to laugh.
"Even when you"re abrupt, you"re still proper. Well, fine, if you don"t mind being ridden, I"ll be grateful for the help, but I need a boost. I"m not quite as athletic as Delilah."
Trillian and Morio helped me sling myself over the unicorn"s back. He shuddered as the hem of my cape dragged across his hindquarters and I realized it must strike some resonance within him. The cape was made from unicorn hide, and the hide of the Black Beast at that. I firmly grasped his mane in my hands and hoped I wasn"t holding on too tight.
As we pushed ahead, the gentle loping of his cadence lulled me into a Technicolor wonderland ride. Everything was so vivid and the feel of his luxurious coat against my bare legs warmed me through. I drifted off, nursing a growing headache from the overstimulation, wondering what it would be like meeting the Black Unicorn. At least Morio had been able to tap into the energy and knew it wasn"t just me reacting to a bad piece of meat or spiked wine. I just hoped this carousel ride would stop before we got there or I"d be off on a Hunt that led straight down the rabbit hole.
Dusk had come and we were well into the Deep when Feddrah-Dahns abruptly stopped. The respite from the colors of the woodland during daylight had mitigated my headache and the grays and blacks of night proved a welcome relief. I was starting to be able to think again, no longer buffeted by the kaleidoscope of the forest, except now it was the Moon pulling on me, calling for me to get ready. The Hunt would be riding out soon.
"Up ahead, we turn left, and then another half mile and we"re there," Feddrah-Dahns said. "Can you feel him?"
I sucked in a long breath and slowly exhaled. The night had an energy all its own, and it wasn"t altogether pleasant. I wasn"t so much frightened of nasty creatures like in Darkynwyrd, but in the Deep dwelt great power and a b.u.t.tload of chaos. It swirled everywhere, like dew on a raven"s wing, the bubbles of mayhem threatening to burst against the darkening sky.
The Moon Mother was rising full, but she was only visible for short periods between the clouds that swept over the forest. They were headed east, off the Wyvern Ocean. Dahnsburg must be having a tidy little storm, I thought. The ocean waves were bound to be cresting high tonight.
And then, with a flutter of wind out of the west, I felt him him. Or rather: heard heard him. The cloak around my shoulders began to resonate with a low hum, and the horn within the inner pocket vibrated like silver wind chimes or shattering gla.s.s. They were answering the call of their master who, in another lifetime, had worn both hide and horn as part of his body. him. The cloak around my shoulders began to resonate with a low hum, and the horn within the inner pocket vibrated like silver wind chimes or shattering gla.s.s. They were answering the call of their master who, in another lifetime, had worn both hide and horn as part of his body.
Since the night I"d pledged myself to the Moon Mother, no summoning had beckoned me so strongly, and like her magic this call was tinged with the hot fire of molten silver, the diamond chill of frost on an autumn night. I leaned my head back and gazed at the clouds as they parted and let the Mother"s light shine down, glowing with her her fire, singing out her name. The Moon Mother watched over me; she was at her zenith and tonight I would run with the Hunt. fire, singing out her name. The Moon Mother watched over me; she was at her zenith and tonight I would run with the Hunt.
As we plunged forward and turned to the left onto a shadowed path, I knew, absolutely and without doubt, that the Black Beast was well acquainted with the Moon Mother. They were of a kind, connected and linked in a way I didn"t understand, but a voice in the back of my mind whispered to me that they were kin.
I let out a strangled sob as the full power of my Lady"s beauty broke through the clouds and splashed across the woodland, lighting our path as we moved forward. She was my everything, my all, above and beyond my own life. My heart swelled with longing as the summons to join the Hunt began to grow.
Morio reached up and took my left hand and I squeezed hard. He squeezed back. Trillian walked to the right, with Iris beside him, and he glanced up at me as I rode astride Feddrah-Dahns"s back. His expression was lost in the night. But I could see the sparkle of his eyes and I breathed a silent prayer of thanks that he was back by my side.
Another short distance. Then, up ahead, I saw a glowing light coming from within a ring of trees. The glade was difficult to see from here, but the lights emanated from a ring of waist-high mushrooms, fly agaric by their looks. The path leading into the glen crackled with energy.
A Fae circle? No, this was more powerful than any I"d ever come across. To cross it without welcome would be to put our lives on the line.
A low voice echoed from the center of the glen, rumbling through every blade of gra.s.s, every rock and pebble and shrub and tree.
"Enter my grove, if you so dare."
And right there, on that spot, I knew that the Black Beast waited for us. I slid off Feddrah-Dahns"s back, and without a second thought, marched forward between the mushrooms, to enter the lair of the Black Unicorn.
CHAPTER 15.
As I stepped into the ring of mushrooms, the world shifted beneath my feet yet again. What the h.e.l.l? Losing my balance, I went stumbling to the side, landing hard on my knees. The ground rolled in waves beneath me.
The others entered the circle, but my attention was fastened on a dark patch against the line of cedars, across the lea. It was as if there was a swath of jet painted across the tree trunks. A tangible abyss. A portal, perhaps?
Whatever it was, something waited within. Something terrible. Something beautiful. Something ancient beyond counting. As I watched, a pair of golden eyes gleamed out from the darker-than-ink void.
Then, through the shadowy arch, stepped the Lord of the Dahns Unicorns. As his hooves touched the gra.s.s, a ripple of sparks tattooed their way through the ground, the current sending a shock wave through me. I crouched, fear warring with awe.
He was tall. Far taller than any unicorn or horse I"d ever seen. A giant could barely have ridden him, or an ogre. His haunches were sleek and muscled, his fur as dark as Trillian"s skin, but patches of gray shone through the ebony hide. His eyes shone like twin golden suns. My gaze rose to the spiral crystalline horn jutting out from his head-and the horn in my pocket set up a keening as if recognizing its true master.
"He"s real-"
"The Black Unicorn-"
"Girl, are you all right-"
The voices of the others whispered behind me, but I scarcely heard them. I remained where I was, bewitched by the sight of the great beast. A noise to my side startled me. Feddrah-Dahns was beside me now, kneeling on his two front legs, his head bowed.
"Master of Masters, Lord of the Dahns, I bring you the girl and her mate." His voice was hushed and as awestricken as I felt.
I decided to keep my mouth shut. For one thing, I wasn"t sure of protocol and there was no way in h.e.l.l I was going to f.u.c.k this up. For another thing, my voice seemed to have deserted me as I gazed upon this living legend. Between the call of the Hunt and the power of this beast, I couldn"t muster even a squeak.
The Black Beast moved forward and stopped about three yards in front of us. I cautiously raised my head, afraid to look into those gleaming eyes. If I looked, would I lose myself?
"On your feet, woman," a voice echoed in my head. "All of you, stand."
I blinked. He hadn"t spoken aloud, but I heard him loud and clear. Apparently, I wasn"t the only one because Morio, Trillian, and Iris rose from where they"d dropped to the ground. With a small whinny, Feddrah-Dahns pushed me forward with his nose.
I steadied myself, noticing that the ground had quit shifting. One thing to be thankful for. As I sucked in a deep breath and stared up at the creature, I saw that yes-indeed-steam was rising from his nostrils.
Slowly, not knowing why, but feeling it was the only thing to do, I reached in my pocket and pulled out the horn of the Black Unicorn and shaking, lifted my arm and thrust it upward under the quaking moon.
The Black Beast let out a low laugh that echoed through the glade. "I have not seen that part of myself in many years. Nor the hide you wear around your shoulders." He lowered his muzzle to sniff my cloak. "Yes, this was a far earlier life, an earlier day and age when the spirit seal was first created and then divided. I told them it was a grave mistake, but they would not listen, so I retreated to Darkynwyrd, and from there, to the Deep. Tell me: You wear the mark of the Moon Mother. Have you seen her face?"
I suddenly found my tongue and blurted out, "Yes, I run with the Hunt. I am one of her witches."
"But not her priestess?" His eyes were like golden fire and I couldn"t look away.
"No," I said softly. "Nor do I know if I"ll ever be worthy. But it"s enough for me to be her servant, to be her daughter and work her magic."
Then, the Black Beast stepped forward so his muzzle was staring right into my face, and he bathed me in the steam flowing from his nostrils. "Priestess, though, you would joyfully carry the t.i.tle if given. Do you know who rides me? There is one, and one alone whom I allow to embrace my back with her thighs."
Shivering, wondering just where this conversation was going, I shook my head. "No, can"t say I"ve ever thought about it." I just prayed it wasn"t going to be me.
There was a movement from the shadows behind him, and a raven flew forth from the darkness. A vortex of swirling blood obscured the bird and I shaded my eyes against the waves of incandescent heat that flared out like a sunburst. The air twisted back on itself, rippling reality like the ocean tides. Then, ever so slowly, the magic dissipated.
As the flare faded away, a tall, pale woman stood there, her velvet gaze trailing over us. Her eyes were cunning, sparkled with flecks of gold amidst the obsidian and with a dread so deep I didn"t even realize it had been there, I knew who this was.
Raven Mother.
Raven Mother, one of the Elemental Queens who ruled in the dark woods. Raven Mother, of whom I"d only heard rumors over the years. Raven Mother, who was known for cunning and deception and her violent l.u.s.t after the Moon Mother"s possessions.
Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s crested in a full curve above the neckline of her sheer black dress. Her lips, stained ebony, glistened when she spoke, and her eyes were masked with black like a racc.o.o.n. When she smiled, her teeth gleamed, not fangs but more like jutting arrowheads of bone, serrated and sharp.
"And who are these lovelies? Yes, who are they?" she asked, circling around the Black Beast, laying a lazy hand on his side. He let out a soft nicker and for some reason, it scared me so bad I thought I was going to wet my pants. Well, skirt.
Raven Mother and the Black Unicorn were paired, two of a kind, both as primal and feral as the wild wood in which they lived.
The Lord of the Dahns let out a sharp cough, and once again, his voice filled my head. "They are here for the Hunt. At least the girl is, and her fox demon. She possesses one of my horns, and so she must experience its most powerful use before she can trust herself to use it fully."
"And her lover?" Raven Mother whispered, but her words echoed through the glen, almost like the shrill cawing of her namesake.
"They are soul bound, and death magic they weave. Therefore, he must partic.i.p.ate, for the horn will respond to their combined forces in this, and may backfire if he is not aware of its magnitude."
I gasped. So that"s why we were here. I turned to Morio, shaking. His face had gone pale, and he quickly took his place beside me.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.
I paused, thinking about what could happen. Very bad things, no doubt. But then the words of Iris, and Grandmother Coyote, and the Elfin Queen floated through my mind. They had all pointed me on the path and I knew better than to fight destiny. But there was one last thing I had to do before I committed myself.
I walked out under the moonlight and knelt before my Lady. The Moon Mother was near. I could feel her in the tattoo throbbing on my shoulder blade, in the blood flowing through my veins, in the silver fire that wreathed my aura.
"Moon Mother, guide me. Raven Mother is your nemesis-this I remember from training. She seeks to take that which you have. But you have handed me over to the Black Beast and she walks by his side. Should I undergo this ritual? Should I place my trust in him?"
As I fell silent, listening with every fiber that made up my being, a slow mist began to rise around me. It whirled like a vortex, a tornado of smoke and fog, and then all I could see were the twirling mists that surrounded me.
My pulse began to race-the energy within the cone was building and I was at the center. Dizzy, I swayed under the power of the winds buffeting me from the swirling storm. At the top of the vortex, all I could see was the brilliant orb that was my Lady"s sign and sigil. And then, the Moon Mother appeared, clad in silver and black, ready to lead the Hunt. She stood a hundred feet tall, towering over the land, a feral smile on her face.
I leapt to my feet.
The G.o.ddess leaned down and said to me, "Run with the Beast this night. You will both join me in the Hunt, where you-my daughter-will find your true place in my service."
With a single wave of one finger, the mist evaporated and the night shone through, brilliant and beautiful, and her laughter echoed through the forest as she vanished and I stood there, staring up at the star-studded sky, grateful for every trial she"d put me through.
As the glow from her presence faded, I turned to Morio, surprised to find he was still holding my hand. He looked at me gravely, and I could see my reflection in his eyes. The light of the Moon Mother cloaked me in silver, and for just a moment, I saw myself as he saw me: as more than a f.u.c.kup. More than a Windwalker. More than just a p.a.w.n in a war I didn"t want and hadn"t started. I saw myself as the Moon Witch I was, brilliant and beautiful and one of the thousand faces of the lady of the night.
"I"m positive," I said. "We have to go through with this. Whatever it is."
He nodded. "As you wish. I"d walk into the fire with you, if need be."
Trillian silently crossed over to the two of us. "Camille-I love you," he said simply. "Do what you need to. I trust you."
Startled, because Trillian usually didn"t talk about love, I opened my mouth but he pressed two fingers to it, then turned to Morio. "Keep her safe, Morio. And . . . yourself as well." And then, he returned to Iris"s side.
The sprite stared into my eyes. She didn"t say anything. She didn"t have to.
I summoned up my courage and said, "If something happens . . ."
She nodded. "I will make certain they know. But you"ll come through this. I know it in my heart and center."
I turned back to the Black Beast. "We"re ready."
Raven Mother laughed and her laughter was like the cawing of crows. She reminded me too much of Morgaine and I wondered if there was a connection.
"She"s with you, my love," she said and leaned over to kiss the muzzle of the Beast. He nuzzled her neck with his nose and she languorously tipped her head to the side, her eyes closing at his touch. She reached up and lightly brushed her hand across her breast. The thought, Get a room, why don"t you, Get a room, why don"t you, crossed my mind but I managed to stop myself before my mouth made mincemeat of this meeting. crossed my mind but I managed to stop myself before my mouth made mincemeat of this meeting.
After a moment, Raven Mother dropped her hand and slithered up to me. She paused, then cupped my chin in her hands. "You are delicious, my beauty, yes you are." Her eyes glinted like steel beads as she c.o.c.ked her head. I tensed as she leaned down, her face inches from mine. With her brilliant ebony lips, she brushed my own. I tried to pull away, but she held me fast, her fingers grasping my chin so tightly that it felt like she could break my neck with a simple twist of the head if she wanted.
"Don"t be so coy, my lovely. I could kiss you all over, you are so precious. That glorious...o...b..you call your G.o.ddess better not take you for granted, because I"d be happy to take you off her hands. Think about it. You could spend your days running in my forests and playing with my toys, and I would treat you like the lovely you are."
"Enough," the Black Beast said. "You can entice her later. For now, she has lessons to learn and demons to fight."
Raven Mother turned to him, her eyes narrowing as the smile left her face. I liked her better without it. She wasn"t nearly so creepy.
"Very well, my love." To me, she added, "Go now, but don"t forget me. I can gift you with marvelous favors and my price . . . is worth paying." And then she backed away and with another flash of red, turned into a raven and winged her way into the top of a nearby fir.
Scared out of my wits, I stared up at her. Elemental Lords were dangerous and wild, and they didn"t play by our rules. It paid to avoid their notice, as Delilah had learned the hard way. The fact that Raven Mother was interested in me was so so not a good thing. She delighted in trying to woo away the Moon Mother"s followers, and she coveted the glowing orb in the sky, wanting to rule the night from a brilliant throne instead of a treetop. not a good thing. She delighted in trying to woo away the Moon Mother"s followers, and she coveted the glowing orb in the sky, wanting to rule the night from a brilliant throne instead of a treetop.
I moved closer to Morio and he protectively slid his arm around my waist. The Black Beast turned toward the dark shadow from which he"d emerged. When we hesitated, he let out a snort of impatience.
"Follow me," he said. "The others will wait here."
And so, we did.
The inky blackness wasn"t really a portal, but an entrance into a circular, foliage-shrouded tunnel that stood a good fifteen feet in diameter. The walls of the tunnel were a latticework of thorns and briars, except on the bottom, where a path of compacted dirt ran through. The tunnel was lit with eye-catchers in shades of brilliant fuchsia and violet, of neon yellow and soul-shattering green.
I hesitated. I hated small, enclosed places and didn"t like being underground, but Morio took my hand and led me into the tunnel. Like the first time we"d gone exploring together, when we first met Smoky-I followed him into the labyrinth.
The Black Beast picked his way through the pa.s.sage ahead of us, never looking back. I reached out, searching for the Moon Mother to rea.s.sure me that she was still with me in this serpentine maze, and after a moment, I felt the gentle touch of her presence, softly rea.s.suring me.
How long we were in the tunnel was hard to tell. I focused on my breathing, trying to keep from freaking out. Even staying at Smoky"s barrow was problematic at times. I"d rather be out under the sky, especially on the night of the Hunt. My shoulders began to ache and I realized how tense I was. I tried to relax, but the tension just crept into my neck and scalp. As a headache threatened to explode, the Black Unicorn stopped. We were near another dark, inky patch.
"What you are about to see," he said without turning around, "is something few humans, Fae, or elves have ever laid sight on. Never forget, you are being accorded an honor. Privilege can easily turn into punishment if your actions fail to warrant the gift."
Punishment? What punishment? Where were we going? What punishment? Where were we going?
My question was answered as we stepped through the darkness and entered another small grove. But this one was no mere meadow, nor faerie ring. No, this was a sacred place. The energy sang loud and clear, a somber melody that echoed in the evening air.
A ring of baiyn cypress stood in the center of the field, an Otherworld hybrid of the Mediterranean cypress, bred for their magical nature. The ring of trees stood two hundred feet tall and had been pruned so the trunks were bare for twenty feet upward. With gnarled bark that had split in places, and faces that formed when you looked too closely at the knots and burls, eight of the trees held dark niches near the ground. Whether they had been carved, or formed naturally, was hard to tell.
Morio touched me lightly on the arm and pointed. It was then that I caught a glimpse of ivory within the hollows of the trees. We were in a cemetery. I slowly crossed over to the trees, the Black Beast saying nothing, but standing to the side, watching me closely.
I made my way through the waist-high saw gra.s.s, brushing aside the sharp blades that left little cuts along my bare skin. The Moon Mother was rising and the Hunt was near. I could feel the trail of predators preparing for the chase.
As I knelt by the first baiyn cypress and peered into the hollow, the gleaming bones of a horse sparkled in the moonlight. And yet, it was no horse. It was obvious that the horn once affixed to its head had been severed. This was no ordinary cemetery, but the resting place of all the incarnations of the Black Beast. Eight trees with hollows-eight bodies from over the eons. Eight horns, all but three now lost in the mists of time.
My cloak echoed the vibration of the trees and a faint keening rose through the glade. The horn, one moment in my pocket but now in my hand, began to vibrate and I could feel the power building as the urge to Hunt, to seek, to chase, to strike, flooded through my heart.
I slowly stood and turned, feeling poised on the edge of a chasm. The father of the Dahns Unicorns watched me closely. Morio silently glided to my side. We stood, silent, caught in a tableau of antic.i.p.ation.
A flurry of images began to race through my mind and, horrified, I tried to push them away.
Blood and pain and loss, hunger and pa.s.sion and a silver fire overriding everything. The l.u.s.t of the Hunt, the drive to destroy and renew . . .
The cycle of the Moon Mother. She rose from the ashes, growing brilliant into ripeness, then the darkness ate away at her, destroying her, and she shriveled into the Crone, leading the pack into the depths to rest and be reborn again . . .