Page 23

Again, another inadvertent reminder of our early courtship years. One of the southern tribes introduced us to popped corn and Kerainne couldn’t get enough. I’d seen very few movies, but I’d been incredibly amused when I’d learned that the ancient treat was inexorably tied to them.

She led me to the relaxation room. It was very different from the one her mother had in Medicia’s palace.

There were a few requisite overstuffed couches and chairs, but the rest of the furnishings were different.

There were giant round fuzzy things she called “beanbag chairs,” a popcorn machine that I’d only seen in Earth-films, an enormous music and speaker setup, and an equally vast television with endless shelves of films in various formats.

The beanbag chair felt awkward at first, but once it molded itself around me, I found it to be surprisingly comfortable.

After making the big machine produce popcorn that Kerainne scooped into tubs and covered with some type of yellow substance and salt, she got out bottles of beverages I’d also only seen in films.

The movie she selected was called Total Recall , and it was astonishingly violent. Even more shocking was how Kerainne giggled at all the murder and mayhem, often quoting the main actor, a thickly muscled human man with a strange Earth accent.

“Get your ass to Mars,” she echoed with a screen recording of the character’s message to his own alternate identity.

But by the time the hero and his love interest saved a dead planet in a way that would never work in real life without great magic, her happy sigh at their kiss warmed my heart.

“Well, that was…interesting,” I told her when the credits rolled.

“You told me you’d be interested if I shocked you on purpose,” she said with a laugh. “Xochitl and I watched this at least twenty times when she was growing up. Want to go downstairs for a glass of wine?”

“Of course.” I would go anywhere she asked.

Unfortunately, the moment she got a bottle and glasses from the cellar, the gate stone chimed.

I bit back a curse, then managed a friendly smile when Kerainne let Rayven and Tiana inside.

Rayven gave me a pointed look with one eyebrow raised.

I grinned back at him, triumphant that he recognized my success in being alone with Kerainne.

“We’re not staying long,” Rayven said as if to reassure me. “But we learned some very important details about the attack on the mage school that everyone needs to know.”

Kerainne summoned two extra glasses and poured everyone some wine. We settled on the couch in the solar. “What did you learn?”

Tiana began. “The evil vampires Akasha and Del—Father killed weren’t taking any mage they could grab.”

Rayven nodded and continued. “The school records revealed that all the students taken either had aptitude for healing magic or blood magic.”

“Oh shit,” Kerainne gasped. “I hope my daughter and Zareth return soon. I need to tell them immediately. That fucking bastard. What is he planning?”

I blinked at her language. She’d never cursed much before. I also selfishly hoped that the others wouldn’t be returning too soon.

Raven sipped his wine. “While I don’t relish the idea of spending more time with your son-in-law, I know he’d be the best person who can help figure that out…aside from me…and, of course, Tiana’s parents.”

“Kerainne studied for the black robes alongside her sister,” I reminded him.

“As did I, though I did not keep up with my studies as well as they did. So not only did we learn about the uses of specific magical specialties, but the Leonine sisters took part in many rescue missions on Earth when Mephistopheles was raiding that world.”

“That’s right,” Rayven eyed Kerainne with a mixture of awe and curiosity. “I sometimes forget how much older you are than Zareth and me. Your experiences with his attacks on Earth could shed light on the Evil One’s goals.”

“Perhaps.” Kerainne sounded doubtful. “But I do agree that we should wait for Xochitl and Zareth before any hard speculation. For now, I want to hear how you two are doing.” She beamed at Tiana. “Have you set a wedding date yet?”

“No.” Rayven answered. “I want to make sure the proposal is right and in proper mage tradition. For that I need to find the right items.”

Kerainne and I both nodded in comprehension.

Even though we’d become betrothed in luminite tradition first, I also proposed in the way of mages.

That required me to create a mage’s staff compatible with her power level.

I thought of that first staff I’d made and mourned its loss.

It had to have either been destroyed in the attack on Medicia, or perhaps Kerainne obliterated it herself after I broke her heart.

“I don’t envy you the task,” I teased Rayven to lighten the mood. “For a luminite-faelin hybrid who’s technically a thousand years your elder, you’re going to need to find equally as rare and precious materials.”

“Precisely,” Rayven’s odd golden eyes were solemn. “The search will be difficult.”

Tiana put her hand over his. “I don’t need a staff, much less a perfect one to marry you. I would do so right now and have Aunt Kerainne officiate.”

Rayven chuckled and killed the top of her head. “Tiana, my love, I don’t think you’ve grasped the prestige of your family. I will not shame you before any of them.”

“But my parents were able to wed quickly and without such formalities.”

“The rush was for political reasons,” I reminded her. “We had to break the betrothal between your mother and me that our family matriarchs were trying to force.”

Kerainne made a delicate sound. “Earlier, Lucian and I had agreed not to talk about the past. If you don’t mind, may we change the subject?”

Tiana’s eyes widened and darted between Kerainne and me while Rayven smirked. “Of course.”

The remainder of the visit was taken up by Tiana’s description of the herb garden she’d been working on at Rayven’s tower and Rayven’s plans to redecorate before the wedding.

I’d already heard my fill of the latter on the evenings the sorcerer had stayed with me when courting Tiana here. The man had a passion for decorating.

But since I too loved gardening, Tiana’s plans were fascinating and I was able to give her good advice as well as gain ideas from her for what to do with my own garden at the guesthouse.

All four of us drank more wine than we should have, to the point where Rayven and Tiana were swaying when they said their farewells.

I knew I couldn’t overstay my welcome, so I put on my coat.

“May I come back tomorrow?” I asked her after the sorcerer couple departed.

“I don’t know…” Her green eyes were unreadable. “I don’t want to give you any wrong ideas.”

Unfortunately, the wine loosened my tongue. “Don’t worry about that. You’ve never given me the opportunity to form an idea for long enough to stick.”

Thankfully, she seemed to take my acerbic remark well.

Or at least, she laughed. “That may be true. Meet me in the courtyard at noon. The days are getting shorter and I try to get as much time outside in the sun as possible. Perhaps we can figure out what the Evil One wants with healers and blood mages. Right now, I’m too tired and can’t think clearly. ”

“Very well.” I bowed low. “I thank you for your hospitality, Princess—er, I mean, Queen. I shall see you on the morrow.”

When I got back to my guesthouse, I was so rejuvenated with hope and triumph that I had to brew myself a sleeping tea. And I still awoke far too early, when flights of squawking geese on their southward journey heralded the dawn.

I used the extra waiting time to shower with extra thoroughness, remembering how much Kerainne had loved my hair, that I’d worn long ever since she’d expressed her delight with it that way.

A sudden realization made me smile at my reflection: With my long locks, I resembled the heavy metal musicians, faelin, and vampires that made up Kerainne’s inner circle.

Perhaps she’d realize that I could fit in too.

With that thought in mind, I put one of the Rage of Angels CDs Razvan had given me in the music player I purchased from one of the Earth supply stores in the village.

At first their music, something called heavy metal, was overwhelming to me, but between repeated listening to Xochitl’s band and hearing Razvan’s academic-sounding lectures about the genre and what made it good, the sound had grown on me.

Xochitl’s voice was, obviously incredible.

I’d loved Kerainne’s singing, but her daughter was unquestionably better in range and power.

It was a voice that brought the sun back to Aisthanesthai, a voice that was bringing magic back to a barren world.

But her bandmates were equally impressive.

My cousin Sylvis’s guitar playing held me in awe, Beau’s throbbing and versatile bass invoked primal feelings I couldn’t name, and Aurora’s drums, fates, I needed to see how she was able to make such percussion with only two hands and two feet.

The band was working on their next album. Maybe I would accept Razvan’s invitation to visit him on Earth and he could bring me to one of their recording or practice sessions. My new vampire friend had described the threads of power linking the band when they played together and I wanted to see it.

I sang along and baked some pumpkin bread to bring along as well as some chocolate zucchini bread in case Kerainne didn’t like pumpkin.

But I was fairly sure she did. By the time the two loaves were done and I’d brewed some spiced cider that went in a time stasis thermos, it was finally almost noon.

I flew to Zareth’s tower, not bothering to ring the gate stone since she’d asked to meet in the courtyard.

Going through the nightmare forest proved to almost be a mistake, as my eager steps were constantly hindered by phantom hands and grasping roots.

Why did Zareth have to go to these lengths when no creatures except luminites could enter?

It wasn’t as if a human or faelin could be tormented under these strange boughs.

Rayven was much more practical in the design of his forest, having it only emanate a sense of pure terror to all who were subject to fear.

Tiana had told us about all the wonderful roots and mushrooms flourishing there.

I doubted either of us could forage here in peace.

When I finally made it through, I saw Kerainne waiting for me near the place where Sylvis liked to go for her solitary guitar sessions. She looked adorable in an oversized wolfskin coat and thick wool trousers. I felt overdressed in my velvet doublet and overcoat.

“What’s in the basket?” she asked.

“Two kinds of warm bread and some spiced cider to wash it down.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Hmmm.”

I’d forgotten that food preparation for a female was a part of luminite courtship even though I’d done that very thing for her several times.

Quickly, I explained. “This is only to repay you for last night’s delicious wine and cake.”

“Oh. Alright then.” With that, she walked toward the garden of black roses, not looking back to make sure I followed.

She didn’t need to.

We sat down on a bench near a marble sculpture of a luminite. I gave it a double take. “That looks like one of yours.”

“It is.” Kerainne grinned with pride as she sliced the pumpkin bread. “It belonged to Zareth’s great-grandmother originally. His mother brought it here when she created the garden.”

“That is incredible. A piece of Medicia here and waiting for you.” It couldn’t be coincidence that a piece of art Kerainne had created nearly two-thousand years ago had become a family heirloom for her own daughter’s husband.

How long had Kerainne been a part of the Prophecy?

“Black roses are an interesting choice for the faelin. Don’t they normally prefer brighter colors? ”

She sipped her cider and hummed in appreciation.

“There are several faelin who prefer the dark and nocturnal. But their society often rejects them. Which is probably why Princess Belanatha left Shellandria in the first place. Earthfolk are the same, which was why Xochitl had a harder time of it, being what they call ‘goth’ over there.”

“What’s goth?”

We spent a delightful hour in which she explained what goths were, that led to me asking more questions and getting an education about the world she’d raised her child in. I found myself with countless other questions I didn’t dare ask.

“It’s getting cold,” she said suddenly and rose from the bench. “Thank you for the bread and cider. And the company.”

“I can keep you company inside again too.” I took her in my arms and she shivered against me. “I can warm you.”

“Lucian,” she said my name in a way that made me ache. “I can’t do this. I can’t do any more pretending.”

“Then let’s not pretend,” I said. “There is too much between us for it to magically go away.”

“It’s too late, Lucian.” Kerainne pushed on my chest. “I’m able to accept you as an ally. And if you’re able to accept my daughter, perhaps we may even be friends again in a century or two. But I can’t entertain a romantic relationship with you again. We’ve hurt each other too badly.”

I released her, though it killed me to do so. Before I could say anything else, we both heard voices and froze.

Kerainne recovered first and dashed out of the garden. Xochitl, Zareth, Sylvis, and Gabriel had returned from New York. I must have looked guilty because Gabe gave me a knowing smirk.

“Hi, sweetie!” Kerainne dashed over to Xochitl. “We didn’t expect you to be back so soon.”

Xochitl gave her an odd smile. “We can leave again if you want us to.”

Her words threw me off balance. On one hand, it was nice that she didn’t seem angry at me for being near her mother this time. On the other, had it truly looked like we’d been doing something other than talking?

Kerainne shook her head and spoke in a breezy tone as we followed the others to the tower.

“Lucian and I were merely discussing the audience I held for the villagers. So far, no one has seen anything suspicious. However, Tiana and Rayven came to visit and had some interesting information. Apparently, when the Evil One attacked the mage school in Shalafi, the students who were abducted were not taken at random. They were targeting healers and blood mages, mostly.”

She’d lied to them. Why? Was she ashamed of spending time with me?