AFTERWARD …
Nyx giggled. “May I look now?”
Kalona thought she sounded like a carefree young maiden who was incredibly, eternally alluring. He grinned but managed to keep his voice stern, saying, “Not quite yet, Goddess.”
“But I want to see what you’ve been up to!” Nyx said.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if you knew what we’ve been up to.”
“Erebus, what are you doing here?” Kalona growled at him.
“I’m not letting you take all the credit for this. It was, after all, me who found the thing ages ago and kept it here, safe, waiting for your return,” Erebus said, laughing at his brother’s thundercloud look.
“That’s it! I simply must look!”
Before the Goddess could open her eyes, Kalona turned her so that she was facing the Otherworld’s most lovely lake. He was standing behind her, holding her smooth shoulders in his hands, when she gasped and clapped in delight.
“My boat! The one you carved for me so long ago!” She turned and threw her arms around Kalona, laughing and kissing him. “Thank you!”
Erebus cleared his throat. “What about me?”
Nyx opened one arm, inviting Erebus to share her embrace. “Thank you, too, Erebus, for your unwavering faith in our Kalona.”
“Ah, it was nothing,” Erebus said, hugging both of them.
Kalona returned his embrace before shoving him teasingly. “Nothing? Maybe for you it was nothing, but I have spent days restoring what centuries of neglect caused.”
“Yes, well, when you put it like that, I can say that I know exactly what you mean,” Erebus said, shoving his brother back good-naturedly.
“Well, I love my surprise,” Nyx said, going to the little boat and running her hands appreciatively over the carvings of flowers and stars and moons and other symbols that Kalona had long ago created in remembrance of her. “And you found a pelt and a picnic basket! That does make this gift perfect.”
“I found them,” Kalona said. Then he glanced at his brother and smiled. “But Erebus suggested the nectar instead of wine, and he went to the mortal realm to gather it for you.”
“I gathered it for both of you,” Erebus said, returning his brother’s smile. “And now I will leave you to your boating. I bribed the naiads to stay away from this lake for the evening, and I have to make yet another trip to the mortal realm to fulfill that bribe.” He kissed Nyx gently on the cheek, saluted his brother, and disappeared in an explosion of golden glitter.
Kalona coughed and shook glitter from his hair. “I wish he would stop doing that.”
Nyx unsuccessfully hid a giggle behind her hand. “I think the dust of sunlight looks lovely on you.”
Kalona went to his Goddess and took her into his arms. “If you like it, I shall ask Erebus to explode more often.” He stifled her laughter with a kiss, and then picked Nyx up and gently placed her in the boat on the soft, thick pelt. He pushed the little boat into the lake and then joined his Goddess within, paddling lazily over the shimmering turquoise waters.
“If you would like, we could go back to the lake you loved so well,” he said. “Though I would have to ask that you call the elements to conceal us. I visited there earlier. Did you know it is now called Crater Lake, and humans flock to it?”
“I did,” Nyx said, letting her fingers trail over the surface of the lake. “I visited there often when you were no longer here.” Her eyes met his, and within them he could see a great sadness. “I hoped that someday I might see you there, though I never did.”
Kalona put the paddle down and took her hands in his. “It will never happen again. I vow that I have banished my jealousy and anger. I will never make the mistake of listening to those base emotions again and letting Darkness come between us.” He kissed each of her hands, slowly, reverently, willing the sadness to leave her beautiful eyes.
“The mistake was not yours alone, my Warrior, my love,” she said. “I, too, was at fault. I was so young, so inexperienced. I allowed a secret to come between us.”
“A secret? What do you mean?” Kalona’s stomach tightened. What could Nyx have been keeping secret from him?
“That night, that terrible night that you found me with Erebus. You misunderstood my words to him. I never spoke of it afterward, and I should have, if only to assure you that your brother and I were not betraying you.”
“No, we all vowed silence because of what happened that night. It was right to keep that vow,” Kalona said, feeling a measure of relief. “And then I wouldn’t have listened to you. Then I could only hear jealousy.”
“Well, I was wrong to make you and Erebus vow silence, but I do think what we created that night turned out rather well, even if we have been unable to speak of it.”
Kalona met her eyes. “Your children the vampyres are remarkable and unusual, and I admit that I have become very fond of them.”
“Do you not mean our children the vampyres? We both had a hand in their creation.”
“I kept my vow, Nyx. I never spoke of it to them, or to any living being,” Kalona said.
“I know.” Nyx leaned forward and kissed him. “You did not break that vow, even when you were filled with Darkness and rage. That was when I first began to hope that you would find yourself and your way back to me.”
“I will never lose my way again.”
Nyx went into his arms, resting in complete contentment within the circle of his love and strength.
“I do miss them, though. Our vampyres,” he said. “And, of course, my son.”
She smiled up at him. “You should visit Rephaim.”
Kalona blinked in surprise. “You would not mind it?”
“Of course not! He is your son, mated to a special favorite of mine.”
Kalona held his Goddess tightly. “I forget that you have never trafficked with jealousy and hatred.”
“Nor will I ever, my love,” Nyx said. Then her serious expression brightened. “Shall we look in on them, our children?”
“Now?” Kalona’s gaze took in the boat, the lazy lake, and the beautiful Goddess.
She smiled. “Yes, now. But we can do so without disrupting your surprise for me.” Nyx changed position so that, even though she still rested within the circle of his arms, her back was against his chest. He peered over her shoulder as she leaned over the lip of the boat and waved her hand over the waters of the Otherworld lake.
Magickal lake I call on your crystal might
open to me, bringing what I seek to light.
My wish is to see those who we hold dear
Though far away, I would they were near.
From across the veil of time and space,
Show us our children in their mortal place.
The waters swirled gently, rippling as if Nyx had skipped a stone over the surface of the lake, then they went still and perfectly glass-like. Like the magickal equivalent of a mortal television screen, a scene was being played out before them, in full color and with sound.
“It’s Zoey and Stark and Grandma Redbird!” Kalona said. “They’re all backstage of the auditorium at the House of Night.”
“Shhh, my love,” Nyx said softly. “Let us watch without intruding upon them.”
“What is Zoey Redbird up to now?” Kalona whispered to his Goddess.
Nyx’s shoulders shook in silent laughter. Kalona wrapped his arms more tightly around her and watched, admitting silently to himself how eager he was for news of those whom he had come to think of as his family.
Zoey
“I’m nervous. Ugh, and my stomach’s upset,” I said, trying not to pick at my fingernails. “Do I look okay? Maybe I should change into jeans. This dress is kinda over the top.” I looked down at myself and picked a long orangy-cream hair from my über-dressy dress and glared at the big orange and cream cat who was attempting to look innocent as he purred and rubbed against Stark’s legs. “Skylar, you’re not fooling me. You’re shedding on purpose.”
“You look gorgeous, Z. Don’t change. Again. You don’t have time anyway. And Skylar has long hair—he can’t help it that he sheds. A lot,” Stark said, and bent to tickle the big cat on the top of his head. Nala padded delicately into the room, sneezed at Skylar, and then, belly swaying, my fat cat took off. Looking very kitten-like, Skylar chased happily after her.
“He’s really growing on me,” Stark said, smiling after the cat. “And he’s not as mean as he used to be.”
“Well, don’t tell Duchess. Her nose is still bleeding from where he smacked her the other night.”
“She’s gotta learn to leave him alone. His new collar does say KNOWN BITER.” Stark was trying to sound nonchalant, but I noticed that even he was fidgeting with the kilt he’d chosen to wear.
“I think your legs might be better than mine,” I said only half jokingly.
“Do not tell your Rooster that, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya. He already struts enough,” Grandma teased, patting Stark’s cheek fondly. She came to me and smoothed the low, heart-shaped neckline of the crimson velvet dress I’d let Aphrodite talk me into wearing. Then she brushed off another cat hair from the silver embroidered image of the Goddess with her hands raised cupping a crescent moon that rested over my heart. “There, that is the last of Skylar’s shedding. And you look absolutely lovely, Zoeybird. This dress becomes the first High Priestess of the new North American High Council.”
High Priestess of the North American High Council—when would my stomach stop clenching whenever I heard my new title?
As if reading my mind, Grandma took my face in her hands. “Your title will rest easily with you when you rest easily with yourself. I believe that will happen after you complete what you must today.”
“Yeah, Z. You know what you need to do. The sooner you get it over with, the better,” Stark said.
I met his eyes, looking for signs of jealousy or anger, and I saw none. All I saw was love and trust. I drew a deep breath. “You’re right. You’re both right. Let’s stop wasting time. It’s not going to be that bad.”
“Bad, Z? Are you kidding? It’s going to be great! Hey, remember—the world is a small place. We’re not losing anyone. They’re just going to fledge.” Stark chuckled and gave me his cute cocky smile. “Get it? Fledge.”
I shook my head but managed not to roll my eyes at him. “I get it.”
“Zoeybird, you must not think of this as the end of something. Think of it as the beginning of a grand adventure for all of you,” Grandma said.
“Okay, yeah, you’re right, Grandma. And anyway, we’re going to circle one more time before everyone takes off. Let’s do this.” With Stark on one side of me, and Grandma on the other, I walked out onto the auditorium’s stage.
The auditorium was packed, and I could see people standing all along the rear and side walls.
“Where did they all come from?” I whispered to Stark, trying not to move my lips.
“Uh, Z, your mic is on,” Stevie Rae’s voice lifted from somewhere near the front of the auditorium.
“Ah, hell,” I whispered. And then pressed my lips together as my ah, hell echoed out over the crowd. Laugher rippled back to me, but it didn’t feel mean-spirited. It felt friendly. I blinked, and as my eyes accustomed themselves to the gaslights in the auditorium, I saw that yes, the crowd was, indeed, huge, but it was also smiling up at me. I searched the faces until I found a curly blond head next to another blonde whose hair was long and straight and almost impossibly perfect. I met Aphrodite’s gaze. She lifted a blond brow and nodded at me. Then I met Stevie Rae’s sparkling blue eyes. She gave me a big smile and a thumbs-up. I let out the breath I’d been holding, cleared my throat, and began.
“I want to thank all of you for coming tonight for this swearing in of the North American Vampyre High Council, especially the humans who are here and who have become such good friends of this House of Night.” Detective Marx was easy to find in the crowd—he was taller than almost everyone else. I smiled at him and he tipped an imaginary hat to me. I liked that a half dozen or so uniformed officers had accompanied him, and made a mental note to remember to buy a bunch of tickets to the next TPD fund-raising event. “Today we’re going to do something that has never before been done in vampyre society. We’re going to make a new beginning of our own, and we’re going to include humans in that beginning.”
I paused when spontaneous applause broke out, so surprised that I could feel my cheeks get warm.
“So, well, I’m going to start by calling up to the stage the six new members of our High Council.” I met her eyes and began with my BFF. “Stevie Rae!”
There were a bunch of whoohoos accompanied by arm pumps coming from the seats behind Stevie Rae. I grinned, realizing her family had made the drive up from Henrietta. Stevie Rae kissed Rephaim quickly, then hurried to the stage.
“Aphrodite!”
All of the Sons of Erebus Warriors, led by Darius, stood and applauded loudly as Aphrodite flipped by her hair and gracefully came up to the stage.
“Shaunee!”
“That is right! Good job, Shaunee!” Detective Marx called, as he and the other TPD members, along with Erik Night all cheered and whistled.
“Shaylin!”
I was happy to see that Erik had stood and high-fived her as she walked past him—after Nicole kissed her smack on the lips.
“Lenobia!”
A big cowboy whooped and waved his appropriately white hat as the Horse Mistress, looking ethereally beautiful, made her way to the stage.
“And the last name I call is the first male to be a member of any vampyre High Council. Damien!” I said. And I joined the clapping and cheering as Damien, blushing but smiling, smoothed his impeccably tailored shirt, hugged Adam Paluka, and hurried to join us.
My friends spread out on either side of me, all looking to me for what was to come next. I swallowed my nerves and sat. They followed my lead, taking the seats waiting for them.
Okay, it wasn’t like the Vampyre High Council that still reigned in Europe from San Clemente Island. We didn’t have stone thrones and big rules about how everyone in the crowd had to act. Nor did we exclude humans from our auditorium/High Council Chamber. Right up front we’d decided to do things way differently here. To start with, we’d decided that our “thrones” would be stools with comfy padded seats that were decorated in the school’s plaid of purple, blue, and green on a black background. As I perched on mine, I continued the ceremony.
“Now I want to call to the stage our Vampyre poet laureate, Kramisha, who is also a Prophetess of Nyx. She is going to swear us in as your new High Council. Kramisha, come on up!”
The red fledglings all cheered super loud as Kramisha clomped up the stairs to the stage. She was wearing her favorite six-inch gold patent-leather stiletto boots, which matched her gold bobbed wig. She had one of her lavender-colored notebooks with her, and as she took the microphone Grandma offered her, she opened it and moved into position facing us.
“Is you ready?”
“Yes,” said the seven of us.
“Then say what I say, and know that this oath be binding from now until you’s dead.”
“Uh, or until our first four-year term is up and the North American House of Nights vote us back into our positions,” I corrected her quickly.
“Yeah, what Z says.” Kramisha nodded, totally unrattled. When she began speaking the words of the oath, her voice changed, was amplified, and seemed as if a silently watching Nyx had suddenly breathed power into her.
New times call for new places, faces.
Balance restored, we now look ahead.
Kramisha paused. Together, the seven of us repeated the binding words of her poem:
Our tests were great, but we stayed true.
Our losses were great, but we came through.
Again she paused and we repeated her words:
Tonight we pledge to stand in the Light.
To lead with wisdom, love, and might.
As I spoke the words with my six friends, I prayed that Nyx would help me, help them, to continue to grow in wisdom, to be filled with love, and to always show others the respect they deserved as I wielded my Goddess-given might.
Behold! The new High Council you see!
So we have chosen; so mote it be!
As we repeated the last lines of the oath, the seven of us stood and, as one, bowed to the crowd, who all erupted in riotous cheers.
“Okay, Z. Now tell ’em the rest of it,” Stevie Rae said. “After all, it was your awesome idea.”
I nodded, nervous again, but faced the crowd and finished what I’d started. “As you guys know, we plan on being a totally new kind of High Council because we want the world to see a totally new kind of vampyre.” The crowd instantly quieted, listening intently. “Part of what I decided, well, what we decided, all seven of us, was that we weren’t going to stay here, shut away from what’s really going on in the outside world.”
“And grow cobwebs from our butts,” Stevie Rae added, causing laughter to ripple through the audience.
“Well, yeah, something like that,” I said, grinning at my BFF. “So, starting tomorrow, your High Council is going to go out into the country, visiting different Houses of Night, listening to the problems and concerns of normal, everyday vampyres and fledglings, as well as the humans who live in their nearby communities.” I drew a deep breath, and irrevocably scattered my friends.
“Stevie Rae, you’ll go to the north.”
“So mote it be,” she said, smiling, though her eyes were filled with tears.
“Damien, you’ll go to the east.”
“So mote it be,” he agreed solemnly.
“Shaunee, you’ll go to the south.”
“So mote it be,” she intoned.
“Shaylin, you’ll go to the west.”
“So mote it be,” she said, smiling kindly at me.
“And I will stay here with thee,” Aphrodite said, her gaze wise and steady on mine.
“So mote it be,” I agreed. I turned to the audience and said, “Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again. And may you all blessed be!”
Everyone clapped, this time more soberly than before. Obviously, a bunch of people were shocked at the decision my Council and I had made, but I felt good about it. And, judging by the looks on my friends’ faces, they felt good about it, too. We’d all seen how messed up things could get when a High Council lost touch with its people. We were determined that wouldn’t happen to us.
But I had one more thing I needed to do, one thing I hadn’t told my friends about. I turned to them and said, “Guys, before you go, we need to circle one last time.”
“Circle? Right now, Z?” Stevie Rae asked.
“Circle yes, and now, kinda. Would you come with me? It’s easier to show you than to explain,” I said.
“Z, if you need us, we’ll always come with you,” Damien said.
“I’ll pull the Hummer around,” Stark said.
“I’ve already gathered your ritual candles and put them in my basket,” Grandma said.
“Fine, let’s go. The Herd of Nerds rides again,” Aphrodite said.
* * *
“I thought the city agreed to build a wall around this part of the park to keep gawkers out,” Aphrodite said, frowning at the blacked front of the sealed stone grotto.
“They did. But I asked them to wait until after today,” I explained.
“What’s up, Z?” Stevie Rae asked.
“Well, here’s the deal. Aurox won’t leave me alone,” I said.
“Aurox? Isn’t he over there, keeping Neferet from getting out here?” Shaylin asked, pointing at the grotto.
“He is, but he’s also in my dreams,” I told my friends.
“What kind of dreams?” Aphrodite asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t really know. I can’t remember anything from them except that Aurox keeps calling my name, and no matter how many times I try to answer him, I can’t reach him. But I know he’s there. I know he needs me.”
“What do you think it means?” Damien said.
“Well, I think it means he is trapped and I need to free him,” I said.
“Wait, no. If you let him out of there”—Aphrodite jerked her chin at the grotto—“Neferet and her disgusting minions will escape.”
“Actually, I don’t think that’s what will happen. I’m not going to let out Aurox’s Old Magick. I’m just going to release his soul.”
“But his soul’s already gone. We saw it that night, right before he charged the grotto, and it was definitely Heath, who definitely got out of that bull’s body,” Stevie Rae said.
“Yeah, see, here’s the thing about that—I don’t believe Aurox was soulless without Heath. I believe Aurox developed his own soul because of the choices he made, and that’s what’s trapped in there,” I said.
“And because Thanatos is dead, you’re willing to act in her place and help Aurox move on to the Otherworld,” Damien said.
“Well, I’m willing to try—if you guys help me.”
“Oh, for shit’s sake. Circle up, Nerd Herd. What’s the worst thing that can happen? Darkness is loosed on the world? Again?” Aphrodite gave a big pretend yawn. “Been there, kicked that ass.”
“We’ll help you, Z,” Stevie Rae said.
“Yea, we trust you,” Shaunee said.
“If you say Aurox needs your help, then we’re here for you,” Damien said.
“Absolutely,” Shaylin agreed.
“Thank you. I’m so damn proud to be part of your Nerd Herd,” I said, sniffing and wiping my eyes.
“Z, you put the nerd in herd. Circle up before you start snotting,” Aphrodite said. “And don’t cuss. It never sounds right when you try.”
I grinned at her as my circle fanned out, taking their familiar places. Grandma gave each of us our candles. I went to Damien and began where it had all started what now felt like so long ago.
“Air is everywhere, so it only makes sense that it is the first element to be called into the circle. I ask that you hear me, air, and I summon you to this circle.” I touched the yellow candle with the lit match, and air whooshed around Damien and me, lifting our hair.
He smiled at me though tears that pooled but didn’t quite spill from his eyes. “That’s what you said the first time you called air to our circle—that very first time my element manifested for me.”
“You remember!” I said, blinking hard so that I wouldn’t cry.
“Of course I remember. We’ll all remember, Z,” Damien said.
Smiling through my tears, I turned to the south and went to Shaunee.
“Fire reminds me of cold winter nights and the warmth and safety of the fireplace that heats my grandma’s cabin. I ask that you hear me, fire, and I summon you to this circle.” Shaunee’s red candle flamed before I could light it. She grinned at me. “Go on, Z. We’re here for you.”
I kept walking around the circle to Shaylin.
“Water is relief on a hot Oklahoma summer day. It’s the amazing ocean that I have finally seen, and it’s the rain that makes the lavender grow. I ask that you hear me, water, and I summon you to this circle.”
Shaylin’s blue candle lit easily, and the scent of spring showers filled the space around us.
“I’m glad Nyx gifted me with this affinity,” Shaylin said. “I’m glad I am a part of your circle.”
“Me, too, Shaylin,” I told her.
Then I moved to stand in front of my BFF.
“One more time, Z. Let’s do this, and do it right,” Stevie Rae said.
I swallowed down the lump that kept trying to rise in my throat and said, “Earth supports and surrounds us. We wouldn’t be anything without her. I ask that you hear me, earth, and I summon you to this circle.” The sounds and scents of a grassy meadow filled the air. My BFF and I smiled at each other.
Then I moved to the center of the circle and completed the casting, lifting my purple candle to light. “The last element is one that fills everything and everyone. It makes us unique and it breathes life into all things. I ask that you hear me, spirit, and I summon you to this circle.”
Spirit swirled around and through me as my circle was enclosed in a brilliant silver light. I closed my eyes and prayed. “Nyx, it won’t surprise you to know that I’m not real sure what I’m doing here—I’m only sure I need to be here. Please guide me and strengthen me.”
Opening my eyes, I walked to stand before the blackened stones that had been seared together to close Neferet’s living tomb. Thinking of Thanatos, and remembering what I had watched her do for Kalona, I held out my hand and said, “Aurox! You must take my hand!”
It happened way faster than I’d anticipated. A blindingly bright globe the color of moonstones burst from the center of the blackened stones. It elongated and expanded until it became Aurox!
“Ohmygoodness, Z was right!” Stevie Rae gasped.
“Hi,” I said. “Can you see me?”
I can, he said. A brilliant smile lit his face. You heard me. You came back for me!
“Yeah, I did. I don’t leave part of the Nerd Herd behind,” I said.
Part of the Nerd Herd. I like that. I’ll remember that.
“Remember something else. Remember that I came back for you.”
Aurox looked utterly shocked, and then his smile was back. You really do care about me.
“I really do,” I said.
From just outside the circle, Stark added, “We all really do, Aurox.”
Aurox turned his glowing eyes on Stark. Can we still have that beer together someday?
“Absolutely!” Stark said. “Next time around.”
Next time around, Aurox repeated. Then he looked at me. Now what?
“Now you stop keeping your Goddess waiting,” I said. “Here, take my hand again.”
I’m not sure I’m ready, he said.
I smiled at him. “I’m sure.”
He took my hand, and I lifted again, imagining that I was tossing him into the sky. The silver light that had been encircling us funneled through me, and with a great push of energy, Aurox shot upward.
The night sky above us shivered and then parted like an opening curtain to reveal Nyx standing before a beautiful blue lake. Kalona was beside her, smiling down on us. I watched as the Goddess opened her arms to embrace Aurox as if she were a mother welcoming home her beloved son.
“I finally did the totally right thing!” I said, wiping tears from my cheeks.
Before the curtain to the Otherworld closed, Nyx’s gaze went to me. The Goddess grinned. She looked younger and happier than I’d ever seen her look. And then, very distinctly, Nyx, Goddess of Night, winked at me.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
#1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author P. C. CAST is an award-winning fantasy and paranormal writer, as well as an experienced speaker and teacher. Her novels have been awarded YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and have received the prestigious Oklahoma Book Award, as well as the PRISM, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers Best, HOLT Medallion, Beacon, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice, and Affaire de Coeur Awards. She lives in Oklahoma with lots of dogs, cats, horses, and a burro. KRISTIN CAST is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who teams with her mother to write the House of Night series. She has stories in several anthologies, as well as editorial credits. Currently, Kristin is working on her first stand-alone novel.