Ryder had transformed my room, or what used to be known as the Queen’s chambers, into a nursery to give us a place nearby to protect them. The nursery was done in a soft green color with small cribs for each child that had been made from white ash wood. Aodhan had crafted a few rocking chairs for us out of the same wood, which we had settled into with the babies. Ryder had to add a crib which he made from glamour for the daughter we hadn’t known about. Aodhan had already started on the wood for the third, since he insisted she have a matching one to her brothers.
Danu shimmered in, allowing Ryder to see her for the first time since she had chosen him as an Heir and explained to him what she’d done, and what the repercussions of my death and rebirth would be. After all the mistrust created when I found out she was my mother, and I’d kept it to myself, I thought it best that he be present as she answered my questions.
“How do you propose for us to make enough Fae want to come here? You do realize that most don’t understand the laws, or the way that the Tree works, and they certainly will not understand why they need to give you enough power for you to accept your grandchildren,” Ryder said softly, his eyes taking her in and I was sure he was sizing her up. “We are surrounded by allies, prepared to go to war on our behalf, is that not enough to draw power from?”
“I’m getting to that,” she said waiving her hand impatiently. “You have other concerns to take into account with all that happened. Synthia died, and when she did, her bond with Lasair broke. That means he knows she’s dead, but more than that, the power she held is now in limbo until I decide on a new host. Liam is the likely one to inherit it,” she mused thoughtfully as she watched me. “He’s my choice, even though he’s a little damaged,” she mused as she shot an accusing eye at Ryder. “The Blood Fae are currently on their way here now, and the Light Fae won’t be far behind them. Kier has his family here already; they came when Adam sifted out abruptly. He felt the familiar bond break, and knew she was dead—it was the same with her father. Lasair, Kier, and Adam also felt the power shift, which the Light Fae will have felt as well, and it’s drawing them here. They will want proof of her death, and you will give it to them. You, Ryder, will call for Sanctuary and they will be admitted for the grieving period. They will need to see her body, and the children she birthed. You will then announce that we have a new Goddess of Faery,” Danu said as she eyed him cautiously.
“And why would we do that?” he asked as he wrapped his free hand around mine reassuringly. He hadn’t stopped touching me since I’d knelt as his feet and surrendered.
“Because we need the royal Caste members of the Fae at the Tree, so I can draw from them. They need to see her mortal body, and know that she died and has been reborn. The people will love her; she will become a beacon of hope. They will fight for her, Ryder, and your children will thrive if the world accepts them as her people will. While we have them in your hall, we will ask them to help us bless your children, and those who come with us to the Tree will share their powers with me and this world and help us to welcome your children. Synthia, Ryder was correct in his assumption that to get to him, those who wished to ascend to power would reach for you. You must show them that you’re stronger than they assumed. You’ll show them a united front, and unite them in the process. You’ve both underestimated the Mages; they have more bodies to throw at us than any of us even thought of.”
“Us?” I asked as I reached over the crib’s rail to touch my son’s cheek. He blinked sleepy blue eyes at me.
“I’m in this fight with you; this is my world, and I created it,” Danu said with fire in her eyes. “I may have made you the Goddess of Faery, but I am still bound to it, and if they want a fight, we will give them one.”
“So we show them Synthia’s corpse?” Ryder asked skeptically.