Five days later…
“Here she comes!” Herne’s voice echoed as I came down the stairs. I was wearing a long plum-colored gown that cinched at the waist and flowed out. It had an asymmetrical hem, with the front four inches above my knees, and the skirt tea length in back. The sweetheart bodice ended in halter ties behind my neck. I was also wearing a pair of kitten-heel knee boots, and I had gathered my hair up into a chignon. Talia had tucked roses in the bun, and had lent me a pair of crystal earrings. At my throat was Morgana’s necklace.
“Woohoo!” Angel shouted as I appeared.
A sudden swirl of confetti sparkled down over me from all directions.
Yutani was playing DJ, and techno was pouring out of the speakers.
Everybody from the office was there, including Charlie, as well as Sheila, Raven, Rafé, and Marilee. And so were Morgana and Cernunnos. We were ostensibly taking a break from the stress over the Tuathan Brotherhood, but I knew the party had been Talia’s idea to celebrate me making it through the Cruharach.
The caterer was serving up suckling pig and roast lamb, and the tables were filled with trays of shrimp and crab, lobster and dinner rolls, salads and fruit tarts and a cake that was three tiers high. A bartender was mixing drinks behind the wet bar. All in all, the place was a mansion. I wasn’t sure who owned it, but the log cabin reminded me of a rustic yet fancy ski lodge. A fire crackled in the oversize fireplace.
I took Herne’s hand and he spun me into his arms. “The lady of the evening! May I present Ember Kearney, who has passed through the Cruharach intact, and now is…a mystery to unfold.” He pulled me to him. “May I have this dance?” He was dressed in a tux and tails, with a top hat, and I couldn’t resist.
“She Bangs” came on and we broke into a modified salsa, given I only knew some of the moves. As we spun and pranced our way around the floor, Viktor held out his hand to Sheila and she gave him a rueful smile and let him pull her onto the dance floor. I was glad to see their argument seemed to have ended. Rafé grabbed Angel’s hand and they too joined in.
At that point, Cernunnos moved forward, holding Morgana’s waist, and they went for it. Everybody else stopped, backing off the floor to watch them. Seeing the gods not only salsa but put their own spin of magic into it wasn’t something you saw every day.
As I watched Cernunnos, I saw where Herne got his moves. His father was sultry, the heat of the dark woods in summer. Morgana was wearing a sparkling mini-dress that acted like a sequined kaleidoscope every time she moved. As they danced, the passion between them seemed to flame higher and I couldn’t look away. Cernunnos’s long dreads spun as he sailed across the dance floor, Morgana keeping up with them.
“Your parents are incredible,” I whispered.
Herne nodded. “Yes, I know. When they’re good, they’re great. When they argue, it’s best that they have their own houses. Come on, let’s get a drink.”
He steered me over to the bar and I accepted a glass of mead. As we walked away from the dancing, I felt oddly distanced. I had come through the Cruharach intact, but it had definitely changed me, and I was only beginning to sort out how.
I felt older, more confident. I also could feel the aging process drastically slowing. It was as though an internal clock had suddenly stopped ticking, slowing down to milliseconds instead of seconds. Deep inside me, both sides of my heritage coiled together, no longer separate but integrated into my psyche.
“Who owns this place?”
Herne shrugged. “A friend of a friend. Leave it at that.” He paused, then asked, “How are you? Seriously. We haven’t had much chance to talk in private since before the ritual.” He gazed down at me, his eyes piercing my heart.
“I’m good.” I looked up at him. “You saved me, during the Cruharach. You came to me on the shore and kept me from making a terrible mistake.”
“I couldn’t help you. I wasn’t allowed.” His gaze gave away nothing. “I was on the other side, but I couldn’t be present during the actual ritual. Father forbade it.”
I shook my head. “I know you were there. I saw the silver stag up on the embankment.”
Herne took my glass and set it aside, along with his. “I mean it, Ember. They wouldn’t let me help you.”
“Then who did I see?” I knew what I had seen.
“You were born with the mark of the silver stag. Maybe there’s a greater force involved. Whatever the case, I’m so glad you’re here with me.” He pulled me toward him, his hands on my waist. “We can’t predict the future, but right now, right at this moment, I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”
Leaning down, he gathered me in his arms and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was hot, so hot it made me melt. I wanted to drag him aside, find a private place and screw his brains out, but tonight wasn’t just for me. It was for all of my friends who had been worried about me.
“Excuse me.” The voice was so deep it could only be Cernunnos.
We spun around.
“Father, is something wrong?” Herne asked.
Cernunnos shook his head. “Your mother requests you attend her for a moment, son. I’ll keep Ember company.”
I swallowed hard as Herne nodded, then turned to go find Morgana. Once he was gone, I cleared my throat and turned to Cernunnos. As approachable as Herne was, Cernunnos was the opposite. He was every inch a god, and he made me feel about the size of an ant whenever I was near him.
“So, you have passed through the awakening. Welcome to your true nature,” Cernunnos said.
I struggled to answer. “Thank you, milord.”
“Your father was worried that you wouldn’t manage it—he asked me to help at one point. He and your mother knew they weren’t likely to live long enough to see you grow up. But I knew you could do it. Morgana and I would have stepped in if fate hadn’t brought you to us first.” He paused, then in a husky voice, he said, “Don’t ever fear your powers. Fear will kill you faster than anything else.”
“I got that impression during the Cruharach.” Then, gazing into his eyes, I saw a glint of silver and I gasped. “It was you. You were the silver stag on the embankment.”
Cernunnos let a slip of a smile show.
“Like son, like father,” he said, then turned away. But before he returned to Morgana, he glanced over his shoulder. “Ember, make certain you listen to your heart. My son might be a god, but he has feelings. And I may chastise him for many things, but I do not take betrayal easily. For myself, my wife, or my son. Do you understand?”
He held my gaze.
Inside, I was terrified, but I didn’t want him to see that. “I love your son. If that changes, I’ll be honest and upfront. I only ask the same in return.”
“Well, then. So we understand each other.” He turned back to the party.
I picked up my glass and drained it. If Cernunnos was warning me not to betray his son, then perhaps Herne was more serious than I thought. And just what did Cernunnos consider betrayal? Was it dancing with Apollo? Talking to Viktor? Or something more questionable?
As Herne walked back toward me, I realized that I wasn’t sure if I was happy, or scared shitless. But for now, I decided on happy. Herne held out his arms and I went running into his embrace, as—for the first time in my life—I felt a sense of belonging like I had never before experienced.
Deep in the forest, the soft sound of chanting fell silent. At this altitude, a light snow was falling. From between the snowflakes, a vapor began to appear—a silver mist that spread across the clearing. The figure who had been chanting suddenly stopped as the mist enveloped her, and a moment later, she lay silent in the snow. The mist coiled into tendrils and began to surround the body, wrapping around the woman’s limbs. As the snow continued to fall, the mist seeped into her open mouth. Another moment, and the chanter sat up, looking around. She knew where she had to go, and what she had to do. And so, she began the long trek out of the deep, dark woodland.
If you enjoyed this book and haven’t read the first four books of the Wild Hunt Series, check out THE SILVER STAG, OAK & THORNS, IRON BONES, and A SHADOW OF CROWS. You can preorder book 6—THE SILVER MIST—now.
Meanwhile, I invite you to visit Fury’s world. Bound to Hecate, Fury is a minor goddess, taking care of the Abominations who come off the World Tree. Books 1 to 5 are available now in the Fury Unbound Series : FURY RISING, FURY’S MAGIC, FURY AWAKENED, FURY CALLING, and FURY’S MANTLE.
For a dark, gritty, steamy series, try my world of the Indigo Court, where the long winter has come, and the Vampiric Fae are on the rise. NIGHT MYST, NIGHT VEIL, NIGHT SEEKER, NIGHT VISION, NIGHT’S END, and NIGHT SHIVERS are all available now.
If you prefer a lighter-hearted paranormal romance, meet the wild and magical residents of Bedlam in my Bewitching Bedlam Series. Fun-loving witch Maddy Gallowglass, her smoking-hot vampire lover Aegis, and their crazed cjinn Bubba (part djinn, all cat) rock it out in Bedlam, a magical town on a magical island. BLOOD MUSIC, BEWITCHING BEDLAM, MAUDLIN’S MAYHEM, SIREN’S SONG, WITCHES WILD, CASTING CURSES, BLOOD VENGEANCE, TIGER TAILS, and Bubba’s origin story—THE WISH FACTOR—are available.
If you like cozies with an edge, try my Chintz ‘n China paranormal mysteries. The series is complete with: GHOST OF A CHANCE, LEGEND OF THE JADE DRAGON, MURDER UNDER A MYSTIC MOON, A HARVEST OF BONES, ONE HEX OF A WEDDING, and a wrap-up novella: HOLIDAY SPIRITS.
The last Otherworld book—BLOOD BONDS—will be available in April 2019.
For all of my work, both published and upcoming releases, see the Bibliography at the end of this book, or check out my website at Galenorn.com and be sure and sign up for my newsletter to receive news about all my new releases.